[November 8, 1999]

Mindport IBS And XACCT Team Up To Provide Usage-Based Billing Solutions To Broadband Market

XACCT Technologies, Inc., the developer of the XACCTusage mediation solutions for IP networks, and Mindport IBS, a company which offers software that provides customer care and billing capabilities to service providers, Internet (ISPs), pay-TV, cable, data broadcasting and publishing operators, have announced today that they have entered into a strategic alliance.

Under the terms of the agreement, Mindport IBS, the technology subsidiary of MIH Limited, will become XACCT Certified Solutions Partner.

Traditional telephone carriers, Competitive Local Exchange Carriers (CLECs), and other Network Service Providers (NSPs) are realizing that they must design and execute flexible pricing models for these services based on a variety of parameters beyond simple "time-on-line." The integration of XACCTusage and Mindport IBS will enable convergent network operators to easily create flexible, usage-based billing models for IP-based voice/video/data services.

Alan Ryder, director of strategic business development at Mindport IBS, commented, "Mindport IBS views this alliance with XACCT as a major step towards its strategy of aligning with top players and expanding into the IP telephony market. Pricing plans for Internet and Web-content access are being dramatically re-formulated globally to support deployment of premium services demanded by corporate and residential customers. Usage-based billing will enable the development of these services and their subsequent roll-out."

He continued, "Mindport IBS has been investing heavily in the research and development of its products for the Internet space. Working with XACCT assures our customers that the combined solution will offer the most advanced functionality in the industry. To be XACCT-ready is a strong selling point for Mindport IBS."

"Our partnership with Mindport IBS further strengthens our global presence," said Anil Uberoi, vice president of marketing at XACCT. "We believe the broadband data service market is poised for phenomenal growth in the near future. Mindport's solutions, expertise and track-record in the cable industry uniquely qualifies it to help its customers roll out broadband IP services, quickly and cost effectively."

About XACCT

XACCT Technologies, Inc. is headquartered in Santa Clara, CA. The company has established itself as the market leader in the emerging IP mediation market. XACCT develops a new class of intelligent solutions that enable Service Providers and enterprises to accurately account and bill for metered services and applications. Data Communications magazine recognized XACCT as one of the "Hot Products of 1999". In addition, XACCT was one of the six companies named to the "Winners Circle: Software Companies to Watch" in Telecommunications magazine's March '99 issue. XACCT was named one of "The Lucky 13" In Telecommunications magazine's June '99 issue. XACCT markets its software directly and through network systems integrators to Service Providers and Fortune 1000 companies. A privately held corporation, XACCT is funded by venture capital investors. More information is available at www.xacct.com.

About Mindport

Mindport, the technology subsidiary of NASDAQ and AEX listed MIH Limited (NASDAQ: MIHL, AEX: MIH), is a global solutions provider of media commerce technologies for pay-TV and the Internet, enabling platform and channel operators to maximize their e-business opportunities. Mindport has focused on the key areas of the required technology, including software and hardware, and is well placed to integrate them successfully. The company operates in seven focus areas to fulfill your requirements: Conditional Access, Customer Care and Billing, Interactive Set-top Box Operating Systems, System Integration and Consultancy, Channel and EPG management, Set-top Boxes and Broadband Internet Systems.
Mindport has 450 employees, and has offices in the Netherlands (Hoofddorp), China (Beijing), USA (San Diego), South Africa (Johannesburg), Norway (Oslo), India (New Delhi) and Australia (Sydney).
Mindport IBS offers software that is dynamic and flexible and provides Internet (ISPs), pay-TV, Cable, Data Broadcasting and Publishing operators with the ability to sell and supply products or services, generate invoices, generate marketing information and provide care for their customers.
Mindport IBS' system runs on various computer platforms and is country-independent, modular, generic and open. It can be scaled to cater to any size of organization or subscriber base from small portable systems to systems catering to over a million subscribers.

--30--cs/sf*

CONTACT: XACCT Technologies
Anil Uberoi, 408/654-9900
anil@xacct.com
or
Gallagher PR
Yasu Maskay, 510/749-6800
yasu@gpr.com
or
Mindport Head Office
Peggy Sue Figueira, +31 23 556 2521
Fax: +31 23 556 2512
pfigueira@mindport.com
or
Miller/Shandwick Technologies
Sarah Waters/ Alyson Coulter, +44 171 240 8666
Fax: +44 171 240 8668
swaters@miller.shandwick.com

KEYWORD: CALIFORNIA INTERNATIONAL EUROPE
INDUSTRY KEYWORD: TELECOMMUNICATIONS NETWORKING SOFTWARE
COMPUTERS/ELECTRONICS PRODUCT

[ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ]