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Occam BLC 6000 Used by SureWest Communications to Deliver New 3 Mbps DSL Service

Sacramento-Based IOC Expands Use of Broadband Loop Carrier beyond Video Delivery Platform

SANTA BARBARA, Calif. – March 7, 2005 Occam Networks Inc. (OTCBB: OCCM) , a supplier of innovative Ethernet and IP-based loop carrier equipment to telecommunications companies worldwide, today announced that SureWest Communications (NASDAQ: SURW) is using Occam's BLC 6000 System to help deliver its recently announced 3 Mbps DSL over copper service. SureWest has used the BLC 6000 to deliver video services to its subscribers in the Roseville, Calif. area since early-2004 and has begun to utilize the BLC platform to deliver additional services as part of its broadband expansion.

“Subscribers have been extremely receptive to our new 3 Mbps DSL service,” said Bill DeMuth, Vice President and Chief Technology Officer, SureWest. “ The number of 3 Mbps subscribers has been steadily growing. Our ability to extend the reach and increase dedicated bandwidth over copper phone lines gives us a strong competitive service offering against the cable companies that meets our customer demand for speed and efficiency.”

The service delivery model of the BLC 6000 System dramatically increases bandwidth through its use of low-cost Gigabit Ethernet as a transport protocol. This abundance of bandwidth enables SureWest to efficiently and cost-effectively deliver high-speed DSL services over copper to 100 percent of the subscribers in its service area.

Occam and SureWest have been working together since 2003 when SureWest selected the Occam BLC System to deliver its video-over-copper service.

“Our experience with the BLC 6000 and our excellent working relationship with Occam helped enormously as we rolled out this new service. The BLC makes provisioning fast and simple and we know with its Ethernet- and IP-based architecture that we will have as much bandwidth as we need going forward,” added Carl Murray, Strategic Technologies Manager, SureWest.

To deliver its new higher speed DSL, SureWest added 48-port BLC 6212 blades to their installed BLC chassis. The BLC 6212 uses ADSL2Plus to deliver significant performance and interoperability improvements such as higher data rates, greater reach, advanced management, expanded diagnostics, enhanced power management, and real-time rate adaptation.

“The number of DSL subscribers is growing universally,” said Russ Sharer, vice president of sales and marketing for Occam. “As the number of subscribers increases so does their demand for increased the bandwidth that enables them to take advantage of the Internet with more bandwidth for web surfing, downloading photos and music, and online gaming. We see higher speed, multiple megabit DSL as a requirement for service providers to increase customer satisfaction and block competition."

About Occam Networks Inc.
Occam Networks Inc. develops and markets innovative Broadband Loop Carrier networking equipment that enable telephone companies to deliver voice, data and video services. Based on Ethernet and Internet Protocol (IP) technologies, Occam's equipment allows telecommunications service providers to profitably deliver traditional phone services, as well as advanced voice-over-IP, residential and business broadband, and digital television services through a single, all-packet access network. Occam is headquartered in Santa Barbara, Calif. Additional information can be found at www.occamnetworks.com.

Portions of this press release may contain forward-looking statements regarding future events or the future performance of Occam Networks. Forward-looking statements involve risks and uncertainties, which could cause actual results to differ materially from any future performance suggested in such statements. Rapidly changing technologies and market conditions may require changes to Occam's products. Occam does not undertake any obligation to publicly update any forward-looking statements as a result of new information, future events or otherwise. Please also refer to the company's most recent quarterly report on Form 10-Q, annual report on Form 10-K and other filings with the SEC. These filings contain and identify other important factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those contained in any forward-looking statements.