dynamicsoft Collaborating with Level 3 to Deploy New Program
BROOMFIELD, Colo., September 12, 2000 Level 3 Communications, Inc. (Nasdaq:LVLT) today announced (3)Works, a new voice certification program designed to ensure interoperability between Level 3's (3)Voice services and third-party Internet protocol (IP) voice applications and equipment.
"We're particularly pleased to launch this new program because we feel it will enable software and product developers to bring innovative new IP voice services to market easier, faster and more cost effectively," said Ike Elliott, senior vice president of Global Softswitch Services for Level 3. "We believe (3)Works will not only speed the development of new, IP-based voice services in the industry, but also has the potential to drive more voice traffic onto our network."
With (3)Works, companies can evaluate the compatibility of their IP voice products and services with Level 3's (3)Voice services completely over the public Internet, eliminating the need to send workers and equipment to off-site labs. A number of companies have been participating in (3)Works trials, including 3Com Corporation (Nasdaq:COMS), Santa Clara, Calif.; Allied Riser, BroadSoft, Cisco, dynamicsoft Inc., eStara, eYak, NexTone, Pingtel, Sylantro Systems, TalkingNets, telecom technologies and Webley Systems. dynamicsoft is working with Level 3 to deploy the new program.
"With Level3's (3)Works self-evaluating IP interoperability testing, Cisco can quickly demonstrate the standards compliance and interoperability of our industry-leading voice gateways," said Alistair Woodman, directory of marketing at Cisco. "We are pleased to participate in the early trials and believe this service will further accelerate the widespread adoption of VoIP networks."
"(3)Works will speed delivery of IP voice services by allowing companies to quickly certify their systems as compatible with the Level 3 IP network," said Joan Spindel, vice president of marketing at dynamicsoft Inc. "Level 3's choice of dynamicsoft as the SIP server reference platform for (3)Works is evidence of its commitment to standard protocols and leading-edge technologies. dynamicsoft's support of the (3)Works program reflects our belief in the importance of interoperable solutions for next-generation networks."
"Level 3 is committed to implementing standards, and our (3)Works program initially tests against our standard Session Initiation Protocol (SIP) interface specification," said Jason Bach, architect of technology development for Level 3. "By making interoperability testing so easily available to developers, we expect to see an extensive increase of software and equipment compatible with our SIP-based (3)Voice services."
SIP is an open, scalable Internet-based standard that initiates voice, video, interactive games, virtual reality and other communication over IP networks. Since its designation as a standard by the Internet Engineering Task Force (IETF), SIP has emerged as the premier signaling system for merging telephony services with the Internet to create whole new classes of enhanced session-based communications services.
Level 3 expects (3)Works to enhance adoption of its (3)Voice product line. (3)Voice Termination Service, launched last year, is the industry's first long-distance IP voice service with sound quality indistinguishable from traditional telephone networks. (3)Voice Exchange, introduced today at a conference in Atlanta, is a VoIP service that enables telephone quality voice communication from personal computers and IP phones.
Level 3 will begin accepting applications on September 18 from companies wishing to participate in the certification program. To apply for the program, send an e-mail request to 3works@level3.com.
