NEC America And Mockingbird Join Forces To Deliver High Speed IP Network With Voice Services Support

NEC America and Mockingbird Networks today announced they are teaming to deliver an integrated solution for voice services across photonic IP networks. Through this collaboration carriers will be able to quickly and easily deploy a photonic native IP network that includes the IP telephony edge devices required to ensure interoperability of these next-generation networks with "basic black phones" as well as IP voice devices.

The NEC and Mockingbird joint marketing agreement, which allows Mockingbird to utilize NEC's broad sales channel presence, utilizes the NEC router and DWDM products for the core IP network, with Mockingbird's Nuvo integrated VoIP application switches providing the edge device support.

"Carriers building next-generation network are investing in high speed, high capacity core networks, and our DWDM and high capacity routers, with their photonic native IP technology, deliver the new services the customers are looking for, " said Dave Broecker, NEC America marketing vice president. "Many of these carriers are expecting to run not just data, but increasingly, voice traffic across these high capacity networks. Mockingbird's Solaris-based Nuvo VoIP application switch, with its distributed switching architecture, fits nicely into the network topology."

"Teaming with NEC is compelling not only because it is the marriage of two outstanding products, but also because we have a shared vision of the networks of the future," said Craig Forney, Mockingbird chief executive officer. "As carriers build out new networks they are expecting to support a significant amount of voice traffic. The Mockingbird voice application platforms are ideal, because they not only support IP telephony voice traffic today, but are designed to support the plethora of enhanced voice services in the future."

The companies will be exhibiting their joint solution at SuperComm in Atlanta, June 6-8, 2000.

About NEC America, Inc.

NEC America, Inc., an affiliate of NEC Corporation (NASDAQ: NIPNY), develops, manufactures and markets a complete line of advanced communications products and software for public and private networks. Products include digital key telephone and PBX systems, ATM switching systems, unified messaging, cellular telephones, facsimile equipment, videoconferencing equipment, fiber optic transmission systems, data communications products, digital microwave radio, satellite communications and network management system. NEC Corporation and its affiliates worldwide are a $40 billion global leader whose 157,000 employees are dedicated to providing leading-edge computer, communications and semiconductor products and services.

About Mockingbird Networks

Mockingbird Networks (www.mockingbirdnetworks.com) integrated VoIP application switches enable next-generation carriers and voice application service providers to rapidly deploy new, service-differentiating voice applications across IP networks. Mockingbird's distributed switching architecture uses the IP backbone as the switching fabric so that its carrier-class VoIP application switches provide virtually unlimited scalability. This "Internet is the Switch(TM)" design addresses the needs of next-generation service providers who want to scale their networks to match their business growth, provide transparent communications between legacy circuit-switched networks and broadband packet networks, and be able to quickly deploy new voice applications that will be their service differentiation and competitive edge in the future. Mockingbird VoIP application switches feature an open systems, standards-based design, UNIX operating system and integrated SS7 capability, making them the platform of choice by forward-thinking OEMs and service providers. Mockingbird Networks, founded in 1997, is headquartered in Cupertino, California and is privately held.

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info@mbird.com www.mockingbirdnetworks.com