Ascend and Open Port Strengthen Alliance [IP fax]
PR Newswire - August 18, 1998 12:50
Companies Collaborate on Integrated Real-Time, Store-and-Forward
IP Fax
CHICAGO, Aug. 18 /PRNewswire/ -- Today, Open Port
Technology(R) Inc. and Ascend Communications Inc. (Nasdaq: ASND)
announced an integrated real-time with store-and-forward IP fax
solution for Ascend's MAX and MAX TNT(TM) remote access
concentrators. Trials targeted at Internet service providers (ISPs) and
carriers will begin later this year. Today's announcement extends a
strategic alliance that resulted in UUNET Technologies' UUFax
service(SM), a global carrier-class IP faxing solution.
As part of an extension of the original alliance, Ascend will license
software protocols from Open Port to allow the MAX TNT(TM)
remote access concentrators to interoperate with Open Port's IP fax
software. Also planned is a joint marketing and sales campaign to sell
the integrated solution to Ascend's installed base of service providers.
Open Port and Ascend pioneered the IP fax industry in 1997 by
entering into an agreement with UUNET (Nasdaq: WCOM) to develop
UUFax, which offers businesses and service providers, a global
store-and-forward fax service over existing MAX TNT-based
infrastructures. UUFax, which utilizes Open Port Harmony(R) software
running on the Ascend concentrators, is currently available.
The Open Port Harmony store-and-forward solution for Ascend's
MAX TNT is available today through a simple software upgrade from
Ascend. The upgrade allows network service providers to immediately
deploy store-and-forward Internet faxing capabilities, such as broadcast
fax and never-busy fax using Open Port's patented least cost routing,
which can reduce costs of faxing by 30-70 percent.
"By collaborating on an integrated real-time with store-and-forward fax
solution, Open Port and Ascend are once again responding to market
demands for IP faxing that provides PSTN-like quality with
unprecedented control over customer service levels," said Randy Storch,
chairman and CEO of Open Port. "Open Port and Ascend are
partnering to provide advanced IP solutions for our joint customers."
"The integrated real-time with store-and-forward fax solution supports
existing data and telecommunications industry standards and allows our
MAX TNT remote access devices to interoperate seamlessly with Open
Port-enabled backbone networks," said Roger Boyce, vice president
and general manager, Ascend's Enterprise Access Business Unit.
"Service providers will appreciate how easy it is to deploy this solution
without altering their existing infrastructure".
According to International Data Corp. and Dataquest, in the $117 billion
fax market, it is estimated that faxing comprises 50 per cent of all
international phone traffic. Traditional fax revenues are shifting to the IP
network provider, and translate into significant cost-benefits to
consumers. Internet fax revenues are anticipated to grow from $150
million in 1998 to as much as $13 billion by the year 2001. Industry
analysts predict that companies can save 30-50 percent by faxing over
the Internet. Adding an Open Port least cost routing system to that
equation can add even more to the savings.
Ascend Communications Inc.
Ascend Communications Inc. develops, manufactures, sells and services
wide area networking solutions for telecommunications carriers, Internet
service providers and corporate customers worldwide. For more
information about Ascend and its products, please visit the Ascend web
site at ascend.com. Ascend is headquartered at One Ascend
Plaza, 1701 Harbor Bay Parkway, Alameda, Calif. 94502; phone is
800-ASCEND4 and fax is 510-814-2300.
Open Port Technology Inc.
Founded in 1993, Open Port Technology Inc. is a privately held,
international company which offers innovative and proven Internet
telephony software solutions. Open Port has deployed global IP
messaging services for customers such as GRIC Communications Inc.,
Motorola, Southwestern Bell, and UUNET. Recently, Microsoft(R)
Corp. entered into a strategic relationship with Open Port to accelerate
the delivery of IP-Fax solutions and other IP messaging to companies
using Microsoft Windows NT Server-based products. Open
Port-enabled IP networks account for over 3000 points of presence
throughout the world. Open Port's headquarters are at 676 N. St. Clair
St., Chicago, IL 60611. The company can be reached at
312-867-5000 or openport.com.
Open Port, Open Port Technology, Open Port Harmony and Open Port
Technology logos are registered trademarks of Open Port Technology,
Inc. All other marks are trademarks of their respective organizations.
Open Port products mentioned in this release may be subject to Open
Port Patents no. 5712907 for least cost routing, Patent no. 5369686 for
enhanced service message handlers and other patents that are pending.
SOURCE Open Port Technology
/CONTACT: Rand Pitzer of Open Port Technology, Inc.,
312-867-5023, or
e-mail: rpitzer@openport.com; or Jennifer Reidy, PR, of Ascend
Communications,
Inc., 510-747-2761, or e-mail: jennifer.reidy@ascend.com/
/Web site: openport.com
/Web site: ascend.com
(ASND WCOM)
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