ACE COMM CORP
S-1/A, 1996-08-12
COMMUNICATIONS EQUIPMENT, NEC
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<PAGE>
   
    AS FILED WITH THE SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION ON AUGUST 12, 1996
    
 
                                                      REGISTRATION NO. 333-06731
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
 
                       SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
                             WASHINGTON, D.C. 20549
                            ------------------------
 
   
                                AMENDMENT NO. 2
                                       TO
                                    FORM S-1
    
                             REGISTRATION STATEMENT
                                     UNDER
                           THE SECURITIES ACT OF 1933
                            ------------------------
 
                              ACE*COMM CORPORATION
             (Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)
                            ------------------------
 
<TABLE>
<S>                              <C>                           <C>
           MARYLAND                          3669                 52-1283030
 (State or other jurisdiction    (Primary Standard Industrial  (I.R.S. Employer
      of incorporation or        Classification Code Number)    Identification
         organization)                                               No.)
</TABLE>
 
                            ------------------------
 
                               209 PERRY PARKWAY
                          GAITHERSBURG, MARYLAND 20877
                                 (301) 258-9850
              (Address, including zip code, and telephone number,
       including area code, of registrant's principal executive offices)
                            ------------------------
 
                               GEORGE T. JIMENEZ
                                   PRESIDENT
                              ACE*COMM CORPORATION
                               209 PERRY PARKWAY
                          GAITHERSBURG, MARYLAND 20877
                                 (301) 258-9850
           (Name, Address and Telephone Number of Agent for Service)
                            ------------------------
 
                                   COPIES TO:
 
<TABLE>
<S>                                       <C>
          Ariel Vannier, Esq.                       Melvin Epstein, Esq.
    Venable, Baetjer and Howard, LLP             Stroock & Stroock & Lavan
1800 Mercantile Bank and Trust Building             Seven Hanover Square
           Two Hopkins Plaza                   New York, New York 10004-2696
     Baltimore, Maryland 21201-2978                    (212) 806-5400
             (410) 244-7400
</TABLE>
 
                            ------------------------
 
        APPROXIMATE DATE OF COMMENCEMENT OF PROPOSED SALE TO THE PUBLIC:
            AS SOON AS PRACTICABLE AFTER THE EFFECTIVE DATE HEREOF.
 
    If  any of the securities being registered on this form are to be offered on
a delayed or continuous basis pursuant to  Rule 415 under the Securities Act  of
1933, check the following box. / /
 
    If  this Form  is filed  to register  additional securities  for an offering
pursuant to Rule 462(b) under the Securities Act, please check the following box
and list  the  Securities  Act  registration statement  number  of  the  earlier
effective registration statement for the same offering. / / __________
 
    If  this Form  is a post-effective  amendment filed pursuant  to Rule 462(c)
under the Securities Act,  check the following box  and list the Securities  Act
registration statement number of the earlier registration statement for the same
offering. / / __________
 
    If  delivery of the prospectus is expected  to be made pursuant to Rule 434,
please check the following box. / /
                            ------------------------
 
    THE REGISTRANT HEREBY  AMENDS THIS  REGISTRATION STATEMENT ON  SUCH DATE  OR
DATES AS MAY BE NECESSARY TO DELAY ITS EFFECTIVE DATE UNTIL THE REGISTRANT SHALL
FILE  A  FURTHER  AMENDMENT  WHICH SPECIFICALLY  STATES  THAT  THIS REGISTRATION
STATEMENT SHALL THEREAFTER BECOME EFFECTIVE  IN ACCORDANCE WITH SECTION 8(A)  OF
THE  SECURITIES ACT  OF 1933  OR UNTIL  THE REGISTRATION  STATEMENT SHALL BECOME
EFFECTIVE ON SUCH DATE AS THE COMMISSION, ACTING PURSUANT TO SAID SECTION  8(A),
MAY DETERMINE.
 
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
<PAGE>
                              ACE*COMM CORPORATION
CROSS REFERENCE SHEET SHOWING LOCATION IN PROSPECTUS OF INFORMATION REQUIRED BY
                          ITEMS IN PART I OF FORM S-1
 
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
FORM S-1 ITEM AND CAPTION                                                        LOCATION IN PROSPECTUS
- ----------------------------------------------------------------  -----------------------------------------------------
 
<C>        <S>                                                    <C>
PART I
 
       1.  Front of Registration Statement and Outside Front
            Cover of Prospectus.................................  Cover of Prospectus
       2.  Inside Front and Outside Back Cover Pages of
            Prospectus..........................................  Inside Front and Outside Back Cover Page of
                                                                   Prospectus
       3.  Summary Information, Risk Factors and Ratio of
            Earnings to Fixed Charges...........................  Prospectus Summary; Risk Factors
       4.  Use of Proceeds......................................  Use of Proceeds
       5.  Determination of Offering Price......................  Underwriting
       6.  Dilution.............................................  Dilution
       7.  Selling Security Holders.............................  Principal and Selling Stockholders
       8.  Plan of Distribution.................................  Underwriting
       9.  Description of Securities to be Registered...........  Description of Capital Stock
      10.  Interest of Named Experts and Counsel................  Not Applicable
      11.  Information With Respect to the Registrant...........  Front Cover Page; Prospectus Summary; Risk Factors;
                                                                   Use of Proceeds; Dividend Policy; Capitalization;
                                                                   Dilution; Selected Financial Data; Management's
                                                                   Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and
                                                                   Results of Operations; Business; Management; Certain
                                                                   Transactions; Principal and Selling Stockholders;
                                                                   Description of Capital Stock; Certain Charter and
                                                                   By-Law Provisions; Shares Eligible for Future Sale;
                                                                   Financial Statements
      12.  Disclosure of Commission Position on Indemnification
            for Securities Act Liabilities......................  Not Applicable
</TABLE>
<PAGE>
INFORMATION   CONTAINED  HEREIN  IS  SUBJECT   TO  COMPLETION  OR  AMENDMENT.  A
REGISTRATION STATEMENT  RELATING TO  THESE SECURITIES  HAS BEEN  FILED WITH  THE
SECURITIES  AND EXCHANGE  COMMISSION. THESE SECURITIES  MAY NOT BE  SOLD NOR MAY
OFFERS TO BUY BE ACCEPTED PRIOR  TO THE TIME THE REGISTRATION STATEMENT  BECOMES
EFFECTIVE.  THIS  PROSPECTUS  SHALL  NOT  CONSTITUTE AN  OFFER  TO  SELL  OR THE
SOLICITATION OF AN OFFER TO BUY NOR SHALL THERE BE ANY SALE OF THESE  SECURITIES
IN  ANY STATE IN WHICH SUCH OFFER,  SOLICITATION OR SALE WOULD BE UNLAWFUL PRIOR
TO REGISTRATION OR QUALIFICATION UNDER THE SECURITIES LAWS OF ANY SUCH STATE.
<PAGE>
   
                  SUBJECT TO COMPLETION, DATED AUGUST 12, 1996
    
 
PROSPECTUS
                                2,500,000 SHARES
 
                                     [LOGO]
                                  COMMON STOCK
                               ------------------
 
    Of the 2,500,000 shares of Common  Stock, $.01 par value per share  ("Common
Stock"),  of ACE*COMM Corporation ("ACE*COMM" or the "Company"), offered hereby,
2,270,000 shares are being offered by  the Company and 230,000 shares are  being
offered  by  a  stockholder  of the  Company  (the  "Selling  Stockholder"). See
"Principal and Selling Stockholders."  The Company will not  receive any of  the
proceeds from the sale of shares by the Selling Stockholder.
 
   
    Prior to this offering, there has been no public market for the Common Stock
of the Company. It is currently estimated that the initial public offering price
will  be  between  $8  and  $10  per share.  For  factors  to  be  considered in
determining the initial public offering  price, see "Underwriting." The  Company
has  been approved to list the Common  Stock on the Nasdaq National Market under
the symbol "ACEC."
    
 
   
    At the request of the Company, the Underwriters have reserved up to  100,000
shares  of Common Stock for sale at the initial public offering price to certain
employees of the Company and certain other non-affiliated persons. The number of
shares of Common Stock available for sale to the general public will be  reduced
to  the extent  such persons  purchase such  reserved shares.  Any such reserved
shares which are not so purchased will  be offered to the general public on  the
same basis as other shares offered hereby. See "Underwriting."
    
                            ------------------------
 
  FOR A DISCUSSION OF CERTAIN FACTORS THAT SHOULD BE CONSIDERED BY PROSPECTIVE
  PURCHASERS OF THE SECURITIES OFFERED HEREBY, SEE "RISK FACTORS" BEGINNING AT
                                    PAGE 8.
                             ---------------------
 
    THESE SECURITIES HAVE NOT BEEN APPROVED OR DISAPPROVED BY THE SECURITIES
    AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION OR ANY STATE SECURITIES COMMISSION NOR HAS THE
       SECURITIES   AND  EXCHANGE  COMMISSION  OR  ANY  STATE  SECURITIES
       COMMISSION  PASSED  UPON  THE   ACCURACY  OR  ADEQUACY  OF   THIS
        PROSPECTUS.  ANY REPRESENTATION TO THE  CONTRARY IS A CRIMINAL
          OFFENSE.
 
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
                                                                   UNDERWRITING                          PROCEEDS TO THE
                                                                  DISCOUNTS AND      PROCEEDS TO THE         SELLING
                                             PRICE TO PUBLIC      COMMISSIONS(1)        COMPANY(2)         STOCKHOLDER
<S>                                         <C>                 <C>                 <C>                 <C>
Per Share.................................          $                   $                   $                   $
Total (3).................................          $                   $                   $                   $
</TABLE>
 
(1) The Company and the Selling Stockholder have agreed to indemnify the several
    Underwriters against certain  liabilities, including  liabilities under  the
    Securities Act of 1933, as amended. See "Underwriting."
 
(2) Before deduction of expenses payable by the Company estimated at $750,000.
 
(3)  The Company has granted to the  Underwriters a 30-day option to purchase up
    to 375,000  additional  shares  of  Common Stock,  on  the  same  terms  and
    conditions  as set forth above, solely  to cover over-allotments, if any. If
    such option is exercised  in full, the total  Price to Public,  Underwriting
    Discounts  and  Commissions, Proceeds  to the  Company  and Proceeds  to the
    Selling Stockholder will  be $            , $            ,  $            and
    $         , respectively. See "Underwriting."
 
    The  shares are being offered by  the several Underwriters, subject to prior
sale, when,  as, and  if delivered  to  and accepted  by the  Underwriters,  and
subject  to various  prior conditions, including  the right to  reject orders in
whole or in part.  It is expected  that delivery of  share certificates will  be
made against payment therefor at the offices of Furman Selz LLC in New York, New
York, on or about             , 1996.
 
FURMAN SELZ
 
                            OPPENHEIMER & CO., INC.
 
                                                          RODMAN & RENSHAW, INC.
                                ---------------
 
               The date of this Prospectus is             , 1996.
<PAGE>
    The  inside front  cover page  contains a  map of  the world  indicating the
number of installations of the Company's products and the countries in which the
Company's products have been installed.
 
    In addition, the inside  front cover folds open  to reveal two pages,  which
contain brief descriptions
of  the Company's carrier  network products and  network management products and
depict where such products fit within an end user's network.
 
                            ------------------------
 
    IN CONNECTION WITH THIS OFFERING, THE UNDERWRITERS MAY OVER-ALLOT OR  EFFECT
TRANSACTIONS WHICH STABILIZE OR MAINTAIN THE MARKET PRICE OF THE COMMON STOCK AT
A  LEVEL  ABOVE THAT  WHICH MIGHT  OTHERWISE  PREVAIL IN  THE OPEN  MARKET. SUCH
TRANSACTIONS  MAY  BE   EFFECTED  ON   THE  NASDAQ  NATIONAL   MARKET,  IN   THE
OVER-THE-COUNTER  MARKET OR  OTHERWISE. SUCH  STABILIZING, IF  COMMENCED, MAY BE
DISCONTINUED AT ANY TIME.
 
                                       2
<PAGE>
                               PROSPECTUS SUMMARY
 
   
    THE FOLLOWING SUMMARY IS QUALIFIED IN ITS ENTIRETY BY, AND SHOULD BE READ IN
CONJUNCTION  WITH, THE  MORE DETAILED  INFORMATION AND  FINANCIAL STATEMENTS AND
RELATED  NOTES  THERETO  APPEARING  ELSEWHERE  IN  THIS  PROSPECTUS.  EXCEPT  AS
OTHERWISE  INDICATED, ALL INFORMATION IN THIS PROSPECTUS ASSUMES (I) NO EXERCISE
OF THE UNDERWRITERS'  OVER-ALLOTMENT OPTION,  (II) THE EFFECT  OF A  4.5-FOR-ONE
STOCK  SPLIT  OF THE  COMPANY'S COMMON  STOCK EFFECTED  IN THE  FORM OF  A STOCK
DIVIDEND PRIOR  TO THE  DATE OF  THIS PROSPECTUS,  (III) THE  REDEMPTION OF  ALL
OUTSTANDING  SHARES  OF  THE COMPANY'S  CLASS  B  PREFERRED STOCK  AND  (IV) THE
CONVERSION OF  ALL  OUTSTANDING SHARES  OF  THE COMPANY'S  CLASS  C  CONVERTIBLE
PREFERRED  STOCK (THE "CLASS C PREFERRED STOCK") INTO 1,530,950 SHARES OF COMMON
STOCK, WHICH  WILL OCCUR  AUTOMATICALLY UPON  THE COMPLETION  OF THIS  OFFERING.
CERTAIN  TECHNICAL TERMS AND ACRONYMS USED IN THIS PROSPECTUS ARE DEFINED IN THE
"GLOSSARY  OF   TERMS"   BEGINNING   ON   PAGE   57.   THE   COMPANY   CONSIDERS
TELECOMMUNICATIONS  SERVICE  PROVIDERS  TO CONSIST  GENERALLY  OF  BOTH CARRIERS
OPERATING VOICE  AND DATA  NETWORKS FOR  THEIR CUSTOMERS  AND ENTERPRISES  WHICH
OPERATE VOICE AND DATA NETWORKS FOR THEIR OWN USE.
    
 
                                  THE COMPANY
 
    ACE*COMM  Corporation ("ACE*COMM"  or the  "Company") develops,  markets and
services operations support  systems ("OSS") products  for networks deployed  by
telecommunications  service providers, such as telephone companies, other public
carriers and large enterprises operating data and voice networks using intranets
and the Internet. The Company's products perform such functions as billing  data
collection,  network surveillance,  alarm processing and  network management for
some of the largest carriers and enterprises in the world.
 
    Increasing worldwide demand for data, voice and video services has created a
need for  increased network  capacity  and new  network services.  In  addition,
telecommunications   service   providers   face   an   increasingly  competitive
environment due  to  continued  deregulation and  privatization  of  the  global
telecommunications  industry. In  response to  these developments, interexchange
and local exchange carriers and  providers of Internet, personal  communications
and cellular services are offering a wide range of network features and options.
As  a result of the growth in  network usage and new services, large enterprises
require timely, accurate  information regarding network  performance and  system
usage  to support the increasing volumes of data and voice communications to and
from employees, customers  and suppliers.  ACE*COMM's products  are designed  to
enable  carriers and large enterprises  to optimize the use  of new and existing
communications networks.
 
   
    The  Company's  carrier  network   products  connect  to  existing   network
infrastructures  and  enable carriers  to  rapidly and  accurately  collect call
records and  performance  data which  are  used for  billing,  fraud  detection,
customer  care, marketing research and forecasting, and other operations support
functions. These  products are  designed to  enhance the  carriers'  competitive
position  by allowing them to offer  new features and services, minimize network
down-time, increase revenue through more accurate and timely billing and improve
network productivity.  The  Company  believes  that it  is  well  positioned  to
continue  to offer  its carrier  network products for  use by  end users located
throughout the world, for  example, in Europe, Asia  and the Pacific Rim,  which
typically  operate a wide  variety of switches  from different manufacturers and
require a data collection system capable of adapting to and integrating with the
billing system and other OSSs.
    
 
    Leveraging its  experience  in  developing  carrier  network  products,  the
Company  has also  produced network  management products  that meet  the growing
needs of large enterprises in the United States and abroad, including government
agencies, military organizations,  educational institutions  and "Fortune  1000"
size  organizations. As these enterprises  have become increasingly dependent on
the Internet and intranets for voice  and data communications, their demand  for
reliable  and  flexible network  management tools  has increased.  The Company's
network management products consist of standardized software-based systems  that
enable  network managers to  manage voice and  data communications by automating
service administration, tracking  network connections,  detecting system  errors
and  malfunctions, controlling network  inventory assignments and configuration,
monitoring
 
                                       3
<PAGE>
traffic and  performing  billing  functions. The  Company's  network  management
products are designed to increase the efficiency of communication operations and
incorporate   recent  developments  in  object-oriented  development,  real-time
response, client server architecture and graphical user interfaces.
 
   
    The  Company  is  well  positioned  to  develop  products  to  support   the
convergence  and growth of telephony and data networks within the enterprise, as
a result of its knowledge and  experience in data control and network  switching
technology, data capture and warehousing, and client server systems. The Company
presently  is partnering  with Newbridge  Networks Corporation  ("Newbridge") to
develop software designed  to provide billing  data collection capabilities  for
asynchronous  transfer  mode ("ATM"),  Frame Relay  and  X.25 switch  users. See
"Business -- Strategic Alliances and  Other Customers." The Company  anticipates
similar  opportunities to develop other  network edge technologies for equipment
and service providers in the growing market for data services.
    
 
   
    The Company has  strategic alliances with  several significant customers  or
potential  customers in order to distribute its products effectively and develop
products that  can  be responsive  to  the needs  of  end users.  The  Company's
strategic  alliance partners include AT&T  Corporation ("AT&T"), Cincinnati Bell
Information  Systems,  Inc.  ("CBIS"),  Teleglobe  Canada,  Inc.  ("Teleglobe"),
International   Computers  Limited  ("ICL"),   Lucent  Technologies,  Inc.,  GTE
Government  Systems  Corporation  ("GTE   Government  Systems")  and   BellSouth
Communication  Services, Inc. ("BellSouth"). The Company develops products which
are purchased by these  partners for their  own use or for  resale to their  own
customers  directly or as part of a larger system. The Company has sold products
to its strategic  alliance partners  for installation in  domestic and  overseas
carriers,  the  U.S.  Armed  Forces,  the U.S.  Department  of  State  and major
airports, among others. The alliances  have been especially helpful in  enabling
the  Company to further penetrate, on  a cost-effective basis, the international
telecommunications carrier markets,  where the Company's  alliance partners  are
well recognized and have well-developed business relationships. The Company also
sells  directly to  large customers  such as  Telefonos de  Mexico S.A.  de C.V.
("TELMEX"), NYNEX  and  the  University  of Iowa.  See  "Business  --  Strategic
Alliances and Other Customers."
    
 
   
    The  Company's carrier network products have  been installed in over 500 end
user sites  in  32 countries  and  its  network management  products  have  been
installed  in over  100 end  user sites in  10 countries.  The Company's carrier
network products can be tailored to the needs of operating companies in both the
wireline and  wireless  sectors,  as  well  as  end  users,  regardless  of  the
geographical location of the network equipment. The Company's network management
products   are  compatible  with  virtually   all  standard  network  management
platforms.
    
 
    The Company was incorporated in the State of Maryland in 1983. Its principal
executive offices  are  located at  209  Perry Parkway,  Gaithersburg,  Maryland
20877,  and its telephone  number is (301)  258-9850. The Company's  site on the
World Wide Web is located at http://www.acec.com.
 
                                       4
<PAGE>
                                  THE OFFERING
 
   
<TABLE>
<S>                                            <C>
Common Stock offered by:
  The Company................................  2,270,000 shares
  The Selling Stockholder....................  230,000 shares
    Total....................................  2,500,000 shares
Common Stock to be outstanding after the
 offering....................................  7,391,401 shares(1)
Use of Proceeds to the Company...............  For  general  corporate  purposes,  including
                                               working capital, the employment of additional
                                               personnel, the repayment of bank
                                               indebtedness,   the  redemption  of  Class  B
                                               Preferred Stock and the repayment of  certain
                                               indebtedness held by the holder of such stock
                                               and   by  a   related  party.   See  "Use  of
                                               Proceeds."
Nasdaq National Market symbol................  ACEC
</TABLE>
    
 
- ------------------------
   
(1) Does not include 1,073,704 shares of Common Stock issuable upon the exercise
    of stock  options outstanding  as of  June 30,  1996, with  exercise  prices
    ranging  from $0.30 to $7.93 per share, and approximately 541,215 additional
    shares issuable upon the  exercise of stock options  expected to be  granted
    after  fiscal 1996,  each with  an exercise  price of  $9.00 per  share. See
    "Management -- Amended  and Restated  Omnibus Stock  Plan," "Description  of
    Capital  Stock  -- Common  Stock"  and Note  10  to the  Company's financial
    statements.
    
 
                                  RISK FACTORS
 
    For a discussion of certain factors that should be considered by prospective
purchasers of the securities offered hereby, see "Risk Factors."
 
                                       5
<PAGE>
                             SUMMARY FINANCIAL DATA
                     (IN THOUSANDS, EXCEPT PER SHARE DATA)
 
   
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
                                                                   FISCAL YEAR ENDED JUNE 30,
                                                                 -------------------------------
                                                                   1994       1995       1996
                                                                 ---------  ---------  ---------
<S>                                                              <C>        <C>        <C>
STATEMENT OF OPERATIONS DATA:
Revenue -- products and services...............................  $  14,523  $  12,415  $  19,983
Costs and operating expenses:
  Cost of products and services................................      7,675      6,579     10,294
  Selling, general and administrative..........................      5,473      6,049      7,293
  Research and development.....................................        573      1,045        957
                                                                 ---------  ---------  ---------
Income (loss) from operations..................................        802     (1,258)     1,439
Interest expense...............................................        156        335        379
                                                                 ---------  ---------  ---------
Income (loss) before income taxes..............................        646     (1,593)     1,060
Income taxes...................................................     --         --         --
                                                                 ---------  ---------  ---------
Net income (loss)..............................................  $     646  $  (1,593) $   1,060
                                                                 ---------  ---------  ---------
                                                                 ---------  ---------  ---------
Pro forma net income per share (1).............................                        $    0.18
                                                                                       ---------
                                                                                       ---------
Shares used to compute pro forma net income per share (1)......                            5,974
                                                                                       ---------
                                                                                       ---------
</TABLE>
    
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
                                                                              QUARTERS ENDED
                                         -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                          SEPT. 30,    DEC. 31,     MAR. 31,     JUNE 30,     SEPT. 30,    DEC. 31,     MAR. 31,
                                            1994         1994         1995         1995         1995         1995         1996
                                         -----------  -----------  -----------  -----------  -----------  -----------  -----------
<S>                                      <C>          <C>          <C>          <C>          <C>          <C>          <C>
STATEMENT OF OPERATIONS DATA:
Revenue -- products and services.......   $   2,879    $   3,552    $   2,807    $   3,177    $   3,433    $   4,772    $   4,906
Costs and operating expenses:
  Cost of products and services........       1,485        2,027        1,246        1,821        1,736        2,736        2,200
  Selling, general and
   administrative......................       1,505        1,576        1,594        1,374        1,362        1,610        1,772
  Research and development.............         218          268          226          333          132          235          264
                                         -----------  -----------  -----------  -----------  -----------  -----------  -----------
Income (loss) from operations..........        (329)        (319)        (259)        (351)         203          191          670
Interest expense.......................          53           74          102          106          104           97           84
                                         -----------  -----------  -----------  -----------  -----------  -----------  -----------
Income (loss) before income taxes......        (382)        (393)        (361)        (457)          99           94          586
Income taxes...........................      --           --           --           --           --           --           --
                                         -----------  -----------  -----------  -----------  -----------  -----------  -----------
Net income (loss)......................   $    (382)   $    (393)   $    (361)   $    (457)   $      99    $      94    $     586
                                         -----------  -----------  -----------  -----------  -----------  -----------  -----------
                                         -----------  -----------  -----------  -----------  -----------  -----------  -----------
 
<CAPTION>
 
                                          JUNE 30,
                                            1996
                                         -----------
<S>                                      <C>
STATEMENT OF OPERATIONS DATA:
Revenue -- products and services.......   $   6,872
Costs and operating expenses:
  Cost of products and services........       3,622
  Selling, general and
   administrative......................       2,549
  Research and development.............         326
                                         -----------
Income (loss) from operations..........         375
Interest expense.......................          94
                                         -----------
Income (loss) before income taxes......         281
Income taxes...........................      --
                                         -----------
Net income (loss)......................   $     281
                                         -----------
                                         -----------
</TABLE>
 
- ------------------------
(1) For a description of the computation of  pro forma net income per share  and
    shares  used in computing pro forma net income  per share, see Note 1 to the
    Company's financial statements included elsewhere in this Prospectus.
 
                                       6
<PAGE>
 
   
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
                                                                       JUNE 30, 1996
                                                                   ----------------------
                                                                                  AS
                                                                    ACTUAL    ADJUSTED(1)
                                                                   ---------  -----------
BALANCE SHEET DATA:
<S>                                                                <C>        <C>
Cash.............................................................  $     369   $  13,091
Working capital..................................................      1,897      16,795
Total assets.....................................................     14,298      26,968
Total liabilities................................................     12,187       7,060
Mandatorily redeemable preferred stock...........................      2,262      --
Stockholders' equity (deficit)...................................       (150)     19,908
</TABLE>
    
 
- ------------------------
   
(1) Adjusted to give effect to (i)  the conversion of all outstanding shares  of
    Class  C Preferred Stock into 1,530,950 shares  of Common Stock and (ii) the
    sale of 2,270,000 shares of Common Stock offered by the Company hereby at an
    initial offering price of $9 per share (the mid-point of the estimated range
    of the initial public offering price) after deducting underwriting discounts
    and commissions and estimated offering expenses payable by the Company,  and
    the  application  of the  estimated  net proceeds  therefrom,  including the
    repayment of certain indebtedness  and the redemption of  shares of Class  B
    Preferred Stock. See "Use of Proceeds" and "Capitalization."
    
 
BACKLOG
 
    The  following  table  sets forth,  on  the dates  indicated,  the Company's
backlog by backlog type. See "Management's Discussion and Analysis of  Financial
Condition and Results of Operations -- Overview" and "Business -- Backlog."
 
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
                                                                                                JUNE 30,
                                                                                     -------------------------------
                                                                                       1994       1995       1996
                                                                                     ---------  ---------  ---------
<S>                                                                                  <C>        <C>        <C>
Order Backlog......................................................................  $   5,656  $   3,606  $  10,394
Contract Backlog...................................................................      2,600      1,005     37,201
</TABLE>
 
                                       7
<PAGE>
                                  RISK FACTORS
 
    AN  INVESTMENT IN THE COMMON STOCK OFFERED  HEREBY INVOLVES A HIGH DEGREE OF
RISK. THE  FOLLOWING  FACTORS  AND CAUTIONARY  STATEMENTS  SHOULD  BE  CAREFULLY
CONSIDERED IN EVALUATING THE COMPANY AND ITS BUSINESS.
 
   
    RELIANCE  ON  SIGNIFICANT CUSTOMERS  AND  LARGE ORDERS;  LONG  SALES CYCLES;
FLUCTUATIONS IN  RESULTS. A  significant portion  of the  Company's revenue  has
been,  and will continue to be, derived  from substantial orders placed by large
organizations. For  the year  ended June  30, 1996,  TELMEX and  Teleglobe,  its
largest   carrier  network   product  customers  for   the  period,  represented
approximately 28.8% and 10.7% of  total revenue, respectively, and ANSTEC,  Inc.
("ANSTEC"),  its  largest network  management product  customer for  the period,
represented approximately 11.3% of  total revenue. The  Company expects that  in
the  future it will continue to be  dependent upon a limited number of customers
in any given period for a significant portion of its revenue. Furthermore,  such
customers  are concentrated in the carrier  market. The Company's future success
may depend upon  the continued  demand by such  customers for  its products  and
services.  Customer  demand can  be  affected by  numerous  variables, including
changes in  governmental  regulation,  changes  in  the  customers'  competitive
environment,  pricing  policies by  the  Company or  its  competitors, personnel
changes, demand for the  Company's products in this  market, the number,  timing
and  significance of  new product and  product enhancement  announcements by the
Company and its competitors,  the ability of the  Company to develop,  introduce
and  market new and enhanced versions of its products on a timely basis, and the
mix of direct and indirect sales and  general economic factors. There can be  no
assurance  that  revenue  from  customers that  have  accounted  for significant
revenues in  past periods,  individually or  as a  group, will  continue, or  if
continued  will  reach or  exceed historical  levels in  any future  period. The
Company's results  of operations  and financial  condition could  be  materially
adversely  affected by the  failure of anticipated orders  to materialize and by
deferrals or cancellation  of orders.  In fiscal 1995,  the Company  experienced
simultaneous  delays in three  large multi-year contract  awards due to internal
customer matters unrelated  to the Company  and beyond its  control. The  delays
caused  an  estimated decline  of approximately  $5.5  million in  the Company's
revenue for  that year,  without any  offsetting reduction  in certain  expenses
because  of the need to retain key  personnel, maintain fixed overhead costs and
incur substantial sales and marketing expenses associated with trying to  obtain
the  delayed  contracts, resulting  in an  adverse impact  on the  Company's net
income and financial condition in fiscal 1995.
    
 
   
    The Company's revenue is difficult to forecast as a result of the fact  that
the  purchase  of operations  support and  network management  systems generally
involves a significant commitment of  capital and management time.  Accordingly,
the  sales cycle associated with the purchase  of the Company's products -- from
initial contact to contract  execution and delivery of  product -- typically  is
lengthy,  varies from customer to  customer and from project  to project, and is
subject to  a  number  of additional  significant  risks,  including  customers'
budgetary  constraints and internal acceptance reviews,  and the timing of sales
by the Company's  customers to their  own customers over  which the Company  has
little or no control.
    
 
    The  Company's results also vary based on  the type and quantity of products
shipped, the timing of  product shipments, the relative  revenue mix in a  given
period and the resulting margins. The variations may be material.
 
    As  a result of these  and other factors, the  Company believes that revenue
and operating results, and  particularly quarterly results,  are likely to  vary
significantly   in  the  future  and  to  be  difficult  to  forecast  and  that
period-to-period comparisons of  its results of  operations are not  necessarily
meaningful  and should not be relied  upon as indications of future performance.
In  addition,  the  Company's  expense  levels  are  based,  in  part,  on   its
expectations   as  to  future  revenue  levels.  If  revenue  levels  are  below
expectations in any given period, operating results are likely to be  materially
adversely  affected.  Further,  it is  likely  that  in some  future  period the
Company's revenue or operating results will be below the expectations of  public
market analysts and investors. In such event, the price of the Common Stock will
be materially adversely affected.
 
                                       8
<PAGE>
   
    See "Management's Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results
of  Operations," "-- Years Ended June 30,  1995 and 1996 -- Provision for Income
Taxes," "-- Selected Quarterly Results" and "Business -- Strategic Alliances and
Other Customers."
    
 
   
    RELIANCE ON CARRIER MARKET.  The  Company derived approximately 63% and  68%
of  its revenue from sales to carriers during  the years ended June 30, 1995 and
1996, respectively. Sales  to the  carrier market  are expected  to provide  the
substantial  majority of the Company's revenue in the near future. The Company's
business is  dependent  upon  the continued  growth  of  the  telecommunications
industry  in the United States and internationally, on the continued convergence
of voice  and data  networks and  on the  evolution and  widespread adoption  of
emerging  network technologies. Any  decline in the growth  of the industry, the
failure  of  these  markets  to  converge  or  the  failure  of  these   network
technologies  to evolve  or achieve  widespread market  acceptance could  have a
material adverse effect on the Company and its results of operations.
    
 
    The telecommunications industry  is subject to  extensive regulation in  the
United  States and  other countries and  regulatory approvals  generally must be
obtained by most of the Company's customers. The enactment by federal, state  or
foreign  governments of new laws or regulations or changes in the interpretation
of existing regulations could adversely affect the Company's customers.
 
    Any adverse development  in the carrier  market, including reregulation,  or
reduction  in demand for the Company's products by these industry sectors, could
have a  material  adverse effect  on  the  financial condition  and  results  of
operations of the Company.
 
   
    RISKS  ASSOCIATED WITH SALES TO FOREIGN END USERS.  A substantial portion of
the Company's revenue derives from dollar-denominated sales to customers in  the
United States for resale to end users in foreign countries. These customers have
been  strategic  alliance partners  of the  Company,  who purchase  products for
incorporation in systems sold to third  party end users, or who resell  products
directly  to the end users. In fiscal 1994,  1995 and 1996, the Company also had
significant sales to two foreign purchasers:  TELMEX in Mexico and Teleglobe  in
Canada. Sales directly to other foreign purchasers in the aggregate consisted of
less  than 10% of total revenue.  Sales to Teleglobe, denominated principally in
Canadian dollars, comprised approximately  1%, 16% and 11%  of total revenue  in
fiscal  1994, 1995 and 1996, respectively. Sales  to TELMEX comprised 0%, 0% and
29% of the Company's revenue for fiscal 1994, 1995 and 1996, respectively.  Over
80% of the sales to TELMEX were denominated in U.S. dollars.
    
 
   
    Sales  of  products delivered  to  end users  outside  of the  United States
accounted for  approximately  62.9%, 68.6%  and  69.0% of  the  Company's  total
revenue  for the  years ended  June 30, 1994,  1995 and  1996, respectively. The
Company expects that sales of products for use outside of the United States will
continue to account  for a significant  portion of its  total revenue in  future
periods  and expects that revenue from  sales directly to foreign customers will
increase. The Company intends to increase  the sales of its products to  foreign
end users and to expand its operations outside of the United States by expanding
its  direct sales force, opening additional in-region customer support and sales
offices, adding  licensees  and distributors  and  expanding its  existing,  and
pursuing additional, strategic relationships. Market acceptance of the Company's
products for emerging markets, such as Asia and the Pacific Rim, is important to
the  Company's  future  success,  but  these  markets  are  diverse  and rapidly
evolving, and it  is difficult to  predict their potential  size, future  growth
rate  or the timing  of their development. In  addition, access to international
markets is  often  difficult due  to  the established  relationships  between  a
government  owned  or  controlled  communications  company  and  its traditional
indigenous suppliers of  communications products. Accordingly,  there can be  no
assurance  that the  Company's products will  be widely accepted  by the service
providers in these emerging markets or that the Company, directly or through its
strategic alliance partners, will be able to continue to penetrate these markets
effectively.
    
 
   
    The  proposed  further  inroads  into  international  markets  will  require
significant  management  attention  and  expenditure  of  significant  financial
resources and could adversely affect  the Company's operating margins. Sales  to
foreign  customers  involve  a  number of  inherent  risks,  including extensive
    
 
                                       9
<PAGE>
   
field testing and lengthier  sales cycles than  with domestic customers,  longer
receivables  collection periods and greater collection difficulty, difficulty in
staffing  and  managing   international  operations,   currency  exchange   rate
fluctuations,  the  impact of  possible  recessionary environments  in economies
outside the  United  States,  unexpected  changes  in  regulatory  requirements,
including  a  slowdown  in  the  rate  of  privatization  of  carriers,  reduced
protection for intellectual property  rights in some  countries and tariffs  and
other  trade barriers. While these factors  may not affect the Company directly,
to the extent that  it sells products through  its strategic alliance  partners,
these  factors may affect the sales and operations of its partners which in turn
may adversely affect demand  by the partners for  the Company's products.  There
can be no assurance that the Company will be able to sustain or increase revenue
derived  from sales to foreign end users  or that the foregoing factors will not
have  a  material  adverse  effect   on  the  Company's  future  revenue,   and,
consequently, on the Company's results of operations and financial condition.
    
 
   
    Currency exchange rate fluctuations in countries in which the Company or its
strategic  alliance partners sell  the Company's products  could have a material
adverse effect on the Company's results of operations and financial condition by
resulting in  pricing that  is not  competitive with  products priced  in  local
currencies.  In addition, sales in  Europe and certain other  parts of the world
typically are adversely affected in the  third quarter of each calendar year  as
many customers reduce their business activities during the summer months. If the
Company's  sales  to  foreign end  users  become  a greater  component  of total
revenue, these  seasonal  factors may  have  a  more pronounced  effect  on  the
Company's  operating  results.  See  "Management's  Discussion  and  Analysis of
Financial  Condition  and  Results  of  Operations,"  "Business  --  Sales   and
Marketing" and "-- Strategic Alliances and Other Customers."
    
 
    DEPENDENCE  ON THIRD  PARTY RELATIONSHIPS.   A key element  of the Company's
business strategy is to develop strategic alliances with leading companies  that
provide  telecommunications  services  or that  manufacture  and  market network
equipment, in order to expand the Company's distribution channels and enter  new
markets.  There can be no assurance that the Company will be able to continue to
increase the number of, or to expand, these types of relationships, in order  to
market  its  products  effectively, particularly  internationally.  Many  of the
Company's strategic alliances are nonexclusive and certain of the companies with
which the  Company  has  such  alliances  also  have  agreements  with,  or  are
themselves,  competitors or  potential competitors  of the  Company. The Company
believes that these alliances  are critical to the  Company's ability to  expand
its penetration of international markets for its carrier network products and to
increase  sales of its  network management products in  the United States. There
can be no assurance that the  Company's strategic partners will not  discontinue
one  or more of  their alliances with  the Company or  form additional competing
arrangements with competitors of the Company or themselves begin to compete with
the Company. See "Business -- Strategic Alliances and Other Customers."
 
    DEPENDENCE ON KEY PERSONNEL.  The Company's success depends to a significant
degree upon the continuing contributions of its key management, sales,  customer
support  and product development personnel. In  particular, the Company would be
materially adversely affected if it were to lose the services of George Jimenez,
Joseph Dorr or Dr. Thomas Russotto, who have provided significant leadership and
direction to the Company since its inception and who have significant  knowledge
of the Company's proprietary technology and products. The Company currently does
not  have employment agreements with its key personnel, although the Company has
non-competition and non-disclosure agreements with each of them. The Company has
obtained key man life insurance on the life of Mr. Jimenez in the amount of $1.0
million, payable  to  the Company.  The  loss  of key  management  or  technical
personnel  could  have a  material adverse  effect on  the Company's  results of
operations and financial condition.
 
    INTENSE COMPETITION.  The market for carrier network and network  management
products  is highly competitive. Many providers offer products that are directly
competitive with those offered by the Company in both domestic and international
markets.  The  Company  also  experiences  competition  from  in-house   systems
developed  by existing  and potential customers.  Many of  the Company's current
 
                                       10
<PAGE>
and potential  competitors  have  significantly  greater  financial,  marketing,
technical,  and  other  competitive  resources  than  the  Company.  Current and
potential competitors, including providers  of software or processing  services,
may  establish cooperative relationships with one  another or with third parties
or consolidate  to compete  more effectively  against the  Company. It  is  also
possible  that new competitors may emerge and acquire market share. Any of these
events could  have  a  material  adverse effect  on  the  Company's  results  of
operations and financial condition. See "Business -- Competition."
 
   
    NEW PRODUCTS AND TECHNOLOGY AND NEED TO RESPOND TO RAPIDLY CHANGING CUSTOMER
NEEDS.   The market for the Company's  products is characterized by rapid change
and is highly competitive with respect to the need for timely product innovation
and new  product introductions.  The Company  believes that  its future  success
depends  in part upon its  ability to enhance its  current offerings and develop
new products  that  address the  increasingly  complex needs  of  customers.  In
particular,  the Company  believes that  it must  respond quickly  to customers'
needs for additional functionality and  new software technologies. There can  be
no  assurance that the  Company will be  able to do  so. The Company continually
seeks to develop new products and individual features within a complex  hardware
and  software system.  Development projects  can be  lengthy and  are subject to
changing requirements, programming  difficulties, and  unforeseen factors  which
can result in delays. In addition, new products or features, when first released
by  the  Company, may  contain undetected  errors that,  despite testing  by the
Company, are discovered  only after  a product has  been installed  and used  by
customers.  Delays or undetected errors could  have a material adverse effect on
the Company's results of  operations and financial  condition. See "Business  --
Products."
    
 
    The  introduction  or announcement  by the  Company  or one  or more  of its
competitors of  products  embodying new  technologies,  or changes  in  industry
standards or customer requirements, could render the Company's existing products
obsolete  or unmarketable. The  introduction of new or  enhanced versions of its
products also requires the Company to manage the transition from older  products
in  order  to  minimize  disruption  in customer  operations.  There  can  be no
assurance that the introduction or announcement by the Company or one or more of
its competitors of new  products, or changes in  industry standards or  customer
requirements,  will not cause  customers to limit or  defer purchases of Company
products. Such actions  could have a  material adverse effect  on the  Company's
results of operations and financial condition.
 
    MANAGEMENT  OF GROWTH.  The Company is expanding into new products, services
and markets. This growth has resulted in new and increased responsibilities  for
management  personnel and has placed and continues to place a significant strain
upon the Company's  management, operating and  financial systems and  resources.
Although  the Company  believes that  there are  currently no  existing material
weaknesses, in order to accommodate recent growth and to compete effectively and
manage future  growth, if  any, the  Company  will be  required to  continue  to
implement  and improve operating, financial  and management information systems,
procedures and controls on a timely basis  and in such a manner as is  necessary
to  accommodate  the  increased number  of  transactions and  customers  and the
increased size of the Company's operations. Management of future growth, if any,
will also  require that  the Company  continuously expand,  train, motivate  and
manage its work force. These demands will require the addition of new management
personnel.  The Company's future success will  depend to a significant extent on
the ability of its current and future executive officers to operate effectively,
both independently and as a group. There can be no assurance that the  Company's
personnel,  systems, procedures  and controls  will be  adequate to  support the
Company's existing and future operations.  Any failure to implement and  improve
the  Company's operating, financial and management  systems or to expand, train,
motivate or  manage  employees could  have  a  material adverse  effect  on  the
Company's results of operations and financial condition.
 
    DIFFICULTY IN ATTRACTING AND RETAINING NECESSARY PERSONNEL.  Certain members
of the senior management team of the Company have been in place for a relatively
short  time. Jeffrey  Simpson, Vice  President, Finance,  and James  Moore, Vice
President, Marketing,  began  their  employment  in  July  1996  and  May  1996,
respectively.  The  Company  believes that  its  future success  will  depend in
 
                                       11
<PAGE>
large part upon  its ability to  continue to attract  and retain highly  skilled
managerial,   sales,  professional   services,  customer   support  and  product
development personnel. The  Company has  at times experienced  and continues  to
experience   difficulty  in  recruiting  qualified  personnel.  Competition  for
qualified  personnel  with  knowledge  of  the  telecommunications  industry  is
intense,  and there can be  no assurance that the  Company will be successful in
attracting and  retaining such  personnel. The  complex nature  of the  products
demanded  by the Company's customers requires  that the Company recruit and hire
personnel with expertise in and a broad understanding of the  telecommunications
and  other industries  in which  the Company's  customers compete.  In addition,
there are only a  limited number of qualified  development and customer  support
engineers,   and  competition  for  such   individuals  is  especially  intense.
Competitors have  in the  past and  may in  the future  attempt to  recruit  the
Company's  employees. Failure to  attract and retain key  personnel could have a
material adverse effect  on the  Company's results of  operations and  financial
condition.
 
   
    DEPENDENCE  UPON PROPRIETARY TECHNOLOGY.   The Company's success and ability
to compete is  dependent in part  upon its proprietary  technology. The  Company
relies  on  a  combination  of  trade  secret,  copyright  and  trademark  laws,
nondisclosure and other contractual agreements and technical measures to protect
its  proprietary  rights.  The  Company  currently  has  no  patents  or  patent
applications  pending. Despite the Company's  efforts to protect its proprietary
rights, unauthorized  parties  may attempt  to  copy aspects  of  the  Company's
products  or  to  obtain  and  use  information  that  the  Company  regards  as
proprietary, or to develop  products with functionality  or features similar  to
the  Company's products  that are  substantially equivalent  or superior  to the
Company's products. In addition, effective copyright, trademark and trade secret
protection may  be unavailable  or  limited in  certain countries.  The  Company
believes  that its products and trademarks  do not infringe upon the proprietary
rights of third parties, and the Company has experienced no infringement  claims
in  the past, but there can  be no assurance that third  parties will not in the
future assert  claims of  infringement  of their  proprietary rights.  Any  such
claims,  with  or  without  merit, could  be  time-consuming,  result  in costly
litigation, cause product shipment delays or require the Company to develop non-
infringing technology or enter  into royalty or  licensing agreements which,  if
available,  may not be  on terms acceptable  to the Company.  A claim of product
infringement against the  Company and  failure or  inability of  the Company  to
develop   non-infringing  technology,  or  license   the  infringed  or  similar
technology, could have  a material adverse  effect on the  Company's results  of
operations  and financial condition. The Company relies on certain software that
it licenses  from third  parties,  including software  that is  integrated  with
internally  developed software and used in the Company's products to perform key
functions. There can be  no assurance that these  third party software  licenses
will  continue to be available to  the Company on commercially reasonable terms.
The absence of such  software, if the  Company is unable  to find a  substitute,
could  have  a  material adverse  effect  on  the Company's  ability  to produce
products. See "Business -- Proprietary Rights and Licenses."
    
 
    NO PRIOR PUBLIC MARKET; DETERMINATION OF OFFERING PRICE; POSSIBLE VOLATILITY
OF STOCK PRICE.  Prior to this offering, there has been no public market for the
Common Stock.  There can  be no  assurance that  an active  trading market  will
develop  for the Common Stock or that the  price at which shares of Common Stock
may trade in the  public market from  time to time  subsequent to this  offering
will exceed the initial public offering price. The initial public offering price
will  be determined by negotiations between  the Company and the representatives
of the  Underwriters and  may not  be indicative  of future  market prices.  See
"Underwriting"  for a discussion of factors  to be considered in determining the
initial  public  offering  price.  The  stock  market  has  from  time  to  time
experienced   extreme  price  and  volume   fluctuations,  particularly  in  the
technology sector, which often have been unrelated to the operating  performance
of  particular  companies.  Any announcement  with  respect to  any  variance in
revenue or earnings from levels generally expected by securities analysts for  a
given period could have an immediate and significant effect on the trading price
of the Common Stock. In addition, factors such as announcements of technological
innovations  or new products by the  Company, its competitors, or third parties,
as well as changing  market conditions in the  industry, may have a  significant
impact on the market price of the Common Stock.
 
