PSINet Launches PSIWeb Multimedia Hosting Services
NEW YORK--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Dec. 10, 1997--(Fall Internet World 97)
Delivers the only Complete Service for Production, Compression, Hosting and Distribution of Audio, Video, and Animation Content over the Internet
PSINet Inc. (NASDAQ:PSIX) Wednesday announced PSIWeb Multimedia Services, a complete suite of multimedia on-demand streaming and live broadcast hosting services.
This that includes PSIWebMedia, PSIWebStream, Audio and Video Production Services, and TV on the WEB LIVE. Taking advantage of the industry's first 100 percent (100%) uptime Web Hosting guarantee, PSIWeb Multimedia Services specifically addresses the unique demands of business communications.
The services are available immediately through PSINet's Applications and Web Services business unit. The Multimedia Hosting Services, which use RealNetworks' latest technology, are being showcased live here during Fall Internet World as PSINet and TV onthe WEB(SM),a division Gardy McGrath International Inc, broadcast the World Wide Jam, the Internet's first live jazz festival from PSINet Booth No. 1657. (See Dec. 4 PSINet Media Alert) "PSIWeb Multimedia Services represent the next wave of value-added Internet applications," said Michael Mael, vice president of PSINet Applications and Web Services. "While many providers have quickly embraced the mainstream consumer possibilities for streaming audio and video, PSINet maintains its focus on optimizing the service for business communications.
"The comprehensive turn-key nature of our Multimedia Hosting Services has a strong appeal both to enhance business web sites and serve as an alternative to traditional business communication media such as satellite downlinks or telephone/video conference calls," he added.
In addition, TV onthe Web LIVE offers more than just a distribution mechanism and goes well beyond multicasting services to provide complete on-site production, data compression, signal distribution, and Web hosting services designed specifically for broadcasting business events through the Internet.
According to a November 1997 report from Business Communications Co. Inc., a research organization specializing in new and emerging technology, computer-based multimedia information traffic, measured in minutes per day (MPD), was only 17,000 MPD in 1996. However, multimedia information traffic is expected to eclipse 1.4 million MPD in 2001 and surpass 7.5 million MPD in 2006.
Likewise, in a recent Monthly Research Review, Gartner Group indicates that technologies that improve existing processes and reduce costs, such as on-demand audio/video streaming and desktop videoconferencing, will become ubiquitous in Fortune 1000 and major enterprises by 2006.
"Events such as shareholder briefings, remote employee training, and distance learning will be well served by this reliable solution," added Mael. To this end, PSINet teams with leading technology providers with the most business multimedia experience to deliver the four components of the PSIWeb Multimedia Hosting Services.
For example, TV onthe WEB is one of the most experienced broadcast production providers while RealNetworks and VDONet Corp. are the de facto market leaders for on-demand and streaming compressed audio and video Web interfaces.
"The strategy for TV onthe WEB LIVE is unique and unprecedented because it integrates the capabilities of a web-savvy TV and video production content provider with the backbone and unequalled network resources of PSINet, a tier-one international Internet solutions company.
"This synthesis of content, production, and access is what makes TV onthe WEB LIVE -- the world's only complete business webcasting solution," said Dave Gardy, president, TV onthe WEB.
The initial broadcast -- of the Washington, D.C., Independence Day fireworks -- served to test the viability of a Web-based live television broadcast, and the success of the technology greatly surpassed expectations.
Subsequent events, such as the White House Office of National Drug Control Policy (ONDCP) two-day Summit in Chicago and the CATO Institute's monetary policy conference featuring Alan Greenspan, brought the technology to bare on real business communication events.
"In the marketplace of ideas, leading-edge communications technology gives us an important advantage. TV onthe WEB LIVE and PSINet provided us with the turn-key webcasting capability that enabled us to provide a live broadcast of our day-long 15th annual monetary conference," said Patrick Korten, vice president of communications for the CATO Institute in Washington, D.C.
"Keynote speaker Alan Greenspan and a galaxy of topflight presenters, reached an international audience in 19 countries thanks to PSINet's business-grade Internet services and TV onthe WEB LIVE's webcasting production experience. The webcast was a big success," he added.
Applications for Mainstream Business
With more and more types of data and business processes finding their way to the World Wide Web, ISPs serve a variety of roles. They not only must provide robust connectivity and service management, they also find corporate customers looking for competitive business applications.
This class of value-added services includes Internet faxing, electronic commerce, Intranet/extranet, roaming/remote access, and others. PSINet continues its heritage of developing and delivering these capabilities with offerings such as InternetPaper, PSIWeb Worldpay, PSIWeb eCommerce, PSINet IntraNet, InterMAN, InterFrame, LAN-on-Demand, InterRamp, and others.
All of these services are integrated with PSIWeb services and benefit from industry's only 100% guarantee (see Nov. 17, 1997 press announcement). If a Web site outage occurs, the customer will receive a one-time quarterly credit equal to ten percent (10%) of the Web Hosting minimum quarterly fee.
The unique design of PSINet's international Internet-optimized network combined with the distributed PSIWeb platform, provides the architecture upon which this industry-leading service guarantee is based.
The PSIWeb 100% uptime guarantee is now available throughout the U.S. and Canada, with international support scheduled for early 1998. PSIWeb Shared Hosting is managed 24 hours a day, seven days a week, and is supported by PSINet's network operations center (NOC) headquartered in Troy, N.Y.
PSINet is the only ISP to commit to deliver fully managed hosting services with this level of reliability and performance.
About PSINet
PSINet is a leading provider of turn-key corporate Internet and intranet access, managed security services, electronic commerce solutions and Web hosting services throughout the United States and abroad.
PSINet manages one of the world's largest and most advanced fast-packet networks, which provides state-of-the-art, high speed Internet access ranging from dedicated high-speed circuits to ISDN to high-speed modem dial-up. PSINet backs up its state-of-the-art network with the industry's original service guarantee, employing automatic back-up systems and crediting for service outages.
Headquartered in Herndon, Va., PSINet has offices throughout the U.S. and subsidiaries in Canada, Japan and Europe, including Belgium, France, Germany, the Netherlands, Switzerland, and the U.K. For more information contact PSINet by phone at 703/904-4100, by e-mail at info@psi.com or by accessing the corporate Web site at psi.net -0- NOTE: A detailed description of all four services and related pricing is available via the Internet at www.psi.net and www.psiweb.com or via telephone at 703/904-4285.
CONTACT:
PSINet Public Relations
Michael P. Binko, APR, 703/904-4285
binkom@psi.com |
