British Telecom Selects Excel Switching, Compaq AlphaServers and Technology Control Services to Meet Enhanced Service Platform Needs
HYANNIS, Mass.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Feb. 10, 1999--
TCS's Universal Services Manager and Excel Switching's EXS Platform
Enabled British Telecom To Deploy Enhanced Services Globally
Excel Switching Corporation (Nasdaq:XLSW), a leading provider
of open switching platforms for telecommunications networks worldwide,
announced today that British Telecom (BT) and its Alliance Partners
have chosen to deploy an enhanced services solution developed by
Technology Control Services (TCS) Inc. which consists of Compaq
Computer Corp.'s (NYSE:CPQ) custom configured 64-bit AlphaServer
systems and is based on Excel's ONE Architecture(tm) Expandable
Switching System (EXS).
The combination of Excel Switching, TCS and Compaq's technology
creates a carrier-grade solution for pre-and post-paid cards, unified
messaging and personal numbering services that allows BT to offer
competitive enhanced services to its global partners. The product,
TCS's Universal Services Manager, is a flexible system that
incorporates Compaq's 64-bit AlphaServers, Excel's EXS, Oracle's
(NASDAQ:ORCL) relational database technologies and TCS's unique global
roaming technology to enable the management and customization of
enhanced services.
"BT's choice of an enhanced service solution based on Excel's EXS
platform, TCS's enhanced service application and Compaq AlphaServers
underscores the importance of programmable switching to the global
telecommunications industry," said Robert Madonna, president and CEO
of Excel. "This truly open, programmable and flexible solution will
allow BT and its Alliance Partners to quickly and cost effectively
accommodate the needs of each of its global markets. The end result is
that BT will be able to provide enhanced services at a competitive
cost while reducing time to market for its partners."
The EXS programmable switching platform provides a cost effective
and robust carrier-grade solution. It allows application developers
the flexibility to customize their applications to suit customer
needs, which is especially important to the global marketplace, and
its scalability enables carriers to start small and grow as their
subscriber base increases, providing a cost-effective solution.
"By teaming with Excel, TCS and Compaq, we're now able to rapidly
and cost-effectively implement enhanced services for our joint venture
partners on a global scale," said Dan Cattigan, head of global
products and services development of BT. "We were impressed by the
solution's flexibility and scalability and the range of services it
provided. We are proud to offer this cutting edge technology to our
partners and customers worldwide."
The flexibility of the EXS solution is accomplished using Excel's
patented Programmable Protocol Language (PPL). PPL is a graphical
programming language that allows developers to quickly and cost
effectively customize the switch software, including both network
signaling protocols and switch-resident call control software. With
network signaling PPL, developers can offer their products on a wide
variety of networks by modifying protocols to adapt to local signaling
requirements, such as SS7 signaling variants. PPL call control allows
developers to customize the call model in order to differentiate their
applications, enabling them to offer unique, competitive services to
the carrier community.
"This deal with BT validates the openness and flexibility of the
TCS approach and establishes us as an industry leader in the drive for
carriers to get to market with new services faster and more
cost-effectively," said TCS CEO Ben Holzemer. "To have been selected
by BT from a competitive field of enhanced services companies clearly
indicated that the TCS approach delivers a viable solution to telecom
providers."
"We're pleased that BT has chosen to take advantage of 64-bit
AlphaServer technology to meet its enterprise computing needs," said
Gene Nelson, vice president, CustomSystems, Compaq Computer
Corporation. "Configured to customer specifications, this technology
enables BT to process massive amounts of data at record speeds from
across its enterprise, enhancing network services to its worldwide
customer base."
About ONE Architecture
ONE Architecture defines Excel's strategic technology framework
for its state-of-the-art Expandable Switching System (EXS). It enables
carriers and developers to integrate network routing, enhanced
services and media support on a single, highly-scalable switching
platform. With its product and services, Excel provides a scalable
network solution regardless of legacy signaling protocols, switching
capacity, or billing and subscriber services offered from the PSTN
(Public Switch Telephone Network) switch.
About BT
BT is one of the largest and most successful telecommunications
companies in the world, capitalized at around (pound)52 billion. A
public listed company, in the last financial year (1997-98) BT's
turnover was (pound)15,640 million, with a pre-tax profit of
(pound)3,219 million.
BT's principal activity in the fully competitive UK market is the
supply of local, long distance and international telecommunications
services, serving more than 27 million residential and business
exchange lines through a fully modernized and largely digital network.
It offers a full range of Internet and on-line services to business
and residential customers.
The company has operations in more than 30 countries and employs
about 124,700 people world-wide. Last year it spent (pound)307 million
on research and development. BT has joint ventures in the Republic of
Ireland, France, Spain, Germany, Italy, the Netherlands, Sweden,
Switzerland, Singapore, New Zealand, Japan, India, Korea and Malaysia.
On July 26, 1998, BT announced the formation of a $10 billion
global venture with AT&T to serve the communications needs of
individuals and businesses around the world. Addressing a $55 billion
market opportunity, the venture will offer customers the widest range
of seamless advanced global products and services to meet their
end-to-end communications needs. The joint venture, which will include
Concert, is expected to be completed by fall 1999.
About Technology Control Services, Inc.
TCS (www.techcontrol.com) deploys and manages a global network
employing its innovative software technologies to provide calling card
and enhanced service solutions to the global carrier marketplace
through a unique blend of service bureau and managed service options.
TCS works in partnership with the world's leading telecommunications
companies to build, operate and manage enhanced service offerings that
help them grow and compete globally.
TCS's advanced Universal Services Manager platform supports a
full range of enhanced services including pre-and post-paid calling
cards, unified messaging (voice, fax, e-mail), personal numbering
service / one number service and virtual international toll free
services. TCS currently manages a global intelligent network of USM
platforms on three continents with continued expansion planned into
Europe and Asia. Founded in 1994, TCS has offices in Fort Lauderdale,
London, Paris and Hong Kong.
About Excel Switching Corporation
Excel Switching Corporation is a leading provider of open
switching platforms for telecommunications networks worldwide. Excel
develops, manufactures, markets and supports a family of open,
programmable, carrier-class switches that address the complex enhanced
services and wireless and wireline infrastructure needs of network
providers. Excel's products are currently deployed in
telecommunications networks in approximately 60 countries throughout
the world. Visit Excel's website at xl.com.
This release may contain statements which are "forward looking,"
and is subject to risks and uncertainties that could cause actual
results to differ significantly from expectations. Factors that might
cause such a difference include, but are not limited to, those
relating to Excel's dependence on and concentration of relationships
with application developers, original equipment manufacturers and
systems integrators; possible delayed or lengthy sales cycles; risks
associated with new product introductions; Excel's dependence on its
proprietary rights; and other risks identified in the Company's
Securities and Exchange Commission filings including those risks
identified in the section entitled "Risk Factors" of the Company's
Annual Report for the year ended December 27, 1997 on Form 10-K, as
amended. Product and service names used within are trademarks,
registered trademarks and service marks of their respective owners.
CONTACT:
Excel Switching Corp. FitzGerald Communications
Erica Robinson Wendy Pickering Bedrosian
(508) 862-3000 (617) 494-9500
erobinson@xl.com wpbedrosian@fitzcomm.com
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