Artisoft Announces Alliance Program to Foster Open Communications Solutions; Program to Deliver Flexible, Enhanced Communications Systems.

Business/Technology Editors

CAMBRIDGE, Mass.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Dec. 19, 2000

Artisoft(R), Inc. (NASDAQ:ASFT), a leading developer of software-based phone systems, today announced its Open Communications Alliance Program, an industry-wide initiative dedicated to building market momentum and accelerating delivery for open computer telephony solutions with Artisoft's TeleVantage 3.5 and TeleVantage CTM Suite as the focal point. Offering an alternative to traditional closed, proprietary systems, TeleVantage is a software-driven phone system that runs on industry standard, off-the-shelf components. TeleVantage CTM Suite will be bundled with the Intel(R) Communications Platform, and is based on the open APIs supported by Dialogic's CT Media(TM) server software, and interoperable with other applications offered by members of the Dialogic CT Media Value Network. By using solutions certified as interoperable with the TeleVantage system, Artisoft customers and resellers can choose the technologies that best meet their requirements, and seamlessly build a complete communications solution.

The trend toward open, standards based phone systems has opened up a range of choices, allowing today's businesses to pick and choose the hardware components and applications that best suit their budgets and requirements. The Open Communications Alliance is comprised of industry leading companies that are working with Artisoft to deliver integrated standards-based communications solutions. The program guarantees customers the broadest choice of best-of-breed applications, deployment platforms, and hardware peripherals that integrate with Artisoft's TeleVantage. Certified Alliance members are eligible to participate in joint marketing and development initiatives.

"The Open Communications Alliance Program is an important step toward raising the acceptance level of open system solutions," said Paul Wexler, executive vice president of Toshiba America Information Systems, Inc. "Combining the support of well known companies with an interoperability certification program adds significant credibility. Our customers will benefit from the flexibility of being able to choose with confidence from a number of value added solutions."

"Customers in the small and midsize business market are looking for a solution they can adjust according to their specific needs," said Jose Picazo, vice president, Dialogic. "Artisoft's flexible open communications solutions enable businesses to expand their systems and services, and the Open Communication Alliance Program lets them choose exactly which open, interoperable solutions they require."

Founding members of Artisoft's Open Communications Alliance include:

- Compaq: Compaq's ProLiant(TM)family of Windows NT/2000-based servers has been
combined with the intelligence of TeleVantage for a bundled, off-the-shelf
solution

- Dialogic, an Intel company: Artisoft's TeleVantage CTM Suite is based on
Dialogic's CT Media(TM) server software, and will be available on the Intel(R)
Communications Platform. TeleVantage also uses industry-standard line cards
from Dialogic

- e-Tel Corporation: e-Tel's FreeRide VoIP telephones interoperate with
TeleVantage to allow businesses to take advantage of VoIP capabilities at the
desktop

- FrontRange Solutions: TeleVantage provides integration with Goldmine for
screen pops of customer contact information on incoming calls

- Hewlett-Packard Company: HP is working to provide a turnkey computer
telephony solution based on TeleVantage and HP's NetServer platform

- IBM: Artisoft's TeleVantage has been validated to run on IBM ServerProven
solution for IBM's Netfinity and new line of eServers xSeries open Intel(R)
Servers, creating a complete, easily deployed, computer telephony solution

- Microsoft: TeleVantage is integrated with Windows NT Server, SQL Server 7.0,
Microsoft Outlook and Exchange Server, bringing the phone system and business
applications together

- Novavox: Novavox's Smartphone(R) Unified Messaging Software suite is being
integrated with TeleVantage to provide an ideal solution for users who require
next-generation software-PBX functionality with fax, voice and email
integration on Microsoft Exchange 2000

- Quicknet Technologies, Inc.: Quicknet Internet SwitchBoard(TM) software and
hardware together with TeleVantage, which includes an integrated IP gateway,
provide a practical and full-featured Voice-over-IP solution that allows users
to make high-quality, low-cost Internet based calls over their existing
network, using standard analog phones

- Toshiba: Toshiba American Information Systems Inc., has invested in licenses
of TeleVantage for customized versions of the product to be integrated with its
computer telephony systems and communications server product offerings, known
as Strata CS(TM)

- TriVium: With SimpleRM and CallAnalyst from TriVium Systems, Artisoft's
TeleVantage customers now have powerful CRM and call accounting solutions that
provide affordable tools to increase revenues, measure marketing activities and
increase customer service satisfaction

"The telecommunications industry is clearly moving to open systems, and Artisoft is committed to working with other industry leaders to accelerate the delivery of standards-based solutions," explains Steve Manson, CEO of Artisoft. "By establishing the Open Communications Alliance, Artisoft is helping customers gain access to communications systems comprised of best of breed technologies. In addition to offering a more advanced feature set, open systems solutions provide customers with a much better long-term investment."

Software and hardware vendors providing the building blocks for open, software-based communications solutions based on TeleVantage are extended the opportunity to join the program. Examples of software solutions include business software applications such as fax servers, email, customer relationship management systems, and other computer telephony solutions. Hardware solutions may include NT servers, voice-over-IP products, phones, and other peripherals. To learn more about the Open Communications Alliance, send an email to [e-mail].

Artisoft's TeleVantage provides intelligent call management, ACD functionality, IP Telephony dialing and administration, Web browser capability, and messaging features for up to 96 trunk lines and 264 extensions. It is a flexible, upgradeable software solution that operates on Windows NT and Windows 2000-based systems and uses off-the-shelf computer, wiring and telephony hardware. TeleVantage enables PC users on the network to see and hear voice messages, graphically manage their own calls and integrate phone and e-mail messaging.

About Artisoft

Artisoft, Inc. (NASDAQ: ASFT) of Cambridge, Mass., is a leading developer of software-based phone systems for small- to medium-sized businesses and corporate branch offices. Artisoft's innovative software products have received more than 25 industry awards including "Product of the Year", "Best of Show" and "Editors' Choice" by PC Magazine, Network Magazine, VARBusiness, CT Magazine, Communications Solutions Magazine and CTI Magazine among others. The company distributes its products worldwide. For more information, please call Artisoft at 800-914-9985 or visit http://www.artisoft.com.

"Safe Harbor" Statement under the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995:

This release may contain forward-looking statements that involve risks and uncertainties. There can be no assurances that the company will achieve a final agreement with Intel in the terms as defined in the above press release. Among the important factors which could cause actual results to differ materially from those in the forward-looking statements are the impact of competitive products and pricing, product demand and market acceptance risks, the presence of competitors with greater financial resources, product development and commercialization risks, costs associated with integration and administration of acquired operations, capacity and supply constraints or difficulties, the results of financing efforts and other factors detailed in the Company's filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission including its recent filings on Forms 10-K and 10-Q.

Artisoft and TeleVantage are registered trademarks of Artisoft, Inc. All other company and product names mentioned may be trademarks or registered trademarks of the respective companies with which they are associated.