Zoom's New Channel 2 Feature Permits Incoming Voice Calls While Online; Allows User to Selectively Answer Phone Calls During Internet Sessions.

BOSTON--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Nov. 17, 1999--

Zoom Telephonics (NASDAQ:ZOOM) is now shipping most of its 56K modems with a feature that allows receipt of incoming voice calls during Web browsing. The feature, called Channel 2(TM), is standard in five Zoom modems destined for the North American market.

Channel 2 works during any online session and with all Internet access providers, including America Online. It is compatible with all popular Internet browsers and data communications software packages, and with all popular operating systems including Windows, Macintosh, and Unix. The program works in conjunction with Call Waiting, available from most local phone companies.

When a computer user is online, Zoom's Channel 2 feature permits incoming voice calls to be handled one of three ways:

1) An incoming call can cause the modem to hang up automatically. All phones on the line then ring, and calls can be answered from any of them. This option is useful if an important or urgent call is expected and/or if the computer is connected online, but the user is away from the machine.

2) If the user is at or near the PC, decisions to answer can be made call by call. An incoming call causes an audible alarm from the modem's speaker. Once alerted, the user can elect to either ignore the call or immediately disconnect from the online session and answer the phone.

3) The online user can disable the alert signal and ignore incoming calls altogether.

Channel 2 commands can be embedded in the dial string or initialization string of a browser or other application software, and can be left in place or easily changed on a call by call basis.

Zoom is also completing a Channel 2-related Windows application that will be available free on the company's Web site. This application permits the Channel 2 user to associate a soundcard-played WAV file with incoming calls. Thus, an incoming call could trigger a traditional ring, a snippet of a favorite song, or a sound effect. Zoom will supply various sounds, and facilitate sharing of user-authored WAV files on its Web site.

"Channel 2 is a great example of Zoom's commitment to providing high performance and useful features to our customers," said Frank Manning, Zoom's President. "This is a feature that people want, and we've gone the extra mile to make it attractive to our customers. Many of our competitors can't even cover the basics like strong 56K functionality. They are manufacturers, not modem companies. At Zoom we have a team of engineers who are proud of delivering great products and pleasing our customers. This is important now for modems, and will be even more important as DSL, cable modems, and advanced networking reach high volume."

The Channel 2 feature is now shipping in the USA in Lucent chipset-based models including external RS-232 and USB models for PC-compatibles and the Macintosh (Zoom/FaxModem 56K models 2945, 2949, 2985, and 2986), and model 2919 internal ISA Zoom/FaxModem. Zoom customers who already own one of these Lucent chipset-based models may download the Channel 2 feature free of charge from www.zoom.com/channel2.

Please visit Zoom's Web Site at www.zoom.com for detailed technical specifications of Zoom's entire product line.

Zoom Telephonics, a communications leader since 1977, designs, produces and markets faxmodems, wireless LAN products, Home Phoneline Networking devices, ISDN products and other products that link people and their personal computers through the world's largest network, the international telephone network, and connected networks including the Internet and corporate local area networks. Zoom Telephonics is publicly traded on NASDAQ (NASDAQ:ZOOM). Zoom products are marketed under the Zoom and Hayes brands and sold worldwide.