Marconi and Telica Team-Up To Offer VoATM and VoIP Solution for Tier One Service Providers.

Business/Technology Editors

MARLBORO, Mass.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Nov. 5, 2001

Marconi Becomes First to Achieve Certified Partner Status in Telica's

Total Solution Alliance Program and Prove Interoperability

With Plexus 9000

Telica, Inc., a leading provider of innovative softswitch-based voice and data infrastructure products for today's evolving telecommunications networks, announces that Marconi (NASDAQ and London: MONI), a global provider of advanced communications solutions, joined Telica's Total Solution Alliance Program and is the first to reach the Certified Partner distinction. In order to achieve the Certified Partner level, Marconi's ASX-4000(TM), a multi-service, high-capacity packet switch, and Telica's Plexus 9000 voice packet switch passed rigorous interoperability tests in transporting VoIP and VoATM traffic over an ATM network. This solution is initially targeted at the packet tandem initiatives of tier-one service providers.

"Certifying the interoperability of the entire solution assures carriers that this solution can be implemented in a production network today. Our joint Voice-over-Packet solution offers service providers all the power, flexibility, reliability and bandwidth required for next generation networks," stated Tim Helstrip, Executive Vice President of Solutions Development for Marconi. "We are very pleased to have reached this certification level with Telica, a company that we think will play an important role in the evolution of next generation networks."

The Alliance Program provides carriers a framework for interoperability for total end-to-end solutions for TDM, IP and ATM voice infrastructure for Class 4 and Class 5 services. In order to achieve the Certified Partner status, Telica and Marconi worked for several months on stringent ATM communications and solutions tests. The test plan included transportation of AAL1 and AAL2 voice packets using Permanent Virtual Circuits (PVCs) and Switched Virtual Circuits (SVCs), as well as ILMI interoperability and VoIP messages over ATM. Telica's Plexus 9000 has achieved both NEBS Level 3 and OSMINE certification, while Marconi's ASX-4000 is NEBS-certified and is undergoing OSMINE testing, making this joint solution well suited for deployment in RBOC networks.

"Marconi is one of the world's fastest-growing broadband network infrastructure providers," stated John St. Amand, CEO and president of Telica. "The scalability, reliability and QoS offered by Marconi's broadband packet switching products, teamed with the Plexus 9000's flexibility, extremely high density and availability, allows Telica and Marconi to satisfy even the largest carrier's needs. The Plexus 9000 provides compelling economic benefits for service providers deploying TDM, VoIP and VoATM services, and working with Marconi furthers the reach of the Telica solutions." Marconi's broadband packet switching products complement Telica's Plexus 9000 softswitch-based packet switching system and provide carriers with an integrated Voice-over-Packet solution. Telica's Plexus 9000 carrier-grade switching system features a fault-tolerant architecture designed to exceed the availability of current central office switches in a highly compact form. The capacity of the Plexus 9000 is significantly greater than that of its nearest competitor. A single shelf with over 80,000 ports fully protected for TDM and over 21,000 for VoIP and VoATM, makes the Plexus 9000 less complex to deploy and operate than other platforms that require several shelves and intricate architectural configuration to achieve this level of port density. In addition, the Plexus 9000 is OSMINE certified and has completed a Telcordia Technologies, Inc., System Reliability Analysis with estimated results of 99.99994% for total system reliability.

About Telica, Inc.

Telica provides innovative softswitch-based voice and data infrastructure products for today's evolving telecommunications networks. The company's Plexus 9000 is an intelligent switching platform that offers economic and competitive advantages to service providers. This carrier-grade system encompasses both switching equipment and software to enable voice and data services to be delivered over the PSTN as well as ATM and IP networks -- all in a distributed softswitch model or an integrated open solution that reduces network complexity and cost. Breakthrough levels of density, performance, reliability and scalability assure the highest quality of service while easily accommodating subscriber growth. Telica, founded in 1998, is headquartered in Marlboro, MA with offices throughout the United States and Canada. For more information on Telica, visit www.telica.com.

About Marconi plc

Marconi plc has research and development facilities in 19 countries, manufacturing operations in 16 countries, and serves customers in over 100 countries. Marconi delivers innovative solutions that transform communications networks. Marconi plc is listed on the London Stock Exchange and Nasdaq under the symbol MONI. Additional information about Marconi can be found at www.marconi.com.

This press release contains forward-looking statements with respect to products, partners, customers, future growth and other matters. Please refer to the Form 20-F report and Form 6-K reports filed by Marconi plc with the United States Securities and Exchange Commission for a discussion of risks that could cause actual results to differ materially from such statements.

Note: Telica, the Telica logo and Plexus are trademarks of Telica, Inc. Other trademarks or registered trademarks are property of their respective owners.