Transition Networks Highlights PoE Plus Portfolio At BICSI

Utilizing PoE Plus Enables Increased Power-Over-Ethernet for IP Cameras, VoIP Phones, Wireless Access Points, and Netbooks

Anaheim, CA — September 17, 2012 — Transition Networks Inc., the switching and conversion technology expert, a wholly owned subsidiary of Communications Systems, Inc. (NASDAQ: JCS), today announced at the BICSI Fall Exhibition the introduction of their portfolio of power sourcing equipment (PSEs) designed to extend the benefits of Power-over-Ethernet Plus (PoE Plus) to high availability devices at the network edge in a multitude of environments. This new portfolio of products function in accordance to the IEEE 802.3at (PoE Plus) standard, providing 30W of power per PD. With Gigabit speed and PoE Plus ports these switches, converters and injectors are able to power the latest IEEE 802.11n generation of Wireless Access Points(WAPs), Access Control Units, PTZ Security Cameras, IP print servers, biometric sensors, WiMAX Transmitters, Thin Clients, Notebooks and Video-Phones.

“The PoE Plus standard offers users greater flexibility and mobility with the support for new devices, while still supporting older power levels and ensuring backward compatibility with existing powered devices.” said Kevin Faulds, Director of Product Management at Transition Networks. “We’re excited to bring these new products to our customers as a means of providing a safe and reliable source for powering high-wattage consumption Ethernet devices in a variety of environments, while also reducing installation costs and build out complexity.”

PoE Plus Media Conversion
The SGPAT10xx-100 is an office-grade Gigabit Ethernet media converter, which allows two different types of network cabling (copper and fiber) to be connected easily and affordably while also injecting PoE Plus power through the copper RJ-45 port. This PoE Plus converter is ideal for instances where power and data need to be provided to a WAP or IP camera that resides outside the distance limitation of copper cabling.

PoE Plus Injector
The L1000i-at is a single-port mid-span injector suitable for deployments where the cabling infrastructure is used to introduce power to the network. With mid-span injectors there is no need to replace legacy Ethernet devices in the network to realize the benefits of PoE, so the original investment in purchasing, configuring, and deploying the existing device is protected. Mid-spans also enable PoE Plus ports to be added incrementally over time rather than all at once with the installation of a dedicated PoE Plus switch. This equates to a more cost-effective and scalable solution for deploying PoE Plus.

PoE Plus Switching
The SM8TAT2DPA is the first PoE Plus switch in Transition’s commercial grade switch offering and provides up to 30W of power output for (4) ports being used simultaneously or 15.4W of power to all (8) ports being used at the same time. This managed 10-port switch supports both the PoE and PoE Plus standards and is suitable for Enterprise, Security and Government applications where the delivery of both power and data to a remote network segment are imperative.

PoE Plus Industrial-Grade Switching
The SISTP1010-380-LRT is an ideal solution for building onboard communications systems on public transportation systems such as buses and trains. With pending E-Mark certification the switch is approved for use in EU countries requiring this safety approval. There is no need for an additional power supply—the SISTP1010-380-LRT can be powered directly from vehicle 24 VDC systems. It also maintains a wide operating temperature range of -40 to +70 C and rugged construction to allow it to be mounted outside of the air conditioned passenger spaces.

The SISTP1040-242-LRT is built with physical distribution of network-powered devices and services in mind. Its pair of Gigabit-speed fiber SFP ports enable a fiber daisy-chain architecture to be built with no additional fiber termination devices in the field, reducing initial capital investment as well as installation costs. The SFP ports allow a combination of multimode (MM) and single-mode (SM) fiber, with more expensive SM being typically reserved for the network backhaul and MM fiber used in the daisy-chain portion of the network build.

The SISPM1040-384-LRT is a fully-managed Industrial Ethernet switch that provides full gigabit speed on 8 copper ports. With its advanced Ethernet management, redundancy and security features coupled with rugged hardware performance this switch is built for environments that require high reliability and availability. The four Gigabit speed SFP ports allow maximum flexibility in architecting a myriad of fiber-supported, powered network architectures. The eight Gigabit copper ports with Power over Ethernet Plus are ideal for supporting wireless access points with MIMO antenna diversity.

Product Availability
Products are all available now. Please contact Transition Networks at (800) 526-9267 or 1-952-941-7600 for pricing and product information. You can also visit www.transition.com for the latest information.

About Transition Networks Products
Transition Networks’ conversion products are known for their ruggedness and reliability. They have a 99.999 percent customer acceptance rating, meaning that fewer than one in 1,000 experience failure in the field. All Transition Networks brand of media converters, switches, SFPs and XFPs carry a lifetime warranty.

About Transition Networks Inc.
Transition Networks Inc. offers networking connectivity solutions that make networks perform better, faster and more reliably while helping companies leverage their existing networking infrastructure. The company’s Transition Networks brand of Hardened and Enterprise grade switches and media converters make conversion between disparate media types possible, providing conversion technology solutions that offer the necessary adaptations without affecting the performance, nature or appearance of the network. Based in Minneapolis, Transition Networks distributes hardware-based connectivity solutions exclusively through a network of resellers in 50 countries, including Ingram Micro and Tech Data. Transition Networks is a wholly owned subsidiary of Communications Systems, Inc., a publicly traded company (NASDAQ: JCS).

Statements regarding the Company’s anticipated performance in 2012 are forward-looking and involve risks and uncertainties, including but not limited to: competitive products and other factors discussed from time to time in the Company’s filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission.