SFR Chooses Flash's NettGain to Improve Customer Wi-Fi Experience

Herzelia, Israel, and Amsterdam, The Netherlands, 4 October 2004: Tier one European mobile operator, SFR, part of the Vodafone group of companies, has selected Flash Network’s NettGain 1400 Wi-Fi OSS solution to improve the customer experience in W-LAN networks.

SFR has introduced Wi-Fi as a complementary service alongside GPRS/UMTS, to its existing mobile customers. SFR enables customers to send and receive data in a rapid and cost effective manner, using high speed connections in hotspot environments, such as airport lounges. In addition, SFR customers will be able to access the network at all times while roaming and receive a single bill from their mobile operator.

The NettGain 1400 solution is the second Flash Networks product to be adopted by the carrier. Its deployment is designed to drive up usage of mobile data by improving user experience, by facilitating the interaction between Wi-Fi and mobile networks and enabling key services such as roaming, flexible charging schemes, single point of contact for billing and customer support. NettGain 1400 minimises the operator’s cost of ownership by avoiding the need to purchase additional core network elements to deploy new services, streamline operational and management aspects and extend the capabilities of existing customer care and billing systems. The NettGain 1400 solution provides key functions such as roaming, authentication, authorisation, accounting and enables reports and statistics.

SFR spokesperson Michel Le Texier commented, “We chose Flash Network’s NettGain 1400 for our Wi-Fi deployment because it allows us to offer our customers the best wireless data service over the broadest network coverage and at the fastest download times. We want our customers to be able to enjoy everything that WiFi 2.5 and 3G services have to offer, at an affordable price.”

“We are delighted that SFR has chosen our WLAN solution. This marks another important milestone in the convergence of mobile and Wi-Fi technologies that enables SFR to deploy a cost effective service that enables accelerated user adoption and revenue generation/ while minimising its Capex and Opex,” added Yair Shapira Flash Networks CTO and VP Business Development.

About Flash Networks
Founded in 1996, Flash Networks accelerates the adoption of mobile data networks by improving user experience through the provision of wireless data optimisation solutions. The company’s NettGain products are commercially operative in leading mobile carriers such as Vodafone Italy, AT&T Wireless, SFR and the T-Mobile Group, resulting in a dramatic increase in mobile data traffic. Flash Networks' experience, technological innovation, proven platform reliability and world-class customer service, position the company firmly at the top of the wireless data industry.

NettGain, the only platform demonstrating complete interoperability with packet inspection infrastructure, is endorsed and recommended by leading players in the wireless IP industry. An innovator of mobile data solutions, Flash Networks' technology is protected by over a dozen patents and the company is recognised as the pioneer of optimised protocols.

Flash Networks is headquartered in Israel, with international sales and customer support offices in Europe, North America and Asia. For more information about Flash Networks, please visit www.flashnetworks.com.

About SFR
With more than 15 million customers and a market share of 35.4% at end of June 2004, SFR is the second largest mobile operator in France. A major player in the WiFi market in France, SFR will provide its subscribers with access to 80% of the French hotspots by 2005.

Since June 2003, SFR has developed a complete range of WiFi services, combining prepaid offers for every user and mixed GPRS / UMTS / WiFi subscriptions. For further information on the SFR WiFi services and coverage, please refer to our web site: http://wifi.sfr.fr