Transaction Network Services Inc. Deploys Ariel Corp.'s High-Density Modem Pools In Transaction Processing Servers.

CRANBURY, NJ.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Sept. 17, 1998--Ariel Corp. (Nasdaq:ADSP) today announced that Transaction Network Services Inc. (TNS) (Nasdaq:TNSI) has placed an order valued at close to 2 million dollars for Ariel's CTI-Modem, a high-density, 32-port modem pool optimized for transaction processing.

TNS will use CTI-Modem to perform the remote access functions in its transaction network dial access equipment. TNS is expanding its network to handle the additional transaction volume resulting from the recent acquisition of selected assets of AT&T's Transaction Access Service (TAS).

On Sept. 10, 1998, TNS announced that it had acquired selected assets of AT&T's (NYSE:T) TAS for $64 million in cash. Under the terms of the agreement, TNS will perform AT&T's services under its 39 existing TAS customer contracts, and will acquire certain TAS network hardware. The TAS customers include some of the largest transaction processors in the U.S., including three of the top five.

"We're excited to see the industry leaders in transaction processing network services embrace our open systems remote access solution," said Ariel president Brian Hoerl. "Our DSP-based remote access expertise and technology is ideal for this market. The network access requirements for transaction processing applications is an excellent fit for our programmable, high-density modem pools."

CTI-Modem is a software programmable, high-density ISA Bus modem pool that offers ultra-reliable synchronous and asynchronous operation over dial-up telephone lines. Packing sixteen programmable Lucent Technologies (NYSE:LU) DSPs, for up to 32 modem ports in a single ISA Bus slot, CTI-Modem is optimized for transaction processing applications like credit card verification, debit transactions, remote forms retrieval, and remote banking, that require fast startup and high throughput.

CTI-Modem supports both V.32ter (19,200 bps and 16,800 bps) and V.32bis (14400, 12000, 9600, 7200, and 4800 bps) modulation with V.32 autorate fallback. The modem also supports V.32 (9600 and 4800 bps), V.22bis (2400 bps), V.23 (600/75 and 1200/75 bps), V.21 (300 bps), Bell 212A (1200 bps), Bell 202, and Bell 103J (300 bps) modulation options with automatic fallbacks. Error control and compression options include CCITT V.42, V.42 cellular, V.42bis MNP 2-4 and MNP 5 interfaces.

To simplify system integration, CTI-Modem comes equipped with industry standard ISA Bus, MVIP (Multi Vendor Interface Protocol), and SCSA (Signal Computing System Architecture) interfaces. CTI-Modem's ISA Bus interface makes it easy to integrate with not only the server's host controller (i.e., motherboard), but also with the service provider's enterprise network and private data network.

At the same time, CTI-Modem's MVIP and SCSA bus interfaces make it easy to integrate with standard POTS (Plain Old Telephone Service), T1, E1, and ISDN line cards. CTI-Modem also comes with a simple, yet powerful API (Application Programming Interface) that makes it easy to configure and integrate with server's operating system and network management software. More on Ariel

Ariel Corp. (Nasdaq:ADSP) offers the industry's highest density and most cost-effective remote access data solutions for open systems platforms. The leader in server-based RAS technology, Ariel is the only company currently shipping high-density V.90 central-site modem pool cards for open systems. The company's high-density CTI-Modem, RS1000, RS2000, T1-Modem+, and T1-Modem PC-based modem pools support V.32, V.34, V.90 (56 kbps), and ISDN remote access sessions and connect to T1, E1, ISDN, and POTS lines.

Ariel's remote access products target open systems servers spanning a broad range of applications, including telecommuting, Internet access, corporate Intranet and Extranet access, on-line services, transaction processing, and unified messaging.

For more information on Ariel products, please contact Ariel Corp. at 2540 Route 130, Cranbury, NJ 08512. Phone: [phone]. Fax: [phone]. Email: [e-mail]. Web: www.ariel.com. More on Transaction Network Services Inc.

TNS is an international communications company specializing in transaction-oriented data services. The company's Point-Of-Services division provides transaction transport services to transaction processors nationwide, and through its TransXpress data network, carried more than 2.4 billion dial-up credit and debit card transactions in 1997.

For more information, please contact Transaction Network Services Inc. 1939 Roland Clarke Place, Reston, VA 20191-1406 Phone: [phone]. Fax: [phone]. Email: [e-mail]. Web: www.tnsi.com.

Ariel, CTI-Modem, Open RAS, TI-Modem, and TI-Modem+ are trademarks or tradenames of Ariel Corp. All other trademarks or tradenames are the property of their respective owners.