Investor Relations
UTStarcom Unveils SDN Product Following Successful Proof of Concept Test
– New product bolsters UTStarcom's leadership in broadband network technology–
–Proof of concept test underscores SDN's ability to revolutionize network operations–
HONG KONG, July 3, 2014 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- UTStarcom (Nasdaq:UTSI), a global telecommunications infrastructure provider, announced today the completion of a successful proof of concept test of its Software Defined Networking solution, a ground-breaking capability that will radically improve network operations through automation and delivery of valuable new services for telecom and mobile operators.
UTStarcom conducted the proof of concept (PoC) of this new technology, trademarked SOOTM for Software Defined Open Packet Optical Network, with major Tier-1 operators in Tokyo, Japan on May 29-30, 2014. The PoC demonstrated the ability of SOOTM to enable dynamic as well as pre-planned bandwidth on demand provisioning in addition to the provisioning of standard MEF Ethernet services and full Layer 3 IP-VPN service provision.
SOOTM is the result of a dedicated effort by UTStarcom's research and development team to create a suite of products based on Software Defined Network (SDN) technology. The company initially unveiled and demonstrated SOOTM at the Optical Fiber Conference in San Francisco earlier in the year. The version used in the PoC included newly added SDN applications such as SDN provisioning of IPv4 and IPv6 Layer 3 IP-VPN services.
"The completion of the proof of concept is a clear demonstration of the fundamental and disruptive changes in network operations and service capabilities enabled through SDN technology," said Mr. William Wong, UTStarcom's chief executive officer. "This technology allows network operators to better monetize their network assets by offering new value-add and dynamic services."
Using SDN to Improve Existing Network Infrastructures
UTStarcom's SOOTM Network product line will help operators migrate existing network infrastructure based on its TN700 series packet optical network products to an SDN-based environment. The benefits arising from the SOOTM SDN upgrade include: lower capital and operating costs, automated service provisioning and the ability to deliver new bandwidth-on-demand and Layer 3 services that were not previously available on a deployed Layer 2 network.
UTStarcom will extend the SOOTM capability to its broadband access product lines including wire line, wireless access and offload solution. The development of further SDN applications and the introduction of higher layer services based on Network Functions Virtualization (NFV) is also planned.
The "Real Breakthrough" in SDN
"This is truly a major step toward bringing SDN into the wide area network," said Dr. Frank Rühl, Managing Director of Blue Ocean Networks, a telecommunications consultancy, and a founding member of the NFV working group of the European Telecommunications Standards Institute.
Dr. Rühl, who observed the PoC test, noted that "the real breakthrough" is the ability to deliver full Layer 3 IP-VPN services for both IPv4 and IPv6, on an existing deployed Layer 2 packet optical platform through a software upgrade and introduction of an SDN controller.
About UTStarcom Holdings Corp.
UTStarcom (Nasdaq:UTSI) is a global telecom infrastructure provider dedicated to developing technology that will serve the rapidly growing demand for bandwidth from cloud-based services, mobile, streaming and other applications. We work with carriers globally, from Asia to the Americas, to meet this demand through a range of innovative broadband packet optical transport and wireless/fixed-line access products and solutions. The company's end-to-end broadband product portfolio, enhanced through in-house Software Defined Networking (SDN)-based orchestration, enables mobile and fixed-line network operators and enterprises worldwide to build highly efficient and resilient future-proof networks for a range of applications, including mobile backhaul, metro aggregation, broadband access and Wi-Fi data offload. Our strategic investments in media operational support service providers expand UTStarcom's capabilities in the field of next generation video platforms. UTStarcom was founded in 1991, started trading on NASDAQ in 2000, and has operating entities in Tokyo, Japan; San Jose, USA; Delhi and Bangalore, India; Hangzhou, China. For more information about UTStarcom, please visit http://www.utstar.com.
CONTACT: For investor and media inquiries, please contact:
Jane Zuo
UTStarcom Holdings Corp.
Tel: +852-3750-7632
Email: jane.zuo@utstar.com
May Shen (Beijing)
Tel: +86-10-8591-1951
Email: May.Shen@fticonsulting.com
Daniel DelRe (Hong Kong)
Tel: +852-3768-4547
Email: Daniel.DelRe@fticonsulting.com