Continuous Computing Announces ATCA Product Strategy.

Business Editors/High-Tech Writers

SUPERCOMM 2004

Booth #12644

SAN DIEGO--(BUSINESS WIRE)--June 15, 2004

ATCA Product Offering Expands PICMG Standards-Based Product Line

Addressing the 2.5G/3G Wireless and VoIP Infrastructure Markets

Continuous Computing, the leading provider of high-availability Network Service-Ready Platform(TM) solutions for telecom equipment manufacturers, today announced its strategy to supply products conforming to the Advanced Telecom Computing Architecture (ATCA or AdvancedTCA) standard. The company's entry into the ATCA market is seen as a strategic move that will help drive its next wave of customer and revenue growth in the Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) and 3G Wireless markets. Details about Continuous Computing's ATCA product strategy will be available at the company's SUPERCOMM booth in Chicago from June 22-24 (#12644).

ATCA is the latest specification from PICMG, the PCI Industrial Computer Manufacturers Group, targeted at requirements for the next generation of carrier-grade communications equipment. The ATCA series of specifications (PICMG 3.x) incorporates the latest trends in high-speed interconnect technologies and next-generation processors along with improved reliability, manageability, and serviceability. Analysts from market research firms Crystal Cube Consulting and Metz International forecast the ATCA market potential to grow from a negligible amount today to over $20 billion by 2007. Research analysts unanimously agree that wireless infrastructure for 2.5G and 3G Wireless edge and core solutions will be the initial focus for deployment of ATCA-based solutions.

Continuous Computing expects to deliver complete ATCA system platforms integrated with its Trillium(R) protocol software and upSuite(R) high availability middleware products. These solutions target control plane network devices like Mobile Switching Centers (MSCs), Home Location Registers (HLRs), Serving GPRS Support Nodes (SGSNs), and Softswitches, as well as data plane network elements such as Media Gateways, Media Servers, and intelligent Digital Subscriber Line Access Multiplexers (DSLAMs). The company's ATCA product roadmap includes delivery of fully-managed chassis platforms bundled with:

-- High-performance Intel(R) Pentium(R) M processor-based single

board compute blades

-- Intel(R) IXP2XXX-based network processor modules and blades

for wire-speed packet processing, network security processing,

and deep packet inspection 

-- E1/T1/OC-3 modules for communication interfaces

-- Switch modules to support Gigabit Ethernet on base and fabric

backplanes

-- Storage blades

This product set will be followed by additional media and protocol accelerator processing modules for deployment into advanced applications in the wireline and wireless network infrastructure markets.

"We are extremely pleased to announce our commitment to the AdvancedTCA market, which is expected to be central to future network infrastructure deployments," said Ken Kalb, chairman and chief executive officer of Continuous Computing. "Telecom equipment manufacturers developing 3G Wireless and VoIP applications face tremendous pressures to get to market quickly and affordably. Sourcing standards-based ATCA hardware, middleware, and protocol software from a company uniquely positioned to offer this complete set of solutions, plus the integration services required to pull all of it together, is an intelligent and strategic business decision."

"Designed for carrier grade deployments, AdvancedTCA platforms meet the capacity, performance, and reliability requirements of carrier-grade 3G Wireless and VoIP infrastructures," said Ron Peck, director of marketing and platform programs, Intel Corporation. "Utilizing standards-based platforms built on Intel(R) processors allows Continuous Computing to quickly respond to customer demand and deliver value-added services and applications in a cost-effective manner."

"AdvancedTCA has already achieved significant traction in the marketplace, primarily for 3G Wireless and VoIP applications because these markets, like the ATCA standard itself, represent a significantly new way of implementing telecom solutions," said Dr. Karen Liu, managing director of RHK, a market research firm. "Continuous Computing's long term ATCA technology and roadmap announcement helps keep the momentum building toward growth of ATCA into additional market segments."

Information about Continuous Computing's AdvancedTCA strategy, as well as a demonstration of an All-IP 3G Release 5 architecture incorporating an ATCA chassis-based Radio Network Controller solution, will be available at the company's SUPERCOMM booth in Chicago from June 22-24 (#12644). Additional information about the company's SUPERCOMM presence and ATCA demo is available at www.ccpu.com/supercomm.

About Continuous Computing

Continuous Computing Corporation is the leading provider of high availability Network Service-Ready Platform(TM) solutions for telecom equipment manufacturers. The ISO 9001-certified company supplies high availability hardware, software, middleware, and integrated solutions that enable customers to quickly deploy Voice over IP, Intelligent Network, and 3G Wireless applications for rapid time-to-market and return-on-investment. Known for superior product quality and exceptional customer service, Continuous Computing supports over 400 projects with over 250 customers worldwide including every major telecom vendor in the VoIP and 3G Wireless markets. Customer applications range from softswitches and signaling gateways to radio network controllers and home location registers. Founded in 1998, Continuous Computing is based in San Diego, CA, with regional offices in India, China, Japan, South Korea, Spain and the United Kingdom. Additional information is available at www.ccpu.com.

Continuous Computing is an Associate member of the Intel Communications Alliance.

About the Intel Communications Alliance

Continuous Computing is an Associate member of the Intel Communications Alliance. The Intel Communications Alliance is a member-based program comprised of communications and embedded developers and solution providers. Members are committed to providing a strategic supply of standards-based solutions to the communications and embedded market segments. For more information, please visit: www.intel.com/go/ica.

Continuous Computing, Trillium, TAPA, upDisk, upBeat, and upSuite are registered trademarks of Continuous Computing Corporation. Intel and Pentium are registered trademarks of Intel Corporation. Other names and brands may be claimed as the property of others.