Dulles, VA. June 18, 2004 – Encore Networks, a leading developer of innovative signaling interworking solutions, today announced the availability of its SignalPath™ Release 11 software, which significantly increases the performance and the functionality of its multi-protocol SignalPath™ Signaling Gateway products. Through its SignalPath™ Product line, Encore Networks provides the most comprehensive and scalable set of signaling inter-working applications in the industry for both carriers and enterprise customers. Such solutions support anywhere from 2T1/E1 ports up to 56 T1/E1 ports per chassis, along with a long list of signaling variants such as C7, SS7, NI-2, ETSI ISDN, MF, R1, R2 and DTMF. Encore’s SignalPath™ products will be on display at Supercomm, Booth #11050.

The growing popularity of IP telephony and the increased push by carriers to converge their TDM and IP networks together, have demonstrated the need to bridge the next generation packet switching equipment with the existing legacy infrastructure. The migration from circuit switched TDM to IP based networks is already underway for a number of major long distance carriers and service providers. A recent report from Infonetics Research projects that the global carrier convergence and VoIP equipment market will grow from $1.2 billion in 2003 to $5 billion in 2007. The Encore SignalPath™ Signaling Gateway product line meets the requirement of connecting IP based networks with legacy circuit switched signaling architecture as well as divergent circuit and packet based networks that require multi-protocol solutions.

“International deregulation, circuit to packet migration and the carriers need to create new revenue generating opportunities require that these carriers migrate to a converged IP infrastructure that supports a variety of new services and end user applications,” stated Peter Madsen, president of Encore Networks. “Encore’s SignalPath™ product line provides highly reliable, carrier grade solutions that support a phased migration strategy with no operational disruption.”

Release 11 of Encore Networks SignalPath™ products provides carriers and operators worldwide with improved performance and enhanced feature set that allow them to maintain their competitive edge and service differentiation. Such features include:

Enhanced DPC routing (Destination Point Code)
This feature allows carriers and long distance operators to implement flexible call routing policies and interface with different downstream carriers simultaneously. This will result in reducing their termination fees and improving their service margin.

ANI substitution
ANI substitution support has been expanded to include other applications such as ETSI ISUP and ETSI ISDN. Such capability gives international operators the flexibility in terms of using information in the Call Detail Records (CDR’s) for cross billing and bi-lateral termination agreements.

Additional signaling conversion applications
This includes ETSI ISUP/ETSI ISDN standalone and C7/ETSI ISDN bearer applications. Such functionality allows Encore Networks SignalPath products to interoperate with a broader list of softswitch and VoIP gateway vendors to gracefully facilitate the migration to VoIP networks.

Configuration and fault management capabilities
Enhanced configuration and fault management features were added to the SignalPath™ product line in order to allow carriers to roll out and remotely support signaling inter-working solutions. This includes adding more diagnostic features, troubleshooting commands, time/date stamp and call tracing tools.

In addition, release 11 has expanded some of the functionality that is currently available on higher end SignalPath™ SP230, SP-201 and SP201-Z to the low-end SP-201-SA product line, which supports up to 4 ports per unit. Such capabilities are:

Rate Conversion
This includes E1/T1 ISDN rate conversion and A-Law to M-Law for both T1 and E1 options. These features allow Encore Networks to provide low-end cost-effective rate conversion solutions for the enterprise market.

CAS to CAS Inter-working
CAS to CAS inter-working has been added to the low end SP201-SA signaling gateway. This includes the support of signaling inter-working among R1, R2, MF, DTMF and N5 protocols. This enables carriers to address low-end legacy signaling applications with low-cost solutions.

“The convergence of the Public Switched Telephone Network and packet networks holds the future for all carriers, states Abir Hnidi,” CTO of Encore. “With the vast majority of long distance voice traffic is still being carried over legacy based TDM networks, this business opportunity is huge.”