VRLK Verilink (MM)

Verilink Announces Successful SIP-Based VoIP Interoperability Testing With Acme Packet 8000 Series IAD and Net-Net Session Border Controller Create a Powerful Solution for Secure VoIP Deployments With Guaranteed Service Quality SAN JOSE, Calif., VON Spring 2005 Conference and Exhibition, March 8 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Verilink Corporation (NASDAQ:VRLK), a leading provider of broadband access solutions, today announced the successful completion of advanced SIP-based VoIP interoperability testing of the Verilink(R) 8000 Series integrated access device (IAD) with the Acme Packet(R) Net-Net(R) session border controller. Over the past several decades, voice communications have evolved to the point that today's users expect high-reliability from their telephony services, five-nines or 99.999% service availability. As communications networks become VoIP enabled, voice traffic traversing the IP network and merging with data traffic will inevitably become commonplace, adding a new level of network management complexity in determining the type and authentication of this converged traffic. In an age of heightened security concerns that have resulted from viruses, worms, hackers and other network intrusion threats, security and service quality are critical factors for the successful deployment of VoIP services. For carriers, addressing these issues is essential in order to meet the high demands of enterprises and small -- mid-sized business (SMB) customers while ensuring the security of their networks. Session border controllers (SBC), such as the Net-Net Session Director (SD) from Acme Packet, have emerged as a solution to address these security and service level agreements (SLA) assurance challenges, providing security checkpoints for VoIP traffic as it navigates through an extensive maze of network elements in the VoIP infrastructure. Together, the Verilink 8000 Series VoIP IAD and the Acme Packet Net-Net SD SBC provide a solution for service providers to deliver business-class VoIP services backed by strong SLAs. "Assuring network security without compromising service quality will be a growing challenge with the wide-scale deployment of VoIP services," stated Michael Kennedy, Managing Partner at Network Strategy Partners. "Session border controllers combined with protocol-intelligent integrated access devices like Verilink's 8000 Series IAD are critical to the successful roll-out of business-class VoIP services." To validate VoIP interoperability with the Net-Net SD, the 8000 Series IAD was tested to carrier-grade VoIP standards using both MGCP and SIP protocols to provide advanced features and functionality, including CLASS-5 call features, and Net-Net-specific application support. "Ensuring VoIP interoperability across all elements in the VoIP infrastructure is essential to Verilink's holistic interoperability approach and strategy for becoming the partner of choice for next-generation converged access solutions," said Pat Moran, Vice President of Partner Technologies and Systems Engineering for Verilink. "As service providers plan their VoIP deployments to address the needs of business-class customers, session border controllers such as Acme Packet's Net-Net SD will play an important role in assuring security and high service quality. Together, the Verilink IAD and AcmePacket SBC solution allows service providers to guarantee security and service quality in order to meet the high demands of business customers." "We are pleased with the successful results of our testing of Verilink's 8000 Series IAD with the Acme Packet Net-Net Session Director," said Seamus Hourihan, VP of Marketing & Product Management for Acme Packet. "Verilink's market leadership in voice over packet and VoIP integrated access solutions combined with our high-performance, feature-rich Net-Net session border controllers, gives service providers a powerful solution for delivering secure, high-quality VoIP and other real-time multimedia services to their business subscribers." Verilink's 8000 Series IADs provide all of the advanced features and functions that carriers need to deliver toll-quality voice and business-class data services. Operating as intelligent customer-located equipment, the 8000 Series supports Session Initiated Protocol (SIP) and Media Gateway Control Protocol (MGCP) and provides a built-in migration path from traditional telephony, Time Division Multiplexing (TDM) and Asynchronous Transfer Mode (ATM), to Internet Protocol (IP). This migration path allows carriers and enterprises to maximize their existing network investments while having an on-ramp to more cost-efficient, scalable packet networks. The 8000 Series is a flexible product set based on a true plug-and-play architecture, plugging directly into existing analog phones, PBX and Key Systems, and supporting a wide range of Wide Area Network (WAN) interfaces, including T1, E1, ADSL, SDSL, and SHDSL. The remote management functionality allows services to be configured, provisioned and managed without truck rolls, saving up to five times the operational cost of traditional operations. About Acme Packet Acme Packet, the leader in session border control, enables service providers to deliver premium, interactive communications -- voice, video and multimedia sessions -- across IP network borders. Our Net-Net family has been selected by 9 of the top 10, and 15 of the top 25 service providers in the world to satisfy critical security, service assurance and law enforcement requirements in wireline, cable and wireless networks. These deployments support all applications -- from trunking to hosted enterprise and residential services; all protocols -- SIP, H.323, MGCP/NCS and H.248; and all border points -- peering, access network and data center. For more information, contact Acme Packet at 781-328-4400, or visit http://www.acmepacket.com/. About Verilink Corporation Verilink Corporation is a leading provider of next-generation broadband access solutions for today's and tomorrow's networks. The company develops, manufactures and markets a broad suite of products that enable carriers (ILECs, CLECs, IXCs, and IOCs) and enterprises to build converged access networks to cost-effectively deliver next-generation communications services to their end customers. The company's products include a complete line of VoIP, VoATM, VoDSL and TDM-based integrated access devices (IADs), optical access products, wire-speed routers, and bandwidth aggregation solutions including CSU/DSUs, multiplexers and DACS. The company also provides turnkey professional services to help carriers plan, manage and accelerate the deployment of new services. Verilink is headquartered in Centennial, CO (metro Denver area) with operations in Madison, AL and Newark, CA and sales offices in the U.S., Europe and Asia. To learn more about Verilink, visit the company's website at http://www.verilink.com/ . NOTE: Verilink and the Verilink logo are registered trademarks of Verilink Corporation. DATASOURCE: Verilink Corporation CONTACT: Gary W. Gray of Verilink Corporation, +1-510-771-3354, or Web site: http://www.verilink.com/ Web site: http://www.acmepacket.com/

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