Ericsson Hewlett Packard Telecommunications Selects Vertel IS-124 DMH Development Environment Products for its Billing Mediation Product.

WOODLAND HILLS, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--July 1, 1998--Vertel Corp. (NASDAQ:VRTL) -- a leading supplier of telecommunications management network (TMN) platforms and development environments, and Ericsson Hewlett Packard Telecommunications (EHPT) -- the leading supplier of applications software and services to telecom operators, Wednesday announced the licensing of Vertel's Data Message Handler (DMH) -- a development platform for CDRs (Call Data Record) collection and interconnection to other OSS's based on IS-124 standards -- to EHPT.

EHPT has chosen Vertel's product for IS-124 compliance, which has been recognized by the North American Cellular Network (NACN) as the standard for billing mediation applications. The IS-124 transport stack is the new interconnect standard for call detail information in a cellular network, which enhances such features as subscriber billing, customer care, service provisioning and other business and service applications.

"Our goal is to be the number one global player in the telecommunications management sector and we are well on the way," said Kenneth B. Jonsson, vice president of marketing of EHPT. "We selected Vertel because their products enable us to easily provide our customers IS-124 standards compliance and a more competitive wireless solution throughout the United States. Also Vertel has a long history of successfully providing application level interfaces, packet data management and provisioning solutions to the wireless industry.

"We see IS-124 with real-time capabilities and format record richness as key features for our customers," Jonsson continued. "It will enable them to introduce real-time charging, fraud management, pre-paid services and new services to improve customer acquisition and retention. IS-124 also supports wireless inter-carrier roaming by improving service providers' ability to reconcile roaming charges and other specialized services."

"Vertel, the leader in this market, can provide EHPT the necessary infrastructure to build wireless applications that are competitive and inter-operate in the worldwide telecommunications market," said Cyrus Irani, vice president of marketing for Vertel. "Our leading edge products are being used in EHPT's billing mediation project (BMP) to provide their customers IS-124 compliance. By adhering to this emerging standard, they will now be able to provide a competitive wireless OSS billing interconnection solutions for the United States market."

IS-124

IS-124 is a Cellular Telecommunications Industry Association (CTIA) standard that was published in December, 1997 for the standard formatting and delivery of the call detail records that are generated every time a wireless user makes a call. Call detail is then used for subscriber billing, customer care, roamer settlement, and overall customer management applications. Use of the IS-124 standard allows service providers to receive more information about subscriber activity, exchange information with roaming partners more quickly and create new subscriber service offers. The IS-124 standard can also aid in the development of new FCC mandates such as Local Number Portability.

The NACN, the international backbone network operator that provides cellular roaming services for more than 80 carriers, announced earlier this year, in teaming with Vertel, they successfully completed an IS-124 DMH demonstration network. Vertel was part of the trial because of their expertise in areas such as application level interfaces, packet data management and wireless industry provisioning solutions.

Vertel IS-124 Development Environment

IS-124 Development Environment software provides the necessary software infrastructure for non-signaling traffic between the various wireless service providers. It contains all the elements that application developers, equipment suppliers, and service providers need to provide IS-124 capabilities with their products. The Development Environment includes an IS-124 C++ API, IS-124 Stack and an IS-124 Simulator. The software package allows the user to bring up the ACSE association, handle and format in-going and outgoing IS-124 operations, and maintain, as well as invoke the ID database. It also negotiates the application context and handles any invalid incoming events such as data, sequence or incorrect responses. It can be integrated into any IS-124 entity, such as CDGP, CDRP and CDC.

EHPT - BMP

EHPT - BMP provides a flexible, open system solution that collects and pre-processes usage data information from complex and multi-streams the data to downstream client applications. This enables service providers to take full advantage of their valuable network usage data, not only to streamline billing systems, but for such strategic applications as customer behavior analysis and network planning.

EHPT - BMP was developed in response to market demands for greater flexibility and a need to achieve growth in a rapidly changing, complex environment. BMP provides new tools and additional processing functions that are intended to give network operators a way to rapidly deploy new applications and services, while still protecting existing applications from change.

EHPT - BMP can process call details from a mixture of fixed-line, mobile networks and multiple vendors. This allows operators to bill for multiple services on one customer bill, as well as increase the response to customer inquiries. In addition, BMP's inherent scalability allows it to be effectively deployed independent of the size of the service provider.

EHPT

EHPT is an independent, world-class provider of application software and services to network operators and has installed over 450 operation support and business support systems in more than 65 countries. Its success is based on a thorough understanding of the convergence of telecom and computer networks. Founded in 1993, as a joint venture owned 60% by Ericsson and 40% by Hewlett-Packard, it combines and enhances the strengths of these world leaders to provide leading edge solutions. EHPT is based in Stockholm, Sweden, and employs 850 staff worldwide. Contact EHPT on the World Wide Web: http://www.ehpt.com

Vertel Corp.

Vertel develops and markets software for the management and operations of telecommunications networks. The company provides advanced telecommunications management network (TMN) solutions including communications infrastructure products, network management platforms, and applications software for telecommunication carrier networks worldwide. In addition, Vertel serves telecommunications equipment manufacturers, computer systems OEMs and Internet access providers. The company is based in Woodland Hills, and has sales offices throughout the world. Contact Vertel on the World Wide Web at http://www.vertel.com.

"Safe Harbor" Statements under the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995: Except for the historical information presented, the matters discussed in this news release are forward looking statements that involve risks and uncertainties, including timely development, introduction and success of new and enhanced products in existing and new markets, the acceptance of new technologies, the impact of competitive products, pricing, currency exchange risks, governmental and regulatory developments including Vertel, EHPT and their partners, and other risks detailed from time to time in public disclosure filings with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) by Vertel.

Vertel is a registered trademark of Vertel. All other trademarks are the property of their respective owners.

    CONTACT:  Vertel Corp.
               Vicki Vaughn, 818/227-1456
               [e-mail]
                or
               Bernard Gidon, [phone]
               [e-mail]
                or
               Ericsson Hewlett Packard Telecommunications (EHPT)
               Ann-Louise Ohrn, [phone]
               [e-mail]
                or
               Denise Harvey, 888/404-EHPT