                                       12
<PAGE>
   
    SHARES ELIGIBLE FOR FUTURE SALE.  Sales of a substantial number of shares of
Common Stock in the public market following this offering could adversely affect
prevailing  market prices for the Common Stock. Upon the expiration of "lock-up"
agreements, 180  days  following  the date  of  this  Prospectus,  approximately
4,748,211  shares of Common  Stock will be  eligible for sale  under Rule 701 or
Rule 144 under the  Securities Act of 1933,  as amended (the "Securities  Act"),
except  to the extent  owned by affiliates of  the Company. On  the date 90 days
following the date of this Prospectus and without consideration of the foregoing
contractual restrictions,  substantially all  of  the Common  Stock  outstanding
prior  to this offering would be eligible for sale in the public markets subject
to the provisions of Rule 144. After this offering, holders of 1,300,950  shares
of Common Stock are entitled to certain registration rights (taking into account
the  conversion of the Class C Preferred  Stock). If such holders, by exercising
their registration rights, cause a large  number of shares to be registered  and
sold  in the public market, such sales may  have an adverse effect on the market
price for the Common Stock. In addition, the Company intends to register on  one
or  more registration statements filed after  completion of this offering, up to
2,400,000 shares of Common Stock reserved for issuance under the Company's stock
plans. Shares covered by these registration statements will be eligible for sale
in the public market immediately after the effective dates of such  registration
statements.  The sale of a  substantial number of shares  of Common Stock in the
public market following this offering, or  the perception that such sales  could
occur,  could adversely affect  the market price of  the Common Stock prevailing
from time to time and could impair the Company's future ability to raise capital
through an offering of  its equity securities. See  "Shares Eligible for  Future
Sale" and "Underwriting."
    
 
   
    CONTROL  BY EXISTING STOCKHOLDERS; ANTI-TAKEOVER  PROVISIONS.  The Company's
directors and  officers  and  their  affiliates will,  in  the  aggregate,  own,
directly  or indirectly, more  than 58.0% of the  outstanding Common Stock after
this offering, assuming no exercise of  outstanding options. As a result,  these
stockholders,  if  they act  together,  would be  able  to control  most matters
requiring approval  by the  Company's stockholders,  including the  election  of
directors.  See "Principal  and Selling  Stockholders" and  "Shares Eligible for
Future Sale."  In  addition, the  Company's  Charter and  By-laws  will  contain
provisions  that  may discourage  acquisition bids  for  the Company  by persons
unrelated to certain existing stockholders.  The effect of this stock  ownership
and  these provisions may be to limit  the price that investors might be willing
to pay in  the future  for shares  of the  Common Stock  or prevent  or delay  a
merger,  takeover, or other change in control of the Company and thus discourage
attempts to acquire the Company. In  addition, the Company's Board of  Directors
has  the authority  to issue up  to 5,000,000  shares of Preferred  Stock and to
determine the price, rights, preferences and privileges of those shares  without
any  further vote or  action by the  stockholders. The rights  of the holders of
Common Stock will be subject to, and may be adversely affected by, the rights of
the holders  of any  Preferred  Stock that  may be  issued  in the  future.  The
issuance  of  Preferred Stock,  while providing  flexibility in  connection with
possible acquisitions and  other corporate  purposes, could have  the effect  of
making  it  more  difficult for  a  third party  to  acquire a  majority  of the
outstanding voting stock  of the  Company. The Company  has no  present plan  to
issue  any shares of Preferred Stock.  The Company's Charter and By-laws contain
other provisions, such as notice requirements for stockholders, staggered  terms
for  its Board  of Directors,  and limitations  on the  stockholders' ability to
remove directors or to present proposals to the stockholders for a vote, all  of
which  may have the further effect of making it more difficult for a third party
to gain control or  to acquire the Company.  See "Description of Capital  Stock"
and "Certain Charter and By-Law Provisions."
    
 
   
    DILUTION.   The initial  public offering price  will be substantially higher
than the  book value  per share  of  Common Stock.  Assuming an  initial  public
offering  price of $9.00 per share (the  mid-point of the estimated range of the
initial public offering  price), investors participating  in this offering  will
incur  immediate, substantial dilution of approximately  $6.31 per share. To the
extent outstanding options to purchase Common Stock are exercised, there will be
further dilution. See "Dilution."
    
 
                                       13
<PAGE>
                                USE OF PROCEEDS
 
   
    The net proceeds to  the Company from  the sale of  the 2,270,000 shares  of
Common  Stock offered  by the Company  hereby are estimated  to be approximately
$18.1 million (approximately $21.2  million if the Underwriters'  over-allotment
option  is exercised  in full), after  deducting the  underwriting discounts and
commissions and estimated offering expenses and assuming a public offering price
of $9.00 per share.
    
 
    The Company expects to use the  net proceeds for general corporate  purposes
including working capital and employment of additional personnel, provided that:
(i)  certain amounts will  be used for  repayment of bank  indebtedness of which
approximately $5.0 million was outstanding at June 30, 1996, (ii)  approximately
$0.4  million will be used  for redemption of all  outstanding shares of Class B
Preferred Stock and the repayment of certain indebtedness held by the holder  of
such shares, of which approximately $52,000 was outstanding at June 30, 1996 and
(iii)  approximately  $0.1 million  will be  used  for repayment  of outstanding
related-party indebtedness.  See  Notes  5  and 6  to  the  Company's  financial
statements and "Certain Transactions" for further information.
 
    The principal purposes of this offering are to increase the Company's equity
and  to  create a  public market  for  the Company's  Common Stock.  The Company
believes that success in its industry  requires substantial capital in order  to
maintain the flexibility to take advantage of opportunities that arise and to be
able  to withstand adverse  business conditions, should  they occur. Portions of
net proceeds may also be used to fund acquisitions of complementary  businesses,
products or technologies, although no specific acquisitions are planned or under
negotiation  as of the date of this  Prospectus. The Company has not allocated a
significant portion of the net proceeds of this offering to any particular  use.
Accordingly,  management will have  significant flexibility in  applying the net
proceeds of  this offering.  Pending application  of the  proceeds as  described
above,  the  Company intends  to invest  the  net proceeds  in investment-grade,
short-term securities.
 
    The Company will not receive any of the proceeds from the sale of shares  of
Common   Stock  by   the  Selling   Stockholder.  See   "Principal  and  Selling
Stockholders."
 
                                DIVIDEND POLICY
 
    The Company has never declared or  paid cash dividends on the Common  Stock.
The  Company currently intends to retain earnings, if any, to finance the growth
and development of its business and does not anticipate paying cash dividends in
the foreseeable  future.  The terms  of  the Company's  bank  credit  facilities
prohibit  the  payment  of  cash  dividends.  See  "Management's  Discussion and
Analysis of  Financial Condition  and  Results of  Operations --  Liquidity  and
Capital Resources." The future payment of cash dividends, if any, is also within
the discretion of the Board of Directors and will depend on the future earnings,
capital  requirements, financial condition  and future prospects  of the Company
and such other factors as the Board of Directors may deem relevant.
 
                                       14
<PAGE>
                                 CAPITALIZATION
 
   
    The following table sets forth the capitalization of the Company as of  June
30,  1996, (i) on an actual basis giving effect to a 4.5-for-one stock split and
(ii) as adjusted  to give  effect to  (a) the  issuance of  1,530,950 shares  of
Common  Stock upon the conversion of all outstanding shares of Class C Preferred
Stock and  (b) the  sale of  2,270,000 shares  of Common  Stock offered  by  the
Company  hereby (at an assumed  initial public offering price  of $9 per share),
and the application of the estimated net proceeds of this offering as  described
in  "Use  of  Proceeds." This  table  should  be read  in  conjunction  with the
Company's financial  statements and  notes thereto  included elsewhere  in  this
Prospectus.
    
 
   
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
                                                                                                 JUNE 30, 1996
                                                                                              --------------------
                                                                                                            AS
                                                                                               ACTUAL    ADJUSTED
                                                                                              ---------  ---------
                                                                                              (IN THOUSANDS EXCEPT
                                                                                                FOR SHARE DATA)
<S>                                                                                           <C>        <C>
Long-term debt, net of current portion......................................................  $   2,952     --
                                                                                              ---------
Mandatorily redeemable Class C Preferred Stock, $5.14 par value; 340,211 shares authorized,
 issued and outstanding, actual; none issued and outstanding, as adjusted...................      2,262     --
                                                                                              ---------
Stockholders' equity (deficit) (1)(2):
  Class B Preferred Stock, $1.00 par value; 1,000 shares authorized, 1,000 issued and
   outstanding, actual; none issued and outstanding, as adjusted............................          1     --
  Common Stock, $.01 par value; 45,000,000 shares authorized, 3,590,451 issued and
   outstanding, actual; 45,000,000 shares authorized, 7,391,401 issued and outstanding, as
   adjusted.................................................................................         36  $      74
Additional paid-in capital..................................................................        343     20,364
Accumulated deficit.........................................................................       (530)      (530)
                                                                                              ---------  ---------
    Total stockholders' equity (deficit)....................................................       (150)    19,908
                                                                                              ---------  ---------
      Total capitalization..................................................................  $   5,064  $  19,908
                                                                                              ---------  ---------
                                                                                              ---------  ---------
</TABLE>
    
 
- ------------------------
   
(1) Does not include 1,073,704 shares of Common Stock issuable upon the exercise
    of  stock  options outstanding  as of  June 30,  1996, with  exercise prices
    ranging from $0.30 to $7.93 per share, and approximately 541,215  additional
    shares  issuable upon the exercise of  stock options expected to be granted,
    after fiscal  1996, each  with an  exercise price  of $9.00  per share.  See
    "Management  -- Amended  and Restated  Omnibus Stock  Plan," "Description of
    Capital Stock  -- Common  Stock"  and Note  10  to the  Company's  financial
    statements.
    
 
(2)  Upon  the consummation  of this  offering,  the conversion  of the  Class C
    Preferred Stock  and the  redemption of  the Class  B Preferred  Stock,  the
    Company  will  be  authorized  to  issue  5,000,000  shares  of undesignated
    Preferred Stock, $.01 par value per share, of which none will be issued  and
    outstanding. See "Description of the Capital Stock -- Preferred Stock."
 
                                       15
<PAGE>
                                    DILUTION
 
   
    The pro forma net tangible book value of the Company as of June 30, 1996 was
$2.1  million, or $.41 per  share of Common Stock.  "Pro forma net tangible book
value" per  share represents  the amount  of total  tangible assets  less  total
liabilities,  divided  by  the  total  number of  shares  of  Common  Stock then
outstanding (without giving effect to  this offering but assuming the  automatic
conversion  of all outstanding shares of  Class C Preferred Stock into 1,530,950
shares of Common Stock and the effectiveness of a 4.5-for-one stock split).
    
 
   
    After giving effect to the  sale by the Company  of the 2,270,000 shares  of
Common  Stock offered by  the Company and  the application of  the estimated net
proceeds of this offering as described in "Use of Proceeds" (after deduction  of
underwriting  discounts and  commissions and  estimated offering  expenses), the
Company's pro forma net tangible  book value at June  30, 1996, would have  been
$19.9  million, or $2.69 per share of Common Stock to purchasers of Common Stock
in this offering. This  represents an immediate dilution  of $6.31 per share  to
new investors. The following table illustrates the per share dilution:
    
 
   
<TABLE>
<S>                                                                   <C>        <C>
Assumed initial public offering price per share.....................             $    9.00
  Pro forma net tangible book value per share at June 30, 1996......  $    0.41
  Increase in pro forma net tangible book value per share
   attributable to new investors....................................       2.28
                                                                      ---------
Pro forma net tangible book value per share after this offering.....                  2.69
                                                                                 ---------
Dilution per share to new investors.................................             $    6.31
                                                                                 ---------
                                                                                 ---------
</TABLE>
    
 
    The  following table summarizes, on  a pro forma basis  as of June 30, 1996,
the number  of shares  of Common  Stock purchased  from the  Company, the  total
consideration  paid  and  the  average  price per  share  paid  by  the existing
stockholders (including  holders of  shares of  Class C  Preferred Stock  to  be
converted  into Common Stock concurrently with  this offering, but not including
the holder of shares of Class B Preferred Stock to be redeemed with the proceeds
of this offering) and by purchasers of Common Stock in this offering:
 
   
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
                                                        SHARES PURCHASED          TOTAL CONSIDERATION        AVERAGE
                                                    ------------------------  ---------------------------   PRICE PER
                                                      NUMBER       PERCENT        AMOUNT        PERCENT       SHARE
                                                    -----------  -----------  --------------  -----------  -----------
<S>                                                 <C>          <C>          <C>             <C>          <C>
Existing Stockholders (1)(2)......................    5,121,401       69.3%   $    2,566,905       11.2%    $    0.50
New Investors (1).................................    2,270,000       30.7        20,430,000       88.8     $    9.00
                                                    -----------      -----    --------------      -----
    Total.........................................    7,391,401      100.0%   $   22,996,905      100.0%
                                                    -----------      -----    --------------      -----
                                                    -----------      -----    --------------      -----
</TABLE>
    
 
- ------------------------
(1) The sale by the Selling Stockholder in this offering will reduce the  number
    of  shares of  Common Stock held  by existing stockholders  to 4,891,401, or
    approximately  66.2%   (or   approximately  63.0%   if   the   Underwriters'
    over-allotment option is exercised in full), and will increase the number of
    shares held by new investors to 2,500,000, or approximately 33.8% (2,875,000
    shares,  or approximately 37.0%, if  the Underwriters' over-allotment option
    is exercised  in  full), of  the  total number  of  shares of  Common  Stock
    outstanding after this offering. See "Principal and Selling Stockholders."
 
   
(2) Does not include 1,073,704 shares of Common Stock issuable upon the exercise
    of  stock  options outstanding  as of  June 30,  1996, with  exercise prices
    ranging from $0.30 to $7.93 per share, and approximately 541,215  additional
    shares  issuable upon the  exercise of stock options  expected to be granted
    after fiscal  1996, each  with an  exercise price  of $9.00  per share.  See
    "Management  -- Amended  and Restated  Omnibus Stock  Plan," "Description of
    Capital Stock  -- Common  Stock"  and Note  10  to the  Company's  financial
    statements.  To the  extent outstanding  stock options  are exercised, there
    will be further dilution to new investors.
    
 
                                       16
<PAGE>
                            SELECTED FINANCIAL DATA
 
    The following table sets forth for the periods indicated selected  financial
data for the Company. The statement of operations and balance sheet data for the
years  ended June 30, 1994,  1995 and 1996 have  been derived from the Company's
financial  statements,  which  have  been  audited  by  Price  Waterhouse   LLP,
independent  accountants. The statement of operations and balance sheet data for
the years ended  June 30, 1992  and 1993  have been derived  from the  Company's
audited  financial statements which  have not been  included in this Prospectus.
The information set forth below is qualified by reference to, and should be read
in conjunction with, the  Company's financial statements  and the notes  thereto
and  "Management's Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of
Operations" included elsewhere in this Prospectus.
 
   
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
                                                                        FISCAL YEAR ENDED JUNE 30,
                                                           -----------------------------------------------------
                                                             1992       1993       1994       1995       1996
                                                           ---------  ---------  ---------  ---------  ---------
                                                                   (IN THOUSANDS, EXCEPT PER SHARE DATA)
<S>                                                        <C>        <C>        <C>        <C>        <C>
STATEMENT OF OPERATIONS DATA:
Revenue -- products and services.........................  $   7,877  $  11,137  $  14,523  $  12,415  $  19,983
Costs and operating expenses:
  Cost of products and services..........................      4,462      5,870      7,675      6,579     10,294
  Selling, general and administrative....................      3,098      4,065      5,473      6,049      7,293
  Research and development...............................        218        780        573      1,045        957
                                                           ---------  ---------  ---------  ---------  ---------
Income (loss) from operations............................         99        422        802     (1,258)     1,439
Interest expense.........................................         56         53        156        335        379
                                                           ---------  ---------  ---------  ---------  ---------
Income (loss) before income taxes and extraordinary
 item....................................................         43        369        646     (1,593)     1,060
Income taxes.............................................         21        151         --         --         --
                                                           ---------  ---------  ---------  ---------  ---------
Income (loss) before extraordinary item..................         22        218        646     (1,593)     1,060
Extraordinary item -- tax benefit of net operating loss
 carryforwards...........................................         21        151         --         --         --
                                                           ---------  ---------  ---------  ---------  ---------
Net income (loss)........................................  $      43  $     369  $     646  $  (1,593) $   1,060
                                                           ---------  ---------  ---------  ---------  ---------
                                                           ---------  ---------  ---------  ---------  ---------
Pro forma net income per share (1).......................                                              $    0.18
                                                                                                       ---------
                                                                                                       ---------
Number of shares used in computing pro forma net income
 per share...............................................                                                  5,974
                                                                                                       ---------
                                                                                                       ---------
</TABLE>
    
 
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
                                                                                    JUNE 30,
                                                              -----------------------------------------------------
                                                                1992       1993       1994       1995       1996
                                                              ---------  ---------  ---------  ---------  ---------
                                                                                 (IN THOUSANDS)
<S>                                                           <C>        <C>        <C>        <C>        <C>
BALANCE SHEET DATA:
Cash........................................................  $      52  $      62  $     147  $     190  $     369
Working capital (deficit)...................................        117        519        590     (1,374)     1,897
Total assets................................................      4,645      6,582      7,407      8,293     14,298
Total liabilities...........................................      3,195      4,763      4,943      7,414     12,187
Mandatorily redeemable preferred stock......................      1,749      1,842      1,982      2,122      2,262
Stockholders' equity (deficit)..............................       (299)       (23)       483     (1,242)      (150)
</TABLE>
 
- ------------------------
(1) For a description of the computation  of pro forma net income per share  and
    shares  used in computing pro forma net income  per share, see Note 1 of the
    notes to  the  Company's financial  statements  included elsewhere  in  this
    Prospectus.
 
BACKLOG
 
    The  following  table  sets forth,  on  the dates  indicated,  the Company's
backlog by backlog type. See "Management's Discussion and Analysis of  Financial
Condition and Results of Operations -- Overview" and "Business -- Backlog."
 
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
                                                                              JUNE 30,
                                                                   -------------------------------
                                                                     1994       1995       1996
                                                                   ---------  ---------  ---------
                                                                           (IN THOUSANDS)
<S>                                                                <C>        <C>        <C>
Order Backlog....................................................  $   5,656  $   3,606  $  10,394
Contract Backlog.................................................      2,600      1,005     37,201
</TABLE>
 
                                       17
<PAGE>
                    MANAGEMENT'S DISCUSSION AND ANALYSIS OF
                 FINANCIAL CONDITION AND RESULTS OF OPERATIONS
 
OVERVIEW
 
   
    The  Company sells carrier network products and network management products,
both through  direct  channels  and through  its  primarily  domestic  strategic
alliance  partners,  for  delivery  to  end  users  in  the  United  States  and
internationally. Since June  1994, the  Company, consistent  with its  strategic
emphasis,  has derived  most of  its revenue from  sales of  its carrier network
products to carriers. The Company expects such sales to increase as a percentage
of its revenue for at least the next several years. The balance of the Company's
revenue is derived from  the sale of network  management products to  enterprise
customers, including agencies of the U.S. Government.
    
 
   
    The  Company has generated growth in its  revenue in every fiscal year since
fiscal 1986 except  for fiscal  1995. In  fiscal 1995,  the Company  experienced
simultaneous  delays in three  large multi-year contract  awards due to internal
customer matters unrelated  to the Company  and beyond its  control. The  delays
caused  an  estimated decline  of approximately  $5.5  million in  the Company's
revenue, without any offsetting  reduction in expenses, because  of the need  to
retain  key personnel, maintain fixed overhead costs and incur substantial sales
and marketing expenses associated with  trying to obtain the delayed  contracts,
resulting  in  an  adverse impact  on  the  Company's net  income  and financial
condition in fiscal 1995. Two of  these delayed contracts, one awarded by  NYNEX
and  one by ANSTEC, were finally awarded late in fiscal 1995 and early in fiscal
1996, with the Company realizing revenue from these contracts in fiscal 1996.
    
 
   
    The Company's products  typically are sold  pursuant to long-term  contracts
having  an  aggregate  contract value  of  several hundred  thousand  to several
million dollars. As part of the contract, the Company agrees to provide  certain
services,  including postcontract customer support,  assistance to customers and
end users in the  development and installation of  new systems, maintenance  and
enhancement  of installed systems, and  customer training and technical support.
These contracts may involve significant production, modification or tailoring of
hardware and software. The Company recognizes revenue principally from contracts
of this type,  using the percentage-of-completion  method, based on  performance
milestones  specified  in each  contract, which  fairly reflect  progress toward
contract completion. Revenue  from maintenance and  other postcontract  customer
support is recognized ratably over the term of the related agreement.
    
 
    The  Company sells  most of  its products as  components in  the products or
systems developed and marketed by its strategic partners. The Company also sells
products directly to end users. The Company typically experiences higher margins
in connection with  its direct  sales contracts,  offset in  part by  relatively
higher sales and marketing expenses.
 
    The  Company tracks two types of  backlog: "order backlog," which represents
signed purchase orders, and "contract backlog," which represents signed  project
contracts  that  become  order backlog  upon  the signing  of  specific purchase
orders. Order backlog reached its highest level in the Company's history  during
fiscal  1996 and was $10.4 million at June 30, 1996, compared to $3.6 million at
June 30, 1995.
 
   
    The Company's revenue typically is concentrated among certain customers, the
largest of which in fiscal 1996 consisted of TELMEX, ANSTEC and Teleglobe. These
customers represented approximately  29%, 11%  and 11%,  respectively, of  total
revenue  for the  year ended  June 30,  1996. See  "Risk Factors  -- Reliance on
Significant Customers  and  Large Orders;  Long  Sales Cycles;  Fluctuations  in
Results" and "Business -- Backlog."
    
 
   
    Substantially  all of the Company's  revenue derives from dollar-denominated
sales and, although the Company in its most recent fiscal years had  significant
sales  to  Canada and  Mexico,  the Company  does  not have  significant foreign
operations. The  Company's  sales  historically have  been  principally  to  its
strategic  alliance partners in the United States for use or resale domestically
or to end users in
    
 
                                       18
<PAGE>
   
foreign countries. The Company's customers pay for products in the United States
in U.S. dollars.  The Company maintains  no inventory abroad.  All products  are
shipped from the United States pursuant to terms of orders issued by customers.
    
 
   
    In  fiscal 1994,  1995 and  1996, the Company  had significant  sales to two
foreign customers: TELMEX in Mexico and  Teleglobe in Canada. Sales directly  to
other  foreign customers in  the aggregate consisted  of less than  10% of total
revenue for  those  periods.  Sales to  Teleglobe,  denominated  principally  in
Canadian  dollars, comprised approximately  1%, 16% and 11%  of total revenue in
fiscal 1994, 1995 and 1996, respectively.  Sales to TELMEX comprised 0%, 0%  and
29%  of the Company's revenue for fiscal 1994, 1995 and 1996, respectively. Over
80% of the sales to TELMEX were denominated in U.S. dollars. Thus, although  the
Company  expects that  sales directly to  foreign customers may  increase in the
future, the risks typically associated with  sales to foreign customers such  as
currency  fluctuations, different cash cycles  or other sales difficulties, have
not been, and are not at present, material in the case of the Company. See "Risk
Factors -- Risks Associated with Sales to Foreign End Users," and Note 1 to  the
Company's financial statements included elsewhere herein.
    
 
   
    The  Company has experienced  more favorable cash  collection cycles for its
international sales  than its  domestic  sales. For  fiscal 1996,  the  accounts
receivable  turnover  rates (sales/average  accounts  receivable) were  2.60 for
sales to  U.S.  customers, which  currently  account for  the  most  significant
portion  of the Company's revenue, and 3.61  for sales to foreign customers, and
the accounts receivable turnover rates in days  were 140 for U.S. sales and  101
for  sales  to  foreign  customers.  Though  the  Company  has  not historically
experienced the greater risk that is  generally associated with cash cycles  for
sales  to international customers, the Company  believes that past experience is
not necessarily indicative of future results  and that as its sales directly  to
foreign customers increase it may experience greater delays in collections.
    
 
   
    As a result of the size of most of its contracts and orders, the significant
length  of sales cycles  and the complexities  which arise from  time to time in
completing any  given  contract  or order,  the  Company  typically  experiences
fluctuations  in  quarterly  and  year-to-year  results.  Marketing  in  foreign
countries, particularly in Asia and other emerging markets, frequently  requires
extensive  field testing and may  result in delays in  the timing and closing of
sales by the  Company's strategic  alliance partners,  which in  turn may  delay
orders  of Company products.  The Company has  experienced significant delays in
timing of revenue related  to sales to  end users in  overseas markets. See  "--
Selected  Quarterly Results." See also "Risk  Factors -- Reliance on Significant
Customers and Large Orders; Long Sales Cycles; Fluctuations in Results" and  "--
Risks Associated with Sales to Foreign End Users."
    
 
    The  Company's cost of products and services consists of the cost of product
engineering and  production,  personnel  cost  of  customer  support  personnel,
license  fees paid  to third-party  software vendors,  amortization of  costs of
capitalized software  development and  the  cost of  hardware purchased  by  the
Company for incorporation into its products.
 
    Selling, general and administrative expenses consist of costs to support the
Company's  sales and administrative  functions. Included within  these costs are
salaries, bonuses, commissions,  rent, insurance,  depreciation and  non-product
amortization  expenses. Also  included are  costs associated  with the Company's
participation in trade shows  and industry conferences,  and related travel  and
other promotional costs.
 
    Research  and development expenses consist of personnel costs related to the
design and development of  the Company's products. These  costs are expensed  as
incurred.  However,  computer  software  development  costs  incurred  after the
technological feasibility of a product is  established and until the product  is
available  for release  to customers  are capitalized.  Capitalized software and
purchased technology costs are amortized on a product by product basis based  on
the  greater of the ratio of current sales  to estimated total future sales or a
straight-line basis over the  remaining estimated economic  life of the  product
(no greater than three years) including the current year.
 
                                       19
<PAGE>
RESULTS OF OPERATIONS
 
    The  following table sets forth, for the periods indicated, certain items on
the Company's statement of operations as a percentage of revenue:
 
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
                                                                                             FISCAL YEAR ENDED
                                                                                                 JUNE 30,
                                                                                   -------------------------------------
                                                                                      1994         1995         1996
                                                                                   -----------  -----------  -----------
<S>                                                                                <C>          <C>          <C>
Revenue -- products and services.................................................      100.0%       100.0%       100.0%
Costs and operating expenses:
  Cost of products and services..................................................       52.8         53.0         51.5
  Selling, general and administrative............................................       37.7         48.7         36.5
  Research and development.......................................................        3.9          8.4          4.8
                                                                                       -----        -----        -----
Income (loss) from operations....................................................        5.6%       (10.1)%        7.2%
                                                                                       -----        -----        -----
                                                                                       -----        -----        -----
</TABLE>
 
YEARS ENDED JUNE 30, 1995 AND 1996
 
    REVENUE.  Revenue  increased 61.3%,  from $12.4  million in  fiscal 1995  to
$20.0  million in fiscal  1996. The increase is  attributable to increased sales
volume of the  Company's carrier network  products to Teleglobe  and TELMEX  and
delivery of NetPlus-Registered Trademark- network management systems to the U.S.
Government pursuant to the Company's contract with ANSTEC.
 
    COST  OF PRODUCTS  AND SERVICES.   Cost  of products  and services increased
56.1% from $6.6  million in fiscal  1995 to  $10.3 million in  fiscal 1996.  The
increase   is  attributable  to  increased  purchases  of  hardware  related  to
DCMS-Registered Trademark- units for the TELMEX contract which were subsequently
incorporated in shipped products. Gross margins were 47.0% and 48.5% for  fiscal
1995  and  1996,  respectively.  The  improvement  in  gross  margin  was caused
primarily by efficiencies resulting from increased order quantities and the sale
of products directly to end users which have higher associated profit margins.
 
    SELLING, GENERAL AND  ADMINISTRATIVE.  Selling,  general and  administrative
expenses  increased 20.5% from  $6.0 million in  fiscal 1995 to  $7.3 million in
fiscal 1996. These  expenses represented  48.7% and  36.5% of  total revenue  in
fiscal  1995 and  fiscal 1996, respectively.  The increase in  these expenses is
attributed to the  selling cost associated  with the TELMEX  contract and  costs
associated  with the  Company's continued  expansion of  marketing programs. The
Company expects these expenses to increase in future periods as a result of  its
continued  work  on  the TELMEX  contract,  its  efforts to  position  itself to
penetrate international  markets  for carrier  network  products, its  plans  to
expand  sales of network management products in the United States and the hiring
of additional management personnel. See "Business -- Sales and Marketing."
 
   
    RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT.  Research  and development expense decreased  8.4%
from approximately $1.01 million in fiscal 1995 to approximately $1.0 million in
fiscal 1996, primarily as a result of completion of work on software development
related  to the technology platform for  the Teleglobe contract. As a percentage
of revenue, research and development expense decreased from 8.4% in fiscal  1995
to 4.8% in fiscal 1996 primarily as a result of the increase in period to period
revenues.  The  Company plans  to spend  significant  resources on  research and
development in future  periods in order  to enhance its  technology and  expects
that expenses, as a percentage of total revenue, will increase.
    
 
   
    PROVISION FOR INCOME TAXES.  No income tax benefit or provision was recorded
for  the fiscal  years ended  June 30,  1995 and  1996, respectively,  since any
benefit or  provision  was offset  by  a similar  increase  or decrease  in  the
valuation  allowance. As of  June 30, 1995  and 1996, a  valuation allowance was
recorded for the  full value of  the net  deferred tax assets  as the  Company's
results  can vary based upon  type, timing and quantity  of product shipped and,
consequently, it is management's judgment that  it is more likely than not  that
the net deferred tax asset will not be realized.
    
 
                                       20
<PAGE>
YEARS ENDED JUNE 30, 1994 AND 1995
 
    REVENUE.   Revenue  decreased 14.5%,  from $14.5  million in  fiscal 1994 to
$12.4 million  in fiscal  1995.  The decrease  is attributable  to  simultaneous
delays in three large contracts due to matters beyond the Company's control. See
"-- Overview."
 
    COST  OF PRODUCTS  AND SERVICES.   Cost  of products  and services decreased
14.3% from $7.7  million in  fiscal 1994  to $6.6  million in  fiscal 1995.  The
decrease  is attributable to reduced  hardware purchases, reflecting the reduced
delivery of network management  products in fiscal 1995.  Since the decrease  in
these  costs was offset by a corresponding decrease in period to period revenue,
cost as a percentage of revenue remained unchanged. As a result, gross  margins,
as a percentage of revenue were also unchanged.
 
    SELLING,  GENERAL AND  ADMINISTRATIVE.  Selling,  general and administrative
expenses increased 10.5%  from $5.5 million  in fiscal 1994  to $6.0 million  in
fiscal  1995. These  expenses represented 37.7%  and 48.7% of  revenue in fiscal
1994 and  fiscal 1995,  respectively.  The increase  in expenses  resulted  from
increases  in  the  Company's  direct sales  force  and  in  marketing programs,
specifically on  bid and  proposal efforts  relating to  the TELMEX  and  ANSTEC
contracts described under "Business -- Strategic Alliances and Other Customers."
Additional  costs were  incurred in  fiscal 1995  as a  result of  the hiring of
executive accounting personnel. The increase  in these expenses as a  percentage
of  revenue from  fiscal 1994  to fiscal 1995  is primarily  attributable to the
decrease in period to period revenue.
 
    RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT.   Research and  development expenses increased  by
82.4%  from $0.6 million  in fiscal 1994  to $1.0 million  in fiscal 1995. These
expenses represented  4.0%  and  8.4%  of  revenue  in  fiscal  1994  and  1995,
respectively.  The increase in these expenses was primarily attributable to work
performed on  the  software  development relating  to  the  technology  platform
developed  in anticipation of a contract  with Teleglobe. An increase in expense
was also experienced  as a result  of hiring additional  software engineers  and
support  personnel in anticipation of planned research and development expansion
in fiscal 1996. The increase in these expenses as a percentage of total  revenue
from  fiscal 1994 to  fiscal 1995 is  primarily attributable to  the decrease in
period to period revenue.
 
    PROVISION FOR INCOME TAXES.  No income tax benefit or provision was recorded
for the fiscal years ended June 30, 1994 and 1995 since any benefit or provision
was offset by a similar increase or decrease in the valuation allowance.
 
SELECTED QUARTERLY RESULTS
 
    The following tables present certain unaudited statement of operations  data
for  each quarter of fiscal  1995 and fiscal 1996.  These data have been derived
from the Company's unaudited financial statements and have been prepared on  the
same  basis as the Company's audited financial statements which appear elsewhere
in this  Prospectus. In  the opinion  of the  Company's management,  these  data
 
                                       21
<PAGE>
include  all  adjustments  (consisting  only  of  normal  recurring adjustments)
necessary for a fair presentation of  such data. Such quarterly results are  not
necessarily  indicative  of future  results of  operations. This  information is
qualified by reference to, and should be read in conjunction with, the Company's
financial statements and notes thereto included elsewhere in this Prospectus.
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
                                                                 FISCAL THREE MONTHS ENDED
                                 -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                    FISCAL 1995                                   FISCAL 1996
                                 --------------------------------------------------  -------------------------------------
                                  SEPT. 30,    DEC. 31,     MAR. 31,     JUNE 30,     SEPT. 30,    DEC. 31,     MAR. 31,
                                    1994         1994         1995         1995         1995         1995         1996
                                 -----------  -----------  -----------  -----------  -----------  -----------  -----------
                                                                      (IN THOUSANDS)
<S>                              <C>          <C>          <C>          <C>          <C>          <C>          <C>
STATEMENT OF OPERATIONS DATA:
Revenue -- products and
 services......................  $   2,879    $   3,552    $   2,807    $   3,177    $   3,433    $   4,772    $   4,906
Costs and operating expenses:
  Cost of products and
   services....................      1,485        2,027        1,246        1,821        1,736        2,736        2,200
  Selling, general and
   administrative..............      1,505        1,576        1,594        1,374        1,362        1,610        1,772
  Research and development.....        218          268          226          333          132          235          264
                                 -----------  -----------  -----------  -----------  -----------  -----------  -----------
Income (loss) from
 operations....................       (329)        (319)        (259)        (351)         203          191          670
Interest expense...............         53           74          102          106          104           97           84
                                 -----------  -----------  -----------  -----------  -----------  -----------  -----------
Income (loss) before income
 taxes.........................       (382)        (393)        (361)        (457)          99           94          586
Income taxes...................      --           --           --           --           --           --           --
                                 -----------  -----------  -----------  -----------  -----------  -----------  -----------
Net income (loss)..............  $    (382)   $    (393)   $    (361)   $    (457)   $      99    $      94    $     586
                                 -----------  -----------  -----------  -----------  -----------  -----------  -----------
                                 -----------  -----------  -----------  -----------  -----------  -----------  -----------
 
AS A PERCENTAGE OF REVENUES:
Revenue -- products and
 services......................        100%         100%         100%         100%         100%         100%         100%
Costs and operating expenses:
  Cost of products and
   services....................         52           57           44           57           51           57           45
  Selling, general and
   administrative..............         52           44           57           43           39           34           36
  Research and development.....          7            8            8           11            4            5            5
                                 -----------  -----------  -----------  -----------  -----------  -----------  -----------
Income (loss) from
 operations....................        (11)          (9)          (9)         (11)           6            4           14
Interest expense...............          2            2            4            3            3            2            2
                                 -----------  -----------  -----------  -----------  -----------  -----------  -----------
Income (loss) before income
 taxes.........................        (13)         (11)         (13)         (14)           3            2           12
Income taxes...................      --           --           --           --           --           --           --
                                 -----------  -----------  -----------  -----------  -----------  -----------  -----------
Net income (loss)..............        (13)%        (11)%        (13)%        (14)%          3%           2%          12%
                                 -----------  -----------  -----------  -----------  -----------  -----------  -----------
                                 -----------  -----------  -----------  -----------  -----------  -----------  -----------
 
<CAPTION>
 
                                  JUNE 30,
                                    1996
                                 -----------
 
<S>                              <C>
STATEMENT OF OPERATIONS DATA:
Revenue -- products and
 services......................  $   6,872
Costs and operating expenses:
  Cost of products and
   services....................      3,622
  Selling, general and
   administrative..............      2,549
  Research and development.....        326
                                 -----------
Income (loss) from
 operations....................        375
Interest expense...............         94
                                 -----------
Income (loss) before income
 taxes.........................        281
Income taxes...................      --
                                 -----------
Net income (loss)..............  $     281
                                 -----------
                                 -----------
AS A PERCENTAGE OF REVENUES:
Revenue -- products and
 services......................        100%
Costs and operating expenses:
  Cost of products and
   services....................         53
  Selling, general and
   administrative..............         37
  Research and development.....          5
                                 -----------
Income (loss) from
 operations....................          5
Interest expense...............          1
                                 -----------
Income (loss) before income
 taxes.........................          4
Income taxes...................      --
                                 -----------
Net income (loss)..............          4%
                                 -----------
                                 -----------
</TABLE>
 
   
    The Company's quarterly operating results have  in the past and will in  the
future  vary  significantly as  a result  of the  timing of  contract execution,
orders for products, and  delivery of significant  product orders. Large  orders
typically are preceded by long sales cycles and, accordingly, the timing of such
an  order has been and will continue to  be difficult to predict. The failure to
obtain one or more large orders, for  any reason, could have a material  adverse
effect  on  the Company's  results of  operations  and financial  condition. The
Company's results also vary based on the type and quantity of products  shipped,
the  timing of product shipments, the relative revenue mix in a given period and
the resulting margins.  The variations  may be  material. See  "Risk Factors  --
Reliance   on  Significant  Customers  and  Large  Orders;  Long  Sales  Cycles;
Fluctuations in Results."
    
 
    The timing of  large orders depends  on a variety  of factors affecting  the
capital  spending  decisions of  the Company's  customers,  which, in  turn, can
affect the Company's quarterly operating results. These factors include  changes
in  governmental regulation, changes in  the customers' competitive environment,
pricing policies by the  Company or its  competitors, personnel changes,  demand
for  the Company's products, the number,  timing and significance of new product
and product enhancement
 
                                       22
<PAGE>
announcements by the Company and its competitors, the ability of the Company  to
develop,  introduce and market  new and enhanced  versions of its  products on a
timely basis, and  the mix  of direct and  indirect sales  and general  economic
factors.
 
   
    The  Company's  sales cycle,  from  initial contact  to  contract execution,
orders for  products and  delivery of  product, also  varies substantially  from
customer  to  customer and  from  project to  project.  The purchase  of carrier
network  products  and   network  management  products   generally  involves   a
significant  commitment of customer capital and management time. The sales cycle
associated with the purchase of the Company's products is subject to a number of
additional significant  risks, including  customers' budgetary  constraints  and
internal acceptance reviews, over which the Company has little or no control.
    
 
    The  Company's expense levels are based, in  part, on its expectations as to
future revenue  levels.  If revenue  levels  are below  expectations,  operating
results are likely to be materially adversely affected.
 
   
    Based  upon all of the foregoing,  which explains any material variations in
the quarter-to-quarter results shown above, the Company believes that  quarterly
revenue and operating results are likely to vary significantly in the future and
that   period-to-period  comparisons  of  its  results  of  operations  are  not
necessarily meaningful and should  not be relied upon  as indications of  future
performance.  Further, it  is likely that  in some future  quarter the Company's
revenue or operating  results will be  below the expectations  of public  market
analysts  and investors. In such  event, the price of  the Common Stock could be
materially adversely affected.
    
 
LIQUIDITY AND CAPITAL RESOURCES
 
   
    Net cash (used for)  provided by operating activities  in fiscal 1994,  1995
and  1996  was  ($1,000), ($1.2  million)  and $0.7  million,  respectively. The
decrease in net cash  used for operating activities  from fiscal 1994 to  fiscal
1995  primarily  reflects  a  significant increase  in  accounts  receivable and
inventories of $0.3 million and $0.2 million, respectively, which was  primarily
attributable  to the anticipation and subsequent  delivery of products under the
Teleglobe contract and  a decrease in  accounts payable of  $0.2 million,  which
resulted  primarily from the  timing of vendor invoices,  partially offset by an
increase in deferred revenue of $0.3 million. The increase in net cash  provided
by operating activities from fiscal year 1995 to fiscal 1996 is due primarily to
the  Company once again becoming  profitable with net income  of $1.0 million in
fiscal 1996, as compared to  a net loss of $1.6  million in fiscal 1995, and  an
increase  in accounts  payable, accrued  expenses and  deferred revenue  of $1.9
million, $0.7 million and $0.9  million, respectively, which resulted  primarily
from  the timing  of significant contracts  and customer  advances on contracted
work, offset in part  by an increase in  accounts receivable and inventories  of
$3.9 million and $0.9 million, respectively, which resulted primarily from sales
to TELMEX and the purchased materials for production under such contract.
    
 
    Cash  used for investing activities of  $0.2 million, $1.0 million, and $1.3
million in  fiscal  1994, 1995  and  1996, respectively,  reflect  purchases  of
property  and equipment,  capitalization of  software development  costs and the
sale of short-term investments. Purchases of property and equipment,  consisting
primarily  of computers and  related equipment, were  $0.3 million, $0.5 million
and $0.4  million  in fiscal  1994,  1995 and  1996,  respectively.  Capitalized
software  development costs were $0.7 million,  $0.5 million and $0.9 million in
fiscal 1994, 1995  and 1996,  respectively. Sale of  short-term investments  was
$0.8 million in fiscal 1994.
 
   
    To date, the Company has used sales of preferred equity, cash generated from
operations  and revolving bank lines  of credit to fund  its working capital and
investing activities. Effective March 1, 1996, the Company entered into a credit
agreement with Wells  Fargo HSBC  Trade Bank to  finance inventory  for a  large
foreign  contract. Under the agreement, the Company  can borrow up to $1 million
at 1.25%  over  the bank's  prime  rate. At  June  30, 1996,  $1.0  million  was
outstanding  under the line.  The agreement requires the  Company to comply with
certain financial covenants. The U.S.  Export-Import Bank guarantees 90% of  the
outstanding  balance, which is  collateralized by the  inventory and the foreign
receivables generated  by the  contract. This  agreement expires  on August  31,
1996.
    
 
                                       23
<PAGE>
   
    The  Company's  other borrowings  are from  Citizens  Bank of  Maryland. The
Company has a $2.5 million line of credit of which $1.8 million was  outstanding
at  June 30,  1996, which  expires on  November 30,  1997. Borrowings  under the
facility bear interest, payable monthly, at 0.5% over the bank's prime rate. The
Company also has a  $1 million revolving line  of credit of which  approximately
$1.0  million was  outstanding at June  30, 1996. This  facility bears interest,
payable monthly, at 0.5% over the bank's  prime rate and is due on November  30,
1997.  In addition, the Company has outstanding installment notes due in varying
monthly installments through June 2000, bearing interest at 1.0% over the bank's
prime  rate  in  the  aggregate  principal  amount  as  of  June  30,  1996   of
approximately  $0.6 million. These  credit arrangements are  secured by accounts
receivable, equipment and  inventory certain  of which are  subordinated to  the
security  interests  under the  credit  agreement described  in  the immediately
preceding paragraph. In addition, on June  21, 1996, the Company entered into  a
loan  agreement for $750,000, bearing interest at a rate of 0.5% over the bank's
prime rate, payable monthly. The principal is due on August 20, 1996. These loan
arrangements require the Company  to comply with  covenants to maintain  certain
levels of minimum tangible net worth, debt to net worth ratios, working capital,
current ratios and total liabilities to tangible net worth ratios.
    
 
    The Company believes that the net proceeds from this offering, together with
existing cash balances, cash flow from operations and available bank lines, will
be  sufficient to support the Company's working capital requirement for at least
the  next  12  months.  Thereafter,   if  cash  generated  from  operations   is
insufficient  to satisfy the Company's working capital requirements, the Company
may be  required to  raise additional  funds.  No assurance  can be  given  that
additional  financing will  be available or  that, if  available, such financing
will be obtainable on terms favorable to the Company or its stockholders. To the
extent the Company raises  additional capital by  issuing equity or  convertible
debt  securities, ownership dilution to  the Company's stockholders will result.
In the event that adequate funds  are not available, the Company's business  may
be adversely affected.
 
RECENT ACCOUNTING PRONOUNCEMENTS
 
    SFAS  No. 121, "Accounting  for the Impairment of  Long-Lived Assets and for
Long-Lived Assets to be  Disposed of," and SFAS  No. 123, "Accounting for  Stock
Based Compensation," both effective beginning with fiscal 1997, are not expected
to  have a  material impact  on the Company's  financial position  or results of
operations.
 
                            ------------------------
 
    The Company's business is subject to significant risks that could cause  the
Company's   results   to  differ   materially  from   those  expressed   in  any
forward-looking statements  made in  this Prospectus.  These risks  include  the
matters set forth above this caption, under "Risk Factors" and elsewhere herein.
 
                                       24
<PAGE>
                                    BUSINESS
 
GENERAL
 
    ACE*COMM  develops, markets and services  OSS products for networks deployed
by telecommunications  service providers,  such  as telephone  companies,  other
public  carriers and large  enterprises operating data  and voice networks using
intranets and the  Internet. The  Company's products perform  such functions  as
billing  data  collection, network  surveillance,  alarm processing  and network
management for some of the largest carriers and enterprises in the world.
 
    CARRIER NETWORK PRODUCTS
 
    The Company's carrier network products  include billing data collection  and
network  surveillance systems for carriers seeking the ability to bring services
to market  quickly and  for many  emerging carriers  that lack  state-of-the-art
billing  data collection systems. These  carriers typically focus their internal
development resources on  networking and switching  technology and on  marketing
their  services and turn to outside  suppliers to obtain OSSs. Outside suppliers
provide flexible, efficient solutions  that may be more  costly for carriers  to
develop internally.
 
    The  Company's  carrier  network  products, which  consist  of  software and
hardware, connect to  existing network  infrastructures and  enable carriers  to
rapidly  and accurately collect  call records and  performance data and generate
displays, graphics  and reports  which are  used for  billing, fraud  detection,
customer  care, marketing research and  forecasting and other operations support
functions. These  products are  designed to  enhance the  carriers'  competitive
position  by allowing them to offer  new features and services, minimize network
down-time, increase revenue through more accurate and timely billing and improve
network productivity.  The  Company  has  expertise derived  from  13  years  of
developing  products  adapted  to a  variety  of network  hardware  and software
configurations. The Company believes that  it is well-positioned to continue  to
offer  its  carrier network  products  to international  customers  located, for
example in Europe,  Asia and  the Pacific Rim,  which typically  operate a  wide
variety  of switches from different manufacturers  and require a data collection
system capable of adapting to and integrating with the billing system and  other
OSSs. The Company's carrier network products have been installed in over 500 end
user  sites in  32 countries  in North, South  and Central  America, Europe, the
Middle East, and Asia, including China.
 
   
    The Company expects  to increase  revenues derived from  sales, directly  or
indirectly  through its strategic alliance partners, from international markets,
which are  experiencing increasing  deregulation  and privatization,  and  where
telecommunications   infrastructures  have  not  reached  nearly  the  stage  of
development as in  the United States.  The Company believes  that its  strategic
alliances   with  prominent  U.S.  and   international  carriers  and  equipment
manufacturers, such  as AT&T,  ICL and  Teleglobe which  are actively  marketing
carrier  systems abroad, will enable it  to effectively increase its penetration
of international markets.
    
