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Eicon Networks to Purchase Intel’s Media and Signaling Business


WEBWIRE

SANTA CLARA, Calif., Aug. 9, 2006 – Eicon Networks Corporation ("Eicon") and Intel Corporation today announced that they have signed an agreement for Intel to sell the assets of its media and signaling business to Eicon.

The acquisition is expected to allow Eicon to become a leading player in the media processing and signaling market segment. The sale will enable Intel to focus its investments on its core communications and embedded businesses, including Intel® Architecture and network processors, modular communications platforms and optical modules. The transaction is expected to close in approximately four to six weeks and is subject to regulatory review and normal closing conditions. Financial terms are not being disclosed.

Intel’s media and signaling business includes all of the product lines from Intel’s Dialogic acquisition, as well as Host Media Processing (HMP) software and HMP-enabled blades. Intel’s complete line of SS7, PBX integration and gateway solutions are also included in the sale.

With Eicon’s complementary Diva Server line of products, it is anticipated that the acquisition will enable Eicon to provide enhanced enterprise and service provider offerings to current Eicon and Intel customers as well as future customers. Eicon plans to continue to work closely with Intel as an active member of the Intel® Communication Alliance.

Eicon also announced that concurrently with the acquisition, leading global investment groups Investcorp Technology Ventures and Tennenbaum Capital Partners will invest in Eicon, with Investcorp serving as the lead equity investor in the transaction and Tennenbaum providing a credit facility and serving as an equity co-investor.

"This is a very exciting day for Eicon" said Nick Jensen, Eicon Networks’ president and CEO. "Eicon’s and Intel’s media and signaling products complement each other well. We expect this acquisition to extend our global reach with solutions for both traditional circuit switch communication technology and leading-edge IP platforms for both enterprises and service providers.

"We are also very pleased that the prestigious investment firms of Investcorp and Tennenbaum believe so strongly in the potential of the company following the acquisition that they have chosen to become shareholders in Eicon" Jensen added.

"Our investment in the combination of Eicon and the Intel assets reflects our confidence in the tremendous potential of the media and signaling space" said Savio Tung, head of Investcorp Technology Ventures. "Equally important, we have a great deal of experience executing complex spin-out transactions to help ensure a smooth transition with Eicon"

"We are delighted to have the opportunity to invest in the combination of Eicon and the Intel assets" said Steven Chang, a Partner at Tennenbaum. "We’re committed to providing management with the financial resources and expertise they need to continue to provide innovative products and services to customers and grow the business. This investment underscores Tennenbaum’s continued commitment to investing in technology companies and highlights our confidence in the media processing and signaling market segments"

"Intel is sharpening its focus on communications and embedded market segments that are aligned with our core businesses" said Anthony Neal-Graves, general manager of Intel’s Modular Communications Platform Division. "The media and signaling business continues to present an attractive market opportunity, and these products will continue to be an important part of the Intel ecosystem. We will continue to collaborate with Eicon to ensure that customers have complete and competitive Intel Architecture-based solutions"

Intel’s media and signaling business includes approximately 600 employees involved in a variety of functions, including engineering, product testing and validation, operations and marketing. It is expected that a significant number of these employees will become employees of Eicon. The two companies will be working together during the coming months to seamlessly transition the business in order to continue to offer high quality service and support to all customers.

This sale does not impact Intel’s communications infrastructure products for telecommunications equipment manufacturers, including its industry-leading Advanced Telecom Computing Architecture* (ATCA) blades and carrier-grade rack mount servers, and its CompactPCI* compute blades and chassis.

About Eicon Networks
Eicon Networks, founded in 1984, provides media processing hardware and software that enable developers and system integrators to deliver applications for voice, speech, conferencing, VoIP, fax and IP based solutions. Eicon’s flagship Diva Server products share a powerful common architecture along with a wide range of tools for developers and market leading support. Further information is available at www.eicon.com.

About Investcorp Technology Ventures
Based in New York and London, Investcorp Technology Ventures focuses on venture buyouts, corporate spinouts and growth capital financing of established technology companies. Investcorp Technology Ventures is part of Investcorp, a global investment group with offices in New York, London and Bahrain. It was established in 1982 and has since completed transactions with an aggregate value of approximately $30 billion. Investcorp currently manages over $9.9 billion in private equity, venture capital, real estate and other alternative investments. Further information is available at www.investcorp.com.

About Tennenbaum Capital Partners
Tennenbaum Capital Partners is a Santa Monica, California-based private investment firm managing over $4 billion in private funds. Tennenbaum focuses on investment opportunities between $50 million to $250 million. The firm’s investment strategy is based on a long-term horizon and value-oriented approach. Tennenbaum’s core strengths include an in-depth knowledge of equity and debt financing vehicles in the public and private markets with a focus on complex investments such as acquisitions and special situations. Tennenbaum has extensive investment experience in several industries, including retail, manufacturing, energy and power as well as technology and telecom. Recent investments in the technology sector include Celerity, Inc., Enterasys Networks, Information Resources, Inc., Isola Group, Lawson Software, Online Resources Corporation and Vitesse Semiconductor. For more information, please visit www.tennenbaumcapital.com.

Intel, the world leader in silicon innovation, develops technologies, products and initiatives to continually advance how people work and live. Additional information about Intel is available at www.intel.com/pressroom.

Eicon Diva, Diva Server and the Eicon logo are trademarks of Eicon Networks Corporation or its subsidiaries.

Intel is a registered trademark of Intel Corporation or its subsidiaries in the United States and other countries.

* Other names and brands may be claimed as the property of others.



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