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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 (2068)	12/8/1998 8:40:00 PM
From: Stephen B. Temple	Respond to of 3178

VIP Calling Partners With Siemens Business Services to Provide IP Telephony Solutions to Carriers in Asia December 8, 1998 BURLINGTON, Mass.--(BUSINESS WIRE) VIP Calling Broadens Asian Presence and Helps Siemens Offer Innovative Solutions for its Customers VIP Calling, Inc., the leading wholesale provider of international IP telephony services, today announced a strategic alliance with Siemens Business Services (SBS) to provide IP telephony solutions to carriers in the Asia Pacific region. The partnership expands VIP Calling's Asian footprint and complements Siemens' services to its customers. As part of Siemens Business Services' (SBS) commitment to its carrier partners in Asia, Siemens will take advantage of the VIP Calling Network(TM) , a state-of-the-art IP telephony network providing PSTN-level quality. Carriers will increase their profitability by using this cutting-edge technology - a saving that they can pass on to their customers in the form of lower rates. This agreement will help carriers in Asia to gain economic advantage in the global telecommunications market. "We are working aggressively to improve our offerings, and recognize the benefits of VIP Calling's toll quality, wholesale service," said Huw Hampson-Jones, vice president Siemens Business Services Telecom Solutions division. "This alliance is part of our continuing efforts to offer leading edge technology to our customers and to help them achieve their business goals." "We're excited that Siemens has selected VIP Calling," said Ofer Gneezy, president and CEO of VIP Calling. "This alliance with a premier telecommunications and technology company adds significant momentum as we widen our footprint and solidify our commitment to offer wholesale IP telephony solutions in Asia and throughout the world." "In the past three months, VIP Calling has partnered with leading IP telephony provider ICG Netcom and Korean long distance carrier Dacom," said Hillary Mine, executive vice president, Probe Research. "The addition of Siemens Business Services as a partner is another significant validation of the VIP Calling Network, and its emphasis on QoS." About Siemens Business Services Siemens Business Services Telecom Solutions combines the company's strength as a leader in European systems integration with telecommunication consultancy skills in areas such as customer care and billing, business intelligence, network management systems, business operations and enhanced telecoms services. Siemens Business Services Telecom Solutions is part of the approximately $30 billion turnover Siemens Information and Communications business, and has the skills and resources to support the world's major satellite, mobile, cable and fixed network providers. About VIP Calling VIP Calling, Inc., based in Burlington, Mass., is a leading facilities-based carrier utilizing the Internet to provide wholesale international telecommunication services. Founded in 1996, the company has leveraged its engineering and telecommunications expertise to deploy the VIP Calling Network, a state-of-the-art IP telephony network providing PSTN-level quality. The VIP Calling Network has gateway and switching facilities in New York and Los Angeles, a Network Operations Center in Burlington, Mass., and high capacity points of presence (POP) in Asia, the Middle East, Europe and South America. VIP Calling enables carriers, prepaid card operators and telephony resellers to reduce costs and increase profit margins. The company can be reached at 781-229-0011 or at www.vipcalling.com. VIP Calling is a registered trademark of VIP Calling, Inc. All other brand names and trademarks are properties of their respective owners.

To: Stephen B. Temple who wrote (2068)	12/8/1998 9:04:00 PM
From: Stephen B. Temple	Respond to of 3178

