Aztek Networks Extends Family of Emergency Stand Alone Solutions with Introduction of 5000I for IP Access Systems

New solution is ideal for carriers who are migrating their networks to IP access systems, such as fiber-to-the-home or broadband multi-service access platforms

BOULDER, Colo. Nov. 7, 2007 Aztek Networks, the leading provider of Emergency Stand Alone (ESA) switching products, today announced the Aztek Networks 5000I, the industrys first and only open standards and fully redundant ESA solution for Voice over IP (VoIP) access systems.

Like its sister product, the Aztek 5000S, Azteks latest addition to its ESA family helps ensure public safety by continuously maintaining local calling capabilities and subscriber access to emergency 911 services in the event the link to the primary host switch is severed due to an accident or natural disaster. The 5000I acts as a Transparent Local Proxy (TLP) in that it receives all Session Initiation Protocol (SIP) registrations from callers and passes those registrations on seamlessly to the primary call manager or softswitch. However, in the event of a loss of service, the 5000I acts as a local call manager and determines the correct call path for SIP registrations.

For instance, if a users phone goes off the hook and the user dials a number, the 5000I passes those commands onto the softswitch. If for some reason the link to the softswitch has been cut and the 5000I cannot pass on the registration information, then the 5000I examines the registration and determines if the user is trying to make a local call or a 911 call. If so, the 5000I completes the call locally.

The Aztek 5000I ensures continuous, uninterrupted voice service for all subscribers served from a local exchange via fiber or broadband copper lines. This makes the 5000I an ideal solution for switch collapse or switch consolidation, whereby independent carriers can cost-effectively migrate from legacy end-office switches and proprietary remote switching units to fiber-to-the-home (FTTH) or broadband multi-service access without sacrificing traditional levels of voice reliability, explained Steven Bruny, CEO of Aztek Networks.

We are witnessing tremendous growth in the deployment of IP-based FTTH and multi-service broadband access systems, said Teresa Mastrangelo, principle analyst and director of research at the Windsor Oaks Group, publisher of Broadbandtrends.com. When these multi-purpose access systems are deployed in network migration scenarios, whereby they replace legacy voice switches, the voice signaling capability of the Aztek 5000I is critical for maintaining uninterrupted voice service.

The 5000I is compact, environmentally hardened and NEBS-compliant, making it an ideal solution for placement in a telephone office environment or in an outside plant situation, such as a field cabinet. The 5000I contains dual gigabit Ethernet ports and fully redundant dual processor control cards in order to ensure reliability and up-time.

The 5000I can be purchased directly from Aztek Networks or select partners late in the first quarter of 2008.

About Aztek Networks
Based in Boulder, Colorado, Aztek Networks is the leading provider of dedicated Emergency Stand Alone (ESA) switching products. The company's patent-pending True ESA™ technology is the basis for the first and only truly open-standards, environmentally hardened and fully redundant ESA switch. Aztek's TDM and IP-based ESA switches, when combined with next-generation multi-service access systems, offer telecommunications carriers reliable and cost-effective solutions for greenfield access applications and the replacement of legacy remote switches. More information is available at www.azteknetworks.com.