MILPITAS, Calif., Aug. 11 /PRNewswire/ -- In the Dujiangyan City settlement in the Sichuan Province of southwest China, 24,000 men, women, and children were cut off from the rest of China and the world in the terrible aftermath of the May earthquake. Now, they potentially face years without homes and the terrible memories of lost family members, as well as coping with the boredom and isolation of living in a temporary settlement.

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All of this is occurring during a time of great national pride as China hosts the Olympic Games. Now, with the help of Azalea Networks and their mobile broadband wireless network technology, these residents have a lifeline to connect to this experience and the rest of the outside world. Right after the disaster, executives of Azalea Networks acted quickly to set up its Emergency Response Wireless Network (ERWN) system to help establish mobile broadband wireless networks throughout the stricken area. Originally used to offer emergency workers and the military a mobile communications network, that equipment has also become a means of staying in touch with the outside world for families and children living in the settlement.

Azalea China President Fang Wu recently visited the area and officially dedicated an Internet Access Zone that consists of laptop computers for use by anyone in the community. Azalea's wireless network covers the entire settlement providing online access for those with their own computers, but for those without, the Access Zone, or what has come to be called "The Loving Heart Internet Bar" by locals, is a place where anyone can come to connect with loved ones, friends, or just get caught up on current events.

For the hundreds of children in the settlement, "The Loving Heart Internet Bar" has become a tool for education as well. Azalea has established a program to virtually guide the children through areas of China they may never have had the opportunity to visit, including Beijing's Forbidden City, the Summer Palace, and the Great Wall. During the Olympic Games in Beijing, children will be able to view some events online and cheer for their host country's athletes as they compete in venues in and around the capital. Azalea recently deployed approximately 1,000 routers as well as video surveillance equipment to provide online access and public safety applications over 38 square miles throughout key areas of Beijing.

According to Azalea CEO John Elms, "Many children in the earthquake area are looking for hope beyond their current situation and surroundings. Our wireless network and education program provide them with the means to learn and concentrate on something other than the disaster that uprooted their lives." He added, "Being connected provides these people with a sense of empowerment and solace in knowing that they too will return to normal lives sometime in the near future."

For more information and to see photographs of the settlement network, visit http://www.azaleanet.com/erwn.

About Azalea Networks
Azalea Networks, headquartered in Milpitas, California, (http://www.azaleanet.com) is the first company to provide network intelligence to broadband wireless infrastructure through an innovative wireless routing technology that sets new standards in price and performance. Azalea's solution is ideal for service providers, government agencies, and industrial enterprises that need the superior high performance, scalable capacity, quality of service, seamless mobility and other advantages made possible by true, intelligent network routing. Azalea's solution is purpose-built for wireless broadband infrastructures deployed in converged voice, video and data applications.

All product and company names mentioned herein may be the trademarks of their respective owners. Azalea Networks and the Azalea Networks logo are trademarks of Azalea Networks in the U.S. and various countries. (C) 2008 Azalea Networks, Inc. All rights reserved.

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