Frontier Deploys Fastest ATM Network in Industry December 8, 1998 ROCHESTER, N.Y.--(BUSINESS WIRE) Frontier Communications continues to set the pace of innovation in the communications industry by deploying the fastest Asynchronous Transfer Mode (ATM) network available today. Using switches purchased from Ascend Communications, Inc. (NASDAQ: ASND), Frontier is transmitting its ATM traffic at 2.5 Gigabits per second (Gbps) directly over Dense Wavelength Division Multiplexing (DWDM) equipment. That's 16 times faster than the typical ATM technology currently in use. "This isn't something we're promising to do in the future -- we're doing it now. The ATM layer of the Frontier Optronics Network(SM) is already lit and carrying traffic at incredible speeds," said Michael Coghill, Frontier's vice president of network operations. "Let me try to put the impact of this announcement into perspective with an analogy. If you think of traditional networks moving at 65 miles per hour, Frontier's ATM highway raises the speed limit to 3,000 miles per hour. Thanks to Frontier, network congestion may well become a thing of the past." "Ascend is pleased to partner with such an innovative service provider as Frontier," said Thomas DeCanio, vice president of Ascend's product marketing core switching division. "By connecting Ascend GX 550 ATM switches directly to DWDM at OC-48/STM-16 speeds, thereby eliminating an entire layer of traditional transmission equipment, Frontier is deploying the most efficient network architecture possible at the fastest ATM speeds available. " The Frontier Optronics Network already moves data at OC-48 rates (2.5 Gbps) over its coast-to-coast Internet Protocol (IP) network layer. Frontier has also created a "network express lane," deploying Hyper-Dense Wavelength Division Multiplexing (HDWDM) equipment in its top 20 markets. HDWDM can move traffic at speeds of 1.28 terabits (trillions) of data per second on a single fiber strand. This ability to transmit trillions of bits of data, instead of the billions carried by conventional optical technology, makes the Frontier Optronics Network the fastest in the world. About Frontier Communications Frontier Communications, a unit of Frontier Corporation (NYSE:FRO), is one of the leading providers of integrated communications solutions -- including Internet, IP and data applications, long distance, local telephone and wireless -- to business customers nationwide. The self-healing Frontier Optronics Network(SM) provides customers with faster transmission speeds, greater bandwidth capacity and unrivaled reliability. For more information, visit the Frontier web site at www.frontiercorp.com. You can receive a faxed copy of any Frontier Corporation press release dating back to November 1997, free of charge, 24 hours a day by calling 1-800-448-8533. An automated system will provide you with instructions. CONTACT: Frontier Communications \| Michele D. Sadwick \| 716-777-6021 \| E-mail: msadwick@frontiercorp.com [Copyright 1998, Business Wire]

To: Stephen B. Temple who wrote (2068)	12/8/1998 9:25:00 PM
From: Stephen B. Temple	Read Replies (1) \| Respond to of 3178

Computer Industry and Regional Telephone Firms Join Together to Accelerate Widespread Availability of Fast Internet Services to Consumers Check It Out December 7, 1998 -- Major computer industry and telephone companies today announced completion of a unified proposal to be presented to the Federal Communications Commission (FCC). The goal of this proposal is to speed availability of high-speed Internet access services, such as ADSL. The companies involved include: Bell Atlantic, BellSouth, Compaq Computer Corporation, Gateway, GTE, Intel, Microsoft, SBC, and US West. Also in the alliance are the Information Technology Industry Council and the Business Software Alliance. The companies will present this proposal today to the FCC as a means of encouraging telephone company investment in high-speed services for consumers. Today's proposal, once adopted by the FCC, would establish a set of ground rules that support rapid investment in high-speed infrastructure by the telephone companies while ensuring a competitive playing field. The FCC has an open proceeding on making advanced telecommunications services available to American consumers as required by the 1996 Telecommunications Act. "Today's announcement marks a significant win for consumers,'' said Rod Schrock, Senior Vice President and Group General Manager, Consumer Products Group, Compaq Computer Corporation. "Our customers tell us they are clamoring for faster Internet connections. This proposal will ultimately give consumers the fastest Internet experience possible by accelerating deployment of high- speed ADSL Internet access.'' "The leading computer industry companies realize that regulation of bandwidth deployment is their problem, too,'' said William Reddersen, BellSouth's Group President, Value Added Services. "They also realize that the more incentives we have to deploy faster Internet pipes, the sooner consumers can benefit from advanced communications and information services delivered over the Internet.'' "This agreement represents another significant step towards Intel's goal of widespread deployment of affordable broadband services,'' said Les Vadasz, Senior Vice President, Corporate Business Development, Intel Corporation. "Recently, a cross industry effort successfully defined and delivered a global, low cost, consumer-friendly ADSL standard, known as G.Lite (G.992.2). Today's agreement on these principles should provide a catalyst for the adoption of regulatory policies that will both foster the efforts of the new competitors and strengthen the local telephone companies' investment incentives to offer G.Lite and other broadband services.'' "I applaud the efforts of these companies to speed the availability and lower the cost of high-speed Internet connections for Americans, said Henry Geller, former head of the National Telecommunications Information Administration and former FCC general counsel. ''This is a fine example of cross-industry collaboration and we urge the FCC to support this private sector initiative." The initiative comes one week after the White House announced an effort with the FCC, Commerce Department and U.S. Trade Representative to push for increased private investment in high-speed networks so that consumers and businesses can be free from slow Internet service. The principles of the proposal are being presented to the FCC in meetings between FCC Commissioners and officials from the computer and telephone industries. The key points of the proposal include: * The promotion of competition in the local exchange data communications market; * Incumbent telephone companies will give competitors greater access to their central offices; * All Internet service providers will continue to have access to the broadband networks of the telephone companies; * Unnecessary restrictive regulations will be lessened on the incumbent telephone companies; * The regional Bell companies will be able to provide long-distance data communications if such freedom would substantially reduce the cost of delivering high-speed Internet connections to consumers. If adopted by the FCC, the principles of this proposal to which the computing companies and local telephone companies have agreed would represent a major step forward for a faster Internet available to the mass market, according to Compaq's Schrock. He added that the principles will promote the deployment of new services while also promoting competition in the telephone marke

