Argent Lands GNT Contract - Second on UK Soil in Less Than a Month

Argent Networks has won a contract to provide Global Network Telephone (GNT) - a worldwide provider of advanced telecommunications services -with its convergent billing and network mediation platforms.

9 September 2002 -- Hard on the heels of last months deal with Mastercall Telecommunications Ltd, Argent Networks has won a contract to provide Global Network Telephone (GNT) - a worldwide provider of advanced telecommunications services - with its convergent billing and network mediation platforms.

Founded in Germany, GNT operates as an international gateway for carrier services, calling card services and international callback services. The company, which has over 150 interconnect agreements with tier one and two carriers, currently terminates in excess of 1 billion minutes around the world.

The deal, signed last week, will see Argent install its ArgentXpress solutions in GNTs operation in the United Kingdom. The technology will enable GNT to provide wholesale billing for partner carriers, as well as billing services for direct telecommunications customers such as call shops and wholesale calling card distributors.

The ArgentXpress platform, which replaces GNTs existing switching and billing system, will also support VoIP based voice traffic originating in Europe.

According to GNT: We were looking for a convergent billing platform that could support a range of carrier interconnects, along with flexible, user friendly GUIs that enable our wholesale and retail customers to manger their own services."

Talking about the technology Argent Networks chief executive, Chris Jones, says: GNT required a stable, scalable, flexible and well-supported platform along with the latest in next generation services and features."

Its exactly this type of 'flexibility that has made ArgentXpress a big seller in the UK. According to Jones, legacy technology has failed to keep pace with the rapidly changing requirements of todays telecom operators. At Argent were picking up more and more business from customers wanting platforms and services that are flexible, timely and cost-effective," he says.

ArgentXpress is Argents next generation convergent billing and network mediation platform based on Windows SQL server technology. The platform can control Lucent Excel EXS series switches or Cisco VoIP gateways within a network to offer switching and value-added services such as calling card, VPN, tandem switching, and voice mail combined with real-time rating to support pre and postpaid billing.

-Ends-

Notes for editors:

Argent Networks Ltd designs, develops, integrates and supports innovative enhanced services solutions which enable telecommunications operators to offer value added services to their customers. Argents product areas encompass messaging, pre-paid and post-paid telephony, intelligent switching, mobile Internet, convergent billing and customer care. For further information visit www.argentnetworks.com.