 
    The Company also expects demand for its carrier network products to increase
in  the  United  States  as  a  result  of  the  recent  passage  of  the   U.S.
Telecommunications Act of 1996, which removed certain existing barriers to entry
and  is expected to result  in the creation of  new, alternative carriers and to
cause existing carriers to upgrade their systems to meet increasing competition.
 
    NETWORK MANAGEMENT PRODUCTS
 
    The Company's network management products  are designed to meet the  growing
needs of large enterprises in the United States and abroad, including government
agencies,  military organizations,  educational institutions  and "Fortune 1000"
size organizations. As these enterprises  have become increasingly dependent  on
the  Internet and intranets for voice  and data communications, their demand for
reliable and flexible network management tools has increased.
 
    The Company  has packaged  network  management products  into  standardized,
flexible state-of-the-art software based systems that enable network managers to
manage  voice  and  data communications  by  automating  service administration,
tracking network connections, detecting system errors
 
                                       25
<PAGE>
and  malfunctions,   controlling   the   network   inventory   assignments   and
configuration,   monitoring  traffic  and   performing  billing  functions.  The
Company's network management products  have been installed  in networks in  over
100 end users sites in 10 countries.
 
    The  Company believes it  is well positioned to  develop products to support
the convergence and growth of telephony and data networks within the enterprise,
as a  result  of  its knowledge  and  experience  in data  control  and  network
switching  technology. The Company's network management products are designed to
increase the  efficiency  of  communication operations  and  incorporate  recent
developments  in object-oriented development,  real-time response, client server
architecture and graphical user interfaces.
 
INDUSTRY BACKGROUND
 
    CARRIERS
 
    Historically, the  telecommunications  industry has  been  characterized  by
significant  government regulation or ownership and limited competition. In this
environment, telecommunications services consisted  primarily of monopoly  local
and long distance telephone service over traditional landlines. The beginning of
the  break-up of  AT&T in  1984 began  a deregulatory  trend that  has led  to a
proliferation of competition in the long-distance carrier market. More recently,
the passage of the U.S. Telecommunications Act of 1996 is expected to create  an
environment  where both long distance and  local exchange carriers in the United
States will  increasingly compete  with  one another  for  both local  and  long
distance  services. In  addition, domestic  service providers  are aligning with
international telephone companies to deliver seamless services globally.  Today,
both  domestic and international telephony  carriers face increasing competition
from cable and wireless companies for  telephony and new, high bandwidth  voice,
data and video services.
 
    In  response to this evolving  competitive environment, carriers have sought
to reduce expenses and differentiate  themselves by improving existing  services
and    rapidly   introducing   new   services    and   new   technologies.   New
telecommunications   services   include   high-speed   data   services,    video
teleconferencing,  video-on-demand, home shopping  and home banking. Competition
has increased the importance of rapidly bringing these new and enhanced services
to market. The availability of new  and enhanced services has fueled a  dramatic
increase   in  usage   of  telecommunications  services   by  organizations  and
individuals,  placing   additional   burdens  on   existing   telecommunications
infrastructures.
 
    Internationally, demand for better telecommunications services has increased
competition and resulted in privatization, investment in new infrastructures and
increased  competition to provide better service. In less developed parts of the
world, carriers  are  implementing  new  systems  through  traditional  landline
networks,  new wireless technologies and other new technologies. Various factors
have  further  contributed  to  acceleration  in  the  rate  of  growth  in  the
development  of  the telecommunications  systems outside  of the  United States,
including the globalization of  business, the rise in  standards of living,  the
increasing demand for reliable communications and the increasing deregulation in
the  industry. Service providers in less  developed parts of the world typically
are building systems through  the purchase of equipment  from a wide variety  of
suppliers,  which results  in a heterogeneous  assortment of  switches and other
network hardware  and software.  This mix  generates a  need for  products  that
support  network operations  and can  be flexible  and adapted  to these various
switches and system features. The Company's specialized knowledge and experience
with a wide variety of switch equipment is particularly suited to meeting  these
requirements.
 
    To  develop, deploy and manage networks  and services, carriers rely on OSSs
including network  management  systems  ("NMS")  that,  among  other  functions,
monitor  equipment  performance  to  detect  errors  (fault  management), report
network  performance  and  traffic  loads  (traffic  reporting),  help  in   the
performance  of  market research  and  forecasting and  collect  and consolidate
customer usage  information (billing  data collection).  Historically, OSSs  and
NMSs  were developed  and deployed  in an  environment characterized  by limited
competition and slowly  changing technologies and  services. These systems  were
typically mainframe-based, with proprietary software written in early generation
programming languages. As a result, these "legacy" systems were not designed for
rapid
 
                                       26
<PAGE>
deployment  or adaptation, do not easily support heterogeneous equipment and are
not easily customized to  fit specific business needs.  In view of the  industry
trends  toward increased competition, technological complexity and rapid change,
carriers require OSSs and NMSs that:
 
    - can be  rapidly  deployed and  easily  adapted to  changing  business  and
      network requirements;
 
    - interface  with a wide  variety of existing  network equipment and systems
      and accommodate new equipment and systems as they are deployed;
 
    - can be  tailored through  software to  provide a  variety of  OSS and  NMS
      functions; and
 
    - allow  existing  networks to  accommodate  rapid growth  through scaleable
      architecture.
 
OSSs and NMSs that provide the foregoing benefits, and the products designed  to
support them, will enable carriers to rapidly and cost effectively bring new and
enhanced services to market.
 
    ENTERPRISE NETWORKS
 
    The  proliferation of new voice and  data services offered by communications
companies has increased the awareness of  and demand for network management  and
billing  systems. As  a result  of the growth  of network  usage and competitive
pressures, enterprises in most industries have developed needs for sophisticated
NMSs, which permit network managers to manage networks carrying different  types
of  voice  and data  communications  and to  lower  costs, manage  growth, track
expenses and provide services without interruption.
 
    The growing  dependence  on  intranets  and  the  Internet  to  support  the
expanding information flow between offices, buildings and countries, both within
the  enterprise  and to  and  from customers  and  suppliers of  the enterprise,
requires an efficient NMS to avoid the costly disruption of critical  day-to-day
operations.  Enterprises increasingly  rely on  e-mail, phone  mail, facsimiles,
on-line order entry, customer service  and telecommuting programs for  employees
to  transmit critical business information. For example, banks rely on dispersed
automated teller  machines  to conduct  banking  transactions, and  doctors  and
hospitals rely on networks to transmit medical records and provide on-line care.
Furthermore,  as enterprises  increase the  employment of  sophisticated network
equipment like  ATM,  Frame  Relay  and  X.25  data  switches,  it  will  become
increasingly  important for network managers to have the ability to charge based
on the amount of data transmitted. In cooperation with and funded by  Newbridge,
the  Company  is  developing  the  billing  component  for  their  advanced data
switches. The  billing  element  gives access  providers  flexible  options  for
billing  users  of  data  network  services.  The  Company  anticipates  similar
opportunities to  develop  other network  edge  technologies for  equipment  and
service providers in the growing market for data services.
 
    Enterprises  which  require  NMSs  capable  of  handling  large  numbers  of
subscribers efficiently,  reliably  and rapidly  include:  government  agencies,
military   organizations,  educational  institutions  and  "Fortune  1000"  size
organizations. The NMS requirements of an organization become more sophisticated
as the  number  of  subscribers,  locations,  users,  countries,  third  parties
communicating  with the organization, and types of hardware involved, increases.
Network managers therefore require NMSs that provide:
 
    - the ability  to  perform  high  volume  data  collection  and  to  produce
      displays,  graphics and  reports with  respect to  usage, surveillance and
      management requirements;
 
    - the ability  to  manage communications  over  both voice  circuits  (e.g.,
      telephone,  voice-mail) and data circuits (e.g., the Internet and intranet
      connections,   e-mail,    facsimilies,    orders,    inventory    control)
      simultaneously;
 
    - the ability to bill for usage;
 
                                       27
<PAGE>
    - proprietary  and standard protocol  features which may  include the Simple
      Network Management Protocol ("SNMP");
 
    - compatibility  with   standard   network   management   platforms   (e.g.,
      Hewlett-Packard  Open  View,  IBM Netview  and  Sun Net  Manager)  and the
      ability to run under  standard operating systems  (e.g., UNIX, Windows  95
      and Windows NT); and
 
    - flexibility to accommodate expanding network management requirements.
 
    Telecommunications service providers benefit from the availability of timely
and  accurate  information  about  their  deployed  networks  because  it allows
increased  service  availability  without  increasing  network  investment.  The
Company  believes that advanced  products that support  their network operations
and sophisticated  network management  products are  important to  their  future
success.
 
ACE*COMM SOLUTIONS
 
    The  Company provides flexible, tailored solutions  that operate at the edge
of the network and address a range of systems and network management needs.  The
Company's  products, developed  with the  benefit of  the Company's  13 years of
experience, are designed  to improve  the efficiency of  revenue collection  for
carriers and decrease network operating expenses for enterprises. These products
provide  the information required for prompt,  accurate billing, real time fraud
detection, subscriber management and the ability to conduct market research  and
forecasting.  The  products incorporate  open system  architectures, accommodate
growth  through  scaleable  architecture,  and   can  adapt  to  most   standard
interfaces.  Network  management  products  are  modular  products  designed  to
increase the efficiency and management of data and voice networks and facilitate
communications on enterprise intranets and the Internet.
 
    The Company develops close, long-term relationships with its customers, from
the early  stage  of  project development  through  product  implementation  and
upgrading,  to identify their needs, and design and implement solutions that can
operate on a stand-alone basis or be tailored to a customer's specific  network.
The  Company  has  developed, and  continuously  refines, its  base  of software
applications, which  can  be combined  and  tailored  to meet  the  current  and
evolving requirements of its customers. The Company works closely with customers
after  initial  implementation, to  enable  customers to  include  new features,
expand  into  additional  geographic  markets   or  operate  with  new   network
technologies  and protocols. In addition,  the Company provides ongoing support,
maintenance and training related to the customer's system.
 
STRATEGY
 
    The Company's objective is to be the  market leader in the markets in  which
it participates. The Company plans to achieve this objective by implementing the
following strategies:
 
    FOCUS ON NEW AND EMERGING GROWTH MARKETS.  The Company's principal marketing
emphasis is on two types of carriers: existing providers and emerging providers.
Existing  providers are replacing their older systems, augmenting their existing
systems to support  new features and  services or adding  new systems to  enable
them  to expand into new domestic  and international markets. Emerging providers
worldwide are  expected  to  offer  new  types  of  services  such  as  personal
communications  systems ("PCS") and  are entering existing  service markets that
have  been  recently   opened  to   competition  as   a  result   of  the   U.S.
Telecommunications  Act of 1996 and similar  legislation in other countries. The
Company believes that its experience in providing solutions to markets worldwide
within the carrier market, including local exchange, long distance and wireless,
involving applications for a  wide variety of  switches and other  heterogeneous
network system elements, provides it with a significant competitive advantage in
designing  products  which can  effectively handle  the  growing needs  of these
providers.
 
    EXPAND STRATEGIC  ALLIANCES.   The  Company  is strengthening  its  existing
strategic  alliances with  marketing partners  and creating  new alliances  as a
means of identifying new business opportunities
 
                                       28
<PAGE>
and   entering    new   markets.    These   strategic    alliances   are    with
internationally-recognized  telecommunications equipment  and service providers.
The alliances are  a critical component  of the Company's  strategy to  increase
penetration  in large international markets, by leveraging on the reputation and
marketing efforts of its partners.
 
    POSITION COMPANY PRODUCTS IN INTERNATIONAL  MARKETS.  Through its  alliances
with  internationally  focused  partners,  the Company  intends  to  continue to
identify new users in  emerging countries. Each  new installation represents  an
opportunity  for the Company to provide additional products and services for end
users. The Company has expanded its  opportunities by providing products to  one
type  of carrier  in a  country, often  a cellular  carrier, and  leveraging its
performance and reputation with  that customer to sell  products to other  local
carriers. The Company's experience with TELMEX is a model for this strategy. See
" -- Strategic Alliances and Other Customers."
 
   
    LEVERAGE  TECHNOLOGICAL  LEADERSHIP.   The  Company is  continually pursuing
opportunities to use its technological leadership to create product enhancements
such as real-time data collection and subscriber data warehousing. Recently, the
Company led a  national effort  involving, among  others, Cabletron,  Microsoft,
Novell, Hewlett-Packard, and IBM, for the development of a standard protocol for
use  with the Microsoft  Windows operating system  ("WinSNMP") which is enabling
the development of flexible, decentralized  data network management systems.  In
conjunction  with this  effort, the  Company developed  enabling technology that
facilitates the use  of Microsoft  Windows, Intel processors  and the  Company's
NetPlus  products for managing networks.  To date, over 500  such kits have been
sold to  customers  such  as Microsoft  Corporation,  Oracle  Corporation,  3Com
Corporation,  Lotus Development  Corporation, CISCO  Systems, Inc.  and Symantec
Inc. To further its penetration of the data network market, the Company is  also
developing  the  billing component  for advanced  data switches,  which provides
access providers  with  flexible  options  for billing  users  of  data  network
services. The Company anticipates similar opportunities to develop other network
edge  technologies for equipment and service providers in the growing market for
data services.
    
 
    EXPAND SOFTWARE  OPTIONS TO  MEET THE  NEEDS OF  ENTERPRISES.   The  Company
continues to package its NetPlus software features into Company-standard systems
designed  to work individually  or as a group  and to facilitate enterprise-wide
voice and  data communications.  The Company  is also  expanding the  number  of
available  features to support data  communications networks and operations. The
Company believes it will be  particularly important to provide network  managers
with the flexibility to meet the increasing demands of converging voice and data
telecommunications markets and expanding enterprise network requirements.
 
   
    MAINTAIN  ISO 9001 PRODUCT  QUALITY REGISTRATION.   The Company has invested
nearly $1.5 million over the last several years to obtain, and plans to continue
such investments to maintain, the  registration of its processes and  procedures
under  the international quality  standard ISO 9001.  This standard assures that
the Company meets rigorous  performance and quality  criteria established by  an
internationally  recognized  organization.  Compliance  with  this  standard  is
particularly  important   in   establishing  credibility   and   acceptance   in
international markets.
    
 
PRODUCTS
 
    All  of the following products reflect  the Company's extensive knowledge of
switch interface technology and experience  in the collection and management  of
data  from switches made by virtually  any manufacturer. The Company has applied
the same expertise to network  management products for large enterprises,  whose
complex  networks often involve remote  locations and require similarly flexible
and innovative designs to facilitate the flow of communications.
 
    CARRIER NETWORK PRODUCTS
 
    The Company's carrier network products meet the requirements of the existing
telephony wireline businesses and the  growing markets of cable television,  the
Internet  and wireless businesses. The automation of data collection from remote
switches enables carriers to operate  larger, increasingly complex systems  with
more  customer  features more  reliably, more  cost  effectively and  with fewer
 
                                       29
<PAGE>
personnel. The Company's  carrier network  products are  designed to  facilitate
more  accurate and more frequent billing,  thereby reducing billing lag time and
accounts receivable. They also enable carriers to track calling patterns, reduce
fraud, perform fault  management, improve network  performance, and verify  that
calls  are not needlessly  routed through inefficient  or expensive paths. These
products enable a carrier to increase the size of its system and provide its end
users with better service, in remote and international locations. Following  are
descriptions of the Company's principal carrier network products:
 
    DATA COLLECTION
 
        DCMS-REGISTERED   TRADEMARK-  --  DCMS,   Distributed  Call  Measurement
    System-TM-, is  a  hardware  and software  based  microprocessor  controlled
    product  which  collects  call  record  data  from  telephone  switches  and
    electronically transmits them to a central  location, where the data can  be
    processed   for  such  purposes  as  billing,  traffic  analysis  and  fraud
    detection. DCMS  eliminates  magnetic tape  storage  units and  manual  data
    collection,  reduces processing costs, and increases the accuracy of billing
    data which, in  turn, increases revenue.  The most recent  version of  DCMS,
    NEDS-TM-,  Network Element Data Server, can  provide the data on a real-time
    basis. The Company also offers the DCMS*Plus-TM-, a version of DCMS which is
    based on a  new technology  platform and is  targeted at  carriers in  third
    world  and  emerging countries.  These products  can  be adapted  to support
    virtually all wireline and wireless telephone switches.
 
    BILLING REPORTS AND ACCESS TO CUSTOMER DATA
 
        UPS-32-REGISTERED TRADEMARK- -- UPS-32, Universal Polling System-32-TM-,
    is a mini-computer, server  or PC-based product,  programmed to control  the
    collection  and transmission of call  detail records transmitted by multiple
    DCMS units and similar equipment of other vendors. UPS-32 collects call data
    from  dispersed  switch  sites,  processes   and  formats  the  data  on   a
    customer-defined  schedule,  and  distributes  the  data  to  the customer's
    billing center. The most recent version of UPS-32, CANS-TM-, Central  Access
    Network Server, collects and distributes data in real-time.
 
        TIBS-TM-   --   TIBS,  TELMARS-TM-   International  Billing   System,  a
    software-based alternative carrier billing system, uses information gathered
    by the  DCMS or  other  providers' data  collection products,  and  provides
    carriers  with  billing  information.  TIBS  is  designed  to  reliably  and
    accurately bill for subscriber calls  originating in over 30 countries,  and
    to support accurate currency conversions based on daily exchange rates.
 
        TREX*COMM-TM- -- TREX*COMM is a software-based product designed for U.S.
    local  exchange  carriers  who  use  network  switches  to  provide customer
    premises voice and data communication services for business customers, under
    a service  concept  called  CENTREX. TREX*COMM  automates  the  transfer  of
    CENTREX call usage data from remote switch sites to customers' equipment and
    sorts  records by  customer codes,  group codes,  or other  identifying data
    fields. Using standard  modem protocols,  customers can  dial the  TREX*COMM
    system  to  retrieve  their data.  Running  on  UNIX platforms  and  used in
    conjunction with  a data  collection product,  such as  the DCMS,  TREX*COMM
    makes network information available to CENTREX subscribers to enable them to
    manage and control data.
 
    SURVEILLANCE AND ALARM (TRAFFIC REPORTING)
 
        UTS-32-REGISTERED TRADEMARK- -- UTS-32, Universal Traffic System-32-TM-,
    uses  information  gathered  by  DCMS  products  or  other  providers'  data
    collection products to  provide reports  on system  traffic and  usage on  a
    periodic  basis.  UTS-32 produces  hourly  group traffic  reports, multi-day
    study reports,  multi-day load  balancing reports,  multi-day group  traffic
    analyses, weekly historical usage reports, yearly trunk forecasting reports,
    and   other  engineering  information  used  to  monitor  and  maximize  the
    efficiency of the system and enable the carrier to minimize down-time.
 
        RTMS-TM- --  RTMS,  Real Time  Management  System, a  system  originally
    developed  for Teleglobe, monitors  network data in  real-time and provides,
    from  a  single  data  base,  information  for  billing,  fraud   detection,
    subscriber    management    and   network    management.   The    heart   of
 
                                       30
<PAGE>
    RTMS is  a 600  gigabyte data  warehouse.  RTMS uses  NEDS to  capture  call
    records in real-time from remote switches. RTMS processing software presents
    the data for analysis within 15 seconds of call completion.
 
        ANMS-REGISTERED  TRADEMARK- -- ANMS, AMAT Network Management System-TM-,
    monitors the elements of  a billing network. ANMS  is a mini-computer  based
    product that collects and reports on alarms sent by DCMSs, UPS-32s and other
    network  elements in the  billing system to  assure that no  billing data is
    lost. In addition, ANMS serves as a user interface and collects system  logs
    from  the network elements. The Company presently is adding standard network
    management protocols to ANMS.
 
    NETWORK MANAGEMENT PRODUCTS
 
    The Company's network management products  meet the requirements of  network
managers  of large, growing  and increasingly complex  integrated voice and data
networks. The Company's network management  products are designed to enable  the
managers  to operate their networks more effectively, to more accurately control
costs, to minimize network down time, and to implement other network  management
features as their requirements grow and change.
 
        NETPLUS-REGISTERED  TRADEMARK- VOICE AND  DATA NETWORK MANAGEMENT SYSTEM
    -- The  NetPlus  family of  network  management products  consists  of  five
    systems  designed to  automate network operations  and management functions.
    These systems employ a client  server architecture and common database  that
    permit  them  to operate  either independently  or  as an  integrated whole.
    NetPlus products are scaleable, providing flexibility to accommodate a broad
    range of  network  sizes  and  multiple  locations.  The  Company  typically
    provides   NetPlus  products  as  fully  integrated  hardware  and  software
    configurations. These  products  are  intended  to  manage  voice  and  data
    networks  for  1,000  to 50,000  users.  The Company  also  licenses NetPlus
    software to resellers to reach the  market for small size networks.  NetPlus
    products are capable of providing total network management including: FAULT,
    CONFIGURATION,  ACCOUNTING, PERFORMANCE  AND SECURITY  MANAGEMENT ("FCAPS").
    These products allow a network to  automate tasks such as alarm  processing,
    connectivity  tracking, automatic cable and  channel assignment, creation of
    subscriber and circuit records, inventory control, traffic surveillance  and
    management,  work order and trouble  ticket processing, directory assistance
    and subscriber billing.
 
   
    The Company employs a documented  Quality Management Program to monitor  the
quality  of  its products  and  detect errors.  The  Company has  established an
internal Quality Management Committee to set quality objectives for the  Company
and  a Quality Assurance Department to implement and monitor compliance with the
applicable procedures.  The  Company's  quality assurance  and  error  detection
system  is based on ISO 9001 international quality standards, applicable to such
matters as management responsibility,  quality systems, contract review,  design
control,  document and data  control, control of  inspection, measuring and test
equipment, training, servicing  and inspection  and test  status. The  Company's
procedures  are audited  twice each  year both internally,  and by  the ISO. The
Company has experienced no product returns in  the past 10 years as a result  of
undetected  errors.  Where  undetected  errors  occur,  the  Company  may  incur
additional costs and delays in order to remedy the errors.
    
 
SALES AND MARKETING
 
    Historically, the Company's sales and marketing efforts have been managed by
a  small  group  of   senior  managers  with   substantial  experience  in   the
telecommunications  service  provider  market.  These  managers  relied  on  the
Company's  proven  performance  in  promoting  the  Company's  products.   Sales
opportunities originated primarily from (i) referrals, (ii) involvement in trade
shows  and  industry  conferences,  (iii) responses  to  Requests  for Proposals
received  from  telecommunications  service  providers,  governments  and  other
organizations  and  (iv) leads  from or  contract  proposals with  the Company's
strategic alliance partners. See "-- Strategic Alliances and Other Customers."
 
                                       31
<PAGE>
    The sales  process  for  new  contracts  generally  requires  a  significant
investment  of time and  money and takes  from several months  to several years.
This process  involves  senior  executives, sales  representatives  and  support
personnel  and typically  requires presentations,  demonstrations, field trials,
and lengthy negotiations.
 
    As part of its  sales strategy, the Company  spends a significant amount  of
time  consulting with strategic partners and end  users to adapt its products to
meet end user  requirements. Through  ongoing sales,  maintenance, training  and
systems  analysis, the Company maintains contact with its partners and end users
to determine their evolving requirements  for updates and enhancements.  Through
these  processes, the Company gains valuable  industry expertise, as well as the
ability to identify emerging industry applications and new sales opportunities.
 
   
    At present, the Company  plans to significantly  increase its sales  efforts
over  the next  six to  12 months  through more  aggressive sales  and marketing
strategies.   The   Company   is   hiring   more   direct,   experienced   sales
representatives,  adding  non-exclusive  third party  distribution  channels and
developing additional  strategic  alliances  with  carriers  and  communications
equipment manufacturers to market the Company's products.
    
 
   
    The  Company's products typically are sold to strategic alliance partners or
through them, to  their end user  customers. Resellers are  also used to  target
markets  where large numbers of customers with smaller networks are predominant.
A small, direct  sales force  markets the  Company's products  in markets  where
relationships  are not established. In fiscal  1996, sales to strategic alliance
partners, resellers and through the  direct sales force comprised  approximately
60%,  1% and  39% of  revenue, respectively.  The Company  is in  the process of
identifying and targeting the markets most likely to need its products. To date,
as a result of market research and  analysis, the Company has begun to  actively
market its network management products to universities and airports. The Company
also   plans  certain  promotional  efforts  targeted  at  identified  potential
enterprise customers,  such  as  through participation  at  the  Association  of
College  and University  Telecommunications Administrators  conference and other
national conferences on network management and billing.
    
 
    The Company is working with several manufacturers to promote the  visibility
and positioning of its network management products. As a leader in the promotion
of  SNMP, which is emerging as an  industry standard for network management, the
Company has sold licenses to various suppliers, including Microsoft Corporation,
3Com Corporation,  CISCO Systems,  Inc., Lotus  Development Corporation,  Oracle
Corporation  and Symantec  Inc., enabling them  to incorporate  WinSNMP in their
products for use  in establishing network  management applications, which  could
include NetPlus products.
 
    The  Company plans to increase its  promotional and name recognition efforts
over the next 12 months. It will continue to exhibit in trade shows and industry
conferences, publish newsletters and hold  user group meetings. The Company  has
also  established a home page on the  Internet to communicate with customers and
prospects.
 
CUSTOMER SUPPORT
 
    The Company  believes  that a  high  level of  engineering  and  development
services and customer support is critical to the Company's continuing success in
developing  relationships with its strategic partners  and end users. To augment
its  sales  efforts,   the  Company  offers   product-related  engineering   and
development  services  to its  customers. The  Company offers  a range  of other
services to  customers,  including requirements  analysis,  project  management,
system  design,  tailoring  and  installation,  training,  ongoing  support  and
upgrades. Because the Company's services personnel work closely with  customers,
they  are able to gain valuable industry expertise, as well as identify emerging
industry applications. In addition, the Company's services personnel are able to
identify new sales  opportunities. When the  Company undertakes engineering  and
development  services for  customers, the  development often  results in product
enhancement.
 
                                       32
<PAGE>
   
    The Company offers technical customer support  24 hours per day, seven  days
per  week.  Support is  provided  via telephone,  remote  login, e-mail  and, if
necessary, on-site assistance. In addition, the Company has established a  World
Wide  Web  site  on  the  Internet which  keeps  customers  informed  of product
developments. International customers are supported  directly by the Company  or
by   local  representatives  that  have  been  trained  by  the  Company.  These
representatives do  not  represent the  Company  exclusively. The  Company  also
conducts training classes for its strategic partners and other customers.
    
 
   
STRATEGIC ALLIANCES AND OTHER CUSTOMERS
    
 
   
    In  order to  develop, market and  distribute its  products effectively, the
Company has established  strategic alliances with  several large customers  (the
"strategic alliance partners" or "partners") to which the Company sells products
for  use by them or their customers.  The Company's strategic alliances apply to
both its  carrier network  products and  its network  management products.  Each
alliance  is  designed to  do one  or  more of  the following:  develop products
designed to meet the needs  of the partner or  its customers, establish a  joint
marketing  relationship  to  include Company  products  in systems  sold  by the
partner, and  create  a  reseller  channel for  the  Company's  products.  These
alliances  have  been  especially helpful  in  enabling the  Company  to install
products in foreign countries, where  the Company's strategic alliance  partners
are well known and have well developed business relationships.
    
 
   
    A  strategic  alliance typically  involves  a formal  agreement  between the
Company and the strategic alliance partner, pursuant to which the parties  agree
to  develop and sell products to  the partner for use by  the partner, or by its
customers who are in such  cases the end users  of the Company's products.  Each
agreement  specifies the terms of the alliance, which may include parameters for
product development and  product specifications, product  pricing, the terms  of
intellectual  property ownership, and  the responsibilities of  each partner for
system integration, proposal  drafting, sales and  marketing. Once the  products
are  developed, the strategic alliance partner will issue specific orders to the
Company from time  to time to  purchase products,  subject to the  terms of  the
overall agreement. The products are purchased and paid for by the partner either
for  its own use or for resale to its  customers directly or as part of a larger
system installation. Sales to a strategic alliance partner may vary from  period
to  period, depending  on the timing  of orders, which  in turn may  depend on a
number  of  factors,   including  the  completion   of  the  Company's   product
development,  the partner's  marketing and sales  efforts to  its customers, the
timing of orders from the  partner's customers, and various internal  financial,
strategic  and other  factors specific  to a  partner or  any of  its customers.
Accordingly, sales to a partner in one period are not necessarily predictive  of
sales to the partner in future periods.
    
 
   
    The  Company's carrier network products have  been installed in over 500 end
user sites  in 32  countries. The  Company's carrier  network product  customers
accounted  for  approximately  40.6%,  62.8%  and  67.6%,  respectively,  of the
Company's revenue in  fiscal 1994,  1995 and 1996,  respectively. The  Company's
carrier  network product customers in each of  the past three fiscal years which
contributed 10%  or  more  of  the Company's  revenue,  from  carriers  and  the
percentages  of carrier revenue and of total revenue attributable to each one in
each of such periods were as follows:
    
 
   
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
                                               PERCENT OF     PERCENT OF
FISCAL                                           CARRIER     TOTAL COMPANY
YEAR                                             REVENUE        REVENUE
- ---------                                     -------------  -------------
 
<S>        <C>                                <C>            <C>
1994       AT&T World Services                      30.2%          12.2%
           CBIS                                     17.1            7.0
           Digital Equipment - Espana               11.2            4.5
 
1995       AT&T World Services                      29.1%          18.3%
           Teleglobe                                25.2           15.8
 
1996       TELMEX                                   42.6%          28.8%
           Teleglobe                                15.8           10.7
</TABLE>
    
 
                                       33
<PAGE>
   
    The Company's network management  products have been  installed in over  100
end  user  sites  in 10  countries.  Network management  products  accounted for
approximately 59.4%, 37.2% and  32.4% of the Company's  revenue in fiscal  1994,
1995  and 1996, respectively. The Company's network management product customers
in each of  the past three  fiscal years which  contributed 10% or  more of  the
Company's  revenue from sales of these  products to enterprise customers and the
percentage of enterprise revenue and total revenue attributable to each in  each
of such periods were as follows:
    
 
   
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
                                               PERCENT OF
                                               ENTERPRISE     PERCENT OF
FISCAL                                          CUSTOMER     TOTAL COMPANY
YEAR                                             REVENUE        REVENUE
- ---------                                     -------------  -------------
 
<S>        <C>                                <C>            <C>
1994       ServAir                                  36.5%          21.7%
           AmerInd                                  21.4           12.7
           AT&T Federal Systems                     14.5            8.6
           U.S. Navy                                13.0            7.7
 
1995       AmerInd                                  38.0%          14.1%
           AT&T Federal                             15.7            5.8
           GTE Government Systems                   16.2            6.0
           ServAir                                  10.4            3.8
 
1996       ANSTEC                                   35.1%          11.3%
           GTE Government Systems                   19.0            6.1
           AmerInd                                  12.2            3.9
</TABLE>
    
 
    The  following  is  a  list  of  the  Company's  most  significant strategic
alliances:
 
    CARRIER NETWORK PRODUCTS
 
        - AT&T WORLD SERVICES, INC. ("AT&T WORLD SERVICES") -- selected the DCMS
          and UPS-32 as operating components of its billing analysis systems for
          international toll gateways, to be sold to customers worldwide.  These
          systems  are used  to collect data  for traffic  analysis and billing.
          These systems have  been sold to  Telecom Networks and  International,
          Ltd.   of  Auckland,  New  Zealand;   the  Philippines  Long  Distance
          Telephone; Brunei;  Codetel, the  Dominican Republic's  long  distance
          carrier;  Unisource, a consortium of joint venture companies providing
          services in  Europe; Taiwan's  International Telephone  Authority  and
          Compania Anonima Nacional Telefonos de Venezuela.
 
   
        - CINCINNATI  BELL  INFORMATION SYSTEMS,  INC. ("CBIS")  -- CBIS  is the
          largest cellular billing  service provider in  the world. The  Company
          and  CBIS developed  a customized version  of the  DCMS which contains
          information management software designed to meet the needs of cellular
          service providers. CBIS has installed over 50 DCMS units in the United
          States for  AT&T  Wireless, formerly  McCaw  Cellular, one  of  CBIS's
          largest  customers.  In  addition,  the  Company  currently  is  doing
          follow-on  work  to  further  upgrade  these  systems  and  to  deploy
          additional DCMS products for other CBIS customers.
    
 
        - TELEGLOBE  CANADA,  INC.  --  Teleglobe  is  the  government chartered
          international long  distance provider  for  Canada. Teleglobe  has  an
          agreement  with the Company  for the development  of a data collection
          network, data warehouse  and operator  display system  to capture  and
          monitor  international traffic and usage  data and provide information
          for fraud detection and other OSS functions on a real-time basis.  The
          result  of this cooperative development project was the Company's RTMS
          product, which is being marketed to other carriers worldwide.
 
        - LUCENT TECHNOLOGIES, INC. (FORMERLY AT&T NETWORK SYSTEMS) -- developed
          an OEM version  of the DCMS  to be used  in combination with  Lucent's
          BILLDATS-Registered   Trademark-   (corresponding  to   the  Company's
          UPS-32/CANS product) collection software with the Company. Lucent  has
 
                                       34
<PAGE>
          deployed  BILLDATS  systems  incorporating the  Company's  products in
          various domestic and international teleprocessing projects,  including
          projects  for  Ameritech, the  People's  Republic of  China  and Korea
          Mobile Telephone. As Lucent pursues  other opportunities in Asia,  the
          Company expects its product to be included in future proposals.
 
   
        - SAMSUNG    ELECTRONICS   COMPANY,   LIMITED,    LG   INFORMATION   AND
          COMMUNICATIONS, LIMITED AND ILGIN  CORPORATION -- formed a  consortium
          to  provide a  billing data collection  system for  Korea Telecom, the
          national carrier for the Republic  of South Korea. The consortium  has
          purchased  significant quantities of the  Company's products for tests
          and field  trials  and  the Company  expects  to  conclude  partnering
          agreements with the consortium members in the near future.
    
 
        - INTERNATIONAL  COMPUTERS LIMITED  -- is installing  the Company's NEDS
          and CANS  products along  with  its own  billing system  for  Vodafone
          Limited  in the  United Kingdom and  the national  cellular carrier in
          Indonesia.
 
        - GTE-TSI --  ordered  DCMSs  for installation  at  NYNEX  Mobile,  SNET
          Cellular  and  Puerto Rico  Telephone  Company Cellular  for  use with
          GTE-TSI's telephone fraud detection product. GTE-TSI has installed the
          UPS-32 product as part of its  own product and the Company expects  to
          install additional units pursuant to this arrangement.
 
    NETWORK MANAGEMENT PRODUCTS
 
        - ANSTEC,  INC. -- teamed  with the Company and  was selected, through a
          competitive procurement  process,  to install  the  Company's  NetPlus
          products  at 107  U.S. Air  Force bases  and 50  other U.S. government
          installations throughout the world.
 
        - AMERLND, INC. -- installed a version of the Company's NetPlus products
          as a part of the U.S. Army's automated directory attendance system  at
          installations throughout the United States.
 
        - BELLSOUTH  COMMUNICATION  SERVICES,  INC.  UNDER  CONTRACT  TO  HARRIS
          CORPORATION --  installed  systems containing  the  Company's  NetPlus
          products  to be operated by Harris  Corporation at National and Dulles
          Airports near Washington, D.C. The  Company expects to participate  in
          further airport projects with BellSouth and Harris Corporation.
 
        - GTE  GOVERNMENT  SYSTEMS  -- provides  telephone  systems  at military
          facilities throughout the  world. The Company,  as a subcontractor  to
          GTE  Government Systems for network  management products, installs and
          supports NetPlus  products at  40 of  these military  facilities.  The
          Company   expects,  through  its   continuing  relationship  with  GTE
          Government Systems,  to provide  additional products  and services  to
          military facilities.
 
        - AT&T  CORPORATION,  FEDERAL  SYSTEMS  DIVISION  --  provides telephone
          systems for the Executive Branch of the U.S. Government. The  Company,
          as a subcontractor to AT&T, installed and supports NetPlus products in
          the  U.S.  Department  of  State  and  the  Executive  Office  of  the
          President.
 
    The following is  a list  of some of  the Company's  other most  significant
customers  that  have  installed  the  Company's  carrier  network  and  network
management products within their organizations:
 
        - TELEFONOS DE MEXICO, S.A.  DE C.V. -- TELMEX,  the national and  local
          long  distance carrier of Mexico, selected the Company to upgrade data
          collection  throughout  its  switch  network  system.  The  three-year
          contract has an estimated value of $12 million.
 
   
        - GTE  TELOPS (A  DIVISION OF GTE  TELEPHONE COMPANY)  -- purchased DCMS
          systems for  installation  on  certain  switch  types  throughout  its
          network.
    
 
   
        - TELCEL  -- is the largest cellular carrier in Mexico and has installed
          the Company's DCMS and UPS-32 products in its network.
    
 
                                       35
<PAGE>
        - NYNEX  --  is  installing  one  of  the  Company's  newest   products,
          TREX*COMM, to support its CENTREX customers.
 
   
        - ALLTEL  -- is  using the Company's  UPS-32 product  to provide billing
          data collection services to its customers.
    
 
        - UNIVERSITY OF  IOWA  -- awarded  the  Company a  contract  to  install
          NetPlus to manage and monitor the University's voice and data network.
 
    In  addition,  companies  such  as  ISI  Infortext  Inc.,  Computer  Science
Corporation, Polaris  Communication Services,  Inc. and  Telsoft  International,
Inc.  have agreed to promote and sell  the Company's products on a non-exclusive
basis. They participate in trade shows, industry conferences and customer events
and feature ACE*COMM products in their marketing programs.
 
   
    As more  ATM, Frame  Relay  and X.25  data  switches are  incorporated  into
carrier  and  enterprise networks,  it  will become  increasingly  important for
network managers to be able to bill customers based on actual usage. Pursuant to
an agreement with Newbridge, the Company  is developing a billing component  for
advanced  data switches, which  provides access providers  with flexible options
for billing users of data network services. The Company will receive an up-front
payment for the development work and on-going fees with respect to sales of  the
software  by Newbridge to  its customers. To date,  revenues from this agreement
have not been material. The Company anticipates similar opportunities to develop
other network  edge technologies  for  equipment and  service providers  in  the
growing market for data services.
    
 
    The  Company plans to continue to develop and expand its strategic alliances
with established, well-recognized  industry leaders, as  it believes that  these
alliances  enable  the  Company  to  increase  sales  most  cost-effectively and
successfully position it to increase market penetration of its products.
 
BACKLOG
 
    The Company tracks two types  of backlog: "order backlog," which  represents
signed  purchase orders, and "contract backlog," which represents signed project
contracts that  become  order backlog  upon  the signing  of  specific  purchase
orders.  Order backlog was approximately as  follows: $5.7 million, $3.6 million
and $10.4  million, at  June 30,  1994, 1995  and 1996,  respectively.  Contract
backlog  was approximately: $2.6 million, $1.0 million and $37.2 million at June
30, 1994, 1995 and 1996, respectively.
 
    The Company's contracts are large and technically complicated and require  a
significant  commitment of management and financial resources from the Company's
customers. The development of a contract typically is a lengthy process  because
it  must address a customer's specific technical requirements and often requires
internal approvals that require substantial lead time. Accordingly, the  Company
may  experience  significant  variations  in revenue  from  quarter  to quarter,
reflecting delays in contract signing or contract order deliveries. No assurance
can be given that current backlog will necessarily lead to revenue in any future
period.
 
COMPETITION
 
    Competition in the market  for the Company's products  is driven by  rapidly
changing   technologies,  evolving  industry  standards,  frequent  new  product
introductions and enhancements  and rapid changes  in customer requirements.  To
maintain  and improve  its competitive  position, the  Company must  continue to
develop and introduce, on  a timely and cost-effective  basis, new products  and
product  features that  keep pace  with technological  developments and emerging
industry standards  and  address the  increasingly  sophisticated needs  of  its
customers.
 
    The  Company expects the continued  growth of the carrier  market and of the
large enterprise network management market to encourage new competitors to enter
the markets in the future. The  Company believes that the principal  competitive
factors in these markets include specialized project management capabilities and
technical  expertise, compliance with industry  quality standards and protocols,
customer support,  product  features  such  as  adaptability,  scaleability  and
flexibility, ability
 
                                       36
<PAGE>
to  integrate  with  other  products, functionality  and  ease  of  use, product
reputation, responsiveness to customer needs, and timeliness of  implementation.
In  the future, the Company will be required to respond promptly and effectively
to the challenges of technological change and its competitors' innovations.
 
    In  the  carrier  network  products   market,  the  Company's  current   and
prospective competitors include (i) large carriers which internally develop full
system  products for  themselves, tailored  to their  particular specifications,
(ii) companies, such as Securicor Telesciences, Inc., CGI, Inc. ("CGI"), and IDT
- - Alston that can supply individual billing data collection components and (iii)
vendors  that  supply  product  components,  including  Hewlett-Packard  Company
("HP"), IBM Corporation ("IBM"), Moscom Corporation ("Moscom"), Objective System
Integrators, Inc. ("OSI") and CGI.
 
    In  the  network  management  products  market,  the  Company's  current and
prospective  competitors  include  (i)  companies  that  provide  products   for
telephony networks, such as Telco Research Corporation, Complimentary Solutions,
Inc.,  Stonehouse & Company, Switchview, Inc., Moscom and OSI and (ii) companies
that provide products for data networks, such as Remedy Corporation, Net Manage,
Inc., Computer Associates International, Inc.,  FTP Software, Inc., Castle  Rock
Computing, HP, IBM and Sun Microsystems, Inc.
 
    The  Company believes that its ability to compete in both markets depends in
part on  a number  of competitive  factors outside  its control,  including  the
ability  of others to develop technology  that is competitive with the Company's
products, the price at which competitors offer comparable products and services,
the extent of competitors' responsiveness to  customer needs and the ability  of
the Company's competitors to hire, retain and motivate key personnel.
 
   
    The  Company competes  with a  number of  companies that  have substantially
greater financial, technical, sales, marketing  and other resources, as well  as
greater   name  recognition  than  the  Company.  As  a  result,  the  Company's
competitors may be able  to adapt more quickly  to new or emerging  technologies
and  changes in  customer requirements,  or to  devote greater  resources to the
promotion and sale  of their  products than  can the  Company. There  can be  no
assurance  that the Company's current or  potential competitors will not develop
products comparable or superior to those developed by the Company or adapt  more
quickly  than  the  Company to  new  technologies, evolving  industry  trends or
changing customer requirements.
    
 
RESEARCH AND PRODUCT DEVELOPMENT
 
    The Company's research and development efforts are focused on developing new
products to meet the growing needs of carriers and enterprises and on  improving
existing  products by incorporating  new features and  technologies. The Company
believes that  the  timely  development  of new  products  and  enhancements  is
essential to its maintaining its competitive position in the marketplace.
 
    In  its  research and  development efforts  the  Company works  closely with
customers, end  users  and  leading technology  vendors,  often  in  cooperative
funding  arrangements. For  example, the  Company is  working with  Newbridge to
develop new  software for  its  data switch  products. The  Company  continually
reviews   opportunities  to   license  technologies  from   third  parties  when
appropriate based on timing and  cost considerations. The Company believes  that
this  approach facilitates and  accelerates the development  of new and enhanced
products.
 
    The Company's efforts are influenced significantly by industry  developments
and  by  customer  and  end  user requirements.  New  features  may  be tailored
initially for delivery to a  single customer and subsequently incorporated  into
future versions of the product which are available to all customers.
 
    During   the  fiscal  years  1994,  1995  and  1996,  product  research  and
development  expenses  were  $0.6  million,  $1.0  million  and  $1.0   million,
respectively.
 
                                       37
<PAGE>
PROPRIETARY RIGHTS AND LICENSES
 
    The  Company does not currently hold any patents and relies on a combination
of statutory and/or common law, copyright, trademark, contract and trade  secret
laws  to maintain its  proprietary rights to its  products. The Company believes
that, because of, among other things, the rapid pace of technological change  in
the  telecommunication  and  software  industries,  patent  protection  for  its
products is  a  less  significant  factor in  the  Company's  success  than  the
knowledge,  ability and experience of the  Company's employees, the frequency of
product enhancements and the timeliness and quality of support services provided
by the Company.
 
    The Company  generally  enters  into  confidentiality  agreements  with  its
employees,  consultants, customers and potential customers and limits access to,
and distribution of, its proprietary information. Use of the Company's  software
products  is usually restricted  to specified locations and  is subject to terms
and conditions prohibiting unauthorized reproduction or transfer of the software
products. The Company also seeks to  protect its software, including the  source
code, as a trade secret and as a copyrighted work.
 
EMPLOYEES
 
    At  June 30, 1996, the Company employed  a total of 137 employees, including
34  involved  in  manufacturing  and  quality  assurance,  29  in  research  and
development,  23 in sales and  marketing, 16 in professional  services and 35 in
administration and finance. None of the Company's employees is represented by  a
labor union. The Company has experienced no work stoppages and believes that its
employee relations are good.
 
PROPERTIES
 
    The  Company leases space at its four office locations: two in Gaithersburg,
Maryland and  one each  in  Flemington, New  Jersey  and Orlando,  Florida.  The
Gaithersburg  offices are the Company's corporate  headquarters and are used for
product  assembly,  software  and  engineering  development  and  support.   The
Flemington  office is  used for the  development and  project management liaison
with NYNEX, AT&T and Lucent Technologies.  The Orlando office is used  primarily
for sales and sales support.
 
    The  following  sets  forth  information  concerning  the  Company's  leased
facilities:
 
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
                                  SQUARE
LOCATION                          FOOTAGE      LEASE EXPIRATION      ANNUAL RENT
- -------------------------------  ---------  -----------------------  ------------
<S>                              <C>        <C>                      <C>
Gaithersburg, Maryland
  Perry Parkway                     21,800  July 31, 1996 (1)         $  220,000
  North Frederick Avenue             4,500  December 1, 1996          $   36,000
Flemington, New Jersey               2,500  December 31, 1996         $   39,600
Orlando, Florida                       400  April 30, 1997            $   11,040
</TABLE>
 
- ------------------------
   
(1) Following expiration of the lease, the Company has continued its lease on  a
    month-to-month  basis pending the commencement of a lease for new facilities
    in Gaithersburg.
    
 
   
    The Company has entered into a  lease commencing September 1, 1996, or  upon
the  completion  of the  premises if  later,  for premises  approximating 37,874
square feet on Quince Orchard Road in Gaithersburg, Maryland with an  expiration
date  of September 1, 2003, or seven years from the commencement of the lease if
later, and annual rent of approximately $615,000. These new leased premises will
replace the facilities which the Company  currently leases on Perry Parkway  and
North Frederick Avenue in Gaithersburg. The Company believes that its facilities
are  adequate for its current  needs and that suitable  additional space will be
available as required.
    
