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Telecom Americas Chooses Tekelec Solution to Ease Transition to GSM Technology; Subscribers Able to Retain Existing Mobile Phone Numbers

Posted on: Tuesday, 29 July 2003, 06:00 CDT

MORRISVILLE, N.C.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--July 29, 2003--Tekelec (Nasdaq: TKLC) announced today that Telecom Americas, a consortium of several Brazilian cellular operators with approximately 6.5 million cellular subscribers, has placed an order for the EAGLE(R) 5 Signaling Application System on which to deploy Tekelec's global system for mobile communications (GSM) migration and network monitoring solutions.

Telecom Americas is evolving its signaling network architecture from an interim standard (IS)-41 signaling protocol to a combined IS-41 and GSM mobile application part (MAP) network. The Tekelec solutions will enable Telecom Americas to add the GSM architecture to simplify network administration and optimize network capacity, while laying the foundation for the delivery of third-generation (3G) services.

By deploying the GSM/GPRS (general packet radio service)/EDGE (enhanced data rates for GSM) network, Telecom Americas will be able to provide next-generation wireless voice and data services and achieve efficiencies through network standardization. Tekelec is providing a flexible and robust solution to help manage the required changes in home location register (HLR) routing as Telecom Americas moves subscribers to and from the new GSM-based networks. The consortium will be able to convert subscribers transparently while allowing them to retain their existing mobile phone numbers. Telecom Americas also is deploying Tekelec's monitoring application to help ensure delivery of quality services and its equipment identity register (EIR) feature to help combat the fraudulent use of stolen cellular phones.

Fred Lax, Tekelec president and chief executive officer, said, "We are pleased to have an opportunity to work with Telecom Americas, a proven leader in the delivery of quality wireless voice and data services. Telecom Americas has one of the highest concentrations of mobile subscribers in South America and is continuing to grow rapidly. Our reliable network migration solution gives Telecom Americas the ability to move subscribers, one at a time, if necessary, to the new GSM-based HLRs. With Sentinel, the consortium can monitor GSM and IS-41 networks from a centralized location. The flexible solution allows Telecom Americas to optimize network capacity and positions the company for future expansion."

Tekelec's EAGLE 5 SAS is a high-capacity, multi-protocol advanced signaling system. The EAGLE 5 SAS hosts a variety of applications from a single, high-performance platform, including: SS7 signal transfer, number portability, signaling gateway, integrated services, and data mining. The system supports the IETF Sigtran suite of signaling protocols for next-generation network connectivity, creating a clear path forward to packet telephony and 3G networks.

About Telecom Americas

Telecom Americas owns and operates Brazilian B-Band cellular operations serving approximately 6.5 million subscribers in licensed territories. With the licenses obtained in the 1800 MHZ spectrum, it will cover approximately 85 percent of the national population. The consortium's current operators are Americel, ATL, Telet, BSE, and TESS. Telecom Americas was established in November 2000 as a joint venture between America Movil, Bell Canada International (BCI), and SBC International (SBCI). In July 2002, America Movil acquired BCI's and SBCI's shares, and Telecom Americas became a consolidated subsidiary of America Movil.

About Tekelec

Tekelec is a leading developer of telecommunications signaling solutions, packet-telephony infrastructure, network monitoring technology, and value-added applications. Tekelec's innovative solutions are widely deployed in traditional and next-generation wireline and wireless networks and contact centers worldwide. Corporate headquarters are located in Calabasas, Calif., with research and development facilities and sales offices throughout the world. For more information, please visit www.tekelec.com.

The Tekelec logo, EAGLE, G-Flex, G-Port, and IP7 are registered trademarks of Tekelec. GenuOne, Sentinel, TekServer, and TekWare are trademarks of Tekelec. All other trademarks are the property of their respective owners.

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