Thyssen Selects Siemens for IP Telephony Solution in Germany; Internet and Telephone Network Converge

Business Wire, June 17, 1998

BOCA RATON, Fla.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--June 17, 1998--Thyssen Telecom AG, together with its subsidiary IS Internet Solution GmbH, one of Germany's largest Internet service providers, is using a turnkey solution from Siemens to transmit telephone calls via networks based on the Internet Protocol (IP). The InterXpress(tm) system developed by Siemens for IP telephony delivers a high level of speech quality and meets the stringent, carrier-class requirements of telecom network operators for stability and expansion capability.

Siemens recently introduced the InterXpress family of solutions for IP telephony, the most comprehensive suite of products available for large-scale IP telephony deployments. Siemens is the first equipment vendor to provide a complete global solution of carrier-class IP telephony hardware and software for new and existing service providers.

Thyssen Telecom is among the first network operators in the world to offer IP telephony. In addition to cheaper telephone calls, IP telephony allows additional services to be introduced quickly due to the integration of the telephone network and Internet. These include functions such as voice-controlled Web sites, IP-based call centers and universal message systems with integrated voice/text conversion. The Siemens InterXpress solution consists of CPE-based software, interworking units (gateways and gatekeepers) that mediate traffic between the IP network and the public switched telephone network (PSTN), network services servers to authorize/authenticate, route and rate IP telephony calls, and management and customer care servers to provision, bill and operate the service. Siemens also plans for InterXpress to support the SS7 international signaling system, which will allow telephone calls conducted via the Internet to be made to any telephone terminal in the world.

The Internet Solutions Business Unit of Siemens Telecom Networks has worldwide responsibility for Internet products and applications for carriers providing public telecommunications services, bringing to bear the full strength of Siemens' innovation and market know-how and offering a complete Internet package enabling existing and potential network operators to offer a full range of Internet services. This includes ISP solutions, carrier-grade, voice-over-IP solutions, integration services, applications development and customer support services. Home page: www.internet.siemens.com.

Siemens Telecom Networks, headquartered in Boca Raton, Fla., is a subsidiary of Siemens AG, which has annual revenues of $63.7 billion (FY 96-97) and has operations in 193 countries. Home page: www.stn.siemens.com.

NOTE TO EDITORS: Siemens is a registered trademark of Siemens AG. InterXpress is a trademark of Siemens AG.

   CONTACT: Siemens Telecom Networks
             Tom Phillips, 561/955-3670
             thomas.phillips@stn.siemens.com
                    or
             Robert Bartolotta, 561/955-3140
             robert.bartolotta@stn.siemens.com
                    or
             Reiner Schoenrock (Germany)
             49-89-722-33988
             reiner.schoenrock@oen.siemens.com
                    or
             Thyssen Telecom:
             Edgar Schnorpfeil
             Tel.: 02151-833511
             Fax: 02151-833512
             schnorpfeil@thyssen-telecom.de