Global Village enters PC Windows modem market with industry's first 33.6 Kbps fax modem that is also a standalone speakerphone.

SUNNYVALE, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Nov. 4, 1996--Global Village Communication today announced its first modem product for the Windows market -- TelePort 33.6 Speakerphone modem for Windows.

Designed for the home office/small business professional, TelePort 33.6 Speakerphone modem combines high- speed modem and standalone speakerphone capabilities with Global Village Focal Point 5.5.2 communications software for a simple, efficient, all-in-one professional solution.

This is Global Village's third major, new Windows product introduction in less than six months reinforcing the company's commitment to providing personal communications solutions for all major personal computer platforms.

"The TelePort Speakerphone modem is the first product to give customers a high-speed modem combined with a professional-quality, standalone speakerphone," said Neil Selvin, president and chief executive officer of Global Village Communication.

"Unlike all other competitive products that wholly depend on the computer to be turned on, we've taken a new approach to speakerphone modems that allows our speakerphone to operate whether the computer is on or off. This product is consistent with our philosophy to design personal communications products that are hassle-free and work as people expect."

"The TelePort 33.6 Speakerphone modem for Windows enables small business and home office users to have the fax/modem/speakerphone benefits that larger organizations have without the high cost or complexity," added Selvin.

Speakerphones like people expect them to be

Global Village has designed TelePort 33.6 Speakerphone modem as the first fax/modem to be used as a standalone speakerphone, even when the computer is turned off, crashed or during reboot. The product comes complete with a built-in speaker and microphone.

Other speakerphone/modem products require that a user purchase an additional microphone and/or speaker and that they leave the computer on to use the controls in the software application.

Instead, Global Village designed TelePort Speakerphone modem with the answer button, mute and volume controls on the outside. It also lets the user pick up an attached phone for privacy or hang up the telephone and switch back to speakerphone mode without clicking on any menus in the software.

For additional ease-of-use, TelePort Speakerphone modem provides an `intelligent hold' capability that automatically releases a call on hold when any extension phone is picked up -- even if it is in another room -- making it unnecessary to walk back to hang up the first phone.

Full duplex transmission allows both parties to talk at the same time and eliminates clipped conversations. The simultaneous voice and data (SVD) feature allows users to send and receive computer files while talking to each other on the same telephone line.

Global Village Focal Point software is command central for small and home businesses

Small and home business users often wish to project a larger, professional image by providing multiple voice mail message options, fax-on-demand, and fax-back capabilities, for example. With Global Village Focal Point software (included free with TelePort Speakerphone modem), users can easily do all this, and more:

Voice, fax and pager numbers, as well as e-mail and Internet addresses, are easily accessed from Focal Point's single address book.

Fax, voice mail, e-mail and Internet messages are found in a single in-box.

Flexible message delivery allows the user to create a single message that can be delivered to multiple recipients via fax, e-mail or pager in the same step, enabling users to focus on what they are communicating, not how.

Focal Point allows the user to set up more than 1,000 password protected mailboxes to create a professional voice mail system.

Faxes can be sent from within any Windows application or directly from within Focal Point. Letter merge, scanner support, OCR and annotation tools are also provided.

Users are ready to log onto the Internet with TelePort Speakerphone modem's bundled applications including Netscape Navigator 2.0 and NETCom's NETCOMplete products.

Technical Specifications

TelePort 33.6 Speakerphone modem requires an IBM 386-based or higher compatible computer. It requires 8MB RAM for Windows 3.1 or Windows 95 and minimum 22 MB hard disk space, CD-ROM drive and serial port.

TelePort 33.6 Speakerphone modem supports full duplex at 33,600 bps data modem speeds. It is Group 3 compatible for fax transmissions at speeds of 14,400 bps and comes with a 5- year warranty.

Pricing and Availability

TelePort 33.6 Speakerphone modem is expected to ship on Nov. 11 with an estimated street price of $239 (U.S.) and will be available through leading retail stores and catalogues including CDW, CompUSA, MicroCenter, MicroWarehouse and PC Connection.

About Global Village Communication

With nearly 8 million customers, Global Village (NASDAQ:GVIL) is a leading supplier of integrated communication solutions for personal computer users.

The company's broad product offerings include software that integrates fax, data, e-mail, Internet, voice mail, speakerphone and paging capabilities for individual users; communication servers that combine fax, remote access and network modem for small businesses and workgroups; fax/modems for individual users; Integrated Services Digital Network products for individuals and small businesses, and wireless Internet receivers that provide multimedia news, sports and weather information direct to the desktop.

Global Village sells its products directly and through leading VARs, retailers and distributors worldwide. Users wanting more information about any of Global Village's products can visit their web site, "The Village," at http://www.globalvillage.com, or call 800/329-9675.

CONTACT: Global Village

Heidi Palmer/Kevin Burr, 408/523-2204/2260

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The Bohle Company

Corey Olfert/Kim Uberti, 310/785-0515 ext. 237/215

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