 
LEGAL PROCEEDINGS
 
    The Company is not a party to any material legal proceedings.
 
                                       38
<PAGE>
                                   MANAGEMENT
 
EXECUTIVE OFFICERS AND DIRECTORS
 
    The executive officers and directors of the Company are as follows:
 
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
NAME                                        AGE                              POSITION
- --------------------------------------      ---      ---------------------------------------------------------
<S>                                     <C>          <C>
George T. Jimenez.....................          60   President, Chief Executive Officer and Chairman of the
                                                     Board
S. Joseph Dorr........................          49   Vice President -- Network Management Division
Dr. Thomas V. Russotto................          51   Vice President -- Carrier Networks Division
Jeffrey S. Simpson....................          41   Vice President -- Finance
James M. Moore........................          54   Vice President -- Marketing
Loretta L. Rivers.....................          39   Secretary
Paul G. Casner, Jr. ..................          58   Director
Gary P. Golding.......................          39   Director
Gilbert A. Wetzel.....................          64   Director
</TABLE>
 
    GEORGE T. JIMENEZ  is the  Chief Executive Officer  of the  Company and  has
served as President, Treasurer and a Director of the Company since its inception
in 1983. From 1980 to 1983, Mr. Jimenez served as the President of the Company's
predecessor.
 
    S.  JOSEPH DORR has been Vice President -- Network Management Division since
1988 and a  Vice President  of the  Company since 1983.  From 1983  to 1989,  he
served  as Corporate Secretary of  the Company. From 1980  to 1983, he served as
Director of the Commercial Systems Division of the Company's predecessor.
 
    DR. THOMAS V. RUSSOTTO has been Vice President -- Carrier Networks  Division
since 1988 and a Vice President of the Company since 1985. From 1983 to 1985, he
served as Director of Product Development at the Company.
 
   
    JEFFREY  S. SIMPSON has been Vice President  -- Finance of the Company since
July 1996 and a financial consultant to the Company since March 1996. From  1988
to  January 1996,  Mr. Simpson  served in  various positions  with The Compucare
Company, a software development company, including Controller from March 1990 to
May 1993,  Chief  Financial  Officer from  May  1993  to August  1995  and  Vice
President,  Finance, from September 1995 to January 1996. From 1985 to 1988, Mr.
Simpson served as a Manager of Financial Planning and Analysis with U.S. Sprint.
    
 
    JAMES M. MOORE has been Vice President -- Marketing of the Company since May
1996. From March 1994 to May 1996, Mr. Moore served as Vice President,  Business
Market  of NYNEX, a telecommunications company, and  from May 1992 to March 1994
he served as Managing Director, Business Market of NYNEX. From March 1989 to May
1992, Mr. Moore served as Managing Director, Marketing of New England  Telephone
Company.
 
    LORETTA L. RIVERS has been Corporate Secretary and Administrative Supervisor
of  the Company since 1989 and has served in various capacities with the Company
since its inception in 1983.
 
    PAUL G. CASNER, JR.  has been a  Director of the  Company since 1983.  Since
April  1994, Mr. Casner has served as President of DRS Electronic Systems Group,
which is comprised of the following entities: Technology Applications &  Service
Company  ("TAS"), DRS  Military Systems,  DRS Medical  Systems, Inc.  and Laurel
Technologies. From March 1991 to September  1993, Mr. Casner served as  Chairman
and Chief Executive Officer of TAS.
 
    GARY P. GOLDING has been a Director of the Company since 1991. Since January
1989,  Mr. Golding has served as General  Partner of CEO Venture Fund, a venture
capital firm, and of CEO Venture Fund II. Mr. Golding is a director of Databook,
Inc.
 
                                       39
<PAGE>
    GILBERT  A. WETZEL has been a Director of the Company since 1992. Mr. Wetzel
has served as Regional Director of Key Executive Services for Right  Associates,
an  international human resources consulting firm, since 1994. He is the retired
Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of  Bell of Pennsylvania and Diamond  State
Telephone and founder and retired Chief Executive Officer of Geographic Business
Publishers, Inc.
 
   
    The  directors are divided into three classes, denominated as Class I, Class
II, and Class III, with the terms of office of each Class expiring at the  1997,
1998  and 1999  annual meetings  of stockholders,  respectively. At  each annual
meeting following such initial classification and election, directors elected to
succeed those directors whose terms expire shall be elected for a term to expire
at the third  succeeding annual  meeting of stockholders  after their  election,
provided  that the stockholders  electing new or  replacement directors may from
time to time specify a  term of less than three  years in order to maintain  the
number  of directors in  each class as  nearly equal as  possible. The directors
have been initially divided into classes as follows: Class I -- Gary P.  Golding
and  Gilbert A. Wetzel, Class II -- Paul  G. Casner, Jr., Class III -- George T.
Jimenez. Officers  of  the Company  serve  at the  discretion  of the  Board  of
Directors.  There  are  no  family  relationships  among  any  of  the Company's
directors and executive officers.
    
 
BOARD COMMITTEES AND COMPENSATION
 
    The Board of Directors has established an Audit Committee and a Compensation
Committee.  The  Audit  Committee  oversees  actions  taken  by  the   Company's
independent  auditors,  recommends the  engagement of  auditors and  reviews any
internal audits  the Company  may  perform. The  current  members of  the  Audit
Committee  are Messrs.  Golding, Wetzel  and Casner.  The Compensation Committee
approves the compensation of executives of the Company, makes recommendations to
the Board of Directors with respect to standards for setting compensation levels
and administers  the Company's  Amended  and Restated  Omnibus Stock  Plan  (the
"Stock  Plan"). The  current members of  the Compensation  Committee are Messrs.
Golding, Wetzel and Casner, none of whom is employed by the Company.
 
    Directors are reimbursed for  their travel expenses  in attending Board  and
Committee  meetings. Each of the Company's current non-employee directors (other
than Mr.  Golding)  was  granted an  option  to  purchase 4,500  shares  of  the
Company's  Common Stock at an  exercise price of $1.55  per share on December 9,
1995, pursuant to  the Company's Amended  Stock Option Plan  for Directors  (the
"Directors  Stock  Plan"). Only  non-employee directors  may participate  in the
Directors Stock Plan. The plan authorizes  the issuance of up to 200,000  shares
of Common Stock, subject to adjustment to reflect stock splits, recapitalization
and  other changes in the outstanding  stock. Each eligible director is entitled
under the plan  to receive  upon his  election or  reelection as  a director  an
option  for a number of shares equal to  4,500 multiplied by the number of years
in the term for which he is  then elected, exercisable at the fair market  value
of  the Common  Stock on the  date of  grant. The option  becomes exercisable in
equal installments of 4,500 shares on each anniversary of the date of grant  or,
on  such earlier  date as  the director ceases  to be  a director  other than by
reason of his  removal for  cause, if  such date  is 15  days prior  to such  an
anniversary date and such director has served at least 12 months in office. Each
option  expires  upon the  earlier of  five years  from the  date of  grant, the
expiration of six months following death, resignation or removal other than  for
cause, or upon removal of a director for cause.
 
EXECUTIVE COMPENSATION
 
    The  following table sets  forth all compensation awarded  to, earned by, or
paid for services rendered  to the Company in  all capacities during the  fiscal
year ended June 30, 1996, by the following
 
                                       40
<PAGE>
executive  officers (the  "Named Executive  Officers"): (i)  the Company's Chief
Executive Officer and (ii) the  Company's other executive officers whose  salary
and bonus for the fiscal year exceeded $100,000.
 
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
                                                                       LONG-TERM
                                                                     COMPENSATION
                                                                        AWARDS
                                                                     -------------
                                               ANNUAL COMPENSATION    SECURITIES
                                               --------------------   UNDERLYING      ALL OTHER
NAME AND PRINCIPAL POSITION                    SALARY($)  BONUS($)   OPTIONS(#)(1)  COMPENSATION(2)
- ---------------------------------------------  ---------  ---------  -------------  -------------
<S>                                            <C>        <C>        <C>            <C>
George T. Jimenez............................  $ 158,000  $  54,079       71,384      $  15,778
  President, Chief Executive Officer and
  Chairman of the Board
S. Joseph Dorr...............................  $ 120,000  $  31,521       31,568      $   4,562
  Vice President
Dr. Thomas V. Russotto.......................  $ 121,000  $  59,441       61,115      $   5,851
  Vice President
</TABLE>
 
- ------------------------
(1) Options  expected to  be granted  in fiscal year  1997 for  fiscal year 1996
    performance.
 
(2) Consists of Company contributions to the Company's 401(k) plan on behalf  of
    each  Named Executive  Officer and  amounts paid  in connection  with a life
    insurance policy for Mr. Jimenez and disability insurance policies for  each
    Named  Executive Officer as follows: (i)  Mr. Jimenez; $4,638 for the 401(k)
    plan, $6,975 for life  insurance and $4,165  for disability insurance;  (ii)
    Mr.  Dorr; $3,516 for  the 401(k) plan and  $1,045 for disability insurance;
    and (iii) Dr. Russotto; $4,638 for the 401(k) plan and $1,213 for disability
    insurance.
 
    The following table sets forth information regarding the grant of options to
purchase Common Stock to each of the Named Executive Officers during the  fiscal
year ended June 30, 1996.
 
                          OPTION GRANTS IN FISCAL 1996
 
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
                                                                                                  POTENTIAL REALIZABLE
                                                             INDIVIDUAL GRANTS                      VALUE AT ASSUMED
                                           -----------------------------------------------------    ANNUAL RATES OF
                                            NUMBER OF    PERCENTAGE OF                                STOCK PRICE
                                           SECURITIES    TOTAL OPTIONS                              APPRECIATION FOR
                                           UNDERLYING     GRANTED TO      EXERCISE                   OPTION TERM(3)
                                             OPTIONS     EMPLOYEES IN     PRICE PER   EXPIRATION  --------------------
NAME                                         GRANTED    FISCAL 1996(1)    SHARE(2)       DATE        5%         10%
- -----------------------------------------  -----------  ---------------  -----------  ----------  ---------  ---------
<S>                                        <C>          <C>              <C>          <C>         <C>        <C>
George T. Jimenez........................      33,413           4.7%      $     .64     03/19/01  $   5,908  $  13,055
S. Joseph Dorr...........................          --             --             --           --         --         --
Dr. Thomas V. Russotto...................      22,783           3.2%      $     .64     03/19/01      4,028      8,902
</TABLE>
 
- ------------------------
(1) All  of the options were granted under  the Stock Plan and were fully vested
    and exercisable on the date of grant.
 
(2) The exercise price  per share of  the options granted  represented the  fair
    market  value of  the underlying  shares of  Common Stock  on the  dates the
    respective options were granted.
 
(3) Potential realizable value is based on the assumption that the Common  Stock
    of  the Company appreciates  at the annual  rate shown (compounded annually)
    from the date of grant  until the expiration of  the five year option  term.
    These  numbers are calculated  based on the  requirements promulgated by the
    Securities and Exchange Commission (the "Commission") and do not reflect the
    Company's estimate of future stock price growth.
 
                                       41
<PAGE>
    The  following  table  sets  forth  certain  information  concerning  option
exercises  during fiscal 1996 by the Named Executive Officers and the number and
value of  securities underlying  options held  by each  of the  Named  Executive
Officers at the end of fiscal 1996.
 
             AGGREGATE OPTION EXERCISES AND YEAR-END OPTION VALUES
 
   
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
                                                             NUMBER OF SECURITIES UNDERLYING         VALUE OF UNEXERCISED
                                                             UNEXERCISED OPTIONS AT JUNE 30,         IN-THE-MONEY OPTIONS
                                     SHARES                                1996                      AT JUNE 30, 1996(2)
                                   ACQUIRED ON     VALUE     --------------------------------  --------------------------------
NAME                               EXERCISE(#)  REALIZED(1)  EXERCISABLE     UNEXERCISABLE      EXERCISABLE     UNEXERCISABLE
- ---------------------------------  -----------  -----------  -----------  -------------------  -------------  -----------------
<S>                                <C>          <C>          <C>          <C>                  <C>            <C>
George T. Jimenez................      27,842    $     557      182,953                0       $   1,558,902      $       0
S. Joseph Dorr...................      17,060          341      120,556                0           1,036,194              0
Dr. Thomas V. Russotto...........      34,308       30,592       69,569                0             572,871              0
</TABLE>
    
 
- ------------------------
(1) Value  realized  represents  the  positive  spread  between  the  respective
    exercise prices of the exercised options and the fair market value per share
    on the respective dates of exercise.
 
   
(2) Value for "in-the-money" options represent  the positive spread between  the
    respective  exercise prices  of outstanding  options and  an assumed initial
    public offering price  of $9.00 per  share (the mid-point  of the  estimated
    range of the initial public offering price).
    
 
AMENDED AND RESTATED OMNIBUS STOCK PLAN
 
   
    The  Company's Board of  Directors and stockholders  have adopted an Amended
and Restated Omnibus  Stock Plan  (the Stock  Plan), pursuant  to which  options
previously  have been granted. The  maximum number of shares  of Common Stock in
respect of  which stock-based  awards may  be granted  under the  Stock Plan  is
2,200,000.  The  shares of  Common  Stock to  be  delivered under  the  plan are
available from the authorized but unissued shares of Common Stock.
    
 
   
    The Stock Plan is administered by the Compensation Committee of the Board of
Directors (the "Committee"),  upon which no  director who is  an officer of  the
Company  may serve,  and which  comprises only  Directors who  are "non-employee
directors" within the meaning  of Rule 16b-3 of  the Securities Exchange Act  of
1934,  as amended (the  "Exchange Act"), and who  are "outside directors" within
the meaning of Section 162(m) of the  Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as  amended
(the  "Code"). All employees  of the Company,  including employee directors, are
eligible to participate  in the  Stock Plan. The  Committee's determinations  of
which eligible individuals are granted awards and the terms thereof are based on
each  individual's  present and  potential contribution  to  the success  of the
Company.
    
 
    Stock options may be granted under the  Stock Plan at the discretion of  the
Committee  and subject to such terms  and conditions determined by the Committee
and set forth in a grant agreement. Options granted under the Stock Plan may  be
either  nonqualified  options  or  incentive stock  options.  The  Committee has
discretion to fix the exercise  price of such options at  a price not less  than
100%  of the fair market  value of the underlying shares  of Common Stock at the
time of grant thereof. The  Committee has broad discretion  as to the terms  and
conditions  upon which options shall be  exercisable, but under no circumstances
will an incentive  stock option  have a  term exceeding  10 years  from date  of
grant.
 
    The  option exercise price may be satisfied in cash or, in the discretion of
the Committee, by exchanging shares of Common Stock owned by the optionee, by  a
combination  of cash and  shares of Common Stock  or by such  other means as the
Committee may prescribe. The ability to pay the option exercise price in  shares
of  Common Stock  would, if  permitted by the  Committee, enable  an optionee to
engage in  a  series  of  successive  stock-for-stock  exercises  of  an  option
(sometimes  referred to  as "pyramiding") and  thereby fully  exercise an option
with little or no cash investment. The Company also may make or guarantee  loans
to optionees to assist optionees in exercising stock options.
 
                                       42
<PAGE>
    The  terms of an option may provide for  the automatic grant of a new award,
exercisable for not more  than the number of  shares tendered when the  exercise
price of the option and/or related tax obligation is paid by tendering shares of
Common  Stock (sometimes  referred to as  "reload options"),  subject to certain
limitations set forth in the Stock Plan.
 
    Incentive stock option awards under the Stock Plan must comply with  Section
422 of the Code. Incentive stock option awards made to an optionee who owns more
than  10% of the  outstanding stock of  the Company must  have an exercise price
that is not less than 110% of the fair market value of the underlying shares  on
the  date of  grant, a  term not  exceeding five  years, and  the aggregate fair
market value of shares of Common Stock with respect to which all incentive stock
options first  become exercisable  by an  optionee in  any calendar  year  shall
either not exceed $100,000 or be treated as non-qualified options.
 
    The Committee also may grant stock appreciation rights. Upon the exercise of
a  stock  appreciation  right  with  respect  to  a  share  of  Common  Stock, a
participant would be entitled to receive the excess of the fair market value  of
such  shares  over the  base  price of  such right,  which  is specified  by the
Committee upon grant and may not be less  than 100% of the fair market value  of
the  underlying shares at the date of  grant. The Committee has the authority to
determine whether the value  of a stock  appreciation right is  paid in cash  or
shares of Common Stock or a combination of both.
 
    The  Committee also has discretion to  make contingent grants of performance
shares which will be earned to  the extent performance goals established by  the
Committee  are achieved over  a period of  time specified by  the Committee. The
Committee will have discretion to determine the value of each performance share,
to adjust  the  performance  goals  as it  deems  equitable  to  reflect  events
affecting  the  Company or  changes  in law  or  accounting principles  or other
factors, and  to determine  the number  of performance  shares which  have  been
earned  based on  performance relative to  such performance goals.  The value of
performance shares that are earned may,  in the discretion of the Committee,  be
paid in the form of cash, shares of Common Stock, or a combination of both.
 
    Awards  of stock under the Stock Plan will  be made at the discretion of the
Committee and may  be subject  to forfeiture  and restrictions  on transfer.  In
general,  a participant who has been granted restricted stock will from the date
of grant have the benefits of ownership in respect of such shares, including the
right to  vote such  shares and  to receive  dividends and  other  distributions
thereon,  subject to  the restrictions set  forth in  the Stock Plan  and in the
instrument evidencing such award. The shares of restricted stock will be held by
the Company,  or  by an  escrow  agent designated  by  the Company,  during  the
restricted  period  and  may not  be  sold, assigned,  transferred,  pledged, or
otherwise encumbered  until  the restrictions  have  lapsed. The  Committee  has
authority  to determine the duration of the restricted period and the conditions
under which stock may be forfeited, as well as the other terms and conditions of
such awards.
 
    The Stock Plan also authorizes the Committee to grant to participants awards
that are valued in whole or in part by reference to, or are otherwise based  on,
the  value of shares  of Common Stock  ("Stock Unit Awards").  The Committee has
discretion to determine  the participants to  whom Stock Unit  Awards are to  be
made,  the times at which such  awards are to be made,  the size of such awards,
and all other conditions  of such awards,  including any restrictions,  deferral
periods,  or performance requirements.  The provisions of  the Stock Unit Awards
will be subject to such rules  and regulations as the Committee shall  determine
at the time of grant.
 
    Any  award under  the Stock  Plan may provide  that the  participant has the
right to  receive  currently  or  on a  deferred  basis  dividends  or  dividend
equivalents  and/or other cash payments in addition to or in lieu of such award,
all as the Committee shall determine.
 
    If the Committee determines  that any stock split,  stock dividend or  other
distribution  (whether  in the  form of  cash,  securities, or  other property),
recapitalization, reorganization,  merger,  consolidation,  split-up,  spin-off,
combination,  repurchase or  exchange of shares,  issuance of  warrants or other
rights to purchase shares at a price  below fair market value, or other  similar
corporate event affects
 
                                       43
<PAGE>
the  Common Stock such that  an adjustment is required  in order to preserve the
benefits intended under  the Stock Plan,  then the Committee  has discretion  to
make  (i) equitable adjustments (a) in the number and kind of shares that may be
the subject of future awards under the Stock Plan or (b) the number and kind  of
shares  (or other securities or property)  subject to outstanding awards and the
respective grant  of exercise  prices thereof  and/or, (ii)  if appropriate,  to
provide for the payment of cash to a participant.
 
    The  Committee has broad discretion as  to the specific terms and conditions
of each award and any rules applicable thereto, including but not limited to the
effect thereon of the death, retirement,  or other termination of employment  of
the  participant and the effect, if any, of  a change in control of the Company.
The terms of each award are to be evidenced by a written instrument delivered to
the participant.  The awards  authorized under  the Stock  Plan are  subject  to
applicable  tax  withholding  by  the  Company which  may  be  satisfied  by the
withholding of shares issuable under the Stock Plan.
 
    No award may be granted under the Stock Plan after the tenth anniversary  of
the effective date of the Stock Plan.
 
   
    The  Stock Plan  may be amended  or terminated at  any time by  the Board of
Directors, except that no amendment may be made without stockholder approval  if
such approval is necessary to comply with any tax or regulatory requirement.
    
 
    The  Stock Plan is not  subject to any provision  of the Employee Retirement
Income Security Act  of 1974,  as amended, and  is not  qualified under  Section
401(a) of the Code.
 
    Special  rules apply to  a participant who  is subject to  Section 16 of the
Exchange Act. Certain additional special rules  apply if the exercise price  for
an  option is paid  in shares of  Common Stock previously  owned by the optionee
rather than in cash.
 
    Counsel has provided  the Company with  the following brief  summary of  the
Federal  income  tax consequences  under the  Code as  currently in  effect with
respect to (i)  incentive stock  options, (ii) non-qualified  stock options  and
(iii) restricted stock awards:
 
    (i)  INCENTIVE STOCK OPTIONS.  No taxable income is realized by the optionee
upon  the  grant or  exercise of  an incentive  stock option.  If there  were no
disposition of the option shares until more  than two years after the option  is
granted  and more than one year after the  option is exercised, the gain or loss
realized by  the  optionee on  the  sale of  such  shares would  be  treated  as
long-term  capital gain or  loss, and the  Company would not  be entitled to any
income tax deduction by reason  of the grant or exercise  of the option. If  the
option shares were disposed of in a sale, exchange, gift or other "disqualifying
disposition" prior to the expiration of the
two-years-from-grant/one-year-from-exercise  holding  period, generally  (a) the
optionee would realize taxable ordinary income  in the year of such  disposition
in  an amount  equal to the  excess (if  any) of the  fair market  value of such
shares at the  time of  exercise of  the option  over the  option price  thereof
(except  that, if the disposition is  a sale or exchange of  the type on which a
loss, if sustained, would be recognized to such optionee, ordinary income  would
be  realized by such  optionee in an amount  equal to only  the gain realized on
such sale or exchange if such gain  is less than such excess) and would  realize
capital  gain on the balance of the gain, and (b) the Company generally would be
entitled to a  deduction for such  year in  the amount of  the ordinary  taxable
income to the optionee.
 
    (ii)   NON-QUALIFIED OPTIONS.  No taxable income is realized by the optionee
upon the grant of a  non-qualified option. On exercise,  the excess of the  fair
market value of the shares at the time of exercise over the option price of such
shares  would  be  treated  as  compensation.  Special  rules  may  apply  to  a
participant who  is subject  to Section  16  of the  Exchange Act.  Any  amounts
treated as compensation (a) would be taxable at ordinary income tax rates in the
year  of exercise, (b)  would be subject  to withholding for  Federal income tax
purposes, and (c) generally  would be an allowable  income tax deduction to  the
Company.  The  optionee's  tax basis  for  shares  acquired upon  exercise  of a
 
                                       44
<PAGE>
non-qualified option would be equal to the option price paid for the shares plus
any amounts treated as compensation. An optionee would generally be entitled  to
capital  gain treatment  on the  difference between his  tax basis  and the sale
price of the shares acquired upon exercise.
 
    (iii)  RESTRICTED STOCK AWARDS.  No income would be realized by an  employee
in  connection with the grant of a restricted stock award. When the restrictions
lapse, the employee would be required to include as taxable ordinary income  the
fair market value of such shares at the time the restrictions lapse. The Company
would  be entitled to a  deduction for Federal income  tax purposes equal to the
amount so  included in  such employee's  income. An  employee may,  by making  a
Section  83(b) election within  30 days after  the transfer of  stock, choose to
recognize income upon the grant of a restricted stock award. Any appreciation in
the stock value after the grant date will be eligible for capital gain treatment
upon the subsequent sale of the stock. However, if the stock is forfeited later,
the loss deduction allowable is limited to the price paid for the stock (if any)
minus any amounts received upon such forfeiture.
 
    (iv)  PAYMENT OF WITHHOLDING TAXES.  The Company may withhold, or require  a
participant  to  remit  to the  Company,  an  amount sufficient  to  satisfy any
Federal, state and local withholding tax requirements. The Committee may  permit
a  participant to satisfy a tax withholding requirement on exercise of an option
by delivery  to  the  Company  of  shares of  its  Common  Stock  owned  by  the
participant,  including  shares  the  participant is  entitled  to  receive upon
exercise of the option.
 
    (v)   CODE SECTION  162(M).   Section  162(m) of  the  Code limits  the  tax
deduction   available  for  compensation   paid  to  the   Company's  five  most
highly-compensated  individuals  in   excess  of  $1,000,000.   To  the   extent
practicable,  awards under the Stock Plan  to designated executives will qualify
as "performance-based" compensation  which is excluded  from the Section  162(m)
cap  on deductibility. Stock options and  stock appreciation rights issued under
the Stock Plan are expected to be fully deductible as performance-based.
 
    (vi)  OTHER.   To the extent  payments which are contingent  on a change  in
control  are determined to exceed certain  Code limitations, they may be subject
to a 20% nondeductible  excise tax and the  Company's deduction with respect  to
the associated compensation expense may be disallowed in whole or in part.
 
    The  foregoing discussion summarizes the  Federal income tax consequences of
the Stock Plan  based on current  provisions of  the Code which  are subject  to
change.  This summary  does not  cover any  state or  local tax  consequences of
participation in the Stock Plan.
 
EMPLOYMENT AGREEMENTS AND CHANGE IN CONTROL ARRANGEMENTS
 
    The Company currently  has no  employment contracts  with any  of the  Named
Executive Officers, and the Company has no compensatory plan or arrangement with
such  Named Executive Officers where the amounts  to be paid exceed $100,000 and
which are  activated upon  resignation, termination  or retirement  of any  such
executive officers upon a change in control of the Company.
 
LIMITATION ON LIABILITY OF DIRECTORS
 
    The  Charter  provides that  a director  will not  be personally  liable for
monetary damages to the Company or its stockholders for breach of fiduciary duty
as a director, except to the  extent such exemption for liability or  limitation
thereof  is not  permitted under Maryland  law, including liability  (i) for any
breach of the  director's duty of  loyalty to the  Company or its  stockholders,
(ii)  for  acts or  omissions not  in  good faith  or which  involve intentional
misconduct or  a  knowing violation  of  law, (iii)  for  paying a  dividend  or
approving  a  stock repurchase  in violation  of Section  2-311 of  the Maryland
Corporation Law or (iv) for any  transaction from which the director derived  an
improper personal benefit.
 
    While  the Charter  provides directors  with protection  from having  to pay
monetary damages for breaches of their duty of care, it does not eliminate  such
duty.  Accordingly,  the Charter  will  have no  effect  on the  availability of
equitable remedies such  as an injunction  or rescission based  on a  director's
 
                                       45
<PAGE>
breach of his or her duty of care. The provisions of the Charter described above
apply  to an  officer of  the Company  only if he  or she  is a  director of the
Company and is acting in his capacity as director, and do not apply to  officers
of the Company who are not directors.
 
INDEMNIFICATION OF DIRECTORS AND OFFICERS
 
    The  Charter provides that the Company  shall indemnify its currently acting
and its  former officers  and  directors against  any  and all  liabilities  and
expenses  incurred in connection  with their services in  such capacities to the
maximum extent permitted  by Maryland  law, as from  time to  time amended.  The
Charter  further provides that  the right to  indemnification shall also include
the right to be paid by the Company for expenses incurred in connection with any
proceeding arising out of  such service in advance  of its final disposition  to
the fullest extent permitted by Maryland law.
 
    The Charter further provides that the Company may, by action of its Board of
Directors,  provide indemnification to  such of the employees  and agents of the
Company and  such other  persons serving  at the  request of  the Company  as  a
director,  officer, partner, trustee, employee  or agent of another corporation,
partnership, joint venture,  trust, or other  enterprise to such  extent and  to
such  effect as is  permitted by Maryland  law and the  Board of Directors shall
determine to be appropriate.
 
    The Company expects  to purchase  and maintain  insurance on  behalf of  any
person  who is or was a director, officer, employee, or agent of the Company, or
is or was serving at the request of the Company as a director, officer, employee
or agent of  another corporation,  partnership, joint venture,  trust, or  other
enterprise  against any expense,  liability, or loss incurred  by such person in
any such capacity  or arising  out of  his status as  such, whether  or not  the
Company  would  have the  power to  indemnify him  against such  liability under
Maryland law.
 
    The Charter  provides  that (i)  the  Board  of Directors  may,  by  by-law,
resolution   or  agreement,  make  further   provision  for  indemnification  of
directors, officers, employees and agents and (ii) no amendment, modification or
repeal of  the Charter,  nor the  adoption of  any additional  provision of  the
Charter or the By-laws nor, to the fullest extent permitted by Maryland law, any
amendment, modification or repeal of law shall eliminate or reduce the effect of
the provisions in the Charter limiting liability or indemnifying certain persons
or  adversely affect any right or protection then existing thereunder in respect
of any  acts  or omissions  occurring  prior to  such  amendment,  modification,
repeal, or adoption.
 
                              CERTAIN TRANSACTIONS
 
    In  connection with  the purchase  of certain assets  by the  Company at its
inception, Mr. Jimenez, the Company's  President loaned $150,000 to the  Company
to  assist in financing the acquisition. The  note bears interest at the federal
short-term rate  established periodically  by the  U.S. Treasury.  Principal  is
payable upon demand and interest is paid quarterly. The outstanding loan balance
was $78,572 at June 30, 1996 and will be entirely repaid out of proceeds of this
offering. See "Use of Proceeds."
 
    During  fiscal  years  1994,  1995 and  1996,  the  Company  purchased voice
processing systems  totaling approximately  $1,036,000, $62,000,  and  $212,000,
respectively,  from Microlog Corporation ("Microlog"),  a company whose Board of
Directors included Mr. Jimenez, the Company's President, and Graham Hartwell,  a
former  Director of the  Company. Mr. Jimenez resigned  from Microlog's Board of
Directors in January  1994.  Mr.  Hartwell retired from  the Company's Board  of
Directors  in December 1995. The Company expects to continue to do business with
Microlog on terms no less favorable to  the Company than could be obtained  from
an unaffiliated third party.
 
    The  Company believes that all of the transactions set forth above were made
on terms no less  favorable to the  Company than could  have been obtained  from
unaffiliated  third parties. All further  transactions, including loans, between
the Company  and  its  officers, directors,  principal  shareholders  and  their
affiliates will be approved by a majority of the Board of Directors, including a
majority  of  the  independent  and  disinterested  outside  directors  and will
continue to be, in the judgment of  such a majority, on terms no less  favorable
to the Company than could be obtained from unaffiliated third parties.
 
                                       46
<PAGE>
                       PRINCIPAL AND SELLING STOCKHOLDERS
 
    The  following  table sets  forth  certain information  regarding beneficial
ownership of the Common Stock  as of June 30, 1996,  and as adjusted to  reflect
the  sale of shares offered hereby, by (i) each stockholder known by the Company
to be a beneficial owner of more than five percent of the Common Stock, (ii) the
Selling Stockholder, (iii)  each of the  Company's directors, (iv)  each of  the
Named  Executive Officers  and (v) all  directors and executive  officers of the
Company as a  group. Except as  indicated in  the footnotes to  this table,  the
Company  believes that  the persons  and entities named  in the  table have sole
voting and investment power with respect to all shares of Common Stock shown  as
beneficially owned by them, subject to community property laws where applicable.
 
   
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
                                                    SHARES BENEFICIALLY OWNED                   SHARES BENEFICIALLY OWNED
                                                       PRIOR TO OFFERING(1)                         AFTER OFFERING(1)
                                                   ----------------------------   NUMBER OF    ---------------------------
                                                      NUMBER OF                  SHARES BEING    NUMBER OF
NAME AND ADDRESS (2)                                   SHARES         PERCENT      OFFERED         SHARES        PERCENT
- -------------------------------------------------  ---------------  -----------  ------------  --------------  -----------
<S>                                                <C>              <C>          <C>           <C>             <C>
CEO Venture Fund II..............................     1,530,950(3)       29.9%       230,000      1,300,950         17.6%
  1950 Old Gallows Road
  Vienna, Virginia 22182
George T. Jimenez................................     2,453,562(4)       46.3%             0      2,453,562         32.4%
S. Joseph Dorr...................................       689,634(5)       13.2%             0        689,634          9.2%
Dr. Thomas V. Russotto...........................       191,696(6)        3.7%             0        191,696          2.6%
Paul G. Casner, Jr...............................        27,000(7)       *                 0         27,000         *
Gary P. Golding..................................         2,628(8)       *                 0          2,628         *
Gilbert A. Wetzel................................        18,000(9)       *                 0         18,000         *
All directors and executive officers as a group
 (9 persons).....................................     3,417,260(10)      61.5%             0      3,417,260         43.7%
</TABLE>
    
 
- ------------------------
 *  Less than 1% of the outstanding Common Stock.
 
(1)  The number  of shares  of Common Stock  outstanding prior  to this offering
    includes (i) 3,590,451  shares of Common  Stock outstanding as  of June  30,
    1996,  (ii) 1,530,950 shares issuable by  the Company upon the conversion of
    all  outstanding  shares  of  Class  C  Preferred  Stock  which  will  occur
    automatically  upon completion of this offering and (iii) shares issuable by
    the Company pursuant to options held by the respective person or group which
    may be exercised within 60 days after June 30, 1996. Beneficial ownership is
    determined in  accordance with  the rules  of the  Commission and  generally
    includes voting or investment power with respect to securities. All of these
    shares  are subject to lock-up restrictions until 180 days after the date of
    this Prospectus. See "Shares Eligible for Future Sale."
 
(2) Unless otherwise  indicated, the  address is c/o  ACE*COMM Corporation,  209
    Perry Parkway, Gaithersburg, Maryland 20877.
 
(3)  Includes 1,484,546 shares held by CEO  Venture Fund II of which 230,000 are
    being offered hereby, 21,888 shares held by William R. Newlin, 21,888 shares
    held by James Colker and  2,628 shares held by  Gary P. Golding. Colker  and
    Newlin  Management Associates II ("CNMA II"),  as the general partner of CEO
    Venture Fund II, exercises voting and  investment power with respect to  the
    1,484,546  shares held by CEO Venture Fund II. Messrs. Colker and Newlin, as
    managing general partners of CNMA II, exercise shared voting and  investment
    power  with respect  to these  shares and Mr.  Golding, E.R.  Yost, and G.F.
    Chatfield, as general partners of CNMA II, exercise shared investment  power
    with  respect to these shares. CNMA  II and Messrs. Colker, Newlin, Golding,
    Yost and Chatfield disclaim beneficial ownership  of the shares held by  CEO
    Venture  Fund  II  other  than  to  the  extent  of  its  or  his individual
    partnership interest.
 
(4) Includes  182,952 shares  issuable upon  the exercise  of options  that  are
    exercisable within 60 days.
 
                                       47
<PAGE>
 (5)  Includes 120,555  shares issuable  upon the  exercise of  options that are
    exercisable within 60 days.
 
 (6) Includes  69,588 shares  issuable upon  the exercise  of options  that  are
    exercisable within 60 days.
 
 (7)  Includes  18,000 shares  issuable upon  the exercise  of options  that are
    exercisable within 60 days.
 
 (8) Does not include 1,484,546 shares held by CEO Venture Fund II of which  Mr.
    Golding is a general partner.
 
 (9)  Includes  13,500 shares  issuable upon  the exercise  of options  that are
    exercisable within 60 days.
 
(10) Includes 431,510  shares issuable  upon the  exercise of  options that  are
    exercisable within 60 days.
 
                          DESCRIPTION OF CAPITAL STOCK
 
GENERAL
 
    Upon  the completion  of this  offering, the  Company will  be authorized to
issue 45,000,000 shares of Common Stock, $.01 par value, and 5,000,000 shares of
undesignated Preferred Stock, $.01 par value.
 
COMMON STOCK
 
    As of June 30, 1996, there were 3,590,451 shares of Common Stock outstanding
held of record by 26 stockholders. As  of June 30, 1996, options to purchase  an
aggregate  of 1,073,704  shares of Common  Stock were also  outstanding of which
options to purchase  938,704 shares  were then exercisable.  See "Management  --
Amended  and Restated Omnibus Stock Plan." After giving effect to the conversion
of all outstanding shares  of Class C Preferred  Stock into 1,530,950 shares  of
Common  Stock and the sale of 2,270,000 shares of Common Stock by the Company in
this offering,  there  will be  7,391,401  shares of  Common  Stock  outstanding
(7,766,401  shares if  the Underwriters'  over-allotment option  is exercised in
full).
 
    The holders  of Common  Stock are  entitled to  one vote  per share  on  all
matters  to be voted on  by shareholders and have  cumulative voting rights with
respect to the election of directors. Subject to the prior rights of holders  of
Preferred  Stock, if any,  the holders of  Common Stock are  entitled to receive
such dividends, if any,  as may be declared  from time to time  by the Board  of
Directors  in  its  discretion  from  funds  legally  available  therefor.  Upon
liquidation or dissolution of  the Company, the remainder  of the assets of  the
Company  will be  distributed ratably  among the  holders of  Common Stock after
payment of liabilities and the liquidation preferences of any outstanding shares
of Preferred Stock.  The Common Stock  has no preemptive  or other  subscription
rights  and  there  are  no  conversion rights  or  redemption  or  sinking fund
provisions with respect to such shares. All of the outstanding shares of  Common
Stock  are, and the shares to  be sold in this offering  will be, fully paid and
nonassessable.
 
PREFERRED STOCK
 
    The Board of Directors has the authority to issue the Preferred Stock in one
or more  series  and to  fix  the  price, rights,  preferences,  privileges  and
restrictions  thereof,  including  dividend rights,  dividend  rates, conversion
rights, voting  rights,  terms  of redemption,  redemption  prices,  liquidation
preferences and the number of shares constituting a series or the designation of
such  series, without any further vote  or action by the Company's shareholders.
The issuance  of  Preferred  Stock, while  providing  desirable  flexibility  in
connection  with possible acquisitions and  other corporate purposes, could have
the effect  of delaying,  deferring or  preventing a  change in  control of  the
Company  without further action by the shareholders and may adversely affect the
market price of,  and the  voting and  other rights  of, the  holders of  Common
Stock.  The Company has no current plans to issue any shares of Preferred Stock.
Upon consummation of  this offering,  the conversion  of the  Class C  Preferred
Stock  and  the redemption  of the  Class B  Preferred Stock,  there will  be no
Preferred Stock outstanding.
 
BUSINESS COMBINATIONS
 
    Maryland law prohibits certain "business combinations" (including a  merger,
consolidation,  share exchange, or, in  certain circumstances, an asset transfer
or issuance or reclassification of equity
 
                                       48
<PAGE>
securities) between  a  Maryland  corporation  and  an  Interested  Stockholder.
"Interested  Stockholders" are all persons (a)  who beneficially own 10% or more
of the voting power of the corporation's shares or (b) an affiliate or associate
of the corporation who, at any time within the two-year period prior to the date
in question,  was an  Interested Stockholder  or an  affiliate or  an  associate
thereof. Such business combinations are prohibited for five years after the most
recent   date  on  which   the  Interested  Stockholder   became  an  Interested
Stockholder. Thereafter, any  such business combination  must be recommended  by
the  board of directors of such corporation and approved by the affirmative vote
of at least (a) 80% of  the votes entitled to be  cast by all holders of  voting
shares  of the corporation, and (b) 66 2/3%  of the votes entitled to be cast by
all holders of voting shares of the corporation other than voting shares held by
the Interested  Stockholder, or  an  affiliate or  associate of  the  Interested
Stockholder, with whom the business combination is to be effected, unless, among
other things, the corporation's stockholders receive a minimum price (as defined
under  Maryland law) for their shares and  the consideration is received in cash
or in the same  form as previously  paid by the  Interested Stockholder for  its
shares.  These provisions of Maryland law do not apply, unless the corporation's
charter or by-laws provide otherwise, to a corporation that on July 1, 1983  had
an existing Interested Stockholder, unless, at any time thereafter, the Board of
Directors  elects  to be  subject to  the law.  The Company  has adopted  such a
resolution, which has the  effect of making the  law applicable to the  Company,
except  with respect to certain business combinations involving persons who were
Interested Stockholders as of the date of this Prospectus, or their  affiliates,
which  include CEO Venture  Fund II and  George T. Jimenez.  These provisions of
Maryland law  would  not  apply,  however, to  business  combinations  that  are
approved  or exempted by the Board of  Directors of the corporation prior to the
time that any other Interested Stockholder becomes an Interested Stockholder.  A
Maryland  corporation may adopt an  amendment to its charter  electing not to be
subject to the  special voting  requirements of the  foregoing legislation.  Any
such amendment would have to be approved by the affirmative vote of at least 80%
of  the votes entitled to be cast by all holders of outstanding shares of voting
stock and 66 2/3%  of the votes  entitled to be cast  by holders of  outstanding
shares  of voting stock who are not Interested Stockholders. The Company has not
adopted such an amendment to its Charter.
 
CONTROL SHARE ACQUISITIONS
 
    Maryland law  provides  that  "control shares"  of  a  Maryland  corporation
acquired  in a "control share  acquisition" have no voting  rights except to the
extent approved by a vote of two-thirds of the votes entitled to be cast on  the
matter,  excluding  shares of  stock owned  by  the acquiror  or by  officers or
directors who are employees of the corporation. Control shares are voting shares
of stock which, if aggregated with all other shares of stock previously acquired
by such  a  person, would  entitle  the acquiror  to  exercise voting  power  in
electing  directors within one of the following  ranges of voting power: (a) 20%
or more but less than 33 1/3%; (b) 33 1/3% or more but less than a majority;  or
(c)  a majority  of all voting  power. Control  shares do not  include shares of
stock an acquiring person is entitled to  vote as a result of having  previously
obtained  stockholder approval.  A control  share acquisition  means, subject to
certain exceptions, the acquisition of, ownership of, or the power to direct the
exercise of voting power with respect to, control shares.
 
    A person who  has made or  proposes to make  a "control share  acquisition,"
upon  satisfaction  of  certain  conditions  (including  an  undertaking  to pay
expenses), may  compel the  board of  directors  to call  a special  meeting  of
stockholders to be held within 50 days of demand therefor to consider the voting
rights  of the shares. If no request for  a meeting is made, the corporation may
itself present the question at any stockholders' meeting.
 
    If voting rights are not approved at the meeting or if the acquiring  person
does  not deliver  an acquiring  person statement  as permitted  by the statute,
then, subject to certain conditions and limitations, the corporation may  redeem
any  or all  of the control  shares (except  those for which  voting rights have
previously been approved) for  fair value determined,  without regard to  voting
rights,  as of the date of the last  control share acquisition or of any meeting
of stockholders at which the voting rights of such shares are considered and not
approved. If voting rights for "control shares" are approved at a  stockholders'
meeting  and the  acquiror becomes  entitled to  vote a  majority of  the shares
 
                                       49
<PAGE>
entitled to vote, all other stockholders may exercise appraisal rights. The fair
value of the stock as determined for  purposes of such appraisal rights may  not
be  less than the highest price per share paid in the control share acquisition,
and certain limitations and restrictions otherwise applicable to the exercise of
dissenters' rights do not apply in the context of a "control share acquisition."
 
    The control share acquisition statute does not apply to stock acquired in  a
merger,  consolidation or stock  exchange if the  corporation is a  party to the
transaction, or to acquisitions previously  approved or exempted by a  provision
in  the  charter  or by-laws  of  the  corporation. The  Company  has  adopted a
provision in  its  Charter exempting  acquisitions  by George  Jimenez  and  his
respective  associates  provided any  such acquisition  does  not cause  them to
acquire more than 49.9% of the outstanding Common Stock in the aggregate.
 
TRANSFER AGENT AND REGISTRAR
 
    The transfer  agent and  registrar  for the  Common  Stock is  Chase  Mellon
Shareholder Services.
 
                     CERTAIN CHARTER AND BY-LAW PROVISIONS
 
    The  Company's Charter and By-laws will be amended as of the closing of this
offering and, as  a result of  such amendment, will  contain several  provisions
that  may make  the acquisition of  control of the  Company by means  of a proxy
fight, open market  purchases, tender  offer, or otherwise  more difficult.  The
following  is a summary of certain of these provisions. The forms of Charter and
By-laws, as amended, are filed as  exhibits to the Registration Statement  filed
with  the  Commission of  which this  Prospectus  is a  part, and  the following
summary is qualified in its entirety by reference to such documents.
 
NUMBER OF DIRECTORS
 
    The Charter and By-laws provide that the number of directors shall be  fixed
from  time to time  by resolution adopted by  a majority of  the entire Board of
Directors, but may  not consist of  fewer than  three or such  lesser number  of
stockholders,  nor more than 11 members. The  size of the Board of Directors has
initially been set at five members.
 
CLASSIFIED BOARD OF DIRECTORS
 
    The Charter divides  the Board  of Directors  into three  classes, with  one
class  having a term of one year, one class  having a term of two years, and one
class having a  term of  three years. Each  class is  to be as  nearly equal  in
number  as possible. At each annual meeting of stockholders, commencing with the
annual meeting of stockholders to be held in 1997, directors will be elected  to
succeed  those  directors  whose  terms have  expired,  and  each  newly elected
director will serve for a three-year term.
 
    The classification of directors and the provisions in the Charter that limit
the ability of  stockholders to  increase the size  of the  Board of  Directors,
together  with  the provisions  in the  Charter described  below that  limit the
ability of  stockholders  to remove  directors  and that  permit  the  remaining
directors  to fill any vacancies on the Board, will have the effect of making it
more difficult  for stockholders  to  change the  composition  of the  Board  of
Directors.  As a  result, at  least two annual  meetings of  stockholders may be
required for the stockholders to change a majority of the directors, whether  or
not  a change in the  Board of Directors would be  beneficial to the Company and
its stockholders and  whether or not  a majority of  the Company's  stockholders
believes that such a change would be desirable.
 
REMOVAL OF DIRECTORS AND FILLING VACANCIES
 
    The  Charter  and  By-laws  provide  that  a  director  may  be  removed  by
stockholders only "for cause" and with the approval of the holders of 80% of the
total voting power of all outstanding securities of the Company then entitled to
vote generally in the election of  directors, voting together as a single  class
at a special meeting of stockholders called for that purpose. (Article VI of the
Charter; Section 6).
 
                                       50
<PAGE>
    The  Charter  and  By-laws  provide  that  all  vacancies  on  the  Board of
Directors,  including  those  resulting  from  an  increase  in  the  number  of
directors, may be filled solely by a majority of the remaining directors even if
they  do not  constitute a  quorum. If  the vacancy  occurs as  a result  of the
removal of a director, the stockholders may elect a successor at the meeting  at
which  such removal occurs. If the  entire Board becomes vacant, any stockholder
may call a special meeting in order  to elect directors. (Article II, Section  7
of the By-laws).
 
