FIRECOMMS SHORTLISTED FOR PRESTIGIOUS IRELAND TECHNOLOGY AWARD

Cork, Ireland — March 30, 2009 — Firecomms, an Ireland-based provider of high-speed Plastic Optical Fiber (POF) components, has been nominated for the Irish Technology Leaders Silicon Valley Award 2009. One of seven finalists, Firecomms has been chosen for its pioneering development of high-speed optical components, including Optolock®, that drive IPTV home networks and in-car multimedia entertainment systems.

The Irish Technology Leadership Group (ITLG), in partnership with Ireland’s The Irish Times newspaper, will present the award at Stanford University on April 14th. Ireland’s Trade Secretary and Deputy Prime Minister (Tánaiste), the Hon. Mary Coughlan T.D., will deliver the keynote address at the awards ceremony.

"Firecomms is honored to be included among this prestigious group of technology innovators," says Declan O'Mahoney, Firecomms' CEO. "With strong roots in research and development, we strive to develop products like OptoLock that will be recognized for innovation, while providing substantial advantages in applications like home networking and automotive networks."

"Firecomms is representative of the high-tech semiconductor technology that is emerging from Ireland and gaining a position on the world stage," says John Hartnett, ITLG chairman. "This innovative company is exactly the type that ITLG chooses to recognize with this award."

Firecomms leads the development of devices that drive POF, a low-cost optical alternative to copper cabling. Due to its ease of use, large core tolerances, and low costs, POF is enjoying significant growth in a wide range of applications. Created for consumer, industrial, and automotive applications in which plastic fiber can be used more easily and at lower costs than copper or glass fiber, POF is now used in millions of small area networks, such as those in cars, and is rapidly gaining ground in home network and pointto- point interconnections. According to market research published by Information Gatekeepers, the POF market is estimated to be worth over $1 billion per year at the end of 2009.

The company's OptoLock Fast Ethernet optical transceiver, an easy-to-use, low-cost housing for instant termination of bare POF, will enable the quick and easy connection of POF directly to the set-top box in home networks. The inclusion of OptoLock POF ports directly into the set-top box enables operators and homeowners to quickly and easily lay ultra-thin POF cable, removing the need for unsightly Cat5/6 cables.

About Firecomms Ltd.

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. Additional information about the company can be found on its web site at www.firecomms.com.

OptoLock is a registered trademark of Firecomms Ltd.

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