RADVISION Enables the Development of Advanced 3G Multimedia Handsets with New Modules for Its 3G-324M Developer Platform.

FAIR LAWN, N.J. -- New Modules in Version 3.0 Improve Time-to-Market, Product Quality, Device Interoperability and General User Experience

RADVISION (Nasdaq: RVSN) today announced a suite of significant new handset-oriented development modules for version 3.0 of its 3G-324M Developer Toolkit. These new modules enable the creation of advanced 3G multimedia and video handsets that address all the core functionalities and features required for the rapid development of 3G handsets and applications.

New handset-oriented features and modules of version 3.0 address:

--Automatic capabilities exchange and channel synchronization deliver reduced time to market and enhance interoperability between handsets

--Quick call set up time through support of the popular WNSRP proposed standard

--Support of latest annexes produces higher quality calls

--Shared common cores across multiple communication protocols enabling the developer to easily add multiple protocol functionality to 3G handsets (e.g. SIP, MEGACO, RTSP, and 3G-324M)

--Better media control by application delivers improved call quality

--Flexible multiplexing and dual video support enables advanced video applications

--Support of many handset operating systems allows developers to address specific carrier and applications requirements

--Enhanced codec and H.245 capabilities support through the generic extensibility framework (GEF)

--WCDMA interface implementation for turnkey operability with 3G networks

"As 3G services continue to deploy, the demands on the handsets and applications will increase exponentially," said Adi Paz, Senior Director of Marketing and Product Management for RADVISION's Technology Business Unit. "Without advanced functionality in the mobile handset to deliver the best quality experience possible, 3G service deployment and user adoption rate will be slowed. We believe real-time 3G multimedia services are ready for mass deployment and these handset-oriented improvements to our 3G-324M toolkit will enable equipment vendors to produce exciting new devices that will drive 3G multimedia services and adoption forward."

Automatic Capabilities Exchange and Channel Synchronization Deliver Reduced Time to Market

Version 3.0 of the RADVISION 3G-324M protocol stack now features H.245 AutoCaps functionality. This new functionality enables a handset to automatically synchronize and optimize the codecs used in any call. Traditionally, when setting up a call an application would have to negotiate capabilities, analyze the remote terminal's capabilities, determine the proper codecs to use in a call, and deal with any conflicts associated with channel establishment. Version 3.0 of the RADVISION 3G-324M protocol stack automatically performs all of these tasks, without any additional work required of the developer. This feature will not only dramatically increase time to market of 3G handsets but also will reduce call setup time, improve the quality of the call, and improve the efficiency of applications and devices.

Additionally, AutoCaps functionality is a powerful new tool to enhance product interoperability with other vendors' handsets. Typically "Open Logical Channel" or OLC conflicts between devices are the main cause for lack of interoperability in handsets today - often caused by improper implementation of capabilities exchange. Because the RADVISION 3G-324M signaling stack provides a thoroughly tested and verified capabilities exchange implementation, it is expected to increase handset interoperability.

WNSRP Support for Faster Call Set Up Time

Version 3.0 of RADVISION's 3G-324M Developer Platform features full support for embedding the proposed WNSRP standard into 3G handsets. WNSRP, a powerful new standard proposed by a consortium of 3G equipment solution providers and currently under consideration by the ITU, dramatically speeds the initiation of 3G-324M-based video sessions through the streamlining of the call setup signaling - necessary to establish the connection between two handsets, between a handset and a media server, and to provide value added services.

Support of Latest Annexes Produces Higher Quality Calls

The most advanced annexes in the H.223 standard, Annex C and Annex D, address forward error correction requirements. New modules in version 3.0 of the RADVISION 3G-324M Developer Platform enable the developer to implement these two annexes in their application or handheld device - either separately or in combination. With forward error correction, enabled by these two annexes, data redundancy is added to the media frames, which allows video and audio quality to be maintained in environments where there is network interference (e.g. when in an elevator). By increasing the amount of data sent, this forward error correction improves the chances of a full media signal being received and assembled by the other device even if some data is lost. On the receiving end, the use and implementation of annexes C and D mean that a device developed with the RADVISION 3G-324M Developer Platform can easily recombine media sent by a device using these two annexes, ensuring the highest possible user experience.

