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Smart Grid Attracts Test & Measurement Supplier for Developing Technology to Bring More Reliable Delivery of Electricity and Broadband Over Power Lines

Posted on: Wednesday, 8 November 2006, 09:00 CST

PITTSBURGH, Nov. 8 /PRNewswire/ -- BPL Global(TM), Ltd., an international leader in "Smart Grid" technologies and broadband services over power lines (BPL), announced today that Tollgrade Communications, Inc. has joined in the Series C investment round for BPL Global. This investment is part of the Series C funding BPL Global announced in late September, totaling $25M and led by a consortium of Kuwaiti-based companies including Al-Deera Holding , International Financial Advisors , Kuwait Holding Company, and International Finance Company . A minor investor in the round, Tollgrade Communications is a leading supplier of network service assurance products for the global cable and telecom industries.

"Improving reliability of electricity through smart grid technologies and managing the quality of broadband communications over power lines are attractive emerging markets. Given our presence in the service assurance marketplace for cable and telephone companies, this investment makes great sense for Tollgrade," said Mark B. Peterson, President and Chief Executive Officer for Tollgrade Communications.

"As a global leader in network test and measurement products, Tollgrade Communications is a much-welcomed new strategic investor in BPL Global," said Keith Schaefer, Chief Executive Officer, BPL Global.

BPL Global forms joint ventures with utilities and Internet service providers (ISPs), providing data, voice and eventually video broadband services over power lines to multi-occupancy buildings and consumers, while ensuring heightened reliability and efficiency of utility grids through Smart Grid initiatives. Smart Grid applications include demand and load management; outage management; grid monitoring and device control; as well as energy theft prevention.

About BPL Global

BPL Global(TM), Ltd. is a leading international provider of Smart Grid applications to utilities and broadband services to consumers via power lines. The company forms joint ventures with national/regional utilities and ISPs and provides Broadband over Power Line (BPL) technology-based products and services. BPL Global specializes in end-to-end solutions, providing the best in technology, software, hardware, design, and systems integration. Visit BPL Global on the Web at http://www.bplglobal.net/.

About Tollgrade

Tollgrade Communications, Inc. is a leading provider of network service assurance products and services for centralized test systems around the world. Tollgrade designs, engineers, markets and supports centralized test systems, test access and status monitoring products, and next generation network assurance technologies for the broadband marketplace. Tollgrade's customers range from the top RBOCs (Regional Bell Operating Companies) and Cable providers, to numerous independent telecom, cable and broadband providers around the world. Tollgrade's network testing, measurement and monitoring solutions support the infrastructure of cable and telecom companies offering current and emerging triple play services. Tollgrade, headquartered near Pittsburgh in Cheswick, Pa., and its products and customer reach span over 200 million embedded access lines, more than any other test and measurement supplier. For more information, visit Tollgrade's web site at http://www.tollgrade.com/ .

About Al-Deera Holding

Al-Deera Holding is a Kuwait-based shareholding company that transacts a range of business activities including ownership of shares in Kuwaiti and foreign shareholding companies, acquisition of properties and buildings, acquisition of industrial rights and related intellectual property, the extension and loans to companies in which it owns an equity share. The company's transnational alliances, strategic investments and diversified portfolio has helped position it as an investment market leader. By expanding its operations beyond MENA region, to Europe and USA, the company has been able to enhance its leverage power in major infrastructural projects.

About International Financial Advisors

International Financial Advisors is one of the leading Kuwaiti shareholding companies with a paid-up capital of $156 million. Since its inception in 1974, the company has adopted a number of strategies that contributed to the rapid expansion of the company's operations on both the regional and international levels. While IFA's global investment strategy aimed at mitigating risk to a minimum by means of geographical diversification, its approach to local investments has focused more on asset management, funds, portfolios and direct investments. IFA is currently working on establishing a new company that would provide aviation services to business executives at a short notice. This venture is to start initially with a fleet of four Bombardiers with a capacity of nine to twelve passengers on each flight. IFA is also the main shareholder of IFA Hotels & Resorts (IFA HR) a leading developer of premier integrated and mixed-use hotel and tourism resort projects throughout Europe, the Middle East, the Indian Ocean region and Africa. IFA Hotels & Resorts (South Africa), a subsidiary, listed on the JSE Limited on February 27, 2006. Globally, IFA H&R have entered into strategic alliances and joint venture partnerships with leading companies in the region and abroad such as Kingdom Hotel Investment Group (Saudi Arabia), Nakheel (UAE), United Investments (Portugal), a strategic alliance with RCI (part of the Cendant's Group), Moreland Developments (Pty) Ltd. (South Africa), Boschendal Ltd. ( South Africa). IFA H&R aims to link its resorts to new parts of the globe, such as the US, the UK, Mauritius, Eastern Europe and the Far East.

BPL Global(TM), Ltd.

CONTACT: Jennifer Bannan of Zer0 to 5ive, +1-412-580-3675, for BPLGlobal(TM), Ltd.

Web site: http://bplglobal.net/http://www.tollgrade.com/

Source: PRNewswire

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