Suttle Licenses OptoLock(R) Plugless Interconnect Design From Firecomms for New POF Wall Plate Product

MINNEAPOLIS, March 16 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Firecomms, a leading developer of high-speed Plastic Optical Fiber (POF) transceivers, announces that it has licensed its OptoLock® interconnect system to Suttle, Inc., a leading supplier of communication connectivity products for the telecom and datacom industries worldwide. OptoLock, an easy-to-use, low-cost housing for instant termination of bare Plastic Optical Fiber (POF), provides plugless terminations that allow for simpler, quicker connections of communications and infotainment network devices.

"Suttle is excited to offer the first commercially available POF to POF passive OptoLock wall plate adapter system, which we've added to our SpeedStar line of modular connectivity," says Bill Heuer, senior product manager. "Firecomms has pioneered the development of POF as a low-cost alternative for copper cabling in home networking, which we look forward to support."

"With the rapid adoption of OptoLock by an increasing number of equipment providers, we are pleased to license our technology to Suttle, Inc., a well established telecom vendor that has been supplying communication equipment to companies worldwide since 1910," says Lawrence Thorne, Firecomms' vice president of sales and marketing, the Americas. "Suttle, like all suppliers of OptoLock products, will manufacture its product based on a common mechanical specification for the fiber interface."

Suttle's new SpeedStar OptoLock wall plate adapter system will be available in Q2 2010. Due to its ease of use, large core tolerances, and low costs, POF is enjoying substantial growth in home network and point-to-point interconnection. The annual worldwide POF market is estimated to be worth over $2.5 billion in 2011, according to market research by Information Gatekeepers.

About Suttle

Celebrating its 100th Anniversary, Suttle is widely accepted by the world's largest service providers as delivering leading residential connectivity solutions. The Company's high quality products are backed by best-in-class customer service, a 25-year warranty on certified systems, and a free online training program for CEDIA and BICSI credit. An ISO 9001 & TL9000 registered communications company based in Hector, MN, Suttle is a wholly owned subsidiary of Communications Systems, Inc., a publicly traded company (NASDAQ: JCS). For more information about Suttle or its family of products visit www.suttleonline.com or call 800-852-8662.

About Firecomms

Firecomms, a semiconductor company, develops high-speed optical components that drive IPTV home networks and in-car multimedia entertainment systems. The company's revolutionary OptoLock technology, licensed worldwide, has created the ability to bring fiber into every home in the world.

Firecomms is headquartered in Cork, Ireland and has facilities in Japan and the USA. For additional information about the company, visit its web site at www.firecomms.com or call 512-328-0300 (US office).

OptoLock is a registered trademark of Firecomms Ltd.

SOURCE Suttle