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Underground coal mine expands ActiveMine(TM) installation

Posted on: Tuesday, 26 May 2009, 04:00 CDT

TORONTO, May 26 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ - Active Control Technology Inc. (TSX-V:ACT) today announced that an existing customer has expanded its deployment of ActiveMine(TM), the premier wireless voice communications, tracking and data network for the mining industry.

The customer has ordered seven additional MSHA-approved wireless Wi-Fi nodes and network equipment to meet the needs of its expanding underground coal mine in West Virginia, just one month after the initial installation.

"Existing customers like this one generate recurring revenues for ACT through sales of additional nodes, networking and other equipment as their operations expand," said Steve Barrett, President and CEO, Active Control. "ActiveMine's plug-and-play installation makes it easy and cost-effective for our customers to expand their underground wireless networks."

The expanded installation is the largest MSHA approved wireless Wi-Fi mesh network in the U.S. and is believed to be the largest underground Wi-Fi mesh network anywhere. The mine's ActiveMine network now has 57 nodes extending several miles underground to two separate mine faces.

ActiveMine's industry-leading, low latency technology enables clear, distortion-free digital voice communications over a mesh network with many wireless 'hops' (signal transmission from one node to the next). In contrast, with other Wi-Fi mesh technologies, voice transmission may not be possible after more than five to six hops. This unique performance is made possible by ActiveMine's use of third-generation Wi-Fi mesh networking technology from MeshDynamics.

"ActiveMine's unique wireless capabilities - above all its reliable, crystal clear voice quality over many hops - have made it a core part of our customers' mining operations," Barrett said. "We thank MeshDynamics for partnering with us to make this technology available to our customers, and for their tremendous ongoing support."

The expanded installation has been toured recently by several prospective customers, who have seen first-hand how well it performs in working underground operations.

Additional Details on the Expanded Deployment

Both mine faces are backed up with redundant nodes covering the primary and secondary escape ways. The network also covers the above-ground yard area and all support buildings. The first five wireless hops are shared by both arms of the network, with one arm extending an additional 18 hops and the other an additional 12 hops. To the longest point, the wireless signal travels over a total of 23 hops. ActiveMine's network has been designed to support at least 100 wireless hops and hundreds of nodes, enabling voice communications - the critical mining application for both safety and productivity - in very large mines.

Active Control Helps Mines Meet Emergency Response Plan Requirements

Active Control has developed an Emergency Response Plan (ERP) template to help U.S. underground coal mine operators meet MSHA's June 15, 2009 deadline to complete plans. The ERPs, which are similar to mine safety plans already required in West Virginia, cover various aspects of emergency preparedness including wireless communications and electronic tracking systems. Mine operators are invited to contact Cameron Sturgess at csturgess@activecontrol.com or (416) 402-0345 to arrange for a copy of the template.

On April 29, 2009, MSHA provided additional information on its mine communications and tracking requirements under the Mine Improvement and New Emergency Response Act (MINER) Act. A Q&A to help guide mine operators on the requirements and deadlines has been posted by MSHA at http://www.msha.gov/REGS/COMPLIAN/Guides/CommoandTracking.pdf.

NIOSH Communication and Tracking Workshops

ACT presented at workshops sponsored by the National Institute of Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) in Charleston, WV last week and Denver, CO the previous week. MSHA and NIOSH provided 240 mine representatives with guidance about preparing Emergency Response Plans due June 15th. The presentations generated considerable interest in ActiveMine and, as a result, ACT is now quoting on installations at an additional 17 mines.

Active Control Annual General Meeting

Active Control's annual general meeting of shareholders has been set for 10 a.m. Thursday, June 11th at the Toronto Board of Trade.

About MeshDynamics, Inc.

MeshDynamics delivers one of the only third-generation wireless mesh networking solutions for high-performance outdoor data, voice, and video networking. Based on sophisticated dynamic channel-agile networking algorithms, MeshDynamics' MD4000 family of Structured Mesh(TM) wireless nodes deliver very low-latency and low-jitter performance, even over multi-hop topologies where many earlier generation wireless mesh networking products fail. MeshDynamics' products are in use worldwide in mining and industrial, homeland security/defense, transportation, and metro/municipal network applications. MeshDynamics, Inc. is privately held and headquartered in Santa Clara, CA. More information at: www.meshdynamics.com.

About Active Control Technology

Active Control Technology is a mining services company specializing in advanced wireless productivity and safety systems. The company's MSHA-approved ActiveMine system provides two-way wireless voice communication, real-time tracking of personnel and assets, and high bandwidth data applications such as streaming video and operational data from mining machinery, over a robust wireless Wi-Fi network. Located in Burlington, Ontario, Canada, Active Control trades publicly on the TSX Venture Exchange under the symbol ACT. For more information, visit www.activecontrol.com.

Get more out of your mine(TM) Neither TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.

Cautionary Note Regarding Forward-Looking Statements: This press release contains forward-looking statements that involve risks and uncertainties, which may cause actual results to differ materially from the statements made. When used in this document, the words "may", "would", "could", "will", "intend", "plan", "anticipate", "believe", "estimate", "expect" and similar expressions are intended to identify forward-looking statements. Such statements reflect our current views with respect to future events and are subject to such risks and uncertainties. Many factors could cause our actual results to differ materially from the statements made, including those factors discussed in filings made by us with the Canadian securities regulatory authorities. Should one or more of these risks and uncertainties, such as changes in demand for and prices for the products of the Company or the materials required to produce those products, labour relations problems, currency and interest rate fluctuations, increased competition and general economic and market factors, occur or should assumptions underlying the forward looking statements prove incorrect, actual results may vary materially from those described herein as intended, planned, anticipated, or expected. We do not intend and do not assume any obligation to update these forward-looking statements, except as required by law. The reader is cautioned not to put undue reliance on such forward-looking statements.

SOURCE Active Control Technology Inc.

Source: PR Newswire

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