Telesp Celular goes live with Intec billing solutions, delivering rapid return-on-investment

Intec Telecom Systems’ InterconnecT, InterconnecT PREP and Maxi-roaM software successfully implemented within network of South America’s largest cellular carrier

London/São Paulo, October 10, 2002 – Telesp Celular, South America’s leading cellular communications carrier, has successfully implemented Intec Telecom Systems’ InterconnecT™, InterconnecT PREP and Maxi-roaM™ software across its network in Brazil. InterconnecT and InterconnecT PREP are Intec’s market leading intercarrier billing and pre-processing solutions that enable operators to charge other companies for passing traffic through their network. Maxi-roaM is Intec’s innovative roaming billing solution.

“InterconnecT allows Telesp Celular to generate accurate bills for our partners and to check the invoices issued by other carriers,” says José Aparecido Prado, the Interconnection and Roaming Systems and Finance Manager at Telesp Celular. “The improvement in financial performance we have seen from just the first few months of operation fully supports the forecasted benefits we hoped for from the start of the project.”

Telesp Celular is the largest mobile operator in Brazil, with 66 percent market share in the State of São Paulo, offering coverage to more than 98 percent of the population in 467 cities. Telesp Celular manages this customer base by using Intec’s InterconnecT, InterconnecT PREP and Maxi-roaM systems to collect and process usage data, generate more accurate bills, verify incoming invoices from its business partners and improve charging procedures for both interconnection and roaming billing. InterconnecT also helps Telesp Celular improve its services by monitoring and reporting on network usage.

Commenting on the installation of Intec’s solutions across Telesp Celular’s network, Bill Wagner, Intec’s regional director said: “Intec has proven its ability to deliver high-ROI carrier-grade billing and roaming solutions which meet the particular needs of fixed-line, GSM and IP operators in Latin America. With current pressure on revenues and margins, Intec can help carriers maximise their business performance.”

Wagner believes that the region’s open market for telecommunications requires effective intercarrier billing. “Now is the time for the interconnection business to really take off,” he explains. “With the growing number of carriers in the market and the rapid rise in traffic volumes, accurate and efficient interconnect and roaming billing makes a big difference to an operator’s interconnect revenue collection, thus improving profitability,” says Wagner.

For More Information:

Telesp Celular
Telesp Celular S.A., owned by Telesp Celular Participações S.A., (NYSE: TCP; BOVESPA: TSPP3 (Ord), TSPP4 (Pref)) ("TCP"), is a Portugal Telecom Group company, the leader in Mobile Telephony and Mobile (Pocket) Internet in South America, which has more than 5.4 million subscribers. The pioneer in providing High Speed Mobile Internet solutions, Telesp Celular launched its 2.5G Network in December of 2001. This service launched just after pre-paid services, SMS and international roaming, among others, reinforces the company values and innovation. Telesp Celular is the largest cellular operator in Brazil, with 66 percent of market share in its coverage area, the State of São Paulo, which covers more than 98 percent of the population in 467 cities. For more information please visit the website http://www.telespcelular.com.br

Intec Telecom Systems
Intec Telecom Systems is an award-winning worldwide Operations Support Systems (“OSS”) vendor for fixed, mobile and IP/next-generation networks, with more than 250 customers for its products worldwide. Founded in 1997, Intec was listed on the London Stock Exchange (Code: ITL.L) in June 2000. Intec is the market leader in intercarrier billing systems and one of the largest suppliers of convergent mediation software. The company is currently listed in Deloitte Touche Tohmatsu’s top 500 fastest growing companies in Europe, and received the prestigious Queen’s Award for Enterprise in April 2002 for its success in growing international sales by almost 400% in 3 years. Intec’s portfolio includes:

• Inter-mediatE™ - convergent mediation solution
  
• InterconnecT™ - intercarrier billing including US CABS and ITU
  
• Inter-activatE™ - flow-through provisioning and activation