Accord Telecommunications Partners with Microsoft to Integrate Microsoft Exchange Server and Microsoft Outlook with Accord's MGC-100.

ATLANTA--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Oct. 5, 1999--

Accord Telecommunications, the leading manufacturer of real-time, interactive, visual communication systems, today announced that they have integrated the Accord MGC-100(tm) with Microsoft's Exchange Server and Microsoft Outlook, two leading solutions for messaging and scheduling.

The announcement was made in conjunction with the Microsoft Exchange Conference 99 being held in Atlanta, October 4-7, 1999.

The Microsoft Exchange Server has quickly become the industry's most popular product in the corporate messaging category. Similarly, the Accord MGC-100, an advanced switching and networking system that enables real time interactive visual communications, has quickly become the product of choice for Service Providers, enterprise users and in distance learning networks.

A user will now be able to schedule conference rooms, MGC-100 resources and appointments with colleagues from their desk through Microsoft Outlook, which provides a user interface and is a front end to the Microsoft Exchange Conference Management Service, also announced today at the Conference.

"This integration brings conferencing and visual communications to the masses. Accord has made conferencing seamless, allowing users to control their own conferences," said Dave Malcolm, group product manager for Exchange Server at Microsoft Corporation.

There are several "technical firsts" embedded in the Accord MGC-100 that makes this integration possible:

-- Multiway Transcoding: The first system to transcode all conference

variables including line rate, video and audio algorithm type,

resolution and frame rate making it easier to schedule a conference

and guarantee a connection

-- The first integrated-platform for conferencing between dissimilar

networks and dissimilar standards eliminating the requirement for

the user to know detailed technical information regarding all

conference participants' equipment types

-- The first to offer a Complete Conference Management Suite, an

award-winning, standalone suite of applications, including Greet

and Guide and Touch Tone conferencing. Greet and Guide, enables

users to customize audio and video messages for each conference.

Touch Tone Conferencing allows novice users, located anywhere in

the world, to control conferences using their telephone with the

guidance of voice activated prompts.

"We are excited to be working with Microsoft to visually-enable Microsoft Outlook and Exchange. The deployment of visual applications is expanding beyond traditional video conferencing to include all types of communications--from Internet-based visual chat rooms to visual e-commerce. We are working closely with leading industry partners such as Microsoft to make sure these applications are easy to use, reliable, and offer the highest quality possible," said Jules De Vigne, CEO of Accord Telecommunications.

Accord's solution will be available mid-year, 2000. Accord, Greet and Guide are trademarks of Accord Telecommunications.