ADVANCE NOTICE REQUIREMENTS FOR STOCKHOLDER PROPOSALS AND DIRECTOR NOMINATIONS
 
    The  By-laws establish advance notice  procedures with regard to stockholder
proposals and the nomination, other than by or at the direction of the Board  of
Directors  or  a committee  thereof, of  candidates  for election  as directors.
(Article I,  Sections 11  and 12).  These procedures  require that  a notice  of
stockholder  proposals and stockholder nominations for the election of directors
at any meeting of stockholders must be in writing, containing certain  specified
information  and received by the  Secretary of the Company  not less than 20 nor
more than 30 days prior to the meeting (or if less than 30 days' notice or prior
public disclosure of the date of the meeting is given, the notice of stockholder
proposals or nominations must be in writing and received by the Secretary of the
Company no later than the close of  business on the tenth day following the  day
on which notice of the meeting was mailed or public disclosure thereof was made,
whichever  occurs  first).  The Company  may  reject a  stockholder  proposal or
nomination that is not made in accordance with such procedures.
 
LIMITATIONS ON CALLING STOCKHOLDER MEETINGS
 
    The Charter and By-laws provide that special meetings of stockholders can be
called only by the Chairman of the Board of Directors, the President, the  Board
of  Directors, or by the Secretary at the  request of holders of at least 25% of
all votes entitled  to be cast.  (Article I,  Section 3 of  the By-laws).  These
provisions  may  have  the effect  of  delaying consideration  of  a stockholder
proposal until the next annual meeting unless a special meeting is called by the
Board of Directors, the Chairman of  the Board, the President, or the  Secretary
of the Company upon the request of holders of a sufficient number of shares.
 
AMENDMENT OF CERTAIN PROVISIONS OF THE CHARTER AND BY-LAWS
 
    The Charter of the Company provides that the affirmative vote of the holders
of at least 80% of the aggregate combined voting power of all classes of capital
stock  entitled  to vote  thereon, voting  as  one class,  is required  to amend
certain provisions of the  Charter, including those  provisions relating to  the
number,  election and term of directors; the removal of Directors; the amendment
of the by-laws; the  provision governing applicability  of the Maryland  Control
Share  Act  (Section 3-702  of the  Maryland General  Corporation Law);  and the
supermajority voting requirements in the Charter. (Article VII, Section 1).  The
Charter  further provides that Board of Directors shall have the exclusive right
to make, alter,  amend or repeal  the By-laws. (Article  VII, Section 5).  These
requirements  will have  the effect  of making  more difficult  any amendment by
stockholders, even if a majority of the Company's stockholders believe that such
amendment would be in their best interests.
 
                        SHARES ELIGIBLE FOR FUTURE SALE
 
    Prior to this offering, there has been no market for the Common Stock of the
Company. Sales  of substantial  shares  of Common  Stock  in the  public  market
following  this offering, or  the perception that such  sales could occur, could
adversely affect the market  price of the Common  Stock prevailing from time  to
time  and could impair the Company's future  ability to raise capital through an
offering of its  equity securities.  See "Risk  Factors --  Shares Eligible  for
Future Sale."
 
    Upon  completion  of  this  offering, the  Company  will  have approximately
7,391,401 shares  of  Common Stock  outstanding  (assuming no  exercise  of  the
Underwriters' over-allotment option.) Of these shares, the 2,500,000 shares sold
in this offering will be freely transferable without restriction or registration
under  the  Securities  Act, except  for  any  shares purchased  by  an existing
"affiliate" of the Company, as that term is defined under the Securities Act (an
"Affiliate"), which shares will be subject to the resale limitations of Rule 144
adopted under the Securities Act. The remaining 4,891,401
 
                                       51
<PAGE>
   
outstanding shares of Common Stock which  were issued by the Company in  private
transactions  not involving  a public offering  (and any shares  issued upon the
exercise of stock options granted pursuant  to the Stock Plan and the  Directors
Stock Plan), are "restricted securities" for purposes of Rule 144 and may not be
resold  in a  public distribution,  except in  compliance with  the registration
requirements  of  the  Securities  Act,  pursuant  to  a  valid  exemption  from
registration  or pursuant to Rule 144. Of such shares, and without consideration
of the  contractual  restrictions  described  below,  378,705  shares  would  be
available  for immediate sale in the  public market without restriction pursuant
to Rule 144(k) and 4,205,989 additional shares would be available for  immediate
sale  subject to compliance with the restrictions of Rule 144. Beginning 90 days
after the date of this Prospectus, and without consideration of the  contractual
restrictions  described below, 213,998  additional shares would  be eligible for
sale without restrictions in reliance upon Rule 701 promulgated under Securities
Act and  92,709  additional  shares  would  be  eligible  for  sale  subject  to
compliance with the restrictions of Rule 144.
    
 
    The  holders of 4,748,211 shares of Common Stock in the aggregate, including
each officer  and director  of the  Company and  the Selling  Stockholder,  have
agreed  not to offer, pledge,  sell, offer to sell,  contract to sell, grant any
option to purchase, or otherwise transfer or dispose of, directly or indirectly,
any shares of Common Stock or any securities exercisable or exchangeable for, or
convertible into, shares of Common Stock for a period of 180 days after the date
of this Prospectus,  without the prior  written consent of  Furman Selz LLC,  on
behalf  of the Underwriters. Furman Selz LLC  may, in its sole discretion and at
any time without notice, waive the lock-up  restrictions as to all or a  portion
of  the securities subject to lock-up  agreements. Furman Selz LLC currently has
no  plans  to  grant  any  such  waivers.  As  a  result  of  these  contractual
restrictions  and the  provisions of Rules  144(k), 144 and  701, the restricted
shares will be available for  sale in the public  market as follows: (i)  89,189
shares  will be eligible for immediate sale on the date of this Prospectus, (ii)
54,001 shares  will  be  eligible for  sale  90  days after  the  date  of  this
Prospectus  and (iii) 4,748,211 shares will be  eligible for sale 180 days after
the date of this Prospectus upon expiration of lock-up agreements.
 
    In general, under Rule 144 as  currently in effect, beginning 90 days  after
the  date of this Prospectus, a person  (or persons whose shares are aggregated)
who has  beneficially  owned  restricted  securities  for  at  least  two  years
(including  the holding  period of  any prior owner  except an  affiliate of the
Company) would be  entitled to sell  within any three-month  period a number  of
shares  that does not  exceed the greater of:  (i) one percent  of the number of
shares of Common Stock then  outstanding (which will equal approximately  73,914
shares  immediately after  this offering);  or (ii)  the average  weekly trading
volume of the Common Stock during  the four calendar weeks preceding such  sale,
subject  to the filing of a Form 144 with respect to such sale. Sales under Rule
144  are  also  subject  to  certain  manner  of  sale  provisions  and   notice
requirements  and to  the availability of  current public  information about the
Company. Under Rule 144(k), a person who is not deemed to have been an Affiliate
at any  time during  the  90 days  immediately preceding  a  sale, and  who  has
beneficially  owned the  shares proposed  to be  sold for  at least  three years
(including the  holding period  of  any prior  owner  except an  Affiliate),  is
entitled  to sell such shares without complying  with the manner of sale, public
information, volume limitation or notice provisions of Rule 144. Subject to  the
contractual  restrictions described above, "144(k) shares" may therefore be sold
immediately  upon  the  completion  of  this  offering.  Persons  deemed  to  be
Affiliates  must always  sell pursuant  to Rule  144, even  after the applicable
holding periods have been satisfied.
 
    The Commission  has recently  proposed  amendments to  Rule 144  that  would
permit resales of restricted securities after a one-year, rather than a two-year
holding period, subject to compliance with the other provisions of Rule 144, and
would permit resale of restricted securities by non-Affiliates under Rule 144(k)
after  a two-year,  rather than  a three-year  holding period.  If adopted, such
amendments could result in resales of restricted securities sooner than would be
the case under Rule 144 as currently in effect.
 
    Subject to  certain  limitations  on  the  aggregate  offering  price  of  a
transaction  and other conditions, Rule  701 may be relied  upon with respect to
the resale of securities originally purchased from
 
                                       52
<PAGE>
the Company by its employees, directors, officers, consultants or advisors prior
to the date  the issuer  becomes subject to  the reporting  requirements of  the
Exchange Act pursuant to written compensatory benefit plans or written contracts
relating  to the compensation  of such persons. In  addition, the Commission has
indicated that Rule 701 will apply to typical stock options granted by an issuer
before it becomes  subject to the  reporting requirements of  the Exchange  Act,
along  with  the  shares  acquired  upon  exercise  of  such  options (including
exercises after the date of this  Prospectus). Securities issued in reliance  on
Rule  701 are restricted securities and, subject to the contractual restrictions
described above, beginning  90 days after  the date of  this Prospectus, may  be
sold  by  persons other  than  Affiliates subject  only  to the  manner  of sale
provisions of Rule 144 and by Affiliates under Rule 144 without compliance  with
its two-year minimum holding period requirements.
 
    At  June 30, 1996, options to purchase 1,073,704 shares of Common Stock were
outstanding, of which options to purchase approximately 938,704 shares were then
vested and exercisable. Shortly after this offering, the Company intends to file
registration statements on Form S-8 under the Securities Act covering shares  of
Common  Stock  reserved  for  issuance  under  the  Company's  stock  plans. See
"Management -- Amended and Restated Omnibus Stock Plan." Shares of Common  Stock
issued  upon exercise of  options under the registration  statements on Form S-8
will be available for sale in the  public market, subject to Rule 144 manner  of
sale  and  volume limitations  in  the case  of  Affiliates and  subject  to the
contractual restrictions described above. Beginning  180 days after the date  of
this  Prospectus,  approximately 681,373  shares issuable  upon the  exercise of
vested stock options will become eligible for sale in the public market, if such
options are exercised.
 
REGISTRATION RIGHTS
 
    After this offering, the  holders of 1,300,950 shares  of Common Stock  (the
"Registrable Securities") will be entitled to certain rights with respect to the
registration  of such shares  under the Securities  Act. Under the  terms of the
agreement between the Company and the holders of such Registrable Securities, if
the Company proposes to register any of its securities under the Securities Act,
either for  its  own  account or  for  the  account of  other  security  holders
exercising  registration rights,  such holders  are entitled  to notice  of such
registration and are entitled  to include shares of  such Common Stock  therein.
Additionally,  beginning six months after the  date of this offering, holders of
the Registrable  Securities are  also entitled  to certain  demand  registration
rights  pursuant to which  they may require  the Company to  file a registration
statement under the Securities Act at  its expense with respect to their  shares
of  Common Stock, and the Company is required  to use its best efforts to effect
such registration.  Further,  the  holders of  the  Registrable  Securities  may
require  the Company to file additional registration statements on Form S-3. All
of these registration rights are subject to certain conditions and  limitations,
among  them the right of the underwriters of  an offering to limit the number of
shares included in such registration.
 
                                       53
<PAGE>
                                  UNDERWRITING
 
    Each of the Underwriters named below (the "Underwriters"), for which  Furman
Selz  LLC, Oppenheimer  & Co.,  Inc. and  Rodman &  Renshaw, Inc.  are acting as
representatives (the "Representatives"),  has severally agreed,  subject to  the
terms and conditions of the Underwriting Agreement, to purchase from the Company
and  the Selling Stockholder,  and the Company and  the Selling Stockholder have
agreed to sell to each of the Underwriters, the number of shares of Common Stock
set forth opposite its name below:
 
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
                                                                                              NUMBER OF
UNDERWRITERS                                                                                   SHARES
- -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------  -----------
<S>                                                                                          <C>
Furman Selz LLC............................................................................
Oppenheimer & Co., Inc. ...................................................................
Rodman & Renshaw, Inc. ....................................................................
 
                                                                                             -----------
    Total..................................................................................    2,500,000
                                                                                             -----------
                                                                                             -----------
</TABLE>
 
    The Underwriting Agreement provides that the obligations of the Underwriters
to purchase the shares of Common Stock listed above are subject to the  approval
of   certain  legal  matters  by  counsel  and  various  other  conditions.  The
Underwriting Agreement  also provides  that the  Underwriters are  committed  to
purchase  all of the shares of Common Stock offered hereby, if any are purchased
(without  consideration  of  any  shares  that  may  be  purchased  through  the
Underwriters' over-allotment option).
 
    The  Representatives have  advised the  Company and  the Selling Stockholder
that the Underwriters propose to offer the shares of Common Stock to the  public
initially at the public offering price set forth on the cover of this Prospectus
and  to certain dealers at such price less a concession not in excess of $
per share. The Underwriters may allow, and such selected dealers may reallow,  a
concession not in excess of $      per share to certain other dealers. After the
initial  public  offering of  the shares,  the public  offering price  and other
selling terms may be changed by the Representatives.
 
    Prior to the offering made hereby, there  has been no public market for  the
Common  Stock. Accordingly,  the initial  public offering  price for  the Common
Stock  will  be  determined  by  negotiation  among  the  Company,  the  Selling
Stockholder  and the Representatives. Among the factors to be considered are the
Company's results of  operations and current  financial condition, estimates  of
the  business  potential  and  prospects  of the  Company,  the  market  for the
Company's products, the experience of the Company's management, the economics of
the industry in general, the general condition of the equities market and  other
relevant  factors. There can be no assurance that any active trading market will
develop for the Common Stock  or as to the price  at which the Common Stock  may
trade  in the public  market from time  to time subsequent  to the offering made
hereby.
 
    The Company has granted the  Underwriters an option, exercisable during  the
30-day  period after  the date  of this  Prospectus, to  purchase up  to 375,000
additional shares of Common Stock at the public offering price set forth on  the
cover  page of this Prospectus, less  underwriting discounts and commissions. To
the extent the Underwriters exercise this  option, each Underwriter will have  a
firm  commitment,  subject to  certain conditions,  to  purchase such  number of
additional shares  of Common  Stock as  is proportionate  to such  Underwriter's
initial  commitment to  purchase shares from  the Company.  The Underwriters may
exercise such  option  solely to  cover  over-allotments, if  any,  incurred  in
connection with the sale of shares of Common Stock offered hereby.
 
                                       54
<PAGE>
    The  Company  and  the  Selling Stockholder  have  agreed  to  indemnify the
Underwriters  against  certain  liabilities,  including  liabilities  under  the
Securities  Act,  or to  contribute  to payments  that  the Underwriters  may be
required to make in respect thereof.
 
    The Company  and the  holders of  4,748,211 shares  of Common  Stock in  the
aggregate,  including each officer  and director of the  Company and the Selling
Stockholder, have agreed,  subject to  certain exceptions, not  to offer,  sell,
pledge,  offer  to sell,  contract  to sell,  grant  any option  to  purchase or
otherwise transfer or dispose of, directly  or indirectly, any shares of  Common
Stock or securities exchangeable or exercisable for, or convertible into, shares
of Common Stock (other than, in the case of the Company, the granting of options
pursuant  to the Stock  Plan and the Directors  Stock Plan) for  a period of 180
days from the  date of  the Underwriting  Agreement, without  the prior  written
consent of Furman Selz LLC, on behalf of the Underwriters.
 
    The  Representatives have informed  the Company and  the Selling Stockholder
that the Underwriters do not intend to confirm sales to any accounts over  which
they exercise discretionary authority.
 
   
    The  Company has been approved for listing of the Common Stock on the Nasdaq
National Market under the symbol "ACEC."
    
 
   
    At the request of the Company, the Underwriters have reserved up to  100,000
shares  of Common Stock for sale at the initial public offering price to certain
employees of the Company and certain other non-affiliated persons. The number of
shares of Common Stock available for sale to the general public will be  reduced
to  the extent  such persons  purchase such  reserved shares.  Any such reserved
shares which are not so purchased will  be offered to the general public on  the
same basis as other shares offered hereby.
    
 
                                 LEGAL MATTERS
 
    The  validity of the Common Stock offered hereby will be passed upon for the
Company by its counsel, Venable,  Baetjer and Howard, LLP, Baltimore,  Maryland.
Certain  legal matters in connection with this  offering will be passed upon for
the Underwriters by Stroock & Stroock & Lavan, New York, New York.
 
                                    EXPERTS
 
    The financial statements as of June 30,  1996 and 1995, and for each of  the
three  years in the period ended June  30, 1996, included in the Prospectus have
been so included in reliance on the report of Price Waterhouse LLP,  independent
accountants,  given on  the authority  of said firm  as experts  in auditing and
accounting.
 
                             ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
 
    A Registration Statement on Form S-1, including amendments thereto, relating
to the  Common Stock  offered hereby  has been  filed by  the Company  with  the
Commission,  Washington,  D.C.  This  Prospectus does  not  contain  all  of the
information set  forth  in  the  Registration Statement  and  the  exhibits  and
schedules thereto. Statements contained in this Prospectus as to the contents of
any  contract or other document referred to  are not necessarily complete and in
each instance reference is made to the  copy of such contract or other  document
filed  as an  exhibit to the  Registration Statement, each  such statement being
qualified in  all  respects by  such  reference. For  further  information  with
respect to the Company and the Common Stock offered hereby, reference is made to
such  Registration Statement, exhibits and schedules. A copy of the Registration
Statement may  be  inspected  by  anyone  without  charge  at  the  Commission's
principal office located at 450 Fifth Street, N.W., Judiciary Plaza, Washington,
D.C.  20549, the Northeast Regional Office located at 7 World Trade Center, 13th
Floor, New York,  New York  10048, and the  Midwest Regional  Office located  at
Northwestern   Atrium  Center,  500  West   Madison  Street,  Chicago,  Illinois
60661-2511,   and   copies    of   all    or   any   part    thereof   may    be
 
                                       55
<PAGE>
obtained  from the Public Reference Branch of the Commission upon the payment of
certain fees  prescribed  by  the  Commission.  In  addition,  the  Registration
Statement  may be accessed electronically at  the Commission's site on the World
Wide Web located at http://www.sec.gov.
 
    The Company currently  is not a  reporting company. The  Company intends  to
furnish   to  its  stockholders  annual  reports  containing  audited  financial
statements  and  quarterly  reports   containing  unaudited  interim   financial
information  for each  of the first  three quarters  of each fiscal  year of the
Company.
 
                                       56
<PAGE>
                               GLOSSARY OF TERMS
 
<TABLE>
<S>                                   <C>
Architecture........................  A   computer  system  architecture  is  a  particular
                                      methodology  for  bringing  together  and   utilizing
                                      selected  computer  hardware,  systems  software  and
                                      applications   software   to   achieve   an   overall
                                      objective.
Asynchronous Transfer Mode
(ATM)...............................  A  recently commercialized switching and transmission
                                      technology that is one of  a general class of  packet
                                      technologies  that relay traffic by way of an address
                                      contained within the  first five bits  of a  standard
                                      fifty-three bit-long packet or cell. ATM-based packet
                                      transport   was   specifically  developed   to  allow
                                      switching and transmission of  mixed voice, data  and
                                      video   (sometimes   referred  to   as  "multi-media"
                                      information) at varying rates. The ATM format can  be
                                      used by many different information systems, including
                                      LANs.
Bandwidth...........................  The  range of  frequencies or  bit rates  that can be
                                      transmitted   by   a   communications   channel,    a
                                      transmission facility or a transmission medium.
Broadband...........................  Broadband  communications systems  can transmit large
                                      quantities of voice, data and video by way of digital
                                      or   analog    signals.   Examples    of    broadband
                                      communication   systems  include   DS-3  fiber  optic
                                      systems, which  can transmit  672 simultaneous  voice
                                      conversations,  or  a  broadcast  television  station
                                      signal, that  transmits  high  resolution  audio  and
                                      video  signals into the  home. Broadband connectivity
                                      is  also   an  essential   element  for   interactive
                                      multimedia applications.
Carrier.............................  In   the   telecommunications   industry,   one  that
                                      "carries"   transmission   capabilities   over    the
                                      telecommunications  network.  A  carrier  that offers
                                      telecommunications services to the public is  subject
                                      to   regulation  by  federal   and  state  regulatory
                                      commissions.
Central Office......................  The switching centers or central switching facilities
                                      of the local telephone companies.
CENTREX.............................  CENTREX is a service that offers features similar  to
                                      those  of a Private Branch Exchange (PBX), except the
                                      equipment is located  at the  carrier's premises  and
                                      not  at the premises of  the customer. These features
                                      include direct dialing within  a given phone  system,
                                      direct  dialing  of  incoming  calls,  and  automatic
                                      identification of outbound calls.  This is a  service
                                      that  local telephone companies can provide to a wide
                                      range of customers who  do not have  the size or  the
                                      funds to support their own on-site PBX.
Client..............................  The client component of a client server system. It is
                                      typically  a personal computer  with a graphical user
                                      interface.
Client Server Architecture..........  A  computer   system   architecture  in   which   two
                                      independent  processes communicate via an established
                                      protocol. The
</TABLE>
 
                                       57
<PAGE>
<TABLE>
<S>                                   <C>
                                      client  component  makes   requests  to  the   server
                                      component,   which   responds  with   information  or
                                      actions.  The  client  component  is  typically   the
                                      "front-end"  of the system and is operated by the end
                                      user.
Digital.............................  A method  of  storing,  processing  and  transmitting
                                      information through the use of distinct electronic or
                                      optical  pulses that represent the binary code digits
                                      0  and   1.   Digital  transmission   and   switching
                                      technologies  employ  a sequence  of these  pulses to
                                      represent information as opposed to the  continuously
                                      variable  analog  signal.  Digital  transmission  and
                                      switching technologies offer a threefold  improvement
                                      in   speed  and  capacity   over  analog  techniques,
                                      allowing  much  more  efficient  and   cost-effective
                                      transmission of voice, video and data.
Fiberoptic..........................  A  technology  in which  light  is used  to transport
                                      information from  one  point  to  another.  Fiber  is
                                      immune  to electrical  interference and environmental
                                      factors  that  affect  copper  wiring  and  satellite
                                      transmission.
Frame Relay.........................  Frame  relay is  a high  speed data  packet switching
                                      service used  to  transmit  data  between  computers.
                                      Frame  relay supports data  units of variable lengths
                                      at access  speeds ranging  from  56 kilobits  to  1.5
                                      megabits.  This service is appropriate for connecting
                                      LANs, but  is not  appropriate  for voice  and  video
                                      applications  due  to the  variable delays  which can
                                      occur. Frame relay  was designed to  operate at  high
                                      speed on modern fiber optic networks.
Graphical User Interface............  A   means  of   communicating  with   a  computer  by
                                      manipulating graphical icons and windows (usually  by
                                      pointing and clicking a mouse) rather than using text
                                      commands.
Hybrid Fiber Coaxial................  A  telecommunications network composed  of both fiber
                                      and coaxial cable,  typically used  to deliver  video
                                      and/or voice services to residences.
ISO.................................  International Standards Organization. An
                                      international  standards group that is concerned with
                                      defining standards for data communication and network
                                      management.   Committees    throughout   the    world
                                      contribute to the ISO standards set forth.
Internet............................  The  global  system  of  networks  interconnected  by
                                      TCP/IP (and IP-related protocols), which include over
                                      30 million users from the private sector, educational
                                      institutions, government, nonprofits, and
                                      individuals. Internet  users gain  access to  e-mail,
                                      file  transfer,  remote log-in,  gopher,  news, World
                                      Wide Web, and other related services.
Intranet............................  An organization's private network  of its local  area
                                      networks  which  utilizes Internet  data  formats and
                                      communications  protocols,  and  which  may  use  the
                                      Internet's  facilities  as the  backbone  for network
                                      communications.
</TABLE>
 
                                       58
<PAGE>
<TABLE>
<S>                                   <C>
Local Area Networks (LANs)..........  The interconnection of computers  for the purpose  of
                                      sharing  files, programs and  various devices such as
                                      work stations, printers  and high-speed modems.  LANs
                                      may  include dedicated computers or file servers that
                                      provide a  centralized  source of  shared  files  and
                                      programs.
Local Exchange Carrier..............  A company providing local telephone services.
Local Exchange Carrier Lines........  Local   Exchange  Carrier  or   local  phone  company
                                      telephone lines used to supply telephone service to a
                                      location. These lines are needed by all organizations
                                      to handle local telephone traffic.
Object-Oriented.....................  A form of software  development that models the  real
                                      world  through representation of "objects" or systems
                                      that contain data as  well as instructions that  work
                                      upon that data.
Operating System....................  A  master control program for a computer that manages
                                      the computer's  internal  functions  and  provides  a
                                      means  for  control of  the computer's  operation. An
                                      operating system provides commonly used functions and
                                      a  uniform,   consistent  means   for  all   software
                                      applications to access the same machine resources.
Operations Support System (OSS).....  A  computer-based  system used  by telecommunications
                                      service providers to  support operations  activities.
                                      An  OSS does  not provide  telecommunications service
                                      directly to customers, but supports
                                      telecommunications service provider personnel in  the
                                      performance of their duties, such as billing, testing
                                      lines and trunks or maintaining switching systems.
Personal Communications Service
(PCS)...............................  A  type of wireless telephone system that uses light,
                                      inexpensive handheld  sets and  communicates via  low
                                      power antennas.
Protocols...........................  A formal set of standards governing the establishment
                                      of  a communications link  and controlling the format
                                      and timing of transmissions between two devices.
Request for Proposal (RFP)..........  The process of compiling a set of specifications  for
                                      any  procurement  (telephone  system,  telemanagement
                                      system, voice mail,  etc.) to clearly  define all  of
                                      the requirements of said procurement. The RFP is then
                                      distributed  to all prospective  vendors, so they may
                                      respond in detail to  the requirements and provide  a
                                      quotation  for the project as defined within the RFP.
                                      The goal of the RFP process is to procure the item(s)
                                      that are detailed within the RFP.
Server..............................  Software that allows a computer to offer a service to
                                      another computer. Other computers contact the  server
                                      program  by  means  of matching  client  software. In
                                      addition, such  term  means  the  computer  on  which
                                      server software runs.
</TABLE>
 
                                       59
<PAGE>
<TABLE>
<S>                                   <C>
Simple Network Management Protocol
(SNMP)..............................  A   standard   protocol   that   gathers   management
                                      information from network devices and provides a means
                                      to set and monitor configuration parameters.
Switch..............................  A computer that accepts instructions from a caller in
                                      the form of a telephone number. Like an address on an
                                      envelope, the numbers tell the switch where to  route
                                      the  call.  The switch  opens  or closes  circuits or
                                      selects  the  paths  or  circuits  to  be  used   for
                                      transmission  of information. Switching  is a process
                                      of interconnecting  circuits to  form a  transmission
                                      path  between users. Switches allow local carriers to
                                      connect calls  directly to  their destination,  while
                                      providing  advanced features and recording connection
                                      information for future billing.
Transmission Control
Protocol/Internet Protocol
(TCP/IP)............................  A  compilation   of  network-   and   transport-level
                                      protocols   that  allows   computers  with  different
                                      architectures  and  operating   system  software   to
                                      communicate with other computers on the Internet.
World Wide Web......................  A  network of  computer servers  that uses  a special
                                      communications protocol  to  link  different  servers
                                      throughout  the Internet and permits communication of
                                      graphics, video and sound.
X.25................................  A protocol  that  defines the  connection  between  a
                                      terminal  and the public packet-switching network for
                                      computer to computer communications.
</TABLE>
 
                                       60
<PAGE>
                              ACE*COMM CORPORATION
                                    INDEX TO
                              FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
 
<TABLE>
<S>                                                                                     <C>
Report of Independent Accountants.....................................................         F-2
 
Balance Sheets at June 30, 1995 and 1996..............................................         F-3
 
Statements of Operations for the years ended June 30, 1994, 1995 and 1996.............         F-4
 
Statements of Stockholders' Equity (Deficit) for the years ended June 30, 1994, 1995
 and 1996.............................................................................         F-5
 
Statements of Cash Flows for the years ended June 30, 1994, 1995 and 1996.............         F-6
 
Notes to Financial Statements.........................................................         F-7
</TABLE>
 
                                      F-1
<PAGE>
                       REPORT OF INDEPENDENT ACCOUNTANTS
 
To the Board of Directors and Stockholders of
  ACE*COMM Corporation
 
   
In  our opinion, the  accompanying balance sheets and  the related statements of
operations, of  changes in  stockholders'  equity (deficit)  and of  cash  flows
present  fairly, in  all material respects,  the financial  position of ACE*COMM
Corporation at June 30, 1995 and 1996, and the results of its operations and its
cash flows for each  of the three years  in the period ended  June 30, 1996,  in
conformity  with  generally  accepted  accounting  principles.  These  financial
statements  are   the   responsibility   of  the   Company's   management;   our
responsibility  is to express an opinion  on these financial statements based on
our audits.  We conducted  our audits  of these  statements in  accordance  with
generally accepted auditing standards which require that we plan and perform the
audit  to obtain reasonable assurance about whether the financial statements are
free of material  misstatement. An audit  includes examining, on  a test  basis,
evidence  supporting the  amounts and  disclosures in  the financial statements,
assessing the  accounting  principles used  and  significant estimates  made  by
management,  and  evaluating the  overall  financial statement  presentation. We
believe that our  audits provide a  reasonable basis for  the opinion  expressed
above.
    
 
PRICE WATERHOUSE LLP
 
   
Washington, D.C.
July 17, 1996, except as to Note 11 which
 is as of August 5, 1996.
    
 
                                      F-2
<PAGE>
                              ACE*COMM CORPORATION
                                 BALANCE SHEETS
 
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
                                                                     JUNE 30,
                                                              -----------------------
                                                                 1995        1996
                                                              ----------  -----------
                                                                                       PRO FORMA
                                                                                       STOCKHOLDERS'
                                                                                       EQUITY AT
                                                                                        JUNE 30,
                                                                                          1996
                                                                                       ----------
                                                                                       (UNAUDITED)
                                             ASSETS
<S>                                                           <C>         <C>          <C>
Current assets:
  Cash......................................................  $  189,903  $   369,206
  Accounts receivable, less allowance for doubtful accounts
   of $10,000...............................................   4,702,740    8,643,871
  Inventories...............................................     964,501    1,836,317
  Prepaid expenses and other................................     130,392      283,813
                                                              ----------  -----------
  Total current assets......................................   5,987,536   11,133,207
Property and equipment, net.................................   1,168,648    1,305,844
Capitalized software development costs, net.................   1,007,910    1,393,067
Other assets................................................     129,243      466,268
                                                              ----------  -----------
    Total assets............................................  $8,293,337  $14,298,386
                                                              ----------  -----------
                                                              ----------  -----------
 
                     LIABILITIES, MANDATORILY REDEEMABLE PREFERRED STOCK AND
                                 STOCKHOLDERS' EQUITY (DEFICIT)
Current liabilities:
  Current borrowings........................................  $4,301,544  $ 2,097,178
  Accounts payable..........................................   1,245,757    3,122,212
  Accrued expenses..........................................     290,905    1,036,684
  Accrued compensation......................................     430,596    1,010,922
  Officer loan..............................................      95,833       78,572
  Deferred revenue..........................................     997,077    1,890,103
                                                              ----------  -----------
  Total current liabilities.................................   7,361,712    9,235,671
Noncurrent borrowings.......................................      52,083    2,951,541
                                                              ----------  -----------
    Total liabilities.......................................   7,413,795   12,187,212
                                                              ----------  -----------
Mandatorily redeemable Class C Preferred Stock, $5.14 par
 value, 340,211 shares authorized, issued and outstanding...   2,121,733    2,261,627
                                                              ----------  -----------
Contingencies
Stockholders' equity (deficit):
  Class B Preferred Stock, $1.00 par value, 1,000 shares
   authorized, issued and outstanding (1,000 shares
   unaudited pro forma).....................................       1,000        1,000  $    1,000
  Common stock, $.01 par value, 45,000,000 shares
   authorized, 3,297,245 and 3,590,451 shares issued and
   outstanding (5,121,401 shares unaudited pro forma).......      32,972       35,905      51,214
  Additional paid-in capital................................     319,875      343,124   2,589,442
  Stock subscriptions receivable............................      (5,900)     --           --
  Accumulated deficit.......................................  (1,590,138)    (530,482)   (530,482)
                                                              ----------  -----------  ----------
  Total stockholders' equity (deficit)......................  (1,242,191)    (150,453) $2,111,174
                                                              ----------  -----------  ----------
    Total liabilities, mandatorily redeemable preferred
     stock and stockholders' equity (deficit)...............  $8,293,337  $14,298,386
                                                              ----------  -----------
                                                              ----------  -----------
</TABLE>
 
                See accompanying notes to financial statements.
 
                                      F-3
<PAGE>
                              ACE*COMM CORPORATION
                            STATEMENTS OF OPERATIONS
 
   
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
                                                                    YEARS ENDED JUNE 30,
                                                            -------------------------------------
                                                               1994         1995         1996
                                                            -----------  -----------  -----------
<S>                                                         <C>          <C>          <C>
Revenue -- products and
 services.................................................  $14,522,681  $12,415,331  $19,983,182
                                                            -----------  -----------  -----------
Costs and operating expenses:
  Cost of products and services...........................    7,674,999    6,579,504   10,294,490
  Selling, general and administrative.....................    5,472,776    6,048,700    7,292,533
  Research and development................................      572,652    1,044,968      956,950
                                                            -----------  -----------  -----------
Total costs and operating expenses........................   13,720,427   13,673,172   18,543,973
                                                            -----------  -----------  -----------
Income (loss) from operations.............................      802,254   (1,257,841)   1,439,209
Interest income...........................................        3,455      --           --
Interest expense..........................................     (159,993)    (334,805)    (379,553)
                                                            -----------  -----------  -----------
Income (loss) before income taxes.........................      645,716   (1,592,646)   1,059,656
Income taxes..............................................      --           --           --
                                                            -----------  -----------  -----------
Net income (loss).........................................  $   645,716  $(1,592,646)   1,059,656
                                                            -----------  -----------  -----------
                                                            -----------  -----------  -----------
Pro forma income per share (unaudited)....................                            $      0.18
                                                                                      -----------
                                                                                      -----------
Shares used in computing pro forma income per share
 (unaudited)..............................................                              5,974,355
                                                                                      -----------
                                                                                      -----------
</TABLE>
    
 
                See accompanying notes to financial statements.
 
                                      F-4
<PAGE>
                              ACE*COMM CORPORATION
                  STATEMENTS OF STOCKHOLDERS' EQUITY (DEFICIT)
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
                                      PREFERRED STOCK
                                   ----------------------                                                     RETAINED
                                                               COMMON STOCK      ADDITIONAL      STOCK        EARNINGS
                                          CLASS B          --------------------    PAID-IN    SUBSCRIPTIONS (ACCUMULATED
                                     SHARES     PAR VALUE   SHARES    PAR VALUE    CAPITAL     RECEIVABLE     DEFICIT)
                                   -----------  ---------  ---------  ---------  -----------  ------------  ------------
<S>                                <C>          <C>        <C>        <C>        <C>          <C>           <C>
Balance, June 30, 1993...........       1,000   $   1,000  3,261,245  $  32,612   $ 586,683        --        $ (643,208)
Accretion of preferred stock
 dividends.......................      --          --         --         --        (139,894)       --            --
Net income for the year ended
 June 30, 1994...................      --          --         --         --          --            --           645,716
                                        -----   ---------  ---------  ---------  -----------  ------------  ------------
Balance, June 30, 1994...........       1,000       1,000  3,261,245     32,612     446,789        --             2,508
Accretion of preferred stock
 dividends.......................      --          --         --         --        (139,894)       --            --
Exercise of common stock
 options.........................      --          --         36,000        360      12,980    $   (5,900)       --
Net loss for the year ended June
 30, 1995........................      --          --         --         --          --            --        (1,592,646)
                                        -----   ---------  ---------  ---------  -----------  ------------  ------------
Balance, June 30, 1995...........       1,000       1,000  3,297,245     32,972     319,875        (5,900)   (1,590,138)
Accretion of preferred stock
 dividends.......................      --          --         --         --        (139,894)       --            --
Exercise of common stock
 options.........................      --          --        293,206      2,933     163,143      (117,232)       --
Payment of stock subscriptions
 receivable......................      --          --         --         --          --           123,132        --
Net income for the year ended
 June 30, 1996...................      --          --         --         --          --            --         1,059,656
                                        -----   ---------  ---------  ---------  -----------  ------------  ------------
Balance, June 30, 1996...........       1,000   $   1,000  3,590,451  $  35,905   $ 343,124    $   --        $ (530,482)
                                        -----   ---------  ---------  ---------  -----------  ------------  ------------
                                        -----   ---------  ---------  ---------  -----------  ------------  ------------
 
<CAPTION>
 
                                      TOTAL
                                   -----------
<S>                                <C>
Balance, June 30, 1993...........  $   (22,913)
Accretion of preferred stock
 dividends.......................     (139,894)
Net income for the year ended
 June 30, 1994...................      645,716
                                   -----------
Balance, June 30, 1994...........      482,909
Accretion of preferred stock
 dividends.......................     (139,894)
Exercise of common stock
 options.........................        7,440
Net loss for the year ended June
 30, 1995........................   (1,592,646)
                                   -----------
Balance, June 30, 1995...........   (1,242,191)
Accretion of preferred stock
 dividends.......................     (139,894)
Exercise of common stock
 options.........................       48,844
Payment of stock subscriptions
 receivable......................      123,132
Net income for the year ended
 June 30, 1996...................    1,059,656
                                   -----------
Balance, June 30, 1996...........  $  (150,453)
                                   -----------
                                   -----------
</TABLE>
 
              See accompanying notes to the financial statements.
 
                                      F-5
<PAGE>
                              ACE*COMM CORPORATION
                            STATEMENTS OF CASH FLOWS
 
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
                                                                     YEARS ENDED JUNE 30,
                                                              -----------------------------------
                                                                 1994        1995        1996
                                                              -----------  ---------  -----------
<S>                                                           <C>          <C>        <C>
CASH FLOWS FROM OPERATING ACTIVITIES:
Net income (loss)...........................................  $   645,716  $(1,592,646) $ 1,059,656
Adjustments to reconcile net income (loss) to net cash (used
 for) provided by operating activities
  Depreciation..............................................      186,967    243,245      279,773
  Amortization of capitalized software......................      396,636    418,373      542,240
Changes in operating assets and liabilities
  Accounts receivable.......................................     (720,346)  (338,074)  (3,941,131)
  Inventories...............................................     (426,502)  (165,704)    (871,816)
  Other assets..............................................         (674)    (6,108)    (490,446)
  Accounts payable..........................................     (429,936)  (169,129)   1,876,455
  Accrued expenses..........................................      154,651    190,254      745,779
  Accrued compensation......................................      (12,195)   (51,324)     580,326
  Deferred revenue..........................................      204,750    311,777      893,026
                                                              -----------  ---------  -----------
Net cash (used for) provided by operating activities........         (933) (1,159,336)     673,862
                                                              -----------  ---------  -----------
CASH FLOWS FROM INVESTING ACTIVITIES:
Purchases of property and equipment.........................     (280,352)  (522,076)    (416,969)
Additions to capitalized software development costs.........     (686,033)  (473,158)    (927,397)
Sales of short-term investments.............................      790,623     --          --
                                                              -----------  ---------  -----------
Net cash used for investing activities......................     (175,762)  (995,234)  (1,344,366)
                                                              -----------  ---------  -----------
CASH FLOWS FROM FINANCING ACTIVITIES:
Net increase in line of credit..............................      336,349  1,465,000    1,174,813
Other borrowings............................................      182,129  1,144,376      185,539
Payments on debt............................................     (256,513)  (419,653)    (682,521)
Exercise of common stock options............................      --           7,440       48,844
Payment of stock subscriptions receivable...................      --          --          123,132
                                                              -----------  ---------  -----------
Net cash provided by financing activities...................      261,965  2,197,163      849,807
                                                              -----------  ---------  -----------
Net increase in cash........................................       85,270     42,593      179,303
Cash at beginning of year...................................       62,040    147,310      189,903
                                                              -----------  ---------  -----------
Cash at end of year.........................................  $   147,310  $ 189,903  $   369,206
                                                              -----------  ---------  -----------
                                                              -----------  ---------  -----------
SUPPLEMENTAL DISCLOSURES OF CASH FLOW INFORMATION:
Cash paid during the period for interest....................  $   160,839  $ 329,048  $   375,052
                                                              -----------  ---------  -----------
                                                              -----------  ---------  -----------
Supplemental schedule of non cash financing activities:
Accretion of preferred stock dividends......................  $   139,894  $ 139,894  $   139,894
                                                              -----------  ---------  -----------
                                                              -----------  ---------  -----------
Exercise of common stock options............................               $      90  $     1,575
                                                                           ---------  -----------
                                                                           ---------  -----------
Notes received for exercise of common stock options.........               $   5,900  $   117,232
                                                                           ---------  -----------
                                                                           ---------  -----------
</TABLE>
 
                See accompanying notes to financial statements.
 
                                      F-6
<PAGE>
                              ACE*COMM CORPORATION
                         NOTES TO FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
 
1.  ORGANIZATION AND SUMMARY OF SIGNIFICANT ACCOUNTING POLICIES
 
    ORGANIZATION
 
    ACE*COMM  Corporation ("ACE*COMM"  or the  "Company") develops,  markets and
services operations support  systems ("OSS") products  for networks deployed  by
telecommunications  service providers, such as telephone companies, other public
carriers and large enterprises operating data and voice networks using intranets
and the Internet. The Company's products perform such functions as billing  data
collection,  network surveillance,  alarm processing and  network management for
some of the largest carriers and enterprises in the world.
 
    USE OF ESTIMATES
 
    The  preparation  of  financial  statements  in  conformity  with  generally
accepted  accounting  principles  requires  management  to  make  estimates  and
assumptions that effect the amounts reported in the financial statements. Actual
results could differ from those estimates.
 
    PRO FORMA STOCKHOLDERS' EQUITY (UNAUDITED)
 
    If the offering  contemplated by  this Prospectus is  consummated under  the
terms presently anticipated, all of the Mandatorily Redeemable Class C Preferred
Stock  (the "Class C Preferred  Stock") will convert to  shares of the Company's
Common Stock (the "Common Stock"). Pro forma stockholders' equity as of June 30,
1996, is adjusted  for the  conversion of Class  C Preferred  Stock into  Common
Stock.
 
    REVENUE RECOGNITION
 
    The   Company  recognizes  revenue  principally  under  long-term  contracts
involving significant production, modification or customization of hardware  and
software   using  the  percentage-of-completion  method,  based  on  performance
milestones specified  in  the contract,  which  fairly reflect  progress  toward
contract completion.
 
    Revenue from maintenance and other postcontract customer support services is
recognized ratably over the term of the related agreements.
 
    SIGNIFICANT CUSTOMERS
 
   
    The  Company  extends  credit  to  its customers  in  the  normal  course of
business.  Three  customers  in  the  telecommunications  industry   represented
approximately  57%,  59%  and  51%  of  revenues  during  1994,  1995  and 1996,
respectively. Sales  to Canada  comprised  approximately 16%  and 11%  of  total
revenues in fiscal 1995 and 1996, respectively. Sales to Mexico comprised 29% of
the Company's revenues for fiscal 1996.
    
 
    CAPITALIZED SOFTWARE DEVELOPMENT COSTS
 
    The  Company owns  certain proprietary  rights to  computer software systems
that the Company has  either developed or purchased  and licensed to  customers.
Purchased  computer software and the related copyrights are capitalized at their
costs.
 
    Research and development costs are  expensed as incurred. However,  computer
software development costs incurred after technological feasibility of a product
is  established and until the product is  available for release to customers are
capitalized. Capitalized software and  purchased technology costs are  amortized
on a product by product basis based on the greater of the ratio of current sales
to  estimated total  future sales  or a  straight-line basis  over the remaining
estimated economic life of the product  (no greater than three years)  including
the current year.
 
                                      F-7
<PAGE>
                              ACE*COMM CORPORATION
                   NOTES TO FINANCIAL STATEMENTS (CONTINUED)
 
1.  ORGANIZATION AND SUMMARY OF SIGNIFICANT ACCOUNTING POLICIES (CONTINUED)
    INVENTORIES
 
    Inventories, which consists principally of purchased materials to be used in
the production of finished goods, are stated at the lower of cost, determined on
the first-in, first-out (FIFO) method, or market.
 
    PROPERTY AND EQUIPMENT
 
    Property  and  equipment are  recorded at  cost. Depreciation  is calculated
using the straight-line method  over the estimated useful  lives of the  related
equipment,  fixtures  and vehicles  of seven  years. Leasehold  improvements are
amortized on  a  straight-line method  over  the shorter  of  the  improvements'
estimated useful lives or related remaining lease terms.
 
    INCOME TAXES
 
    Effective   July  1,  1993,  the  Company  adopted  Statement  of  Financial
Accounting Standards  No. 109  (SFAS  No. 109)  "Accounting for  Income  Taxes."
Previously, the Company used the deferred method for computing income taxes. The
adoption  of  SFAS No.  109  did not  have a  material  impact on  the Company's
financial position or results of operations.
 
    Income taxes are provided  for the tax effects  of transactions reported  in
the  financial statements and consist of taxes currently due plus deferred taxes
related primarily  to differences  between  the basis  of fixed  and  intangible
assets  and  revenue recognition  for financial  and  income tax  reporting. The
deferred tax assets  and liabilities  represent the future  tax consequences  of
those  differences, which will  either be taxable or  deductible when the assets
and liabilities are recovered or settled.
 
    FAIR VALUE OF FINANCIAL INSTRUMENTS
 
    The carrying amounts  of cash,  accounts receivable,  accounts payable,  and
accrued  expenses approximate fair value because  of the short maturity of these
items.
 
    The carrying amounts of  debt issued pursuant to  the Company's bank  credit
agreements   approximate  fair  value  because   the  interest  rates  on  these
instruments change with market interest rates.
 
    The Company believes  that it  is not practical  to estimate  a fair  market
value different from the Class C Preferred Stock carrying value of $2,261,627 as
the  security  has numerous  unique  features including  voting,  redemption and
conversion rights and is not traded on an open market.
 
    PRO FORMA NET INCOME PER SHARE
 
   
    Historical net (loss)  income per  share is  not considered  relevant as  it
would  differ  materially  from  pro  forma  net  income  per  share  given  the
contemplated changes in the  capital structure of the  Company. Except as  noted
below,  pro forma net  income per share  is computed using  the weighted average
number of  shares of  Common Stock,  assuming conversion  of Class  C  Preferred
Stock,  and dilutive Common  Stock equivalent shares  from Common Stock options.
Common Stock equivalent shares are  calculated using the treasury stock  method.
Pursuant to Securities and Exchange Commission Staff Accounting Bulletin No. 83,
Common  Stock and Common Stock equivalent shares issued by the Company at prices
below the public  offering price  during the twelve  month period  prior to  the
proposed offering date (using the treasury stock method and an offering price of
$9  per share) have been included in the calculation as if they were outstanding
for all of 1996 regardless of whether they are dilutive.
    
 
                                      F-8
<PAGE>
                              ACE*COMM CORPORATION
                   NOTES TO FINANCIAL STATEMENTS (CONTINUED)
 
2.  ACCOUNTS RECEIVABLE
    Accounts receivable  net  of  allowance for  doubtful  accounts  of  $10,000
consist of the following:
 
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
                                                            JUNE 30,
                                                     ----------------------
                                                        1995        1996
                                                     ----------  ----------
<S>                                                  <C>         <C>
Billed.............................................  $3,685,109  $7,270,545
Unbilled...........................................   1,017,631   1,373,326
                                                     ----------  ----------
                                                     $4,702,740  $8,643,871
                                                     ----------  ----------
                                                     ----------  ----------
</TABLE>
 
    Unbilled  receivables include costs  and estimated earnings  on contracts in
progress which have been recognized as  revenue but not yet billed to  customers
under   the  provisions  of  specific   contracts.  Substantially  all  unbilled
receivables are expected to be billed and collected within one year.
 
