CentreCom Joins Forces With Ericsson Enterprise Systems to Provide Advanced IP Telephony Capabilities With an Unprecedented Level of Quality for VoIP Services

Business Wire, Sept 1, 2000

Business Editors

COSTA MESA, Ca.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Sept. 1, 2000

CentreCom and Ericsson Offers Real-Time Voice, Messaging and Fax

Via The Internet To Reduce International Telephone Costs

CentreCom, the world's only Virtual Local and Long Distance Service Provider (V-LEC(TM)) announced today a landmark partnership with ERICSSON Enterprise Systems to offer advanced VoIP telephony capabilities at the highest-quality level in today's marketplace. CentreCom will use Ericsson's WebSwitch 100 to allow it to deliver a comprehensive suite of enhanced Internet Telephony and Unified Communications services to both individual subscribers and business customers around the globe.

CentreCom provides local and long-distance phone service over the Internet through ISPs, DSL service providers and broadband solution providers. CentreCom provides these services and combines its advanced unified communications offerings that include:

-- Click-to-call applications that require no changes to a call's center's
infrastructure and provides toll-quality voice communications from any web
browser to the company.

-- Co-Marketing opportunities that seamlessly integrate with Internet related
and wireless telephony infrastructures that drive usage and increase customer
retention.

-- Enhanced Phone-to-PC calling enabling users to receive telephone

calls anywhere in the world on any multimedia PC or H.323 VoIP

device on the Internet.

-- Click-to-call applications that require no changes to a call's center's
infrastructure and provides toll-quality voice communications from any web
browser to the company.

-- Co-Marketing opportunities that seamlessly integrate with Internet related
and wireless telephony infrastructures that drive usage and increase customer
retention.

-- Voice-enabled communications portals that provide users with

instant access to critical communications anytime, anywhere from

any IP and traditional telephone device.

-- Click-to-call applications that require no changes to a call's center's
infrastructure and provides toll-quality voice communications from any web
browser to the company.

-- Co-Marketing opportunities that seamlessly integrate with Internet related
and wireless telephony infrastructures that drive usage and increase customer
retention.

"By using Ericsson's award winning WebSwitch 100 as part of our offerings, our customers have new abilities that were not offered from any carrier before, and we have a new revenue stream and a competitive edge over the competition," said Don Feuer, President and CEO of CentreCom "Our customers can now enjoy the highest quality IP telephony services while taking advantage of the cost savings---at no risk."

Ericsson's WebSwitch 100 is a cost-effective desktop voice over IP (VoIP) gateway that allows remote users, including branch offices and telecommuters, to seamlessly integrate into their corporate-wide call management system. This technology allows access to the company operator, the voice-mail system and other advanced telephone resources. The WebSwitch 100 provides multiple telephone and fax extensions over a single data connection providing CentreCom subscribers with the ability to have up to four toll-quality service phone lines per Box in their home or office.

In addition, the subscribers' phone costs are slashed as the phone lines to their home or office cost far less than the phone lines from the Local Exchange Carrier. Also, ISPs would be able to sign contracts for long-term subscribers and include the WS100 for the monthly access fees. Now business customers can eliminate the need for phone lines and PBXs and take advantage of CentreCom's cutting-edge services.

The WebSwitch 100 allows CentreCom to offer its unique CentreOne(sm) virtual office telecommunications solution for small to large business utilizing either the switched telephone network or the Internet. With the implementation of the WebSwitch 100, the home, cellular, Internet, and the office phone number are tied to one number eliminating the need for customers to give out multiple phone numbers. In addition, incoming calls can be routed to three different phone lines simultaneously allowing subscribers to receive their personal communications in any method they desire. On a case-by-case basis, subscribers can either take a call, send the caller to voice mail, send the caller to another account, join a conference if one is initiated or send the call to another phone number. The location of an individual being called and that person's physical proximity to other individuals within an organization is transparent to a person calling.

Using the WebSwitch 100, CentreOne also offers enhanced calling features that provide an organization's personnel with extension dialing, call forwarding, personal operator (i.e., administrative assistant), conference calling, and other convenient features regardless of where personnel are located. Businesses can even have an automated attendant that routes incoming calls to any person, anywhere. Further, because calls can be transmitted to three communication devices at once, network members' calls "follow them" when they are working or traveling outside of their primary office location. More significantly, members of the network can be reached anywhere in the world through an Internet telephony hardware device.