Ingate Systems is the Newest Member in Lucent Technologies I3P Program

Ingate's SIP-capable Firewalls and SIParators Now a Part of Lucent's IP Interoperability and Innovation Partner Program

Stockholm, Sweden - August 27, 2002 - Ingate Systems, producer of the world's first SIP-capable firewalls and SIParators, today announced the addition of Ingate to Lucent's Internet protocol (IP) Interoperability and Innovation Partner Program (I3P). The I3P partner program capitalizes on the flexibility and IP functionality of the Lucent EXS® Converged Services Platform (CSP). The EXS® CSP offers a wide range of innovative, next-generation telecommunications applications developed by companies who integrate software and hardware components to create complete turnkey solutions.

IP technology is dominating the design of all future telecommunications networks. It is crucial to have a portfolio of integrated tested solutions that allow service providers the ability to extend the value of their current network, while allowing for the profitable evolution of their circuit switched/TDM network to IP. The I3P Program is a new extension to the Open Network Platforms Partner Program and has been initiated as an open and flexible way for vendors to conduct IP interoperability testing with the EXS® Converged Services Platform (CSP) using SIP and/or H.323 signaling protocols.

Ingate, a Swedish technology company with a 25-year heritage of communications and security technology development, produces SIP-capable firewalls and SIParators (a device that plugs into an existing firewall to seamlessly enable SIP) for enterprises that want the time and money saving benefits of SIP-based realtime communications including presence, instant messaging, VoIP and conferencing.

SIP, or Session Initiation Protocol, is the IETF signalling protocol that allows interoperable real-time communications regardless of who is providing the service. With providers including Microsoft, AOL, AT&T, MSN, Yahoo!, Cisco Systems, Pingtel and CommWorks offering or developing SIP-based products and services, it will only be a matter of time before SIP is for real-time communications what HTTP is for the Web.

However, SIP is a new protocol, which means that existing firewalls will block SIP media streams and prevent enterprises from utilizing the benefits of realtime communications. Ingate's solutions solve this problem easily and cost-effectively. Companies that want to utilize the time and money saving benefits of SIP-based realtime communications including presence, instant messaging and IP telephony can do so with the simple addition of either an Ingate SIP-capable firewall or with the Ingate SIParator®, a device that protects an enterprise's previous firewall investment by plugging into an existing firewall to seamlessly enable SIP. Both products come with a SIP registrar and a SIP proxy, support for NAT and PAT, and TLS support for encrypted SIP signalling, which eliminates the security concerns often associated with instant messaging by automatically encrypting individual messages.

"It's exciting to have Lucent's endorsement of SIP interoperability through the creation of their I3P partner program," said Ingate CEO Olle Westerberg. "Ingate is extremely pleased to make our SIP-capable firewalls and SIParators available to Lucent clients and to be recognized by Lucent as part of the future of IP communications."

"The IP3 Program enables service providers to bring revenue generating services to market more quickly and efficiently by taking the guesswork out of the vendor integration process," said Bill Kelly, director of I3Pfor Lucent Technologies. "Lucent customers and partners can be assured that, like all members of the IP3 Program, Ingate's Firewalls and SIParators are turnkey solutions that will interoperate seamlessly, eliminating costly upfront configuration testing."

About Ingate

Ingate Systems (www.ingate.com) produces the world's first SIP-capable enterprise firewalls and SIParators, a device that connects to an existing network firewall to seamlessly enable the traversal of SIP communications. A joint venture between Intertex Data AB and Cendio Systems AB, Ingate Systems has a 25-year heritage of developing secure communications technology. Ingate Systems AB is located in Stockholm and Linköping, Sweden and its wholly owned subsidiary, Ingate Systems Inc. is located in Hollis, New Hampshire. For more information on Ingate Systems, visit www.ingate.com.

For more information, please contact:

Mara S. Klein
Ingate Systems
Tel 212.781.7104
Mobile 646.528.3046
mara@ingate.com

Jason Ripper
Lucent Technologies
Tel 908.582.3277
jripper@lucent.com