Some more to do with regards to voip and vpn in the last mile. This time on cable, from 8X8.
Ken De P., it looks like you are right about the mounting pressures to shift from switched to IP. These recent releases highlight what we discussed here in the LM about a year ago, and more recently about five months ago, with respect to using virtual connections at the higher layers as opposed to full dependence on switched standbys.
Regards, Frank Coluccio
----------------
8x8 Links to CableLabs' Virtual IP Telephony
Test Network
September 22, 1999
SANTA CLARA, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE) via
NewsEdge Corporation -- 8x8, Inc.
(Nasdaq:EGHT), a leading supplier of
multimedia communication technology and
systems, announced today that it has linked
its internal Internet Protocol (IP) test
network to the PacketCable(tm) "virtual" test
network managed by CableLabs.
Using the network, 8x8 has begun testing its
Symphony Voice-over-Internet-Protocol
(VoIP) gateway and IntraSwitch IP-PBX
Server Software with other vendors'
PacketCable-compliant clients, call agents
and PSTN gateways. Both 8x8 products
support PacketCable's Multimedia Gateway
Control Protocol (MGCP).
8x8 is promoting the use of secure remote
VPN connections with other third party
partners, customers and vendors to
accelerate the adoption of interoperable IP
telephony products.
A secure extension of 8x8's own internal test
network, which is devoted to testing IP
telephony terminals, call managers and
protocols; the new virtual test network
complements onsite, face-to-face testing
events that are regularly sponsored by
CableLabs and other industry groups. The
last such testing event occurred the week of
September 6th in Louisville, Colorado and
included 8x8 and 10 other vendors: Clarent,
IPCell, Xybridge, Audiocodes, Netspeak,
Motorola, Broadcom, Telogy (a TI
Corporation), Tekelec and Catapult
Communications.
"Interoperability between different vendors'
IP telephony products is key to the rapid
growth of this market," said Oran Davis, 8x8's
Director of Integration and QA. "8x8 is often
one of the first companies to implement
industry standard codecs and
communications protocols, but such
development cannot and should not be
conducted in a vacuum. Our ability to test
Symphony and our IntraSwitch IP-PBX
products over real-world production test
networks ensures that are products deliver
the functionality, quality and reliability
required for customer adoption of IP-based
telephony solutions."
"8x8 was the first vendor remotely
connected to our in-house test network, "
said David Bukovinsky, Vice President of
Broadband Services at CableLabs. "It is
notable that our vendors have achieved a
level of product maturity that can support
virtual interoperability testing so quickly, "
continued Bukovinsky. "This continues to
reinforce the fast-track nature of the
PacketCable project, and continues to move
the cable industry toward our goal of
interoperable products by mid-2000."
In addition to testing with other PacketCable
vendors, 8x8 is participating in
interoperability testing for H.323 version 2
terminals and gatekeepers under the
auspices of International Multimedia
Telecommunications Consortium (IMTC). The
current round of testing began on September
13 in Honolulu, Hawaii. Other participants
include Act Networks, Lucent, Clarent, Smith
Micro, Netrix, Catapult, Inter-Tel, Sony,
Netspeak, Acer, Motorola, VCON, Samsung,
Intel, Vocaltec, Paknetx, Radvision, VTEL,
Nokia, Nortel, Siemens, Sharp, Cisco, and
Videoserver.
About 8x8
8x8, Inc. is a leading manufacturer of digital
telecommunications technology, including IP
telephony gateways, software and
semiconductors. By leveraging its technology
expertise in audio and video compression and
communication protocols, the company is
providing systems and software to network
and telecommunications equipment providers,
cable television system operators and local
exchange carriers. For more information, visit
8x8's web site at 8x8.com.
This press release contains forward-looking
statements. 8x8's actual results may differ
materially from the results discussed, implied
or forecasted in the forward-looking
statements due to factors including in
particular a history of losses, uncertainty of
future profitability, potential fluctuation in
future operating results, dependence on key
customers, the uncertainty of market
acceptance of IP telephony, the limits of
existing IP telephony technology, rapid
technological change, compliance with
industry standards, dependence on key
personnel, dependence on new product
introduction, current and potential
competition and the need for additional
capital. Further information on these and
other factors that could affect the actual
results of 8x8 are included in 8x8's Report on
Form 10-Q for the quarter ended June 30,
1999, which is on file with the Securities and
Exchange Commission. 8x8 assumes no
obligation to revise or update any
forward-looking statements contained in this
press release.
<<Business Wire, 09-21-99, 08:17 Eastern>>
CONTACT: 8x8, Inc. | Scott St. Clair,
408/727-1885 | scottsc@8x8.com | or | TSI
Communications | Scot Howard,
650/635-0200 x 219 |
showard@tsicomm.com | or | CableLabs |
Mike Schwartz, 303/661-9100 |
m.schwartz@cablelabs.com
[Copyright 1999, Business Wire] |
