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Technology Stocks : Voice-on-the-net (VON), VoIP, Internet (IP) Telephony -- Ignore unavailable to you. Want to Upgrade?

To: Stephen B. Temple who wrote (2023)	12/3/1998 8:10:00 AM
From: Stephen B. Temple	Read Replies (4) \| Respond to of 3178

Intel to Showcase First PC-Based Video Phone Designed Specifically for Cable Connections; Leading Internet Telephony Vendors Demonstrate Interoperability of H.323 Standard for Audio and Video December 3, 1998 ANAHEIM, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE) Intel Corp. is highlighting the first Intel(R) Video Phone software designed specifically for cable modems and high-speed cable Internet connections today in the CableNET '98 area at the Western Show in Anaheim. In addition, Intel will be working with several vendors to showcase the momentum of the International Telecommunication Union (ITU) H.323 communications specification, which ensures products from different vendors talk with one another. "Intel Video Phone technology is an ideal use of the high-speed cable connection in the home or small office," said Ali Sarabi, director of Broadband and IP Telephony Lab in the Intel Architecture Lab. "The increased bandwidth of the cable connection brings a new use to the PC: a world with richer communications, with full motion, real-time video and audio to help keep consumers close to friends and family or business associates." Later this month, Intel plans to begin trials of its broadband enhanced PC-based Video Phone with Internet Cable Corporation (ICC) over US Cable Coastal Properties' high-speed cable Internet connections in the Wild Dunes suburb of Charleston, S.C. Tim Karnes, president of Internet Cable Corporation, commented, "These trials of actual broadband product in a high-speed full duplex broadband system are truly a value-added service to our current and future customers. What better product could there be than one which allows local or long-distance communication with full, real-world sight and sound." Internet Telephony Over Cable Using the power of the PC, the Intel Video Phone delivers a high-quality, real-time video experience to cable connections. The Intel Video Phone will also support high-quality voice communications offering interoperability with standard telephones, Internet phones, and other PC audio solutions that support the H.323 specification. Today, Intel Video Phone software is shipped factory-installed on systems from leading computer makers. Many of these computer makers will ship systems with the new broadband enhanced Intel Video Phone software in the first quarter of 1999. This new broadband version of Intel Video Phone will also be available in the Intel Create & Share(TM) Camera Pack in the first half of 1999. H.323 Standards-Based Solutions for the Cable Industry H.323, endorsed by Intel, is the ITU standard for real-time multimedia communications and conferencing. The H.323 specification gives vendors the information they need to ensure that their audio and video applications communicate with solutions from other vendors. On display in the CableNET '98 area at Western Show, more than 10 vendors will showcase the momentum of H.323 by demonstrating how their audio and video applications interoperate. Intel, the world's largest chip maker, is also a leading manufacturer of computer, networking and communications products. Additional information about Intel is available at www.intel.com/pressroom. Note to Editors: Third party marks and brands are property of their respective holders. CONTACT: Intel Corp. \| Tami Casey, 408/765-8203 \| tami.casey@intel.com \| Adam Grossberg, 408/765-1669 \| adam.grossberg@intel.com [Copyright 1998, Business Wire]

To: Stephen B. Temple who wrote (2023)	12/3/1998 8:23:00 AM
From: Stephen B. Temple	Read Replies (2) \| Respond to of 3178

