Acme Packet provides pivotal session border control functionality at global MSF interoperability event
Acme Packet demonstrates multiple SBC configurations at all four service provider-hosted GMI 2006 test locations, across all five test scenarios
BURLINGTON, MA, OCTOBER 26, 2006—Acme Packet® (NASDAQ: APKT), the leader in session border control solutions, today announced it has successfully participated in the Global MSF Interoperability 2006 (GMI 2006) event, a worldwide interoperability event focused on IP Multimedia Subsystem, or IMS, which concluded today. As the only telecommunications equipment vendor to test at all four host sites, Acme Packet demonstrated that its Net-Net® family of products is capable of independently supporting a broad range of applications and network conditions, such as real-time interactive IP-based voice, video and multimedia sessions, across a real world, multi-vendor IMS-based infrastructure.
“The GMI 2006 event is critically important for any vendor or service provider that is committed to building or implementing infrastructure based on the IMS architecture,” said Joe McGarvey, Principal Analyst, Carrier IP Telephony, Current Analysis. “This was, in effect, a litmus test for the industry, as it clearly and successfully demonstrated the multitude of equipment, processes, and services that carriers will need in order to build a next-generation service delivery platform, as well as the ability to deploy high-quality services across disparate IP networks and borders.”
Acme Packet demonstrated its Net-Net Product family in all five of the test scenarios, including single domain testing with nomadic subscribers and Value Added Services, IMS interconnection between subscribers in the MSF R3 domain and ‘pure’ IMS domain, and roaming of subscribers between MSF R3 and ‘pure IMS’ networks.
Specifically, Acme Packet tested several components of its Net-Net product family, including: its integrated session border controller (SBC), the Net-Net Session Director (SD); its newly decomposed SBC configurations, including the Net-Net Border Gateway (BG) and Net-Net Session Controller (SC); access and interconnect SBC configurations; and access SBC configurations with and without P-CSCF support.
“Our participation in GMI 2006 reflects the way our customers around the globe are building their networks, without the limits and constraints of physical, architectural and single vendor boundaries,” said Seamus Hourihan, vice president of marketing and product management for Acme Packet. “The Acme Packet Net-Net product family is designed to independently support a broad range of applications and services across internal and external provider boundaries while maintaining key control functions in the areas of security, service reach, SLA assurance, revenue and profit protection and regulatory compliance.”
The worldwide GMI 2006 interoperability event was led by five of the world’s leading service providers, BT, KT, NTT, Verizon and Vodafone, and took place over a two-week period across four test locations, including the BT Advanced Research and Technology Centre (United Kingdom), the KT Technology Lab (Korea), NTT’s Musashino Research and Development Center (Japan), and Verizon Labs (MA,USA).
About GMI 2006
GMI 2006 will bring together dozens of carriers and vendors to test the interoperability of IMS-based infrastructure components in a real-world setting. Providing a test-bed for the full spectrum of hardware, processes and services needed to assemble an effective next-generation delivery platform, GMI2006 is designed to validate MSF Release 3 Implementation Agreements covering a wide range of topics including roaming across multiple network types (including cellular and WiFi), QoS issues (including session border control and bandwidth management), and interoperability with 3GPP release 4.
Five of the world’s top carriers – BT, KT, NTT, Verizon and Vodafone and a world class test facility UNH-IOL – will host the event to provide world-class networked test facilities spanning 3 continents. Comprising a massive ’real network’ trial of the MSF IMS-compatible (IP Multimedia System) Release 3 architecture, this event is critically important to any carrier or vendor committed to building or implementing infrastructure elements compatible with IMS.
About Acme Packet
Acme Packet, the leader in session border control solutions, enables service providers to deliver trusted, first class interactive communications—voice, video and multimedia sessions—across IP network borders. Our Net-Net family has been selected by over 325 service providers in nearly 70 countries, including 21 of the top 25 wireline and wireless providers in the world, to satisfy critical security, service assurance and regulatory requirements in wireline, cable and wireless networks. These deployments support multiple applications—from VoIP trunking to hosted enterprise and residential services; multiple protocols—SIP, H.323, MGCP/NCS and H.248; and multiple border points—interconnect, access network and data center. 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 build and grow Acme Packet, the benefits of our product, 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.
