BT Selects Portal for Billing Reference Model.

Business Editors/High-Tech Writers

CUPERTINO, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Nov. 10, 2000

Portal Software, Inc. (Nasdaq:PRSF), a leading provider of business infrastructure software for Internet and next-generation communications services, today announced that Infranet(R), its customer management and billing software, has been chosen for BT's Billing Reference Model. British Telecommunications plc (BT) is one of the world's leading providers of telecommunications services.

The BT Billing Reference Model is a technical business program used to evaluate billing systems for deployment into broadband (ADSL), private leased circuits, Internet and e-business services. Its purpose is to find best-of-breed solutions, develop in-house expertise and build strong vendor relationships. By trailing and pre-selecting suitable billing software, BT can launch new services quicker than before.

"Infranet was always a strong contender for the Billing Reference Model," commented Robbie Jackson, Billing Reference Model manager, Information Systems Engineering, BT. "But when you are choosing a billing system, you are not just choosing a product. You are beginning a relationship with the supplier. We found Portal very attentive and positive, proving particularly good at understanding our complex billing problems. Our evaluation showed that Infranet was a highly scalable, carrier class real time billing solution with the right flexibility that enables BT to go to market quickly."

Infranet was given an intense evaluation, lasting several weeks in BT's Engineering Center in Belfast. Tested against a prototype Internet service with multiple price plans, Infranet met over 1,000 detailed business and technical requirements in 17 major functional areas. It was selected for the Billing Reference Model because of its multi-server scalable architecture with unique real time and pre-paid billing capabilities. Other factors included superior flexibility, multi-currency support and rapid service deployment.

"BT undertook one of the most thorough business and technical evaluations of Infranet ever conducted," said Jonathan Cooper, director of Marketing and Alliances EMEA, Portal Software (Europe) Ltd. "We are delighted that Infranet has achieved such a high status in BT and has been judged capable of rapid deployment for a new wave of telephony, Internet and e-business services. The implementation of Infranet by Viag Interkom, a BT-owned company, in Germany in April 1999, also underlines Infranet's strength as a solution for global enterprises. We will continue to work closely with BT's Engineering Centre to ensure that all deployments go as smoothly as possible."

Infranet has been installed by the Billing Reference Model Team on a Sun E250 Enterprise Server within the BT Engineering Center. It is available for hands-on development by project teams from BT and its subsidiaries looking to deploy real time billing solutions for new products.

About BT

British Telecommunications plc is one of the world's leading providers of telecommunications services. Its principal activities include local, long distance and international telecommunications services, mobile communications, Internet services and IT solutions. BT is expanding its presence overseas rapidly and has operations in more than 30 countries worldwide, with ventures in the Republic of Ireland, France, Switzerland, Spain, Germany, Italy, the Netherlands, Sweden, New Zealand, Japan, Singapore, Malaysia, Korea, Latin America and India. BT and AT&T have also created Concert, the leading global telecommunications company serving multi-national business customers, international carriers and Internet service providers worldwide.

About Viag Interkom

Viag Interkom is a major mobile and fixed line operator in Germany. Currently, it has over 2 million mobile subscribers and expects to reach at least 3.5 million by the end of 2000. Viag Interkom's Internet business, Interkom Online, now has 590,000 active customers. Viag Interkom has over 1,500 business customers. It is currently extending its service to SMEs through the roll out of Wireless Local Loop (WLL) for local access, having won the largest number of WLL licences in Germany.

About Portal Software

Portal Software, Inc., is building business infrastructure for the Internet. Based in Cupertino, Portal is the leading provider of customer management and billing software for Internet and emerging, next-generation communications services. The company's real-time solution enables service providers to manage customers, support services and collect money. Portal's customers include Qwest Communications, Concentric, Covad, Inktomi, Juno Online, France Telecom, Demon, and ICL Games Zone. Information about Portal and its products can be found at http://www.portal.com.

Note to Editors: Infranet is a U.S. registered trademark, and Portal and the Portal logo are trademarks of Portal Software, Inc. All statements made in this press release are made only as of the date set forth at the beginning of this release. Portal undertakes no obligation to update the information in the event facts or circumstances subsequently change.