Agilent Technologies Firehunter/Mobile Extends Internet Service Assurance to the Wireless Internet

Business Wire, July 9, 2001

Business Editors/High-Tech Writers

PALO ALTO, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--July 9, 2001

Solution Enables Wireless Service Providers to Maximize Revenues

by Ensuring Accessibility, Top Performance of Internet Services

Agilent Technologies Inc. (NYSE:A) today introduced Firehunter/mobile, a comprehensive service assurance solution for the wireless Internet that enables mobile service providers to ensure the accessibility and performance of current and next-generation Internet services. The Firehunter solution unifies perspectives of the end-user experience and operator infrastructure to enable service providers to meet service objectives, monitor critical outsourcing by other providers and deliver reliable, high-performance applications that maximize revenues through increased per-subscriber air time, including e-mail, instant messaging, and wireless Web-based travel and entertainment services.

Firehunter/mobile offers a real-time view of complex wireless infrastructure and services. Building upon Firehunter's industry-leading wireline solutions, Agilent has enhanced the Firehunter's emulation of the end-user experience to cover wireless access technologies and has extended Firehunter's monitoring capabilities to include application platforms, delivery protocols and security requirements developed specifically for the mobile Internet.

Firehunter/mobile starts with the access network, extends through the IP backbone and ends in the data centers that host mobile application services. The system's comprehensive capabilities include the ability to accept performance measurements from Cisco agents running on routers and GPRS gateway nodes, as well as from Firehunter agents. Firehunter/mobile offers a wide variety of tests, and can be configured to meet the requirements of specific markets.

Firehunter/mobile also enables service providers to monitor service level agreements (SLAs) at every stage of the access and delivery process, and issues alerts when measurements cross user-defined thresholds that indicate a potential breech of an SLA. This capability is critical for proactive service management and quality control. In the competitive wireless environment, service providers not only have to comply with their own SLAs, they need to ensure that the multiple outsourcers and peered providers responsible for different service components perform at an acceptable level.

"If service providers are going to maximize return on billion dollar investments in the mobile infrastructure, they'll need to attract and retain customers with compelling data services," said Jack Trautman, general manager of Agilent's Firehunter operations. "Firehunter/mobile, a key component of Agilent's OSS portfolio for telecommunications, provides the solutions and flexibility required to ensure that services are consistently reliable, secure and available to customers on demand."

Agilent in Communications

Agilent Technologies is a leading provider of components, test, measurement, monitoring and management solutions for the communications industry. Agilent enables designers, manufacturers and service providers to accelerate the delivery of next-generation devices, networks and services. Agilent's broad set of solutions and services includes optical, wireless, Internet and broadband technologies that span the entire communications lifecycle.

About Agilent Technologies

Agilent Technologies Inc. (NYSE:A) is a global technology leader in communications, electronics, life sciences and healthcare. The company's 48,000 employees serve customers in more than 120 countries. Agilent had net revenue of $ 9.4 billion in fiscal year 2000, as restated to reflect the pending sale of its healthcare business. Information about Agilent Technologies can be found on the Web at www.agilent.com.