WOBURN, MA, October 18, 2004 - Acme Packet® today announced that AMA TechTel Communications is using its Net-Net® session border controllers for a comprehensive network migration that first involves the delivery of VoIP services to its rural subscribers - both business and residential - and will soon involve peering with other service providers. Acme Packet was the selected session border controller vendor based on the ability to satisfy AMA TechTel's immediate and future requirements as it migrates to an all-IP network and introduces new packet voice services. The ability to support both SIP and MGCP was critical, as was hosted NAT traversal for offering new, advanced IP services to customers behind enterprise and residential firewalls.

"As the leading competitive telecommunications provider in West Texas, we must constantly innovate to provide our customers with high-quality, enhanced services that will increase our revenue and profits," said David Boyd, chief technology officer, AMA TechTel. "We knew that our legacy network equipment did not have the capabilities to allow us to remain competitive into the future, so we turned to the leading session border controller vendor, Acme Packet."

AMA TechTel, the largest locally-owned telecommunications company in West Texas, looked to the leading IP networking equipment vendors when it became clear that its existing access and switching infrastructure would not allow the company to achieve its growth plans of delivering secure, high-quality real-time IP services. With MetaSwitch softswitches already deployed in the network, the integration of Acme Packet session border controllers was rapid and straightforward. As a confirmed MetaSwitch Interoperability Partner, Acme Packet assured AMA TechTel of a fully integrated solution capable of supporting the rigorous security requirements for offering hosted IP services.

"The Acme Packet Net-Net products have undergone the rigorous interoperability testing required to ensure that they can be deployed seamlessly in an end-to-end multi-vendor solution with our leading CLASS 5 softswitch" said Chris Mairs, senior vice president, product management and business development, MetaSwitch. "Our relationship with Acme Packet has been productive thus far, and with this recent deployment at AMA TechTel the partnership is enjoying new success as we work together to help service providers accelerate their adoption of packet based services."

The multiprotocol support and interworking functionality in the Net-Net products - SIP, H.323, MGCP - will enable AMA TechTel to peer with other service providers for expanded network reach, reduced termination costs and increased revenue and profits. Although this will comprise the next phase of AMA TechTel's complete network migration, they have already begun investigating peering relationships with several large tier one providers who are also Acme Packet customers.

Boyd continued, "Acme Packet has demonstrated that they can meet all of our current and future requirements including hosted NAT traversal for our new VoIP offering and multiprotocol support with interworking for peering relationships. We are confident that we made the optimal decision and look forward to broadening the reach of our business, increasing our bottom line, and continuing to serve our customers well with innovative, high-quality IP services."

"Service providers worldwide are deploying our Net-Net session border controllers for multiple applications-in AMA TechTel's case, for both hosted IP services and peering," said Andy Ory, president and CEO, Acme Packet. "This is testament to the fact that the Acme Packet Net-Net product family meets all of the border requirements for IP networks in terms of features, functionality, performance and capacity, all in a high availability solution."

About Acme Packet
Acme Packet, the leader in session border control, enables service providers to deliver premium, interactive communications - voice, video and multimedia sessions - across IP network borders. Our Net-Net family has been selected by 6 of the top 10, and 11 of the top 25 service providers in the world to satisfy critical security, service assurance and law enforcement requirements in wireline, cable and wireless networks. These deployments span all border applications - peering, access network-backbone network, and data center - and all protocols - SIP, H.323, and MGCP. For more information, contact us at +1 781.328.4400, or visit www.acmepacket.com.

About AMA TechTel Communications
AMA TechTel was created in 2002 with the merger of AMA Online and TechTel Communications. TechTel Communications, a Lubbock-based company, was the first Competitive Local Exchange Carrier (CLEC) to offer DSL connectivity and local and long distance telephone service. AMA Online was established in 1995. AMA TechTel now provides a full suite of telecommunications and networking services, including dial-up and broadband internet, web hosting, VPN, local dial-tone, long-distance and Voice over IP. Through a strategy of organic growth, and acquisition of companies with complementary product or customer portfolios, the company has built a network that today serves over 30,000 homes and businesses.