8x8's ViaTV Videophone Deployed by U.S. Air Force in Morale Call Program; ViaTV Videophones to Link Deployed Air Force Personnel with Spouses, Children

Business Wire, Oct 3, 1997

SANTA CLARA, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Oct. 3, 1997--8x8 Inc. (NASDAQ:EGHT) - a leading supplier of video conferencing technology and systems - today announced that the U.S. Air Force has incorporated 8x8's ViaTV Videophone to its list of morale call services.

Air Force personnel are often separated from their spouses and children for months when deployed in dangerous or inhospitable situations such as Bosnia. Adding video to telephone calls between Air Force people and their families lets them see as well as hear how their families at home are doing. This ability is especially important for personnel with young children.

"Because they are so easy to set up and use, videophones are an excellent way for the Air Force to add a video dimension to phone calls home," said Col. David L. Rakestraw, director of Technology at the Air Force Communications Agency at Scott AFB, Ill. "Because the videophones are commercially available and use standard telephone lines, the unit cost is reasonable and no new infrastructure is needed to add video to phone calls. Our initial testing, which included placing units in England, Turkey, Germany, Saudi Arabia, Central America and in the United States, showed that video added measurably to the enjoyment and satisfaction of our personnel and their families."

"Helping to bring together families separated by duty and obligation was one of the reasons we felt so strongly that bringing a consumer videophone to market was important," said Joe Parkinson, 8x8's chairman and CEO. "To let a parent participate more fully in their child or grandchild's life as they are growing up, well, that's what ViaTV is for."

The ViaTV Videophone Family

8x8 offers a growing line of consumer videophones under the ViaTV brand. The ViaTV Videophones allow consumers to make full-color motion video calls over standard telephone lines, making ViaTV the first truly functional and practical consumer videophone. With ViaTV, making a video call is as simple as making any phone call. Every call starts as a normal audio call, and when the calling parties are ready, either of them can start video with just two key strokes on the touch-tone phone connected to the unit. A video call costs no more than any local or long distance telephone call, and there are no monthly service or subscription fees.

All ViaTV Videophones have a wide range of features, including electronic pan, tilt and zoom, snapshot, self view, auto answer, and caller ID. Auto answer, in particular, allows the ViaTV to be used as a security or baby monitor, allowing consumers to check on their valuables or children from miles away with a simple telephone call.

Because ViaTV are designed for use with common consumer electronics devices -- a TV, touch-tone phone and camcorders -- the ViaTV Phone is very easy to setup and use. Setup consists of only three connections: one antenna wire to the TV, two telephone wires (one to the wall jack and one to the telephone) and power. The ViaTV Modular Videophone also requires connection to a camcorder. The user interface consists of easy to follow on-screen menus and the touch-tone keypad, which is used to select options from the menus.

About 8x8

8x8 Inc. is a manufacturer of video conferencing systems, semiconductors and software. 8x8's ViaTV Phone, with prices starting at $329 for the VC50, combines with a TV and a touch-tone telephone to provide a complete video conferencing solution. Models are also available from $399 which offer Internet access and send/receive email capability in addition to the videophone function.

Since ViaTV utilizes a standard telephone line, local or long distance videophone calls cost no more than regular audio calls. 8x8 is headquartered in Santa Clara, Calif. For more information on ordering a ViaTV, call 8x8 toll free at 1-888/VIEW-8x8 or visit 8x8's Web site at http://www.8x8.com . -0-

Note to Editors: 8x8, the 8x8 logo and ViaTV are trademarks of 8x8 Inc. All other trademarks are the property of their respective owners.

CONTACT: 8x8, Inc.

Scott St. Clair, 408/727-1885

email: scottsc@8x8.com

or

Technology Solutions Inc.

Donna Austi, 212/320-2288

email: dausti@tsipr.com