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WorldSpace Selects Portal Software to Support Rapidly Growing Global Satellite Radio Service; Scalability and International Language Support Key Differentiators

Posted on: Monday, 5 December 2005, 09:00 CST

Portal Software, Inc. (Pink Sheets:PRSF), the premier global provider of billing and Revenue Management solutions for telecommunications and media markets, announced today that WorldSpace, one of the world leaders in satellite-based digital radio services, selected Portal to provide billing and Revenue Management solutions for its global operations. Through its subscription-based service, WorldSpace broadcasts news, sports, music, and educational programming to satellite radios in over 130 countries including India, China, South Africa, the Middle East, and countries in Western Europe.

WorldSpace will use Portal's Revenue Management platform, Portal 7, to manage billing for all customer equipment purchases, activation fees, and monthly satellite radio subscription services. WorldSpace sought a billing solution that provided the flexibility and scalability to manage the company's global operations, which are expected to grow to more than 10 million subscribers over the next 10 years. The Portal solution will integrate with WorldSpace's SAP system to provide an integrated financial and Revenue Management solution to optimize profitability, maximize growth, and ensure customer satisfaction.

"Portal was the best choice for our billing and Revenue Management system," said Mike Berkley, CIO of WorldSpace. "We view Portal's experience providing solutions to the satellite radio industry, its ability to support billing in numerous languages, and its capacity to scale with our expected growth as assets to our ongoing success."

WorldSpace delivers the latest tunes, trends, and information from around the world via its satellite radio service. WorldSpace subscribers benefit from a unique combination of local programming, original WorldSpace content, and content from leading brands around the globe, including the BBC, CNN, Virgin Radio UK, NDTV, and RFI.

"WorldSpace's opportunity in the global satellite radio market is tremendously exciting," said Bhaskar Gorti, senior vice president of Portal Software. "By enhancing its ability to globally manage subscription and customer care in a variety of languages, Portal empowers WorldSpace to deliver its services in a way that helps to drive customer satisfaction and loyalty."

Portal 7 is a service-agnostic platform that enables service providers to manage revenue across networks of any type -- wireline or wireless, circuit-switched or IP, voice or data. Portal 7 ensures all transactions are captured, rated, discounted, and charged, and that bills are generated accurately and revenues collected. Optimized to support multi-payment (pre-, post-, and now-paid) customers in high-volume environments, Portal 7 delivers breakthrough performance, availability, and scalability. With Portal 7, service and content providers are able to deliver services that are optimally priced for their businesses, customers, and partners.

About Portal Software, Inc.

Portal is the leading worldwide provider of billing and Revenue Management solutions for the global communications and media markets. The company delivers the only platform for the end-to-end management of customer revenue across offerings, channels, and geographies. Portal's solutions enable companies to dramatically accelerate the launch of innovative, profit-rich services while significantly reducing the costs associated with legacy billing systems. Portal is the Revenue Management partner of choice to the world's leading service providers, including Vodafone, AOL Time Warner, Deutsche Telekom, Telstra, NTT, China Telecom, Reuters, China Mobile, Telenor Mobil, and France Telecom.

About WorldSpace, Inc.

WorldSpace (NASDAQ:WRSP) is the world's only global media and entertainment company positioned to offer a satellite radio experience to consumers in more than 130 countries with five billion people, driving 300 million cars. WorldSpace delivers the latest tunes, trends, and information from around the world and around the corner. WorldSpace subscribers benefit from a unique combination of local programming, original WorldSpace content, and content from leading brands around the globe including the BBC, CNN, Virgin Radio UK, NDTV, and RFI. WorldSpace's satellites cover two-thirds of the globe with six beams. Each beam is capable of delivering up to 80 channels of high quality digital audio and multimedia programming directly to WorldSpace Satellite Radios anytime and virtually anywhere in its coverage area. WorldSpace is a pioneer of satellite-based digital radio services (DARS) and was instrumental in the development of the technology infrastructure used today by XM Satellite Radio. For more information, visit www.worldspace.com.

Forward Looking Statement

Statements in this release regarding potential customer relationships, the possibility of contracted services from Portal, and future financial standings are forward looking statements. Such forward looking statements may not materialize and involve significant uncertainties and risks. These and other factors are described in detail in our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended January 31, 2004 and our quarterly reports on Form 10-Q. All statements made in this press release are made only as of the date set forth at the beginning of this release. Portal undertakes no obligation to update the information in this release in the event facts or circumstances subsequently change.

(C) 1996-2005. PORTAL and the PORTAL LOGO are trademarks or registered trademarks in the United States and in other countries, all owned by Portal Software, Inc. or its subsidiaries. Marks or names owned by other companies remain the property of their respective owners.

Source: Business Wire

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