3.  PROPERTY AND EQUIPMENT
    Property and equipment consists of the following:
 
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
                                                            JUNE 30,
                                                     ----------------------
                                                        1995        1996
                                                     ----------  ----------
<S>                                                  <C>         <C>
Computer equipment.................................  $1,569,618  $1,931,382
Furniture and fixtures.............................     261,761     279,841
Vehicles...........................................      42,384      42,384
Leasehold improvements.............................      19,654      19,654
                                                     ----------  ----------
                                                      1,893,417   2,273,261
Less accumulated depreciation and amortization.....    (724,769)   (967,417)
                                                     ----------  ----------
                                                     $1,168,648  $1,305,844
                                                     ----------  ----------
                                                     ----------  ----------
</TABLE>
 
4.  CAPITALIZED SOFTWARE DEVELOPMENT COSTS
 
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
                                                            JUNE 30,
                                                    ------------------------
                                                       1995         1996
                                                    -----------  -----------
<S>                                                 <C>          <C>
Capitalized software development costs............  $ 3,642,257  $ 4,567,817
Less accumulated amortization.....................   (2,634,347)  (3,174,750)
                                                    -----------  -----------
                                                    $ 1,007,910  $ 1,393,067
                                                    -----------  -----------
                                                    -----------  -----------
</TABLE>
 
    Amortization expense of capitalized software amounted to $396,636,  $418,373
and $542,240 in 1994, 1995 and 1996, respectively.
 
                                      F-9
<PAGE>
                              ACE*COMM CORPORATION
                   NOTES TO FINANCIAL STATEMENTS (CONTINUED)
 
5.  BORROWINGS
    The Company's borrowings consist of the following:
 
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
                                                                            JUNE 30,
                                                                    ------------------------
                                                                       1995         1996
                                                                    -----------  -----------
<S>                                                                 <C>          <C>
Bank line of credit, credit limit up to $2,500,000, due November
 30, 1997, bearing interest at the bank's prime rate (8.25% at
 June 30, 1996) plus 0.5%, collateralized by accounts receivable,
 inventory and specific equipment. ...............................  $ 2,500,000  $ 1,775,000
Bank line of credit, credit limit up to $1,000,000 ($1,350,000 at
 June 30, 1995) due November 30, 1997, bearing interest at the
 bank's prime rate (8.25% at June 30, 1996) plus 0.5%,
 collateralized by accounts receivable, inventory and specific
 equipment. ......................................................    1,185,096      921,563
Bank line of credit, credit limit up to $1,000,000, due August 31,
 1996, bearing interest at the bank's prime rate (8.25% at June
 30, 1996) plus 1.25%, collateralized by inventory and accounts
 receivable. .....................................................      --         1,000,000
Bank line of credit, credit limit up to $750,000 due August 20,
 1996, bearing interest at the bank's prime rate (8.25% at June
 30, 1996) plus 0.5%, collateralized by accounts receivable,
 inventory and specific equipment. ...............................      --           750,000
Installment notes, due in varying monthly installments through
 June 2000, bearing interest at the bank's prime rate (8.25% at
 June 30, 1996) plus 1%, collateralized by accounts receivable,
 inventory and specific equipment. ...............................      571,999      550,073
Unsecured note payable for the purchase of technology and product
 rights, principal due in quarterly installments of $10,417 plus
 interest at 8% through April 1997. ..............................       93,750       52,083
Note payable to bank, due in monthly installments of $574
 including interest at 13% through December 1995, collateralized
 by a vehicle. ...................................................        2,782      --
                                                                    -----------  -----------
Total borrowings..................................................    4,353,627    5,048,719
Less current portion..............................................   (4,301,544)  (2,097,178)
                                                                    -----------  -----------
Noncurrent portion................................................  $    52,083  $ 2,951,541
                                                                    -----------  -----------
                                                                    -----------  -----------
</TABLE>
 
    Annual maturities of noncurrent borrowings are as follows:
 
<TABLE>
<S>                                                  <C>
1998...............................................  $2,826,337
1999...............................................      88,933
2000...............................................      30,368
2001...............................................       5,903
                                                     ----------
    Total..........................................  $2,951,541
                                                     ----------
                                                     ----------
</TABLE>
 
    On  June 21, 1996, the Company entered into a loan agreement with one of its
banks. The Company can borrow up to $750,000 under this line of credit at a rate
of 0.5% over the bank's prime rate, payable monthly and the principal is due  on
August  20,  1996. The  agreement requires  the Company  to comply  with certain
financial covenants.
 
                                      F-10
<PAGE>
                              ACE*COMM CORPORATION
                   NOTES TO FINANCIAL STATEMENTS (CONTINUED)
 
5.  BORROWINGS (CONTINUED)
    Effective May 29, 1996,  the Company entered into  new loan agreements  with
its  bank. The Company's $2,500,000 line of  credit was extended to November 30,
1997. The new line bears interest payable monthly, at 0.5% over the bank's prime
rate and  the  principal  is  due  November 30,  1997.  In  addition,  a  second
$1,350,000  line  of credit  was replaced  with  a revolving  line of  credit of
$1,000,000. This facility  bears interest at  0.5% over the  bank's prime  rate,
payable monthly, and the principal is due on November 30, 1997. These new credit
facilities and installment notes with the same financial institution are secured
by  accounts receivable and  inventory certain of which  are subordinated to the
security interests of the  credit agreement described  below, and the  agreement
contains certain financial covenants.
 
    Effective  March 1, 1996, the Company entered into a credit agreement with a
bank to finance inventory for a foreign  contract. The Company can borrow up  to
$1,000,000  at  1.25% over  the bank's  prime rate.  The agreement  requires the
Company to comply with  certain financial covenants. On  behalf of the  Company,
the  U.S.  Export-Import Bank  guarantees  to the  bank  90% of  the outstanding
balance, which is collateralized  by the inventory  and the foreign  receivables
generated by the contract. This agreement expires on August 31, 1996.
 
6.  TRANSACTIONS WITH RELATED PARTIES
    In  connection with  the purchase  of certain assets  by the  Company at its
inception, the Company's president loaned $150,000  to the Company to assist  in
financing  the acquisition.  The note bears  interest at  the Federal short-term
rate established periodically  by the U.S.  Treasury (5.12% at  June 30,  1996).
Principal  and interest is paid quarterly.  The outstanding loan balance totaled
$95,833 and $78,572 at June 30, 1995 and 1996, respectively.
 
    During 1994,  1995  and 1996,  the  Company purchased  inventories  totaling
approximately  $1,036,000, $62,000  and $212,000,  respectively, from  a company
whose Board of Directors included the Company's president and another member  of
the Company's Board of Directors. The Company's president retired from the other
company's  Board of Directors in January 1994. Accounts payable at June 30, 1995
and 1996  include approximately  $125,000 and  $32,000, respectively,  which  is
payable to this company.
 
7.  RETIREMENT PLAN
    The   Company  has  a  simplified-employee   pension  plan  (SEPP)  covering
substantially all employees. Under the SEPP, the Company makes contributions  to
the  plan subject to Company performance  and the maximum contribution allowable
by the  IRS.  The  contribution  rate  is set  annually  at  the  discretion  of
management.  Contributions made during  1994, 1995 and  1996, were approximately
$120,300, $0 and $0, respectively.
 
    On April 1,  1994, the Company  established a 401(k)  plan. To be  eligible,
employees  must have completed six months of service and be at least 21 years of
age and be credited with 1,000 hours of service. Contributions made during 1994,
1995 and 1996 were approximately $0, $0 and $97,000, respectively.
 
                                      F-11
<PAGE>
                              ACE*COMM CORPORATION
                   NOTES TO FINANCIAL STATEMENTS (CONTINUED)
 
8.  INCOME TAXES
    Deferred tax assets (liabilities) are comprised of the following:
 
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
                                                            JUNE 30,
                                                     -----------------------
                                                        1995        1996
                                                     ----------  -----------
<S>                                                  <C>         <C>
Tax assets:
  Costs capitalized to inventory...................  $  134,572  $   252,705
  Accruals not deducted for tax....................      55,368       88,356
  Net operating loss carryforwards.................   1,203,675      939,917
  Tax credit carryforwards.........................     251,283      291,738
  Copyright and patents............................      23,857       21,323
  Other............................................       3,963        4,017
                                                     ----------  -----------
    Gross deferred tax assets......................   1,672,718    1,598,056
                                                     ----------  -----------
Tax liabilities:
  Income on contracts..............................    (333,297)    (475,918)
  Software costs deducted for tax..................    (393,137)    (616,076)
  Depreciation.....................................    (163,829)    (229,312)
  Other............................................      (3,900)     --
                                                     ----------  -----------
    Gross deferred tax liabilities.................    (894,163)  (1,321,306)
                                                     ----------  -----------
  Net deferred tax asset...........................     778,555      276,750
                                                     ----------  -----------
Valuation allowance................................    (778,555)    (276,750)
                                                     ----------  -----------
Net deferred tax asset/(liability).................  $   --      $   --
                                                     ----------  -----------
                                                     ----------  -----------
</TABLE>
 
   
    At June 30, 1995 and 1996, a  valuation allowance was recorded for the  full
value  of net deferred tax assets, as management believes that it is more likely
than not that  all or any  portion of the  net deferred tax  assets will not  be
realized.
    
 
    In 1994, the provision for income taxes was comprised of a Federal and state
provision  of  $258,000,  which  was  offset by  a  reduction  in  the valuation
allowance of the same amount. The change during 1995 in the valuation  allowance
was  largely attributable to the increase in  net operating losses. In 1996, the
provision for income  taxes was comprised  of a Federal  and state provision  of
$457,000, which was offset by a reduction in the valuation allowance of the same
amount. In addition, the Company recorded a foreign tax credit of $44,000, which
increased the valuation allowance.
 
    At June 30, 1996, the Company has available research credit carryforwards of
approximately  $292,000  which are  available to  offset  future income  tax and
expire  in  years  through  2007.  The  Company  also  has  net  operating  loss
carryforwards  for income tax purposes  of approximately $2,410,000 which expire
in years through  2010. Ownership changes,  as defined in  the Internal  Revenue
Code,  may limit  the amount  of net  operating loss  carryforwards that  can be
utilized annually to offset future taxable income or tax liability.
 
                                      F-12
<PAGE>
                              ACE*COMM CORPORATION
                   NOTES TO FINANCIAL STATEMENTS (CONTINUED)
 
8.  INCOME TAXES (CONTINUED)
    The total  income tax  provision (benefit)  for each  year varied  from  the
amount  computed  by applying  the statutory  U.S. Federal  income tax  rates to
income before income taxes as follows:
 
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
                                                   YEAR ENDED JUNE 30,
                                             -------------------------------
                                               1994       1995       1996
                                             ---------  ---------  ---------
<S>                                          <C>        <C>        <C>
Income tax provision/(benefit) at statutory
 rate......................................  $ 219,543  $(541,500) $ 360,283
State income taxes net of Federal
 benefit...................................     32,286    (79,632)    48,956
Nondeductible expenses.....................     --         30,555     23,503
Other......................................      5,981     12,433     24,574
Change in valuation allowance..............   (257,810)   578,144   (457,316)
                                             ---------  ---------  ---------
    Actual provision.......................  $  --      $  --      $  --
                                             ---------  ---------  ---------
                                             ---------  ---------  ---------
</TABLE>
 
9.  MANDATORILY REDEEMABLE PREFERRED STOCK
    On October 31, 1991, in connection with an investment agreement, the Company
sold 340,211 shares of Class C Preferred  Stock at $5.14 per share. The Class  C
Preferred  Stock  consisted  of  two series.  Series  1  stock  (211,727 shares)
provides voting rights equal to  the same number of  shares of Common Stock  and
Series  2 stock (128,484 shares) provides no  voting rights but, if elected by a
majority of  the holders  of the  Class C  Preferred Stock,  will become  voting
shares on a one-to-one basis.
 
    Each  share of Class C Preferred Stock may be converted into Common Stock at
any time by the holder. Additionally, the shares will be converted automatically
upon an underwritten, public offering of the Common Stock. The number of  shares
of  Common Stock  into which  the Class  C Preferred  Stock can  be converted is
determined by a conversion price, as defined under the agreement. Currently, the
conversion price is $1.14 per  share and if converted  now, the shares would  be
exchanged  on a  4.5 to 1  basis. No dividends  are payable with  respect to any
converted shares. The Company has reserved 1,530,950 shares of Common Stock  for
the purpose of conversion.
 
    Any shares not converted by designated dates will be redeemed by the Company
as  follows: one-third  of the  shares on  September 15,  1995, one-half  of the
remaining shares  on  September  15,  1996, and  all  the  remaining  shares  on
September  15,  1997. The  redemption price  is  equal to  $5.14 per  share plus
accrued dividends.  In the  case  of redemption,  the  holders are  entitled  to
receive  accrued dividends, at a semi-annual rate of four percent, from November
1, 1992.  The  Company  also has  the  right  to force  redemption,  if  certain
triggering  events occur, at a  price of $5.14 per  share plus accrued dividends
from November 1, 1992,  calculated at an  annual rate of  twelve percent. As  of
June  30, 1996, the Company had no right to force redemption. The holders of the
securities postponed the September 15, 1995 redemption until September 15, 1996.
 
    Activity with respect to Class C Preferred Stock is as follows:
 
<TABLE>
<S>                                                  <C>
Balance, June 30, 1993.............................  $1,841,945
Accretion of dividends.............................     139,894
                                                     ----------
Balance, June 30, 1994.............................   1,981,839
Accretion of dividends.............................     139,894
                                                     ----------
Balance, June 30, 1995.............................   2,121,733
Accretion of dividends.............................     139,894
                                                     ----------
Balance, June 30, 1996.............................  $2,261,627
                                                     ----------
                                                     ----------
</TABLE>
 
                                      F-13
<PAGE>
                              ACE*COMM CORPORATION
                   NOTES TO FINANCIAL STATEMENTS (CONTINUED)
 
10. STOCKHOLDERS' EQUITY
    All shares of Common  Stock are subject to  restriction upon resale.  Shares
may  only be offered  to the Company  for sale, and  upon termination, employees
holding shares of Common Stock are subject to the Company's right or  obligation
to  repurchase all such shares at a price based on the stock purchase agreement.
As of June 30, 1996, the Company had no obligation to repurchase any shares held
by employees.
 
    The Class B preferred  stock contains no voting  rights, bears no rights  to
receive  dividends, is  nonconvertible, and  is redeemable  for $308,000  at the
option of the Company,  or must be redeemed  upon transfer of substantially  all
assets or of majority control of the Company.
 
    STOCK OPTIONS
 
    Prior  to the establishment of the Company's formal option plan, the Company
granted options  to various  employees for  performance and  hiring  incentives.
Under  this plan,  909,000 options  were granted  and 886,500  were exercised or
expired prior to  1994 with an  option price of  $.17 - $.62.  During 1995,  the
remaining 22,400 shares were exercised at a price of $.17. The Company no longer
issues options under this plan.
 
    The Company has reserved 2,200,000 shares of Common Stock in connection with
a  Board  of Directors  approved  plan to  grant  nonqualified stock  options to
officers and key employees and 200,000 shares of Common Stock in connection with
a plan  to  grant  nonqualified  stock  options  to  the  Company's  nonemployee
directors.  The exercise price on all options  granted is equivalent to the fair
market value of  the Company's Common  Stock on  the date of  grant. Vesting  of
employee options is determined by the Board of Directors and options vest either
immediately or over a one to two year period. Options expire upon the earlier of
the  employee's termination or 3 to 5 years  from the date of grant. Options for
directors vest 1,000  shares each year  from the  date of grant  and expire  the
earlier  of 5 years from date of grant, 6 months upon resignation or immediately
upon removal  for  cause. The  Company  had exercisable  options  of  1,131,193,
1,187,407,  and 938,704 as  of June 30,  1994, 1995 and  1996, respectively. The
stock option plan  also provides  for the  issuance of  restricted stock,  stock
appreciation  rights and phantom  stock options. As  of June 30,  1994, 1995 and
1996, no restricted stock,  stock appreciation rights  or phantom stock  options
had  been granted.  As of  June 30,  1996, options  available for  granting were
478,372.
 
    Information relating to all the plans is summarized as follows:
 
   
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
                                                          SHARES         PRICE
                                                        -----------  --------------
<S>                                                     <C>          <C>
Options outstanding, June 30, 1993....................      824,495  $  .17 -   .62
Granted...............................................      320,198     .41 -   .83
                                                        -----------  --------------
Options outstanding, June 30, 1994....................    1,144,693     .17 -   .83
Granted...............................................      107,199     .64 -   .83
Exercised.............................................      (36,000)    .17 -   .83
Expired...............................................      (14,985)    .41 -   .83
                                                        -----------  --------------
Options outstanding, June 30, 1995....................    1,200,907     .41 -   .83
Granted...............................................      714,711     .64 -  9.00
Exercised.............................................     (293,206)    .30 -   .83
Expired...............................................       (7,493)    .62 -   .83
                                                        -----------  --------------
Options outstanding, June 30, 1996....................    1,614,919  $   .41 - 9.00
                                                        -----------  --------------
                                                        -----------  --------------
</TABLE>
    
 
                                      F-14
<PAGE>
                              ACE*COMM CORPORATION
                   NOTES TO FINANCIAL STATEMENTS (CONTINUED)
 
11. RECAPITALIZATION
   
    On July 17, 1996, the Board of Directors approved a 4.5-for-one stock split,
to be effected  in the form  of a stock  dividend to stockholders  of record  on
August  5, 1996. In  addition, authorized shares of  Common Stock were increased
from 6,292,000  to 45,000,000.  The Board  also authorized  5,000,000 shares  of
undesignated  preferred  stock. All  references in  the financial  statements to
number of shares, per share amounts and  market prices of the Common Stock  have
been  retroactively restated to reflect the increased number of shares of Common
Stock outstanding.
    
 
12. CONTINGENCIES
    As collateral  for performance  on  a long-term  contract  and to  a  ceding
insurer,  the Company entered into  a bond on November  28, 1995 under which the
Company is contingently  liable in  the amount of  $1,175,000. This  bond is  in
force until November 28, 1998.
 
    At  June 30, 1996,  the Company had  $200,000 outstanding under  a letter of
credit agreement with  a financial institution,  which guarantees the  Company's
performance to a vendor under a specific contract.
 
                                      F-15
<PAGE>
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
 
    NO  PERSON  HAS BEEN  AUTHORIZED  TO GIVE  ANY  INFORMATION OR  TO  MAKE ANY
REPRESENTATIONS OTHER THAN THOSE CONTAINED IN THIS PROSPECTUS, AND, IF GIVEN  OR
MADE, SUCH INFORMATION OR REPRESENTATIONS MUST NOT BE RELIED UPON AS HAVING BEEN
AUTHORIZED  BY  THE  COMPANY  OR  THE  UNDERWRITERS.  THIS  PROSPECTUS  DOES NOT
CONSTITUTE AN OFFER TO SELL OR A SOLICITATION OF AN OFFER TO BUY ANY  SECURITIES
OTHER  THAN THE  SECURITIES TO  WHICH IT  RELATES OR  ANY OFFER  TO SELL  OR THE
SOLICITATION OF AN OFFER  TO BUY SUCH SECURITIES  IN ANY CIRCUMSTANCES IN  WHICH
SUCH  OFFER OR SOLICITATION IS UNLAWFUL. NEITHER THE DELIVERY OF THIS PROSPECTUS
NOR  ANY  SALE  MADE  HEREUNDER  SHALL,  UNDER  ANY  CIRCUMSTANCES,  CREATE  ANY
IMPLICATION  THAT THERE HAS BEEN  NO CHANGE IN THE  AFFAIRS OF THE COMPANY SINCE
THE DATE HEREOF OR THAT  THE INFORMATION CONTAINED HEREIN  IS CORRECT AS OF  ANY
TIME SUBSEQUENT TO ITS DATE.
 
                            ------------------------
 
                               TABLE OF CONTENTS
 
   
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
                                                    PAGE
                                                    -----
<S>                                              <C>
Prospectus Summary.............................           3
Risk Factors...................................           8
Use of Proceeds................................          14
Dividend Policy................................          14
Capitalization.................................          15
Dilution.......................................          16
Selected Financial Data........................          17
Management's Discussion and Analysis of
 Financial Condition and Results of
 Operations....................................          18
Business.......................................          25
Management.....................................          39
Certain Transactions...........................          46
Principal and Selling Stockholders.............          47
Description of Capital Stock...................          48
Certain Charter and By-Law Provisions..........          50
Shares Eligible for Future Sale................          51
Underwriting...................................          54
Legal Matters..................................          55
Experts........................................          55
Additional Information.........................          55
Glossary of Terms..............................          57
Index to Financial Statements..................         F-1
</TABLE>
    
 
                            ------------------------
 
    UNTIL               , 1996 (25 DAYS AFTER  THE DATE OF THIS PROSPECTUS), ALL
DEALERS EFFECTING  TRANSACTIONS IN  THE REGISTERED  SECURITIES, WHETHER  OR  NOT
PARTICIPATING  IN THIS  DISTRIBUTION, MAY BE  REQUIRED TO  DELIVER A PROSPECTUS.
THIS IS IN ADDITION TO THE OBLIGATIONS  OF DEALERS TO DELIVER A PROSPECTUS  WHEN
ACTING   AS  UNDERWRITERS  AND  WITH  RESPECT  TO  THEIR  UNSOLD  ALLOTMENTS  OR
SUBSCRIPTIONS.
 
                                2,500,000 SHARES
 
                                     [LOGO]
 
                                  COMMON STOCK
 
                               ------------------
 
                                  FURMAN SELZ
 
                            OPPENHEIMER & CO., INC.
 
                             RODMAN & RENSHAW, INC.
 
                                          , 1996
 
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
<PAGE>
                                    PART II
                     INFORMATION NOT REQUIRED IN PROSPECTUS
 
ITEM 13.  OTHER EXPENSES OF ISSUANCE AND DISTRIBUTION.
 
    The  following table sets forth the  various expenses in connection with the
sale and  distribution  of  the  securities being  registered,  other  than  the
underwriting  discounts and commissions. All  amounts shown are estimates except
for the Securities and Exchange Commission registration fee, the NASD filing fee
and the Nasdaq National Market listing fee.
 
   
<TABLE>
<S>                                                             <C>
SEC Registration Fee..........................................  $ 10,984.66
NASD Filing Fee...............................................     3,686.00
Nasdaq National Market Listing Fee............................    35,978.50
Blue Sky Fees and Expenses (including legal fees).............    31,000.00
Transfer Agent and Registrar Fees.............................     3,000.00
Accounting Fees and Expenses..................................   250,000.00
Legal Fees and Expenses.......................................   270,000.00
Printing, Engraving and Mailing Expenses......................   150,000.00
Miscellaneous.................................................    80,000.00
                                                                -----------
    Total.....................................................  $834,649.16
                                                                -----------
                                                                -----------
</TABLE>
    
 
ITEM 14.  INDEMNIFICATION OF DIRECTORS AND OFFICERS.
 
    (a) Section  2-418  of the  Corporations  and Associations  Article  of  the
Annotated  Code of Maryland  permits a corporation to  indemnify its present and
former directors, among others, against judgments, penalties, fines, settlements
and reasonable  expenses  actually  incurred  by them  in  connection  with  any
proceeding  to which  they may be  made a party  by reason of  their services in
those or other capacities, unless it is established that (a) the act or omission
of the  director or  officer was  material to  the matter  giving rise  to  such
proceeding  and (i) was committed in bad faith  or (ii) was the result of active
and deliberate dishonesty; or (b) the  director or officer actually received  an
improper personal benefit in money, property, or services; or (c) in the case of
any criminal proceeding, the director or officer had reasonable cause to believe
that  the act or  omission was unlawful.  Maryland law permits  a corporation to
indemnify a present and former officer to the same extent as a director, and  to
provide  additional indemnification to an officer who is not also a director. In
addition, Section 2-418(f) of the  Corporations and Associations Article of  the
Annotated Code of Maryland permits a corporation to pay or reimburse, in advance
of  the  final  disposition  of  a  proceeding,  reasonable  expenses (including
attorney's fees) incurred  by a  present or former  director or  officer made  a
party to the proceeding by reason of his service in that capacity, provided that
the corporation shall have received (a) a written affirmation by the director or
officer  of  his good  faith  belief that  he has  met  the standard  of conduct
necessary for indemnification by the corporation; and (b) a written  undertaking
by or on his behalf to repay the amount paid or reimbursed by the corporation if
it shall ultimately be determined that the standard of conduct was not met.
 
    The  Registrant  has provided  for  indemnification of  directors, officers,
employees, and agents in Article VIII of its charter, as amended. This provision
reads as follows:
 
        Section 1.  Mandatory Indemnification.
 
        The Corporation shall indemnify its currently acting and its  former
    directors  and  officers against  any and  all liabilities  and expenses
    incurred in connection  with their  services in such  capacities to  the
    maximum  extent permitted  by the  Maryland General  Corporation Law, as
    from time to time amended.
 
        Section 2.  Discretionary Indemnification.
 
        If approved by the Board of Directors, the Corporation may indemnify
    its employees, agents  and persons  who serve  and have  served, at  its
    request as a director, officer, partner,
 
                                      II-1
<PAGE>
    trustee,  employee or  agent of another  corporation, partnership, joint
    venture or  other enterprise  or  employee benefit  plan to  the  extent
    determined to be appropriate by the Board of Directors.
 
        Section 3.  Advancing Expenses Prior to a Decision.
 
        The Corporation shall advance expenses to its directors and officers
    entitled to mandatory indemnification to the maximum extent permitted by
    the  Maryland General Corporation Law, as from time to time amended, and
    may in the  discretion of  the Board  of Directors  advance expenses  to
    employees, agents and others who may be granted indemnification.
 
        Section 4.  Other Provisions for Indemnification.
 
        The  Board of Directors may, by bylaw, resolution or agreement, make
    further provision for indemnification of directors, officers,  employees
    and agents.
 
    Insofar  as indemnification for liabilities arising under the Securities Act
of 1933 may be permitted to  directors, officers and controlling persons of  the
registrant  pursuant to the  foregoing provisions, or  otherwise, the registrant
has been advised that in the  opinion of the Securities and Exchange  Commission
such indemnification is against public policy as expressed in the Securities Act
and  is, therefore, unenforceable. In the event that a claim for indemnification
against such liabilities (other than the  payment by the registrant of  expenses
incurred  or paid by a director, officer or controlling person of the registrant
in the successful defense of any action, suit or proceeding) is asserted by such
director, officer or controlling person in connection with the securities  being
registered, the registrant will, unless in the opinion of its counsel the matter
has  been settled  by controlling  precedent, submit  to a  court of appropriate
jurisdiction the  question of  whether  such indemnification  by it  is  against
public  policy as expressed  in the Securities  Act and will  be governed by the
final adjudication of such issue.
 
    Under Maryland law, a corporation is permitted to limit by provision in  its
charter  the liability of directors and officers, so that no director or officer
of the corporation shall be liable to the corporation or to any stockholder  for
money  damages except to  the extent that  (i) the director  or officer actually
received an improper benefit in money, property, or services, for the amount  of
the  benefit or profit in money, property or services actually received, or (ii)
a judgment or  other final adjudication  adverse to the  director or officer  is
entered in a proceeding based on a finding in the proceeding that the director's
or  officer's action, or failure to act, was the result or active and deliberate
dishonesty  and  was  material  to  the  cause  of  action  adjudicated  in  the
proceeding.
 
    The  Registrant has limited the liability  of its directors and officers for
money damages in Article VIII of  its charter, as amended. This provision  reads
as follows:
 
    Section 5.  Limitation of Liability of Directors and Officers.
 
    To  the fullest  extent that limitations  on the liability  of directors and
officers are permitted by the Maryland  General Corporation Law, no director  or
officer  of  the  Company  shall  have  any  liability  to  the  Company  or its
stockholders for  damages.  This  limitation  on  liability  applies  to  events
occurring  at the time a person serves as  a director or officer of the Company,
whether or not such person is serving as  such at the time of any proceeding  in
which liability is asserted.
 
ITEM 15.  RECENT SALES OF UNREGISTERED SECURITIES.
 
    The  following sets forth certain information  regarding sales of, and other
transactions with respect to, securities of  the Company issued within the  past
three  years, which sales and other transactions were not registered pursuant to
the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the "Securities Act"). All of such sales
and  transactions  were  exempt  from  the  registration  requirements  of   the
Securities  Act  pursuant  to Section  4(2)  thereof or  as  otherwise indicated
herein.
 
    On September 15, 1993, the Company granted options to purchase an  aggregate
of  285,395 shares of  Common Stock of  the Company to  certain employees of the
Company under the  Company's Omnibus  Stock Plan.  The exercise  price of  these
options was $0.41 per share.
 
                                      II-2
<PAGE>
    On October 30, 1993, the Company granted to each of Messrs. Casner, Hartwell
and  Wetzel, three  non-employee members of  the Board of  Directors, options to
purchase 4,500 shares of Common Stock  of the Company under the Company's  Stock
Option  Plan for Directors.  The exercise price  of these options  was $0.41 per
share.
 
    On June 1,  1994, the Company  granted options to  purchase an aggregate  of
90,000 shares of Common Stock of the Company to an employee of the Company under
the  Company's Omnibus Stock Plan. The exercise price of these options was $0.83
per share.
 
    On September 12, 1994, the Company granted options to purchase an  aggregate
of  216,698 shares of  Common Stock of  the Company to  certain employees of the
Company under the  Company's Omnibus  Stock Plan.  The exercise  price of  these
options was $0.83 per share.
 
    On November 5, 1994, the Company granted to each of Messrs. Casner, Hartwell
and  Wetzel, three  non-employee members of  the Board of  Directors, options to
purchase 4,500 shares of Common Stock  of the Company under the Company's  Stock
Option  Plan for Directors.  The exercise price  of these options  was $0.83 per
share.
 
    On March 27, 1995, the Company  granted options to purchase an aggregate  of
9,000  shares of Common Stock of the Company to an employee of the Company under
the Company's Omnibus Stock Plan. The exercise price of these options was  $0.83
per share.
 
    On  December 9,  1995, the  Company granted  to each  of Messrs.  Casner and
Wetzel, two non-employee members of the Board of Directors, options to  purchase
4,500  shares of Common Stock  of the Company under  the Company's Amended Stock
Option Plan for  Directors. The exercise  price of these  options was $1.55  per
share.
 
    On  March 20, 1996, the Company granted  options to purchase an aggregate of
109,696 shares  of Common  Stock of  the  Company to  certain employees  of  the
Company  under the  Company's Omnibus  Stock Plan.  The exercise  price of these
options was $0.64 per share.
 
    On May 15,  1996, the Company  granted options to  purchase an aggregate  of
139,500  shares  of Common  Stock of  the  Company to  certain employees  of the
Company under the  Company's Omnibus  Stock Plan.  The exercise  price of  these
options was $7.93 per share.
 
    Between  July 15, 1994 and June 30,  1996, the Company issued 329,207 shares
of its Common Stock to certain directors  and employees of the Company upon  the
exercise of options at exercise prices ranging from $0.17 to $0.83.
 
    Except  as set forth above, no  underwriters were engaged in connection with
any of the  foregoing sales of  securities. The securities  issued in the  above
transactions  were  offered  and  sold  in  reliance  upon  the  exemption  from
registration under Section 4(2)  of the Securities Act  or Regulation D or  Rule
701  promulgated under the  Securities Act, relative  to sales by  an issuer not
involving any public offering.
 
ITEM 16.  EXHIBITS AND FINANCIAL STATEMENT SCHEDULES.
 
    (a) The following exhibits are filed as part of this Registration Statement:
 
   
<TABLE>
<C>           <S>
      1.1*    Form of Underwriting Agreement.
      3.1*    Articles of Incorporation dated February 10, 1983.
      3.2*    Articles of Amendment and Restatement dated November 18, 1991.
      3.3**   Articles of Amendment dated August 6, 1996.
      3.4*    By-Laws of the Company as amended through June 23, 1996.
      3.5**   Form of Articles of Amendment and Restatement of the Company.
      3.6**   Form of By-laws of the Company.
      4.1**   Form of Specimen of Common Stock Certificate.
</TABLE>
    
 
                                      II-3
<PAGE>
   
<TABLE>
<C>           <S>
      5.1**   Opinion of Venable, Baetjer and Howard, LLP re: legality of securities being
               registered.
     10.1*    Supplier Agreement dated December 16, 1992 between the Registrant and AT&T
               World Services, Inc.
     10.2*+   Marketing Agreement dated June 18, 1990 between the Registrant and AT&T World
               Services, Inc.
     10.3*+   Subcontract Agreement dated February 24, 1994 between Registrant and AT&T
               Corporation, Government Integrated Solutions.
     10.4*    Authorized Distributor Agreement dated July 23, 1991 between the Registrant
               and AmerInd, Inc.
     10.5*+   Supply Contract dated August 17, 1994 between the Registrant and Teleglobe
               Canada, Inc.
     10.6*+   License Agreement dated August 1, 1995 between the Registrant and Teleglobe
               Canada, Inc.
     10.7*    Subcontract No. 95-1350-01 dated November 8, 1995 between the Registrant and
               ANSTEC, Inc.
     10.8*    Agreement of Subcontract dated April 24, 1994 between the Registrant and the
               Communications Systems Division of GTE Government Systems Corporation.
     10.9*+   Agreement to Purchase Hardware, Render Services and License and Sublicense
               the Use of Software dated October 11, 1995 between the Registrant and
               Telefonos de Mexico, S.A. de C.V.
     10.10**  Amended and Restated Stock Option Plan for Directors.
     10.11**  Amended and Restated Omnibus Stock Plan.
     11.1   ** Computation of Pro Forma Earnings Per Share.
     23.1   ** Consent of Price Waterhouse LLP.
     23.2   ** Consent of Venable, Baetjer and Howard, LLP (included in their opinion filed
               as Exhibit 5.1).
     24.1   * Powers of Attorney.
     27.1   * Financial Data Schedule.
</TABLE>
    
 
- ------------------------
*   Filed previously.
 
   
**  Filed herewith.
    
 
+   Confidential treatment requested as to certain portions, which portions were
    omitted and filed separately with the Commission.
 
ITEM 17.  UNDERTAKINGS.
 
    Insofar as indemnification for liabilities arising under the Securities  Act
may  be  permitted  to  directors,  officers  and  controlling  persons  of  the
Registrant pursuant to the provisions contained in the Articles of Amendment and
Restatement of  the  Registrant  and the  laws  of  the State  of  Maryland,  or
otherwise, the Registrant has been advised that in the opinion of the Securities
and  Exchange  Commission  such  indemnification  is  against  public  policy as
expressed in the Securities Act and  is, therefore, unenforceable. In the  event
that  a  claim  for indemnification  against  such liabilities  (other  than the
payment by the Registrant of expenses incurred or paid by a director, officer or
controlling person of the  Registrant in the successful  defense of any  action,
suit  or proceeding) is asserted by such director, officer or controlling person
in  connection   with   the   securities  being   registered,   the   Registrant
 
                                      II-4
<PAGE>
will,  unless  in the  opinion of  its counsel  the matter  has been  settled by
controlling precedent,  submit  to  a  court  of  appropriate  jurisdiction  the
question  whether  such  indemnification  by  it  is  against  public  policy as
expressed in the Securities Act and  will be governed by the final  adjudication
of such issue.
 
    The  undersigned registrant hereby undertakes to provide to the Underwriters
at the closing  specified in  the Underwriting Agreement,  certificates in  such
denominations  and registered in  such names as required  by the Underwriters to
permit prompt delivery to each purchaser.
 
    The undersigned registrant hereby undertakes that:
 
    (1) For purposes of determining any liability under the Securities Act,  the
information  omitted  from  the  form  of  prospectus  filed  as  part  of  this
Registration Statement in  reliance upon Rule  430A and contained  in a form  of
prospectus  filed by the Registrant pursuant to Rule 424(b)(1) or (4), or 497(h)
under the Securities  Act shall  be deemed  to be  a part  of this  Registration
Statement as of the time it was declared to be effective.
 
    (2)  For the purpose of determining  any liability under the Securities Act,
each post-effective amendment that contains a form of prospectus shall be deemed
to be a new registration statement  relating to the securities offered  therein,
and  the offering  of such  securities at that  time shall  be deemed  to be the
initial bona fide offering thereof.
 
                                      II-5
<PAGE>
                                   SIGNATURES
 
   
    Pursuant  to the  requirements of  the Securities  Act of  1933, the Company
certifies that  it has  reasonable grounds  to  believe that  it meets  all  the
requirements  for filing on Form S-1 and has duly caused this Amendment No. 2 to
the Registration  Statement to  be  signed on  its  behalf by  the  undersigned,
thereunto duly authorized in Gaithersburg, Maryland, on this 12th day of August,
1996.
    
 
                                          ACE*COMM CORPORATION
 
                                          By:        /s/ George T. Jimenez
 
                                             -----------------------------------
                                                      George T. Jimenez
                                                PRESIDENT AND CHIEF EXECUTIVE
                                                           OFFICER
                                                (PRINCIPAL EXECUTIVE OFFICER)
 
   
    Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, this
Amendment  No. 2 to the Registration Statement  has been signed by the following
persons in the capacities and on the dates indicated.
    
 
   
<TABLE>
<C>                                                     <S>                                   <C>
                         NAME                                          TITLE                         DATE
- ------------------------------------------------------  ------------------------------------  -------------------
 
                      /s/ George T. Jimenez             President, Chief Executive Officer      August 12, 1996
     -------------------------------------------         and Chairman of
                  George T. Jimenez                      the Board (PRINCIPAL EXECUTIVE
                                                         OFFICER)
 
                     /s/ Jeffrey S. Simpson             Vice President -- Finance               August 12, 1996
     -------------------------------------------         (PRINCIPAL FINANCIAL OFFICER)
                  Jeffrey S. Simpson
 
                                     *                  Director                                August 12, 1996
     -------------------------------------------
                 Paul G. Casner, Jr.
 
                                     *                  Director                                August 12, 1996
     -------------------------------------------
                   Gary P. Golding
 
                                     *                  Director                                August 12, 1996
     -------------------------------------------
                  Gilbert A. Wetzel
 
         *By:          /s/ George T. Jimenez
          --------------------------------------
                           Attorney-in-Fact
</TABLE>
    
 
                                      II-6
<PAGE>
                               INDEX TO EXHIBITS
 
   
<TABLE>
<C>           <S>
      1.1*    Form of Underwriting Agreement.
      3.1*    Articles of Incorporation dated February 10, 1983.
      3.2*    Articles of Amendment and Restatement dated November 18, 1991.
      3.3**   Articles of Amendment dated August 6, 1996.
      3.4*    By-Laws of the Company as amended through June 23, 1996.
      3.5**   Form of Articles of Amendment and Restatement of the Company.
      3.6**   Form of By-laws of the Company.
      4.1**   Form of Specimen of Common Stock Certificate.
      5.1**   Opinion of Venable, Baetjer and Howard, LLP re: legality of securities being
               registered.
     10.1*    Supplier Agreement dated December 16, 1992 between the Registrant and AT&T
               World Services, Inc.
     10.2*+   Marketing Agreement dated June 18, 1990 between the Registrant and AT&T World
               Services, Inc.
     10.3*+   Subcontract Agreement dated February 24, 1994 between Registrant and AT&T
               Corporation, Government Integrated Solutions.
     10.4*    Authorized Distributor Agreement dated July 23, 1991 between the Registrant
               and AmerInd, Inc.
     10.5*+   Supply Contract dated August 17, 1994 between the Registrant and Teleglobe
               Canada, Inc.
     10.6*+   License Agreement dated August 1, 1995 between the Registrant and Teleglobe
               Canada, Inc.
     10.7*    Subcontract No. 95-1350-01 dated November 8, 1995 between the Registrant and
               ANSTEC, Inc.
     10.8*    Agreement of Subcontract dated April 24, 1994 between the Registrant and the
               Communications Systems Division of GTE Government Systems Corporation.
     10.9*+   Agreement to Purchase Hardware, Render Services and License and Sublicense
               the Use of Software dated October 11, 1995 between the Registrant and
               Telefonos de Mexico, S.A. de C.V.
     10.10**  Amended and Restated Stock Option Plan for Directors.
     10.11**  Amended and Restated Omnibus Stock Plan.
     11.1   ** Computation of Pro Forma Earnings Per Share.
     23.1   ** Consent of Price Waterhouse LLP.
     23.2   ** Consent of Venable, Baetjer and Howard, LLP (included in their opinion filed
               as Exhibit 5.1).
     24.1   * Powers of Attorney.
     27.1   * Financial Data Schedule.
</TABLE>
    
 
- ------------------------
*   Filed previously.
 
   
**  Filed herewith.
    
 
+   Confidential treatment requested as to certain portions, which portions were
    omitted and filed separately with the Commission.

<PAGE>
                                                                     Exhibit 3.3
 
                  AMERICAN COMPUTER AND ELECTRONICS CORPORATION
                              ARTICLES OF AMENDMENT


         American Computer and Electronics Corporation, a Maryland corporation
having its principal office in Montgomery County, Maryland, Maryland
(hereinafter called the "Company"), hereby certifies to the State Department of
Assessments and Taxation of Maryland that:

         FIRST:  The charter of the Company is hereby amended by striking out
Articles SECOND and FIFTH and inserting in lieu thereof the following:

              SECOND:  The name of the corporation (which is hereafter referred
to as the "Company") is ACE*COMM Corporation.

              FIFTH:  The Company is authorized to issue 45,341,211 shares of
which 45,000,000 shares shall be Common Stock with a par value of $.01 per
share, 1,000 shares shall be Class B Preferred Stock with a par value of $1.00
per share, 211,727 shares shall be Class C Convertible Preferred Stock, Series
1, with a par value of $5.14 per share and 128,484 shares shall be Class C
Convertible Preferred Stock, Series 2, with a par value of $5.14 per share.  The
agreggate par value of all shares having par value which the Company is
authorized to issue is $2,199,684.54

         SECOND:   The foregoing amendment to the charter of the Company was
duly and unanimously approved and advised by the Board of Directors on June 23,
1996, and was approved by the affirmative vote of the stockholders of the
Company as required by the Maryland General Corporation Law on August 5, 1996.

         THIRD:    The foregoing amendment to the charter of the Company has
been duly advised by the Board of Directors and approved by the stockholders of
the Company in the manner and by the vote required by law.

         FOURTH:   (a)  The total number of shares of all classes of stock of
the Company authorized prior to this amendment, and the number and par value of
each class, were as follows:

         6,633,211 shares with an aggregate par value of One Million Eight
Hundred Twelve Thousand Six Hundred Four Dollars and Fifty-Four Cents
($1,812,604.54), of which 6,292,000 are common stock with a par value of $.01
per share and an aggregate par value of Sixty-Two Thousand Nine Hundred Twenty
Dollars ($62,920.00), 1,000 shares are Class B Preferred with a par value of One
Thousand Dollars ($1,000.00), 211,727 shares are Class C Convertible Preferred,
Series 1, with a par value of $5.14 per share and an aggregate par value of One
Million Eighty-Eight 


<PAGE>

Thousand Two Hundred Seventy-Six Dollars and Seventy-Eight Cents
($1,088,276.78), and 128,484 shares are Class C Convertible Preferred, Series 2,
with a par value of $5.14 per share and an aggregate par value of Six Hundred
Sixty Thousand Four Hundred Seven Dollars and Seventy-Six Cents ($660,407.76).

                   (b)  The total number of shares of all classes of stock of
the Company as increased, and the number and par value of the shares of each
class, are as follows:

         45,341,211 shares with an aggregate par value of Two Million One
Hundred Ninty-Nine Thousand Six Hundred Eighty-Four Dollars and Fifty-Four Cents
($2,199,684.54), of which 45,000,000 are common stock with a par value of $.01
per share and an aggregate par value of Four Hundred Fifty Thousand Dollars
($450,000.00), 1,000 shares are Class B Preferred with a par value of $1.00 per
share and an aggregate par value of One Thousand Dollars ($1,000.00), 211,727
shares are Class C Convertible Preferred, Series 1, with a par value of $5.14
per share and an aggregate par value of One Million Eighty-Eight Thousand Two
Hundred Seventy-Six Dollars and Seventy-Eight Cents ($1,088,276.78), and 128,484
shares are Class C Convertible Preferred, Series 2, with a par value of $5.14
per share and an aggregate par value of Six Hundred Sixty Thousand Four Hundred
Seven Dollars and Seventy-Six Cents ($660,407.76).

                   (c)  The aggregate par value of all shares of all classes of
stock of the Company heretofore authorized was $1,812,604.54.  The aggregate par
value of all shares of all classes of stock as increased by this amendment is
$2,199,684.54.  This amendment has the effect of increasing the aggregate par
value of all shares of all classes of stock of the Company by $387,080.00.


<PAGE>

    IN WITNESS WHEREOF, AMERICAN COMPUTER AND ELECTRONICS CORPORATION has caused
these Articles of Amendment to be signed in its name and on its behalf by its
Vice President and attested by its Secretary this 6th day of August, 1996, and
its Vice President acknowledges that they are the act and deed of the Company
and states under the penalties of perjury that to the best of his knowledge,
information and belief, the matters and facts set forth herein are true in all
material respects.


ATTEST:                 AMERICAN COMPUTER AND ELECTRONICS
                             CORPORATION


/s/ Loretta L. Rivers             By:  /s/ S. Joseph Dorr   
- -----------------------------          ----------------------------------
Loretta L. Rivers, Secretary           S. Joseph Dorr, Vice President

 


<PAGE>

                                                                   Exhibit 3.5

                             ACE*COMM CORPORATION
               FORM OF ARTICLES OF AMENDMENT AND RESTATEMENT
                              

          ACE*COMM Corporation, a Maryland corporation (hereinafter referred 
to as the "Corporation"), hereby certifies to the State Department of 
Assessments and Taxation of Maryland that:

          FIRST:    The charter of the Corporation is hereby amended and 
restated by striking out Articles SECOND through NINTH and substituting in 
lieu thereof the following:


                                  ARTICLE II
                                     NAME

          The name of the corporation (which is hereafter referred to as the 
"Corporation") is:

                              ACE*COMM CORPORATION


                                  ARTICLE III
                   PURPOSES FOR WHICH CORPORATION IS FORMED

          The purposes for which the Corporation is formed are as follows:

               (a)  To design, create and produce computer software and 
related products and to manufacture and sell computer peripheral equipment 
and related electronic and telecommunications equipment.

               (b)  To provide consulting services, computer software and 
electronics design services, data processing services, and all other types of 
related services, and engage in all other related activities.

