Tekelec Demonstrates IMS Leadership; Founding Member and Executive Leadership of IMS Forum, MobileIGNITE; Convergence Solutions Featured in 2006 Moriana Group Report on IMS

Business Wire, March 21, 2006

MORRISVILLE, N.C. -- As further demonstration of its leadership in Internet protocol multimedia subsystems (IMS), Tekelec today announced that it is a founding member of the recently formed IMS Forum. Working closely with other members and industry companies, Tekelec is taking a leading role to accelerate the adoption of IMS and next-generation applications by promoting interoperability and resolving real-world implementation issues.

Payam Maveddat, vice president of wireless switching at Tekelec, is a board member of the IMS Forum and serves as co-chairperson of the IMS Forum's Wireless Wireline Convergence Working Group-- a leadership position he has held through the transition of the IMS Forum from its formation as the International Packet Communications Consortium (IPCC).

Tekelec is defining an innovative approach to IMS by providing a bridge from signaling system 7 (SS7) to session initiation protocol (SIP)-based signaling networks and enabling operators to offer new multimedia applications in addition to existing intelligent network (IN) services over any fixed or mobile network. Examples of Tekelec's convergence solutions include IMS-based messaging, presence, fixed mobile convergence (FMC) enabling seamless mobility and hand off between cellular 2G and WiFi networks, and enhanced prepaid services.

Tekelec is working with fellow IMS Forum members, including service providers, solutions providers, system integrators, government agencies and other industry participants, to develop cost-effective frameworks for converged IP services over wireline, cable, 3G, WiFi and WiMAX networks.

Tekelec also is a founding member of MobileIGNITE, an industry association committed to promoting standards-based, interoperable solutions to accelerate FMC and deliver converged services to improve the quality, coverage, flexibility and cost of mobile voice and data service delivery and the mobility of IP services. Hermon Pon, vice president, Corporate Development, Tekelec, is a leader on MobileIGNITE's Executive Steering Committee.

Tekelec has seized early leadership in FMC with its convergence solution that delivers the industry's market-leading suite of business and residential services and portal technology via the Tekelec 6000 VoIP Application Server. Tekelec has announced operator deployments and trials to enable mobility management, service convergence and seamless transition to IMS architectures.

Tekelec's IMS and FMC products and solutions are featured in the Moriana Group's 2006 report, "Operator Guidebook to IMS and Next-Generation Networks and Services: Second Edition." Within this report, a Tekelec white paper, "Network Migration to IMS at the Signaling Control Layer," provides a roadmap for operators transitioning to the all-IP IMS architecture while leveraging their existing signaling and voice investments to deploy IMS-based services today. Dan Bantukul, director, Product Management, explains Tekelec's approach to evolve networks from the signaling core. A copy of the report may be found online at www.morianagroup.com.

"Tekelec continues to demonstrate leadership in the rapidly evolving communications industry," said Frank Plastina, Tekelec president and CEO. "Tekelec was the first vendor to offer an integrated LNP (local number portability) solution as well as the first to commercially deploy SS7-over-IP technologies. Tekelec again is demonstrating its industry leadership by successfully implementing true IMS-based instant messaging as well as FMC solutions that are currently in trial with a major U.S. wireless provider.

"We are committed to ongoing collaboration with other industry participants to create standards-based, interoperable solutions for IP-based networks," added Plastina. "Our participation in these important industry associations and reports is helping to accelerate the adoption of IMS and FMC and is making next-generation applications a reality across all types of networks and devices."

About Tekelec

Tekelec is a leading developer of now and next-generation signaling and switching telecommunications solutions, business intelligence tools and value-added applications. Tekelec's innovative solutions are widely deployed in traditional and next-generation wireline and wireless networks and contact centers worldwide. Corporate headquarters are located in Morrisville, N.C., with research and development facilities and sales offices throughout the world. For more information, please visit www.tekelec.com.

About the IMS Forum

The IMS FORUM is a global, non-profit industry association devoted to interoperable IMS services and solutions. The mission of the Forum is to accelerate the adoption of IP Multimedia Subsystems (IMS) by providing an environment for discussion and resolution of real-world implementation issues relating to interoperability, best practices, and standards-based architectures in the application layer. In addition, the Forum will provide consultancy to the industry, service providers, and vendors on best practices and approaches for IMS rollouts and interconnectivity. For additional information, please visit www.IMSForum.org