CUPERTINO, CA (April 17, 2003) — Portal Software, Inc. (Nasdaq: PRSF) today announced that eircom, Ireland’s leading provider of fixed telecommunications, has successfully implemented Portal’s convergent billing platform, Infranetâ, to support its next generation data broadband services.
eircom required a single, streamlined billing solution for both its existing ISP services as well as for the rapid deployment of new broadband-based services to enable the introduction of new broadband digital subscriber line (DSL) services.
Product and pricing plan flexibility was an important requirement to enable eircom to evolve their business model as the still-maturing European DSL market gains momentum. Also important was close integration to operational systems in order to streamline eircom’s DSL order management, provisioning, and billing processes.
Following a competitive evaluation, Infranet was selected for its cost-effectiveness and quick return on investment, rapid implementation capabilities, product maturity, world-class reference sites, and its ability to support eircom’s current and future requirements. eircom also chose Portal business partner KPMG who joined forces with Portal’s professional services group to meet the very aggressive implementation deadlines.
“We needed a robust and flexible billing platform to support an increasingly diverse product set that will help attract new customers to our DSL services. This meant finding the best software platform and the best systems integrator to enable us to offer continually competitive and compelling service and pricing options, while meeting our tough time-to-market demands,” said Fintan Lawler, general manager, eircom net. “Portal Software met these requirements better than any other solution we evaluated, and has proven its ability to integrate tightly with our operational environment. Infranet will give us flexibility, robustness, and ease of use on a single billing platform.”
“We are very pleased to be playing such a critical role in enabling eircom’s exciting plans to revolutionize Internet access throughout Ireland,” added Alan Laing, vice president and general manager, Portal Software EMEA. “Thanks to Infranet’s extensive out-of-the box functionality, it can support eircom’s existing narrow-band Internet access as well as an exciting new range of content rich broadband products.”
Infranet, implemented on Sun Solaris hardware by Portal business partner KPMG, will provide eircom with the ability to implement private branding, e-mail, and dial-up management functionality as well as support for their base broadband services. Portal is providing technical consultancy, training, and support during the implementation process and, once deployed, Infranet will be managed from eircom’s ISP Network Operations Centre in Dublin.
About eircom
Formerly known as Telecom Eireann, eircom (www.eircom.com) is Ireland’s largest communications company. It offers fixed line and mobile telecommunications plus advanced voice, data, and multimedia services. Internet access is provided through ISP subsidiary eircom net.
About Portal Software, Inc.
Portal Software provides flexible billing and subscriber management solutions to enable organizations to monetize their voice and digital transactions. Portal’s convergent billing platform enables service providers to charge, bill, and manage a wide range of services via multiple networks, payment models, pricing plans, and value chains. Portal’s flexible and scalable product-based solutions enable customers to introduce new value added services quickly, providing maximum business value and lower total cost of ownership. Portal’s customers include thirty-five of the top fifty wireless carriers as well as organizations such as Vodafone, AOL Time Warner, Deutsche Telekom, TELUS, NTT, China Telecom, Reuters, Telstra, China Mobile, Telenor Mobil, Vivendi, and France Telecom. For more information, please visit www.portal.com.
Local Media Contacts:
Europe Geoff Devlin, gdevlin@portal.com, +44 (0) 1753 244228
North America: Christine Coleman, ccoleman@horngroup.com, 415.905.4028.
Asia-Pacific: Cindy Ho, cindyho@portal.com, +852 2585 2200
Copyright© 2003 Portal Software, Inc. All rights reserved. Infranet and the Portal logo are U.S. registered trademarks, and Portal is a trademark of Portal Software, Inc. All statements made in this press release are made only as of the date set forth at the beginning of this release. Portal undertakes no obligation to update the information in the event facts or circumstances subsequently change.