Telecom Italia Sparkle Enhances VoIP Services with Acme Packet

Business Wire, Nov 6, 2007

TI Sparkle Expands International VoIP Services Portfolio with Acme Packet Net-Net Session Border Controllers and Acme Packet Connected Universe

BURLINGTON, Mass. -- Acme Packet[R] (NASDAQ: APKT), the leader in session border control solutions, today announced that Telecom Italia Sparkle (TI Sparkle), a wholly owned subsidiary of Telecom Italia, has deployed Acme Packet Net-Net[R] session border controllers (SBCs) at its network's core borders in major cities in Italy, Germany and the U.S. TI Sparkle is working together with Italtel, a leader in next-generation network solutions, to enhance the existing network capabilities to implement trusted and secure VoIP interconnections with maximized service reach.

TI Sparkle's global network currently spans Europe, the Mediterranean, North America and South America. With the deployment of 13 high-availability Acme Packet Net-Net SBC configurations in Milan and Palermo, Italy, Frankfurt, Germany and Newark, NJ, TI Sparkle facilitates international VoIP interconnects with other service providers using SIP, H.323 and SIP-H.323 interworking.

Acme Packet's Net-SAFE[R] security architecture provides denial of service (DoS) attack protection, topology hiding and access control and helps ensure that TI Sparkle's network is secure and available to its international service provider peers. SLA assurance features such as call admission control and QoS reporting and marking enable TI Sparkle to meet its customers' expectations for high levels of voice quality. Acme Packet's extensive protocol support facilitates greater interoperability to extend TI Sparkle's service reach, reduce costs and speed time to deployment.

TI Sparkle has also joined Acme Packet Connected Universe as the first Constellation member located in Italy. As a Constellation member, TI Sparkle has access to Acme Packet's customer base, including those seeking international services via direct VoIP interconnects.

"TI Sparkle's global customer community relies on our network to deliver voice calls in a secure and efficient way," explained Arturo Danesi, executive vice president, marketing wholesale services, at TI Sparkle. "We also plan to exploit the excellent business development opportunity that Acme Packet Connected Universe delivers."

"The technical merits alone warrant the deployment of Acme Packet's SBCs, which enable us to meet our present high standards for network security and service, and in the future, will support the deployment of multimedia session-based services," added Gianfranco Ciccarella, TI Sparkle's executive vice president, network.

"TI Sparkle is expanding the capabilities of its international voice service portfolio with services that are faster to deploy and more secure than basic VoIP services," said Seamus Hourihan, vice president of marketing and product management at Acme Packet. "Acme Packet's Net-Net SBC solution delivers unparalleled protection while facilitating interconnection among different vendor equipment and protocols, enabling TI Sparkle to capitalize on new revenue opportunities and ensure a trusted, reliable VoIP platform."

About Acme Packet

Acme Packet[R] (NASDAQ: APKT), the leader in session border control solutions, enables the delivery of trusted, first class interactive communications--voice, video and multimedia sessions--across IP network borders. Our Net-Net family of session border controllers supports multiple applications in service provider, large enterprise and contact center networks--from VoIP trunking to hosted enterprise and residential services to fixed-mobile convergence. They satisfy critical security, service assurance and regulatory requirements in wireline, cable and wireless networks; and support multiple protocols--SIP, H.323, MGCP/NCS and H.248--and multiple border points--interconnect, access and data center. Our products have been selected by over 420 service providers in 81 countries, including 23 of the top 25, and 76 of the top 100 service providers in the world. For more information, contact us at 1 781.328.4400, or visit www.acmepacket.com.

About Telecom Italia Sparkle

Telecom Italia Sparkle SpA (Sparkle), a wholly owned subsidiary of Telecom Italia, was established on January 1st, 2003 with the objective of developing and consolidating the Italian Group's international wholesale business for voice, data and corporate services. It has nearly 900 employees, both in Italy and abroad, and, in 2006, it reported more than 2.0 billion euros in revenues. The headquarters are in Rome, network operation centers in Milan and Palermo, offices and subsidiaries in 20 countries worldwide. TI Sparkle is a full service provider, offering a complete range of solutions spanning voice services, IP transit services, bandwidth and managed data services for fixed-line and mobile operators, ISPs and, in synergy with Telecom Italia, for multinational corporations. TI Sparkle is also active in the consulting services business, aimed at carriers and financial institutions.

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