Vpacket Joins Open Services Partner Alliance to Help Speed Deployment of Converged Voice/Data Networks

Milpitas, Calif., March 26, 2001 - Vpacket Communications, a closely held Silicon Valley company delivering the power of converged voice/data solutions, today announced it has joined Sonus Networks' Open Services Partner Alliance(TM) (OSPA) to help enable service providers to more readily adopt next generation networks. The partner program is designed to offer service providers interoperable network solutions that enable them to capture marketshare and generate revenue through enhanced packet-based services.

"Now that our initial product, the 6100 Series voice/data router, has been successfully launched, Vpacket intends to actively participate in and promote vendor interoperability programs such as Sonus' OSPA," said Brian Chiko, vice president of product marketing for Vpacket Communications. "The OSPA program is designed to ease service provider concerns in the deployment of next generation networks by ensuring that end-to-end components are available and compatible. By participating in the OSPA, we can help our customers efficiently migrate to packetized voice and data transport by identifying compatible vendors for building their networks. They can then take advantage of new revenue streams through enhanced services."

The goal of the OSPA Program is to empower standards-based interoperability between applications, hardware vendors and the Sonus product family. The initiative is designed to create integrated solutions for carriers and service providers by formalizing independent interoperability testing of products.

"One of the objectives of the OSPA program is to ensure that carriers and service providers have the maximum flexibility for developing next-generation networks," said Terri Griffin, vice president of marketing, INtelligentIP' division, Sonus Networks. "In partnering with vendors such as Vpacket, we can help facilitate an easier adoption of these networks and enable service providers to offer the revenue-generating services that will enable them to compete in today's dynamic market."

About Vpacket Communications
With offices in Silicon Valley, Westlake Village and Pleasanton, Calif., Vpacket Communications is a privately held converged voice/data broadband company focused on providing managed voice over packet solutions for CLECs, ILECs, Integrated Communication Providers (ICPs), IP oriented carriers and other network service providers. Vpacket products will enable people to communicate seamlessly across IP networks with high-quality, feature-rich converged voice/data applications. Vpacket is well positioned to be a leader in this emerging market, with an experienced team from industry-leading networking companies and approximately $38 million in funding from top venture capital firms. For more information, visit the company's web site at www.vpacket.com.

For more information, please contact:

Jeff Gustafson
Vpacket Communications
(408) 571-7969
jgustafson@vpacket.com

Kathleen Byrnes
Sterling Communications
(253) 853-5030
kbyrnes@sterlingpr.com