Collaborative Efforts by ATIS and IPDR.org Result in Adoption Of IPDR Protocol in New Trial-Use Standard for Next Gen Accounting Management; ATIS TMOC Standard Utilizes IPDR Protocol.

NANTUCKET, Mass. & WASHINGTON -- Receives Approval from ANSI as American National Standard for Trial Use

The Internet Protocol Detail Record Organization (IPDR.org) and the Alliance for Telecommunications Industry Solutions (ATIS) announced an important milestone in its ongoing collaborative efforts to produce "Next Gen" Accounting Management standards and protocols for global use and adoption.

"Usage Data Management for Packet-Based Services - Service Neutral Protocol Specification for Billing Applications" (ATIS-PP-0300075.1.200X, August 2005) - developed by the ATIS Telecom Management and Operations Committee (TMOC) which incorporates the IPDR protocol - was recently approved as an American National Standard (ANS) for Trial Use by the American National Standards Institute (ANSI). The approval of the ATIS standard marks the first of a series of on-going collaborative standardization activities presently underway between ATIS and IPDR.org.

The ATIS standard is also expected to receive much attention from telecom standards bodies worldwide. In recent months, a harmonization agreement was reached between ATIS/TMOC and the Third Generation Partnership Project (3GPP) to propose this new ATIS TMOC Accounting Management standard to the International Telecommunication Union - Telecommunications Sector (ITU-T). The ITU-T will consider the ATIS standard, integrated with the 3GPP IP Multimedia Subsystem (IMS) charging management solution, within its NGN Accounting Management standardization activities.

The IPDR protocol is a "service-neutral" specification that supports billing of packet-based services, and can be applied to any IP service and application (i.e, gaming, IPTV, VoIP, and Video on Demand).

"We are thrilled with the significant work effort completed here and that our protocol continues to be recognized," said IPDR.org President Kelly Anderson. "It represents an important step in making the implementation of new IP-based services both efficient and cost effective for global operators."

"ATIS is a global leader in the creation of technical and operations standards for the communications and related information technologies industry worldwide," said ATIS President Susan Miller. "Our primary objective is to produce solutions that meet the true business needs of the industry. ATIS is pleased with the result of its ongoing collaboration with IPDR.org, the organization that produced the IPDR protocol as a service-neutral specification for billing of any packet-based service."

"As a collaborative industry consortium focused on developing and driving the adoption of next-gen IP service usage exchange standards, IPDR takes great pride that its protocol is getting international recognition," said Tal Givoly, director of IPDR.org and chief scientist at Amdocs who also serves on the ATIS TMOC committee.

IPDR.org is known as an industry leader in the area of IP network data management for any IP-based application. At present, it is focused on IPTV, and will host an open, industry-wide meeting to address accounting and settlement standards for IPTV services on Feb. 23-24 at Cisco Systems in San Jose, Calif. There will be no fee to attend this meeting and no requirement to be an IPDR.org member. To register, please send an email to Marianne Jenkinson ([e-mail]) with your complete contact information. Please visit http://www.ipdr.org for meeting information and logistics.

ATIS will also be presenting at the upcoming meeting and will be sharing the work program developed by its recently established IPTV Interoperability Forum (IIF), a new ATIS committee that will produce standards and other IPTV industry solutions. Further collaboration between ATIS - specifically, the ATIS TMOC, the ATIS IIF and the ATIS Ordering and Billing Forum - with the IPDR.org regarding IPTV Accounting Management is already underway.

About IPDR.org

IPDR.org is the only collaborative industry consortium exclusively focused on developing and driving the adoption of next-gen IP service usage exchange standards worldwide. IPDR.org developed the Internet Protocol Detail Record (IPDR) interface used by IP network and service providers to capture valuable network data usage information. IPDR.org's members consist of leading service providers; software and equipment vendors; system integrators; and billing and mediation vendors who are collaborating to facilitate service usage exchange by implementing de-facto standards, which have been adopted by leading industry organizations, including CableLabs(R), the cable industry's research and development consortium; and ATIS, the telecommunication industry's research and standards body. A member-driven nonprofit organization, IPDR.org continuously seeks comments on its specifications, implementation and protocols. The IPDR.org publicly available documents can be downloaded from the IPDR.org web site at http://www.ipdr.org.

About ATIS

ATIS is a technical planning and standards development organization that is committed to rapidly developing and promoting technical and operations standards for the communications and related information technologies industry worldwide using a pragmatic, flexible and open approach. Participants from more than 350 communications companies are active in ATIS' 23 industry committees and Incubator Solutions Program. Visit http://www.atis.org.

About ANSI

The American National Standards Institute (ANSI) is a private, non-profit organization (501(c)3) that administers and coordinates the U.S. voluntary standardization and conformity assessment system. The Institute's mission is to enhance both the global competitiveness of U.S. business and the U.S. quality of life by promoting and facilitating voluntary consensus standards and conformity assessment systems, and safeguarding their integrity. Visit http://www.ansi.org.