Sunnyvale, Calif., March 22, 2000 - Taking a lead in the industry push to create standards and speed the deployment of enhanced voice and data services, ipVerse announced the formation of the Open Softswitch Alliance (OSA). Copper Mountain Networks (Nasdaq: CMTN), Tellabs (Nasdaq: TLAB), AccessLan Communications, Convergent Networks, General Bandwidth, Iperia, Shoreline Communications, TollBridge Technologies, Trillium Digital Systems, Vertical Networks, and VocalData have joined ipVerse's initiative to accelerate migration to next generation network infrastructures, thus enabling incumbent and competitive carriers to deliver integrated communications services to their customers. ipVerse's ControlSwitch, with its open, multi-protocol call control platform, gives service providers the freedom to choose best-of-breed vendors while seamlessly migrating them from their existing voice networks to next-generation data networks.

"In the current competitive environment, end-to-end proprietary solutions that lock the customer into a single vendor, place service providers in a competitive disadvantage," said Art Klein, President and CEO, ipVerse Inc. "In this new world of open telecommunication products, it is essential that we, along with other next generation hardware and software vendors, join forces to give service provider customers the ability to quickly deploy advanced network solutions with best-of-breed products. We are pleased to have leading vendors on board and look forward to growing our alliance."

"The secret to success for softswitch vendors is a truly open, scalable and robust architecture, coupled with the ability to offer differentiating services," said Christin Flynn, Senior Analyst, Yankee Group. "ipVerse's ControlSwitch, with its multi-protocol capabilities and multi-vendor support, enables best-of-breed telecom vendors to come together and offer lucrative, integrated voice/data services to providers."

ipVerse will work with OSA partners to demonstrate interoperability and engage in joint marketing and sales calls to simplify the vendor decision making process for service providers and guarantee them complete, working solutions. ipVerse has also announced a relationship with Cisco, to ensure interoperability with their Cisco MGX 8260 media gateway and other Cisco voice gateways in the future to allow a trunking gateway to connect to any RAS device and enable service providers to migrate from H.323 systems to MGCP systems.

The ipVerse ControlSwitch is the first multi-protocol call control system, supporting SS7, MGCP, H.323, IPDC, SIP and ISDN-PRI signaling systems, allowing transparent service exchange within or between service provider networks. In a world of rapidly evolving hardware standards, the ControlSwitch eliminates forklift upgrades and creates freedom of choice; users can grow their networks with equipment from various best-of-breed vendors while supporting their investments in existing infrastructure. Its simple web-based tools and XML scripts enable service providers and third-party developers to quickly create, deploy and customize new voice and data services, including applications for powerful personal call management.

"Copper Mountain is pleased to join ipVerse's alliance," said Keith Higgins, Director of Marketing for Copper Mountain Networks. "Interoperability has always been a cornerstone of our product strategy, and Copper Mountain's IP-oriented solutions are ideal for next-generation architectures. Copper Mountain shares ipVerse's commitment to speeding the deployment of enhanced voice and data services, and we look forward to joint marketing efforts."

"Our customers are looking for complete solutions that will enable them to rapidly deploy new services," said Lew Bobbitt, vice president, marketing, SALIX switching division of Tellabs. "Joining the ipVerse Open SoftSwitch Alliance strengthens our ability to extend the benefits of the ETX5000 and class independent switching to the industry."

"As the leading supplier of DSLAM equipment for voice over DSL, AccessLan shares ipVerse's commitment to advancing the design of open network infrastructure solutions," said Kumar Shah, vice president of marketing at AccessLan Communications, Inc. "We're pleased to partner with ipVerse in developing and marketing standards-based interoperability as a foundation for deploying next-generation voice and data services over converged networks."

"At Convergent Networks, we have a strong commitment to delivering open, standards-based infrastructure solutions for the New Public Network," said Sally Bament, Vice President, Marketing for Convergent Networks. "By joining ipVerse's Open Softswitch Alliance, we are extending that commitment to our softswitch partners to ensure that service providers have the freedom to choose best-in-class next-generation solutions, enabling them to more rapidly create and deliver new services to their end users."

"General Bandwidth is pleased to join the Open SoftSwitch Alliance," said Brian Henrichs, General Bandwidth's VP of Business Development. "Service providers are looking for technology solutions, this alliance encourages manufacturers to commit to delivering open, flexible solutions to the market."

five star hotel in Siena"Iperia is very pleased to be part of ipVerse's Open Softswitch Alliance Program," said Dan Poranski, Iperia's Vice President of Marketing. "Iperia's Service Node and ipVerse's ControlSwitch in conjunction with media gateways provides a next generation solution for enhanced personal communications services such as unified messaging. Enhanced services allow network service providers to generate incremental revenue and profits, while differentiating themselves."

"Shoreline has long been an advocate of open, IP voice communications and has been delivering these capabilities to enterprise customers for the last 18 months," said John Fazio, President of Shoreline Communications. "We are pleased to support the efforts of ipVerse and the Open Softswitch Alliance in delivering a complete portfolio of IP voice capabilities to carriers building their next generation service infrastructures."