Hypercom Partners With AudioCodes to Deliver IP Telephony Solutions Processor Chips Enable Toll-Quality Voice in Carrier-Class IP Telephony Gateways December 3, 1998 SAN JOSE, Calif., Dec. 2 /PRNewswire/ Today at the CTI EXPO Fall '98, AudioCodes announced it is providing Hypercom Network Systems (NYSE: HYC) with Voice over Packet (VoP) processor chips to be used in Hypercom's IP.tel line of carrier-class Internet Telephony gateways, the companies announced today. AudioCodes' AC4804A-C Quad Channel devices and Voice Framer(TM) packetization software will be incorporated into Hypercom's IP.tel switching and voice compression software to help continually improve IP-based voice quality and reliability. To continue thriving in the worldwide alternative carrier market, Hypercom seeks to constantly raise the quality, reliability and user features of Internet Telephony to match those of traditional voice networks. "AudioCodes is excited that Hypercom has completed large scale production and installation using AudioCodes Voice over Packet technology," commented Bruce Gellman, vice president of sales and marketing at AudioCodes. " Hypercom is leveraging AudioCodes' technology fully in some of the hottest growth markets worldwide, such as Internet Telephony and international voice and fax services. They've been very creative in taking advantage of NetCoder(TM), our variable bit-rate voice coder, to enable 'on the fly' response to network congestion. This adds reliability to packetized voice networks by reacting effectively to bursty traffic on packet networks. We like to see technologically innovative organizations makes the most of our sophisticated processors." Hypercom Network Systems President Paul Wallner emphasized the importance of using AudioCodes technology to fulfill Hypercom's market strategy for targeting IP telephony carriers. "We believe Hypercom has the technological lead among gateway providers and we plan to maintain it by developing more and more features and using the best available technology to complement our own," says Wallner. "AudioCodes is a recognized leader in voice compression. By using NetCoder(TM) along with some of their other features, we have been able to constantly improve voice quality in our IP.tel solutions and simultaneously raise the bar on features with things like Integrated IVR and circuit- switching capabilities." AudioCodes' AC4804A-C Voice Compression Chip combines toll-quality low bit-rate voice compression, G3 fax relay, silence suppression, echo cancellation and all voiceband processing functions necessary in building VOP products. The chip supports four independent full-duplex voice/fax channels with user-selectable G.729A, G.723.1, G.727/G.726, and G.711 voice codecs along with NetCoder(TM), AudioCodes' proprietary voice codec specifically designed to provide high speech quality in a harsh, high packet loss network environment. NetCoder(TM) allows for a variable bit rate, 4.8-9.6 Kbps, featuring near PCM voice quality at 9.6 Kbps. AudioCodes supplies leading VoIP manufacturers with OEM solutions including Ascend, Clarent, Selsius (acquired by Cisco), Nortel-Matra, Level One, and Vocaltec. About AudioCodes AudioCodes is a provider of Voice over Packet server boards, custom modules and voice compression chips. The company was established in 1993 and has its headquarters and R&D design center in Yehud, Israel. Sales and marketing for North American operations are in San Jose, California. AudioCodes is privately held by its founders and venture investment funds. AudioCodes holds key patents that are an essential part of ITU standards for the emerging market for IP packet telephony. AudioCodes' customer base includes leading telecom and datacom manufacturers developing CPE products for IP telephony, voice FRAD's and ATM multiplexers integrating LBR voice. About Hypercom Hypercom Corporation is a leading supplier of point-of-sale (POS) payment systems, enterprise networking solutions, and client/server software. Based in Phoenix, Hypercom sells its products in more than 50 countries worldwide. Hypercom's common stock is traded on the NYSE under the symbol "HYC." To find out more about Hypercom, access www.hypercom.com. AudioCodes, 2841 Junction Avenue, San Jose, CA., 95134, Tel: 408-544-1864, Fax: 408-577-0492, www.audiocodes.com. For more information: North American Company Contact, Bruce Gellman, 408-544-1864, or email, bruce.gellman@audiocodes.com, or International Contact, Oded Morag, +972-3-539-4040, or email, omorag@audiocodes.com, both of AudioCodes, PR Agency Contact for AudioCodes, Alan Weinkrantz, 210-820-3070, ext. 103, or email, alan@weinkrantz.com, or PR Agency Contact for Hypercom Corporation, Liza Kurtz, 212-995-5680, ext.201, or email, kurtz@hammondfarrell.com VoiceFramer(TM) and NetCoder(TM) are trademarks of AudioCodes. All other trademarks are the property of their respective owners. SOURCE AudioCodes

