AT&T Announces IP Gateway Services and Launches AT&T WorldNet-R Enhanced Fax Service

Business Wire, March 11, 1998

LOS ANGELES--(BUSINESS WIRE)--March 11, 1998--

Business Editors

First-Ever IP Fax Service Network Availability Guarantee

AT&T today announced at Internet World Spring the next step in its strategy to become the leading provider of business-quality Internet Protocol (IP) solutions. The company unveiled AT&T IP gateway services, which provide IP connectivity to AT&T's value-added messaging services. The company also launched AT&T WorldNet Enhanced Fax Service with the industry's first network availability guarantee.

AT&T is creating a new level of business services by combining its experience and strength in data networking and value-added messaging to provide customers with IP services that allow them to make the most of IP technology and the most of their existing network infrastructures and investments.

"More than anything, customers are telling us they want parity for their IP network services," said Kathleen Earley, vice president, AT&T Networked Commerce Services. "They want the same levels of service they get from voice and data networks. Step by step, we're offering customers IP solutions that provide the quality of service, security, and guaranteed reliability they need to support mission-critical applications."

AT&T IP gateway services will connect customers using LAN-based and browser-based e-mail systems to AT&T's robust set of value-added messaging services via AT&T dedicated and dial-up access services. By adding IP connectivity, AT&T is combining the security and guaranteed reliability of its IP backbone with seamless access to global, business-quality messaging.

In its first foray into the value-added IP messaging services market, AT&T will offer IP-based fax service with a network availability guarantee of 99.5 percent. If the AT&T IP fax service network availability falls below 99.5 percent in any month and the customer reports the outage, AT&T will credit the customer's account the monthly service fee of $49.95 (some restrictions apply).

AT&T IP Gateway Services

With AT&T IP gateway services customers can easily integrate their legacy and IP-based business applications with AT&T's value-added messaging services. Connectivity to these services for customers using SMTP, UUCP and X.400 mail systems is provided via AT&T's IP access services, including AT&T WorldNet(R) Managed Internet Service (MIS), AT&T WorldNet(R) Business Dial and AT&T Frame Relay Service.

Businesses will be able to use the AT&T Domain Name System (DNS) Service, which allows customers to choose their preferred network and e-mail address name, and File Transfer Protocol (FTP) capabilities that support large-scale file handling and transmission. They also have access to user-address aliasing of complex, proprietary e-mail addresses into simpler addresses, such as username@mycompany.com.

"Whether it's different communications protocols, different messaging protocols or different delivery end-points -- such as e-mail, fax, Telex, pager, EDI and paper -- when it comes to value-added messaging, AT&T has never met an end-point we didn't like," said Earley. "Now, as our customers include IP technology in their networking mix, we will continue to support their need to seamlessly reach business partners and remote employees regardless of e-mail system, communications protocol or location." -0-

Additional capabilities of AT&T IP gateway services include:

- Worldwide Delivery: Using delivery options, such as MailFAX, Telex and AT&T Mail, messages can be sent to 280 countries and territories. Recipients can be on AT&T Mail, LAN-, midrange- and host-based systems, X.400 networks and other public messaging services, and the Internet.

- Security and Reliability: Messages are sent via AT&T WorldNet MIS, AT&T WorldNet Business Dial and AT&T Frame Relay Service on the AT&T IP backbone, which is designed with a total network availability of 99.5 percent. The AT&T IP backbone has robust security features that enable businesses to protect their mission-critical communications.

- Accountability: All messages sent via AT&T Mail are assigned a log number and can be identified and tracked by address, subject, date, message length and status. Detailed billing reports also are available by individual user.

- Browser Interface: For single-user environments, AT&T is offering browser plug-in software that works with most Internet browsers, such as Netscape Navigator(TM) and Microsoft Internet Explorer, and e-mail client software, including Netscape Messenger software and Eudora Pro software. The plug-in software connects to AT&T messaging services via AT&T's IP backbone using AT&T WorldNet Business Dial. The AT&T-provided software is scheduled to be available to customers in the second quarter 1998.

AT&T WorldNet(R) Enhanced Fax Service

AT&T WorldNet Enhanced Fax Service provides LAN-to-fax capability via the AT&T IP backbone. The service, currently in controlled introduction, is available to customers using AT&T WorldNet MIS and many of the popular LAN e-mail systems, such as Microsoft(R) Exchange, Lotus Notes, Lotus cc:Mail and Novell Groupwise software. Access via AT&T Frame Relay Service is scheduled to be available in second quarter 1998.