GMV Network Delivers the Pumpkins Chat, a Smashing Success.

CHICAGO--(BUSINESS WIRE)--July 19, 1999--

Chicago based GMV Network, www.gmvnetwork.com, today announced a highly successful IRC chat with Billy Corgan and James Iha of The Smashing Pumpkins. The event launched from The Smashing Pumpkins web site www.smashingpumpkins.com, was made available to Pumpkins fans around the globe. "The objective was to provide a live Q and A chat session for Billy and James to interface directly with their fans and answer questions on a massive scale. Our developers designed the controlled IRC implementation for The Smashing Pumpkins live chat within the GMV ConferenceServer(TM) platform to alleviate the unnecessary, redundant traffic to all participating clients in an open, Java based IRC chat program," said Michael Casey, GMV Network's CEO and founder.

To support an event of this scale, GMV Network utilized thirty-seven nationwide Cobalt RaQ Microservers (www.cobaltnetworks.com) running GMV's ConferenceServer(TM) multi-media router software. The network backbone was split between two nationwide Network Providers, CoreComm Limited (Nasdaq:COMMF) and NaviNet, Inc. (www.navinet.net). "NaviNet is excited to be working with GMV Network on deploying these new technologies. GMV combines compelling content, such as the Pumpkins IRC JavaChat, with the ability to optimize the delivery of this content to the end users of our ISP customers," said Jim Winkleman, CTO of NaviNet, Inc.

Each GMV ConferenceServer(TM) was configured to handle 1,000 simultaneous chat clients, for a maximum capacity of 37,000 concurrent users. The event drew over 12,000 participants, roughly 32% of available capacity of the provisioned IRC network using the GMV ConferenceServer(TM) JavaChat Client. A unique DNS Round Robin load balancing technique was employed by the GMV Network administrator's that alleviated any constrictions within the network for the best possible QoS resulting in a greater number of participants.

The GMV ConferenceServer(TM) client side application, JavaChat Client was utilized for ease of use, and moreover to control the communication channels, both inbound and outbound from a centralized site, while minimizing latency between participant and access to the event. "Due to the expected volume of participants, this design eliminated the need to download an IRC client, or proprietary player whereas FTP transfers alone for an event of this magnitude can congest and in some cases bring networks down," said Casey. No plugins or stand-alone applications were necessary to participate; the only requirement was a Java enabled browser, and an Internet connection.

GMV Network is the premiere multimedia streaming technology and network distribution company specializing in real-time audio & video streaming solutions that do not require plug-ins. GMV Network's ConferenceServer(TM) packet replication software sets the standard for high performance streaming of video, audio, voice and data over IP services utilizing published standards such as TCP, HTTP, UDP, IP Multicast, RSTP, H.323, and SNMP.

For more information about GMV Network, please contact Christopher Casey at 312.357.0411 ext. 2010 or by email at [e-mail]. GMV Network is located at: 18 S. Michigan Ave., Suite 814, Chicago, IL 60603. Phone: [phone], Facsimile: 312.357.0412