"We're pleased to join ipVerse's Open Softswitch Alliance to give service providers the ability to attract and retain customers in new geographic markets with profitable services," said Agnes Imregh, VP of Marketing, TollBridge Technologies. "As our customers migrate to next-generation, pure-packet networks, partners such as ipVerse will enable us to deliver differentiated, revenue-generating services that complement the PSTN."

"Trillium is pleased to join ipVerse's OSA alliance as an extension of our overall commitment to developing standards-based communications software solutions for the next-generation network infrastructure," said Frank Morese, VP -- Marketing, Trillium Digital Systems. "By joining the OSA alliance, we support ipVerse's commitment to providing customers with comprehensive solutions incorporating "best of breed" components that meet and exceed industry requirements for interoperability and performance and speed the deployment of next-generation voice and data services for the converged network infrastructure."

"Vertical Networks looks forward to working with ipVerse in delivering open protocols and standards that support distributed and scalable softswitch solutions," said Scott Pickett, executive vice president and CTO for Vertical Networks, "These initiatives, in conjunction with those underway in the International Softswitch Consortium, pave the way for carriers and service providers to differentiate themselves by offering solutions that support new applications and services."

"VocalData is committed to working with other industry participants like ipVerse to create an open, standards-based approach to next generation voice and data networks," said William J. Rich, president and CEO of VocalData. "We believe programs like the Open Softswitch Alliance are critical to furthering these goals."

About ipVerse

ipVerse is a supplier of next gen software-based switches that empower service providers to rapidly deploy new, revenue-generating services. By providing a smooth migration path between existing voice networks and next-generation data networks, the ipVerse ControlSwitch accelerates the convergence of voice and data communications while preserving carrier-class quality and performance. The ipVerse ControlSwitch gives service providers the freedom to choose best-of-breed products by offering complete interoperability between new and existing protocols, protecting carriers' investments in their existing infrastructures.

ipVerse is headquartered in Sunnyvale, CA and is privately funded by Norwest Venture Partners and Battery Ventures. For more information, please visit www.ipverse.com.

About Copper Mountain Networks

Copper Mountain Networks, Inc., develops and markets a comprehensive family of DSL solutions that enable high-speed internetworking over existing copper facilities. The company's mission is to enable carriers and other service providers to offer a full range of high-performance, cost-effective data and voice services over DSL that are easy to deploy, use, and manage. Copper Mountain's CopperRocket(R) CPE family addresses the bandwidth, reliability, ease-of-use, and cost concerns of remote offices and users. Its carrier-class CopperEdge(R) DSL concentrators and CopperView(TM) network management solutions offer a robust and scalable platform for carriers and multi-tenant-unit service providers to generate a high return on investment while satisfying the ever-increasing user demand for bandwidth. Customers wanting more information about Copper Mountain products can contact Diana Helfrich at 650-687-3314 or visit the company's World Wide Web site at http://www.coppermountain.com . For investor relations information, call toll free 877-INFO-CMTN (463-6268) or contact the company at IR@coppermountain.com.

About Tellabs

SALIX, now part of Tellabs, is a premier provider of class independent telephony switches that will enable service providers to offer next-generation voice, fax and data services over a converged network infrastructure. Since the launch of its flagship product, the ETX5000, it has received numerous awards and recognition, including the ComNet New Product Achievement Award, Top 500 Telecommunications Firms by Telecom Business magazine, Telecommunications Magazine Hot Start-Ups, Internet Telephony Product of the Year, DigitalSouth Fast 50 and Washington Magazine's Hot Companies. SALIX maintains its website at www.salix.com. Tellabs (www.tellabs.com) designs, manufactures, markets and services data, voice and video transport, switching/routing and network access systems. The company's products are used worldwide by the providers of communications services. Tellabs stock is listed on the Nasdaq Stock Market (TLAB).

About AccessLan Communications

AccessLan Communications, Inc., a pioneer of PacketLoop -- the next generation Local Loop -- and i-SLAM is a leading supplier of carrier-class DSLAM equipment for Voice over DSL (VoDSL), Internet access and Internet-based services. The company targets Local Exchange Carrier (LEC) and Business Tenant Services (BTS) markets, with PL-2000 C.O. and PL-1000 stackable i-SLAMs that deliver VoDSL, Internet access and Internet services like e-commerce, web hosting, streaming audio and video. The company's Internet Scaling Architecture (ISA) and Priority-Q feature-set together deliver the industry's most comprehensive and scalable IP QoS management solution. Founded in 1997, AccessLan is financed by leading venture capital firms Sequoia Capital, Accel Partners, Berkeley International Capital, Highland Capital, Tudor Private Equity Fund, The Ignite Group, Intel Corporation and NIF Ventures. The company is headquartered in San Jose, California. For additional information, contact the company at 888-411-4DSL or visit the Web site at www.accesslan.com.