To: Stephen B. Temple who wrote (2023)	12/3/1998 8:29:00 AM
From: Stephen B. Temple	Read Replies (2) \| Respond to of 3178

Let the distorted pr-puff begin> Frustrated Consumers Ready to Buy Phone Services From Cable Companies. December 3, 1998 ANAHEIM, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE) Fed Up with High Costs and Reduced Line Availability, 80 Percent of Consumers Would Consider an Alternate Provider for Voice Services According to a nationwide poll conducted by ICR Survey Research Group, more than half of American households are frustrated with their phone services and would consider using cable operators, ISPs or electric utilities for their voice services. The study, commissioned by Vienna Systems, a leading IP telephony systems provider, also showed that 80 percent of consumers would consider alternate service providers to save money and add extra lines and nearly a quarter would look specifically to cable companies for these services. "ICR's survey clearly proves there is a market for secondary dial tone from alternate service providers," said T. Kent Elliott, president and chief executive officer of Vienna Systems. "Cable companies already have a relationship with the residential consumer, a strong presence in the home and they own the local loop, giving them a unique opportunity to deliver affordable voice services and multiple phone lines to consumers." The study, which 1,002 Americans age 18 and above, found that nearly 90 percent of consumers are using their phone lines for more than phone calls and would benefit from multiple lines into their homes. The study also found: -- 53% are frustrated with their current long distance provider -- 32% have changed long distance companies to reduce costs -- 77% said their line was in use a majority of the time Consumers would consider alternate service providers including: -- Internet service providers -- Cable television providers -- Electric utilities -- Cellular providers For more information on the survey please visit the Vienna Web site at viennasys.com. The Cable Industry Calls on Vienna Vienna's IP Telephony solutions enable cable companies to rapidly expand their offerings to include voice services, leverage their existing HFC infrastructure and generate incremental revenues from their customer base. Vienna has been involved with the CableLabs initiatives and has worked closely with Telia, the Swedish telecom giant, and other services providers to pilot IP Telephony services over cable networks. Telia, through a subsidiary cable company, is currently involved in a IP Telephony/cable trial that involves both an IP Centrex offering for businesses and a second-line phone solution for residential customers. "We certainly have seen a great deal of interest in IP Telephony from cable operators in the last few months," said Dan MacDonald, vice president of marketing for Vienna. "Vienna's IP Telephony solution is considered by many operators to be an attractive alternative to the traditional Class 5 central office for provisioning voice services." Vienna's Distributed IP Telephony Architecture and IPShuttle Vienna's IPShuttle and its supporting distributed IP Telephony architecture is set to become the de facto standard for delivering IP Telephony solutions. IPShuttle is a small analog-to-Ethernet device that enables standard telephones to communicate over IP networks directly, operating independently of a PC. Each IPShuttle is capable of handling two separate telephones. With Vienna's Call Processing Server, gateways and supporting components installed in the cable office, incoming traffic from the public switched telephone network (PSTN) can be converted to IP traffic and then transmitted over Ethernet to the head-end. The traffic is then transmitted over coaxial cable to subscribers. The compact IPShuttle connected to a standard cable modem delivers up to two additional phone lines to the subscriber. "The proliferation of Internet use together with the frustration that consumers have with low access speeds and telephone line tie-up has opened a huge opportunity for cable operators. The combination of a cable modem and Vienna's IPShuttle solves both problems very nicely," said MacDonald. Vienna Systems Vienna Systems develops and markets hardware and software products and client devices to provide complete IP telephony networking solutions for telephone and Internet service providers, cable companies and corporations that want to offer new services or reduce information technology costs by integrating voice in IP-based networks. Vienna, with years of telephony experience, offers carrier-class to residential gateways, call-processing servers, telephones and PC software which lead the industry in scalability, reliability and voice quality. CONTACT: Vienna Systems Corporation \| Louise Labuda, 613/591-7455 \| llabuda@viennasys.com \| or \| GCI Group \| Todd Tornga, 415/974-7288 \| ttornga@gcigroup.com [Copyright 1998, Business Wire]