Netopia NBBS Adds New Protocol Support for VoIP and IPTV Service Management

Business Wire, Oct 10, 2006

Supports TR-069, TR-104, and WT-135 for Automated Broadband CPE Configuration and Management

PARIS -- Netopia, Inc. (Nasdaq: NTPA), a market leader in broadband service assurance solutions, today released the latest version of its Netopia Broadband Server (NBBS), version 3.1, developed to industry standards including the DSL Forum's TR-069 specification for the remote management of triple-play customer premises equipment (CPE). NBBS enables automated provisioning, remote management, and support for IP-based CPE including broadband gateways, VoIP phones, and set-top boxes.

Highlights of the new version include:

* Upgrades to the core architecture for enhanced service and device support. Support for the DSL Forum's TR-104 and WT-135 protocols has been added to accommodate VoIP and IPTV service management. In addition, performance and error events generated by NBBS can now be passed to an HP Openview client for forwarding to a system-wide monitoring console or Network Management System (NMS).

* Enhancements to the Northbound Interface (NBI). Netopia's NBI is a full-featured, XML-based Web services interface. More than 50 remote procedure calls (RPC) have been added and OSS integrations can be quickly implemented without the need for the OSS side to change. A separate NBI accommodating the lightweight directory access protocol (LDAP) has been added to allow NBBS to directly access LDAP-based resources such as other device information databases.

* A new, easy-to-use, full-featured graphical user interface (GUI) for all operator screens. Customer service and support representatives can quickly diagnose and resolve service issues, including remote management and configuration of firmware and settings for TR-069 devices.

"NBBS is a key component of our broadband service assurance solutions for service providers," said Jeff Porter, Netopia's vice president of advanced software sales. "It is proven, scaleable, and secure, currently managing more than one million CPE devices from multiple vendors for several different carriers. The enhancements we've made increase both its manageability and its performance, and deliver on our promise to make DSL the right choice for subscribers. We're now the only vendor to offer complete deployment and management solutions, from the gateway to the desktop-and soon to the set-top box."

NBBS reduces the cost of deploying and managing next-generation broadband services, while improving the subscriber's experience. It enables the rapid deployment and configuration of broadband gateways, automating installation and thus eliminating user frustrations and the need for a truck roll. It can push firmware upgrades to a single device, groups of devices, or all devices attached to the network to support new services or enhance existing services. It minimizes support calls with automated monitoring and resolution of gateway performance issues, and when a subscriber must call support, NBBS enables customer service agents to see the status of the device and quickly resolve issues.

NBBS is available as a hosted solution from Netopia or as a licensed product. NBBS as a hosted solution allows service providers to reduce time to market for broadband services, reduce upfront capital costs, and provides companies with smaller subscriber bases a cost-effective means for bringing the power of broadband to their networks.

When coupling NBBS with Netopia's eCare software for remote support, service providers can offer a complete support solution for their home subscriberseAEfrom the gateway to the desktop and beyond. The ability to reach through the gateway to ensure that devices such as set-top boxes are configured properly and resolve problems rapidly is essential for the successful deployment of services like IPTV and VoIP.

Netopia is featuring NBBS in Broadband World Forum booth No. 518 at CNIT La Defense in Paris, from October 10 to October 12.

About Netopia

Netopia, Inc. delivers broadband service assurance solutions through high-performance broadband customer premises equipment and carrier-class remote device management and support software. Netopia's broadband gateways feature advanced technology, high reliability, and remote manageability to assure delivery of triple-play and IPTV services. Netopia's service assurance software platforms empower carriers, service providers, and enterprises with remote device management, centralized support, and value-added services to speed deployment of innovative new broadband applications across home and business networks. Netopia has established strategic distribution relationships with leading carriers and broadband service providers, including AT&T, BellSouth, Covad Communications, eircom, Swisscom, and Verizon.

Headquartered in Emeryville, Calif., Netopia's common stock is listed on the NASDAQ Capital Market under the symbol "NTPA". Further information about Netopia can be obtained via phone at (510) 420-7400, fax at (510) 420-7601, or on the Web at www.netopia.com.

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