Teradyne and Stargus Partner to Empower Internet Customer Care

Business/Technology Editors

DEERFIELD, Ill. and ANDOVER, Mass.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Sept. 16, 2002--

NetFlare(TM) and CableEdge(TM) Technologies Combine to Improve

Customer Care through Cable Access Network Fault Isolation

Teradyne, Inc. (NYSE:TER) and Stargus today announced a partnership that will enhance the capability of Teradyne's NetFlare(TM) Internet QoS Diagnostic System to help cable operators improve the Customer Care experience for their subscribers. Based on Teradyne's licensing of some CableEdge technology, data that has been collected and analyzed by CableEdge will be brought automatically up to NetFlare for further analysis. This combination enhances NetFlare's end-to-end support for Customer Care Centers of large HSD (High Speed Data) deployments to pin-point faults within the access network, including home, HFC (Hybrid Fiber Coax) plant or head end, and expedite their resolution. Designed to address the industry's appeal for more integrated call center applications, the joint solution benefits cable operators by reducing wasted truck rolls and the volume and length of customer support call times. Availability is targeted for the first quarter of 2003. Both CableEdge and NetFlare are proven in multiple live network trials with cable operators.

"As the industry quickly moves to roll-out advanced voice, video and data services, there will be unprecedented pressure on back-office systems to ensure service quality and customer satisfaction," said Tony Werner, CTO of Liberty Media. "Presented today with individual products that must be pieced together in a costly and time-consuming process, we strongly support software vendors partnering to create integrated solutions that reduce our costs, streamline our operations and support our critical service assurance needs."

"To serve their broadband subscribers better, cable operators want fewer management systems and tools that go beyond single purpose tests for an individual subscriber," said Wayne Lasson, general manager of Teradyne's Broadband Test Division. "With Teradyne's over 25 years of experience in Customer Care automation and Stargus' intimate knowledge and expertise with cable modem standards and networks, the two companies complement each other to meet the integration needs of cable operators for customer care. Together we will help cable operators zero-in on access network problems, especially intermittent and `cannot connect' issues, and bring a faster resolution to customer concerns."

"Teradyne's use of our CableEdge platform is a strong endorsement of our patent-pending technology by a market leader in broadband test, monitoring and customer care solutions," said Russell Stephens, President and CEO of Stargus. "This partnership supports our strategy of delivering a comprehensive data collection and analysis platform that can be leveraged directly by our own CableEdge applications or by best-in-breed partner applications, such as NetFlare."

NetFlare: End-to-End Internet Diagnostics

Teradyne's NetFlare system was launched with a deployment order in June, 2001. The award winning system uses patent-pending technology to provide the call center with real-time segmentation of Internet problems in the end-to-end network. The system reduces the escalation of calls from Tier 1 to Tier 2, and reduces lengthy performance call handling time. The system also provides automated test information for Installation Verification to ensure that service quality standards are met before technicians leave the site. NetFlare's benefits include providing higher customer satisfaction with the service and increased productivity in customer care and field plant maintenance. Teradyne has licensed the CableEdge technology from Stargus to apply to Customer Care applications on an exclusive basis for Internet End-to-End Fault Isolation.

CableEdge: Service Planning, Service Assurance & Service Management

CableEdge is a family of software products specifically designed for the management and planning of DOCSIS(TM) (Data Over Cable Service Interface Specifications, the industry standard for cable modem equipment) infrastructure and IP services. The CableEdge family includes the CableEdge platform for the collection, normalization and analysis of DOCSIS data on networks with up to millions of DOCSIS devices; and CableEdge applications that leverage the platform and provide detailed analysis, expert system recommendations and automated network management for specific functions or services, including network optimization, VoIP and tiered services.

About Stargus Inc.

Founded in June 2000 by several of the key architects of the DOCSIS standards, Stargus is focused on helping cable operators improve their capital efficiency, reduce operating costs, drive revenue growth and improve customer satisfaction with its CableEdge family of software products. CableEdge is the first intelligent network management and planning software designed exclusively for DOCSIS infrastructure and advanced IP services. The company is headquartered in Andover, Massachusetts. For more information, visit Stargus online at www.stargus.com

About Teradyne Broadband Test Division

Teradyne Broadband Test Division is a division of Teradyne, Inc (NYSE: TER). The group develops state-of-the-art-testing capabilities that support cable operators' goals to sell and deploy more broadband services sooner and improve the efficiency of provisioning and customer care for high-speed data networks. Teradyne's 10 years of internet protocol testing experience and industry leading background in layer 1 testing enhances its 30 years experience in providing test systems that support customer care for approximately 120 Million voice lines worldwide. Teradyne is the world's largest supplier of automatic test equipment for a variety of applications with sales of $1.4 billion in 2001 and currently employs about 8000 people worldwide. For more information on Teradyne's Broadband Test Products, visit Teradyne at: http://www.teradyne.com/prods/btd/.

DOCSIS is a registered trademark of CableLabs(R), Inc.

“As the industry quickly moves to roll-out advanced voice, video and data services, there will be unprecedented pressure on back-office systems to ensure service quality and customer satisfaction”