TMCnet News
Level 3 Announces VoIP Technology Alliance Program BROOMFIELD, Colo., May 11 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Level 3 Communications, Inc. today announced a new VoIP technology alliance program designed to help call centers, conferencing companies and other customers quickly and easily bring the benefits of VoIP into their business operations and services."Making VoIP adoption easier and faster for our customers gives Level 3 and our (3)VoIP TAP participants a distinct competitive advantage," said Jack Waters, CTO and president of Voice Technologies for Level 3. "The alliance is working together to eliminate potential technology hurdles and interoperability issues that will help accelerate the adoption of the many communications benefits and cost efficiencies that VoIP can provide." Prior to this program, companies looking to integrate the control and economics of VoIP services into their applications were faced with the responsibility of coordinating both equipment vendors and service providers on various technical activities including such items as SIP interoperability. Now -- with the new Level 3 program -- customers can be confident of proven equipment and network interoperability. (3)VoIP TAP enables participating vendors and customers to begin testing their applications with the Level 3 network before they make any final platform decisions or begin implementation of their production environment. Because the program includes a component of cross-industry training between the partners and Level 3, customers will benefit from a coordinated solution where previously only loosely associated components existed. Level 3 has been a leader in VoIP networking since 1999 and VoIP interoperability since early 2003. As part of (3)VoIP TAP, the company operates a platform that provides a self-certification environment for customers and vendors to test call flows, architectures, and applications on the Level 3 network. "The capabilities and benefits provided by the (3)VoIP TAP program are key components in the success we're having delivering service to our VoIP customers," said Waters. "We anticipate that the program will increasingly bring significant benefits to customers and accelerate our wholesale VoIP customer activity even further." Tom Valovic, IDC's Program Director for IP Telephony, said, "As VoIP-enabled networks scale in size and complexity, interoperability represents a key challenge for equipment vendors who need to ensure that their offerings are optimized for the increased diversity of network environments. Level 3's initiative represents a positive step toward achieving that industry-wide goal which, in turn, will help speed VoIP market adoption across a wider spectrum of deployment scenarios." Following is a partial list of Level 3 vendors currently participating in (3)VoIP TAP: Technology Alliance Partners Acme Packet (http://www.acmepacket.com/) Acme Packet features a family of session border controllers that satisfies critical security, service assurance and law enforcement requirements. Avaya (http://www.avaya.com/) Avaya offers a complete IP communications architecture that provides software, infrastructure and services to help enterprises stay nimble. BroadSoft (http://www.broadsoft.com/) BroadSoft is a leading provider of Hosted PBX, IP Centrex, and Residential Broadband Voice applications. Convedia (http://www.convedia.com/) Convedia's award winning IP Media Servers reduce service delivery costs and increase revenues by consolidating separate announcement and recording servers, interactive voice response units, audio/video conference bridges, voice messaging and VoiceXML servers into a common, multi-service, dynamically reprogrammable enhanced services platform. CosmoCom (http://www.cosmocom.com/) CosmoCom is a leading provider of all-IP, unified contact center platforms that enable service providers to offer Contact Center on Demand services from their network, and enable enterprises to create virtual call centers complete with ACD, IVR, CTI, predictive dialing, and multimedia recording. dynamicsoft (http://www.dynamicsoft.com/) dynamicsoft is a premier telecommunications infrastructure provider, leading the delivery of Push-to-Talk and other real-time voice, messaging, video and presence services. Edgewater Networks (http://www.edgewaternetworks.com/) Edgewater Networks provides solutions that make the deployment of VoIP easier, less expensive and more secure. EdgeMarc(TM) CPE appliances and EdgeProtec(TM) session border controllers simplify the managed VoIP environment. IP Unity (http://www.ipunity.com/) IP Unity provides an industry-leading IP services system that enables wireline and wireless service providers and cable operators to develop, deploy and manage IP telephony, data and video services via one platform, over existing and next generation networks. Lucent Technologies (http://www.lucent.com/) Lucent Technologies designs and delivers to carriers systems, services and software that enable next-generation communications networks. Lucent's Accelerate(R) VoIP Solutions delivers Value over IP, enabling new blended end-user services regardless of network or access type. Netrake (http://www.netrake.com/) Netrake's session controllers secure interconnection of VoIP