Ambient, Itron Collaboration will Provide Automatic Near-Real Time Legacy Meter Reads and Outage Detection BOSTON, Oct. 12 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Ambient Corporation (OTC Bulletin Board: ABTG) and Itron Inc. (NASDAQ:ITRI) today announced development of the Ambient® EDC module. The EDC module provides utilities a true, efficient path from legacy automatic meter reading (encoder receiver transmitter commonly known as "ERT") systems to more advanced smart metering. (Logo: http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20091012/NE90671LOGO ) "The possibility of leaving assets stranded without a clear road map or without a viable option for incorporating such assets into a smart grid platform has prevented many utilities from deploying smart grid technology. The new EDC module, developed with cooperation from Itron, gives utilities a critical migration path linking their legacy meters to newer advanced communications systems without stranding recently deployed assets," said John J. Joyce, President and CEO of Ambient Corporation. "With greater than 60 million ERT meters in the U.S. alone, the market potential is very significant." The EDC is an optional module integrated into Ambient's smart grid node. Strategically installed at various points along the distribution grid and always collecting data from surrounding meters, the EDC eliminates the need to drive-by each meter to collect meter reads. The EDC listens for messages from meters equipped with ERT modules and automatically collects and stores that data. The frequency of reads and amount of time the information is stored are configurable by the utility. Using the new EDC module, utilities will be able to get data periodically for near real-time meter reads, along with outage detection, instead of once-a-month or estimated reads. "Itron has always believed in the value migration brings to utilities as their business needs for automation continue to grow. We look forward to working with our partners to create an open, industry standard smart grid environment. Ambient's EDC module provides another valuable tool our customers can use, especially those that are looking for ways to bridge to Itron's OpenWay® solution," said Russ Vanos, director of marketing for Itron. Data collected by the EDC module will be transferred to the utility's meter collection software, and eventually to their billing system, as Ambient and Itron work together to complete the end-to-end process. "This new application continues to demonstrate the flexibility and extensibility of the Ambient Smart Grid® platform. A node with the EDC module can also be simultaneously utilized to provide other smart grid applications such as distribution system monitoring," said Ram Rao, Chief Technology Officer of Ambient Corporation. "The EDC is currently being tested in the field by one of our utility partners." Key Features of the EDC: -- Has a lower unit cost than previous solutions -- Flexibility for backhaul connections -- Provides a migration path from legacy systems (AMR) to smart metering, eliminating drive-by or mobile systems -- Allows the utility to have near real-time reads of meters -- Service outages detection About Itron Itron Inc. is a leading technology provider to the global energy and water industries. Our company is the world's leading provider of intelligent metering, data collection and utility software solutions, with nearly 8,000 utilities worldwide relying on our technology to optimize the delivery and use of energy and water. Our products include electricity, gas, water and heat meters, data collection and communication systems, including automated meter reading (AMR) and advanced metering infrastructure (AMI); meter data management and related software applications; as well as project management, installation, and consulting services. To know more, start here: http://www.itron.com/. About Ambient Corporation Ambient designs, develops and markets Ambient Smart Grid® communications technologies and equipment. Using open standards-based technologies along with in-depth industry experience, Ambient provides utilities with solutions for creating smart grid communication platforms and technologies. Headquartered in Newton, MA, Ambient is a publicly traded company (OTCBB: ABTG). More information on Ambient is available at http://www.ambientcorp.com/. This press release contains forward-looking statements that involve substantial uncertainties and risks. These forward-looking statements are based upon our current expectations, estimates and projections about our business and our industry, and that reflect our beliefs and assumptions based upon information available to us at the date of this release. We caution readers that forward-looking statements are predictions based on our current expectations about future events. These forward-looking statements are not guarantees of future performance and are subject to risks, uncertainties and assumptions that are difficult to predict. Our actual results, performance or achievements could differ materially from those expressed or implied by the forward-looking statements as a result of a number of factors, including but not limited to, changes in economic conditions generally and our market specifically, market acceptance of new products, changes in economic conditions generally and the smart grid market specifically, changes in technology, legislative or regulatory changes that affect us, the availability and sufficiency of working capital, introduction of competing products and the risks and uncertainties discussed under the heading "RISK FACTORS" in Item 1 of our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2008, and in our other filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission. We undertake no obligation to revise or update any forward-looking statement for any reason. Ambient, Ambient Smart Grid, Communications for a Smarter Grid and AmbientNMS are registered trademarks of Ambient Corporation with the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office. http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20091012/NE90671LOGO http://photoarchive.ap.org/ DATASOURCE: Ambient Corporation CONTACT: Itron: Deloris Duquette, Vice President, Investor Relations and Corporate Communications, +1-509-891-3523, , Kim Papich, Itron Communications and Marketing, +1-509-891-3590, ; Ambient: Anna E. Croop, Director, Corporate Communications, Ambient, +1-617-614-6739, , Kim Novino, Bridgeman Communications, for Ambient, +1-617-742-7270, Web Site: http://www.ambientcorp.com/

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