Sandvine Enables Turnkey Deployments of Free Basics by Facebook for Digicel

Zero-rated service plans can now be implemented in under a week

WATERLOO, ON, July 21, 2016 /CNW/ - Sandvine, (TSX:SVC) a leading provider of intelligent broadband network solutions for fixed and mobile operators, today announced that it has enabled seven turnkey deployments of Facebook's Free Basics platform for Digicel in the Caribbean and Latin America region, with more coming soon. The Free Basics platform, featuring zero-rating of key content, is being enabled in less than a week.

Free Basics by Facebook is a platform developed by Facebook that provides subscribers with improved access to useful websites such as Facebook, Wikipedia, and BabyCenter. All included services are available for free to Digicel subscribers without data charges, and focus on providing subscribers access to valuable news, employment, health, and education resources.

Digicel's Free Basics deployment is enabled through the utilization of a standard API with Sandvine's network policy control platform. The use of this API radically simplifies and accelerates the enablement of the Free Basics platform for operators and provides Digicel with a turnkey solution to not only enable the Free Basics platform in new markets, but to also regularly update the list of free services available under the plan.

Digicel has already launched Free Basics in Panama, Suriname, El Salvador, Trinidad and Tobago, Jamaica, Barbados and Papua New Guinea, and plans to use Sandvine to enable the Free Basics platform in other Caribbean, Latin America and South Pacific markets in the coming months. Each new property is expected to take less than a week to fully enable.

"The flexibility and ease-of-deployment of Sandvine's platform, combined with their wealth of experience in integrating with online charging systems has created a turnkey solution for any operator looking to provide Free Basics to their subscribers," said John Delves, Group Chief Commercial Officer, Digicel.

"Sandvine is proud to be working alongside Digicel to help bring the Free Basics platform, and the life-changing power of the internet, to those who may not otherwise have a means to gain access," said Dave Caputo, CEO Sandvine.

ABOUT SANDVINE
Sandvine's network policy control solutions add intelligence to fixed, mobile and converged communications service provider networks, to increase revenue, reduce network costs and improve subscriber quality of experience. Our networking solutions perform end-to-end policy control functions, including traffic classification, policy decision and enforcement. Deployed as virtualized network functions or on Sandvine's purpose built hardware, the products provide actionable business insight, and the ability to deploy new consumer and business subscriber services, optimize and secure network traffic, and engage with subscribers.

Sandvine's network policy control solutions are deployed in more than 300 networks in over 100 countries, serving hundreds of millions of data subscribers worldwide. www.sandvine.com.

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

Rick Wadsworth, Sandvine, [phone] ext. 3503, [email protected]; Dan Deeth, Sandvine, [phone], [email protected]