New AT&T Global IP Telephony Interoperability Lab Opens
Ten Companies Sign Up
FLORHAM PARK, N.J.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Feb. 18, 1999--AT&T today announced that three service providers and seven network equipment manufacturers will be the first participants in the AT&T Global IP Telephony Interoperability Lab. This industry test bed will promote consistent implementation of standards for global IP telephony and other advanced IP services. AT&T Labs will host the effort at its East and West Coast locations - in Florham Park, N.J., near the company's headquarters, and in San Jose in California's Silicon Valley - to enable more companies to participate.
The service providers working with the lab - in addition to AT&T -- are Delta Three, GRIC and @Home. The participating network equipment providers are Cisco Systems, Clarent, Ericsson, Lucent Technologies, Siemens, 3COM and VocalTec.
''Next-generation IP services must be as reliable and must work together as well as the telephone network we've built over the past 100 years,'' said David C. Nagel, AT&T Labs president and chief technology officer for AT&T. ''We're looking forward to working with many of the players in the global IP telephony industry to make that a reality.''
''Clearly AT&T's Interoperability Lab has struck a responsive chord. Many of the top players in the industry have joined us in taking a leadership role to solve the issues surrounding interoperablity,'' said Kathleen B. Earley, vice president, AT&T Internet Services. ''We'll be addressing a wide range of issues, right down to the technical nuts and bolts of exchanging billing information, and making certain that companies' network management tools interoperate effectively.''
The Interoperability Lab is housed in AT&T Labs facilities where experts test telecommunications equipment before deployment in AT&T's network. Each participant is installing its IP telephony products. A variety of wired and wireless transmission media is being used to simulate several real-world network environments, including a home, a home office, an office complex and a community. The phones and computers of the hundreds of employees throughout the Florham Park facility are being connected to the lab and will serve as part of the test bed. Integration with AT&T's IP platform lab in San Jose will allow testing of the entire spectrum of IP capabilities, including the ability to make settlements among a group of IP service providers.
Interoperablity Lab participants will team to develop and implement joint test plans and evaluate results, to further the evolution of products and services toward full realization of the potential of IP telephony.
For more information about AT&T's IP Services, go to att.com, or to att.com for information about AT&T Labs.
Comments from participating companies.
''Clarent fully supports the opening of AT&T's interoperability lab. The lab demonstrates AT&T's continued leadership in promoting the rapid growth of IP Telephony,'' said Jerry Chang, president and CEO, Clarent Corporation. ''Clarent is also very supportive of Internet telephony activities and is honored to be a charter participant in AT&T's interop lab.'' Contact Heidi Bersin 650-481-1707
''This is an industry milestone,'' said Elie Wurtman, CEO of Delta Three. ''AT&T's ability to bring many of the top VOIP players into their interoperability test lab is a vote of confidence for the entire VOIP industry. Delta Three is extremely pleased to be one of the participating service providers.'' Contact Farah Hain 212-588-3672
''Ericsson believes interoperability and innovation are the cornerstones of growth for global network providers,'' said Staffan Lindholm, Ericsson's general manager of IP Services at Data Networks. ''As a vendor intimately involved with wireless, wireline and data solutions, we are excited that AT&T's lab provides an incubator for real-life advanced IP telephony offerings to the marketplace.'' Contact Barbara Boyle 972-583-5481
''Interoperability between ISPs, carriers and other service providers is a key issue affecting the growth of Internet telephony,'' said Dr. Hong Chen, chairman and chief executive officer of GRIC Communications, Inc. ''Working closely with AT&T's Interoperability Lab will accelerate the availability of new value-added services that interoperate with the industry.'' Contact Jon Porter 408-965-1162
''Our VoIP customers are demanding multi-vendor interoperable solutions,'' said Chris Schoettle, vice president of IP Communications, Lucent Technologies. ''As a leader in delivering on 'ready-to-go' interoperable VoIP products, we are delighted to participate in AT&T's Global IP Telephony Interoperability Lab.'' Contact Steve Loudermilk 908-953-7514
''The success of IP telephony depends on addressing key issues like interoperability. Siemens applauds AT&T's leadership and believes that the interoperability lab will help maximize the long term value of IP-based communications. With our global reach and solutions-oriented approach, Siemens is pleased to be working with AT&T in this important effort,'' said Chuck Harris, Vice President and General Manager of Siemens Internet Solutions group. Contact Thomas Phillips 561-955-3670
''Interoperability is key to making IP telephony a reality,'' said Irfan Ali, vice president and general manager, Carrier Systems Business Unit, 3Com Corporation. ''3Com welcomes the opportunity to join with AT&T in its Global IP Telephony Interoperabilty Lab. Through this effort, 3Com and AT&T will work together to advance end-to-end network connectivity and interoperability as customers implement IP telephony and other converged network solutions.'' Contact Steven Plavney 847-262-1329
''VocalTec considers interoperability one of the foremost challenges facing the delivery of reliable, global Internet telephony services,'' said Dr. Elon Ganor, chairman at VocalTec Communications. ''AT&T deserves credit for creating an objective means for evaluating real-world VoIP solutions. VocalTec has long dedicated resources to developing standards-based, interoperable products and we are glad to join other leading technology companies, carriers and ISPs in this cooperative effort.'' Contact Jo Lee 201-768-9400 x 211
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