LAFAYETTE, CA.
September 21, 1999–The CT Institute today announced Natural MicroSystems (NASDAQ:NMSS), the technology leader in Open Telecommunications™, is adopting the CT Institute’s Computer Telephony Engineer (CTE) ^SM certification, the industry’s premier advanced designation for systems engineering professionals, as a prerequisite to Natural MicroSystems product training programs.

Natural Microsystems will make the CTE training program and certification program available to its partners. By offering the CTE to its partners, Natural MicroSystems is assuring that they will have the data networking, voice networking and computer telephony integration expertise needed to develop and deploy communications solutions for today’s converged network environments.

"The alliance between Natural MicroSystems and the CT Institute benefits Natural MicroSystems, our partners, and our customers," said John Emery, Director of Business Development. "When our partners have the Computer Telephony Engineer certification, they have proven expertise in data networking, voice networking and computer telephony integration. The differentiation enables them to successfully implement our enabling technology in enterprise or network market offerings, including VoIP gateways, enhanced services or unified messaging." Emery concluded,"Ultimately, it lets our partners deploy customer solutions based on our technology and services, while confidently addressing their customers’ voice and data convergence needs."

"Successful deployments and customer satisfaction are key to rapid growth in this sophisticated voice and data marketplace. The adoption of the CTE certification by Natural MicroSystems ensures the availability of the skills necessary to achieve their customer service goals." Stefan Drege, director of marketing, CT Institute.

"Our customers are keenly interested in converging their voice and data networks," said Mike D. Skinner, president of ITS US, in Royal Oak, Michigan, a leading convergence VAR. "With the voice, data, and CTI training that the CTE certification program gives my sales engineers, I can successfully implement sophisticated convergence products into reliable solutions for them."

About the CT Institute
CT Institute developed the Computer Telephony Engineer (CTE) certification program working with switch and CT manufacturers, value added resellers (VARs), and interconnects. Quality content and a proven teaching methodology define the CT Institute’s programs. CT Institute uses and a full team of course developers to maintain course curriculum, integrity, and consistency.

David James Clarke, IV, founded the CT Institute in 1997. Clarke, an associate professor, international speaker, and a Certified Novell Instructor, has authored more than 25 books, including the popular CNE Study Guides. CT Institute is privately held and has its headquarters in Lafayette, Calif.. Please visit www.ctinstitute.com for more information.

About Natural MicroSystems
Natural MicroSystems (NASDAQ: NMSS), based in Framingham, MA, provides IP-centric software development tools, hardware, reference designs and consulting services to communications equipment manufacturers worldwide. The network-quality products, technologies, design and customization resources make Natural MicroSystems the OEM partner of choice for the rapidly growing number of manufacturers that are building platforms to support today's convergence applications.

By using Natural MicroSystems’ products and services, equipment providers benefit from reduced time-to-market when delivering best-in-class high-performance IP gateways, IP media servers, wireless/IP gateways, network-based enhanced services and other voice/data/video solutions. This is because Natural MicroSystems’ state-of-the-art products and technologies, including SS7 and CompactPCI, are based on open, standards-based platforms collectively referred to as Open TelecommunicationsTM.

Founded in 1983, Natural MicroSystems products and services are available in more than 40 countries, and the quality processes at the company have earned ISO 9002 certification. More information on the company is available at: http://www.nmss.com.

CTE is a service mark of the CT Institute.