Comverse And Texas Instruments Collaborate To Accelerate End-to-End Mobile Messaging And Enhanced Multimedia Services For 2.5G And 3G Networks

Business Wire, Jan 30, 2002

Business Editors

WOODBURY, N.Y. & DALLAS--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Jan. 30, 2002

TI's OMAP(TM)Processors and Comverse's Innovative Software and Systems

Enable Wireless Handset Manufacturers and Network Operators to

Accelerate the Deployment of Enhanced Mobile Services

Comverse, a unit of Comverse Technology, Inc. (NASDAQ: CMVT) the world's leading supplier of software and systems enabling network-based multimedia enhanced communications services, and Texas Instruments Incorporated (NYSE: TXN) (TI), the market leader in providing signal processing and analog technologies used in wireless handsets, today announced that Comverse's world leading enhanced messaging services will operate on TI's high-performance and power efficient OMAP(TM) platform for 2.5G and 3G wireless devices.

By combining Comverse's open, IP-based enhanced services platform with TI's OMAP processors, wireless device manufacturers and operators are expected to significantly reduce the deployment time of key applications such as mobile email, multimedia messaging (MMS), instant messaging, as well as Comverse's mobile entertainment services. Mobile multimedia email will be presented at 3GSM World Congress, Cannes, February 19-22, 2002, at Comverse's booth (Hall 1, C24) and will also be running on the OMAP platform at TI's Developers Village booth (Hall 4, K10).

"Enhanced messaging is clearly a key application area for both current and next-generation networks, and Comverse has the complete suite of multimodal messaging solutions that take full advantage of combining data, voice and rich media," stated Benny Einhorn, Chief Marketing Officer for Comverse. "We believe TI's OMAP platform helps to drive audio, voice and video content for multimedia-rich messaging services for 2.5G and 3G wireless devices. Collaborating with TI will aid consumers, network operators and handset vendors in benefiting from the tightest integration of end-to-end solutions."

"We are very excited that Comverse and TI are working together to optimize advanced 2.5G and 3G mobile services for the OMAP platform," said Alain Mutricy, TI Vice President, worldwide OMAP platform General Manager. "By combining both Comverse's and TI's complementary expertise, we will significantly accelerate the deployment of multimedia enhanced services and advanced mobile applications."

TI's family of OMAP processors delivers the performance and power efficiency manufacturers require for next generation real-time communications-based devices. TI's industry-leading OMAP platform technology provides mobile users with integrated wireless voice, data and multimedia connectivity. Nokia, Ericsson, Palm, Sony, Sendo, HTC and others have selected the open, scalable OMAP platform for their 2.5G and 3G wireless devices.

By combining their complementary expertise, Comverse and TI will quickly deliver key wireless messaging services and further accelerate the demand for advanced mobile devices.

As part of the collaboration, Comverse has become a member of TI's OMAP Developer Network, a group of companies writing wireless applications for mobile information devices. OMAP developers enjoy a variety of tools and support to enable rapid application development for leading operating systems and programming languages plus the opportunity to collaborate with a range of developers designing applications such as multimedia, security, location based services, advanced speech technology, mobile commerce and gaming.

In addition, TI has become a member of the Comverse Spark AllianceSM Program, which promotes cooperation in the development, marketing and delivery of multimedia communication solutions. By teaming with innovative partners, Comverse integrates the latest technologies, applications and content with existing and new Comverse products.

About Texas Instruments

Texas Instruments Incorporated is the world leader in digital signal processing and analog technologies, the semiconductor engines of the Internet age. In addition to Semiconductor, the company's businesses also include Sensors & Controls, and Educational & Productivity Solutions. TI is headquartered in Dallas, Texas, and has manufacturing or sales operations in more than 25 countries. Texas Instruments is traded on the New York Stock Exchange under the symbol TXN. More information is located on the World Wide Web at http://www.ti.com.

About Comverse

Comverse, a unit of Comverse Technology, Inc. (NASDAQ: CMVT) is the world's leading provider of software and systems enabling network-based multimedia enhanced communications services. More than 380 wireless and wireline telecommunications network operators, in more than 100 countries, have selected Comverse's enhanced services systems and software, which enable the provision of revenue-generating value-added services including call answering with one-touch call return, short messaging services, IP-based unified messaging (voice, fax, and email in a single mailbox), 2.5G/3G multimedia messaging (MMS), wireless instant messaging, wireless data and Internet-based services, voice-controlled dialing, messaging and browsing, prepaid wireless services, and additional personal communication services. Other Comverse Technology business units include: Comverse Infosys, a world leader in the development, manufacture and marketing of intelligent digital voice, video and data recording and content management applications for the security, surveillance, law enforcement and contact center markets; and Ulticom, a leading provider of service enabling network software for wireless, wireline, and Internet communications. Comverse Technology is an S&P 500 and NASDAQ-100 Index company. For additional information, visit the Comverse web site at http://www.comverse.com.