MORRISVILLE, N.C. -- Tekelec (NASDAQ: TKLC) today announced a five-year contract with SBC Services, Inc., a subsidiary of SBC Communications Inc., to deploy Tekelec's EAGLE(R) 5 Signaling Application System as a part of the SBC companies' signaling network. Financial terms of the contract were not disclosed.

During the next three to five years, approximately 20 EAGLE SAS systems will be activated in the SBC network to handle rapidly increasing local number portability (LNP) traffic. Tekelec Professional Services will also assist in the deployment of the equipment.

"This agreement is a powerful demonstration of Tekelec's leadership in now- and next-generation signaling for the one of the world's most prominent and respected service providers," said Fred Lax, Tekelec's president and CEO. "In networks around the globe, the EAGLE 5 SAS has proven to be a scalable and critical platform to bridge today's signaling domain to the next-generation IP signaling world. No other solution delivers the flexibility to support operators as they transition their networks to maximize revenue today and pave a clear path for future network expansion and evolution."

Tekelec Inc.