To: Stephen B. Temple who wrote (2068)	12/8/1998 9:27:00 PM
From: Stephen B. Temple	Respond to of 3178

Covad Communications and Cisco Systems Team to Support Growth of Digital Subscriber Line-Based Products and Services FYI December 7, 1998 -- Covad Communications Company, the first Packet Competitive Local Exchange Carrier (PCLEC) and a leading provider of digital communications services, and Cisco Systems, Inc., the worldwide leader in networking for the Internet, today announced that they have entered into a deployment and co-development relationship. Under the agreement, Covad will deploy Cisco DSL solutions to corporate telecommuters and small-to-medium sized businesses in a number of metropolitan areas across the country. Furthermore, the two companies will immediately begin joint engineering activities to support the growth of Digital Subscriber Line (DSL)-based products and services. This agreement is an extension of the relationship between Covad and Cisco that has been building over the last year. Covad is a Cisco Powered Network service provider and has been deploying Cisco routers, ATM equipment, IDSL line cards and customer premise equipment since it launched the company in December of 1997. Under this new agreement, Covad and Cisco have expanded the DSL solution set to include Cisco 6100 series advanced DSL access multiplexers, the Cisco 675 SOHO/telecommuter DSL router, and Cisco 7000 series termination products. Additionally, the two companies will combine strengths to facilitate the development of products to support existing and new DSL services. Robert E. Knowling, president and CEO of Covad Communications, said, "Covad has had a strong relationship with Cisco since the early days of our company. It has become clear over the past year that Covad and Cisco are well positioned to work together in accelerating the delivery of DSL-based solutions. Given Cisco's history of innovative engineering and its leadership in the networking market, this is a very exciting relationship for Covad.'' "Teaming with a leading DSL service provider like Covad is an excellent fit for Cisco,'' added Kevin Kennedy, senior vice president of the Service Provider Line of Business at Cisco. "Covad's high-quality service offerings and national deployment plans, combined with our leadership in the enterprise network equipment market, provide a great opportunity to shape feature-rich DSL products and services for business users, as well as to increase the rate at which these solutions are accepted in the market.'' Covad and Cisco are both members of the Universal ADSL Working Group (UAWG), a group formed earlier this year to accelerate the adoption and availability of high-speed DSL-based Internet access services for the mass market. About Covad Communications Company Covad Communications is a leading packet-based Competitive Local Exchange Carrier that provides dedicated high-speed digital communication services using Digital Subscriber Line (DSL) technology to enterprise and Internet Service Provider ("ISP'') customers. The company has launched its services in the San Francisco Bay Area, Los Angeles, New York and Boston metropolitan areas and has announced plans to deploy its service network in a total of 22 regions nationwide. Covad Communications' corporate headquarters are located at 2330 Central Expressway, Santa Clara, Calif., 95050. For more information concerning Covad Communications Company and the TeleSpeed® service visit: covad.com or email sales@covad.com. Telephone: 408/844-7500 or 888/GO-COVAD; Fax: 408/844-7501. About Cisco Systems Cisco Systems, Inc. is the worldwide leader in networking for the Internet. News and information are available at cisco.com.