_________________________________________________________________ PC Travel _________________________________________________________________ LUCENT VOWS TO MAKE INTERNET PHONES EASY TO USE __________________________________________________________________________ Copyright © 1996 Nando.net Copyright © 1996 Reuter Information Service
NEW YORK (Sep 17, 1996 7:53 p.m. EDT) - Lucent Technologies Inc., vowing to make voice and video communication over the Internet as easy-to-use and accessible as the telephone, unveiled Tuesday a new business venture and several products designed to bring Internet communication into the mainstream.
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The venture is charged with commercializing several ground-breaking Internet software commpression technologies developed at Lucent's Bell Laboratories research unit. Such technology shrinks the capacity required to transmit information over communications networks.
Internet-based communications typically requires access to a personal computer, but Lucent envisions using the telephone or other consumer electronics device for the same purpose.
Murray Hill, N.J.-based Lucent said its new Elemedia Internet business is now offering software that allows callers to hold "telephone-quality" conversations over the Internet.
Has anyone taken a look at this software with a view to an encryption patch?
Lucent said its strategy was to capitalize on software component technology developed by Bell Labs by licensing it to other Internet phone makers and established telephone carriers for use in their own products. Lucent does not intend to sell its products directly to the public.
As I recall, Jeff Weinstein mentioned that he was looking into encryption for the Netscape Internet Phone. I would be curious if Netscape is considering integrating the Lucent software.
It said its products would be compatible with all major computer operating systems and Internet browsers software.
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Lucent will introduce a means for callers using standard telephones to place calls via the Internet to callers at conventional phones or to newer PC-based phones.
"We believe voice communications between Internet PCs is much more valuable if those voice conversations can happen with people who have telephones," Pavarini said.
Lucent officials said these new business-oriented products will become commercially available beginning in the first quarter of 1997 in the United States and be rolled out to selected overseas markets through the second quarter of 1997.
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