Phonextra Announces Reseller Agreement with AVST for Unified Communications Solutions; Phonextra's Converged Network Solutions to Include AVST's CallXpress®

Business Wire, Nov 1, 2005

FAIRFIELD, N.J. -- Phonextra Inc., a leading converged network solutions provider, today announced a reseller agreement with Applied Voice & Speech Technologies Inc. (AVST). Phonextra will now offer its customers AVST's line of advanced unified communications (UC) solutions including its flagship product, CallXpress.

As a UC solution, CallXpress enables users to have access to voice, fax and e-mail messages in a single e-mail inbox. CallXpress supports hundreds of legacy, digital and IP switches and is one of the most mature and innovative unified communications solutions in the market. AVST has designed CallXpress to help employees communicate and collaborate more productively and effectively regardless of their physical location.

According to John Negri, Phonextra president and CEO: "Our relationship with AVST further strengthens and expands our ability to deliver customized solutions to our customers. We're confident that AVST will help us deliver the best solutions for customers looking to evolve their communications infrastructure but also preserve their current legacy investments."

"Companies of all sizes are actively seeking to replace their first-generation communications systems with new technologies," said Hardy Myers, president and CEO of AVST. "Phonextra is an established and respected reseller that provides converged network solutions to its customer base. Phonextra is now armed with a UC solution that integrates with hundreds of legacy switches and integrates with present and future technologies. We're pleased to add Phonextra to our growing network of resellers."

Phonextra is a privately held Converged Network Solutions Provider. As an Avaya Platinum Business Partner, Phonextra provides converged network solutions from small business systems to large enterprise networks, including Voice over IP (VoIP), UC, contact centers, consultative services, network design and implementation and maintenance services.

Aiming to meet the increasing demand for next-generation enterprise communications, Phonextra provides additional distribution of AVST's CallXpress unified messaging and Seneca(R) speech module to businesses that are looking to replace legacy voice mail systems with unified messaging, add speech solutions to replace touch-tone automated attendant, deploy VoIP services, or complete a full upgrade of existing installed telephony solutions.

About Phonextra

With headquarters in Fairfield, Phonextra was founded in 1982. Phonextra provides converged communications systems and network design and implementation services to businesses across the U.S. For more information about Phonextra, call 1-800-774-6639 or access the company's Web site at www.phonextra.com.

About AVST

Applied Voice & Speech Technologies Inc. (AVST) is a leading developer of unified communications solutions for businesses of all sizes. Through its world-class unified communications platform, CallXpress(R), and its innovative speech applications module, Seneca(R), AVST offers the industry's most powerful suite of switch-independent unified communications solutions. AVST's solutions enable direct access to an enterprise's communications infrastructure including voice mail, e-mail and fax messaging from any voice or data device via a touch-tone, GUI or speech interface. Established in September 2003, AVST was formed from the combined businesses of Sound Advantage (established in 1997) and the AVT division (established in 1982) of Captaris Inc.

With headquarters in Orange County, Calif., AVST maintains facilities in Seattle and the United Kingdom and has remote sales offices across the United States. With over 35,000 systems installed worldwide, AVST's unified communications solutions are sold and supported internationally by an extensive network of resellers and OEM partners. For more information contact Denny Michael, VP of marketing, at 949-699-2300 or access the company's Web site at www.avst.com.