European Commission telecoms report calls time on incumbent investment scare tactics - ECTA comments on the main findings of the report

The Commission’s Implementation Report on the Telecoms Framework, released today, challenges claims by incumbents that investment in Europe is stalling. Not only has investment increased for the fifth year in a row, but it is the competitive providers and not the incumbent operators that are spearheading telecoms investment in Europe, proving ECTA’s long-held position.

According to the report, capital expenditure on telecoms in Europe exceeded €50bn in 2007, with competitive providers investing twice as much as incumbents in relation to their size. This is despite the fact that they are competing with incumbents who own 85% of telephone lines across Europe, a very risky investment environment for the competitive providers.

WESTFORD, Mass., May 29, 2008 – Sonus Networks, Inc. (Nasdaq: SONS), a market leader in IP communications infrastructure, today announced that Tortel Communications Inc., a leading provider of pure IP-telephony solutions with a strong presence in the United States, Canada, India and Asia, has selected Sonus to replace its incumbent IP-voice network technology.

Tortel is replacing its legacy solution to improve the overall quality of service and integrity of its network. The Company also required a robust, next-generation solution to enable it to develop and deliver differentiating product offerings and an improved long-distance offering. Due to the simplified network management and efficient transcoding capabilities of Sonus’ gateway solution, Tortel expects a substantial increase in its network performance and the ability to devote additional resources to the development of new services.

WESTFORD, Mass., May 20, 2008 – Sonus Networks, Inc. (Nasdaq: SONS), a market leader in IP communications infrastructure solutions, today announced that it has appointed Richard N. Nottenburg, PhD as the Company’s next president and chief executive officer, succeeding Hassan Ahmed. Nottenburg, former executive vice president chief strategy and technology officer of Motorola, Inc. (NYSE: MOT), will join the Company in mid-June, reporting to the Board of Directors.

“Rich is someone I have known for several years and I am very pleased to welcome him to Sonus. The Board and I considered many extraordinary candidates from some of the world’s most respected companies as part of our succession planning. Rich is a truly unique leader with strong relationships with many of the world’s top operators. He worked closely with senior executives from operators across the globe during his tenure at Motorola,” said Hassan Ahmed, chairman, president and CEO, Sonus Networks. “Rich’s strong focus on customers along with his strategic sense and business acumen make him the right leader to profitability grow Sonus into the next decade. I look forward to working with Rich in this next phase of our partnership to advance Sonus’ position in the industry.”

MUMBAI, India and WESTFORD, Mass., May 12, 2008– Tata Communications (NYSE:TCL), a leading provider of a new world of communications, and Sonus Networks, Inc. (Nasdaq: SONS), a market leader in IP communications infrastructure, unveiled plans today for the strategic expansion of Tata Communications’ global voice network. The expansion of Tata Communications’ global voice network represents further execution of the Company’s mission to expand its global reach and ability to deliver IP-leveraged communications solutions to businesses and consumers worldwide. In addition, Tata Communications will deploy Sonus’ Network Border Switch to interconnect its disparate voice networks and deliver seamless IP services across geographies.

“When undertaking international deployments of this scale, we need a partner who really understands our business goals,” said John Hayduk, Chief Technology Officer, Tata Communications. “We have selected Sonus’ complete fixed-line trunking solution to provide its IP-voice services in nine cities across three continents, delivering a robust, highly scalable, reliable platform for IP-voice and multimedia services. Sonus has helped Tata Communications build an extensive migration plan.”

WESTFORD, Mass., May 8, 2008 - Sonus Networks, Inc. (Nasdaq: SONS), a market leader in IP communications infrastructure, today reported financial results for the first quarter ended March 31, 2008.

Revenues for the first quarter of fiscal 2008 were $74.0 million, compared with $97.1 million in the fourth quarter of fiscal 2007 and $71.1 million for the first quarter of fiscal 2007. Net income on a GAAP basis for the first quarter of 2008 was $0.6 million, or $0.00 per diluted share, compared to GAAP net income of $14.1 million, or $0.05 per diluted share, for the fourth quarter of 2007, and a GAAP net loss of $4.0 million, or $0.02 per share, for the first quarter of 2007.

