To: Mark Ambrose who wrote (733 ) 6/7/1999 3:10:00 PM From: Don Dorsey Respond to of 1331
Comverse Network Systems Unveils Internet Call Waiting Service Business/Technology Editors SUPERCOMM 99 ATLANTA--(BUSINESS WIRE)--June 7, 1999-- Service Gives Residential Voice And Unified Messaging Subscribers A Virtual Phone Line, Allowing Them To Manage Telephone Calls While Online Comverse Network Systems, a division of Comverse Technology, Inc. (NASDAQ: CMVT), and the world's leading supplier of enhanced services platforms to wireless and wireline network operators, today unveiled its Internet Call Waiting service, which will give residential voice messaging and unified messaging (voice, fax, and e-mail in a single mailbox) subscribers a virtual phone line while they are online. With Comverse's Internet Call Waiting, subscribers will never miss a telephone call while connected to the Internet, allowing them to handle all their telephone calls, either at home or while traveling. Comverse's Internet Call Waiting service is activated automatically, as soon as the subscriber connects to the Internet. When a call comes in to the designated phone, a message pops up on the computer screen with the name and number of the caller. The subscriber can then decide whether to accept the call, route the caller to voice mail, redirect the call to another number, play a message for the caller, or simply ignore the call. Utilizing the Internet, Comverse's Internet Call Waiting allows subscribers to speak directly with the caller over their PC, using any standards-based Internet telephony client software. The subscriber may also choose to forward the call to another number, such as a second telephone line in the house, or to a wireless phone. If the subscriber does not wish to be disturbed, the call can be diverted into the subscriber's network-based voice mailbox, where the caller can leave a message. The subscriber may also choose to send the caller a pre-defined message, such as, "I'll call you back in ten minutes," or even type in a custom message and have it read to the caller using text-to-speech technology. Itsik Danziger, President and Chief Operating Officer of Comverse Network Systems, said, "Comverse's Internet Call Waiting service allows network operators to expand the value of their portfolio of voice and unified messaging services by enabling subscribers to handle their phone calls while they are online. Network operators gain greater revenue by ensuring calls can be completed, as well as by attracting new subscribers with a broader range of services." Comverse is demonstrating its Internet Call Waiting service at SuperComm '99 in booth 441 in Hall A, June 8-10, in Atlanta, Georgia.