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Agreement Helps Both Companies Reach New Markets and New Customers, Gives VoIP Providers Easy Access to Leading IP Softswitch and CALEA Compliance Services
Alameda, Calif., and Tulsa, Okla., Nov. 10, 2004 — UTStarcom, Inc. (Nasdaq: UTSI), a global leader in IP access and core networking and services, and VeriSign, Inc. (Nasdaq: VRSN), the leading provider of intelligent infrastructure services for Internet and telecommunications networks, today announced a joint marketing agreement through which both companies will work together to increase market reach and attract new customers. As a part of this agreement, UTStarcom will refer its mSwitch™ IP telecom softswitch platform customers — those who need assistance in compliance with the Communications Assistance for Law Enforcement Act (CALEA) — to the VeriSign® NetDiscoverySM Service. The two companies have made NetDiscovery interoperable with mSwitch in order to support service providers’ voice-over-IP (VoIP) and other voice-over-broadband (VoBB) deployments.
UTStarcom’s mSwitch platform supports traditional PSTN and softswitch protocols, seamlessly bridging the gap between existing circuit-switched platforms and next-generation packet-switched networks, while enabling service providers to offer VoBB services. VeriSign’s NetDiscovery Service is a lawful-assistance and CALEA-compliance service that handles provisioning, access, delivery, and collection of call information for service providers and network operators, to facilitate directives from Law Enforcement Agencies (LEAs). Until recently, CALEA applied only to PSTN switches. Recently, the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) published a proposed rulemaking regarding the applicability of IP voice services to CALEA, which is expected to take effect early next year.
“Interoperation between our mSwitch and VeriSign’s NetDiscovery Service adds value by meeting service providers’ needs for regulatory services,” said Farshid Mohammadi, general manager of switching, North America and International, at UTStarcom. “The FCC is now recommending that VoBB service providers comply with CALEA. UTStarcom can take advantage of the agreement with VeriSign to make the widest range of options, including the leading hosted CALEA service, available to service providers that offer VoBB. Because VeriSign has a global presence, the agreement also offers a huge value to UTStarcom’s international customers.”
“VeriSign typically works directly with carriers for our comprehensive portfolio of managed communications services,” said Raj Puri, vice president of VeriSign NetDiscovery services. “Our agreement with UTStarcom gives an additional avenue for reaching a whole new VoBB provider market for our hosted CALEA services. We anticipate that the agreement will also increase our value to our existing PSTN customers that are looking to expand into IP voice services.”
Cost-Effective, Easy CALEA Compliance
Meeting CALEA compliance with assistance from VeriSign’s outsourced
service model helps minimize capital and operational expenses for providers
that employ UTStarcom’s mSwitch. CALEA requires carriers to assist LEAs
in lawfully authorized interception and subpoena requests for subscriber
records. To comply, carriers often have to purchase dedicated hardware,
invest heavily in training, and maintain connectivity with a variety
of LEAs. The VeriSign
NetDiscovery Service greatly streamlines CALEA compliance
requirements by maintaining all LEA connections, and it eliminates the
need for UTStarcom’s mSwitch users to purchase costly equipment.
The VeriSign service offers secure and streamlined administration and a multitude of connectivity options that help reduce the burden and expense of compliance for a service provider, allowing them to more easily fulfill the mandates of lawful interception.
About VeriSign
VeriSign, Inc. (Nasdaq: VRSN) delivers intelligent infrastructure
services that make the Internet and telecommunications networks more
reliable and secure. Every day VeriSign helps thousands of businesses
and millions of consumers conduct commerce and communications with confidence.
Additional news and information about the company is available at www.verisign.com.
About UTStarcom, Inc.
UTStarcom is a global leader in IP access and core networking
solutions and international service and support. The company sells its
wireline, wireless, optical and switching solutions to operators in
both fast growth and established telecommunications markets around the
world. UTStarcom enables its customers to rapidly deploy revenue-generating
access services using their existing infrastructure, while providing
a migration path to cost-efficient end-to-end IP networks. Founded in
1991 and headquartered in Alameda, California, the company has research
and design operations in New Jersey, China, and India. UTStarcom is
a FORTUNE 1000 company.
For more information about UTStarcom, visit www.utstar.com.
Statements in this announcement other than historical data and information
constitute forward-looking statements within the meaning of Section
27A of the Securities Act of 1933 and Section 21E of the Securities
Exchange Act of 1934. These statements involve risks and uncertainties
that could cause VeriSign's actual results to differ materially from
those stated or implied by such forward-looking statements. The potential
risks and uncertainties include, among others, (1) the uncertainty of
future revenue and profitability and potential fluctuations in quarterly
operating results due to such factors as the risk that VeriSign's announced
strategic relationships, including the relationship described herein:
(a) may be subject to certain conditions, restrictions, limitations,
contingencies, termination rights, and other terms that could prevent
or delay VeriSign from recognizing the potential benefits of the relationship;
(b) may not result in additional products, services, customers, profits
or revenues; and (2) increased competition and pricing pressures. More
information about potential factors that could affect the company's
business and financial results is included in VeriSign's filings with
the Securities and Exchange Commission, including in the company's Annual
Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2003 and quarterly
reports on Form 10-Q. VeriSign undertakes no obligation to update any
of the forward-looking statements after the date of this press release.
UTStarcom Contact
Chesha Kamieniecki
Senior Manager of Investor Relations
UTStarcom, Inc.
510-749-1560
VeriSign Contact
Leslie Rubin
Corporate Communications
VeriSign, Inc.
650-426-5363
lrubin@verisign.com
Press Contact
Stephanie Gallagher
Engage PR
510-748-8200, ext. 213
stephanie@engagepr.com
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