Improve HSD Call Center Performance With NetFlare; Study Shows NetFlare Can Reduce Call Center Minutes by up to 65% on Performance Related Calls.

Business/Technology Editors

DEERFIELD, Ill.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Feb. 11, 2002

Teradyne, Inc. (NYSE: TER) Broadband Test Division today announced that average call handling time (ACHT) for performance related calls can be reduced by up to 65% with Teradyne's new NetFlare(TM) Internet test system. In recent field studies analyzing months of trouble ticket data and live operation in North American broadband service providers, NetFlare can reduce performance call ACHT at Tier 1 up to 65%. Performance call ACHT reduction at Tier 2 is up to 66% based both on reduced escalations and reduction in Tier 2 ACHT. NetFlare uses patent pending techniques to provide fast, accurate identification of the owner of a broadband Internet service problem. Guided by easy to understand web interfaces, a consumer experiencing a performance issue works interactively with network operations center personnel to resolve his or her problem, often in two minutes or less while the consumer is on the phone with the CSR. NetFlare has proven easy to install as it requires a relatively small number of test probes to cover a large network without the requirement of client software being installed or downloaded and requires no Operations Support System (OSS) integration to start using in the call centers.

"Service providers want a turnkey system that is easy to implement and is proven in the field," says Denise Flinn, NetFlare product manager. "NetFlare requires no client software or third party interfaces and can be operational, including training, in a matter of a few weeks. The system has been deployed for six months and is testing over 150,000 subscribers."

NetFlare information helps Cable operators increase the productivity and quality standards of the call center by:

-- Reducing Performance Call Handling Time at Tier 1 and Tier 2: Within two minutes, the call center operator is presented with the jurisdiction of the reported problem and a recommended action statement to either close the call, escalate, or route to repair. By rapidly identifying the jurisdiction of performance problems in the network, call center operators do not have to lead the subscriber in performing complicated technical tests to isolate problems. Field results show that NetFlare reduced average call handling time in Tier 1 and Tier 2 by 65% on performance and connectivity related calls.

-- Increasing `one-touches' by reducing trouble escalations to the back-office: Tier 1 or front-office network operations center representatives are given access and visibility of information allowing them to close calls at point of reception. This reduces the overall technical skill-level required to support broadband services. Handoffs and escalations to Tier 2 are reduced by 30%.

"One of the major benefits seen by the call center operators was the ability of NetFlare to simultaneously display the test results to the consumer and operator," says Joe Notaro, NetFlare account manager. "NetFlare reduces the amount of work required to isolate the network trouble by making the explanation and discussions of next steps much more efficient."

"MSO's are interested in supporting tiered services," says Fred Scheu, NetFlare product specialist. "NetFlare has adjustable performance thresholds that allow MSO's to tailor service to customer groups. Every call center operator can easily see on a visual display what the current subscriber performance is of the MSO network in isolation of the Internet."

NetFlare is a server based analysis system, comprised of Internet Diagnostic Units (IDU) installed at key jurisdiction boundaries in the network and a NetFlare Resource Broker (NRB) at a central location. This system architecture does not require any software at the subscriber's PC and therefore provides immediate availability to all consumers on installation. Furthermore, NetFlare's centralized architecture and analysis means that an entire network can be covered by rapidly deploying a small number of IDUs.

About Teradyne Broadband Test Division

Teradyne Broadband Test Division is a division of Teradyne, Inc. The group develops state-of-the-art-testing capabilities that support service provider's goals to sell and deploy more broadband services sooner and improve the efficiency of qualification, provisioning, and customer care for DSL and CATV high speed data networks. Teradyne's 10 years of internet protocol testing experience and industry leading background in layer 1 DSL testing enhances its 30 years experience in providing test systems that support voice customer care for approximately 120 Million voice lines worldwide. For more information on Teradyne's Broadband Test Products, visit Teradyne at: http://www.teradyne.com/prods/btd/.

About Teradyne

Teradyne (NYSE: TER) is the world's largest supplier of automatic test equipment and is also a leading supplier of high performance interconnection systems. Teradyne's test products are used by manufacturers of semiconductors, circuit assemblies, voice and broadband telephone networks. Teradyne's backplane assemblies and high-density connectors are used by manufacturers of communications and computing systems central to building networking infrastructure. The company had sales of $1.4 billion in 2001 and currently employs about 8000 people worldwide. For more information visit www.teradyne.com.