Ericsson pioneers new IP telephony services with launch of Internet Telephony Solution for Carriers.

LONDON--(BUSINESS WIRE)--April 30, 1998--Ericsson Inc. has developed a new IP telephony platform called Internet Telephony Solution for Carriers (IPTC) that raises the standard for IP telephony systems. IPTC offers phone-to-phone, fax-to-fax and PC-to-phone services over a TCP/IP network. It provides a superior operations and management (O&M) facility that moves IP telephony to a true carrier-class communications system.

IPTC works by taking phone and fax calls that originate in the public switched telephony network (PSTN) and passing them to the IPTC platform, which carries them over the TCP/IP network to their destination where they are fed back to the PSTN network. PC-to-phone calls are taken directly from the TCP/IP network and carried to their destination in the same way. IPTC is a complete solution comprised of Ericsson-developed advanced software modules hosted within an industry standard operating system running on any standard hardware. IPTC software runs on industry standard platforms that are based on Intel Pentium processors and Microsoft Windows NT operating system.

"IPTC raises the standard in the IP telephony industry," said Staffan Lindholm, general manager, Internet Group, Ericsson Infocom Systems. These new IP telephony networks are just that - networks, and they need to be managed as networks. We have added operations and maintenance functions that have only been used in wireline switching systems."

IPTC uses a Web-based management program to update and control multiple gateways. No longer is it necessary to change the parameters in individual gateways when IPTC can update all gateways within a network through one "netkeeper" applications program. The call and traffic control for individual gateways in a network is handled by sitekeepers. The sitekeepers connect to the netkeeper, which acts as a single point of control for the O&M functions of the whole IPTC platform. The netkeeper is not involved in the processing of calls but stores the platform topology information, routing configuration and alarm information.

Other features included in the IPTC platform are least-cost routing, dynamic route allocation, multiple IP networks support, and the ability to handle validated and un-validated traffic. Real-time billing with fraud prevention and call duration advice with integrated voice response software is also provided.

Ericsson's 100,000 employees are active in more than 130 countries. Their combined expertise in fixed and mobile networks, mobile phones and infocom systems makes Ericsson a world-leading supplier in telecommunications.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION, PLEASE CONTACT:

Kathy Egan, Ericsson Inc.             Kim Malone, Delta Three
Tel.: [phone]                    Tel.: [phone]
Fax: [phone]                     Fax: [phone]
E-mail: [e-mail]       E-mail: [e-mail]

Barbara Boyle, Ericsson Inc.         Karen Van de Vrande,
Tel: [phone]                    RSL Communications, Ltd.
Fax: [phone]                    Tel.: [phone]
E-mail: [e-mail]   Fax: [phone]
                                     E-mail: [e-mail]

CONTACT: Kathy Egan, Ericsson Inc.

Tel.: [phone]

Fax: [phone]

E-mail: [e-mail]

or

Kim Malone, Delta Three

Tel.: [phone]

Fax: [phone]

E-mail: [e-mail]

or

Barbara Boyle, Ericsson Inc.

Tel: [phone]

Fax: [phone]

E-mail: [e-mail]

or

Karen Van de Vrande,

RSL Communications, Ltd.

Tel.: [phone]

Fax: [phone]

E-mail: [e-mail]