Avistar inks pact with GPT Video Systems; Europe's leading videoconferencing vendor to integrate Avistar into product line; distribution and joint marketing part of contract.

PALO ALTO, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--April 24, 1995--Avistar Systems, the technology leader in visual collaboration systems, Monday announced that it has signed a joint development and marketing contract with GPT Video Systems, Europe's leading videoconferencing manufacturer.

The alliance will produce the world's first enterprise-wide video conferencing family. This line of products, dubbed the Enterprise Collaboration Architecture, will include local- and wide-area desktop video conferencing systems; conference room systems; and standalone "telecommuter" systems. As a result, users of all three types of collaboration systems will be able to interact easily, using a consistent point-and-click interface.

"Avistar and GPT share a common goal of enabling business professionals to leverage collaboration tools throughout the enterprise," said Bruce S. Mitchell, president of Avistar. "GPT's strengths in large-scale and wide-area video systems complement Avistar's business LAN architecture. Together, we can deliver a seamless environment for effective collaboration, from the telecommuter to the corporate desktop to the boardroom."

Enterprise-Wide Video Conferencing

The Enterprise Collaboration Architecture, a joint line of products from Avistar and GPT, will include: -0-

-- Desktop videoconferencing for the business LAN -- leveraging the Avistar visual collaboration system for video conferencing and document sharing within a single building or across a local campus. Using a client/server architecture, the Avistar system delivers broadcast-quality video and audio across local Windows PC, Apple Macintosh, and Sun UNIX systems.

-- Wide-area desktop conferencing -- linking local Avistar video LANs using GPT's standards-based compression/decompression (codec) systems. By establishing direct server-to-server connections over high-speed digital lines, the Avistar/GPT wide-area desktop conferencing solution will provide high-quality collaboration for remote workgroups.

-- Local- and wide-area conference room systems -- incorporating GPT conference room- and rollabout video conferencing systems into the enterprise video network. By integrating these larger systems into their collaboration environment, users can scale the size of their video meetings to include a conference room full of participants. In addition, desktop users can perform multi-party wide-area conferences using the GPT Focus Arena multipoint control unit (MCU).

-- Remote desktop collaboration for the teleprofessional -- integrating GPT's low-cost, H.320-based Focus PC products. Optimized for small regional offices or home-based teleprofessionals, the Focus PC is a multimedia conferencing system on a single card. It delivers point-and-click voice, video and data communications on any IBM-compatible personal computer with the Microsoft Windows operating system. -0-

Additional plans for the Enterprise Collaboration Architecture call for joint development of enterprise-wide store-and-forward video, integrated directory services, application sharing, and "virtual classroom" capabilities.

"Video conferencing systems to date have been either room-based or desktop-based, with very little interoperation between them," said Rod Smith, general manager for GPT Video Systems. "In the real world, users of room-based systems need to contact desktop users, and vice versa. Home-based and traveling professionals need to work with business LAN users. Within the Avistar/GPT framework, this kind of interoperability will be simple and transparent, without users having to know where their teammates are or what type of system they're using."

Joint Marketing and Distribution Worldwide

The Avistar/GPT agreement also includes numerous joint marketing and sales projects worldwide. As part of the agreement, GPT will market Avistar products through its extensive global distribution network, with major distributors in Europe, Asia and the United States. For its part, Avistar will jointly sell Avistar/GPT solutions through its direct sales force in the U.S. and through alternate channels the company is building domestically and overseas. A joint sales support, training and service effort is also part of the agreement.

About GPT Video Systems

GPT Video Systems is an international business that provides video conferencing solutions for organizations in more than 60 countries. A subsidiary of GPT Limited, Britain's largest telecommunications manufacturer, GPT Video Systems is one of the world's leading video conferencing suppliers.

About Avistar Systems

Founded in 1993, Avistar Systems is dedicated to providing high-quality, client/server, cross-platform collaboration systems to business professionals who demand effective communication tools. Avistar is a member of the Visionary Group of companies, a collection of information systems providers dedicated to delivering competitive advantage through collaboration to business professionals in targeted vertical markets. Avistar has operations in Palo Alto and Incline Village, Nev., and has sales offices in Washington D.C., Chicago, New York, Los Angeles and London.

CONTACT: Avistar Systems

Stuart Read, 415/462-5858; Fax: [phone]

[e-mail]

or

Calyx Communications

Kate Quackenbush, 510/653-5878; Fax: [phone]

MCI Mail: 660-6444