Westell Enters Alliance Partnership with Spirent Communications; Compa

    Business Editors/High-Tech Editors

    AURORA, Ill.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Jan. 19, 2005--Westell Technologies, Inc., (NASDAQ:WSTL), a leading provider of broadband/DSL access products, gateways, conferencing services and legacy network technology products, announced today a new agreement with Spirent Communications (NYSE:SPM), to market a joint solution consisting of the Spirent SmartSight(TM) family of products and the Westell Inteleport(TM) Ethernet Network Interface Unit (NIU).
    The joint solution will allow telephone companies and telecommunications service providers to perform IP/Ethernet diagnostics to determine the quality of service that is delivered to the end customer network. Together, these products form an end-to-end automated diagnostic solution with interfaces to performance and fault management, trouble ticketing and inventory systems.
    "This alliance leverages the strengths of both Westell and Spirent in delivering a world class Ethernet / IP diagnostic solution to our customers," said William Burns, president of Spirent Communications. "Customers deploying this solution will experience the benefits of reduced operations costs and increased revenue through the reliable delivery of enhanced Ethernet and IP services."
    Westell's new Inteleport Ethernet NIU is a remotely manageable, intelligent NIU device that provides a standard 10/100baseT interface for Ethernet service. Inteleport's service diagnosis and analysis results help service providers determine the proper response without the need for costly field dispatches.
    Because Inteleport is an in-line device on the customer's circuit a variety of powerful testing features are available. Service providers are now able to support remote provisioning and maintenance and promote a cost-effective method to deliver quality of service (QoS) and customer service level agreements (SLAs) required in new IP services such as the voice, video, and data "triple play".
    Spirent's SmartSight portfolio is an integrated solution that combines powerful hardware and software diagnostic tools to significantly improve visibility into IP and Ethernet services from the customer premise level to the network and operational levels. The portfolio consists of the SmartSight VoIP Diagnostic Assistant, SmartSight Operational Support System, SmartSight Quality of Service Scope, and the SmartSight Broadband Remote Test Unit.
    "Spirent's vision of networking and Westell's experience in reducing service providers' operational expenses brought us together," said Van Cullens, president and CEO of Westell. "Inteleport combined with Spirent's SmartSight will help deliver familiar and required monitoring and management capability of carriers' legacy TDM networks to their new IP/Ethernet networks," he added.

    About Spirent Communications
    Spirent Communications (www.spirentcom.com) is a global provider of integrated performance analysis and service assurance systems that enable the development and deployment of next-generation networking technology such as Internet Telephony, broadband services, 3G wireless, global navigation satellite systems, and network security equipment. Spirent's solutions are used by more than 1,500 customers in 30 countries, including the world's largest equipment manufacturers, service providers, enterprises and governments. Based in Rockville, Maryland, Spirent Communications reported 2003 revenue of $394 million and has 1,800 employees worldwide. The company is the largest business group of Spirent plc, traded on the London and New York Stock Exchanges (LSE: SPT)(NYSE: SPM)(CUSIP number: 84856M209). www.spirent.com. Spirent Communications' sales to the United States government are made through Spirent Federal Systems. www.spirentfederal.com
    Spirent, Spirent Communications and the Spirent logo are trademarks or registered trademarks of Spirent plc. All other trademarks or registered trademarks mentioned herein are held by their respective companies. All rights reserved

    About Westell
    Westell Technologies, Inc. (NASDAQ: WSTL) headquartered in Aurora, Illinois is a Tier-1 provider of intelligent, carrier-class broadband access products, manufactured using a TL9000 registered quality management system. Westell offers high-speed broadband/DSL, VoIP and legacy network technology products for carriers, service providers and business enterprises around the world. ConferencePlus, a Westell subsidiary, offers conferencing services including voice, video, and IP data conferencing, to carriers and multi-national corporations throughout the world. For more information visit www.westell.com.

    "Safe Harbor" statement under the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act 1995:
    Certain statements contained herein including, without limitation, statements containing the words "believe," " on track, " "anticipate," "committed" "expect," "estimate", "await," "continue," "intend," "may," "will," "should," and similar expressions are forward looking statements that involve risks and uncertainties. These risks include, but are not limited to, product demand and market acceptance risks, need for financing, the economic downturn in the U.S. economy and telecom market, the impact of competitive products or technologies, competitive pricing pressures, product development, excess and obsolete inventory due to new product development, commercialization and technological delays or difficulties (including delays or difficulties in developing, producing, testing and selling new products and technologies), the effect of Westell's accounting policies, the need for additional capital, the effect of economic conditions and trade, legal social and economic risks (such as import, licensing and trade restrictions) and other risks more fully described in Westell's Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended March 31, 2004 under the section "Risk Factors". Westell undertakes no obligation to release publicly the result of any revisions to these forward looking statements that may be made to reflect events or circumstances after the date hereof or to reflect the occurrence of unanticipated events.

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CONTACT: Westell Technologies, Inc. CFO: Nicholas Hindman, 630-375-4136 nhind@westell.com or Trade/Business Press: Tom Mikol, 630-375-4450 tmikol@westell.com

KEYWORD: ILLINOIS INDUSTRY KEYWORD: HARDWARE ADVERTISING/MARKETING TELECOMMUNICATIONS SOFTWARE NETWORKING MARKETING AGREEMENTS SOURCE: Westell Technologies, Inc.

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