networks by delivering real-time control of voice and multimedia across IP networks for carriers worldwide. Polycom (http://www.polycom.com/) Polycom's Voyant division designs and delivers high-quality, highly-reliable, scalable, and easy-to-use voice conferencing and real time collaboration solutions for all types of networks. Sonus Networks (http://www.sonusnet.com/) Sonus delivers VoIP infrastructure solutions addressing a full range of wireline and wireless carrier applications, including trunking and tandem switching, residential and business access, network border switching and enhanced services. Spectel (http://www.spectel.com/) Spectel is a leader in integrated conferencing solutions. Its scalable conferencing technology integrates with existing and emerging network infrastructures, supporting any combination of circuit- and packet-switched networking. Sylantro Systems (http://www.sylantro.com/) Leading Tier 1, Tier 2 and next-gen service providers worldwide have chosen Sylantro Systems for their commercial voice-over-broadband, PBX replacement and residential VoIP service offerings. Telica (http://www.telica.com/) Telica's VoIP switching solutions bridge next-generation and legacy networks for wireline and wireless carriers. Ubiquity (http://www.ubiquity.com/) Ubiquity Software Corporation develops and markets SIP-based communications software for service providers, Independent Software Vendors (ISVs) and OEM partners worldwide. Vail Systems (http://www.vailsys.com/) Vail Systems has developed a software-based, open standard SIP telephony platform that provides a wide range of compelling enhanced services applications that reduce costs, improve workforce productivity and drive new revenues for enterprises. Level 3's VoIP services span three areas: * Wholesale services sold directly to carriers and other voice service providers; * Enterprise services designed for small and medium sized businesses, sold through local phone companies, value-added resellers and other distribution channels, and; * Consumer services aimed at the residential market, sold through cable operators, ISPs and other communications companies in a position to sell voice services to the home. Level 3's VoIP services leverage the company's extensive softswitch platform -- the largest in the world, which has carried more than 300 billion minutes of voice and data calls since 1999. Level 3's softswitch platform delivers the reliability and quality required for voice services, and the network offers coverage to more than 300 of the largest markets in the U.S. For more information about Level 3's new technology alliance program or VoIP services, please visit http://www.level3.com/VoIPTAP. About Level 3 Communications Level 3 is an international communications and information services company. The company operates one of the largest Internet backbones in the world, is one of the largest providers of wholesale dial-up service to ISPs in North America and is the primary provider of Internet connectivity for millions of broadband subscribers, through its cable and DSL partners. The company offers a wide range of communications services over its 22,500 mile broadband fiber optic network including Internet Protocol (IP) services, broadband transport and infrastructure services, colocation services, and patented Softswitch managed modem and voice services. Its Web address is http://www.level3.com/. The company offers information services through its subsidiaries, Software Spectrum and (i)Structure. For additional information, visit their respective Web sites at http://www.softwarespectrum.com/ and http://www.i-structure.com/. The Level 3 logo is a registered service mark and (3)VoIP is a service mark of Level 3 Communications, Inc. in the United States and/or other countries. All other trademarks and service marks are the property of their respective owners. (3)VoIP and (3)VoIP TAP services are provided by Level 3 Communications, LLC. Forward-Looking Statement Some of the statements made by Level 3 in this press release are forward-looking in nature. Actual results may differ materially from those projected in forward-looking statements. Level 3 believes that its primary risk factors include, but are not limited to: changes in the overall economy relating to, among other things, the September 11 attacks and subsequent events, substantial capital requirements; development of effective internal processes and systems; the ability to attract and retain high quality employees; technology; the number and size of competitors in its markets; law and regulatory policy; and the mix of products and services offered in the company's target markets. Additional information concerning these and other important factors can be found within Level 3's filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission. Statements in this release should be evaluated in light of these important factors. Photo: NewsCom: http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/19990721/LVLTLOGOPRN Photo Desk, [email protected] Level 3 Communications, Inc. CONTACT: media, Josh Howell, +1-720-888-2517, or Paul Lonnegren,+1-720-888-6099, or investors, Robin Grey, +1-720-888-2518, or SandraCurlander, +1-720-888-2501, all of Level 3 Communications, Inc. Web site: http://www.level3.com/ |