Inter-tel Releases SIP Softphone for Pocket PC

[marcelo]

SAN FRANCISCO - Inter-Tel, a provider of voice and converged communications solutions, and Global IP Sound (GIPS), a provider of embedded voice processing technologies, today announced that Inter-Tel has integrated GIPS VoiceEngine and GIPS SoundWare modules into its recently announced Inter-Tel Model 8601 SIP SoftPhone for Pocket PC, the first in a series of new IP endpoints for converged communications in enterprise environments.

The integration of GIPS technology into the Inter-Tel Model 8601 is designed to improve the voice quality of the softphone by making it more robust against the adverse affects of the Internet and 802.11 networks.

Inter-Tel has introduced a family of multi-protocol endpoints to support the evolution of enterprise communications systems into converged networks. The Inter-Tel Model 8601 is a Session Initiation Protocol (SIP) softphone application that lets users of Pocket PC Personal Digital Assistant (PDA) platforms stay connected while mobile within their enterprise's 802.11 network. GIPS VoiceEngine is a plug-in with all required interfaces and components to handle the voice-related tasks in softphone applications.

"We are committed to delivering telephony platforms and applications for visibility and control over how, when and where individuals and groups communicate," said Jeff Ford, Inter-Tel's chief technology officer. "Global IP Sound allows us to deliver a SIP softphone with best of breed voice quality that enables users to connect and communicate confidently in real time, even in adverse network conditions."

"Inter-Tel has three decades of experience delivering innovation in communications to enterprise environments, so the company's VoIP solutions have to match a legacy of quality and performance," said Gary Hermanson, CEO and President of Global IP Sound. "The Model 8601, combined with other elements of Inter-Tel's communications platform, is designed to bring the benefits of IP calling to business environments while maintaining all of the features and functionality that enterprise users expect."

About the Inter-Tel Model 8601 SIP SoftPhone for Pocket PC
The Inter-Tel Model 8601 is the first in a family of Inter-Tel products designed to extend voice communications within an enterprise's 802.11 wireless network. The SIP softphone for Pocket PC allows users to stay connected anywhere within an 802.11 network, as well as initiate calls from their Microsoft Outlook contact lists. Basic call features include hold, transfer, conferencing, call forward, message waiting indicator and speed dial.

About GIPS VoiceEngine GIPS
VoiceEngine is a software plug-in designed to handle all voice-related tasks for VoIP soft clients in PC or PDA environments. The Voice Engine is an easy-to-implement solution for improved voice quality with all the necessary interfaces and components to implement voice into any soft-client application. It simplifies the integration of speech codecs, communication with sound cards, real-time performance, RTP protocol handling and other voice-related tasks. A fully customizable voice processing plug-in, GIPS VoiceEngine is compatible with all IP telephony standards (G.711, SIP, H.323, etc.) allowing manufacturers to quickly and easily integrate both standard and customer-specific codecs.

GIPS VoiceEngine is typically configured with GIPS SoundWare modules. For example, the Model 8601 integration uses the GIPS NetEQ, GIPS Enhanced G.711, GIPS iLBC and GIPS Acoustic Echo Suppression (AES) modules to significantly, reduce the effects of packet loss, delay, jitter and echo. Consequently, calls made using Inter-Tel's SIP softphone are robust against adverse network conditions, providing voice quality that is better than mobile or regular phones even in conditions where there is 30% packet loss.

The robust performance of Global IP Sound's sound-processing technologies also protects against the call quality challenges introduced by WLANs (Wireless Local Area Networks), such as increased delays, jitter and packet loss compared to wired LAN environments. Specifically, in applications that do not use GIPS technologies, delay can easily become unacceptable for voice over WiFi. GIPS VoiceEngine with GIPS SoundWare modules significantly improves sound quality on WLANs, especially for mixed data/voice traffic.

About Inter-Tel
Inter-Tel (NASD: INTL - news) offers value-driven communications products; applications utilizing networks and server-based communications software; and a wide range of managed services that include voice and data network design and traffic provisioning, custom application development, and financial solutions packages that respond to business communications needs. An industry-leading provider focused on the small- to medium-sized enterprise, Inter-Tel employs over 1,700 communications professionals worldwide, and services business customers through a network of more than 50 company-owned, direct sales offices and over 350 authorized providers in the United States, United Kingdom and Japan. More information is available at http://www.inter-tel.com.

About Global IP Sound
Global IP Sound develops embedded voice processing technologies for real-time communications on packet networks. GIPS SoundWareT provides better than PSTN voice quality and fidelity in end-to-end IP communications with robustness against packet loss, even in degraded networks. Global IP Sound's world-renowned speech processing and IP telephony experts deliver these solutions to chip, board and gateway manufacturers. Companies using GIPS SoundWare products include Nortel Networks, BRECIS Communications, Marratech, Skype and other key players in the VoIP market. Global IP Sound is a member of the Intelr PCA Developer Network, the Motorola Design Alliance, and Texas Instruments' third party developer network. Global IP Sound has headquarters in Stockholm and San Francisco. More information is available at http://www.globalipsound.com.