Common Core with Other Communication Protocols

All of RADVISION's developer platforms feature the same underlying core. This enables developers who use the RADVISION 3G-324M developer Platform to easily and intuitively implement SIP, H.323, RTSP, MEGACO, or any other IP communication functionalities into the server platform easily with minimal relearning of new interfaces or APIs. In this increasing world of convergence, devices and servers are required to support multiple protocols and standards. For example, 3G implements both 3G-324M and SIP and the IMS architecture specifies both SIP and MEGACO, in addition to 3G-324M, as supported protocols.

Being able to leverage common cores across many different products and developer solutions enables quicker time to market, reduced costs and overhead and easier development through a standards developer interface and architecture.

Better Media Control for Improved Call Quality

Version 3.0 also allows developers to build advanced multimedia applications with reduced media (video and audio data) delay. The new developer features in v3.0 enables the addition of functionality to monitor the handset's internal system queues and, by increasing or decreasing the amount of data being sent, can adjust for network congestion or problems. For example, if all of the system queues are becoming full, the system can detect this and reduce the media backlog by ordering the system to transmit lower resolution images (less data) until the congestion is cleared. In the other direction, this functionality will indicate the application when packets are lost or corrupted and enable it to apply smart decisions on how to overcome these problems.

Flexible Multiplexing and Dual Video Support for Advanced Video Applications

Dual video is a functionality in handsets and servers that allows the broadcasting of two logical channels, on two separate video streams, each using different codecs and settings. This enables the exchange of two different types of video streams to a single device or session, an important feature for the development of handsets with two cameras or for interoperability with H.323 systems. This functionality was proposed and promoted to the various 3G standards bodies by RADVISION in support of specific customer requirements and needs.

Additionally, this functionality allows the application to adjust the handset's multiplexing tables to fit whatever codec is best for a particular session. While this is a key feature for most multimedia sessions over 3G networks due to the increasing number of available codecs, it is particularly important when implementing a proprietary media (video or audio) codec. The application's flexible multiplexing functionality can seamlessly interwork between the proprietary codec and adjusts the standard multiplexing table in order to support it. The methods that the stack uses to determine more efficiently the correct multiplex entry from inside the multiplex table while trying to send data are a unique patent pending process.

Support of Many Handset Operating Systems Addresses Specific Carrier and Application Requirements

Many handset vendors might be looking to develop an application or handset that can be supported on any of the many popular mobile operating systems in the market today. Some carriers choose to standardize on one operating system or another and so the developer needs to be able to develop and easily port an applications from one OS to another. The handset operating systems that version 3.0 of the RADVISION 3G-324M Developer Platform supports include, among others, Symbian, Windows CE, Windows CE.NET, Montavista, Linux, and Nucleus.

Enhanced Codec and H.245 Capabilities Support Through the Generic Extensibility Framework (GEF)

Version 3.0 features simple APIs for codecs defined by H.245 Generic Extensibility Framework, such as MPEG-4, AMR, H.264, and H.239. This new functionality enables the rapid development of applications requiring the latest enhancements to the standards.

WCDMA Interface Provides Turn-Key 3G Network Interoperability

Version 3.0 features a sample application that includes WCDMA AT command interface implementation. This turnkey solution allows the stack to seamlessly interoperate with 3G networks.

Availability

Version 3.0 of RADVISION's 3G-324M Toolkit is now available worldwide.

About RADVISION

RADVISION (Nasdaq: RVSN) is the industry's leading provider of high quality, scalable and easy-to-use products and technologies for videoconferencing, video telephony, and the development of converged voice, video and data over IP and 3G networks. For more information please visit our website at www.radvision.com.