Unified Messaging Educational Site Launched by AVST and ITworld.com.

New Website Provides Public Access to Whitepapers, Research and Resources; Everything You Need to Know About Unified Messaging 

FOOTHILL RANCH, Calif. -- Applied Voice & Speech Technologies, Inc. (AVST), a leading provider of unified communications solutions, today announced the launch of a new educational website where a wide range of resources about unified communications can be viewed and accessed. An information portal containing whitepapers, industry research, videos, case studies and recent industry news, the new site is hosted by ITworld.com and sponsored by AVST. The educational website is part of ITworld.com's FocalPoint Technology Strategy Solutions Center and can be accessed at http://www.avst.com/focalpoint.

With 25 years of experience in supplying call processing, voice messaging, unified messaging (UM) and unified communications (UC) solutions, AVST is committed to educating the market on the benefits of UC. The launch of this new site, and the quality of the content contained, is validation of this ongoing commitment and provides AVST with the opportunity to help businesses of all sizes understand their options as they contemplate upgrading their legacy voice mail system with a feature-rich UC solution.

According to Denny Michael, AVST's Vice President of Marketing, "Many companies are struggling with the decision to update their outdated, end-of-life legacy voice mail system. This decision doesn't have to be difficult, but today is a challenge because many IT decision-makers don't understand their options. This new site will provide anyone interested in learning about UC and UM with a single online venue for point-and-click access to anything they need to know about upgrading to the next generation in communications solutions."

Targeted to IT and telephony managers in a variety of industries, the new educational website will be updated daily with an industry news feed from ITworld.com. A variety of information can be obtained including:

* Background materials such as whitepapers and FAQs

* UC implementation case studies

* Videos, questionnaires and other interactive resources 

* Research from UC-focused industry analysts

In addition to educational resources, the new site offers visitors with information on timely topics of interest. For example, "The difference between UM and UC," and "The Three C's of UC: Compliance, Confidentiality and Capacity," and an overview of recent legislation requiring hands-free use of cellular phones and how UC can keep drivers compliant and safe.

"Visitors to the site will gain information that will not only help them understand the impact of UC on their business, but also how they can make the move at a minimal investment and with relatively no end-user training," added Michael. "Investing in a new communications infrastructure can affect a business in three ways: employee productivity, customer service, and dollar costs. With our solution, CallXpress[R], we already have one of the most flexible, cost-effective solutions on the market. Now, we're arming IT professionals with an online portal that can help ease the transition and increase their knowledge-base before committing to making that investment."

The new site is available now and can be accessed at http://www.avst.com/focalpoint.

About AVST

Applied Voice & Speech Technologies, Inc. (AVST) is a leading developer of communications solutions for businesses of all sizes. Through its world-class unified communications platform, CallXpress[R], and its innovative speech application module, Seneca[R], AVST offers the industry's most powerful suite of second generation communications solutions including voice messaging, unified messaging, speech-enabled applications (including automated attendant and hands-free mobile worker access), and call processing (including embedded IVR).

The CallXpress unified communications platform is designed to facilitate the enterprise migration from legacy TDM call processing and voice mail solutions to IP-enabled unified communications by delivering the interoperability, scalability, feature depth and flexibility, and administrative capabilities that enterprise IT and Telecom teams are demanding.

Headquartered in Orange County, CA, AVST maintains facilities in Seattle, WA and the United Kingdom and has remote sales offices across the United States. With over 38,000 systems installed worldwide, AVST's unified communications solutions are sold and supported internationally by an extensive network of resellers and OEM partners. Established in September 2003, AVST was formed from the combined businesses of Sound Advantage (established in 1997) and the AVT division (established in 1982) of Captaris, Inc. For more information contact Denny Michael, Vice President of Marketing, at 949-699-2300 or access the company's website at www.avst.com.