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UTStarcom Introduces Standards-Based Gigabit Ethernet PON Product Family for the FTTP Market

Posted on: Tuesday, 22 June 2004, 06:00 CDT

CHICAGO, SUPERCOMM, June 22 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- UTStarcom, Inc. , a global leader in IP access networking and services, today introduced its carrier-class Gigabit Ethernet Passive Optical Network (EPON) product family, which is designed to enable service providers to offer Fiber to the Premises (FTTP) broadband access at Gigabit Ethernet rates. UTStarcom's BBS 1000(TM) platform leverages the operational cost savings of EPON technology while providing high subscriber density and low cost of entry, making the solution a compelling alternative to legacy, last-mile access solutions.

(Logo: http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20031229/UTSLOGO )

Carriers in Asia are choosing solutions based on Ethernet-based PON technology because it enables the seamless and efficient delivery of IP-based services. UTStarcom's BBS 1000 broadband access platform lets carriers cost effectively deliver high-speed voice, data, and video services to residential and business subscribers.

"FTTP offers carriers the opportunity to address consumer demand for high-speed data, voice, and video services and is expected to experience strong growth worldwide over the next few years," said Bill Huang, senior vice president and chief technology officer for UTStarcom. "EPON is an ideal FTTP solution because it leverages the simplicity of Ethernet and the speed of fiber. Our EPON broadband access platform is a milestone in achieving high speeds at an affordable cost to the carrier."

A Complete End-to-End Solution

UTStarcom's BBS 1000 family includes an Optical Line Termination System (OLT) for deployment at the Central Office (CO) as well as an Optical Network Unit (ONU) for deployment in a customer premises. The OLT 100 provides a direct optical interface to the Ethernet/IP network core, while the ONU 100 terminates the PON at the customer premise. Together, the two units complete the end-to-end optical last mile, providing up to one Gbps of bandwidth to residential and business customers.

Advanced Layer 2 and Layer 3 switching and routing functionality eliminates the need for carriers to deploy additional network equipment, making the BBS 1000 an optimal transport platform for support of bandwidth-intensive triple-play services. Powerful embedded Operation, Administration, and Maintenance (OAM) functions enable operators to perform remote diagnosis, flexible provisioning, and system reconfiguration, as well as remote system upgrades without hardware swap out.

The BBS 1000 platform supports up to eight PON links, each capable of delivering one Gbps of shared bandwidth to 32 residential and business subscribers. UTStarcom's platform can service a maximum of 256 subscribers from a compact 1U chassis. Qualitiy of Service (QoS) features allow operators to oversubscribe bandwidth while protecting delay-sensitive traffic based on individual Service Level Agreements (SLAs). Dynamic bandwidth allocation enables operators to bill bandwidth in one-Mbps increments. For video services, support of IGMP allows for multicast control and ensures efficient use of network infrastructure.

Meeting IEEE Standards 802.3ah

UTStarcom's BBS 1000 broadband access platform meets the requirements of the new IEEE802.3ah standard for EPON, which is expected to be ratified in July 2004. Carriers in Asia are currently initiating RFPs for PON-based FTTP solutions. According to Infonetics Research, EPON technology is expected to fuel FTTP deployments globally over the next several years.

BBS 1000: A Foundation for Revenue Expansion

Leveraging the IP core technology of UTStarcom's industry-leading mSwitch(TM) softswitching platform, the BBS 1000 family gives carriers a foundation for continued revenue expansion. Combining centralized data management with distributed processing over a unified IP-based infrastructure, the mSwitch allows operators to implement a network migration strategy that meets their network requirements. mSwitch enables service operators to migrate from legacy systems to next-generation solutions seamlessly, without service disruptions, while simultaneously reducing operation and investment costs. Carriers can leverage UTStarcom's IP core platform to differentiate their offerings from competitors with innovative, high-value services such as HDTV, voice-over-IP (VoIP), and streaming video. This allows carriers to both attract more subscribers and increase the average revenue per user (ARPU).

Pricing and Availability

UTStarcom's BBS 1000 is in customer trials today and will begin volume shipments in Q3 2004.

About UTStarcom, Inc.

UTStarcom is a global leader in IP access 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 the company's Web site at http://www.utstar.com/.

Forward-Looking Statements

The foregoing statements regarding, without limitation, the expected worldwide growth of consumer demand for high-speed data, voice and video services, the ratification of a new EPON standard, the expectation that EPON technology will fuel FTTP deployments globally, continued revenue expansion, migration to next generation services, reduction of operations and investment costs, and the ability of carriers to attract subscribers and increase average revenue per user, are subject to risks and uncertainties that may cause actual results to differ materially. These factors include rapidly changing technology, the rapidly changing nature of telecommunications markets, possible delays in system deployments or product introductions, possible downturns in the telecommunications markets, the termination of new contracts, partnerships or alliances, and other uncertainties, such as changes in government regulation and licensing requirements and economic and political stability. UTStarcom also refers readers to the risk factors identified in its Annual Report on Form 10-K, Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q and Current Reports on Form 8-K as filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission.

Photo: NewsCom: http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20031229/UTSLOGOAP Archive: http://photoarchive.ap.org/PRN Photo Desk, photodesk@prnewswire.com

UTStarcom, Inc.

CONTACT: Chesha Kamieniecki, Senior Manager of Investor Relations,+1-510-749-1560, or ckamieniecki@utstar.com, or Andy Tennille, PublicRelations Associate, +1-510-749-1212, or andy.tennille@utstar.com, both ofUTStarcom; or Jeannette Bitz of Engage PR, +1-510-748-8200, ext. 207, orjbitz@engagepr.com, for UTStarcom

Web site: http://www.utstar.com/

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