Brasil Telecom Launches Fixed Mobile Convergence (FMC) Service

Brasil Telecom Launches Fixed Mobile Convergence (FMC) Service With UTStarcom's mSwitch System

UTStarcom, Inc. (Nasdaq: UTSI) today announced that its mSwitch(TM) solution is powering Brasil Telecom's (NYSE: BRP) network, which is one of the first fixed mobile convergence (FMC) networks in the world. Brasil Telecom is the first mobile operator to implement UTStarcom's mSwitch solution as the key technology enabler of an FMC offering.

"As one of the largest broadband providers in Brazil, we see FMC as a new opportunity to leverage our extensive network resources in a way that will only benefit our customers' long term communications experiences," said Dalton Hayakawa, director of marketing at Brasil Telecom. "Utilizing UTStarcom's mSwitch, Brasil Telecom can now offer its customers seamless call connectivity between cellular and WiFi networks in an expanded coverage area. This will allow us to retain more customers on our network as they transition between fixed line and wireless devices and give us the opportunity to demonstrate the value, strength and quality of our combined voice services."

Brasil Telecom, one of Brazil's leading wireless and fixed-line communications providers and incumbent telecom operators, will utilize UTStarcom's mSwitch solution to enable fixed-line connectivity with GSM platforms for call continuity between the two networks using a single wireless device. The FMC solution enables Brasil Telecom to extend its current cellular coverage area indoors using the new Voice Continuity Call (VCC) handover between cellular and WiFi networks.

"We've all become somewhat accustomed to the inconvenience of the occasional dropped wireless call or the necessary termination of a fixed-line call when leaving the range of the base station," said Diego Martinez, Americas regional vice president and general manager for UTStarcom. "This FMC solution deployment is an unprecedented step in the implementation of next-generation telephony services and proves the viability of fixed-mobile services as we take our first step toward a true IP Multimedia Subsystem -- or IMS -- network architecture."

UTStarcom has collaborated extensively with Brasil Telecom on the research and development of IMS products and services and the implementation of mSwitch protocols as a mobile softswitch for integration with IMS. Brasil Telecom also launched their Internet Protocol TV (IPTV) services in September last year. The Videon is a unique offering in Brasil and relies on UTStarcom's industry-leading RollingStream(R) Internet Protocol TV (IPTV) solution.