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Duquesne Broadband to Launch Wireless Internet Pilot in Monroeville New Pittsburgh Tech Company Adds Competitively Priced Choice to Broadband Market PITTSBURGH, July 21 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- The wires that bring electricity to the home will soon be delivering a new choice in high-speed wireless Internet service to a select group of Duquesne Light customers. Duquesne Broadband, a joint venture between BPL Global and DQE Communications Network Services, a wholly owned subsidiary of Duquesne Light Holdings, will launch a wireless Internet pilot in targeted Monroeville neighborhoods beginning Aug. 8. One of the newest high tech companies to make Pittsburgh home, Duquesne Broadband applies the latest advances in both wireless and broadband over power line (BPL) technologies to make this service a compelling choice for customers. "We've combined affordable, fast and reliable broadband into a wireless service to the home," said Mark Rupnik, vice president of DQE Communications. "Our broadband service is 50 times faster than dial-up at a much lower cost than cable, all with the convenience of wireless access." Residents and small business owners in the targeted area will be sent a brochure detailing Duquesne Broadband's service. Monroeville residents can pre-register their interest for this new wireless high-speed Internet service at http://www.duquesnebroadband.com/. By providing equipment to connect the household to its wireless service, Duquesne Broadband offers simple and easy access to wireless Internet without additional costs. Pilot customers can receive a full line of services, including unlimited Internet access, multiple email accounts, spam blocking, anti-virus protection, parental controls, and more, all via a secure, personal connection. Furthermore, the stable, monthly price is comparable to other introductory Internet offers. Duquesne Broadband's wireless system works by sending a broadband signal through power lines using the leading medium voltage BPL technology from Amperion, Inc. Amperion's PowerWifi(TM) wireless transmitter provides the "last mile" connection to homes. For hotels, apartment building or other multi-dwelling facilities, Duquesne Broadband employs Telkonet's revolutionary iWire System to connect directly with users. DQE Communications leverages its core fiber optic network to connect the broadband signal to the Internet backbone. Through this combination of technologies, Duquesne Broadband provides leading edge Internet access technology to its customers. Broadband over power lines is an innovative technology of global interest. Cities in North and South America, Europe, Asia, and the Middle East are launching programs to evaluate and deploy this new technology. "The Duquesne Broadband deployment in Monroeville will become a showcase for this technology, and puts us among a small network of cities deploying a BPL model in the United States," said Keith Schaefer, CEO of BPL Global. "We are at the forefront of launching a new technology that has the potential to be an important data, voice and video communication link to homes and businesses." BPL technology provides other significant advantages. Electric utilities have shown interest in this technology because it enables "Smart Grid" applications that improve monitoring and preventive maintenance of the electric grid. This enhanced oversight should help utilities improve their delivery of reliable electricity in a cost-effective manner. About Duquesne Broadband Duquesne Broadband, a joint venture between DQE Communications and BPL Global, offers high-speed wireless Internet access to residential and small commercial customers through the use of existing power lines, coupled with BPL technology. Initial service offerings will target select areas of Monroeville, with the intent to expand the service, based on customer demand, to cover Allegheny and Beaver counties. About DQE Communications DQE Communications LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Duquesne Light Holdings, Inc. (NYSE:DQE), owns, operates and maintains a high-speed, fiber optic network and provides service through the leasing of dark fiber to telecommunications companies and others desiring broadband connectivity. DQE Communications has one wholly owned subsidiary, DQE Communications Network Services LLC, which provides metropolitan Ethernet services to commercial and industrial customers desiring broadband capacity. For more information, please visit http://www.dqecom.com/. About BPL Global BPL Global is a leading international provider of BPL technologies, system integration solutions and services facilitating power line communications (PLC). Partnering with leading utilities around the world, the company's goal is to provide ubiquitous broadband access and electric utility "smart grid" capabilities. The company offers its joint venture partners proven PLC business models and integrated, multi-vendor solutions comprised of best-of- breed infrastructure, content, applications and software and hardware tools. As a result, utilities can confidently deploy new revenue-generating, content- rich broadband-over-powerline services in a cost-effective way and enjoy improved network operations and cost reductions through the use of smart grid applications at the same time. BPL Global is based in Pittsburgh, PA. For more information, please visit http://www.bplglobal.net/. DATASOURCE: Duquesne Broadband CONTACT: Joe Balaban of Duquesne, +1-412-232-6848 Web site: http://www.duquesnebroadband.com/ http://www.dqecom.com/ http://www.bplglobal.net/

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