ATGN/China Deal:
Big News Today:
AltiGen System to be Used in Nationwide Telecommunications Network Linking Over 5000 Railway Stations in China
Monday, May 22, 2000 09:15 AM Mail this article to a friend
FREMONT, Calif. and BEIJING, China--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- May 22, 2000--AltiGen Communications, Inc. (NASDAQ:ATGN, news, msgs), the leading provider of next generation phone systems with advanced Voice over IP (VoIP) solutions and Beijing Bell, a leading manufacturer of telecommunications equipment in China, announced today a joint effort with the China Railway Telecommunications Center (CRTC) to introduce a nationwide Railway Transportation Information Inquiry System (RTIIS). Featuring AltiGen's telecom server AltiServ(R) with advanced VoIP capability, the RTIIS will be used for the tracking and monitoring of railway shipments.
Railroads are currently the central and most important means of transportation and shipping in China. While the China railway system offers advantages such as high capacity, extensive reach, with over 6,000 stations nationwide, and ease of loading/unloading, it also has some shortcomings. One of the most significant is that tracking shipments has become increasingly difficult due to greater complexity of the railway system. The old means of using human labor to track and maintain information pertaining to shipments has proven to be inadequate in this day and age. For instance, at present customers cannot gain timely access to information such as the shipping status of packages they sent. The launch of RTIIS, using advanced computer telephony technology provided by AltiGen, will dramatically increase the efficiency of information flow, and will allow for transparency in the tracking of shipments, bringing great value and convenience to customers throughout China.
"This is truly a major victory for us in China. With such a prominent project, AltiGen is entering this very large and important market with a bang! This project allows us to fully utilize many of the innovative functions of the AltiServ system, and highlights how we facilitate e-commerce transactions. I am hopeful that this will be the start of many similar exciting opportunities", says Gilbert Hu, President and CEO of AltiGen Communications, Inc. of California.
RTIIS will use AltiGen's AltiServ(R) for PBX voice switching, automated attendant, Automatic Call Distribution (ACD), voicemail, email, and enabling e-commerce applications. The AltiGen platform will support RTIIS by integrating customer inquiry information with the CRTC's existing tracking database over AltiGen's e-commerce CTI link. An example of this is a customer or station agent learning about the status of their shipments via the web or over the phone.
RTIIS can also use the AltiGen platform to automatically notify customers via phone or email that shipped items have arrived and are ready to be picked-up. AltiGen's VoIP capabilities allow CRTC to communicate between stations over low-cost IP networks.
"We are very excited about the level of service we will be able to provide our customers with upon the launch of RTIIS. AltiGen's technology enables us to take advantage of state-of-the-art technology and apply it directly to help solve real-world issues," says Peng Peng, Managing Director, CRTC.
The project will launch initially as a pilot from the fourth quarter (Q4) of this year and full implementation will then follow.
About AltiGen (www.altigen.com):
AltiGen Communications, Inc. is the leading supplier of next-generation telecom servers (server-based telecommunications systems), which give small-to-medium-sized businesses and branch offices integrated communications systems for streamlined operations and enhanced productivity. AltiGen's telecom server uses both the Internet and traditional phone lines interchangeably and allows businesses to integrate their phones, databases and PC's into one powerful web-enabled communications network. AltiGen products are available from authorized resellers and come with a one-year warranty. AltiGen's AltiServ(R) platform has been recognized for excellence with more than two dozen industry awards since 1996 when the platform was first launched, including most recently a 1999 Editor's Choice Award from PC Magazine and Internet Telephony Magazine's 1999 Product of the Year Award.
About the China Railway Telecommunications Center (CRTC):
CRTC of China operates an immense communications network, consisting of 116,000 miles of wireline infrastructure, 26,000+ miles of fiber optics networks, and a digital microwave network covering a radius of nearly 3,000 square miles. The CRTC communications network covers all of the major cities in China, and is second only to China Telecom. It uses advanced technology such as DWDM and ATM, and is now focusing on building a high-speed IP infrastructure. CRTC's operational, maintenance, and management team is comprised of 90,000 employees. CRTC is making aggressive inroads into the China telecom market; its goal is to become one of the largest carriers in China, by leveraging its existing expansive networks.
Safe Harbor Statement:
This press release contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, including, without limitation, statements regarding AltiGen's partnership with Beijing Bell, the opportunity with the China Railway Telecommunications Center (CRTC) and its timing, and the China market. These statements reflect management's current expectations. However, actual results could differ materially as a result of unknown risks and uncertainties, including but not limited to, risks related to AltiGen's limited operating history. For a more detailed description of these and other risks and uncertainties affecting AltiGen's performance, please refer to the information set forth under the caption "Risk Factors" in the final prospectus dated October 4, 1999 related to AltiGen's initial public offering, a copy of which can be obtained from CIBC World Markets, Oppenheimer Tower, World Financial Center, New York, New York; telephone number 212/667-7000.
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CONTACT: CRTC, Beijing
Peng Peng, +86 (10)6324-1016
ppeng@ns.chinamor.cn.net
or
AltiGen Communications, Fremont
Anne Ellefsen, 1-888-ALTIGEN or 510/252-9712
anne@altigen.com
www.altigen.com
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