TO ALL:
NEWS ABOUT VOCALTEC ! ! !
Ken Moss
TELECOM FINLAND TO USE VOCALTEC PRODUCTS IN FIRST-EVER NATIONAL VOICE OVER INTERNET SERVICE
Part of Array of New Generation Internet Services offered in Finland
TAMPERE, Finland, Dec. 10, 1996 -- VocalTec, Inc. (NASDAQ:VOCLF), the Internet Telephone CompanyT, today announced the integration of its Internet telephony technology into Telecom Finland's new Web-based telephone services at a press conference in Tampere, Finland. VocalTec's Internet Phone client software is integrated into Telecom Finland's TF-MediaNet phone, a Web- based user interface with value-added services, expanding existing services to offer voice and multimedia collaboration tools over the Internet. Telecom Finland targets its TF-MediaNet phone services to consumers, as well as business users who can now build value-added applications based on Internet telephone services.
Internet telephony technology opens the door to a variety of valuable services and collaboration capabilities not possible with the traditional telephone. Content providers' Web-based services can now be accessed by customers directly from their Web pages via the Internet telephone service. For example, MTV Finland Inc. uses TF-MediaNet phone service to extend its Web services by providing a new feedback and interaction channel. Consumers can talk with friends and family using Internet Phone software anywhere in the world, and enjoy the array of convenient Web-based services TF-MediaNet offers. For business users, TF-MediaNet phone service is a valuable means to enhance enterprise-wide collaborative communications by integrating the Internet telephone services into corporate intranet Web applications, allowing colleagues in remote locations to communicate and share documents in real time.
"Internet telephony technology enables several new value-added services," said Mr. Mika Uusitalo, Head of Telecom Finland's Medialab. "We chose to work with VocalTec because they provided us technology that met Telecom Finland's requirements for Internet phone operator service development."
"Telecom Finland is a forward-looking telecommunications carrier and the first PTT to recognize Internet telephony technology as a viable consumer and business communications solution," said Dr. Elon Ganor, chairman and chief executive officer of VocalTec. "Their progressive decision to implement VocalTec's Internet Phone in their voice-over-Internet service is a strong endorsement of our technology."
Telecom Finland's Internet telephony concept is based on value-added services that are available via content providers' Web pages. The Internet telephone service concept and WWW integration software was developed by Telecom Finland's Medialab. The client software is based on VocalTec's Internet Phone technology. The Web-integrated software for VocalTec's Internet Phone is available for download from Telecom Finland's Web site at ml.tele.fi.
TF-MediaNet phone service extends Telecom Finland's high-speed network and distributed multimedia services. The voice-over-Internet services are based on distributed media servers connected to Telecom Finland's high-speed Internet ATM network backbone enabling high quality delivery of multimedia information. Users may access the services from their homes with modems, as well as from business desktops with higher speed network connections. The Internet speed defines the quality of multimedia delivery. TF-MediaNet phone service is operational and available now to all Internet users. Telecom Finland Ltd., based in Helsinki, Finland, is a forerunner in the development and production of value-added voice and data services based on an intelligent network. In 1994, the company was one of the first operators to provide commercial ATM (Asynchronous Transfer Mode) services. In the autumn of 1995, the company launched the first nationwide pilot network in Europe to offer full-scale multimedia services including Internet TV and radio stations and on-demand media over ATM networks and the Internet. Telecom Finland Ltd. provides data services in Finland and also in Sweden, Germany, Belgium, Netherlands, Baltic countries and Russia. Information on the company can be obtained at tfi.net or call +358-20401.
VocalTec Ltd. develops and markets software that enables voice and multimedia communications over packetized networks, the Internet and intranets. The company also is developing open systems to bridge the Internet to the public switched telephone network. VocalTec's core products include Internet Phone software introduced in February 1995 and the Telephony Gateway Software.
Based in Herzliya, Israel, VocalTec's North American subsidiary is located at 35 Industrial Parkway, Northvale, NJ, 07647. For more information on the VocalTec product line, call 201-768-9400, fax 201-768-8893, vocaltec.com on the World Wide Web, or e-mail to info@vocaltec.com.
NOTE: VocalTec and Internet Phone are trademarks of VocalTec, Inc.
Other trademarks are the property of their respective holders.
Certain statements made herein that are not historical are forward-looking within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. The words "estimate," "project," "intend," "expect," "believe" and similar expressions are intended to identify forward-looking statements. These forward-looking statements involve known and unknown risks and uncertainties. Many factors could cause the actual results, performance or achievements of the Company to be materially different from any future results, performance or achievements that may be expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements, including, among others, changes in general economic and business conditions, inability to establish and maintain market acceptance to the Company's products, inability to timely develop and introduce new technologies, products and applications, rapid changes in the market for the Company's products, loss of market share and pressure on prices resulting from competition, introduction of competing products and implementation of industry standards by other companies, lack of development and system failure of the Internet, generally, and the market for voice, audio and multimedia communications over the Internet, specifically, regulatory obstacles to the use of the Internet for communications, inability to manage growth, inability to develop direct distribution network and loss of major distributors, dealers and OEM partners, inability to attract and retain qualified personnel, inability to protect the Company's proprietary technology and risks associated with the Company's international operations and its location in Israel. For additional information regarding these and other risks and uncertainties associated with the Company's business, reference is made to the Company's reports filed from time to time with the Securities and Exchange Commission.
------------------------------------------------------------------------
For more information contact:
Simona Wilrich
VocalTec Ltd.
201-768-9400
simona_wilrich@vocaltec.com
Cynthia Wheeler/Suzanne Marcarelli
LNS Communications
617-577-9777
cwheeler@lnscom.com
smarcarelli@lnscom.com
Jussi Ollila
Corporate Information of Telecom Finland Ltd.
+358-2040-2759
jussi.ollila@tele.telebox.fi |
