HitachiSoft to Offer 'SARAS' Revenue Assurance Solution for Telecom Companies.

Tokyo, Japan, Sept 7, 2006 - (JCN Newswire) - HitachiSoft is pleased to announce that it has concluded a strategic partnership with Subex Azure Limited, including exclusive sales rights in Japan for SARAS (Subex Azure Revenue Assurance System), a revenue assurance solution for telecom companies.

Billing errors* such as revenue losses and overcharging, occur in the billing backbone systems of overseas telecom companies as a result of incorrect settings due to errors in operation, system incompatibilities due to multi-vendor configurations, and inconsistencies when settling accounts between telecom companies.

The SARAS revenue assurance system detects and corrects such inconsistencies by extracting and comparing data stored in billing systems and telecom systems, thereby reducing or eliminating revenue loss. An Australian telecom company, for example, has reported that it reduced its revenue loss from 6% to 1% through installing SARAS. Hitachi Software is pleased to have developed Japan's first revenue assurance solution with technical support from Subex Azure.

Based on its experience in configuring billing backbone systems for Japanese telecom companies and SARAS know-how, HitachiSoft will offer SARAS-based solutions centered on i) elimination of revenue losses, by identifying their causes through detection and analysis of data inconsistencies between systems, regardless of the telecom system type; and ii) support for response to J-SOX legislation, by providing systems for maintaining and reinforcing internal control to check telecom company business.

Initially, HitachiSoft will configure systems individually for each customer. From fiscal 2007, the company plans to provide ASP service to Internet service providers and cable TV operators. Packages will be priced from 150,000,000 yen, and Hitachi Software expects revenue of 4.0 billion yen over the next three years, including that from package installation, customization, and service provision by ASPs.

* According to a TeleManagement Forum announcement, the percentage of billing revenue lost by overseas telecom companies is 3%-15%.

About Subex Azure Limited

Subex Azure is the industry leader in the fields of fraud management and revenue assurance (RA) for telecom companies, and is expanding its business primarily in Europe and America. Subex Azure commands top share* of the RA sector at 26%, and more than 60 companies worldwide have installed Subex Azure solutions, including AT&T, BT, T-Mobile, Vodafone, and Verizon. (* Survey by Stratecast Partners Division, Frost & Sullivan)

About SARAS

SARAS detects inconsistencies between subsystems, which cause revenue loss and overcharging, from the subsystems that constitute billing systems and telecom systems, by collecting and comparing subscription data, call records, and billing data from the subsystems. In addition, the detected inconsistencies are managed through a workflow that makes tracking of the process until resolution easy.

With SARAS, billing backbone systems are customized for each customer in a short time, and collaborative support is provided to clarify issues, utilizing know-how regarding the detection of inconsistencies based on past case studies and trends in terms of multiple generation of call records and time lags at exchanges.

Main Features

I. Compatibility with all telecom systems

- The interface provided does not depend on the equipment models used at exchanges.

- The subsystems to be analyzed for inconsistency detection can be freely selected.

II. Configuration in a short time

- SARAS can be configured in about eight weeks.

- Because the system design of SARAS is flexible, it can quickly be adapted to service expansion and new billing systems.

III. Superior user interface

- A Windows-based GUI is provided.

Capabilities

Data management: Obtains data from subsystems that constitute billing systems and telecom systems.

Data detection: Detects inconsistencies among data from each subsystem.

Reporting: Reports numbers of CDRs, inconsistencies, etc. from day to day. Calculates and reports weekly and monthly indices.

Workflow: Manages detected inconsistencies through workflow, leading to resolution.

Data correction: Instructs subsystems that constitute billing systems and telecom systems to correct data.

Operating Environment

Server OS: Windows, Unix, (HP-UX, Solaris, Linux)

Server Database: Microsoft SQL Server, Oracle

Client OS: Windows

* The official name of Hitachi Software is Hitachi Engineering Ltd.

* Windows is a registered trademark of Microsoft Corporation.

* Unix is a registered trademark of X/Open Company Ltd.

* Oracle is a registered trademark of Oracle International Corporation.

* Other names of companies and products mentioned are trademarks or registered trademarks of the companies concerned.

About HitachiSoft

Hitachi Software Engineering Co. Ltd. was established in 1970 as the first software development company in the Hitachi Group and we are now among the leading IT service companies in the industry. We mainly deal with basic software for mainframe computers and large-scale systems and networks for government agencies as well as the financial, insurance, and securities industries. Over the past 30 years, we have enjoyed steadily increasing success, pursuing our goal of becoming the industry's leading company. We have also established international leadership in Multimedia Technology, GIS, Bio Informatics Products, and High Level Security Software both in the US and Europe. For more information. please visit www.hitachisoft.jp.

Source: HitachiSoft

Contact:

Mr. Toru Takehashi
Ms. Miki Takano
Corporate Communications
Hitachi Software Engineering Co., Ltd.
Tel: [phone]
Fax: [phone]
E-mail: [e-mail]

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