OKLAHOMA CITY, Aug. 27, 2014 /PRNewswire/ -- Elephant Talk Communications Corp. (NYSE MKT: ETAK) ("Elephant Talk" or "the Company"), a global provider of Software Defined Network Architecture (ET Software DNA® 2.0) platforms and cyber security solutions, today announced that independent telecommunications consultancy Ovum (www.ovum.com) in a white paper states, "Elephant Talk Software DNA 2.0®, especially with its integration of core network functions, has a more complete solution than the platforms available from the many specialist vendors in the mobile services market."

Steven van der Velden, Elephant Talk Chairman and CEO, and Martin Zuurbier, Elephant Talk Chief Technology Officer, jointly stated, "We believe this independent assessment of our Software DNA® Platform is another authoritative confirmation that our Company is a frontrunner in the Software Defined Network / Network Functions Virtualization ("SDN/NFV") domain and it also highlights the substantial value of our platform to mobile network operators ("MNOs") and mobile virtual network operators ("MVNOs").  The Ovum report provides great insight into the large and growing market that our software solutions can serve. For our Company and our talented and skilled staff, this white paper is a sheer accolade."

According to the Ovum report, it is still early in the evolution of SDN and NFV technology, and in a capex-constrained environment such a major change to network architecture is not going to happen overnight, but change is definitely coming, because, as the Ovum report describes, existing architectures simply cannot deliver the network performance to meet ever-increasing customer service demands at sustainable costs.

David Krozier, Ovum Principal Analyst, Network Infrastructure, states, "Requirements for mobile service platforms have converged around a common set of needs that are shared by MNOs and MVNOs. Both types of mobile operator need more than just connectivity from their network. They acquire and retain customers with innovative services delivered at an attractive price, and they need to react quickly to market changes. Furthermore, mobile operators need to cost-effectively accommodate tremendous ongoing growth in service demand. Virtualized mobile service platforms, supported by SDN and NFV technologies, can provide the flexibility, scalability, and cost savings these operators need to deliver value."

Ovum on the Elephant Talk Software DNA® 2.0 Platform:
"Software DNA® 2.0 was rolled out in February 2014, the result of a seven-year development effort, and is delivering commercial services in Mexico to over 1.5 million Iusacell subscribers, with an additional 6.5 million subscribers expected to be served from the platform. An installation servicing up to 10 million subscribers can be supported from just nine physical equipment racks, and the platform is capable of scaling up to 20 million subscribers, sufficient to support all but the large MNOs and MVNOs.  Elephant Talk has a reseller agreement for Software DNA® 2.0 with its partner HP. Software DNA® 2.0 is based on virtualized software running on commercial off-the-shelf (COTS) servers. Nearly all of the software functions in Software DNA® 2.0 were developed by Elephant Talk and are virtualized, with the notable exception of the HLR function (HP I-HSS), which was developed by partner HP." 

Ovum on the global vendor landscape:
Ovum states, "Elephant Talk has taken a different approach. Its Software DNA® 2.0 platform integrates a comprehensive suite of software functions to provide the full complement of core network, intelligent network ("IN"), and OSS and BSS components into a single platform. The product aims to deliver much of the flexibility and cost savings that drive interest in SDN and NFV. With Software DNA 2.0, Elephant Talk has taken the first step along a path to NFV and SDN while delivering capabilities that MNOs, MVNOs, MVNEs, and MVNAs need today."

Ovum analyzed the global vendor landscape and states, "The largest network equipment providers (NEPs) are bringing virtualized Evolved Packet Core (vEPC) and virtualized IP Multimedia Subsystem (vIMS) products to market in 2014 as an initial step towards NFV and SDN. Connectem, Ericsson, Alcatel-Lucent, Juniper, NSN, NEC, Huawei, and Cisco all have announced vEPC trials or products this year. In addition, Alcatel-Lucent and Huawei have announced vIMS products. In February 2014 NEC launched a virtualized gateway GPRS support node/packet data gateway (GGSN/PGW) product aimed at the MVNO market. This vMVNO Gateway joins the virtualized serving gateway (SGW), packet data gateway (PGW), and mobile management entity (MME) functions in NEC's vEPC product announced in October 2013. Operators too are preparing for a future with virtualized mobile network platforms. In May 2014 NTT DoCoMo announced it had completed a trial to test control mechanisms for mobile networks working with vEPC in collaboration with Alcatel-Lucent, Cisco and NEC. NTT DoCoMo plans to deploy commercial services over a virtualized mobile network by March 2016."

Download the full report: www.elephanttalk.com "Ovum white paper on ET Software DNA® 2.0 platform" (PDF).

About Elephant Talk:
Elephant Talk Communications Corp. (NYSE MKT: ETAK), is a global provider of mobile proprietary Software Defined Network Architecture (Software DNA® 2.0) platforms for the telecommunications industry. The company empowers Mobile Network Operators (MNOs), Virtual Operators (MVNOs), Enablers (MVNEs) and Aggregators (MVNAs) with a full suite of applications, superior industry expertise and high quality customer service without substantial upfront investment. Elephant Talk counts several of the world's leading MNOs and technology companies amongst its customers and partners, including Vodafone, T-Mobile, Zain, Iusacell and HP. Visit: www.elephanttalk.com.

About ValidSoft UK Limited:
ValidSoft UK Limited ("ValidSoft"), a subsidiary of Elephant Talk Communications Corp., secures transactions using personal authentication and device assurance.  We help our customers to reduce fraud losses and improve customers' experience. As part of our multi-factor authentication, ValidSoft integrates its leading Voice Biometric engine into multivendor solutions or as a standalone system. ValidSoft serves multiple clients in the financial, government and business automation sectors and is the only company to have been granted four European Privacy Seals, reflecting its commitment to promoting strong data privacy. Visit: www.validsoft.com.

Contacts:

Investor Relations:
Steve Gersten
Capital Markets Group
813-926-8920
steve@capmarketsgroup.com

Public Relations:
Michael Glickman
MWG CO.
917-596-1883
mike@mwgco.net

Logo - http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20120917/MM75872LOGO

SOURCE Elephant Talk Communications Corp.