Oki Electric Launches Two High-Quality Voice and Video Software Engines for Use over IP Networks.

TOKYO -- Oki Electric Industry Co., Ltd. (TOKYO:6703) today announced the launch of its high-quality voice and video software engines, the "eSound(TM)" and "eVideo(TM)." These software engines support triple play communication, delivering excellent video and voice quality for conversations over full IP broadband networks. Oki will provide these engines to the telecommunications, digital home appliance, in-vehicle system, and security system markets, which are increasing their use of IP.

Telecom infrastructure at homes and enterprises that are based on PSTNs and mobile communications, are being consolidated into Fixed Mobile Convergence(FMC)-based IP networks. This is the ideal Next Generation Network that Japanese telecom carriers have been seeking. Thus, various terminals that had been connected through conventional networks will now connect through an IP network. In such situation, methods to provide realistic sensation while improving quality of voice and video had been required. To respond to this need, Oki launched its eSound, with high quality VoIP technology and eVideo, the high quality video codec.

"While IP video and phones are known to dramatically reduce communication costs, there have been demands to improve the quality so users can experience a more realistic conversation by minimizing the quality degradation caused by packet losses and jitter that can occur over an IP network. Based on our long years of involvement in VoIP technology, we are pleased to launch eSound and eVideo as software engines," said Katsuyoshi Koide, President of Multimedia Messaging Company at Oki Electric. "Because we have made the engines compliant with several coding methods, they can be installed in various applications, enabling users to enjoy video or phone conversations with as strong a sense of realism as if they were talking in person."

eSound is a high quality VoIP technology offering realistic voice conversation, which is beyond what conventional voice communication over IP networks have been able to deliver. The engine is compliant with ITU, the international standard for voice coding, as well as with other coding methods. The engine can be used in IP telephones, PC softphones, mobile handsets, PDAs, digital home appliances, or it can be incorporated in LSIs or other platforms.

eVideo is a video codec technology compliant with MPEG4 and H.264, the video coding methods developed by ITU and ISO. This engine achieves high-speed, high-quality, and low latency that are required for video communication, recording and playing video over IP networks. The engine can be used in various applications from mobile terminals such as mobile phones with narrow transmission bandwidth, video conferencing, through to high-definition IPTVs. In addition, it can also be incorporated into LSIs and other platforms.

As the first deployment of these engines, Oki Electric will work together with OKI ACCESS Technologies Co., Ltd., targeting the mobile phone market. Oki will provide the engines in combination with OKI ACCESS' IMS (IP Multimedia Subsystem) middleware technology and other multimedia middleware technologies.

For more information regarding eSound and eVoice, please go to:

eSound : http://www.oki.com/en/IPtel/product/esound/

eVideo : http://www.oki.com/en/eVideo/

About Oki Electric Industry Co., Ltd.

Founded in 1881, Oki Electric Industry Co., Ltd. is Japan's first telecommunications manufacturer, with its headquarters in Tokyo, Japan. With the corporate vision, "Oki, Network Solutions for a Global Society," Oki provides top-quality products, technologies and solutions to its customers through its info-telecom system business, semiconductor business and printer business. All three businesses function as a collective force to create exciting new products and technologies that satisfy a spectrum of customer needs in various markets. Visit Oki's global web site at http://www.oki.com/.

Notes:

--eSound and eVideo are trademarks of Oki Electric Industry Co., Ltd.

--Other names of companies and products are trademarks or registered trademarks of the respective companies and organizations.