Sampoerna Telecom Indonesia (STI) Successfully Deploys FTS’ Convergent Prepaid-Postpaid Billing Platform

FTS’ Leap™ Billing Provides Innovative Solution with Single Rating Engine and Single Product Catalog

London, UK | September 23, 2008: FTS (LSE: FTS), a global provider of Billing, CRM and Business Control solutions for communication and content service providers, today announced that Sampoerna Telecom Indonesia (STI), has successfully deployed FTS' convergent prepaid-postpaid billing and customer care solution for its entire subscriber base. STI is a growing telecommunications provider which operates in Indonesia under the Ceria brand name.

“Convergent prepaid/postpaid business models are ranking high on carriers’ wish list. We see more and more carriers evaluating and in the process of launching hybrid billing scenarios," said Ari Banerjee, Director, Enabling Technologies Service Provider Software Solutions The Yankee Group. "The uniqueness of Leap Billing is its ability to deliver true convergence which embodies the promise of high performance and reduced OPEX."

FTS’ innovative Leap Billing features a single unified system that provides one rating engine, one product catalog and a single customer care interface, all working over a single customer database. The FTS solution enables STI to define a single set of services and prices that are available for its entire customer base regardless of whether they are using prepaid plans or paying a monthly subscription. The unique platform allows for the easy transition of customers between the various payment methods as well as supporting “hybrid” customers.

"We looked at various convergent billing solutions, and concluded that we needed a converged system - with single rating and customer care - not only to save on CAPEX and OPEX but also because true convergence enables us to offer sophisticated, customer-oriented unified services and tariffs," said Neil Wijayaratne, STI’s Chief Information Officer. "FTS provided us with such a system, and we are certainly seeing the benefits so far.”

"This deployment demonstrates, once again, FTS’ market leading capabilities in creating end-to-end, converged billing systems," added Gil Hurwitz, FTS’ Chief Operating Officer. “By using Leap Billing’s innovative platform, STI’s business users are empowered to introduce attractive new service plans in real time, responding to immediate customers needs.”

FTS was the prime contractor for the solution that includes mediation, rating, online and offline charging, billing, customer care, voucher management and supports all types of services including voice and data. The real-time charging platform enables unlimited rating flexibility, combined with robust single and multi-concurrent balance management.