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[September 26, 2000]

3Com Intros New IP Telephony Solution For SIP-Based Services To Small- And Mid-Sized Businesses

3Com Corporation announced 3Com SIP Solutions, a Session Initiation Protocol (SIP)-based, Internet-centric voice solution that enables service providers to offer new, differentiated IP telephony features and services to small and mid-sized businesses. Benefits include convergence of IP and telephone services, innovative user interfaces, mobility, dynamic phone personalization, and radically simple provisioning and management for business phone users.

Available immediately in the U.S., 3Com SIP Solutions includes SIP-based Internet phones, personal digital assistant (PDA) phone control applications, a SIP client service platform, software developer's kit, and support services. 3Com SIP Solutions is part of a broad range of IP telephony solutions being offered by 3Com, from premise-to-network-based solutions, to help 3Com customers gain simple and reliable access to the information and services they need.

"The fragmented nature of today's communication services requires small and medium businesses to contact multiple organizations to secure the long distance service, local service and Internet access necessary to conduct business," said Ikhlaq Sidhu, vice president, Internet Communications, Voice Solutions Division, 3Com. "3Com SIP Solutions offers service providers rich connectivity to seamlessly integrate Internet access, ASP services, and a full range of telephony services over one voice and data network."

3Com SIP Solutions enables service providers to offer IP-centric voice services to their customers. Competitive local exchange carriers (CLECs), Internet service providers (ISPs), and application service providers (ASPs) will be able to provide their customers with truly differentiating voice features and capabilities. In addition, service providers will be able to reduce the extra overhead and costs associated with deploying and managing separate voice and data networks.

For end-user customers, 3Com SIP Solutions provides radically simple provisioning to achieve plug-n-play telephony across the IP network. Users can simply plug a phone into any network location and receive service. If the phone is moved to another network location, all service configurations and subscriber preferences will remain intact.

The 3Com SIP Phone is a smart client device that has the intelligence of a computer and the connectivity of an Ethernet interface. The 3Com SIP Phone provides the basic features found in everyday, high-end business telephones, such as call hold, call transfer, redial and call forward. Moreover, the phone leverages SIP technology to support additional features and functions, such as plug-n-play installation, user mobility, multiple user support through one phone, and non-intrusive software upgrades directly from the network.

The 3Com SIP PDA Phone Control Application is a software application that allows end-users to control the 3Com SIP Phone using a PDA. With this application, PDAs may be used to perform basic functions such as conference and call transfer. Additional functions include the ability to select a number from the PDA's address book and then "tapping" to dial the selected person by directing the PDA at the 3Com SIP Phone's infrared port.

Because the PDA contains personalized information, such as speed dial lists and other preferences, users can be semi-mobile and "beam" their identity to the SIP Phone in order to log into the SIP system. In addition, the 3Com SIP PDA Phone Control application communicates with the SIP Phone with an open, standards-based mechanism that allows third-party developers to create their own special purpose PDA applications on any handheld computing platform.

The SIP Client Service Platform is comprised of the 3Com SIP Signaling Server and the 3Com SIP Support System, and manages the authentication, signaling and provisioning of the client device, the 3Com SIP Phone. The platform allows businesses to operate and provision the SIP phones from anywhere in the network. The 3Com SIP Signaling Server supports all call signaling functions between client devices and backbone PSTN gateway networks including proxy, re-direct, forking registrar, and location management functions. The 3Com SIP Support System handles all of the configuration of the SIP Signaling Server, as well as provisioning for the SIP Phone subscribers, including phone numbers, user preferences, voice mail, extension dialing plans and user privileges and restrictions on the system.

The 3Com SIP Software Developer's Kit (SDK) is designed for technology partners to develop solutions and applications that will be compatible with the 3Com SIP Solutions and other SIP-based products and services. The 3Com SDK includes well-defined instructions and libraries. The SDK will drive the development of new SIP-based applications from other vendors and ensure integration with 3Com SIP Solutions.

In addition, a full suite of 3Com services supports all the 3Com SIP Solutions products. 3Com offers 24x7 call center and Web support, as well as an experienced consulting team to recommend the best solution to integrate 3Com SIP Solutions into an existing network/architecture and develop customer applications if necessary.

The 3Com SIP Solutions Client Service Platform architecture is interoperable with the 3Com CommWorks architecture, the company's versatile solution for multi-service packet-based networking. 3Com SIP Solutions focus on the client devices and its management, while the CommWorks architecture allows service providers to deliver multiple services in a single, unified networking environment, streamlining the migration from today's analog networks to next-generation, packet-based converged networks. Additionally, the SIP Solutions architecture will work with 3Com's broadband access equipment including the OfficeConnect Remote 840 SDSL Router that has SIP aware address sharing and firewall capabilities.

The 3Com SIP Phone lists at $395 USD, with a one-year limited warranty. This price includes the 3Com SIP PDA Phone Control Application, as well as the infrared-ready port device. Pricing on the 3Com Client Service Platform is contingent on individual system configuration requirements.

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