               (c)  To buy and sell real and personal property and 
investments in contracts and securities.

               (d)  To carry on any and all business, transactions and 
activities permitted by the Maryland General Corporation Law which may be 
deemed desirable by the Board of Directors of the Corporation, whether or not 
identical with or related to the business described in the foregoing 
paragraphs of this Article, as well as all activities and things necessary 
and incidental thereto, to the full extent empowered by such laws.




<PAGE>

                                  ARTICLE IV
                     RESIDENT AGENT AND PRINCIPAL OFFICE

          The post office address of the principal office of the Corporation 
in this State is 209 Perry Parkway, Gaithersburg, Maryland 20877.  The name 
of the Resident Agent of the Corporation in this State is CSC - Lawyers 
Incorporating Service Company, 11 East Chase Street, Baltimore, Maryland 
21202.  Said Resident Agent is a corporation organized under the laws of the 
State of Maryland.


                                  ARTICLE V
                              AUTHORIZED STOCK

          The total number of shares of stock of all classes which the 
Corporation has authority to issue is Fifty Million (50,000,000) shares, 
consisting of Forty-Five Million (45,000,000) shares of Common Stock, par 
value $.01 per share (the "Common Stock"), and 5,000,000 shares of Preferred 
Stock, par value $.01 per share (the "Preferred Stock").  The aggregate par 
value of all shares having par value is Five Hundred Thousand Dollars 
($500,000.00).


                                  ARTICLE VI
                              BOARD OF DIRECTORS

     Section 1.  Number of Directors.

          The Corporation shall have five (5) directors, which number may be 
increased or decreased pursuant to the Bylaws, but the number of directors 
shall not be less than the lesser of three (3) or the number of stockholders. 
 The directors shall be divided into three classes (denominated as Class I, 
Class II and Class III), as nearly equal in number as reasonably possible, 
with the term of office of the Class I directors to expire at the 1997 annual 
meeting of stockholders, the term of office of the Class II directors to 
expire at the 1998 annual meeting of stockholders and the term of office of 
the Class III directors to expire at the 1999 annual meeting of stockholders. 
 At each annual meeting of stockholders following such initial classification 
and election, directors elected to succeed those directors whose terms expire 
shall be elected for a term of office to expire at the third succeeding 
annual meeting of stockholders after their election, provided that the 
stockholders electing new or replacement directors may from time to time 
specify a term of less than three years in order to maintain the number of 
directors in each class as nearly equal as possible.

     Section 2.  Initial Directors.

          The following individuals shall serve as the initial directors, in 
the classes specified below.




<PAGE>

          Class I directors   - Gilbert A. Wetzel and Gary P. Golding
          Class II directors  - Paul G. Casner, Jr.
          Class III directors - George T. Jimenez

     Section 3.  Board Authorization of Stock Issuance.

          The Board of Directors of the Corporation is hereby empowered to 
authorize by resolutions from time to time the issuance of shares of its 
stock of any class, whether now or hereafter authorized, and securities 
convertible into shares of its stock, of any class or classes, whether now or 
hereafter authorized, for such consideration as the Board of Directors may 
deem advisable.

     Section 4.  Classification of Stock.

          The Board of Directors shall have the power to classify or 
reclassify any unissued stock, whether now or hereafter authorized, by 
setting or changing the preferences, conversion or other rights, voting 
powers, restrictions, limitations as to dividends, qualifications, or terms 
or conditions of redemption of such stock.

     Section 5.  Conflict of Interest.

          No contract or other transaction between this Corporation and any 
other corporation, partnership, individual or other entity and no act of this 
Corporation shall in any way be affected or invalidated by the fact that any 
of the directors of this Corporation are directors, principals, partners or 
officers of such other entity, or are pecuniarily or otherwise interested in 
such contract, transaction or act; provided that (i) the existence of such 
relationship or such interest shall be disclosed or known to the Board of 
Directors or to a committee of the Board of Directors if the matter involves 
a committee decision, and the contract, transaction or act shall be 
authorized, approved or ratified by a majority of disinterested directors on 
the Board or on such committee, as the case may be, even if the number of 
disinterested directors constitutes less than a quorum or (ii) the contract, 
transaction or act shall be authorized, ratified or approved in any other 
manner permitted by the Maryland General Corporation Law.

     Section 6.  Removal of Directors.

          Any director, or the entire Board of Directors, may be removed from 
office at any time, but only for cause and then only by the affirmative vote 
of the holders of at least 80% of the aggregate combined voting power of all 
classes of capital stock entitled to vote in the election of directors, 
voting as one class, and only at a special meeting of stockholders called for 
such purpose.  For purposes of this Section, "cause" shall mean the willful 
and continuous failure of a director to perform duties to the Corporation 
(other than any such failure resulting from temporary incapacity due to 
physical or mental illness) or gross misconduct materially and demonstrably 
injurious to the Corporation.




<PAGE>

                                  ARTICLE VII
                     PROVISIONS CONCERNING CERTAIN RIGHTS
                    OF THE CORPORATION AND THE SHAREHOLDERS

     Section 1.  Right to Amend Charter.

          The Corporation reserves the right to make, from time to time, any 
amendments of its charter which may now or hereafter be authorized by law, 
pursuant to the vote of stockholders required by law, including any 
amendments which alter the contract rights of any class of outstanding stock 
as expressly set forth in the charter; provided, however, that any amendment 
to, repeal of or adoption of any provision inconsistent with Section 1 of 
Article VI, Section 6 of Article VI, Section 4 of this Article, Section 5 of 
this Article, or this Section 1 of this Article, shall be effective only if 
it is approved by the affirmative vote of the holders of at least 80% of the 
aggregate combined voting power of all classes of capital stock entitled to 
vote thereon, voting as one class.

     Section 2.  Elimination of Preemptive Rights.

          Unless otherwise provided by the Board of Directors, no holder of 
stock of any class shall be entitled to preemptive rights to subscribe for or 
purchase or receive any part of any new or additional issue of stock of any 
class of the Corporation or securities convertible into stock of any class of 
the Corporation.

     Section 3.  Required Stockholder Vote.

          Notwithstanding any provision of law requiring any action to be 
taken or authorized by the affirmative vote of the holders of a greater 
proportion of the votes of all classes or of any class of stock of the 
Corporation, such action shall be effective and valid if taken or authorized 
by the affirmative vote of a majority of the total number of votes entitled 
to be cast thereon, except as otherwise provided in this charter.

     Section 4.  Bylaws.

          The Board of Directors, and not the stockholders, shall have the 
exclusive power to make, alter, amend or repeal the Bylaws of the Corporation.

     Section 5.  Business Combination Statute.

          (a)  Except as provided in Section 5(b) of this Article, the 
Corporation elects to be governed by Section 3-602 of Subtitle 6 (the 
"Business Combination Law") of Title 3 of the Maryland General Corporation 
law, as the same may be amended from 




<PAGE>

time to time (including any successor statute), with respect to any business 
combination of the Corporation or any subsidiary of the Corporation.

          (b)  The Corporation elects not to be governed by the Business 
Combination Law, as the same may be amended from time to time (including any 
successor statute), with respect to any business combination of the 
Corporation or any subsidiary of the Corporation with George T. Jimenez, or 
with any present or future affiliate or associate of George T. Jimenez.

          (c)  As used in this Section, the terms "business combination," 
"affiliate," "associate," and "subsidiary" shall have the meanings ascribed 
to them in the Business Combination law.


                                 ARTICLE VIII
                 INDEMNIFICATION AND LIMITATION OF LIABILITY

     Section 1.  Mandatory Indemnification.

          The Corporation shall indemnify its currently acting and its former 
directors and officers against any and all liabilities and expenses incurred 
in connection with their services in such capacities to the maximum extent 
permitted by the Maryland General Corporation Law, as from time to time 
amended.

     Section 2.  Discretionary Indemnification.

          If approved by the Board of Directors, the Corporation may 
indemnify its employees, agents and persons who serve and have served, at its 
request as a director, officer, partner, trustee, employee or agent of 
another corporation, partnership, joint venture or other enterprise or 
employee benefit plan to the extent determined to be appropriate by the Board 
of Directors.

     Section 3.  Advancing Expenses Prior to a Decision.

          The Corporation shall advance expenses to its directors and 
officers entitled to mandatory indemnification to the maximum extent 
permitted by the Maryland General Corporation Law, as from time to time 
amended, and may in the discretion of the Board of Directors advance expenses 
to employees, agents and others who may be granted indemnification.

     Section 4.  Other Provisions for Indemnification.

          The Board of Directors may, by bylaw, resolution or agreement, make 
further provision for indemnification of directors, officers, employees and 
agents.




<PAGE>

     Section 5.  Limitation of Liability of Directors and Officers.

          To the maximum extent that limitations on the liability of 
directors and officers are permitted by the Maryland General Corporation Law, 
as from time to time amended, no director or officer of the Corporation shall 
have any liability to the Corporation or its stockholders for money damages.  
This limitation on liability applies to events occurring at the time a person 
serves as a director or officer of the Corporation whether or not such person 
is a director or officer at the time of any proceeding in which liability is 
asserted.

     Section 6.  Effect of Amendment or Repeal.

          No amendment, modification or repeal of this charter, nor the 
adoption of any additional provision of this charter or the By-laws nor, to 
the fullest extent permitted by the Maryland General Corporation Law, any 
amendment, modification or repeal of law shall eliminate or reduce the effect 
of the provisions in this charter limiting liability or indemnifying certain 
persons or adversely affect any right or protection then existing thereunder 
in respect of any acts or omissions occurring prior to such amendment, 
modification, repeal, or adoption.

          SECOND:   The Amendment and Restatement of the charter of the 
Corporation herein was duly and unanimously approved and advised by the Board 
of Directors on June 23, 1996, and was approved by the affirmative vote of 
the stockholders of the Corporation as required by the Maryland General 
Corporation Law on August 5, 1996.

          THIRD:    The Amendment and Restatement of the charter of the 
Corporation as hereinabove set forth has been duly advised by the Board of 
Directors and approved by the stockholders of the Corporation in the manner 
and by the vote required by law.

          FOURTH:   (a)  The total number of shares of all classes of stock 
of the Corporation authorized prior to this amendment, and the number and par 
value of each class, were as follows:

          45,341,211 shares with an aggregate par value of Two Million One 
Hundred Ninty-Nine Thousand Six Hundred Eighty-Four Dollars and Fifty-Four 
Cents ($2,199,684.54), of which 45,000,000 are common stock with a par value 
of $.01 per share and an aggregate par value of Four Hundred Fifty Thousand 
Dollars ($450,000.00), 1,000 shares are Class B Preferred with a par value of 
$1.00 per share and an aggregate par value of One Thousand Dollars 
($1,000.00), 211,727 shares are Class C Convertible Preferred, Series 1, with 
a par value of $5.14 per share and an aggregate par value of One Million 
Eighty-Eight Thousand Two Hundred Seventy-Six Dollars and Seventy-Eight Cents 
($1,088,276.78), and 128,484 shares are Class C Convertible Preferred, 
Series 2, 




<PAGE>

with a par value of $5.14 per share and an aggregate par value of Six Hundred 
Sixty Thousand Four Hundred Seven Dollars and Seventy-Six Cents ($660,407.76).

                    (b)  The total number of shares of all classes of stock 
of the Corporation as increased, and the number and par value of the shares 
of each class, are as follows:

          Fifty Million (50,000,000) shares, consisting of Forty-Five Million 
(45,000,000) shares of Common Stock, par value $.01 per share (the "Common 
Stock"), and Five Million (5,000,000) shares of Preferred Stock, par value 
$.01 per share (the "Preferred Stock"), with an aggregate par value of Five 
Hundred Thousand Dollars ($500,000.00).

                    (c)  The aggregate par value of all shares of all classes 
of stock of the Corporation heretofore authorized was $2,199,684.54.  The 
aggregate par value of all shares of all classes of stock as reduced by this 
amendment is $500,000.00.  This amendment has the effect of reducing the 
aggregate par value of all shares of all classes of stock of the Corporation 
by $1,699,684.54.




<PAGE>

          IN WITNESS WHEREOF, ACE*COMM CORPORATION has caused these Articles 
of Amendment and Restatement to be signed in its name and on its behalf by 
its Vice President and attested by its Secretary this _____ day of August, 
1996, and its Vice President acknowledges that they are the act and deed of 
the Corporation, and states under the penalties of perjury that to the best 
of his knowledge, information and belief, the matters and facts set forth 
herein are true in all material respects.


ATTEST:                                ACE*COMM CORPORATION


____________________________       By: ______________________________________
Loretta L. Rivers, Secretary           S. Joseph Dorr, Vice President




<PAGE>

                                                                   Exhibit 3.6


                                 FORM OF BYLAWS

                                       OF

                              ACE*COMM CORPORATION


                                    ARTICLE I

                                  STOCKHOLDERS

SECTION 1.  ANNUAL MEETINGS.

          The annual meeting of the stockholders of the Corporation shall be 
held on such date within the month of November (except in the case of the 
1996 Annual Meeting, in which case it shall be held in the month of August) 
as may be fixed from time to time by the Board of Directors.  Not less than 
ten nor more than 90 days' written or printed notice stating the place, day 
and hour of each annual meeting shall be given in the manner provided in 
Section 1 of Article IX hereof.  The business to be transacted at the annual 
meetings shall include the election of the class of directors to be elected 
at such meeting, consideration and action upon the reports of officers and 
directors, and any other business within the power of the Corporation.  All 
annual meetings shall be general meetings at which any business may be 
considered without being specified as a purpose in the notice unless 
otherwise required by law.

SECTION 2.  SPECIAL MEETINGS CALLED BY CHAIRMAN OF THE BOARD, PRESIDENT OR BOARD
            OF DIRECTORS.

          At any time in the interval between annual meetings, special meetings
of stockholders may be called by the Chairman of the Board, or by the President,
or by the Board of Directors.  Not less than ten days' nor more than 90 days'
written notice stating the place, day and hour of such meeting and the matters
proposed to be acted on thereat shall be given in the manner provided in 
Section 1 of Article IX.  No business shall be transacted at any special meeting
except that specified in the notice.

SECTION 3.  SPECIAL MEETING CALLED BY STOCKHOLDERS.

          Upon the request in writing delivered to the Secretary by the
stockholders entitled to cast at least 25% of all the votes entitled to be cast
at the meeting, it shall be the duty of the Secretary to call a special meeting
of the stockholders.  Such request shall state the purpose of such meeting and
the matters proposed to be acted on thereat, and no other business shall be
transacted at any such special meeting.  No such meeting shall be required to be
called for the election of directors except under the circumstances set forth in
Section 10 of Article I or Sections 7(b) or 7(c) of these Bylaws.  The Secretary
shall inform such stockholders of the reasonably estimated costs of preparing
and mailing the notice of the meeting, and upon payment to the Corporation of
such costs, the Secretary 


<PAGE>


shall give not less than ten nor more than 90 days' notice of the time, place 
and purpose of the meeting in the manner provided in Section 1 of Article IX.  
Unless requested by stockholders entitled to cast a majority of all the votes 
entitled to be cast at the meeting, a special meeting need not be called to 
consider any matter which is substantially the same as a matter voted on at any 
special meeting of the stockholders held during the preceding 12 months.

SECTION 4.  PLACE OF MEETINGS.

          All meetings of stockholders shall be held at the principal office of
the Corporation in the State of Maryland or at such other place within the
United States as may be fixed from time to time by the Board of Directors and
designated in the notice.

SECTION 5.  QUORUM.

          At any meeting of stockholders the presence in person or by proxy of
stockholders entitled to cast a majority of the votes thereat shall constitute a
quorum.  In the absence of a quorum, the Chairman of the meeting, or
stockholders present in person or by proxy acting by majority vote, may adjourn
the meeting from time to time without notice other than by announcement at the
meeting, but not for a period exceeding 120 days after the original record date,
until a quorum shall attend.

SECTION 6.  ADJOURNED MEETINGS.

          A meeting of stockholders convened on the date for which it was called
(including one adjourned to achieve a quorum as above provided in Section 5 of
this Article) may be adjourned (in the manner provided in said Section 5) from
time to time without further notice other than by announcement at the meeting to
a date not more than 120 days after the original record date, and any business
may be transacted at any adjourned meeting which could have been transacted at
the meeting as originally called.

SECTION 7.  VOTING.

          A plurality of all the votes cast at a meeting of stockholders duly
called and at which a quorum is present shall be sufficient to elect a director.
Each share of stock may be voted for as many individuals as there are directors
to be elected and for whose election the share is entitled to be voted.

          A majority of the votes cast at a meeting of stockholders, duly called
and at which a quorum is present, shall be sufficient to take or authorize
action upon any other matter which may properly come before the meeting, unless
more than a majority of votes cast is required by statute or by the Charter.
The Board of Directors may fix the record date for the determination of
stockholders entitled to vote in the manner provided in Article VIII, Section 3
of these Bylaws.  Unless otherwise provided in the Charter,


<PAGE>


each outstanding share of stock, regardless of class, shall be entitled to one
vote on each matter submitted to a vote at a meeting of stockholders.

SECTION 8.  PROXIES.

          A stockholder may vote the shares owned of record either in person or
by proxy.  The proxy shall be in writing and shall be signed by the stockholder
or by the stockholder's duly authorized attorney-in-fact or be in such other
form as may be permitted by the Maryland General Corporation Law, including
documents conveyed by electronic transmission.  A copy, facsimile transmission
or other reproduction of the writing or transmission may be substituted for  the
original writing or transmission for any purpose for which the original
transmission could be used.  Every proxy shall be dated, but need not be sealed,
witnessed or acknowledged.  No proxy shall be valid after 11 months from its
date, unless otherwise provided in the proxy.  In the case of stock held of
record by more than one person, any co-owner or co-fiduciary may execute the
proxy without the joinder of the co-owner(s) or co-fiduciary(ies), unless the
Secretary of the Corporation is notified in writing by any co-owner or co-
fiduciary that the joinder of more than one is to be required.  At all meetings
of stockholders, the proxies shall be filed with and verified by the Secretary
of the Corporation, or, if the meeting shall so decide, by the Secretary of the
meeting.

SECTION 9.  REMOVAL OF DIRECTORS.

          At any special meeting of the stockholders called in the manner
provided for by this Article, the stockholders, by the vote required by the
Charter, may remove any director from office, but only for cause as provided in
the Charter, and may elect a successor to fill the resulting vacancy for the
remainder of the term of the removed director.

SECTION 10.  INFORMAL ACTION BY STOCKHOLDERS.

          Any action required or permitted to be taken at any meeting of
stockholders may be taken without a meeting if a consent in writing setting
forth such action is signed by all the stockholders entitled to vote thereon, a
written waiver of any right to dissent is signed by each stockholder entitled to
notice of, but not the right to vote on, such action and such consent is filed
with the records of stockholders' meetings.

SECTION 11.  ADVANCE NOTICE OF MATTERS TO BE PRESENTED AT AN ANNUAL MEETING OF
             STOCKHOLDERS.

          At an annual meeting of the stockholders, only such business shall be
conducted as shall have been properly brought before the meeting as set forth
below.  To be properly brought before an annual meeting, such business must (1)
be specified in the notice of the meeting (or any supplement thereto) given by
the Corporation pursuant to Section 1 of Article IX of these bylaws, or (2) be
brought before the meeting by or under


<PAGE>


the direction of the Board of Directors (or the Chairman of the Board or the
President), or (3) be properly brought before the meeting by a stockholder.  In
addition to any other applicable requirements, for business to be properly
brought before an annual meeting by a stockholder, the stockholder must have
given timely notice thereof in writing to the Secretary.  To be timely, such
stockholder's notice must be delivered to or mailed and received by the
Secretary at the principal executive offices of the Corporation, not less than
20 days nor more than 30 days prior to the meeting (or, with respect to a
proposal required to be included in the Company's proxy statement pursuant to
Rule 14a-8 of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, or its successor provision,
the earlier date such proposal was received); provided, however, that in the
event that less than 30 days' notice or prior public disclosure of the date of
the meeting is given or made by the Corporation, notice by the stockholder to be
timely must be so received by the Secretary not later than the close of business
on the 10th day following the earlier of the day on which the Corporation's
notice of the date of the annual meeting was mailed or the day on which the
Corporation's first public disclosure of the date of the annual meeting was
made.  A stockholder's notice to the Secretary shall set forth as to each matter
the stockholder proposes to bring before the annual meeting (i) a brief
description of the business desired to be brought before the annual meeting and
the reasons for conducting such business at the annual meeting, (ii) the name
and address of the stockholder proposing such business, (iii) the class and
number of shares of the Corporation which are beneficially owned by the
stockholder, and (iv) any material interest of the stockholder in such business.

          Notwithstanding anything in these Bylaws to the contrary, no business
shall be conducted at the annual meeting except in accordance with the
procedures set forth in this Section 12.

          The Chairman of the meeting shall have the authority, if the facts
warrant, to determine that business was not properly brought before the meeting
in accordance with the provisions of this Section 11, and if he should so
determine, he shall so declare to the meeting and any such business not properly
brought before the meeting shall not be transacted.

SECTION 12.  ADVANCE NOTICE OF NOMINEES FOR DIRECTORS.

          Only persons who are nominated in accordance with the following
procedures shall be eligible for election as directors at any meeting of
stockholders.  Nominations of persons for election to the Board of Directors of
the Corporation may be made at an annual meeting of stockholders or at a special
meeting of stockholders as to which the notice of meeting provides for election
of directors, by or under the direction of the Board of Directors, or by any
nominating committee or person appointed by the Board of Directors, or by any
stockholder of the Corporation entitled to vote for the election of directors at
the meeting who complies with the notice procedures set forth in this Section
12.  Such nominations, other than those made by or under the direction of the
Board of Directors or by any nominating committee or person appointed by the
Board of Directors, shall be made pursuant to timely notice in writing to the
Secretary.  To be


<PAGE>


timely, such stockholder's notice shall be delivered to or mailed and received
by the Secretary at the principal executive offices of the Corporation not less
than 20 days nor more than 30 days prior to the meeting; provided, however, that
in the event that less than 30 days' notice or prior public disclosure of the
date of the meeting is given or made by the Corporation, notice by the
stockholder to be timely must be so received by the Secretary no later than the
close of business on the 10th day following the earlier of the day on which the
Corporation's notice of the date of the meeting was mailed or the day on which
the Corporation's first public disclosure of the date of the meeting was made.
Such stockholder's notice shall set forth:  (a) as to each person whom the
stockholder proposes to nominate for election as a director, (i) the name, age,
business address and residence address of the person, (ii) the principal
occupation or employment of the person, (iii) the class and number of shares of
stock of the Corporation which are beneficially owned by the person, and (iv)
any other information relating to the person that is required to be disclosed in
solicitations for proxies for election of directors pursuant to the rules and
regulations under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934; and (b) as to the
stockholder giving the notice, (i) the name and address of the stockholder and
(ii) the class and number of shares of the Corporation which are beneficially
owned by the stockholder.  The Corporation may require any proposed nominee to
furnish such other information as may reasonably be required by the Corporation
to determine the eligibility of such proposed nominee to serve as a director of
the Corporation.  No person shall be eligible for election as a director of the
Corporation unless nominated in accordance with the procedures set forth herein.

          The Chairman of the meeting shall have the authority, if the facts
warrant, to determine that a nomination was not made in accordance with the
foregoing procedure, and if he should so determine, he shall so declare to the
meeting and the defective nomination shall be disregarded.

                                   ARTICLE II

                                    DIRECTORS

SECTION 1.  POWERS.

          The business and affairs of the Corporation shall be managed under the
direction of its Board of Directors.  All powers of the Corporation may be
exercised by or under the authority of the Board of Directors except as
conferred on or reserved to the stockholders by law, by the Charter or by these
Bylaws.  A director need not be a stockholder.  The Board of Directors shall
keep minutes of its meetings and full and fair accounts of its transactions.

SECTION 2.  NUMBER; TERM OF OFFICE.

          The number of directors of the Corporation shall be not less than
three or the same number as the number of stockholders (or one if there is no
stockholder),


<PAGE>


whichever is less; provided, however, that such number may be increased and
thereafter decreased from time to time by vote of a majority of the entire Board
of Directors.  The number of directors shall not exceed eleven (11).  The Board
of Directors shall be divided into three classes, with one class to be elected
at each annual meeting, as provided in the Charter.

SECTION 3.  ANNUAL MEETING; REGULAR MEETINGS.

          As soon as practicable after each annual meeting of stockholders, the
Board of Directors shall meet for the purpose of organization and the
transaction of other business.  No notice of the annual meeting of the Board of
Directors need be given if it is held immediately following the annual meeting
of stockholders and at the same place.  Other regular meetings of the Board of
Directors may be held at such times and at such places, within or without the
State of Maryland, as shall be designated in the notice for such meeting by the
party making the call.  All annual and regular meetings shall be general
meetings, and any business may be transacted thereat.

SECTION 4.  SPECIAL MEETINGS.

          Special meetings of the Board of Directors may be called by the
Chairman of the Board or the President, or by a majority of the directors.

SECTION 5.  QUORUM; VOTING.

          A majority of the Board of Directors shall constitute a quorum for the
transaction of business at every meeting of the Board of Directors; but, if at
any meeting there be less than a quorum present, a majority of those present may
adjourn the meeting from time to time, but not for a period exceeding ten days
at any one time or 60 days in all, without notice other than by announcement at
the meeting, until a quorum shall attend.  At any such adjourned meeting at
which a quorum shall be present, any business may be transacted which might have
been transacted at the meeting as originally called.  Except as hereinafter
provided or as otherwise provided by the Charter or by law, directors shall act
by a vote of a majority of those members in attendance at a meeting at which a
quorum is present.

SECTION 6.  NOTICE OF MEETINGS.

          Notice of the time and place of every regular and special meeting of
the Board of Directors shall be given to each director in the manner provided in
Section 2 of Article IX hereof.  Subsequent to each Board meeting, and as soon
as practicable thereafter, each director shall be furnished with a copy of the
minutes of said meeting.  At least 24 hours' notice shall be given of all
meetings.  The purpose of any meeting of the Board of Directors need not be
stated in the notice.


<PAGE>


SECTION 7.  VACANCIES.

          (a)  If the office of a director becomes vacant for any reason,
including increase in the size of the Board, such vacancy may be filled by the
Board by a vote of a majority of directors then in office, although such
majority is less than a quorum.

          (b)  If the vacancy occurs as a result of the removal of a director,
the stockholders may elect a successor at the meeting at which the removal
occurs.

          (c)  If the entire Board of Directors shall become vacant, any
stockholder may call a special meeting in the same manner that the Chairman of
the Board or the President may call such meeting, and directors for the
unexpired terms may be elected at such special meeting in the manner provided
for their election at annual meetings.

          (d)  A director elected by the Board of Directors to fill a vacancy
shall serve until the next annual meeting of stockholders and until a successor
is elected and qualifies.  A director elected by the stockholders to fill a
vacancy shall serve for the unexpired term and until a successor is elected and
qualifies.

SECTION 8.  RULES AND REGULATIONS.

          The Board of Directors may adopt such rules and regulations for the
conduct of its meetings and the management of the affairs of the Corporation as
it may deem proper and not inconsistent with the laws of the State of Maryland,
these Bylaws and the Charter.

SECTION 9.  EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE.

          The Board of Directors may constitute an Executive Committee, composed
of at least two directors, from among its members.  The Executive Committee
shall hold office at the pleasure of the Board of Directors.  Between sessions
of the Board of Directors, such Committee shall have all of the powers of the
Board of Directors in the management of the business and affairs of the
Corporation, except those powers specifically denied by law.  If any position on
the Executive Committee becomes vacant, or if the number of members is
increased, such vacancy may be filled by the Board of Directors.  The taking of
any action by the Executive Committee shall be conclusive evidence that the
Board of Directors was not in session at the time of such action.  The Executive
Committee shall hold formal meetings and keep minutes of all of its proceedings.
A copy of such minutes shall, after approval by the members of the Committee, be
sent to all directors as a matter of information.  Any action taken by the
Executive Committee within the limits permitted by law shall have the force and
effect of Board action unless and until revised or altered by the Board.  The
presence of not less than a majority of the Committee shall be necessary to
constitute a quorum. Action may be taken without a meeting if a unanimous
written consent is signed by all of the


<PAGE>


members of the Committee, and if such consent is filed with the records of the
Committee.  The Executive Committee shall have the power to elect one of its
members to serve as its Chairman unless the Board of Directors shall have
designated such Chairman.

SECTION 10.  COMPENSATION.

          The directors may receive a stated salary or an attendance fee for
each meeting of the Board of Directors or any committee thereof attended, plus
reimbursement of reasonable expenses of attendance.  The amount of the salary or
attendance fee and any entitlement to reimbursement of expenses shall be
determined by resolution of the Board; provided, however, that nothing herein
contained shall be construed as precluding a director from serving the
Corporation in any other capacity and receiving compensation therefor.

SECTION 11.  PLACE OF MEETINGS.

          Regular or special meetings of the Board may be held within or without
the State of Maryland, as the Board may from time to time determine.  The time
and place of meeting may be fixed by the party calling the meeting.

SECTION 12.  INFORMAL ACTION BY THE DIRECTORS.

          Any action required or permitted to be taken at any meeting of the
Board may be taken without a meeting, if a written consent to such action is
signed by all members of the Board and such consent is filed with the minutes of
the Board.

SECTION 13.  TELEPHONE CONFERENCE.

          Members of the Board of Directors or any committee thereof may
participate in a meeting of the Board or such committee by means of a conference
telephone or similar communications equipment by means of which all persons
participating in the meeting can hear each other at the same time.
Participation by such means shall constitute presence in person at the meeting.

                                   ARTICLE III

                                    OFFICERS

SECTION 1.  IN GENERAL.

          The Board of Directors may choose a Chairman of the Board from among
the directors.  The Board of Directors shall elect a President, a Treasurer, a
Secretary, and may elect one or more Vice Presidents, Assistant Secretaries and
Assistant Treasurers as the Board may from time to time deem appropriate.  All
officers shall hold office only


<PAGE>


during the pleasure of the Board or until their successors are chosen and
qualify.  Any two of the above offices, except those of President and Vice
President, may be held by the same person, but no officer shall execute,
acknowledge or verify any instrument in more than one capacity when such
instrument is required to be executed, acknowledged or verified by any two or
more officers.  The Board of Directors may from time to time appoint such other
agents and employees with such powers and duties as the Board may deem proper.
In its discretion, the Board of Directors may leave unfilled any offices except
those of President, Treasurer and Secretary.

SECTION 2.  CHAIRMAN OF THE BOARD.

          The Chairman of the Board, if one is elected, shall have the
responsibility for the implementation of the policies determined by the Board of
Directors and for the administration of the business affairs of the Corporation.
The Chairman shall preside over the meetings of the Board and of the
stockholders if present at the meeting.  The Chairman shall be the Chief
Executive Officer of the Corporation if so designated by resolution of the
Board.

SECTION 3.  PRESIDENT.

          The President shall have the responsibility for the active management
of the business and general supervision and direction of all of the affairs of
the Corporation.  In the absence of a Chairman of the Board, the President shall
preside over the meetings of the Board and of the stockholders if present at the
meeting, and shall perform such other duties as may be assigned by the Board of
Directors or the Executive Committee.  The President shall have the authority on
the Corporation's behalf to endorse securities owned by the Corporation and to
execute any documents requiring the signature of an executive officer.  The
President shall perform such other duties as the Board of Directors may direct
and shall be the Chief Executive Officer of the Corporation unless the Chairman
of the Board is so designated by resolution of the Board.

SECTION 4.  VICE PRESIDENTS.

          The Vice Presidents, in the order of priority designated by the Board
of Directors, shall be vested with all the power and may perform all the duties
of the President in the latter's absence.  They may perform such other duties as
may be prescribed by the Board of Directors, the Executive Committee or the
President.

SECTION 5.  TREASURER.

          The Treasurer shall have general supervision over the Corporation's
finances, and shall perform such other duties as may be assigned by the Board of
Directors or the President. Unless the Board designates another officer, the
Treasurer shall be the Chief Financial Officer of the Corporation.  If required
by resolution of the Board, the Treasurer shall furnish a bond (which may be a
blanket bond) with such surety


<PAGE>


and in such penalty for the faithful performance of duty as the Board of
Directors may from time to time require, the cost of such bond to be paid by the
Corporation.

SECTION 6.  SECRETARY.

          The Secretary shall keep the minutes of the meetings of the
stockholders and of the Board of Directors and shall attend to the giving and
serving of all notices of the Corporation required by law or these Bylaws.  The
Secretary shall maintain at all times in the principal office of the Corporation
at least one copy of the Bylaws with all amendments to date, and shall make the
same, together with the minutes of the meeting of the stockholders, the annual
statement of affairs of the Corporation and any voting trust or other
stockholders agreement on file at the office of the Corporation, available for
inspection by any officer, director or stockholder during reasonable business
hours.  The Secretary shall perform such other duties as may be assigned by the
Board of Directors.

SECTION 7.  ASSISTANT TREASURER AND SECRETARY.

          The Board of Directors may designate from time to time Assistant
Treasurers and Secretaries, who shall perform such duties as may from time to
time be assigned to them by the Board of Directors or the President.

SECTION 8.  COMPENSATION; REMOVAL; VACANCIES.

          The Board of Directors shall have power to fix the compensation of all
officers of the Corporation.  It may authorize any committee or officer, upon
whom the power of appointing subordinate officers may have been conferred, to
fix the compensation of such subordinate officers.  The Board of Directors shall
have the power at any regular or special meeting to remove any officer if, in
the judgment of the Board, the best interests of the Corporation will be served
by such removal.  The Board of Directors may authorize any officer to remove
subordinate officers.  The Board of Directors may authorize the Corporation's
employment of an officer for a period in excess of the term of the Board.  The
Board of Directors at any regular or special meeting shall have power to fill a
vacancy occurring in any office for the unexpired portion of the term.

SECTION 9.  SUBSTITUTES.

          The Board of Directors may, from time to time in the absence of any
one of its officers or at any other time, designate any other person or persons
on behalf of the Corporation to sign any contracts, deeds, notes or other
instruments in the place or stead of any of such officers, and may designate any
person to fill any one of said offices, temporarily or for any particular
purpose; and any instruments so signed in accordance with a resolution of the
Board shall be the valid act of the Corporation as fully as if executed by any
regular officer.


<PAGE>


                                   ARTICLE IV

                                   RESIGNATION

          Any director or officer may resign from office at any time.  Such
resignation shall be made in writing and shall take effect from the time of its
receipt by the Corporation, unless some time be fixed in the resignation, and
then from that date.  The acceptance of a resignation shall not be required to
make it effective.

                                    ARTICLE V

                             COMMERCIAL PAPER, ETC.

          All bills, notes, checks, drafts and commercial paper of all kinds to
be executed by the Corporation as maker, acceptor, endorser or otherwise, and
all assignments and transfers of stock, contracts, or written obligations of the
Corporation, and all negotiable instruments, shall be made in the name of the
Corporation and shall be signed by any one or more of the following officers as
the Board of Directors may from time to time designate: the Chairman of the
Board, the President, any Vice President, or the Treasurer, or such other person
or persons as the Board of Directors or Executive Committee may from time to
time designate.

                                   ARTICLE VI

                                   FISCAL YEAR

          The fiscal year of the Corporation shall cover such period of 12
months as the Board of Directors may determine.  In the absence of any such
determination, the accounts of the Corporation shall be kept on a calendar year
basis.

                                   ARTICLE VII

                                      SEAL

          The seal of the Corporation shall be in the form of two concentric
circles inscribed with the name of the Corporation and the year and State in
which it is incorporated.  The Secretary or Treasurer, or any Assistant
Secretary or Assistant Treasurer, shall have the right and power to attest to
the corporate seal.  In lieu of affixing the corporate seal to any document, it
shall be sufficient to meet the requirements of any law, rule or regulation
relating to a corporate seal to affix the word "(SEAL)" adjacent to the
signature of the person authorized to sign the document on behalf of the
Corporation.


<PAGE>


                                  ARTICLE VIII

                                      STOCK

SECTION 1.  ISSUE.

          Each stockholder shall be entitled to a certificate or certificates
which shall represent and certify the number and class of shares of stock owned
in the Corporation.  Each certificate shall be signed by the Chairman of the
Board, the President or any Vice President and be countersigned by the Secretary
or any Assistant Secretary or the Treasurer or any Assistant Treasurer.  The
signatures of the Corporation's officers and its corporate seal appearing on
stock certificates may be facsimiles if each such certificate is authenticated
by the manual signature of an officer of a duly authorized transfer agent.
Stock certificates shall be in such form, not inconsistent with law and the
Charter, as shall be approved by the Board of Directors.  In case any officer of
the Corporation who has signed any certificate ceases to be an officer of the
Corporation, whether by reason of death, resignation or otherwise, before such
certificate is issued, then the certificate may nevertheless be issued by the
Corporation with the same effect as if the officer had not ceased to be such
officer as of the date of such issuance.

SECTION 2.  TRANSFERS.

          The Board of Directors shall have power and authority to make all such
rules and regulations as the Board may deem expedient concerning the issue,
transfer and registration of stock certificates.  The Board of Directors may
appoint one or more transfer agents and/or registrars for its outstanding stock,
and their duties may be combined.  No transfer of stock shall be recognized or
binding upon the Corporation until recorded on the books of the Corporation, or,
as the case may be, of its transfer agent and/or of its registrar, upon
surrender and cancellation of a certificate or certificates for a like number of
shares.

SECTION 3.  RECORD DATES FOR DIVIDENDS AND STOCKHOLDERS' MEETING.

          The Board of Directors may fix a date not exceeding 90 days preceding
the date of any meeting of stockholders, any dividend payment date or any date
for the allotment of rights, as a record date for the determination of the
stockholders entitled to notice of and to vote at such meeting, or entitled to
receive such dividends or rights, as the case may be, and only stockholders of
record on such date shall be entitled to notice of and to vote at such meeting
or to receive such dividends or rights, as the case may be.  In the case of a
meeting of stockholders, the record date shall be fixed not less than ten days
prior to the date of the meeting.


<PAGE>


SECTION 4.  NEW CERTIFICATES.

          In case any certificate of stock is lost, stolen, mutilated or
destroyed, the Board of Directors may authorize the issuance of a new
certificate in place thereof upon such indemnity to the Corporation against loss
and such other terms and conditions as it may deem advisable.  The Board of
Directors may delegate such power to any officer or officers of the Corporation
or to any transfer agent or registrar of the Corporation; but the Board of
Directors, such officer or officers or such transfer agent or registrar may, in
their discretion, refuse to issue such new certificate save upon the order of
some court having jurisdiction.

                                   ARTICLE IX

                                     NOTICE

SECTION 1.  NOTICE TO STOCKHOLDERS.

          Whenever by law or these Bylaws notice is required to be given to any
stockholder, such notice shall be in writing and may be given to each
stockholder by personal delivery or at the stockholder's residence or usual
place of business, or by mailing it, postage prepaid, and addressed to the
stockholder at the address appearing on the books of the Corporation or its
transfer agent.  Such leaving or mailing of notice shall be deemed the time of
giving such notice.

SECTION 2.  NOTICE TO DIRECTORS AND OFFICERS.

          Whenever by law or these Bylaws notice is required to be given to any
director or officer, such notice may be given in any one of the following ways:
by personal delivery to such director or officer, by telephone communication
with such director or officer personally or by telephone facsimile transmission,
by telegram, cablegram, radiogram, first class mail or by delivery service
providing confirmation of delivery, addressed to such director or officer at the
address appearing on the books of the Corporation.  The time when such notice
shall be consigned to a communication company for delivery shall be deemed to be
the time of the giving of such notice; if mailed, such notice shall be deemed
given 48 hours after the time it is deposited in the mail, postage prepaid.

SECTION 3.  WAIVER OF NOTICE.

          Notice to any stockholder or director of the time, place and/or
purpose of any meeting of stockholders or directors required by these Bylaws may
be dispensed with if such stockholder shall either attend in person or by proxy,
or if such director shall attend in person, or if such absent stockholder or
director shall, in writing filed with the records of the meeting either before
or after the holding thereof, waive such notice.


<PAGE>


                                    ARTICLE X

                      VOTING OF STOCK IN OTHER CORPORATIONS

          Any stock in other corporations, which may from time to time be held
by the Corporation, may be represented and voted at any meeting of stockholders
of such other corporations by the President or a Vice-President or by proxy or
proxies appointed by the President or a Vice-President, or otherwise pursuant to
authorization thereunto given by a resolution of the Board of Directors adopted
by a vote of a majority of the directors.

                                   ARTICLE XI

                                   AMENDMENTS

          The Board of Directors, and not the stockholders, shall have the
exclusive power to make, alter, amend or repeal the Bylaws of the Corporation.

                                   ARTICLE XII

                           MARYLAND CONTROL SHARE ACT

          The Corporation elects not to be governed by Section 3-702 of Subtitle
6 (the "Maryland Control Share Act") of Title 3 of the Maryland General
Corporation Law, as the same may be amended from time to time (including any
successor statute), with respect to the acquisition of shares of stock of the
Corporation in an amount not exceeding 49.9% of the stock oustanding from time
to time, by George T. Jimenez or any affiliate or associate of George T.
Jimenez, where such acquisition may be deemed to be a control share acquisition.
As used in this Section, the terms "control share acquisition, "affiliate," and
"associate" shall have the meanings ascribed to them in the Maryland Control
Share Act and the Maryland General Corporation Law.

<PAGE>

                                                                   Exhibit 4.1

   
Front of Certificate:
    

  NUMBER                                                           SHARES

RI                                [LOGO]

 COMMON STOCK              ACE * COMM CORPORATION                COMMON STOCK
PAR VALUE $.01                                                  PAR VALUE $.01
             INCORPORATED UNDER THE LAWS OF THE STATE OF MARYLAND
                                                              -----------------
                                                              CUSIP 004404 10 9
                                                              -----------------

This Certifies that



is the record holder of


   FULLY PAID AND NON ASSESSABLE SHARES OF THE COMMON STOCK, PAR VALUE $.01, OF

                             ACE * COMM CORPORATION

   
transferable on the books of the Corporation by the holder hereof in person 
or by duly authorized attorney, upon surrender of this certificate properly 
endorsed.  This certificate and the shares represented hereby are issued and 
shall be held subject to all the provisions of the Certificate of 
Incorporation, as amended, and of the By-laws of the Corporation (copies 
thereof being on file with the Secretary of the Corporation) and the holder 
hereof, accepting this certificate, expressly assents thereto.  This 
certificate is not valid until countersigned and registered by the Transfer 
Agent and Registrar.
         Witness the seal of the Corporation and the facsimile signatures of 
its duly authorized officers.
    

Dated

        /s/ Loretta L. Rivers      (SEAL)       /s/ George T. Jimenez

              SECRETARY                                 PRESIDENT

COUNTERSIGNED AND REGISTERED:

     REGISTRANT AND TRANSFER COMPANY
   
BY   Chase Mellon Shareholder Services,    TRANSFER AGENT
                  L.L.C.                   AND REGISTRAR
    
   
                                         AUTHORIZED SIGNATURE
    


<PAGE>


   
Back of Certificate:


                             ACE*COMM CORPORATION

          The Corporation will furnish to any stockholder upon request and 
without charge a full statement of the designations, preferences, 
limitations, and relative rights of the shares of each class of stock 
authorized to be issued and with respect to the classes of stock which may be 
issued in series, the variations in the relative rights and preferences 
between the shares of each such series, so far as the same have been fixed 
and determined, and the authority of the Board of Directors to fix and 
determine the relative rights and preferences of subsequent series.  Such 
request may be made to the Secretary of the Corporation at its principal 
office or to the Transfer Agent.
    




<PAGE>

                                                                   Exhibit 5.1





                                       August 12, 1996


ACE*COMM Corporation
209 Perry Parkway
Gaithersburg, Maryland  20877

Gentlemen:

     We act as counsel to ACE*COMM Corporation, a Maryland corporation (the 
"Company") in connection with the registration under the Securities Act of 
1933, as amended (the "Act"), of 2,500,000 shares (the "Shares") of the 
common stock, par value $0.01 per share, of the Company, of which certain 
shares are to be sold by the Company and certain shares are to be sold by a 
certain stockholder (the "Selling Stockholder") of the Company, as described 
in the Company's Registration Statement on Form S-1 (No. 333-06731) filed 
with the Securities and Exchange Commission on June 25, 1996 and as amended 
(the "Registration Statement").  We may also act as counsel to the Company in 
connection with the possible future registration of up to 375,000 Shares that 
may be registered pursuant to Rule 462(b) under the Act by means of an 
additional registration statement relating to the Registration Statement (any 
such additional registration statement, the "462(b) Registration Statement").

     We are familiar with the Company's Charter and By-laws, as amended to 
date, and with the Registration Statement, and we have examined and relied 
upon such corporate records of the Company and other documents and 
certificates as to factual matters as we have deemed necessary or appropriate 
for the purpose of rendering the opinion expressed herein. We have assumed, 
without independent verification, the genuineness of the signatures on, and 
the authenticity of, all documents furnished to us by the Company.  As to any 
facts material to this opinion which we did not independently establish or 
verify, we have relied upon statements and respresentations of officers and 
other representatives of the Company and others.

     Based on the foregoing, we are of the opinion that:

     1.   All of the Shares (including any Shares issued pursuant to the 
462(b) Registration Statement, if any) to be sold by the Company have been 
authorized and, when issued and paid for in the manner contemplated by the 
Registration Statement, will be validly and legally issued and will be fully 
paid and nonassessable.




<PAGE>
   
ACE*COMM Corporation
August 12, 1996
Page 2
    

     2.   The Shares to be sold by the Selling Stockholder have been 
authorized and, when issued upon the conversion of the shares of Preferred 
Stock of the Company held by the Selling Stockholder, such conversion to 
occur automatically upon the completion of the offering contemplated by the 
Registration Statement, will be validly and legally issued and will be fully 
paid and nonassessable.

     We are members of the Bar of the State of Maryland and we express no 
opinion with respect to the laws of any jurisdiction other than the State of 
Maryland and of the United States.

     We hereby consent to the filing of this opinion as an exhibit to the 
Registration Statement, to the incorporation by reference of this opinion in 
any 462(b) Registration Statement, to the reference to us in the prospectus 
forming a part of the Registration Statement, and to the filing of this 
opinion as an exhibit to any application made by or on behalf of the Company 
or any dealer in connection with the registration of the Shares under the 
securities or blue sky laws of any state or jurisdiction.  In giving such 
permission, we do not admit hereby that we come within the category of 
persons whose consent is required under Section 7 of the Securities Act or 
the rules and regulations of the Commission thereunder.

                                       Very truly yours,


                                       /s/ Venable, Baetjer and Howard, LLP







<PAGE>
                                                                   EXHIBIT 10.10
                              ACE*COMM CORPORATION

              AMENDED AND RESTATED STOCK OPTION PLAN FOR DIRECTORS

1.   Purpose

     The purpose of this Amended and Restated Stock Option Plan for Directors is
     to advance the interests of ACE*COMM Corporation by enhancing its ability
     to attract, retain and motivate members of its Board of Directors who are
     not employees of the company or any of its subsidiaries by providing for
     the grant of nonqualified stock options to such members.

