Bridgewater Systems Introduces Application and Network Policy Control Solutions.

Tools Enable Service Providers to Control, Monetize Subscriber Entitlements to Applications and Network Resources

BARCELONA, Spain -- Bridgewater Systems, a leading developer of subscriber-centric policy management software for IP-based services, today launched new policy control solutions that address the demand for managing subscriber access to applications and network resources in real time. The Bridgewater Systems Application Policy Controller and Network Policy Controller join the company's proven network access control and subscriber management solutions, widely deployed in service provider networks around the globe, to provide a comprehensive portfolio of subscriber-centric policy management solutions for mobile, fixed and converged operators.

"Service providers will require solutions that allow them to apply policy control at multiple levels, including application and network resource management," commented senior analyst Graham Finnie with Heavy Reading. "The ability to support these complementary but differing requirements addresses a fundamental business need for service providers as they offer services across fixed, mobile and converged networks."

As service providers deploy new applications and content to meet subscriber demand and competitive pressures, the Application Policy Controller provides a robust software solution to manage and monetize the complex and dynamic relationship between subscribers and applications. It allows service providers to define the business rules that govern the real-time interaction between the subscriber and all applications and content, regardless of where these are hosted. By aligning policy control closely to business needs, service providers can increase Average Revenue Per User (ARPU) and enrich the subscriber experience by extending policy controls over how and under which circumstances subscriber information can be made available to applications. For example, service providers can enable subscriber access to limited time sporting event content or offer parental controls that restrict usage of features during school hours.

The Application Policy Controller represents a natural evolution of the Bridgewater Systems Application Authorization Server, proven and deployed in service provider networks today. Highlighted by an initial operational deployment for a large 3G wireless service provider supporting the introduction of streaming media service to tens of millions of subscribers, the Application Authorization Server provides a common profile and policy system for centralized management of authentication and authorization of users when they attempt to access applications.

The Bridgewater Systems Network Policy Controller enables real-time control of network resources, ensuring a positive subscriber experience while allowing service providers to control and manage network resource usage in real time. The Network Policy Controller was designed to support all network types and to handle multiple networks -- wireless, wireline and converged - simultaneously. Because this solution is network equipment agnostic, service providers can deploy the Network Policy Controller to manage network resources across any type of network infrastructure, including pre-standards and IMS-compliant networks. The Network Policy Controller represents the next generation of the Bridgewater Systems' Dynamic Broadband Manager, building on the demand for bandwidth and network resource management in wireline networks to address similar requirements in wireless and converged networks.

The Application Policy Controller and Network Policy Controller feature a business rule engine with an intuitive user interface that enables both technical and non-technical business personnel to easily create and modify policies that govern how, when and under which circumstances subscribers can access applications and network resources.

"As operators leverage new services and business relationships across 3G, 4G, wireline, or converged networks, Bridgewater offers a comprehensive suite of products to support them," said Russ Freen, co-founder and chief technology officer for Bridgewater Systems. "Our technology has the proven scalability and performance to allow operators to profit from subscriber access at multiple levels - network, application, resources - enabling new revenue streams, and a rich subscriber experience that improves retention and maximizes profitability."

The Application Policy Controller and Network Policy Controller complement Bridgewater's existing and widely deployed products, including the AAA Service Controller. The most proven, scalable, and robust solution of its kind, the AAA Service Controller provides a high performance solution enabling service providers to support subscriber authentication, authorization and accounting functions that control access to advanced services quickly and profitably from a single point across any type of network including fixed mobile convergence deployments.

Meet Bridgewater Systems at 3GSM World Congress 2007, Stand # 1G59 (Hall 1).

About Bridgewater Systems

Bridgewater Systems develops the industry's most advanced subscriber-centric policy management software for fixed, mobile and converged networks. Its solutions help global service providers launch new services faster and maximize profits by creating a subscriber-centric policy decision point to control and monetize the dynamic subscriber interaction with IP-based services. Vendor-neutral and access network agnostic, Bridgewater Systems' comprehensive policy management portfolio features: network access control products including authentication, authorization and accounting (AAA) and dynamic host configuration protocol (DHCP) systems; entitlement control products to manage subscriber access to applications and network resources; and robust subscriber management via a centralized policy and profile repository solution. Bridgewater Systems' proven carrier-class products help service providers enrich the subscriber experience, enable extensive revenue capture capabilities, and out-of-the-box value that can be deployed in weeks -- instead of months.

More than 80 leading service providers around the globe including Verizon Wireless, Sprint, Bell Mobility, Virgin Mobile USA and SmarTone-Vodafone trust Bridgewater's technology and business insight to help them deliver world-class services. Founded in 1997, Bridgewater Systems is a privately held company. www.bridgewatersystems.com

All companies and products listed herein are trademarks or registered trademarks of their respective holders.