BT Exact and Psytechnics to Boost Video Quality Measurement.

Business Editors/High-Tech Writers

SAN JOSE, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Jan. 28, 2004

Psytechnics, the global leader in voice quality measurement, is extending its portfolio to include video quality assurance, thanks to a licensing deal with BT Exact, BT's research, technology and IT operations business.

Under the deal BT Exact will license its ITU standard video perceptual quality model to Psytechnics. The agreement will enable Psytechnics to build a family of video quality measurement products. This complements Psytechnics' current voice quality leadership and responds to market and customer demand for video quality assessment tools to support next generation, dynamic networks.

As with Psytechnics' flagship voice solutions, the video tools will base measurement on human perceptions of quality. The technology will help broadcasters predict and measure the quality of video pictures that are delivered to customers, supporting quality of service initiatives and guaranteeing service levels. The tools will detect and prevent errors before they reach the end user, such as drop-offs in quality, which adversely affect the customer experience.

The technology will also target device manufacturers such as those developing 3G handsets, video phone and IP video conference units, and is well suited for testing newly commissioned video networks.

"Broadening our portfolio from voice quality to a full multimedia capability opens up a vast amount of new opportunities for Psytechnics," said Mike Hollier, founder and CTO of Psytechnics. "We have developed voice quality technology which can be used on any platform or network, whether VoIP, wireless or fixed. We will apply this experience to video measurement, giving next generation network operators the tools they need to manage multimedia communications."

John Seton, program manager for multimedia applications research at BT Exact, said: "Psytechnics is at the vanguard of voice quality measurement, which is why we are confident the company will be equally successful in commercializing a portfolio of video products. Psytechnics has a large voice customer base in place and there is already demand from these companies for video assessment tools. With BT and Psytechnics working together we are confident that Psytechnics will soon establish leadership in the video quality arena."

Psytechnics' first product, aimed at general video broadcast use, will be announced early 2004.

About Psytechnics

Psytechnics is the leading designer of voice quality measurement software solutions, which integrate into telecommunications test equipment, switching platforms, mobile networks and VoIP gateways. The company provides the mean opinion score (MOS), a numerical measure of the quality of human speech, or "customer experience" metric. MOS metrics may be used to manage networks and set SLAs from a meaningful, quality viewpoint.

Psytechnics has operations throughout the US and Europe, and its customers include Agilent Technologies, Empirix, Malden Electronics, Ascom, Inet and Radcom. The company holds over 30 patents in the area of voice quality measurement and its products include the ITU standards P.562 CCI and P.862 PESQ, psyVoIP for IP networks, and NiQA for monitoring the quality of other network traffic.

Psytechnics is a spin-off company of BT Exact. For further information, visit www.psytechnics.com. For further sales or distribution information, contact:

Iain Wood at Psytechnics

E-mail: [e-mail]

Tel: [phone]

About BT Exact

BT Exact is BT's research, technology and IT operations business. It specialises in telecommunications engineering, leading-edge network design, IT system and application development and has extensive expertise in business consulting and human factors. Its knowledge helps its customers across BT Group and in selected other businesses gain maximum advantage from their investments in communications networks and IT systems, develop new capabilities and open new opportunities.

BT Exact brings together the technological expertise of BT's research laboratories and the operational experience of the teams that design and operate BT's IT systems. Backed by a team of over 6,000 technologists, it is active and influential in setting global standards.

BT Exact builds on the insights and expertise developed by its research to address the demands of the next-generation internet, as well as advanced data services, information and network security, and software systems to support communications networks worldwide.

BT Exact has people based worldwide -- including locations across the UK and in Asia, continental Europe, and North America. For more information about BT Exact, go to www.bt.com/btexact.