2.   Definition

     For the purposes of this Plan, the following terms shall have the meanings
     ascribed to them below:

     2.1  "Board of Directors" or "Board" shall mean the Board of Directors of
          the Company.

     2.2  "Fair Market Value" of a share of Stock of the Company for any purpose
          on a particular date shall be determined in a manner such as the
          Committee shall in good faith determine to be appropriate; provided,
          however, that if the Common Stock is publicly traded, then Fair Market
          Value shall mean the last reported sale price per share of Common
          Stock, regular way, or, in case no such sale takes place on such day,
          the average of the closing bid and asked prices, regular way, in
          either case as reported in the principal consolidated transaction
          reporting system with respect to securities listed or admitted to
          trading on a national securities exchange or included for quotation on
          the Nasdaq-National Market, or if the Common Stock is not so listed or
          admitted to trading or included for quotation, the last quoted price,
          or if the Common Stock is not so quoted, the average of the high bid
          and low asked prices, regular way, in the over-the-counter market, as
          reported by the National Association of Securities Dealers, Inc.
          Automated Quotation System or, if such system is no longer in use, the
          principal other automated quotations system that may then be in use
          or, if the Common Stock is not quoted by any such organization, the
          average of the closing bid and asked prices, regular way, as furnished
          by a professional market maker making a market in the Common Stock as
          selected in good faith by the Committee or by such other source or
          sources as shall be selected in good faith by the Committee; and
          provided further, that in the case of ISOs, the determination of Fair
          Market Value shall be made by the Committee in good faith in
          conformance with the Treasury Regulations under Section 422 of the
          Code.  If, as the case may be, the relevant date is not a trading day,
          the determination shall be made as of the next preceding

                                         


<PAGE>


trading day.  As used herein, the term "trading day" shall mean a day on which
public trading of securities occurs and is reported in the principal
consolidated reporting system referred to above, or if the Common Stock is not
listed or admitted to trading on a national securities exchange or included for
quotation on the Nasdaq-National Market, any day other than a Saturday, a Sunday
or a day in which banking institutions in the State of New York are closed.

     2.3  "Company" shall mean ACE*COMM Corporation, a Maryland corporation.

     2.4  "Common Stock" shall mean shares of the Company's common stock having
          a par value of $.01 per share, subject to adjustment pursuant to
          Section 9.

     2.5  "Effective Date" shall mean May 5, 1990, the day this Plan was
          approved by the Board of Directors; provided, however, that the
          shareholders holding a majority of the Company's outstanding Common
          Stock ratify the creation of the Plan at the Company's next regularly
          scheduled Shareholder meeting.

     2.6  "Option" shall mean any option granted under this Plan.

     2.7  "Option Agreement" shall mean the agreement executed by the Company
          and an Optionee pursuant to Section 5.5 of this Plan.

     2.8  "Option Price" shall mean the purchase price per share of Common Stock
          subject to an Option.

     2.9  "Optionee" shall mean any person to whom an Option has been granted
          under this Plan.

     2.10 "Plan" shall mean this Stock Option Plan for Directors, as amended
          from time to time.

     2.11 "Subsidiary" shall mean a corporation in which the Company owns,
          directly or indirectly, shares of stock representing 50% or more of
          the outstanding voting power of all classes of stock of such
          corporation, at the time of the granting of an Option under this Plan.

3    Participation

     Each member of the Board of the Company who (i) is not an employee of
     either the Company or any of its Subsidiaries (a "Non-Employee Director")
     and (ii) is designated to participate under the Plan by the Chairman of the
     Board of the Company shall receive an Option in accordance with Section 5
     below.

4.   Shares Subject to Plan

                                      -2-


<PAGE>


     The stock subject to Options granted under this Plan shall be shares of the
     authorized but unissued shares of Common Stock.  The aggregate number of
     shares of Common Stock which may be issued under the Plan pursuant to the
     exercise of Options may not exceed 200,000 shares, subject to adjustment as
     provided in Section 9.  In the event that any outstanding Options expire or
     terminate for any reason, without having been exercised in full, the shares
     of Common Stock allocable to such unexercised portion shall become
     available for issuance under other Options under this Plan.

5.   Stock Option Grants

     5.1  Option Shares and Date of Grant.  The Company shall grant to each Non-
          Employee Director:

              (1)   in the case of a Non-Employee Director who is elected (or
          re-elected) to serve as a Director on or after the Effective Date, an
          Option to purchase 4,500 shares of Common Stock, multiplied by the
          number of years for which such Director has then been elected to
          serve, which Option shall be granted as of the commencement of the
          term for which such NonEmployee Director has then been elected; and

              (2)   in the case of a Non-Employee Director who commenced his or
          her term of office prior to the Effective Date, but who is a Non-
          Employee Director as of the Effective Date, an Option to purchase
          4,500 shares of Common Stock, multiplied by the number of years which
          remain in such Director's term of office as of the Effective Date,
          which Option shall be granted on the Effective Date.

          For the purposes of this Section 5.1, the number of years in a
          Director's term of office shall be rounded to the nearest whole number
          of years.

     5.2  Option Price.  The Option Price shall be equal to the fair market
          value per share of the Common Stock at the date of grant of the
          Option.

     5.3  Vesting.  Each Option shall be and become exercisable in equal
          installments of 4,500 shares of Common Stock each upon each successive
          anniversary of the date on which such Option was granted (the "Vesting
          Date"), provided that:  (i) the Optionee still serves as a Director on
          such Vesting Date; or (ii) in the event of the expiration or
          termination of the Optionee's term of office (other than by reason of
          his or her removal for cause) within 45 days prior to such Vesting
          Date, such Optionee has served as a Director for at least twelve
          consecutive months as of the date of the expiration or termination of
          his or her term of office.  All or any part of an exercisable, but
          unexercised, installment shall be exercisable at any time thereafter,
          except to the extent the Option has terminated or expired.

                                      -3-


<PAGE>


     5.4  Expiration.  Each Option shall expire and terminate, to the extent not
          then exercised, upon the earliest of:

          (1)  the expiration of five years following the date of grant of such
               Option; or

          (2)  the expiration of six months following the Optionee's death,
               resignation, or removal as a Director for any reason other than
               for cause; or

          (3)  the removal of the Optionee as a Director for cause.

     5.5  Option Agreement.  Promptly after the grant of an Option, the Company
          and the Optionee shall execute an Option Agreement which incorporates
          the terms of this Plan and specifies: (i) the Option Price; (ii) the
          number of shares of Common Stock covered by the Option; and (iii) the
          other terms and conditions of the Option and its exercise consistent
          with the terms of this Plan.

6.   Manner of Exercise

     6.1  Manner.  To exercise an Option in whole or in part, the Optionee shall
          give written notice of exercise to the Secretary of the Company, which
          notice shall specify the number of shares as to which the Option is
          being exercised, accompanied by payment in full of the Option Price
          for such shares in cash.  Not less than 500 shares may be purchased at
          any one time unless the number purchased is the total number
          purchasable under the Option.

     6.2  Preconditions to Exercise.  An Option may not be exercised unless and
          until the Company has effected or obtained compliance with all laws
          and regulations applicable to the issuance of shares under the Option,
          including without limitation, federal and state tax and securities
          laws, to the Company's satisfaction.

7.   No Rights of Stockholder

     No Optionee shall have any of the rights of a stockholder with respect to
     the shares covered by his or her Option until such shares have been issued
     to him or her upon the due exercise of the Option.

8.   Non-Transferability of Options

     No Option shall be transferable otherwise than by will or the laws of
     descent and distribution.

9.   Stock Adjustment

                                      -4-


<PAGE>

     9.1  Recapitalization.  In the event of a stock split, stock dividend,
          reclassification, reorganization, or other capital adjustment of
          shares of Common Stock of the Company, the number of shares of Common
          Stock covered by each outstanding Option, and the Option Price per
          share for each such Option, shall be proportionately adjusted without
          any change in the aggregate Option Price.

     9.2  Merger, Consolidation, Liquidation, or Dissolution.  A merger or
          consolidation in which the Company is the successor and which does not
          result in any increase in the number of shares outstanding of Common
          Stock or any equity security convertible into Common Stock shall not
          affect the number of shares of Common  Stock subject to an Option or
          the Option Price.  If the Company sells all or substantially all of
          its assets, consolidates with another corporation, merges, or
          exchanges its shares in a transaction in which it is not the
          successor, or dissolves or liquidates, each outstanding Option shall
          terminate on the effective date of the sale, merger, consolidation,
          share exchange or dissolution, provided that each Optionee shall have
          the right immediately prior to such sale, consolidation, merger, share
          exchange, dissolution or liquidation to exercise his Option in whole
          or in part in accordance with the terms and conditions of this Plan.

     9.3  Limitation on Rights of Optionee.  Except as expressly provided in
          Section 9.1 or 9.2 hereof, an Optionee shall have no rights by reason
          of the issuance of (i) shares  of Common Stock of the Company pursuant
          to this Plan, (ii) shares of preferred stock or Common Stock, (iii)
          any other security convertible into Common Stock, (ie) or any other
          equity security, including issuance pursuant to a plan of merger,
          consolidation, or statutory share exchange, and no adjustment by
          reason thereof shall be made with respect to the number of shares of
          Common Stock subject to an Option or the Option Price.

     9.4  Rights of Company.  The grant of an Option pursuant to the Plan 
          shall not affect in any way the right or power of the Company to 
          make adjustments, reclassification, reorganizations or changes in 
          its capital or business structure or to participate in a merger, 
          consolidation, or share exchange with another corporation, or to 
          dissolve, liquidate or sell or transfer all or any part of its 
          business or assets.

10.  Term of Plan

     Options may be granted pursuant to the Plan from time to time on or after
     the Effective Date and until July 26, 1998.

11.  Amendment of the Plan

     The Board may amend, revise, suspend or discontinue the Plan, from time to
     time, but no amendment may be made without approval of the stockholders,
     unless such approval is not required to comply with Rule 16b-3 of the
     Securities Exchange Commission, or any successor provision.

                                      -5-


<PAGE>


12.  Withholding Taxes

     The Company shall have the right to deduct from any compensation or any
     other payment of any kind due Optionee the amount of any federal, state or
     local taxes required by law to be withheld as the result of the exercise of
     an Option.  In lieu of such deduction, the Company may require the Optionee
     to make a cash payment to the Company equal to the amount required to be
     withheld.  In the event the Optionee does not make such payment when
     requested, the Company may refuse to issue any stock certificate pursuant
     to the exercise of any Option until arrangements satisfactory to the
     Company for such payment have been made.

13.  Miscellaneous

     13.1 Gender.  As used herein the masculine gender shall include the
          feminine as the identity of an Optionee may require.

     13.2 Governing Law.  This Plan shall be governed by and construed in
          accordance with the internal substantive laws of the State of
          Maryland, without regard to its conflict of laws rules or principles.

     13.3 Headings.  The headings in this Plan are for reference purposes only
          and shall not affect the meaning or interpretation of the Plan.

     13.4 Notices.  All notices and other communications made or given 
          pursuant to the Plan shall be in writing and shall be sufficiently 
          made or given if hand delivered or mailed by certified mail, 
          addressed to the Optionee at the address contained in the records 
          of the Company, or to the Company at the principal office of the 
          Company.


                                        AMENDED AS OF AUGUST 6, 1996

                                   -6-



<PAGE>


                              ACE*COMM CORPORATION
                     AMENDED AND RESTATED OMNIBUS STOCK PLAN

1.   ESTABLISHMENT, PURPOSE AND TYPES OF AWARDS

   
     ACE*COMM CORPORATION hereby establishes the ACE*COMM CORPORATION AMENDED 
AND RESTATED OMNIBUS STOCK PLAN (the "Plan").  The purpose of the Plan is to 
promote the long-term growth and profitability of ACE*COMM CORPORATION (the 
"Corporation") by (i) providing key people with incentives to improve 
stockholder value and to contribute to the growth and financial success of 
the Corporation, and (ii) enabling the Corporation to attract, retain and 
reward the best available persons for positions of substantial responsibility.
    

     The Plan permits the granting of stock options (including nonqualified
stock options and incentive stock options qualifying under Section 422 of the
Code), stock appreciation rights (including free-standing, tandem and limited
stock appreciation rights), restricted or unrestricted stock awards, phantom
stock, performance awards, or any combination of the foregoing (collectively,
"Awards").

2.   DEFINITIONS

     Under this Plan, except where the context otherwise indicates, the
following definitions apply:

     (a)  "AWARD" shall mean any stock option, stock appreciation right, stock
award, phantom stock award, or performance award.

     (b)  "BOARD" shall mean the Board of Directors of the Corporation.

     (c)  "CHANGE IN CONTROL" shall mean (i) any sale, exchange or other
disposition of substantially all of the Corporation's assets; or (ii) any
merger, share exchange, consolidation or other reorganization or business
combination in which the Corporation is not the surviving or continuing
corporation, or in which the Corporation's stockholders become entitled to
receive cash, securities of the Corporation other than voting common stock, or
securities of another issuer.

     (d)  "CODE" shall mean the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended, and
any regulations issued thereunder.

     (e)  "COMMITTEE" shall mean the compensation committee of the Board;
provided, however, that in the event all the members of such compensation
committee do not constitute both "Non-Employee Directors" within the meaning of
Rule 16b-3 and "outside directors" within the meaning of Section 162(m) of the
Code, than the term "Committee" shall mean such other committee of two or more
Board members appointed by the Board to administer the Plan whose members do
constitute both "Non-Employee Directors" within the meaning of Rule 16b-3 and,
to the extent that Section 162(m) of the Code is applicable to Awards granted
under the Plan, "outside directors" within the meaning of Section 162(m) of the
Code.

     (f)  "COMMON STOCK" shall mean shares of common stock of the Corporation,
par value of $0.01 per share.

     (g)  "EXCHANGE ACT" shall mean the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as
amended.


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     (h)  "FAIR MARKET VALUE" of a share of the Corporation's Common Stock for
any purpose on a particular date shall be determined in a manner such as the
Committee shall in good faith determine to be appropriate; provided, however,
that if the Common Stock is publicly traded, then Fair Market Value shall mean
the last reported sale price per share of Common Stock, regular way, or, in case
no such sale takes place on such day, the average of the closing bid and asked
prices, regular way, in either case as reported in the principal consolidated
transaction reporting system with respect to securities listed or admitted to
trading on a national securities exchange or included for quotation on the
Nasdaq-National Market, or if the Common Stock is not so listed or admitted to
trading or included for quotation, the last quoted price, or if the Common Stock
is not so quoted, the average of the high bid and low asked prices, regular way,
in the over-the-counter market, as reported by the National Association of
Securities Dealers, Inc. Automated Quotation System or, if such system is no
longer in use, the principal other automated quotations system that may then be
in use or, if the Common Stock is not quoted by any such organization, the
average of the closing bid and asked prices, regular way, as furnished by a
professional market maker making a market in the Common Stock as selected in
good faith by the Committee or by such other source or sources as shall be
selected in good faith by the Committee; and provided further, that in the case
of incentive stock options, the determination of Fair Market Value shall be made
by the Committee in good faith in conformance with the Treasury Regulations
under Section 422 of the Code.  If, as the case may be, the relevant date is not
a trading day, the determination shall be made as of the next preceding trading
day.  As used herein, the term "trading day" shall mean a day on which public
trading of securities occurs and is reported in the principal consolidated
reporting system referred to above, or if the Common Stock is not listed or
admitted to trading on a national securities exchange or included for quotation
on the Nasdaq-National Market, any day other than a Saturday, a Sunday or a day
in which banking institutions in the State of New York are closed.

     (i)  "GRANT AGREEMENT" shall mean a written agreement between the
Corporation and a grantee memorializing the terms and conditions of an Award
granted pursuant to the Plan.

     (j)  "GRANT DATE" shall mean the date on which the Committee formally acts
to grant an Award to a grantee or such other date as the Committee shall so
designate at the time of taking such formal action.

     (k)  "PARENT" shall mean a corporation, whether now or hereafter existing,
within the meaning of the definition of "parent corporation" provided in Section
424(e) of the Code, or any successor thereto of similar import.

     (l)  "RULE 16B-3" shall mean Rule 16b-3 as in effect under the Exchange Act
on the effective date of the Plan, or any successor provision prescribing
conditions necessary to exempt the issuance of securities under the Plan (and
further transactions in such securities) from Section 16(b) of the Exchange Act.

     (m)  "SUBSIDIARY" AND "SUBSIDIARIES" shall mean only a corporation or
corporations, whether now or hereafter existing, within the meaning of the
definition of "subsidiary corporation" provided in Section 424(f) of the Code,
or any successor thereto of similar import.

3.   ADMINISTRATION


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     (a)  PROCEDURE.  The Plan shall be administered by the Committee.

          The Committee shall meet at such times and places and upon such notice
as it may determine.  A majority of the Committee shall constitute a quorum.
Any acts by the Committee may be taken at any meeting at which a quorum is
present and shall be by majority vote of those members entitled to vote.
Additionally, any acts reduced to writing or approved in writing by all of the
members of the Committee shall be valid acts of the Committee.

          Members of the Committee who are either eligible for Awards or have
been granted Awards may vote on any matters affecting the administration of the
Plan or the grant of Awards pursuant to the Plan, except that no such member
shall act upon the granting of an Award to himself or herself, but any such
member may be counted in determining the existence of a quorum at any meeting of
the Committee during which action is taken with respect to the granting of an
Award to him or her.

     (b)  POWERS OF THE COMMITTEE.  The Committee shall have all the powers
vested in it by the terms of the Plan, such powers to include authority, in its
sole and absolute discretion, to grant Awards under the Plan, prescribe Grant
Agreements evidencing such Awards and establish programs for granting Awards.
The Committee shall have full power and authority to take all other actions
necessary to carry out the purpose and intent of the Plan, including, but not
limited to, the authority to:

           (i)  determine the eligible persons to whom, and the time or
     times at which Awards shall be granted,

           (ii)  determine the types of Awards to be granted,

          (iii)  determine the number of shares to be covered by or used
     for reference purposes for each Award,

           (iv)  impose such terms, limitations, restrictions and
     conditions upon any such Award as the Committee shall deem
     appropriate,

           (v)  modify, extend or renew outstanding Awards, accept the
     surrender of outstanding Awards and substitute new Awards, provided
     that no such action shall be taken with respect to any outstanding
     Award which would adversely affect the grantee without the grantee's
     consent,

          (vi)  accelerate or otherwise change the time in which an Award
     may be exercised or becomes payable and to waive or accelerate the
     lapse, in whole or in part, of any restriction or condition with
     respect to such Award, including, but not limited to, any restriction
     or condition with respect to the vesting or exercisability of an Award
     following termination of any grantee's employment, and

          (vii)  to establish objectives and conditions, if any, for
     earning Awards and determining whether Awards will be paid after the
     end of a performance period.

The Committee shall have full power and authority to administer and interpret
the Plan and to adopt such rules, regulations, agreements, guidelines and
instruments for the administration of


                                       -3-

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the Plan and for the conduct of its business as the Committee deems necessary or
advisable and to interpret same, all within the Committee's sole and absolute
discretion.

     (d)  LIMITED LIABILITY.  To the maximum extent permitted by law, no member
of the Board or Committee shall be liable for any action taken or decision made
in good faith relating to the Plan or any Award thereunder.

     (e)  INDEMNIFICATION.  To the maximum extent permitted by law, the members
of the Board and Committee shall be indemnified by the Corporation in respect of
all their activities under the Plan.

     (f)  EFFECT OF COMMITTEE'S DECISION.  All actions taken and decisions and
determinations made by the Committee on all matters relating to the Plan
pursuant to the powers vested in it hereunder shall be in the Committee's sole
and absolute discretion and shall be conclusive and binding on all parties
concerned, including the Corporation, its stockholders, any participants in the
Plan and any other employee of the Corporation, and their respective successors
in interest.

4.   SHARES AVAILABLE FOR THE PLAN; MAXIMUM AWARDS

   
     Subject to adjustments as provided in Section 12 of the Plan, the shares of
stock that may be delivered or purchased or used for reference purposes (with
respect to stock appreciation rights, phantom stock units or performance awards
payable in cash) with respect to Awards granted under the Plan, including with
respect to incentive stock options intended to qualify under Section 422 of the
Code, shall not exceed an aggregate of 2,200,000 shares of Common Stock of the
Corporation.  The Corporation shall reserve said number of shares for Awards
under the Plan, subject to adjustments as provided in Section 12 of the Plan.
If any Award, or portion of an Award, under the Plan expires or terminates
unexercised, becomes unexercisable or is forfeited or otherwise terminated,
surrendered or canceled as to any shares without the delivery of shares of
Common Stock or other consideration, the shares subject to such Award shall
thereafter be shares with respect to which further Awards may be granted under
the Plan.
    

     The maximum number of shares of Common Stock subject to Awards of any
combination that may be granted during any one calendar year to any one
individual shall be limited to 500,000.  To the extent required by 
Section 162(m) of the Code and so long as Section 162(m) of the Code is 
applicable to persons eligible to participate in the Plan, shares of Common 
Stock subject to the foregoing limit with respect to which the related Award is 
terminated, surrendered or canceled shall not again be available for grant under
this limit.

5.   PARTICIPATION

   
     Participation in the Plan shall be open to all employees, of the
Corporation, or of any Parent or Subsidiary of the Corporation, as may be
selected by the Committee from time to time.  Notwithstanding the foregoing,
participation in the Plan with respect to Awards of incentive stock options
shall be limited to employees of the Corporation or of any Parent or Subsidiary
of the Corporation.
    

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     Awards may be granted to such eligible persons and for or with respect to
such number of shares of Common Stock as the Committee shall determine, subject
to the limitations in Section 4 of the Plan.  A grant of any type of Award made
in any one year to an eligible person shall neither guarantee nor preclude a
further grant of that or any other type of Award to such person in that year or
subsequent years.

6.   STOCK OPTIONS

     Subject to the other applicable provisions of the Plan, the Committee may
from time to time grant to eligible participants Awards of nonqualified stock
options or incentive stock options as that term is defined in Section 422 of the
Code.  The stock option Awards granted shall be subject to the following terms
and conditions.

     (a)  GRANT OF OPTION.  The grant of a stock option shall be evidenced by a
Grant Agreement, executed by the Corporation and the grantee, stating the number
of shares of Common Stock subject to the stock option evidenced thereby and the
terms and conditions of such stock option, in such form as the Committee may
from time to time determine.

     (b)  PRICE.  The price per share payable upon the exercise of each stock
option ("exercise price") shall be determined by the Committee; provided,
however, that in no event shall the exercise price be less than 100% of the Fair
Market Value of the shares on the date the stock option is granted.

     (c)  PAYMENT.  Stock options may be exercised in whole or in part by
payment of the exercise price of the shares to be acquired in accordance with
the provisions of the Grant Agreement, and/or such rules and regulations as the
Committee may have prescribed, and/or such determinations, orders, or decisions
as the Committee may have made.  Payment may be made in cash (or cash
equivalents acceptable to the Committee) or, unless otherwise determined by the
Committee, in shares of Common Stock or a combination of cash and shares of
Common Stock, or by such other means as the Committee may prescribe.  The Fair
Market Value of shares of Common Stock delivered on exercise of stock options
shall be determined as of the date of exercise.  Shares of Common Stock
delivered in payment of the exercise price may be previously owned shares or, if
approved by the Committee, shares acquired upon exercise of the stock option.
Any fractional share will be paid in cash.  The Corporation may make or
guarantee loans to grantees to assist grantees in exercising stock options.

     If the Common Stock is registered under Section 12(b) or 12(g) of the
Exchange Act, the Committee, subject to such limitations as it may determine,
may authorize payment of the exercise price, in whole or in part, by delivery of
a properly executed exercise notice, together with irrevocable instructions, to:
(i) a brokerage firm designated by the Corporation to deliver promptly to the
Corporation the aggregate amount of sale or loan proceeds to pay the exercise
price and any withholding tax obligations that may arise in connection with the
exercise, and (ii) the Corporation to deliver the certificates for such
purchased shares directly to such brokerage firm.

     (d)  TERMS OF OPTIONS.  The term during which each stock option may be
exercised shall be determined by the Committee; provided, however, that in no
event shall an incentive stock option be exercisable more than ten years from
the date it is granted.  Prior to the exercise of the stock option and delivery
of the shares certificates represented thereby, the grantee shall have none of
the rights of a stockholder with respect to any shares represented by an
outstanding stock option.


                                       -5-

<PAGE>

   
     (e)  RELOAD OPTIONS.  The terms of a stock option may provide for the 
automatic grant of a new stock option Award when the exercise price of the 
stock option and/or any related tax withholding obligation is paid by 
tendering shares of Common Stock.  Any stock option Award which would 
automatically be granted pursuant to this Section 6(e) without any further 
Committee action may be exercisable for not more than the number of shares 
tendered to exercise the initial stock option and/or to pay any tax 
withholding obligation related to such exercise, shall have an exercise price 
set at the then Fair Market Value of such shares, and shall have a term that 
does not extend beyond the term of the initial stock option.  The Committee 
may include such a reload feature in a stock option Award at the time of the 
initial grant of the Award or may add such a reload feature to an outstanding 
stock option Award as the Committee deems desirable; provided, however, that 
a reload feature shall not be added to any outstanding incentive stock option 
Award without the consent of the grantee.
    

     (f)  RESTRICTIONS ON INCENTIVE STOCK OPTIONS.  Incentive stock option
Awards granted under the Plan shall comply in all respects with Code Section 422
and, as such, shall meet the following additional requirements:

          (i)    GRANT DATE.  An incentive stock option must be granted within
     10 years of the earlier of the Plan's adoption by the Board of Directors or
     approval by the Corporation's shareholders.

          (ii)   EXERCISE PRICE AND TERM.  The exercise price of an incentive
     stock option shall not be less than 100% of the Fair Market Value of the
     shares on the date the stock option is granted.  Also, the exercise price
     of any incentive stock option granted to a grantee who owns (within the
     meaning of Section 422(b)(6) of the Code, after the application of the
     attribution rules in Section 424(d) of the Code) more than 10% of the total
     combined voting power of all classes of shares of the Corporation or its
     Parent or Subsidiary corporations (within the meaning of Sections 422 and
     424 of the Code) shall be not less than 110% of the Fair Market Value of
     the Common Stock on the grant date and the term of such stock option shall
     not exceed five years.

          (iii)  MAXIMUM GRANT.  The aggregate Fair Market Value (determined as
     of the Grant Date) of shares of Common Stock with respect to which all
     incentive stock options first become exercisable by any grantee in any
     calendar year under this or any other plan of the Corporation and its
     Parent and Subsidiary corporations may not exceed $100,000 or such other
     amount as may be permitted from time to time under Section 422 of the Code.
     To the extent that such aggregate Fair Market Value shall exceed $100,000,
     or other applicable amount, such stock options shall be treated as
     nonqualified stock options.  In such case, the Corporation may designate
     the shares of Common Stock that are to be treated as stock acquired
     pursuant to the exercise of an incentive stock option by issuing a separate
     certificate for such shares and identifying the certificate as incentive
     stock option shares in the stock transfer records of the Corporation.

          (iv)   GRANTEE.  Incentive stock options shall only be issued to
     employees of the Corporation, or of a Parent or Subsidiary of the
     Corporation.


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<PAGE>


          (v)    DESIGNATION.  No stock option shall be an incentive stock
     option unless so designated by the Committee at the time of grant or in the
     Grant Agreement evidencing such stock option.

     (g)  OTHER TERMS AND CONDITIONS.  Stock options may contain such other
provisions, not inconsistent with the provisions of the Plan, as the Committee
shall determine appropriate from time to time.

7.   STOCK APPRECIATION RIGHTS

     (a)  AWARD OF STOCK APPRECIATION RIGHTS.  Subject to the other applicable
provisions of the Plan, the Committee may at any time and from time to time
grant stock appreciation rights ("SARs") to eligible participants, either on a
free-standing basis (without regard to or in addition to the grant of a stock
option) or on a tandem basis (related to the grant of an underlying stock
option), as it determines.  SARs granted in tandem with or in addition to a
stock option may be granted either at the same time as the stock option or at a
later time; provided, however, that a tandem SAR shall not be granted with
respect to any outstanding incentive stock option Award without the consent of
the grantee.  SARs shall be evidenced by Grant Agreements, executed by the
Corporation and the grantee, stating the number of shares of Common Stock
subject to the SAR evidenced thereby and the terms and conditions of such SAR,
in such form as the Committee may from time to time determine. The term during
which each SAR may be exercised shall be determined by the Committee.  The
grantee shall have none of the rights of a stockholder with respect to any
shares of Common Stock represented by an SAR.

     (b)  RESTRICTIONS OF TANDEM SARS.  No incentive stock option may be
surrendered in connection with the exercise of a tandem SAR unless the Fair
Market Value of the Common Stock subject to the incentive stock option is
greater than the exercise price for such incentive stock option.  SARs granted
in tandem with stock options shall be exercisable only to the same extent and
subject to the same conditions as the stock options related thereto are
exercisable.  The Committee may, in its discretion, prescribe additional
conditions to the exercise of any such tandem SAR.

     (c)  AMOUNT OF PAYMENT UPON EXERCISE OF SARS.  An SAR shall entitle the
grantee to receive, subject to the provisions of the Plan and the Grant
Agreement, a payment having an aggregate value equal to the product of (i) the
excess of (A) the Fair Market Value on the exercise date of one share of Common
Stock over (B) the base price per share specified in the Grant Agreement (which
shall be determined by the Committee but which shall not be less than 100% of
the Fair Market Value of one share of Common Stock on the date of grant of the
SAR), times (ii) the number of shares specified by the SAR, or portion thereof,
which is exercised.  In the case of exercise of a tandem SAR, such payment shall
be made in exchange for the surrender of the unexercised related stock option
(or any portion or portions thereof which the grantee from time to time
determines to surrender for this purpose).

     (d)  FORM OF PAYMENT UPON EXERCISE OF SARS.  Payment by the Corporation of
the amount receivable upon any exercise of an SAR may be made by the delivery of
Common Stock or cash, or any combination of Common Stock and cash, as determined
in the sole discretion of the Committee from time to time.  If upon settlement
of the exercise of an SAR a grantee is to receive a portion of such payment in
shares of Common Stock, the number of shares shall be determined by dividing
such portion by the Fair Market Value of a share of Common Stock on the exercise
date.  No fractional shares shall be used for such payment and the Committee
shall


                                       -7-

<PAGE>


determine whether cash shall be given in lieu of such fractional shares or
whether such fractional shares shall be eliminated.

8.   STOCK AWARDS (INCLUDING RESTRICTED AND UNRESTRICTED SHARES AND PHANTOM
     STOCK)

     (a)  STOCK AWARDS, IN GENERAL.  Subject to the other applicable provisions
of the Plan, the Committee may at any time and from time to time grant stock
Awards to eligible participants in such amounts and for such consideration,
including no consideration or such minimum consideration as may be required by
law, as it determines.  A stock Award may be denominated in shares of Common
Stock or stock-equivalent units ("phantom stock"), and may be paid in Common
Stock, in cash, or in a combination of Common Stock and cash, as determined in
the sole discretion of the Committee from time to time.

     (b)  RESTRICTED SHARES.  Each stock Award shall specify the applicable
restrictions, if any, on such shares of Common Stock, the duration of such
restrictions, and the time or times at which such restrictions shall lapse with
respect to all or a specified number of shares of Common Stock that are part of
the Award.  Notwithstanding the foregoing, the Committee may reduce or shorten
the duration of any restriction applicable to any shares of Common Stock awarded
to any grantee under the Plan.  Share certificates with respect to restricted
shares of Common Stock granted pursuant to a stock Award may be issued at the
time of grant of the stock Award, subject to forfeiture if the restrictions do
not lapse, or upon lapse of the restrictions.  If share certificates are issued
at the time of grant of the stock Award, the certificates shall bear an
appropriate legend with respect to the restrictions applicable to such stock
Award or, alternatively, the grantee may be required to deposit the certificates
with the Corporation during the period of any restriction thereon and to execute
a blank stock power or other instrument of transfer therefor.  Except as
otherwise provided by the Committee, during such period of restriction following
issuance of share certificates, the grantee shall have all of the rights of a
holder of Common Stock, including but not limited to the rights to receive
dividends (or amounts equivalent to dividends) and to vote with respect to the
restricted shares.  If share certificates are issued upon lapse of restrictions
on a stock Award, the Committee may provide that the grantee will be entitled to
receive any amounts per share pursuant to any dividend or distribution paid by
the Corporation on its Common Stock to stockholders of record after grant of the
stock Award and prior to the issuance of the share certificates.

     (c)  PHANTOM STOCK.  The grant of phantom stock units shall be evidenced by
a Grant Agreement, executed by the Corporation and the grantee, that
incorporates the terms of the Plan and states the number of phantom stock units
evidenced thereby and the terms and conditions of such phantom stock units in
such form as the Committee may from time to time determine.  Phantom stock units
granted to a participant shall be credited to a bookkeeping reserve account
solely for accounting purposes and shall not require a segregation of any of the
Corporation's assets.  Phantom stock units may be exercised in whole or in part
by delivery of an appropriate exercise notice to the Committee in accordance
with the provisions of the Grant Agreement, and/or such rules and regulations as
the Committee may prescribe, and/or such determinations, orders, or decisions as
the Committee may make.  Except as otherwise provided in the applicable Grant
Agreement, the grantee shall have none of the rights of a stockholder with
respect to any shares of Common Stock represented by a phantom stock unit as a
result of the grant of a phantom stock unit to the grantee.  Phantom stock units
may contain such other provisions, not inconsistent with the provisions of the
Plan, as the Committee shall determine appropriate from time to time.


                                       -8-

<PAGE>


9.   PERFORMANCE AWARDS

     The Committee may in its discretion grant performance Awards which become
payable on account of attainment of one or more performance goals established by
the Committee.  Performance Awards may be paid by the delivery of Common Stock
or cash, or any combination of Common Stock and cash, as determined in the sole
discretion of the Committee from time to time.  Performance goals established by
the Committee may be based on the Corporation's operating income or one or more
other business criteria selected by the Committee that apply to an individual or
group of individuals, a business unit, or the Corporation as a whole, over such
performance period as the Committee may designate.  The Committee in its
discretion may recommend to the Board of Directors of the Corporation that the
material terms of any performance Award or program with respect to some or all
eligible participants be submitted for approval by the stockholders.

10.  WITHHOLDING OF TAXES

   
     The Corporation may require, as a condition to the grant of any Award under
the Plan or exercise pursuant to such Award or to the delivery of certificates
for shares issued or payments of cash to a grantee pursuant to the Plan or a
Grant Agreement (hereinafter collectively referred to as a "taxable event"),
that the grantee pay to the Corporation, in cash or, unless otherwise determined
by the Corporation, in shares of Common Stock, including shares acquired upon
grant of the Award or exercise of the Award, valued at Fair Market Value on the
date as of which the withholding tax liability is determined, any federal, state
or local taxes of any kind required by law to be withheld with respect to any
taxable event under the Plan.  The Corporation, to the extent permitted or 
required by law, shall have the right to deduct from any payment of any kind 
(including salary or bonus) otherwise due to a grantee any federal, state or 
local taxes of any kind required by law to be withheld with respect to any 
taxable event under the Plan, or to retain or sell without notice a 
sufficient number of the shares to be issued to such grantee to cover any 
such taxes.
    

11.  TRANSFERABILITY

   
     To the extent required to comply with Rule 16b-3, and in any event in 
the case of an incentive stock option or a stock appreciation right granted 
with respect to an incentive stock option, no Award granted under the Plan 
shall be transferable by a grantee otherwise than by will or the laws of 
descent and distribution.  The Committee shall have sole and absolute 
discretion to determine whether and to whom an Award granted under the Plan 
is transferable.  Unless otherwise determined by the Committee in accord with 
the provisions of this Section 11, an Award may be exercised during the 
lifetime of the grantee, only by the grantee or, during the period the 
grantee is under a legal disability, by the grantee's guardian or legal 
representative.
    

12.  ADJUSTMENTS; BUSINESS COMBINATIONS

     In the event of a reclassification, recapitalization, stock split, stock
dividend, combination of shares, or other similar event, the maximum number and
kind of shares reserved for issuance or with respect to which Awards may be
granted under the Plan as provided in Section 4 shall be adjusted to reflect
such event, and the Committee shall make such adjustments as it deems
appropriate and equitable in the number, kind and price of shares covered by


                                       -9-

<PAGE>


outstanding Awards made under the Plan, and in any other matters which relate to
Awards and which are affected by the changes in the Common Stock referred to
above.

     In the event of any proposed Change in Control, the Committee shall take
such action as it deems appropriate and equitable to effectuate the purposes of
this Plan and to protect the grantees of Awards, which action may include, but
without limitation, any one or more of the following:  (i) acceleration or
change of the exercise dates of any Award; (ii) arrangements with grantees for
the payment of appropriate consideration to them for the cancellation and
surrender of any Award; and (iii) in any case where equity securities other than
Common Stock of the Corporation are proposed to be delivered in exchange for or
with respect to Common Stock of the Corporation, arrangements providing that any
Award shall become one or more Awards with respect to such other equity
securities.

     The Committee is authorized to make adjustments in the terms and conditions
of, and the criteria included in, Awards in recognition of unusual or
nonrecurring events (including, without limitation, the events described in the
preceding two paragraphs of this Section 12) affecting the Corporation, or the
financial statements of the Corporation or any Subsidiary, or of changes in
applicable laws, regulations, or accounting principles, whenever the Committee
determines that such adjustments are appropriate in order to prevent dilution or
enlargement of the benefits or potential benefits intended to be made available
under the Plan.

     In the event the Corporation dissolves and liquidates (other than pursuant
to a plan of merger or reorganization), then notwithstanding any restrictions on
exercise set forth in this Plan or any Grant Agreement, or other agreement
evidencing a stock option, stock appreciation right or restricted stock Award:
(i) each grantee shall have the right to exercise his stock option or stock
appreciation right, or to require delivery of share certificates representing
any such restricted stock Award, at any time up to ten (10) days prior to the
effective date of such liquidation and dissolution; and (ii) the Committee may
make arrangements with the grantees for the payment of appropriate consideration
to them for the cancellation and surrender of any stock option, stock
appreciation right or restricted stock Award that is so canceled or surrendered
at any time up to ten (10) days prior to the effective date of such liquidation
and dissolution.  The Committee may establish a different period (and different
conditions) for such exercise, delivery, cancellation, or surrender to avoid
subjecting the grantee to liability under Section 16(b) of the Exchange Act.
Any stock option or stock appreciation right not so exercised, canceled, or
surrendered shall terminate on the last day for exercise prior to such effective
date; and any restricted stock as to which there has not been such delivery of
share certificates or that has not been so canceled or surrendered, shall be
forfeited on the last day prior to such effective date.

13.  TERMINATION AND MODIFICATION OF THE PLAN

   
     The Board, without further approval of the stockholders, may modify or 
terminate the Plan or any portion thereof at any time, except that no 
modification shall become effective without prior approval of the 
stockholders of the Corporation if stockholder approval is necessary to 
comply with any tax or regulatory requirement or rule of any exchange or 
Nasdaq System upon which the Common Stock is listed or quoted; including for 
this purpose stockholder approval that is required to enable the Committee to 
grant incentive stock options pursuant to the Plan.
    

     The Committee shall be authorized to make minor or administrative
modifications to the Plan as well as modifications to the Plan that may be
dictated by requirements of federal or state laws applicable to the Corporation
or that may be authorized or made desirable by such laws.


                                      -10-

<PAGE>


The Committee may amend or modify the grant of any outstanding Award in any
manner to the extent that the Committee would have had the authority to make
such Award as so modified or amended.

14.  NON-GUARANTEE OF EMPLOYMENT

     Nothing in the Plan or in any Grant Agreement thereunder shall confer any
right on an employee to continue in the employ of the Corporation or shall
interfere in any way with the right of the Corporation to terminate an employee
at any time.

15.  TERMINATION OF EMPLOYMENT

     For purposes of maintaining a grantee's continuous status as an employee
and accrual of rights under any Award, transfer of an employee among the
Corporation and the Corporation's Parent or Subsidiaries shall not be considered
a termination of employment.  Nor shall it be considered a termination of
employment for such purposes if an employee is placed on military or sick leave
or such other leave of absence which is considered as continuing intact the
employment relationship; in such a case, the employment relationship shall be
continued until the date when an employee's right to reemployment shall no
longer be guaranteed either by law or contract.

16.  WRITTEN AGREEMENT

     Each Grant Agreement entered into between the Corporation and a grantee
with respect to an Award granted under the Plan shall incorporate the terms of
this Plan and shall contain such provisions, consistent with the provisions of
the Plan, as may be established by the Committee.

17.  NON-UNIFORM DETERMINATIONS

     The Committee's determinations under the Plan (including without limitation
determinations of the persons to receive Awards, the form, amount and timing of
such Awards, the terms and provisions of such Awards and the agreements
evidencing same) need not be uniform and may be made by it selectively among
persons who receive, or are eligible to receive, Awards under the Plan, whether
or not such persons are similarly situated.

18.  COMPLIANCE WITH SECURITIES LAW

     Common Stock shall not be issued with respect to an Award granted under the
Plan unless the exercise of such Award and the issuance and delivery of share
certificates for such Common Stock pursuant thereto shall comply with all
relevant provisions of law, including, without limitation, the Securities Act of
1933, the Exchange Act, the rules and regulations promulgated thereunder, and
the requirements of any national securities exchange or Nasdaq System upon which
the Common Stock may then be listed or quoted, and shall be further subject to
the approval of counsel for the Corporation with respect to such compliance to
the extent such approval is sought by the Committee.  All certificates for
Common Stock delivered under the Plan pursuant to any Award or the exercise
thereof shall be subject to such stop transfer orders and other restrictions as
the Committee may deem advisable under the Plan or the rules, regulations, and
other requirements of the Securities and Exchange Commission, any stock exchange
or Nasdaq System upon which such securities are then listed or quoted, and any
applicable Federal or state laws, and the Committee may cause a legend or
legends to be put on any such certificates to make appropriate reference to such
restrictions.


                                      -11-

<PAGE>


19.  NO LIMIT ON OTHER COMPENSATION ARRANGEMENTS

     Nothing contained in the Plan shall prevent the Corporation or its Parent
or Subsidiary corporations from adopting or continuing in effect other
compensation arrangements (whether such arrangements be generally applicable or
applicable only in specific cases) as the Committee in its discretion determines
desirable, including without limitation the granting of stock options, stock
awards, stock appreciation rights or phantom stock units otherwise than under
the Plan.

20.  NO TRUST OR FUND CREATED

     Neither the Plan nor any Award shall create or be construed to create a
trust or separate fund of any kind or a fiduciary relationship between the
Corporation and a grantee or any other person.  To the extent that any grantee
or other person acquires a right to receive payments from the Corporation
pursuant to an Award, such right shall be no greater than the right of any
unsecured general creditor of the Corporation.

21.  GOVERNING LAW

     The validity, construction and effect of the Plan, of Grant Agreements
entered into pursuant to the Plan, and of any rules, regulations, determinations
or decisions made by the Board or Committee relating to the Plan or such Grant
Agreements, and the rights of any and all persons having or claiming to have any
interest therein or thereunder, shall be determined exclusively in accordance
with applicable federal laws and the laws of the State of Maryland, without
regard to its conflict of laws rules and principles.

22.  PLAN SUBJECT TO CHARTER AND BY-LAWS

     This Plan is subject to the Charter and By-Laws of the Corporation, as they
may be amended from time to time.

23.  EFFECTIVE DATE; TERMINATION DATE

     The Plan is effective as of the date on which the Plan is adopted by the
Board, subject to approval of the stockholders within twelve months before or
after such date.  No Award shall be granted under the Plan after the close of
business on the day immediately preceding the tenth anniversary of the effective
date of the Plan.  Subject to other applicable provisions of the Plan, all
Awards made under the Plan prior to such termination of the Plan shall remain in
effect until such Awards have been satisfied or terminated in accordance with
the Plan and the terms of such Awards.

   
Approved by the Board and Stockholders as of August 5, 1996.
    



                                      -12-

<PAGE>
EXHIBIT 11.1
 
                              ACE*COMM CORPORATION
                  COMPUTATION OF PRO FORMA EARNINGS PER SHARE
              UNDER TREASURY STOCK METHOD SET FORTH IN APB NO. 15
 
   
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
                                                                                        YEAR ENDED JUNE 30, 1996
                                                                                      ----------------------------
                                                                                         PRIMARY     FULLY-DILUTED
                                                                                      -------------  -------------
<S>                                                                                   <C>            <C>
SHARES (1)
Average outstanding during the year.................................................      3,274,745      3,274,745
Add: Incremental shares under stock compensation and stock purchase plans (2).......      1,044,503      1,168,660
Add: Incremental shares due to automatic conversion of Mandatorily Redeemable Series
 C Preferred Stock (3)..............................................................      1,530,950      1,530,950
                                                                                      -------------  -------------
Number of shares on which published earnings per share
 is based...........................................................................      5,850,198      5,974,355
                                                                                      -------------  -------------
                                                                                      -------------  -------------
EARNINGS
Net income applicable to common stockholders........................................  $   1,059,656  $   1,059,656
                                                                                      -------------  -------------
                                                                                      -------------  -------------
Pro forma income per share (4)......................................................      $0.18          $0.18
                                                                                      -------------  -------------
                                                                                      -------------  -------------
</TABLE>
    
 
- ------------------------
(1) All share amounts give effect to the proposed 4.5 for 1 stock split effected
    in the form of a stock dividend.
 
   
(2)  Incremental shares include the exercise of options under the treasury stock
    method when dilutive in a particular period. In addition, incremental shares
    include stock exercised and options granted in the year preceding the filing
    using the anticipated offer price of $9.00 in accordance with SAB 83.
    
 
(3) To give  pro forma effect  to the conversion  of the Mandatorily  Redeemable
    Series  C  Preferred Stock  which will  automatically  convert to  shares of
    Common Stock upon the initial public offering.
 
(4) There  is  a less  than  3%  difference between  primary  and  fully-diluted
    earnings  per  share.  Therefore,  only  one  EPS  figure  is  presented  in
    accordance with APB 15.

<PAGE>


                                                                 EXHIBIT 23.1


                      CONSENT OF INDEPENDENT ACCOUNTANTS

   
We hereby consent to the use in the Prospectus constituting part of this 
Registration Statement on Form S-1 of our report dated July 17, 1996, except 
as to Note 11 which is as of August 5, 1996, relating to the financial 
statements of ACE*COMM Corporation, which appears in such Prospectus. We also 
consent to the references to us under the headings "Experts" and "Selected 
Financial Data" in such Prospectus. However, it should be noted that Price 
Waterhouse LLP has not prepared or certified such "Selected Financial Data."
    



PRICE WATERHOUSE LLP

   
Washington, D.C.
August 12, 1996
    




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