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France s Bouygues Telecom to Deploy Starent Networks Solution to Provide Multimedia Services over Its UMTS Network

^{Published on 2008-12-08 07:29:55 - Market Wire}
 

TEWKSBURY, Mass.--([ BUSINESS WIRE ])--Starent Networks, Corp. (Nasdaq: STAR), a leading provider of infrastructure solutions that enable mobile operators to deliver multimedia services, today announced that Bouygues Telecom, a leading mobile operator in France, is deploying Starent Networks' intelligent multimedia core networking solution to deliver services over its broadband UMTS network.

With more than nine million subscribers, Bouygues Telecom is the third largest mobile operator in France. The operator will utilize Starent Networks' high performance and intelligent solution to deliver high quality, robust multimedia services such as data, video and mobile Internet.

"As technology continues to advance, it is very important that we provide our subscribers the broadband multimedia services they desire with the quality experience they have come to expect from Bouygues," said Serge Goldstein-Desroches, executive vice president network and purchasing of Bouygues Telecom. "Starent Networks' products have demonstrated the performance, integrated intelligence and reliability that allow us to best meet these demands."

"Providing the core for a prominent operator like Bouygues Telecom allows us to enhance the user experience for millions of subscribers in France," said Ashraf Dahod, CEO of Starent Networks. "We are extremely pleased to have a relationship with Bouygues and add another successful European UMTS operator as a customer."

Starent Networks will be providing Bouygues Telecom with the intelligent Gateway GPRS Support Node (GGSN), deployed on Starent Networks' ST40™ multimedia core platform. Additionally, Bouygues will be utilizing the platform's In-line Services capability to deploy Starent's Enhanced Charging Service (ECS). ECS provides Bouygues with content aware charging along with deep packet inspection functionality.

About Bouygues Telecom

Created in 1994, Bouygues Telecom has 9.3 million customers, including 6.9 million with contracts, and 8,000 employees. Its ambition is to be the "preferred brand of personal communication services" thanks to a continuous focus on superior customer service. After pioneering the talk-plan concept and free voicemail in France in 1996, followed by unlimited call plans (Millenium), in 2006 Bouygues Telecom launched Neo, the first call plan to offer unlimited calls to all operators every day after 8 p.m.

In 2008, the all-new range of Neo call plans lets customers select an unlimited calling time slot and includes easy Internet surfing. Bouygues Telecom has also become an Internet Service Provider (ISP), launching the Bbox broadband router in October on the fixed network it acquired in July 2008.

Bouygues Telecom's mobile Internet network combines EDGE and 3G+ technologies in order to provide customers with seamless coverage everywhere in France and very high speeds in the country's biggest cities, in addition to service quality tailored to individual needs. Ranked No. 1 in Customer Relations in the mobile phone sector*, Bouygues Telecom is committed to proactive, direct customer service. Six customer relations centres in France staffed by 2,000 customer advisors, a distribution network of 570 Bouygues Telecom Club stores, and a website available 24/7 combine to ensure optimum customer service.

About Starent Networks

Starent Networks, Corp. is a leading provider of infrastructure solutions that enable mobile operators to deliver multimedia services to their subscribers. Starent Networks has created solutions that provide mobile operators with the functions and services needed for access, mobility management and call control in their networks. Through integrated intelligence and high performance capabilities, Starent Networks' solutions also enhance subscriber management, billing and session policy enforcement. The company's products are capable of supporting a wide range of mobile wireless networks, such as UMTS, CDMA2000, WiFi, and WiMAX. Starent Networks' products have been deployed by over 85 mobile operators in 35 countries. Additional information about Starent Networks is available at [ www.starentnetworks.com ].

Starent Networks' Safe Harbor Statement

Any statements in this press release about future expectations, plans and prospects for Starent Networks, including statements about expectations related to the company's multimedia solutions constitute forward-looking statements within the meaning of The Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. These statements may contain the words "believes," "anticipates," "plans," "expects," "will" and similar expressions. Actual results may differ materially from those indicated by such forward-looking statements as a result of various important factors, including the inability to predict the future success or market acceptance of Starent Networks' multimedia core platform solutions, the highly competitive and rapidly evolving market in which Starent Networks' competes, Starent Networks' limited operating history, the fluctuation of its past operating results, its reliance on a limited number of customers for a significant portion of its revenues and its reliance on a single line of products and other factors discussed in the "Risk Factors" section of Starent Networks' Annual Report on Form 10-K filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission. In addition, the forward-looking statements included in this press release represent Starent Networks' views as of the date of this press release. Starent Networks anticipates that subsequent events and developments will cause its views to change. However, while Starent Networks may elect to update these forward-looking statements at some point in the future, it specifically disclaims any obligation to do so. These forward-looking statements should not be relied upon as representing Starent Networks' views as of any date subsequent to the date of this press release.

Starent®, the Starent Networks logo and ST40™ are either registered trademarks or trademarks of Starent Networks, Corp. in the United States and/or other countries.The names of other companies and products mentioned in this release may be the trademarks of their respective owners.

* BearingPoint-TNS Sofres Customer Relations Quality League Table (April 2008)