WESTFORD, Mass., April 23, 2008 - Sonus Networks, Inc. (Nasdaq: SONS), a leading supplier of IP communications infrastructure solutions, today announced that Convergia Networks, a world-class provider of voice, data, and Internet services for residential, business and wholesale customers, with offices throughout North America, South America and Europe, has selected Sonus solutions as the new backbone of its international network.

Convergia selected Sonus to differentiate its service offerings, while ensuring the highest level of performance for its global customer base. Convergia will deploy Sonus' Access solution, including its recently released IMX 2.0 Multimedia Applications Platform, to deliver its ever expanding customer base with advanced residential and enterprise voice services. Sonus' solution will enable Convergia to deliver on its vision of quality residential and business service without geographic boundaries.

Westford, MA., April 21, 2008 - Sonus Networks (Nasdaq: SONS), a market leader in IP communications infrastructure, today announced it has completed the acquisition of Atreus Systems, a supplier of IP voice and advanced IP service provisioning software. Atreus’ expertise in the integration of operating support systems (OSS) and the provisioning of IP services for fixed-line and mobile operators’ access networks fosters the evolution of IP architectures globally. The combination of Atreus’ services and solutions with Sonus’ leadership in IP infrastructure will enable carriers and network operators around the globe to rapidly deploy innovative communication services to their subscribers.

This acquisition demonstrates Sonus Networks’ commitment to being a trusted partner for the world’s largest carriers. With the Atreus solutions as part of the established Sonus Access portfolio, Sonus is able to provide comprehensive integration services for operators’ growing IP-service portfolios, with the network management systems, billing and customer care systems providing a seamless consumer experience for the carrier subscriber. 

Westford, MA., April 21, 2008 - Sonus Networks (Nasdaq: SONS), a market leader in IP communications infrastructure, today announced it has completed the acquisition of Atreus Systems, a supplier of IP voice and advanced IP service provisioning software. Atreus’ expertise in the integration of operating support systems (OSS) and the provisioning of IP services for fixed-line and mobile operators’ access networks fosters the evolution of IP architectures globally. The combination of Atreus’ services and solutions with Sonus’ leadership in IP infrastructure will enable carriers and network operators around the globe to rapidly deploy innovative communication services to their subscribers.

This acquisition demonstrates Sonus Networks’ commitment to being a trusted partner for the world’s largest carriers. With the Atreus solutions as part of the established Sonus Access portfolio, Sonus is able to provide comprehensive integration services for operators’ growing IP-service portfolios, with the network management systems, billing and customer care systems providing a seamless consumer experience for the carrier subscriber. 

REDWOOD CITY, Calif., April 8, 2008 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Joining with telecommunications service providers in Europe during a time of dynamic change, consolidation, and new regulation, Intelligentias, Inc. (OTC Bulletin Board: ITLI) has become the newest member of the European Competitive Telecommunications Association (ECTA). The ECTA is a Brussels-based association that represents service providers and network equipment vendors to key government and regulatory bodies, maintains a forum for networking-related business issues, and assists new market entrants to help ensure an even playing field.

"The European Union's adoption in 2006 of the Data Retention Directive places a considerable extra burden on telecommunications service providers and we are delighted that Intelligentias has joined our association to be able to bring their expertise into our community and potentially support ECTA members in this complex area," says ECTA Chairman Innocenzo Genna.

Westford, MA., and Las Vegas, NV., April 02, 2008 – Sonus Networks, Inc. (Nasdaq: SONS), the market leader in IP communications infrastructure, is helping mobile operators to embrace flat rate pricing plans without the major increases to operating costs usually associated with increased traffic or subscribers. The core infrastructure components offered by Sonus can be integrated to enable operators to retain competitive pricing models through IP-to-IP peering, advanced media services and transcoder-free operation. Sonus Networks is exhibiting these and other wireless solutions at CTIA 2008, Las Vegas, at Booth #3439.

Consumer demand is pushing wireless operators to deliver flat-rate pricing, both in the U.S. and across Europe. To remain competitive in a market with downward price pressure, operators face the challenge of reducing and controlling network infrastructure costs. Flat-rate plans will inevitably lead to an increase in call volume, which will become costly for carriers who are required to deliver increasing traffic volume to complete calls outside of their wireless network.