Citibank's video Banking Centre application is publicly demonstrated for the first time in the United States using isoEthernet as the multimedia transport.

SAN FRANCISCO--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Feb. 28, 1996--Wednesday at the Desktop Video Conference (DVC) and exhibit, several incAlliance participants demonstrated an interactive, 24-hour Personal Banking Centre application designed for Citibank in Australia running over IEEE 802.9a isochronous Ethernet (isoEthernet).

Attendees will see for the first time how Citibank's Australian customers have access to personal banking experts 24 hours a day, seven days a week, through a public switched high-quality, integrated voice, video and data connection. The demonstration was hosted by Vortex Technologies, Citibank, National Semiconductor, Incite and MCI.

"This new personalized voice, video and data banking application from Vortex, running from isoEthernet connected personal banking stations, leverages the power of the personal computer," said Richard Brand, strategic marketing manager at National Semiconductor. "This system puts real people back into Citibank's banking locations at remote offices as well as the main branch in Australia."

Citibank has been conducting interactive sessions with clients since its 24-hour Personal Banking Centres were announced throughout Australia over a year ago. It has found that high-quality audio and video and low delays, as well as synchronized data, are vital for this type of application.

"We are attracting customers to our banking kiosks because of their convenience and the need to talk to a variety of experts in financial affairs," said Andy Prousis, senior general manager, Citibank, Australia. "They just want a high-quality experience, and we believe that our system offers that, plus efficiency."

Citibank opened its first Personal Banking Centre in Chatswood in April 1994 and since then has staged feature enhancements to meet changing needs of its clients.

Vortex Technologies, Citibank's System Integrator (SI) in Australia, has selected isoEthernet for the next stage of development in this type of application because of its ability to bring isochronous bandwidth (96 ISDN B-channels -- the equivalent of three T-1's) to each kiosk without causing bottlenecks or affecting the normal mission-critical applications currently running on the network.

"It is clear to us that the best solution on the market that can integrate and synchronize voice, video and data streams between local- and wide-area networks is isoEthernet," said Colin Simon, technical director at Vortex Technologies. "IsoEthernet is the ideal transport for real-time multimedia applications."

The products and services used in the demonstration are as follows:

-- A client kiosk PC, equipped with an isoEthernet network interface adapter.

-- A Zydacron H.320 Audio/Video CODEC card and attached print and scan peripherals.

-- An Incite Conversational Media LAN and WAN hub, providing the connection to the digital switched telephony network.

-- All connected over wideband ISDN to the remote experts in financial banking, by MCI's Multi-Rate Bearer Service.

"MCI's Multi-Rate Bearer ISDN service leverages MCI's intelligent network capabilities to provide a PRJ service which allows customers to make nx64 to full T-1 data calls on non-contiguous PRI channels," said Alan Walker, strategic accounts manager, MCI.

"MCI performs the bonding function within the network and completes a 384k call in 25 percent of the time it takes competitors' carriers to perform the same function. This is critical to creating a truly efficient multimedia call center where connect time directly impacts customer satisfaction."

For a complete information package that includes future demonstrations, events or product information from any of the participating companies in the isochronous networking communications Alliance (incAlliance), contact the Ardell Group at 619/792-7964.

The incAlliance was formed as an informal "grass-roots" effort to promote the education and adoption of isochronous (iso = same, chronous = time) networking technologies and products. The incAlliance has no by-laws, president or levels of membership and is open to OEMs, software developers and telecommunication equipment/service providers that can contribute to its mission.

There are currently more than 20 companies and corporations participating in the incAlliance.

CONTACT: The Ardell Group

David Stowe, 619/792-7964