GATINEAU, Que. -- Associated Network Partners, Inc [ANPI] today announced that they have selected Versatel Network's intelligent media gateways to power their new national VoIP service. ANPI, a consortium owned by over 325 Independent Telephone Companies spanning 38 states, will use Versatel Networks' EdgeIQ intelligent media gateways to provide services such as long distance VoIP termination and peering, personal conferencing and seamless VoIP Wi-Fi to GSM roaming. By using the EdgeIQ platform, ANPI members will extend the reach of their existing TDM switching infrastructure into the IP network. In addition, Versatel Networks equipment enables them to deliver new and lucrative applications to their entire customer base, going above and beyond a typical Voice over IP offering. ANPI has deployed Versatel Networks' equipment in three member companies, with a full rollout for the membership to begin in April.

Concluding a two-year evaluation of vendors, ANPI president David Lewis remarked, "We are very excited about the market opportunities enabled by the Versatel solution. VoIP has rapidly moved beyond a side show technology, and is now solidly positioned to be the medium over which future communications will be provided. As such, it is important that Independents begin evolving their networks to cost-effectively integrate VoIP in a meaningful and substantive way, while sharing certain network assets at a centralized level in order to capture economies necessary to effectively compete in an increasingly cut-throat marketplace."

Versatel's EdgeIQ meets the large-scale requirements of a VoIP network, accommodating termination, peering and revenue generating voice applications, all from the same platform. A single IQ4000 chassis supports redundant configurations for Media, SS7, VoIP, T1, or E1 solutions. With the EdgeIQ capital expenditures are up to 60% lower than the competition, thereby leading the industry in price per port for VoIP.

"We are very pleased to play a lead role in ANPI's VoIP rollout," said Robert Mimeault, President of Versatel Networks. "Versatel Networks is first in the industry to provide an intelligent media gateway based on a distributed architecture which incorporates the ability to immediately generate new services. We have changed the way that carriers purchase media gateways, evolving the process from just another necessary capital expenditure into a revenue generation resource."

Versatel Telecom International N.V.