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Internet Users Across North America Rest Easy-For the First Time, You Can
Answer Calls While On-line!
InfoInterActive's ICM 2000 Lets Internet Users Stay On-line and Stay in
Touch Affordably
NEW YORK, June 27 /CNW/ - It's a dilemma faced by Internet users
everywhere - how to stay on-line and still receive phone calls. The solution
is both easy and affordable thanks to Internet Call Manager from
InfoInterActive Inc. (Nasdaq: IIAA, TSE: IIA), the leader in the rapidly
growing field of Internet call waiting. And today, the solution just got a
whole lot better as InfoInterActive launched Internet Call Manager 2000, the
first Internet call waiting service to give Internet users throughout the
United States and Canada six ways to handle incoming calls-including the
ability to answer and transfer them-while they're on-line.
This significant advancement is yet another first for the industry
leader. In 1997, InfoInterActive introduced its patented Internet call
waiting product. Since then it has handled more than 50 million calls that
otherwise would not have reached their destination.
"ICM 2000 is our most powerful ICM service to date," said Bill McMullin,
chairman and CEO of InfoInterActive. "We've incorporated valuable customer
feedback to build and deliver the most compelling Internet call waiting
product on the market, and we're pleased to be the only service to offer
North American consumers the ability to instantly answer and transfer calls
while on-line."
McMullin made his remarks at a news conference unveiling ICM 2000 today.
Also at the news conference was Samuel A. Simon, chairman of the
Telecommunications Research and Action Center, whose group released a
consumer guide to Internet call management, explaining choices in the
marketplace to help consumers choose the right product for their needs.
Enabling Internet users to manage calls as they happen is one of
Internet Call Manager's key benefits.
"The most compelling Internet call waiting solutions now offer some
real-time communications features, which allow on-line users to integrate
more of their daily activities with the Internet," said Dana Thorat, senior
analyst with IDC, a leading information technology research and analyst
group. IDC forecasts that 21.6 million households will be subscribing to
Internet call waiting services like ICM by 2003, generating $399 million in
service revenue.
How does ICM 2000 work?
When a call comes in while a customer is on-line, ICM instantly notifies
the subscriber of the call with a ringing sound and a pop-up window
displaying the caller's name, number, city and state/province. With the
click of a mouse, the customer can choose how to handle to the call in one
of six ways.
Call Management Features:
- Voice mail: Customers can send calls to voice mail and retrieve
messages while on-line from private voice mail Web pages.
- Play message: Customers can play a caller one of several personally
recorded messages. With ICM 2000, customers can record up to six messages
for play back to callers.
- Ignore: A great privacy feature, ignore plays callers a ringing sound,
allowing users to surf uninterrupted and unbeknownst to callers.
- Answer: ICM automatically disconnects the user from the Internet and
puts the caller directly through to the called number. Users can answer
calls made from anywhere in the world.
- Transfer: users can transfer calls to any phone number in the United
States or Canada. Calls can even be transferred to a cell phone, allowing
users to continue their Internet session and take the call.
- Open Door: Users living in buildings with telephone-based entry
systems can "buzz" visitors in without disconnecting from the Internet.
"I've been using Internet Call Manager for over a year and am very
pleased with its dependability and performance," said Charles Burwick of
Missouri. "ICM allows me to operate from home with only one phone line and
not be concerned about missing important calls. I'm excited about the new
features that will give me the ability to answer a phone call immediately or
transfer a call to my cell phone. InfoInterActive continues to demonstrate
it is a very creative high tech company dedicated to meeting the needs of
consumers like myself."
In addition to its rich call management functions, ICM 2000 provides a
number of other features including:
- AutoActions: Handy automatic actions that can be set up for frequent
callers so their calls are handled immediately and in the same way every
time. This feature can also be used to apply the same action to all incoming
calls.
- Caller nicknames: User-assigned nicknames for frequent callers so that
users can quickly and easily identify callers.
- Greetings: ICM comes with two pre-recorded system greetings-"I'll call
you back" and "You call me back." Customers can re-record these greetings in
their own voice. They can also record and label four additional greetings to
play to callers.
- Web-based voice mail: Callers can leave a brief message that customers
can access from their personal Web voice mailboxes using any Internet
connection.
- Message waiting button: Notifies users of the number of new voice mail
messages they have. Users can click on the button to display their Web voice
mailbox.
- Call log: Displays the date, time and caller's name, phone number,
city and state/province for the last 200 calls handled by ICM. It also shows
the call management action taken for each call.
Easy to install and easy to use, ICM appeals to many types of Internet
subscribers, from casual home users of all ages to busy small office or home
office professionals. Its increased call management features and flexibility
make it the perfect service for homes or offices with multiple users.
Available immediately to new customers throughout the United States and
Canada, ICM 2000 offers a free, no-obligation eight-call trial. Consumers
who want to learn more or sign up for the free trial should visit
www.geticm2000.com.
Internet Call Manager is the complete solution for managing calls while
on-line. Starting at $4.95/month, it is a cost-effective alternative to
installing a second phone line or high-speed Internet connection. ICM 2000
does not require Caller ID or Call Waiting from a telephone company. It
works with any Web browser and with any Internet service provider including
AOL.
About InfoInterActive Inc.
InfoInterActive develops and deploys network-based enhanced services
combining telephone, Internet and wireless technologies. Its Internet call
management services are helping Internet users surf with comfort and
security knowing that they're always accessible. The company markets its
services through distribution and service provider partners, which include
telecommunications companies, Internet service providers and original
equipment manufacturers worldwide. It also markets its services directly to
end-users. The company holds patents in the United States, Canada, Australia
and Singapore for its Internet Call Manager technology, and has patents
pending in 24 other countries. See www.infointeractive.com for further
details.
This report may contain certain forward-looking statements that relate
to future events or future business and financial performance. Such
statements can only be predictions and the actual events or results may
differ from those discussed. The company cautions that these statements are
subject to important factors that could cause actual results to differ
materially from those expressed or implied in such forward-looking
statements and are more fully discussed in periodic reports filed with
Securities and Exchange Commission.
%SEDAR: 00002869E
-0- 06/27/2000
For further information: Elaine Benoit, Marketing Communications Specialist,
InfoInterActive Inc., Tel (902) 832-3614, E-mail elaine@infointeractive.com;
Kristin Martell, Optimum Public Relations, Tel (703) 847-0303, Email
kmartell@cossette.com; For investor inquiries, contact: InfoInterActive
Investor Relations, Tel (902) 832-9148, E-mail investor@infointeractive.com |
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