|
Ascend Announces Selectools Software Solution to help ISPs Add New Customers Quickly and Easily
Business Wire - May 27, 1997 08:58
FINANCIAL ASCEND-COMMUNICATIONS ASND CALIFORNIA COMPUTERS ELECTRONICS COMED TELECOMMUNICATIONS INTERACTIVE MULTIMEDIA INTERNET PRODUCT V%BW P%BW
AlAMEDA, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--May 27, 1997--Ascend Communications, Inc., (NASDAQ:ASND) today announced Selectools, a software solution that enables small- and moderate-sized Internet Service Providers (ISPs) to give new customers everything they need to start accessing dial-up and Internet services quickly and easily. Selectools, which works across the entire Ascend MAX family of high-performance WAN access switches, solves the engineering, production, and support challenges ISPs face when adding new dial-up customers.
Selectools consists of several components, including CD-ROMs or floppy disks loaded with installation software, printed documentation, and a software option that allows ISPs to enable Selectools in their existing MAX products. New MAX products are delivered with Selectools enabled.
"Selectools solves one of the major challenges faced by small- and moderate-sized ISPs; how to get their dial-access customers up and running on their networks quickly and easily," said David Saunders, product manager, client software group at Ascend. "These ISPs typically don't have the technical resources or the budget to create and produce high-quality installation software. As a result, ISPs spend a great deal of time fielding calls from customers who can't make the installation work."
Reliable, Easy to Install
Selectools installation software, which can be distributed as-is to end users, includes cost-effective, reliable communication software such as Microsoft Internet Explorer and Eudora Lite. Selectools provides a single, uniform solution for all client operating systems, including Windows 3.1, Windows 95, Windows NT 4.0, and Macintosh. Both CD-ROM and floppy disk media are available to support all platforms.
A Wizard-like installer guides dial-up customers through the installation process, reducing the potential for error and reducing the number of customer service calls. When installation is complete, the customer can immediately start using the ISP's services. Selectools printed documentation, which includes a quick-start installation card, provides the customer with basic usage instructions for all Selectools software components.
Selectools can be distributed as-is to end user customers or the distribution media can be customized. An ISP customization utility is included to help ISPs increase their competitive advantage by creating a "private label" installation disk. The utility guides ISPs through the process of creating customized files for ISP-specific network configuration material and private branding items. The custom disk is automatically recognized by the Selectools installer.
Availability and Pricing
Selectools is available immediately in North America. The Selectools software option to enable Selectools in existing MAX products is priced at $1000 and for existing MAX TNTs, Selectools is priced at $5,000. CD-ROM and floppy disks can be purchased for distribution to customers for $300 per 100 units and the documentation set is priced at $450 per 100 units. Selectools will be available internationally in Q3, 1997 and will be priced on a regional basis.
About Ascend Communications
Ascend Communications, Inc. is a leading worldwide provider of remote networking solutions for corporate central sites, Internet Service Providers' points of presence, remote offices, mobile workers and telecommuters. Ascend develops, manufactures, markets, sells and supports products that utilize bandwidth on demand to extend existing corporate networks for applications such as remote LAN access, Internet access, telecommuting, SOHO connectivity and videoconferencing/multimedia access. Detailed information on Ascend products, news announcements, seminars, service and support is available on Ascend's home page at the World Wide Web site ascend.com .
Ascend is headquartered at One Ascend Plaza, 1701 Harbor Bay Parkway, Alameda, California 94502. Phone: 800/ASCEND4; Fax 510/814-2300: E-mail: info@ascend.com.
NOTE TO EDITORS: All product names are trademarks of their respective companies.
CONTACT: Gallagher PR
Shannon Malliet, 510/747-2254
smalliet@ascend.com
REPEATS: New York 212-752-9600 or 800-221-2462; Boston 617-236-4266 or
800-225-2030; SF 415-986-4422 or 800-227-0845; LA 310-820-9473
Today's News On The Net - Business Wire's full file on the Internet
with Hyperlinks to your home page.
URL: businesswire.com
|
