Dulles, VA. December 6, 2004 – Encore Networks, a developer of signaling interworking solutions, today announced the expansion of its SignalPath™ 201-Z Signaling Gateway (SP-201-Z™) family to offer low-end, cost effective signaling solutions for VoIP network deployments. Available immediately with an initial configuration price of $4000 USD, this smaller version of the SP-201-Z™ provides an extremely affordable solution for PTT’s, Long Distance Carriers and VoIP ISP’s who need to address the signaling interworking and protocol conversion requirements to connect their VoIP networks to C7/SS7 networks.

The SP-201-Z™, a member of Encore’s flagship signaling gateway product line, delivers out-of-band to out-of-band signaling solutions that connect legacy to next generation networks. The new capabilities of the SP-201-Z™ will support two or four trunk configurations in addition to the eight-trunk version, which has been shipping and deployed globally by various carriers and PTTs for over eight years. This new version of the SP201-Z™ has been developed specifically to meet the requirements of smaller, low volume C7 and SS7 signaling conversion in VoIP service deployments. The key out-of-band signaling variants supported by the SP-201Z™ include: NI2 ISDN, ETSI ISDN, ANSI SS7, ITU C7, ETSI ISUP, as well as many other country-specific ISUP variants.

“A smaller version of Encore’s signaling gateway increases many carrier’s potential network reach by offering cost-effective protocol conversion for smaller initial deployments into new market segments,” stated William A. Flanagan, President of Flanagan Consulting, a specialist in converged networks. “At the same time, the SP-201-Z provides carriers and next generation VoIP long distance carriers the flexibility of seamless connections between networks with many different types of out-of-band signaling.”

According to Infonetics Research, worldwide next generation VoIP product revenue totaled $452 million in 3Q04, up 13% from 2Q04 and up 69% year-over-year. Annual revenue is projected to grow to $4.8 billion in 2007 indicating that service providers are investing in next generation equipment that will allow them to offer new services.

“The new SP-201-Z-2 and SP2-1-Z-4 platforms are a significant addition to our existing SignalPath signaling gateway product line which have been deployed by carriers and VoIP ISP’s in over 80 counties worldwide,” said Abir Hnidi, Encore Networks Chief Technical Officer. “We expect to generate new excitement on the part of resellers and channel partners by providing them an alternative solution for carriers who plan to deploy next generation VoIP services and still need to interface with Legacy TDM voice networks.”