CMVT Introduces star*home IP-Based Global "Network of Networks"
biz.yahoo.com
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Monday October 18, 9:37 am Eastern Time
Company Press Release
Comverse Technology Introduces star*home IP-Based Global "Network of Networks"
WOODBURY, N.Y.,--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Oct. 18, 1999--Comverse Technology, Inc. (Nasdaq:CMVT - news), the world's leading supplier of enhanced services platforms to wireless and wireline network operators, today announced the introduction of a new subsidiary, star*home(TM).
star*home is beginning deployment of a global, IP- (Internet Protocol) based network which will allow wireless carriers to offer, to their roaming and visiting clientele access to a wide range of data and communication services, in the clients' native language, as if they were at home, just by dialing ``* h-o-m-e' or using their familiar home short code. Today such services are either unavailable to roamers, or are complicated to access and unfamiliar to use.
Through the star*home Network, wireless travelers will be able to access value-added services from any terrestrial location, using familiar home short codes, user interfaces and numbers. star*home's global enhanced services will be conveniently billed to the subscriber's home mobile account.
Wireless network operator who join the star*home ``network of networks' will benefit from the increased airtime and revenues generated through their visitors' and subscribers' use of enhanced services while roaming. In addition, star*home membership creates a competitive advantage for wireless carriers through service differentiation, making members' wireless service offerings more attractive to roaming customers.
Leveraging Comverse's Enhanced Services Technology & Base Of More Than 200 Wireless Operator Customers
Leveraging its parent company'stechnological strengths and worldwide customer base of more than 200 wireless network operators, star*home is stretching the typical value-added service environment beyond the home network and into a seamless global macrocosm of enhanced services.
Kobi Alexander, Chairman, President and Chief Executive Officer of Comverse Technology, Inc., said, ``Comverse is uniquely positioned to make star*home's promise of `global access to local enhanced services' a reality. First, we are the world's leading supplier of enhanced services systems and technology, offering the broadest range of reliable, scalable value-added services. Second, we have already installed enhanced services systems with well over 200 wireless network operators, all of whom can benefit from increased revenues and competitive differentiation through star*home. Third, we have considerable experience in delivering geographically distributed systems linked over IP-based wide area networks, and the core technologies required.'
Offering a fully distributed service, star*home's IntelliGate(TM) IP-based intelligent gateway platforms enable integration of data and voice technology with global network features and multiple language support.
star*home's IntelliGate platforms are connected to each mobile network via digital telephony interfaces. star*home's global IP network connects all IntelliGate platforms. The star*home network is an open network that can integrate virtually any type of service, including Internet services tailored to the mobile environment, and third-party applications.
star*home Offers Wireless Roamers A Broad Range Of Enhanced Services
star*home offers mobile network operators one-stop shopping for enhanced services for their roaming clientele. In addition, star*home will provide on-going implementation of new enhanced services and cost-effective scaling as traveling subscribers increase in number.
Carmel Sofer, CEO, star*home, said, ``star*home is the first organization to deliver global access to local services. This deployment marks a significant milestone for network operators.'
The star*home network's initial personalized services include:
Global Value Added Services:
Message Notification And Retrieval - Global direct access to the
roamer's home mailbox will become simple, rather than an
intricate, daunting and often unsuccessful task. This service
provides the roamer with advanced notification via special short
message service (SMS) or out-dial notification, both informing
the roaming users of new messages and allowing them to retrieve
the message easily by indicating the star*home short code to be
dialed for easy message access and retrieval while traveling.
Home Short Code Services - By activating the home short codes
from the visited network (e.g. voice mail, customer care,
directory assistance, etc.), the roamers can access directly the
services they are accustomed to receiving at home.
International Virtual Private Network (IVPN) - The star*home
network enables secured worldwide access to virtual private
networks (VPNs) and corporate directory services.
Mobile Corporate Convergence (MC(2)) - Bridging the gap between
cellular operators and their corporate clientele's message
traffic, MC(2) provides wireless network operators (and their
corporate subscribers) direct access to message notification and
retrieval of corporate message traffic.
Information Services (Origin- and Location- Oriented Services)
The star*home network combines origin-oriented services with the long list of existing location-oriented services. Origin and location service combinations include personalized information services and advertising in roamers' native languages, defined by both the subscriber's origin country and present location.
Worldwide M-Commerce Services
star*home will soon offer individual mobile and electronic commerce via the mobile handset. By enabling regular or prepaid subscribers to purchase products and services through their handsets or over the Internet, in any currency, while traveling, people will be conducting their personal and business affairs independent of time and location.
Through its expertise in network interface compatibility development, enabling built-in cellular network recognition and authentication capabilities, along with Comverse's leadership in enhanced services software and platforms, star*home will continue to offer innovative new origin- and location-oriented services to the roaming wireless community around the world.
star*home is completing its technical field trials and will soon commence commercial operation of its ``network of networks.'
star*home is a subsidiary of Comverse Technology, Inc. Comverse Technology, headquartered in Woodbury, New York, designs, develops, manufactures and markets computer and telecommunications systems and software for communications and information processing applications. Comverse's Network Systems Division's products include: multimedia enhanced services platforms, which are currently used by more than 300 wireless and wireline telecommunications network operators to provide revenue-generating services such as call answering, mailbox-to-mailbox messaging, unified messaging (voice, fax, and e-mail in a single mailbox), short text message service, prepaid wireless services, interactive voice response, virtual phone/fax, one-touch call return, wireless information and content services, personal number service, call screening/caller introduction, speech-recognition-based services, Internet-based services such as Internet messaging and Internet call waiting, and other personal communication services. Comverse's Infosys Division's products include: multiple channel, multimedia digital monitoring systems marketed to law enforcement and intelligence agencies; and multiple channel, multimedia digital recording, logging, and quality monitoring systems marketed to call centers, financial institutions and other organizations. Comverse's Ulticom Division's products include: network software and middleware for communications signaling, such as Signaling System #7 (SS7). Comverse Technology is a NASDAQ-100 Index company. Visit Comverse Technology's web site at comverse.com. and star*home's site at http//:www.starhome.com. star*home and IntelliGate are trademarks of Comverse Technology, Inc. |
