Bakcell Deploys Sandvine's PCRF and PTS Virtual Series to Power Innovative Data Offers for Subscribers

WATERLOO, ON, Dec. 1, 2015 /CNW/ - Sandvine, (TSX:SVC) a leading provider of intelligent broadband network solutions for fixed and mobile operators, today announced that Bakcell, the first and leading mobile Internet provider in Azerbaijan, with the assistance of Bestcomp Group, has deployed  Sandvine's PCRF, the Service Delivery Engine (SDE), and PCEF, the Policy Traffic Switch (PTS) Virtual Series to power innovative data offers on their LTE-Advanced and 3G networks. Bakcell became a Sandvine customer in May of 2015.

One of the first offers to be made available will be content and application-based plans that allow customers to bundle unlimited usage of certain mobile applications (i.e. WhatsApp, Facebook, Instagram, and many others). Additionally, Bakcell will enhance family plans to allow pools of data for sharing across multiple individuals or devices. For both solutions, Sandvine OutReach will play a key role in allowing Bakcell's customers to monitor their data usage and manage their data subscriptions.

Bakcell's innovative data offers which will enhance the data connectivity options for subscribers in Azerbaijan are enabled by a combination of Sandvine's business intelligence, revenue generation, and subscriber engagement solutions. These solutions are built upon Sandvine's universal, standards-compliant network policy control platform which includes Sandvine's PCRF and PCEF. Bakcell has deployed both the Policy Traffic Switch (PTS) 24700 and the PTS Virtual Series running on commercial-off-the-shelf (COTS) hardware. Sandvine is unique in its ability to have both its traditional, proprietary hardware-based PTS and its PTS Virtual Series support the same requirements in the network.

In October, Sandvine's Policy Traffic Switch (PTS) Virtual Series established a Network Functions Virtualization (NFV) performance benchmark by achieving 1.1 Tbps of throughput performance. Deployment of the PTS Virtual Series by Bakcell in a high speed LTE-Advanced network further demonstrates the commercial and technical viability of Sandvine's Virtual Series to enable virtualized network policy control for operators of all sizes.

"Sandvine's NFV-ready, innovative solutions help Bakcell to meet mobile broadband market challenges by supporting the rapid deployment of new and innovative service plans, increasing service quality, improving customer experience, and simplifying subscription management," said Mr. Yigit Berktash, CTO, Bakcell.

ABOUT SANDVINE
Sandvine's network policy control solutions add intelligence to fixed, mobile and converged communications service provider networks to enable services that can increase revenue and reduce network costs. Powered by Sandvine's Policy Engine and SandScript policy language, Sandvine's networking equipment performs end-to-end policy control functions including traffic classification, and policy decision and enforcement across the data, control and business planes.  Sandvine's products provide actionable business insight, the ability to deploy new subscriber services and tools to optimize traffic while enhancing subscriber Internet quality of experience.

Sandvine's network policy control solutions are deployed in more than 250 networks in over 90 countries, serving hundreds of millions of data subscribers worldwide, www.sandvine.com.

ABOUT BAKCELL
Bakcell, The First Mobile Operator and the Leading Mobile Internet Provider of Azerbaijan, offers a variety of products for modern mobile communications customers. Bakcell provides class leading 3G and 4G mobile internet experience in the country under the Sür@ brand name.
As one of the largest national non-oil investors, Bakcell today continues making large investments in the economy of Azerbaijan through its investments in state-of-the-art telecommunication technology and its people who service our customers.

With more than 5300 base stations Bakcell's network covers more than 99% of the population and 93% of the land area of the country (excluding occupied territories). Bakcell is a leader in innovation and it focuses on bringing the best of the mobile internet to Azerbaijanis through new partnerships and its Sür@ services. Bakcell 3G service is available in all regions and covers 93% of population. Around 250 retail outlets and 26 Customer Service Centers operating in the capital and regions are providing the best customer experience to Bakcell customers.

Following the success of 3G Sür@, the best mobile internet experience during last 4 years, Bakcell has announced the commercial launch of its 4G LTE service, on May 5, 2015, under the 4-cü Sür@ brand name. 4-cü Sür@ provides an essential increase in mobile data speeds and is designed especially for the users, who want to be mobile and have broadband internet everywhere.

For more information about Bakcell products and services, please visit www.bakcell.com or call 555. For press releases please see www.bakcell.com/az/news (or www.bakcell.com/en/news for press releases in English).

If you are not a Bakcell subscriber, but wish to find out about Bakcell and its services, please call 055 000 05 55

FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS
Certain statements in this release which are not historical facts constitute forward-looking statements or forward-looking information within the meaning of applicable securities laws ("forward-looking statements") and are made pursuant to the "safe harbour" provisions of such laws. Statements related to the scope of deployment of Sandvine's products by a specific customer, the potential revenue opportunity with any particular customer or in any market segment, the benefits of Sandvine's products and services to be realized by customers, Sandvine's market position, future opportunities, product development plans and demand for Sandvine's products and services are forward looking statements, as are any statements relating to future events, conditions or circumstances. Readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance upon any such forward-looking statements. Such forward-looking statements involve both known and unknown risks and uncertainties that may cause the actual results, performance or achievements of Sandvine to differ materially from the results, performance, achievements or developments expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. These risks and uncertainties include, without limitation, changes in internal deployment strategies or plans by specific customers; the growth of broadband internet usage and levels of capital spending on broadband network management systems; the timing of orders and manufacturing lead times; changes in customer order patterns or customer mix; insufficient, excess or obsolete inventory; increased competition in the broadband network equipment industry; dependence on the timely development and market acceptance of new product offerings and standards; rapid technological and market change; manufacturing and sourcing risks including dependence on key suppliers and key technologies; dependence upon indirect channel sales and resellers; factors such as business and economic conditions and growth trends in the broadband network equipment industry and in various geographic regions; global economic conditions and uncertainties in the geopolitical environment including the impact of regulation related to the internet and the delivery of internet services. Forward-looking statements are based on management's current plans, estimates, projections, beliefs and opinions, and Sandvine does not undertake any obligation to update forward-looking statements should assumptions related to these plans, estimates, projections, beliefs and opinions change, except to the extent required by applicable law.

SOURCE Sandvine

INVESTOR CONTACT: Rick Wadsworth, Sandvine, [phone] ext. 3503, [email protected]; MEDIA CONTACT: Dan Deeth, Sandvine, [phone], [email protected]