MultiMedia Access Corporation and NEC America Announce Alliance; NEC America to Integrate and Distribute MultiMedia's 'Video PBX' System
DALLAS, Oct. 14 /PRNewswire/ -- MultiMedia Access Corporation (Nasdaq:MMAC) and NEC America, Inc. today announced that the firms have formed a strategic alliance to develop and market high-quality enterprise video communications systems to major businesses and institutions worldwide.
The companies will integrate MMAC's Viewpoint VBX(TM) video switch with NEC's NEAX(TM) private branch exchange (PBX), NEC's VideoWorks(TM) video codecs and NEC's NETNEX(TM) asynchronous transfer mode (ATM) wide-area- networking systems to create a new family of enterprise video and multimedia communications solutions for videoconferencing, telemedicine, distance learning, criminal justice and surveillance. The combination of MMAC's VBX integrated with NEC's PBX's and ATM products will provide an integrated voice, video and data solution.
Under terms of the Agreement, MMAC's Viewpoint VBX will be distributed through NEC America's existing telephony, video and communications channels effective immediately. MMAC believes this joint business opportunity could produce revenues of more than $30 million over the next 3 to 5 years.
''Many businesses are not realizing the benefits of desktop video communications, because they have been told that they will have to sacrifice quality to afford it. Until now, reasonably priced TV-quality video was merely a dream,'' said Tom Burger, associate senior vice president, NEC America Corporate Networks Group. ''By combining NEC's vast communications experience and global distribution capabilities with MMAC's networked video systems and technology, we will be able to offer our customers advanced, yet economical, enterprise-wide solutions for high-quality video, voice and data communications.''
The companies plan to offer other enhancements to the VBX video communications system, including support for evolving digital communications standards, MPEG quality video over ATM, H.323 for packet video over local area networks and H.324 for modem-based dial-up service. Additionally, new product capabilities are planned which will incorporate MMAC's Internet & intranet video streaming technology.
''NEC represents a partner with strong distribution, advanced communications technology and a leadership position in the PBX and CTI technology, which also has made an investment in the video industry,'' said Phil Colquhoun, president, MMAC. ''NEC's reputation for meeting business needs with innovative solutions led us to crystallize the relationship,'' added Colquhoun.
The desktop video communications market segment is growing at almost twice the speed of the rollabout or room systems segment and should outperform all other segments in the year 2002 according to Frost & Sullivan.
Traditionally, video communications has been an expensive and cumbersome option because a video codec has been required at every desktop. Today, businesses can install enterprise video systems which shares costly codec and ISDN connections, and for the user, are as seamless and easy to use as the office telephone.
About NEC America, Inc. (NEC)
NEC America, Inc., an affiliate of NEC Corporation (Nasdaq:NIPNY), develops, manufactures and markets a complete line of advanced communications products and software for public and private networks, including digital key telephone and PBX systems, ATM switching systems, PCS equipment, cellular telephones, pagers, facsimile equipment, videoconferencing equipment, fiber optic transmission systems, data communications products, digital microwave radio, satellite communications and network management systems. NEC Corporation and its affiliates worldwide are a $40 billion global leader which has 152,000 employees who are dedicated to providing leading-edge computer, communications and semiconductor products and services.
About MultiMedia Access Corporation (MMAC)
MultiMedia Access Corporation (Nasdaq:MMAC) develops, manufactures and markets advanced video communications products for personal computers and workstations, high-quality video distribution & switching systems for office buildings and campuses. Applications include videoconferencing, video-based training, surveillance, distance learning, telemedicine and Internet & intranet video communications. MMAC's standards-based, videocom products and systems are available from leading resellers, system integrators, OEMs and custom application developers worldwide. Additional information is available on MMAC's web site at www.mmac.com . |
