Echopass Optimizes Security and Call Quality with Deployment of Acme Packet Session Border Controllers

Business Wire, Oct 15, 2007

Acme Packet Assists Echopass in Delivering High Security Standards and Always-on Guarantee for Hosted IP Contact Center Services

BURLINGTON, Mass. -- Acme Packet[R] (NASDAQ: APKT), the leader in session border control solutions, today announced that Echopass, the experts in always-on hosted contact center solutions, is deploying Acme Packet Net-Net[R] session border controllers (SBCs) to interconnect its U.S. data centers to its enterprise customers. Acme Packet's Net-Net SBCs are an integral component of Echopass' on-demand contact center platform, providing security and helping ensure high call quality in the delivery of IP interactive communication services.

The Echopass EchoSystem[TM] is an end-to-end managed service integration platform that leverages Echopass' on-demand contact center services and call routing infrastructure with hosted CRM, legacy voice/data network technologies and integrates with other advanced enterprise-class applications all managed by Echopass. Acme Packet's SBCs are deployed in Echopass' San Francisco and Salt Lake City SAS70 (Statement on Auditing Standards No. 70)-certified data centers in high-availability (HA) configurations.

Acme Packet's Net-SAFE[R] architecture with dynamic trust management secures Echopass' service infrastructure and prevents DoS/DDos attacks using session authorization, topology hiding and access control. Echopass also plans to use the Net-Net SBC's signaling and media encryption capabilities to maintain session confidentiality over the Internet for home-based customer care agents. Acme Packet SBCs interoperate with Genesys Telecom Laboratories' SIP Servers in the Echopass data centers which route calls to Echopass' customers' agents. Ensuring network availability, Acme Packet Net-Net SBCs perform load balancing for Echopass' SIP network elements. Net-Net SBCs also generate call detail records that allow Echopass to provide detailed billing to its customers.

"As the market leader in multi-tenant hosted IP contact centers, we leverage best of breed products within the EchoSystem to ensure we provide our customers with a fully featured always-on hosted contact center solution," said Bruce Dresser, chief marketing officer at Echopass. "Acme Packet is a key EchoSystem partner as its market leading Net-Net session border controllers help ensure our SIP-based hosted contact center solution remains highly available and secure."

"VoIP is driving change in the contact center industry," declared Seamus Hourihan, Acme Packet's vice president of marketing and product management. "Echopass is delivering an innovative and cost-effective hosted solution that leverages the benefits of interactive IP communications while maintaining consistently high levels of customer service."

About Acme Packet

Acme Packet (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 Echopass Corporation

Echopass Corporation provides advanced IP-based call and contact center solutions as a service for mid-to-large enterprises and government agencies through its unique EchoSystem[TM] service integration platform. Only Echopass delivers the promise of on-demand, always on, guaranteed, and end-to-end solutions that are both affordable and fully integrated with clients' existing customer contact applications and voice or data technologies. Echopass managed solutions are quick to deploy, easy to use, flexible, and require no capital investment or ongoing maintenance. Privately-held Echopass, backed by venture capital firms Canaan Partners and New Enterprise Associates, is a recipient of the Red Herring Top 100 Companies award. The company is headquartered in Pleasanton, CA. For additional information, please visit www.echopass.com or call 1-888-622-5345.

Acme Packet Safe Harbor Statement

Statements contained herein that are not historical fact may be forward-looking statements within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933 and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934. Such forward-looking statements may relate, among other things, to our position in the session border control market, our expected financial and operating results, our ability to establish and maintain intellectual property rights, our ability to build and grow Acme Packet, the benefits and advantages of our products, including any enhancements or new features, services and programs and our ability to achieve our goals, plans and objectives. Such forward-looking statements do not constitute guarantees of future performance and are subject to a variety of risks and uncertainties that could cause our actual results to differ materially from those anticipated. These include, but are not limited to: difficulties in growing our customer base, difficulties leveraging market opportunities, difficulties providing solutions that meet the needs of customers, poor product sales, long sales cycles, difficulty developing new products, difficulty in relationships with vendors and partners, higher risk in international operations, difficulty managing rapid growth, and increased competition. Additional factors that could cause actual results to differ materially form those projected or suggested in any forward-looking statements are contained in our recent filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission, including those factors discussed under the caption "Risk Factors" in such filings.