(May 3, 2002) - Borland Software Corporation has joined the OSS (Operations Support Systems) through Java Initiative. Founded by Sun Microsystems, Inc. and other leading technology and telecommunications companies, including Ericsson, Motorola, Nokia, Nortel Networks, and Telcordia Technologies, the members of the Initiative are investing core expertise and resources, and have formed teams to produce standard Java APIs that will help create new business opportunities for OSS developers and millions of Java developers. Borland will provide the project with expertise in Java and CORBA® technologies, as well as its expertise with customers in the telecommunications industry. By developing and complying with standard Java APIs, the Initiative aims to standardize interfaces for general telecommunications service, quality of service, service activation, billing, and inventory applications.

Telecommunications service providers currently face a fragmented OSS market filled with proprietary systems that cannot function together without costly integration. Many vendors have developed their own APIs and technologies to facilitate integration, but as the complexities build, so do weak points in the systems, often leading to costly telecommunications service problems. The OSS through Java Initiative offers telecom providers a more flexible solution for rapid market entry, sustainable growth and smoother operations. The result is more time to focus on key issues such as customer acquisition and faster time to revenue.

"Borland's continued leadership and dedication to reliable, scalable, and open platforms and support for the establishment and compliance of industry standards makes them a powerful addition to the OSS through Java Initiative," said Philippe Lalande, manager of the OSS through Java Initiative at Sun. "Borland's customers also understand the importance of using a proven framework to develop APIs that support key OSS/ Business Support Systems (BSS) functions. This approach is the surest way to speed the development of next generation telecommunications solutions. We're convinced that the telecommunications industry as a whole will benefit greatly from Borland's involvement in the Initiative."

Borland has a strong history with telecommunications customers using Borland® development, deployment and integration technology, including Borland® Enterprise Server, VisiBrokerâ Edition, the most deployed CORBA solution on the market. Telcordia, a provider of operations support systems, network software and consulting and engineering services to the telecommunications industry, among others, uses Borland Enterprise Server to deploy and integrate their applications.

"Joining the OSS through Java Initiative underlines Borland's continued commitment to software programming and deployment platform standards that drive down the costs of integration for organizations in the telecommunications, technology, finance and government industries," said Frank Slootman, vice president of software solutions at Borland. "Our telecommunications customers believe that the Java and Java 2 Enterprise Edition (J2EE™) platforms will lead the development market. Joining the OSS through Java Initiative is a natural step for Borland to help companies benefit from technology standards."

Along with Borland, members of the Initiative are investing core expertise and resources to foster a market of interoperable and interchangeable OSS components. The OSS APIs are standardized under the latest Java Community ProcessSM (JCP) program, of which Borland was re-elected to the Executive Committee in November 2001. JCP has already been successfully used to create technologies like J2EE, JDBC® API, and Java Messaging Service. The OSS through Java Initiative is focused on bringing to the fragmented OSS/BSS market the same convergence that such technologies have already brought to their respective industries.