Videoconferencing: PictureTel Announces Technology Investment Protection Program for Concorde 4500 and Venue 2000 Videoconferencing Systems - Product Information

EDGE, On & About AT&T, March 15, 1999

PictureTel Corporation Tuesday announced a new customer-benefit program that once again raises the bar in the visual collaboration industry. Starting Wednesday, March 10, 1999, PictureTel will offer a technology investment protection program directed at customers who purchase its industry-leading Concorde 4500 and Venue 2000 group videoconferencing systems.

This first-of-its-kind customer-support program in the videoconferencing industry enables customers who purchase Concorde or Venue systems today to have a guaranteed upgrade path to the next generation of group videoconferencing systems from PictureTel. Customers who participate in the program will be entitled to a technology refresh within 18 months from the date they purchased their system. Items covered by the technology investment protection program include:

* Internal video and audio components (as necessary), and network interfaces;

* The wireless remote control keypad;

* The camera (if the customer's system does not already include the new PictureTel 80 camera); and

* Software and documentation.

The technology investment protection program is available worldwide and has a U.S. price of $1,500.

"Our commitment to satisfying our thousands of customers worldwide has helped make PictureTel the world leader in visual collaboration," said Gary L. Bond, group vice president and general manager - products. "We understand customers' concerns about purchasing systems today only to have newer versions of similar products come out in the future. That is particularly true with the joint product development relationship we recently announced with Intel Corporation, under which we will introduce new, high-quality PC-based videoconferencing solutions. Now, customers who purchase Concorde and Venue systems along with the technology investment protection program, will immediately bring the many benefits of visual collaboration to their businesses today. And they can be confident that they will have an easy upgrade path - at no additional cost - to exciting new technology in the future."

PictureTel Corporation is the world leader in developing, manufacturing and marketing a full range of visual- and audio-collaboration and streaming-video solutions. The company's systems meet customers' collaboration needs from the desktop to the boardroom. PictureTel also markets network conferencing servers and a comprehensive portfolio of enterprise-wide services. Additional PictureTel information is available on the Internet at www.picturetel.com. PictureTel collaboration products and services eliminate the barrier of distance, enabling people to be Anywhere Now.