RICHARDSON, Texas & LAS VEGAS – Taqua®, LLC, a leading supplier of next-generation switching systems and applications, today at the Rural Cellular Association convention in Las Vegas announced that Taqua has partnered with Star Solutions to deploy the Star Solutions family of wireless products into its Taqua MobileWorks™’ wireless and wireline convergence solution designed for rural North American service providers.

Network operators today are faced with the daunting tasks of upgrading their wireline network to replace legacy Class 5 switches and deploying advanced IP services, while also upgrading their first- or second-generation wireless networks at the same time. The Taqua MobileWorks solution is the first wireline and wireless solution targeted at rural service providers that includes: a) next-generation wireline and wireless switching equipment with enhanced applications, and b) IP-based radio access network (RAN), mobile switching center (MSC), home location register (HLR), and packet data service nodes (PDSNs).

Rural wireline and wireless service providers can now look to one company to enable a complete next-generation network migration strategy that combines state-of-the art converged applications within a unified experience for the end subscriber across wireline and wireless networks. “In the past, rural carriers were forced to shoe-horn expensive large vendor solutions designed for the largest carriers in the world into their network,” explained Scott Weidenfeller, chief marketing officer at Taqua LLC. “Taqua MobileWorks is designed to deliver the same large-carrier features and capabilities, but with a simplified and much more cost-effective all-IP architecture.”

”By integrating our Sonata core network and iCell IP-RAN products into Taqua MobileWorks, we enable true convergence for service providers reaching fixed and mobile subscribers over a single common IP network for voice and data services,” commented Star Solutions CEO Jack Mar.

Taqua has been exclusively focused on the North American service provider market for over ten years with its flagship Taqua 7000™ switching system having replaced every type of North American Class 5 switch. As a result of the T7000’s patented architecture, Taqua developed a Mobile Interface Card’ (MIC) that easily allows the same Class 5 replacement platform to concurrently provide wireless switching for GSM/CDMA, 2G, 3G or 4G networks. This allows a service provider to leverage next-generation switching assets and utilize the T7000 as the centerpiece for network convergence. With the tight integration of Star Solutions’ family of core network products, Taqua MobileWorks delivers a next-generation service architecture that converges advanced applications across TDM, IP, CDMA and GSM networks at a fraction of the cost of competitive solutions.

About Taqua®, LLC

Established in 1998, Taqua is a leading supplier of next-generation switching systems and applications. With over 350 system deployments, the company’s solutions are deployed by wireline, cable and wireless carriers as next-generation end-office exchanges. Taqua is the only supplier of next-generation solutions exclusively focused on small and medium sized wireline and/or wireless carriers. Taqua is headquartered in Richardson, TX with research and development located in Hyannis, MA and Richardson, TX and all manufacturing, R&D and support based in North America. More information on Taqua can be obtained by calling +1.972.692.1800, by email at  simplify@taqua.com , or by browsing the website at www.taqua.com.

About Star Solutions

Star Solutions International Inc. (“Star Solutions”) is a leading supplier of network infrastructure products that enable CDMA/GSM wireless operators to reach customers using Internet Protocol technology. These products deliver voice and broadband data services to CDMA2000® and GSM/GPRS mobile users including solutions that address rural mobile, enterprise, in-building, cruise ship, portable and military applications. Based on a distributed network architecture, Star Solutions technology allows operators to deploy end-to-end solutions with scalable and modular platforms that lower the total cost of ownership. For more information about Star Solutions, visit www.starsolutions.com.