Tollgrade Enters OEM Agreement With Mariner to Deliver Proactive IPTV Service Assurance Solutions

PITTSBURGH, Jan. 21 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Tollgrade Communications, Inc. (Nasdaq: TLGD), a leading supplier of network service assurance products and solutions, today announced its OEM agreement with Mariner Partners Inc., a leading provider of IP video solutions, for a customized Tollgrade version of the IPTV service assurance solution, xVu TV Care. With this agreement, Tollgrade gains the ability to deliver to its customers a critical test solution for ensuring a positive quality of experience (QoE) for IPTV subscribers globally.

Tollgrade will integrate the customized xVu engine into Stratum™, its new service assurance platform announced in September 2009. Stratum helps service providers to integrate new IP-based network testing initiatives with existing platforms, providing integrated test analysis across a variety of access technologies. The integration of Stratum with xVu will give service providers actionable, analyzed information necessary to locate, identify and solve subscriber IPTV service issues -- in some cases before the subscriber is even aware of the issue. "We are confident that our long list of global customers adding IPTV services to their high speed broadband deployments will benefit from this new service assurance capability," said David Chan, Tollgrade's Executive Director of Marketing. "The combination of set-top box, line test and broadband data in our integrated analysis platform will lead to improved diagnostics of the access and customer premise network."

Mariner's xVu suite enables service providers to maintain complete visibility of customers' in-home IPTV QoE, including visibility throughout the contentious "last mile." By providing non-intrusive service monitoring, a series of task-purposed user interfaces, market analytics and a range of viewing statistics, xVu helps service providers to address service issues in a proactive customer-centric way, dramatically reducing churn and unnecessary technical dispatch. "This agreement will enable Tollgrade customers around the globe to provide best in class QoE to their TV customers," said Brock Sansom, Mariner's Vice President for Business Development.

Recent xVu achievements include integration with Microsoft® Mediaroom™ and the Cisco Visual Quality of Experience (VQE) platform.

Stratum is currently being deployed in customer trials in the United States and South America. The enhanced version of Stratum with the xVu engine, Stratum IPTV SA, is available immediately for trials and is expected to be generally available for license in the second quarter of 2010.

This agreement, and Tollgrade's integrated offering, is another proof point of progress in Tollgrade's plan to develop and deliver the test solutions service providers need to reliably deliver next generation IP-centric services to their subscribers.

About Tollgrade

Tollgrade Communications, Inc. is a leading provider of network service assurance products and services for centralized test systems around the world.  Tollgrade designs, engineers, markets and supports centralized test systems, test access and next generation network assurance technologies.  Tollgrade's customers range from the top telecom providers to numerous independent telecom and broadband providers around the world.  Tollgrade's network testing, measurement and monitoring solutions support the infrastructure of telecom companies and power distribution companies.  For more information, visit Tollgrade's web site at www.tollgrade.com.

About Mariner

Mariner is a leading provider of innovative IP video solutions and technologies that deliver unique value to the expanding IPTV industry. Mariner's flagship TV care product, xVu, specializes on Next-Gen IPTV service monitoring. Mariner's architecture and toolset enables service providers to better assure the viewing experience, isolate troubles and guide cost effective resolution such as "smart" truck rolls. Mariner's frostt platform delivers interactive TV, social networking and self-service capabilities to the TV in a highly compelling viewing experience. To find out more about Mariner, visit www.marinerpartners.com or contact [email protected].

Forward-Looking Statements

The foregoing release contains "forward-looking statements" regarding future events or results within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended. Tollgrade cautions readers that such "forward-looking statements" are, in fact, predictions that are subject to risks and uncertainties and that actual events or results may differ materially from those anticipated events or results expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. Tollgrade disclaims any current intention to update its "forward-looking statements," and the estimates and assumptions within them, at any time or for any reason. In particular, the following factor, among others could cause actual results to differ materially from those described in the "forward-looking statements:" the inability to complete or possible delays in completing certain research and development efforts that may be required for product release and general availability. Any number of factors that could cause actual events or results to differ materially from those contained in the "forward-looking statements" is included in the Company's filings with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (the "SEC") including, but not limited to, the Company's Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2008 and any subsequently filed reports. All documents are also available through the SEC's Electronic Data Gathering Analysis and Retrieval system at www.sec.gov or from the Company's website at www.tollgrade.com.

SOURCE Tollgrade Communications, Inc.