Another announcement from White Pine Software ...
I keep looking at these guys as being able to provide some of the fundamental H.323 services, with a software-only solution. It seems that a big part of VoIP will be the extended services like conferencing, and another thing is their experience with server-side mixing of audio and video, and multiple H.323 client support ...
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WHITE PINE'S MEETINGPOINT SELECTED BY GTE GOVERNMENT SYSTEMS FOR MAJOR ARMY CONTRACT
Multipoint Videoconferencing Server Chosen for Superior Performance, Support and Scalability
NASHUA, New Hampshire June 22, 1999 White Pine Software, Inc. (NASDAQ: WPNE), a leading provider of multimedia conferencing applications for the Internet and intranets, today announced that its MeetingPoint server was selected by GTE Government Systems Corporation (GSC) as the multipoint conference server of choice to fulfill a government contract for IP-based group videoconferencing. GTE GSC purchased 35 MeetingPoint servers as part of a contract for the First Digitized Division (FDD) of the U.S. Army. MeetingPoint was selected for purchase by GTE GSC after the extensive testing of three server candidates. During the evaluation period, GTE GSC worked with both White Pine and reseller partner 2C Communications in Burlington, MA. In addition to overall performance and support, White Pine's MeetingPoint was chosen for its continuous presence feature (the ability to show multiple video windows simultaneously), its lip sync quality, and the flexibility to easily cascade or link multiple servers together for network growth.
"Of the products we evaluated, MeetingPoint was the only one to provide the superior stability, performance and scalability that we needed for this project," said Kevin Braz, systems analyst for GTE. "White Pine showed us not only that they had a better product, but that their support was unparalleled. We look forward to a great relationship with White Pine as we proceed forth on this contract."
The deployment of MeetingPoint is part of a program that will upgrade the Army's current conferencing system, which is primarily voice and data now. MeetingPoint will extend videoconferencing and high-speed data collaboration capabilities to the entire FDD division. According to officials, videoconferencing will allow tactical commanders to effectively disseminate orders, clearly convey their intent, and collaboratively plan and wargame courses of action with subordinate commanders and key staff elements. Multimedia collaboration capabilities are necessary to provide the commander with access to accurate, timely, situational information that depicts a clear picture of the battlefield. IP-based videoconferencing will also assist the commander in coordinating and interacting with different echelons and adjacent units.
"The GTE Government purchase represents the growing trend for the broad deployment of IP-based videoconferencing solutions, providing cost-effective conferencing support for distance learning and Federal Government programs," said Gary McGuire, director of sales for White Pine Software. "The flexibility and scalability of MeetingPoint makes it ideal for the large-scale implementation of conferencing and collaboration solutions in corporate, education and government scenarios such as this one."
About MeetingPoint
MeetingPoint was the industry's first H.323 standards-based conference server, and is the only server available for both Windows NT and Sun Solaris operating systems. It is a software-based solution that enables multipoint group conferences and full interoperability between users of standard H.323 clients including Microsoft NetMeeting, Intel ProShare, PictureTel LiveLAN, White Pine CU-SeeMe Pro and others. MeetingPoint includes advanced features for audio mixing, video switching, conference scheduling, security, and bandwidth management. MeetingPoint has received multiple awards, including recognition as a "1998 Product of the Year" by both Internet Telephony and CTI magazines.
About GTE Government Systems
Headquartered in Needham, Massachusetts, the GTE Government Systems organization is a leader in the advancement of command, control, communications, and intelligence systems; electronic defense systems; systems integration; tactical and strategic communication systems; communication switching; and information systems for defense, government, and industry in the United States and abroad.
About White Pine Software
White Pine Software develops, markets and supports multi-platform browser-based internetworking software that facilitates worldwide video and audio communication and data collaboration across the Internet, intranets, extranets and other networks that use the Internet Protocol. White Pine's videoconferencing software products, CU-SeeMe Pro and MeetingPoint, create a client-server solution that allows users to participate in real-time, multi-point video, audio and data conferences over the Internet and intranets. White Pine's ClassPoint provides a complete solution for corporate training and distance learning. White Pine Software can be found on the World Wide Web at wpine.com.
All trademarks are recognized.
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