MORRISVILLE, N.C. --(Business Wire)-- June 13, 2006 -- Tekelec (NASDAQ:TKLC), a leading developer of high-performance network applications for next-generation fixed, mobile and packet networks, today announced expanded local number portability (LNP) capacity and launched a new private ENUM solution to help operators connect subscribers and devices seamlessly in both today's networks and future Internet protocol multimedia subsystem (IMS)-based networks.

ENUM is a protocol developed by the Internet Engineering Task Force (IETF) that provides the routing information for calls and services from a single telephone number to a variety of numbers and IP addresses for multiple devices.

Tekelec's enhanced LNP solution expands network capacity to support 228 million data records by mid-2006 and up to 384 million by mid-2007 to provide for the continued growth of number portability in North America. The solution enables porting for global system for mobile communications (GSM), code division multiple access (CDMA) and fixed networks as well as intra-carrier number retention.

As operators evolve to IP-based converged networks, subscribers will be able to use a single telephone number for a variety of devices, including wireless and IP-enabled wireline phones, PCs, and handheld computers. Tekelec's new ENUM solution allows operators to converge multiple devices in a unified network infrastructure. Both the ENUM and LNP offerings use Tekelec's local service management solution (LSMS) to provide a single source of subscriber data, allowing operators to leverage existing infrastructure to minimize facility and maintenance costs.

Tekelec has a history of LNP innovation and deployed the first LNP solution in North America with Bell Atlantic in 1997.

"Operators face the dual challenges of supporting increased LNP traffic over their current networks also while enabling subscribers to port multiple devices in the converged IMS world," said Ron De Lange, president and general manager of Tekelec's Network Signaling Group. "Tekelec is significantly increasing LNP capacity and introducing ENUM capabilities that support the convergence of network and access technologies and end points. Both solutions are extremely important in the introduction of next-generation services."

Tekelec Launches Private ENUM Solution

There are two types of ENUM solutions: public ENUM, which allows end users to specify which IP-enabled devices are to be mapped to a single phone number; and private ENUM, a secure, operator-implemented solution that can be customized for a variety of next-generation signaling needs.

Tekelec's private ENUM solution is designed to serve nearer-term market needs. The solution allows session initiation protocol (SIP) or multimedia messaging service (MMS)-based content to be sent from carrier to carrier by correlating a telephone number to a carrier domain. ENUM allows operators to reduce their routing costs in a pure IP environment by avoiding the public switched telephone network (PSTN). This functionality increasingly is important to operators as MMS and VoIP services become more prevalent in the next-generation network. Larger operators are looking to integrate ENUM functionality directly into their networks to avoid having to pay third-party providers every time they need to route an IP-based call.

Tekelec's offering consists of a Web-based provisioning mechanism and an ENUM query/response server with capabilities that far exceed the current needs of carriers. The carrier ENUM database includes both ported and non-ported telephone number data provided from the Number Portability Administration Center (NPAC) database with Tekelec's LSMS and Local Exchange Routing Guide (LERG) data.

Tekelec is featuring its new ENUM solution during "The Impact of ENUM on VoIP Services Webinar" produced by Light Reading and Heavy Reading on June 14, 2006, at 2:00 p.m. EST. (Register online at: http://www.lightreading.com/webinar.asp?doc_id=27699&promo=26584).

Tekelec Enhances EAGLE 5(R) Integrated Signaling System (ISS) With Next-Generation Signaling Capabilities

In addition to expanded LNP capacity, Tekelec has enhanced the Tekelec EAGLE 5 ISS with "origin-based MTP and SCCP routing," which gives operators greater flexibility in choosing traffic routing decisions within their networks. A new single-slot Sigtran (signaling system 7 (SS7) over IP) card enables the following benefits:

-- Provides both point-to-multipoint signaling gateway application and point-to-point IP transport application (IPLIM/IPGW) functionality on a single card

-- Supports an industry-leading 4,000 message signal units (MSUs) per second

-- Includes integrated data acquisition for advanced performance management capabilities

-- Is compatible with existing control and extension shelves, enabling cost-efficient deployment

LNP, ENUM and the EAGLE 5 ISS are part of Tekelec's "IMS-Ready" portfolio of solutions for next-generation networks.

About Tekelec 'IMS-Ready' Solutions

Tekelec continues to expand its "IMS-Ready" portfolio of products and solutions for the graceful evolution to next-generation networks, which have been deployed widely by operators around the world. The portfolio includes the recently announced Tekelec 3300 Convergence Gateway, TekCore (CSCF), Tekelec 6000 VoIP Application Server, Tekelec 9000 Distributed Switching Solution, Tekelec 7000 Class 5 Packet Switch and Tekelec's comprehensive suite of Integrated Application Solutions (IAS). IAS provides real-time visibility of traffic traversing legacy and IMS networks and enables carriers to measure, manage and monetize traffic and services. Tekelec "IMS-Ready" products can be combined to provide complete solutions for Fixed Mobile Convergence, Enhanced VoIP Services, and Mobile and Local Hosted Services.

About Tekelec

Tekelec is a high-performance network applications company that is accelerating the transition to IP Multimedia Subsystem (IMS) networks for service providers around the globe. With its experience at the intersection of network applications and session control, Tekelec creates highly efficient platforms for managing media and delivering network solutions. Corporate headquarters are located near Research Triangle Park in Morrisville, N.C., with research and development facilities and sales offices throughout the world. For more information, please visit www.tekelec.com.

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