Meru Networks Introduces Low-Cost 802.11n Access Point Designed to Deliver the Best Guest Experience

SUNNYVALE, Calif., Nov. 4, 2010 /PRNewswire/ -- Meru Networks, Inc., (Nasdaq: MERU), the leader in virtualized and optimized 802.11n enterprise wireless networking, announced today the AP1000i, a new 802.11n access point product line that is optimally designed for the hospitality marketplace. The AP1000i is simple to deploy and easy to manage, delivering reliability and cost savings for the extended hospitality environment by leveraging the power of Meru's Single-Channel, Virtual Port™ and Virtual Cell™ technology. Optimized to deliver an exceptional guest experience, the AP1000i is designed to deliver the industry's best-in-class connectivity, mobility and service assurance at hotels, resorts and entertainment centers.  With the new AP1000i, hospitality customers can now achieve high guest satisfaction, employee productivity and significant cost savings without compromise.

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Key Facts

• The AP1000i is the newest entry-level, low cost enterprise access point solution in Meru's product family with breakthrough connectivity, mobility, security, simplicity of deployment and ease of management.  The AP1000i delivers high-value wireless networking service to hotels, resorts and hospitality customers at an affordable price.
• Designed for hotels and resorts demanding mission-critical connectivity and mobility without the high cost and complexity of microcell products.
• Based on a proven mission-critical WLAN architecture that is deployed in hundreds of hotels, resorts and entertainment customers worldwide, the AP1000i delivers sustained performance and an exceptional guest experience.
• Based on Meru's innovative Single-Channel, Virtual Cell, and Virtual Port technology, the AP1000i is a low cost solution that seamlessly scales to hundreds of thousands of square feet with consistent WLAN coverage for enhanced guest experience and employee productivity.
• Enhanced by the optional Service Assurance Manager™ software, IT managers have predictive WLAN availability and complete visibility to hotels and remote properties to help ensure guest satisfaction.
• With an entry-level price of $395, the AP1000i offers extraordinary performance at this price point. The AP1000i is able to significantly lower CapEx by up to 30 percent and can reduce OpEx up to 50 percent – making the AP1000i an attractive solution for mass adoption.
• The AP1000i provides full end-to-end security that includes integrated rogue mitigation, and intrusion prevention and secure access to applications and corporate resources.
• Out-of-the-box support for thousands of 802.11 a/b/g/n devices.
• With Meru, hospitality and entertainment organizations now have a low-cost, business critical 802.11n WLAN for their guest environments.  With the AP1000i, customers have the reliable connectivity, mobility, rock-solid performance and the service assurance their guests need.

Supporting Quotes

Paul Picknelly, president, Monarch Enterprises

"The Springfield Sheraton hotel has a long-standing reputation for superior customer service and guest satisfaction throughout every aspect of our business.  When guests began to complain about dropped connections and poor performance on the wireless network, we knew we needed to replace our legacy system with a solution that could deliver predictive high performance from the lobby to the guests' rooms to the conference rooms. Through working with our technology partner, The Kelser Corporation and Meru Networks, we implemented a key upgrade to our system.  Kelser teamed with Meru to install the AP1000i which had an immediate impact on our network's performance.  Because it was so easy to setup, configure and deploy, we had a solution that allowed us to rapidly address performance issues without requiring on-site IT resources. With the price point and ease of setup, we are able to deploy this very cost-effectively throughout the hotel and out to some of our other locations.  This was just another example of how partners like Meru Networks and Kelser have improved service delivery to the Sheraton's clients as well as reducing costs to the operation."

Zeus Kerravala, senior vice president, global enterprise and consumer research, Yankee Group

"Gone are the days where users are interested in accessing the hotel wireless network simply for Internet connectivity and email.  Premium services such as video-over-wireless and tiered services are placing new demands on hospitality organizations and best-effort connectivity will no longer be sufficient. To remain competitive, hospitality organizations will need to evaluate their WLAN equipment and determine if it has the performance and reliability needed to take them to the next level. Meru's AP1000i provides an easy way for companies to have all the benefits of a higher-performing WLAN solution at price point that is affordable for organizations that are making a change."

Ram Appalaraju, senior vice president, marketing, Meru Networks

"Hotels, such as the Sheraton, as well as other hospitality venues across the world are choosing Meru because of our ability to provide service in challenging mobility environments at a lower total cost of ownership when compared to other microcell offerings. With the introduction of the AP1000i, we believe hospitality customers can now monetize their WLAN investment by delivering best-in-class guest experience.  The AP1000i leverages proven innovative technology that over 4,000 Meru customers have come to depend on.  With enhanced levels of simplicity and affordability, the AP1000i is able to make the transition to an All-Wireless Enterprise™ a reality at virtually any location for enterprises today."

Pricing and Availability

Pricing begins at $395 for a single-radio access point. The AP1000i and will be available in December 2010.

About Meru Networks

Founded in 2002, Meru Networks develops and markets a virtualized wireless LAN solution that cost-effectively optimizes the enterprise network to deliver the performance, reliability, predictability and operational simplicity of a wired network, with the advantages of mobility.  Meru's solution represents an innovative approach to wireless networking that utilizes virtualization technology to create an intelligent and self-monitoring wireless network, and enables enterprises to migrate their business-critical applications from wired networks to wireless networks, and become all-wireless enterprises.  Meru's solutions have been adopted in major industry vertical markets, including education, healthcare, hospitality, manufacturing and retail.  Meru is headquartered in Sunnyvale, Calif., and has operations in the Americas, Europe, the Middle East and Asia Pacific.  For more information, visit www.merunetworks.com  or call (408) 215-5300.  

This press release contains forward-looking statements regarding Meru Networks expectations, hopes, plans, intentions or strategies, including, but not limited to statements regarding Meru's ability to deliver the best guest experience, the ability to deliver reliability and cost savings for the extended hospitality environment, the ability to deliver the industry's best-in-class connectivity, mobility and service assurance, the ability to deliver up to 30 percent lower CapEx and up to 50 percent OpEx savings, and  the ability for hospitality customers to monetize their wireless LAN investment. These forward-looking statements involve risks and uncertainties, as well as assumptions that, if they do not fully materialize or prove incorrect, could cause our results to differ materially from those expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. The risks and uncertainties include those described in Meru Networks' documents filed with or furnished to the Securities and Exchange Commission. All forward-looking statements in this press release are based on information available to Meru Networks as of the date hereof, and Meru Networks assumes no obligation to update these forward-looking statements.

Meru Networks is a registered trademark of Meru Networks, Inc. All other trademarks are the property of their respective owners.

SOURCE Meru Networks, Inc.