Big Bend Telephone Selects Taqua's OCX Next-Generation Class 5 Switch Using RUS Funding.

Business Editors/High-Tech Writers

RICHARDSON, Texas--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Dec. 9, 2002

Taqua, Inc., the leading provider of next-generation Class 5 switching, today announced that its OCX has been selected for network deployment by Alpine, Texas-based Big Bend Telephone.

Big Bend's procurement of the OCX was made possible with funds secured through the Rural Utilities Service (RUS). RUS, a service of the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA), provides rural utility companies with low-interest financing for the purchase of approved, tested and certified telecommunications equipment. Earlier this year, Taqua's OCX became the first - and still the only - next-generation Class 5 switch to obtain the coveted RUS listing designation.

Big Bend, a Rural Local Exchange Carrier (RLEC) that serves 13 exchanges, provides telephony services to a subscriber base located throughout a 17,000 square mile sparsely populated area of rugged terrain in west Texas.

Big Bend will initially deploy the OCX as a replacement for an obsolete Redcom switch in its network architecture. A second OCX will be deployed at Big Bend's Calamity Creek local tandem, and will serve as an A-Link Consolidator.

"Taqua's OCX is the ideal Class 5 switching solution for a rural carrier such as Big Bend Telephone. The OCX offers a powerful combination of a full featured Class 5 and Custom Calling services, small footprint, compelling economics and a pathway to future packet-based technologies," said Bruce Wood, inside plant manager, Big Bend Telephone. "The OCX will empower our subscriber base in west Texas to leverage new world revenue-generating telephony services quickly and cost-effectively."

"Taqua continues to build upon its leadership position in providing next-generation Class 5 switching technology to rural carriers throughout North America," said Todd Daniels, vice president, sales, Taqua, Inc. "We have achieved strong market momentum and acceptance, aided by our recent designation as the only next-generation switch vendor to receive Rural Utilities Service (RUS) listing by the U.S. government, that will further propel Taqua's position as the RLEC switch vendor of choice."

About the Taqua OCX

Taqua's OCX(TM) is a next generation Class 5 switch. Based on a patented "Multiple Application Switching Platform and Method," the OCX incorporates softswitch, signaling and media gateway functionality on a single-card design. The OCX incorporates a core set of revenue generating CLASS & Custom Calling features, as well as essential network and regulatory requirements including LNP, AIN, AMA, GR-303, SS7, PRI, CAS, E911 and CALEA. The OCX is complemented by the OpenManager(TM) (OM), a GUI-based element management system.

Purpose-built to create an entirely new model for delivering local and toll telecommunications services, the OCX is based on a groundbreaking software and hardware architecture that transforms legacy proprietary and centralized switching environments into open, distributed, scalable and cost effective next-generation networks. Scaling from 32 (Including Copper Line Terminations) to 40,000 subscribers (via GR-303 Concentration) in a single 17 1/2" X 24 1/2" shelf, the OCX dramatically reduces initial and overall cost of ownership providing carriers with a clear circuit-to-packet migration.

About Taqua, Inc.

Taqua, Inc., is a privately held telecommunications company that offers Incumbent Local Exchange Carriers (ILECs) and Competitive Local Exchange Carriers (CLECS) with a state-of-the-art Next Generation Class 5 switching platform. Established in February of 1998, Taqua was founded with a mission to develop an efficient, scaleable and economical alternative to traditional telecommunications voice solutions. Headquartered in the "Heart of Telecom Corridor" in Richardson, Texas, with offices in Little Rock, Arkansas; Petaluma, California; Chicago, Illinois; Hyannis, Massachusetts; Raleigh, North Carolina; Cincinnati, Ohio; Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania; Tulsa, Oklahoma; and Seattle, Washington, Taqua employs 125 telecom professionals and is led by an experienced team of telecom veterans from Lucent Technologies, Nortel Networks, Alcatel, Siemens, Bell Labs, Ascend Communications and Texas Instruments.

Currently, Taqua has secured 37 customers spanning North America, accelerating the global service provider adoption for next-generation voice switching solutions. Taqua's OCX is the first next-generation Class 5 switch to receive Rural Utilities Service (RUS) listing from the U.S. government, thereby allowing RLECs to obtain low-interest loans to purchase and deploy the OCX.

Taqua, OCX and The Voice of Next Generation Networks are Trademarks of Taqua, Inc.