Nextera Communications Selects NexTone Session Border Controllers for its Next-Generation Network Architecture

NXTcomm, Chicago, IL: June 20, 2007. NexTone®, a leader in session border controllers and scalable session management solutions for VoIP, multi-media, and IMS network interconnects, announced that Nextera Communications, a Minnesota-based next-generation service provider, has deployed the NexTone Session Border Controller (SBC) and NexTone Real-time Session Manager (RSM) in its network.

Nextera Communications offers feature-rich, customized VoIP packages for small to mid-sized businesses and retail customers over multiple broadband access technologies, including DSL and T1 lines. Nextera's products include both unmanaged VoIP and managed, hosted PBX services, enabling the company to offer its IP subscribers TDM access to PSTN network endpoints.

Nextera has deployed the Rural Utility Services (RUS)-certified NexTone SBC to build a secure and scalable session-oriented IP service infrastructure. The NexTone RSM completes the session intelligence Nextera requires to ensure that session quality is maintained and that Nextera is successful in meeting its service level agreements with subscribers. Nextera's network also employs softswitches from MetaSwitch, which interoperate with NexTone's platform.

The NexTone SBC front-ends the MetaSwitch softswitch deployment, which comprises a CA9020 call agent, five MG3510 media gateways and the MetaSphere enhanced applications suite including Unified Messaging, Auto Attendant, Music on Hold, and Conferencing. The NexTone SBC provides the required session security and real-time intelligence to govern service delivery as well as handle all protocol translations and vendor and codec interoperability at the network edge. This allows the core of the Nextera network to remain agile and fully optimized. Because the NexTone SBC interoperates with the full suite of MetaSwitch solutions, including its Desktop Assistant (DA), Nextera is able to leverage the industry's best-of-breed products to offer customized and secure VoIP services to a growing market segment. With its burgeoning list of service provider customers, NexTone further offers Nextera unique business opportunities to extend service to out-of-footprint markets via relationships with multiple peering partners.

MetaSwitch's award-winning switching and applications solutions have been deployed in more than 250 service provider networks ranging from tier-one global carriers to leading regional operators, including 10 in Minnesota. Key to MetaSwitch's success has been the company's strong focus on open standards supplemented by extensive bilateral and multilateral interoperability testing.

"We chose NexTone because it is the ideal complement to the MetaSwitch, offering a variety of services to SIP customers using various access methods and providing us with a comprehensive session management solution," said Greg Arvig, president of Nextera. "The network architecture using the MetaSwitch and NexTone platforms allows us to focus on developing our service portfolio while simultaneously increasing our service reach. RUS certification of the NexTone and MetaSwitch products made the economics of the business case straightforward as well."

"We appreciate the opportunity to help enable an innovative provider such as Nextera to deliver session-based, rich-media services to its subscribers," said Rocco DiCarlo, vice president of product management at NexTone. "The combined NexTone-MetaSwitch architecture assures Nextera and other service operators that offering new services does not require time-consuming network re-engineering or costly service-workflow restructuring."

"Nextera is at the forefront of a revolution in the rural telecommunications industry, one that is being driven by the convergence of voice, data, video, wireless, and wireline services onto packet-based networks," said Mike Ward, MetaSwitch senior vice president of sales. "We are proud, along with NexTone, to be supporting Nextera's commitment to its subscribers to deliver the most exciting, compelling services the industry has to offer today."

About NexTone

NexTone® develops intelligent session management and interconnect systems for service providers who want to rapidly expand their reach and accelerate VoIP and multimedia revenues. NexTone's IntelliConnect System provides service providers with visibility and intelligence to exchange, optimize, secure and bill for voice and multimedia sessions flowing across diverse IP and IMS network boundaries. More than 550 service providers and enterprises worldwide use NexTone's IntelliConnect System to manage technical complexities, optimize business economics, and remove partnership hurdles. NexTone is a recipient of the Maryland Technology Champions Awards for 2006. The company ranks number one in Deloitte's 2006 Technology Fast 50 Program for Maryland, and is one of the Top 50 companies for Deloitte's 2006 Technology Fast 500, a ranking of the 500 fastest growing technology, media, telecommunications, and life sciences companies in North America. NexTone is headquartered in Gaithersburg, Maryland, USA, with domestic and international offices worldwide.

About MetaSwitch

MetaSwitch is an industry-leading vendor of switching and applications solutions for both packet and circuit-switched networks. Its widely deployed session control, PSTN emulation server and media gateway platforms and MetaSphere service delivery platform and application suite support a broad set of deployment scenarios, from Class 4/5 switch replacement to hosted IP communications services. Based on open standards including IP Multimedia Subsystem (IMS), MetaSwitch solutions scale from a few hundred to millions of subscribers in both integrated and distributed configurations. Customers range from tier one global carriers to regional service providers, and include operators of wireline, cellular, broadband wireless, cable and fiber networks. MetaSwitch is a division of Data Connection, a consistently profitable and privately held telecom technology provider. For more information: www.metaswitch.com.

About Nextera Communications

Nextera Communications is a Minnesota-based telecommunications provider that targets small to mid-size business customers in and around Minnesota. Nextera's products include both unmanaged VoIP and hosted VoIP PBX services. The company manages a 100-percent IP-based next-generation network; its only TDM connections are to the PSTN network and other legacy network devices.

Data Connection and MetaSwitch are trademarks of Data Connection Limited and Data Connection Corporation. Brands and products referenced herein are the trademarks or registered trademarks of their respective holders.