BISC and Unisphere Networks Announce Plans to Deliver Carrier Grade Voice Products to China.

Business/Technology Editors

Editors Note: Unisphere Networks will be available at booth 1314

at VON in Atlanta, GA, Oct. 16-19, 2001

ATLANTA--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Oct. 17, 2001

Unisphere Networks Inc., a leading provider of IP infrastructure products to enable broadband data and voice services, and Beijing International Switching System Corporation Ltd. (BISC), today announced plans for a strategic partnership to manufacture, develop, and resell Unisphere Networks' SRX-3000 Softswitch and SMX-2100 Media Gateway in China.

To ensure compliance with local regulations, BISC a leading provider of telecommunications equipment in the Chinese market, plans to develop and manufacture China-specific versions of the Unisphere Networks SMX-2100 Media Gateway and the SRX-3000 Softswitch. In addition, Unisphere Networks will leverage the expertise of the BISC development team in expediting the localization and development of YDN038, China SS7 and other China specific applications and features.

BISC was impressed with Unisphere Networks' award-winning SMX-2100 Media Gateway and its SRX-3000 Softswitch because of their exceptional platform design and reliability to deliver carrier-class voice services. As a key component of the platform, the SRX-3000 Softswitch is built on the Reliant Telco Platform (RTP), which provides full-redundancy from OS to the application layer. The SRX-3000 is the only softswitch to incorporate RTP and offer carrier-class availability, reliability and maintenance functionalities.

"In China, product reliability and scalability are two very important requirements for building carrier-grade voice networks," said Mr. Spahn, president and CEO of Beijing International Switching System Corporation Ltd. "We look forward to working with Unisphere Networks because their products are designed to meet these requirements and will enable us to provide our customers with technology to best suit their customers' demand for voice services."

"Partnering with BISC will enable Unisphere to continue to expand our presence in the Chinese market," said Eve Aretakis, vice president and general manager of Unisphere Networks' Voice Switching Business Unit. "By leveraging Unisphere's expertise in engineering and BISC's insight into development for the Chinese marketplace, we are better positioned to service the Chinese demand for telecommunications equipment."

About the SRX-3000 Softswitch

Unisphere Networks' SRX-3000 Softswitch is an open, robust services creation and delivery platform that will allow service providers to more simply and more cost-effectively integrate converged voice and data networks and deliver carrier class IP voice services. The SRX-3000 Softswitch was designed to meet service providers stringent requirements for a carrier-class, protocol transparent, software-based switching platform capable of providing Next Generation services for a multitude of carrier access strategies, including, cable modem, xDSL, and next-generation wireless networks as well as evolving traditional circuit-switched networks.

The SRX-3000 Softswitch has been developed using the Fujitsu/Siemen's- Reliant Telco Platform, a middleware solution that offers full-redundancy at the application layer, an advantage over other softswitches that provide only hardware-level redundancy. RTP provides capabilities that have become key attributes to the next generation network with the reliability of the existing Class 5 architectures.

The SRX-3000 Softswitch has been the recipient of the Product of the Year awards from Telecommunications and Communications ASP, as well as the New Product Achievement award at COMNET.

About the SMX-2100 Media Gateway

Unisphere Networks' SMX-2100 Media Gateway, delivers VoIP capabilities to Unisphere's high-density, next-generation voice switching platform. The SMX-2100 is currently handling more than 15 million minutes of calls in live networks daily.

In addition, the SMX-2100 now includes support for MGCP, allowing it to interoperate with Unisphere's SRX-3000 Softswitch, as well as with other standards-based softswitch platforms. The combination of the SRX-3000 and the SMX-2100 with IPM 1 allows Unisphere to offer providers the ability to handle VoIP traffic concurrent with traditional voice Inter-Machine Trunk tandem and PRI delivery applications.

About BISC

Beijing International Switching System Corporation Limited (BISC), founded in November 16th 1990, is a high-tech joint venture enterprise between Siemens AG and four Chinese enterprises who have the majority share. BISC focuses on the manufacturing and marketing of EWSD switching system and data network solutions.

Since its establishment, BISC constantly provides switching products, access products, network management solutions, products for the convergence of voice and date services, and system integration for the booming telecommunication market in China, with its leading edge products and timely comprehensive services. The products of BISC are not only used in China, but also in overseas markets. The market share of BISC is keeping growth yearly. Up to now, BISC has already become a main supplier of voice and data network equipment in the domestic market.

BISC is one of 500 Largest Industry Enterprises in China, listed Top One-Hundred enterprises of Electronic Industry, Top Ten Foreign Invested Industrial Enterprises of Beijing Municipality, Top 500 largest foreign invested Enterprises and Top One-Hundred of Electronic Information Enterprises etc.

President Jiang Zemin, Vice Premier Wu Bangguo, former German Chancellor Dr.Kohl, Minister of China MII Mr. Wu Jichuan, Former Minister of German MPT Mr. Boetsch, President & C.E.O of Siemens AG Dr. Heinrich von Pierer, Secretary of Beijing Committee of Communist Party Mr. Jia Qinglin, Mayor of Beijing Mr.Liu Qi and some other VIPs visited BISC, and spoke highly of its achievements.

As a young enterprise with great development potential and market competence, BISC is keeping its leading position in traditional voice service business, and is continuing to develop the data, narrow-band and broadband access products. In the fierce competition of telecommunication market, BISC will make steady contribution to the China telecommunication industry.

About Unisphere Networks, Inc.

Unisphere Networks, Inc. is a leading provider of carrier-grade IP networking solutions to enable data, voice and rich media services. The Unisphere Networks Intelligent Service POP(TM) product framework, along with its service and support organization, enables leading service providers to deploy revenue-generating services with quality, reliability and wire-speed performance at the network edge. Founded in 1999, the company is headquartered in Westford, Mass. More than 25 sales offices worldwide and a network of international resellers serve its globally diverse customer base. For more information, please visit the Web site at http://www.unispherenetworks.com.

Unisphere Networks is a trademark of Unisphere Networks Inc. All other company and product names are trademarks or registered trademarks of their respective owners.