About Convergent Networks

Convergent Networks is a leading provider of packet-based infrastructure solutions for the New Public Network. The company's product architecture enables next-generation and incumbent carriers to rapidly deliver high-value, high-margin end user services. The ICS2000 Integrated Convergence Switch provides interworking and adaptation between traditional TDM and next-generation, packet-based networks while the Service Management Gateway delivers highly scalable call management with support for multi-protocol signaling, such as SS7. Convergent Networks' management team brings together seasoned executives from Lucent, Nortel, Cisco, Siemens, Ascend and FORE Systems. To date, the privately held company has secured $57 million in venture funding. More information about the Lowell, MA-based company can be found on the web at www.convergentnet.com.

hotels in GranadaAbout General Bandwidth

General Bandwidth, Inc. is a telecommunications equipment manufacturer that enables toll quality voice services to residential and business customers across emerging broadband access networks such as digital subscriber line (DSL), cable and wireless. The company's Voice over Broadband (VoBroadband(TM)) gateway -- the G6(TM) -- provides more than 200 independent voice lines over a single broadband connection, allowing service providers to offer packetized "last mile" voice services that meet and exceed the quality and functionality of today's POTS (Plain Old Telephone Service). Founded in 1999, General Bandwidth is located at 12303 Technology Blvd., Austin, Texas 78727; phone: 512-681-5400; fax: 512-681-5401; toll free: 877-818-2160; www.generalbandwidth.com.

About Iperia

hotels KopenhagenIperia, Inc., Based in Burlington, Mass., is the leading provider of enhanced personal communications applications and next generation carrier class IP service platforms. Iperia's e@ccount provides users with a single point of access to multiple enhanced services, such as voice activated voice e-mail, Internet event alerting, message consolidation, notification services, find-me calling services, e-mail and voice/fax mail. Iperia's customers are innovative service providers, including next-generation service providers, ISPs, wireless providers, cable companies, CLECs and major telephone companies. More information is available via the Internet at www.iperia.com.

Reservaciones online de hoteles baratos HelsingorAbout Shoreline Communications

Shoreline Communications Inc. has been making IP voice communications a reality in the enterprise, shipping more than 15,000 VOIP ports since October 1998. The award-winning Shoreline IP Voice Communications System is a platform based on Shoreline's Distributed Internet Voice Architecture (DIVA), designed to meet the requirements of enterprise and ASP customers for scalability, reliability, and manageability. In addition, the Shoreline system provides both a rich set of integrated voice services as well as standards-based interfaces to 3rd party voice applications that enhance personal and organizational productivity. For more information, visit www.goshoreline.com or call 408-331-3300.

About TollBridge Technologies

Founded in March 1998 and located in Santa Clara, Calif., TollBridge Technologies is the leading developer of IP-based multiline voice solutions targeted at Competitive Local Exchange Carriers (CLECs). The company's solutions change the economics of delivering voice services to small business customers by allowing voice CLECs that own Class 5 switches to use broadband access technologies, such as DSL, to bypass the incumbent local exchange carrier (ILEC) and deliver toll-quality voice and integrated data services.

About Trillium

Trillium Digital Systems is the leading provider of communications software solutions for the converged network infrastructure. Trillium's source code solutions are used in more than 500 projects by industry-leading suppliers of wireless, Internet, broadband and telephony products. Trillium's high-performance, high-availability software and services reduce the time, risk and cost of implementing SS7, IP, H.323, MGCP, ATM, Wireless and other standards-based communications protocols. Additional information is available at http://www.trillium.com .

About Vertical Networks, Inc.

Vertical Networks is the leading developer of Integrated Communications Platforms, a new class of integrated voice and data solutions designed to simplify communications for branch offices and small businesses worldwide. Vertical Networks' solutions are flexible and adaptable to ensure support for both today's and tomorrow's needs. These solutions enable companies to cost-effectively take advantage of new communications capabilities while improving operational efficiency. To ensure total customer satisfaction, Vertical Networks' strategic network service provider, reseller, and systems integration partners offer comprehensive support services including 7x24 on-site support. Vertical Networks' InstantOffice system received 1999 Hot Product honors from Data Communications magazine. For more information about Vertical Networks products, visit the company's World Wide Web site at www.vertical.com or call 800-826-6769.

About VocalData

Founded in 1996, VocalData, Inc. designs and manufactures call agents, customer premise equipment (CPE) and network hardware allowing service providers to offer fully-featured business and residential voice services over IP networks. Located in the Telecom Corridor in Richardson, Texas, VocalData is privately held and has received financing from notable industry partners and venture capital firms. For more information, visit http://www.vocaldata.com .

TollBridge and TollVoice^TM are trademarks of TollBridge Technologies, Inc. All other service marks and trademarks are the property of their respective owners.

Press Contacts

Ed Camarena  ipVerse, Inc.  408-830-3200  edc@ipverse.com

Kim Milosevich  PR@vantage  415-288-0400  kim.milosevich@pr-vantage.com

Alison Brown · TollBridge Technologies · (408) 585-2100 · abrown@tollbridgetech.com

Ian Yellin · Sparkpr · 415-962-8200 x234 · Ian@sparkpr.com