NEW ORLEANS--(BUSINESS WIRE)--June 3, 1997--U.S. Robotics
(NASDAQ:USRX) and Siemens Stromberg-Carlson's Internet Solutions
Business Unit today announced that they have initiated a letter of
intent to develop Voice over IP services, thus enabling voice
services to be carried over the Internet and extranets.
The companies will team to provide complete solutions to
customers looking to expand their Internet service offering or enter
the Internet market for the first time. Target customers will
include telecom service providers (both local and long-distance),
Internet service providers and cable television operators. This
"one-stop shopping" approach includes pre-packaged hardware/software
solutions as well as installation and integration services allowing
customers to not only offer Internet telephony, but also expand the
range of related services they provide over the Internet.
U.S. Robotics' flexible, software-based Total Control remote
access server will be the basis of joint developments between U.S.
Robotics and Siemens for Voice over IP services. Siemens will add
call-processing features on a jointly developed software platform to
allow Internet service providers to accept voice and data calls over
the same physical circuits, leveraging their existing infrastructure
and expanding their business model to include a variety of voice
services over the Internet.
"More and more people are turning to the Internet for a wider
range of services -- such as e-mail, fax, telephony and video," said
Chuck Harris, vice president of Siemens Internet Solutions. "U.S.
Robotics, as a leading provider of remote access worldwide, is an
ideal choice for us to help our customers ensure long-term success in
this market. U.S. Robotics products provide excellent scalability
for applications such as Internet telephony. Their software-based
architecture provides our global customers an unprecedented amount of
flexibility in adding new features as the market evolves."
"Siemens is an ideal partner for us," said Ross Manire, senior
vice president and general manager of U.S. Robotics' Network Systems
Division. "Their worldwide leadership, and their understanding of
voice services, will help us expand our presence in this market.
"This relationship is particularly beneficial for telcos and
customers," added Manire. "As the primary supplier of remote access
equipment, we're very pleased to collaborate with Siemens to deliver
new carrier-class solutions. Our Total Control remote access
server's flexible, software-based design protects customers'
investments in their infrastructure, allowing them to easily add new
capabilities such as voice services without adding new equipment."
Siemens' extensive worldwide experience in deploying
high-availability switching systems, along with world-class customer
service, will provide U.S. Robotics a significant advantage as it
continues to expand the capabilities of its Total Control remote
access platform. U.S. Robotics' remote access equipment has become
the de facto standard in the high-end Internet access market. The
company holds the leading market share in access concentrators
worldwide.
The Siemens Internet Solutions Business Unit has worldwide
responsibility for Internet products and applications for companies
providing public telecommunications services, bringing to bear the
full strength of Siemens' innovation and market know-how. This
includes ISP infrastructure, systems integration services,
applications development, and customer support and marketing support
services.
Siemens Stromberg-Carlson, headquartered in Boca Raton, is a
leading provider of telecommunications equipment to the public
network service providers in North America. The company designs and
manufactures digital central office switching equipment, broadband
switching systems, wireless solutions, end-to-end multimedia
solutions, Internet solutions, telecommunications network management
products, customer premise equipment and transmission products.
Siemens Stromberg-Carlson is a subsidiary of Siemens AG, which has
annual revenues of $63.6 billion (FY 95-96) and has operations in
190 countries. Home page: ssc.siemens.com . Internet
Solutions Business Unit home page is internet.siemens.com
U.S. Robotics is one of the world's leading suppliers of
products and systems that provide access to information. The company
designs, manufactures, markets and supports remote access servers and
concentrators, enterprise communications systems, desktop/mobile
client products and modems, and telephony products that connect
computers and other equipment over analog, digital and switched
cellular networks, enabling users to gain access to, manage and share
data, fax, voice and multimedia information. Its customers include
Internet service providers, regional Bell operating companies,
inter-exchange carriers and a wide range of other large and small
businesses, institutions and individuals. |
