Ericsson & White Pine create 1st commerically available instant messaging video
Ericsson and White Pine team to create first commercially available instant messaging with video Ericsson and White Pine Software, Inc. (NASDAQ: WPNE), a leading provider of multimedia conferencing applications for the Internet and intranets, today announced that Ericsson will incorporate White Pine's CU-SeeMe@ Web technology in its iPulse messaging product to create the first commercially available instant messaging implementation with video capability. iPulse goes beyond Internet instant messaging to allow voice chat, instant messages to cellular phones, personal profile and presence management, IP telephony calls to any phone - and now visual instant messaging. "With the addition of CU-SeeMe technology, iPulse continues to be at the forefront of instant messaging, with features no other instant messaging service is offering," said Harry Hakansson, General Manager of Ericsson's Interactive Communications Product Line. "With this agreement, we can now offer more revenue-generating opportunities to carriers through a value- added service they can't get anywhere else." In addition to enhancing the iPulse product, the agreement provides for White Pine to host an iPulse server on its ASP infrastructure and showcase the iPulse technology on its CU-SeeMe World Web site, http:///www.cuseemeworld.com. Furthermore, the agreement provides for Ericsson to resell White Pine's Meeting Point conference server in the future to enable multipoint visual instant messaging. "The interactive, visual capability of CU-SeeMe Web is a natural extension of the iPulse communications suite," said Killko Caballero, president and CEO of White Pine. "It allows us to offer a complete video instant messaging solution to our CU-SeeMe users, and together, White Pine and Ericsson can take instant messaging and visual communication over the Internet to an entirely new level." iPulse visual instant messaging will be demonstrated in Ericsson's booth at this week's Voice On the Net (VON) trade show at the San Jose Convention Center March 28-30. The video add-on to iPulse will be commercially available to wireless and wireline carriers and Internet Service Providers (ISPs) worldwide in the second quarter of 2000. iPulse is already commercially available and being offered by carriers in Finland and Iceland. iPulse adds to Ericsson's portfolio of Messaging over IP solutions. Ericsson Messaging provides complete messaging solutions, including platforms, applications, advisory services, systems integration's and network compatibility programs. Ericsson is the leading provider in the new telecoms world, with communications solutions that combine telecom and datacom technologies with freedom of mobility for the user. With more than 100,000 employees in 140 countries, Ericsson simplifies communications for its customers - network operators, service providers, enterprises and consumers - the world over. Please visit Ericsson's Press Room at: http://www.ericsson.se/pressroom FOR FURTHER INFORMATION, PLEASE CONTACT Kathy Egan, Vice President, Ericsson Inc., Corporate Communications Phone: +1 212 685 4030; E-mail: kathy.egan@ericsson.com Gary Pinkham, Vice President, Ericsson Inc., Investor Relations Phone: +1 212 685 4030; E-mail: gary.pinkham@ericsson.com Barbara Boyle, Marketing Manager, Ericsson, Internet Communications Phone: +1 972 583 5481; E-mail: Barbara.boyle@ericsson.com Tanya Prather, Director, White Pine Software, Marketing Communications Phone: +1 603 886 9050 ext 359; E-mail: tprather@wpine.com About White Pine Software White Pine Software develops, markets and supports multi-platform browser- based internetworking software that facilitates worldwide video and audio communication and data collaboration across the Internet, Intranets, Extranets and other networks that use the Internet Protocol. White Pine's videoconferencing software products, CU-SeeMe and MeetingPoint, create a client-server solution that allows users to participate in real-time, multipoint video, audio and data conferences over the Internet and intranets. White Pine Software can be found on the World Wide Web at http://www.wpine.com and http://www.whitepine.fr. ------------------------------------------------------------ Please visit http://www.bit.se for further information The following files are available for download: http://www.bit.se/bitonline/2000/03/28/20000328BIT00900/bit0001.doc http://www.bit.se/bitonline/2000/03/28/20000328BIT00900/bit0002.pdf