Acme Packet continues connecting service providers in GSMA IPX trials

Belgacom International Carrier Services uses Acme Packet session border controllers for VoIP interconnects in latest GSMA IPX trial

BURLINGTON, MA, JUNE 10, 2008 — Acme Packet® (NASDAQ: APKT), the leader in session border control solutions, today announced that its market-leading session border controller (SBC), Acme Packet Net-Net® Session Director, recently completed GSM Association (GSMA) IP eXchange (IPX) packet voice interworking trials with Belgacom International Carrier Services (BICS). This trial demonstrates Acme Packet’s continued product leadership in the creation of the IPX, a global multilateral IP interconnect network. BICS is the latest of many participants who have utilized Acme Packet's SBCs in IPX trials since 2005.

In BICS’ recently completed IPX Pre-Commercial Implementation (PCI) carrier trial, Acme Packet’s Net-Net SBC was used to meet the IPX technical requirements to exchange packet voice traffic between two mobile operators. Additional IPX trials are being planned for 2008. Multiple IPX carrier and connecting service provider participants will use Acme Packet’s SBCs as part of those trials.

These trials in 2008 continue to demonstrate Acme Packet’s product leadership in GSMA IPX PCI testing. In the 2007 PCI testing, Acme Packet’s SBC was the only session border controller used in all three trials focused on Bilateral Service Transit and Multilateral Service Hub modes. Telefónica International Wholesale and Telenor Global Services used Acme Packet SBCs for those trials. In 2005 and 2006, Acme Packet Net-Net SBCs were used in proof of IPX concept testing. These tests exchanged supplemental SIP/IMS services such as video share among IPX carriers and mobile operators.

“Acme Packet’s leading session border control solution and its support of our IPX carrier initiative were key factors in the success of our packet voice interworking trial,” said Dimitri Repinec, Product Manager – Mobile Data of Belgacom International Carrier Services. “BICS and Acme Packet are leveraging our collective experience to make the IPX a reality.”

“Smart service providers like BICS continue to exploit the capabilities of our market-leading session border controllers,” commented Seamus Hourihan, vice president of marketing and product management at Acme Packet. “The selection of our session border controllers for these IPX trials by many participants proves their ability to satisfy the service security, interoperability, quality, availability, routing and accounting requirements of the IPX.”

GSMA IP eXchange
"The GSM Association (GSMA) is the global trade association representing more than 750 GSM mobile phone operators across 218 countries and territories of the world. GSMA’s members represent more than 3 billion GSM and 3GSM connections—over 86% of the world's mobile phone connections. In addition, more than 200 manufacturers and suppliers support the Association's initiatives as key partners. Acme Packet is an Associate Member of the GSMA.

The IPX (IP eXchange) is a managed interconnect service that would be offered by a variety of carriers on a competitive basis but with common agreed-upon technical specifications and using consistent commercial models. The IPX solution is a premium-quality solution that promises error-free delivery of traffic while offering the flexibility to apply an appropriate level of quality as demanded by each type of service. This flexibility brings many benefits in terms of efficiency, capacity and investment. Payments, set according to the business model for each traffic type, are identified by the IPX. The necessary data is collected and exchanged in order for settlements to be made between service providers. The IPX also offers operators flexibility in terms of the interconnect models available—a bilateral approach or a more efficient multilateral interconnect mode of interconnection with one contract, many connections. Finally, all IP traffic is passed in a secure environment, as the IPX is a private IP network and is not addressable from the Internet.

The IPX concept, specification and commercial templates for operation have been developed by the GSMA in a program of work involving a number of leading mobile network operators, carriers and equipment vendors. The program of work focusing on this culminates with the final phases of the Pre-Commercial Trials that will be completed by September 2008.

Acme Packet’s role in IPX trials
Session border controllers are central network elements that provide security, interoperability, quality, availability, routing and accounting for the IPX—these functions have previously been defined as an IPX Proxy element. Acme Packet’s Net-Net SBC meets and exceeds all inter-operator functional requirements defined by the GSMA, including:

About Acme Packet
Acme Packet, Inc. (NASDAQ: APKT), the leader in session border control solutions, enables the delivery of trusted, first class interactive communications—voice, video and multimedia sessions—and data services across IP network borders. Our Net-Net family of session border controllers, multiservice security gateways and session routing proxies supports multiple applications in service provider, large enterprise and contact center networks—from VoIP trunking to hosted enterprise and residential services to fixed-mobile convergence. They satisfy critical security, service assurance and regulatory requirements in wireline, cable and wireless networks; and support multiple protocols—SIP, H.323, MGCP/NCS and H.248—and multiple border points—interconnect, access and data center. Our products have been selected by more than 500 customers in 85 countries, including 29 of the top 30, and 84 of the top 100 service providers in the world. For more information, contact us at +1 781.328.4400, or visit www.acmepacket.com.

Acme Packet Safe Harbor Statement
Statements contained herein that are not historical fact may be forward-looking statements within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933 and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934. Such forward-looking statements may relate, among other things, to our position in the session border control market, our expected financial and operating results, our ability to establish and maintain intellectual property rights, our ability to build and grow Acme Packet, the benefits and advantages of our products, including any enhancements or new features, services and programs and our ability to achieve our goals, plans and objectives. Such forward-looking statements do not constitute guarantees of future performance and are subject to a variety of risks and uncertainties that could cause our actual results to differ materially from those anticipated. These include, but are not limited to: difficulties in growing our customer base, difficulties leveraging market opportunities, difficulties providing solutions that meet the needs of customers, poor product sales, long sales cycles, difficulty developing new products, difficulty in relationships with vendors and partners, higher risk in international operations, difficulty managing rapid growth, and increased competition. Additional factors that could cause actual results to differ materially form those projected or suggested in any forward-looking statements are contained in our recent filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission, including those factors discussed under the caption “Risk Factors” in such filings.