CUPERTINO, Calif., Feb. 29, 2000 - Portal Software, Inc. (NASDAQ: PRSF), a leading provider of business infrastructure software for Internet and next-generation communications services, today announced an agreement with Cisco Systems, Inc. (NASDAQ: CSCO) to develop an interface between the Cisco Subscriber Registration Center (CSRC) and Infranet., Portal's customer management and billing software. The integration will enable cable providers and service providers worldwide to rapidly provision, rate and bill for a wide variety of advanced value-added IP services, such as cable-based Internet access, and cable telephony.
Portal and Cisco continue to work together to develop industry-leading technology in support of next-generation communication services. Cable operators are upgrading their infrastructure and need complete solutions that can handle the new services their customers are demanding. Portal is committed to delivering solutions with proven interoperability with Cisco, minimizing unplanned and expensive custom integration work. By integrating Infranet with CSRC, cable operators and service providers will not only have the ability to offer self-provisioning services to their customers, but will also be able to utilize sophisticated usage-based and multi-tier pricing strategies. One-price-fits-all pricing schemes will be a thing of the past.
CSRC is a subscriber self-provisioning solution built upon open standards and proven technologies. CSRC supports high-speed Data-over-Cable Service Interface Specification (DOCSIS)-compliant modems, set-top boxes, thin clients, game players, hybrid fiber coaxial (HFC) telephony and other devices.
"Portal Software has the distinction of being a leader in customer management and billing software for IP-based services. Extending their Infranet technology into the cable arena makes great business sense," said Paul Bosco, vice president and general manager of Cisco's Cable business unit. "Infranet enables cable operators and service providers to maximize revenues through multi-tier pricing models based on individual services and usage. With this capability, Portal compliments Cisco's leading end-to-end cable infrastructure solutions, and expands its role in the New World Ecosystem
"Combining the technology, products and skills of Cisco and Portal>both leaders in Internet business infrastructure-strengthens the value proposition we can offer cable operators and service providers," said Steve Sommer, vice president business development at Portal Software. "The combination allows us to address the specific challenges facing the cable industry such as explosive subscriber growth, multi-service offerings, bundled pricing packages and real-time support for on-demand applications. Working together we can provide technologies that will drive the evolution of advanced IP-services over cable."
Infranet 6.0 is the industry's only comprehensive real-time customer management and billing solution that supports complex, multi-service Internet business models. Based on a fully-transactional technology core, Infranet allows next-generation Internet businesses to massively tailor customer service interfaces for branded services, altar highly sophisticated cross-service price plans on the fly, instantaneously trigger cross-selling promotions and provide billing on-demand - all with the most advanced security and fraud prevention technology available.
