Global IP Sound and BRECIS Cooperate on High-Quality Voice Over the Network

Companies Combine Voice Quality and Network Edge Processing Technologies in Powerful, Low-Cost Development Platform for VoIP Gateways and IP Phones

San Jose, CA - October 08, 2002 - BRECIS Communications Corporation, the world leader in multi-service platform architectures for the "last mile" in the local loop, and Global IP Sound, Inc. (GIPS), the leading provider of embedded voice processing technologies, today announced a collaboration to bring high-quality voice into homes and offices over the Internet. The first step in this effort is the creation of an evaluation and development kit that will speed development of IP (Internet Protocol) phones and VoIP (voice-over IP) gateways with voice quality equal or superior to traditional telephones.

BRECIS will offer GIPS NetEQ(TM) network equalization and other sound processing software with its family of FastStart development platforms. At Fall 2002 Voice on the Net (VON) conference in Atlanta this week (Oct. 7–10), BRECIS will demonstrate a GIPS SoundWare(TM)enhanced FastStart development platform in the Global IP Sound booth (Booth #433/434).

The BRECIS FastStart platforms help system manufacturers "jump start" the design of customer premises equipment (CPE) supporting multi-service broadband applications powered by BRECIS Multi-Service Processors(TM) (MSPs). BRECIS MSPs deliver the cost advantages equated with system-on-a-chip (SoC) integration, VPN (virtual private network) acceleration on all products, and a unique multi-service architecture design to deliver best-in-class QoS (quality of service) within a VoIP device. GIPS SoundWare sound processing software provides consistently robust audio quality even in areas where poor network infrastructure may cause packet loss of up to 30-percent.

"With our FastStart evaluation and development kits, CPE manufacturers can quickly design competitive, next-generation multi-service products that take advantage of the rapidly spreading Internet infrastructure," said George Alexy, president and CEO of BRECIS. "Now, through our arrangement with Global IP Sound, manufacturers can just as easily add the industry's highest quality voice capabilities to their products, setting a new QoS standard and delivering a revolutionary sound experience to the VoIP market."

After an initial period of limited early adoption by consumers seeking to bypass traditional telephone networks, VoIP deployment is now gaining ground in enterprise systems and is forecast to grow dramatically in SOHO (small-office/home-office) markets outside of North America. For example, the explosive growth of broadband services in Asia is expected to contribute to widespread deployment of VoIP as a primary phone service, reflecting a 2002 forecast by International Data Corp. that IP telephony will grow from five percent of total call minutes in 2001 to 60 percent of total call minutes worldwide by 2007.

"Successful suppliers of VoIP systems operating outside of managed enterprise network environments will deliver phones and gateways with robust audio performance and very competitive price points," said Gary Hermansen, President and CEO of Global IP Sound. "The BRECIS MSP separates data from voice and gives priority to voice, which helps maintain a consistent level of voice quality. Our software enhances that quality so that even when the infrastructure is less than adequate, the system can effectively manage the inherent issues of VoIP such as jitter, packet loss and echo."

BRECIS FastStart Platforms and Multi-Service Processors

The BRECIS FastStart platform provides the hardware and software needed to support all aspects of networking and telephony equipment design, and to accelerate time to market for developers of VoIP gateways and IP phones. The modular development platform, priced at $25,000, includes an evaluation board based on a BRECIS Multi-Service Processor, support for the Linux operating system, and a full suite of voice processing software from Global IP Sound and BRECIS. It also includes application engineering support, training, and documentation.

MSPs are a new class of network processor that enable the cost-effective design of broadband CPE capable of supporting emerging multi-service applications, such as combined packetized voice and data, with no loss in QoS. The MSP is a complete silicon-and-software platform engineered to enable a wide range of networking and telephony equipment, including integrated access devices (IADs), IP-based PBXs, business-class routers, firewalls, and multi-service enterprise products. It eliminates the need for expensive or performance-limited design strategies in often cost-sensitive communications equipment. The BRECIS MSP family currently includes four processors: the MSP2000, which is targeted at security appliances and Ethernet-to-Ethernet routers; the MSP3000, which is targeted at business-class routers; the MSP4000, which is targeted at devices that integrate voice and data traffic; and the MSP5000, which is designed to be used in business-class multi-service access devices, integrated access devices (IADs), and converged PBXs.

Global IP Sound Adds Unexcelled Sound Quality to the FastStart Platform

GIPS SoundWare solutions provide a cost-effective QoS solution and enhanced network performance in IP network and telephony edge devices such as media gateways, IP phones, iPBXs, and PC clients. GIPS SoundWare offers a highly scalable approach to ensure high end-to-end sound quality and improved network performance, producing high-fidelity sound even under poor network conditions. GIPS NetEQ, GIPS Enhanced G.711, and Acoustic Echo Cancellation modules significantly reduce the effects of packet loss, delay, jitter, and echo. Consequently, products developed with FastStart platforms can be robust against adverse network conditions, providing better-than-PSTN voice quality without increasing the bit rate, and without significant increases in latency and complexity.

About Global IP Sound
Global IP Sound develops embedded voice processing technologies for real-time communications on packet networks. GIPS SoundWare provides better than PSTN voice quality and fidelity in end-to-end IP communications with robustness against packet loss, even in degraded networks. Global IP Sound's world-renowned speech processing and IP telephony experts deliver these solutions to Nortel Networks, Pingtel, Hotsip, and other VoIP providers. GIPS SoundWare is eXpressDSP(TM) certified by Texas Instruments. Global IP Sound is a member of the Intel® PCA Developer Network. Global IP Sound has offices in Stockholm, San Francisco, Boston and Austin. More information is available at www.globalipsound.com.

About BRECIS Communications
BRECIS is an innovator in integrated broadband multi-service platform architectures for "the last mile."
The company invented a new network processor family called the "Multi-Service Processor" or "MSP" that is proving to be an enabling technology for next-generation, multi-service customer premise equipment. Such equipment is making it possible for enterprises, small businesses, and consumers to benefit from a wide range of digital-based communications services delivered to a customer premise over increasingly-available, low-cost broadband connections such as T1, xDSL, cable, and wireless local loop. BRECIS Multi-Service Processors make applications such as multi-line voice over packet-based networks, high-speed data, self-provisioning, heightened security, virtual private networking, voice-enabled web content, entertainment on demand, and distributed call centers increasingly practical, available, and affordable.

BRECIS is a late-stage, venture-funded company with investors that include Berkeley International Capital, Norwest Venture Partners, Focus Ventures, InterWest Partners, and Sequoia Capital. The company, with over 70 employees, is located in San Jose, CA.