JGKB Photonics Inc. Announces Successful Completion of The 40 Gb/s Modulator Product Evaluation

Vancouver, Canada, June 27th, 2003 - JGKB Photonics Inc., an emerging leader of electro-optical components, announced today the successful completion of the new 40 Gb/s modulator product evaluation. This trial was a joint effort between one of JGKBs lead customers and JGKBs own team.

JGKB Photonics is a unique optical technology company with a focus on the high growth modulator component market. The Mode Converter technology offers significant advantages in terms of performance, power requirements and reliability and represents a fundamentally new approach in fiber optic telecommunications. The company reached a major milestone with proof of prototype samples in 2001, and will now aim for the next stage of market acceptance for its first product, the 40 Gb/s modulator. Built on well-known Gallium Arsenide (GaAs) technology, the Mode Converter Modulator offers advantages in performance and reliability.

"Given the challenging economic climate for the 40G photonics sector achieving this milestone is a significant accomplishment for us", said Alan Guest, President and CEO. "In addition to our strong team of experienced personnel, we are pleased to share this success and accomplishment with our lead customer. We believe that our Mode Converter platform is a strategic technology that will deliver the market critical requirements of low power, ultra-high bandwidth, small footprint, and long distance performance.

The new 40 Gb/s electro-optic modulator product is based on the polarization mode conversion technology and features:

GaAs technology
Zero Chirp design
Low drive voltage
High modulation bandwidth
High extinction ratio
Covers C and L bands
Reduced footprint
Hermetic package
Designed to Telcordia GR-468-CORE

The team expects to continue executing on business, development, manufacturing plans and to bring demonstration units to other customers for product evaluation purposes. The product commercial availability is targeted for November 2003.