Microsoft Enhances Windows CE .NET for VoIP Client Devices

Industry-Leading Vendors to Bring Windows CE .NET-Based VoIP Devices to Market

SAN JOSE, Calif. -- April 2, 2003 -- at the Spring 2003 Voice on the Net (VON) Trade Show & Expo, Microsoft Corp. announced a comprehensive Windows® CE .NET-based voice over IP (VoIP) solution that enables the integration of voice communications into a variety of IP-based client devices and services such as desktops and mobile phones. The new enhancements to Windows CE .NET include a sample Telephony User Interface (TUI), a comprehensive VoIP Application Interface Layer (VAIL) and Enterprise Infrastructure Integration services. Microsoft also announced that leading global original device and equipment manufacturers (ODMs and OEMs) are developing VoIP devices using Windows CE .NET. Manufacturers include BCM Computers Co. Ltd., Casio Computer Company Ltd., Hitachi Ltd., NEC Infrontia Corp., Samsung Electronics, Symbol Technologies Inc. and Tatung Co. In addition, industry-leading silicon vendors, including Advanced Micro Devices Inc. (AMD), ARM Ltd., Broadcom Corp., Conexant Systems Inc., Intel Corp., MIPS Technologies Inc. and Texas Instruments Inc., are optimizing their CPUs and building reference designs for VoIP devices running Windows CE .NET.




"VoIP is creating new opportunities for the communications industry to offer greater convenience and productivity to its customers," said Todd Warren, general manager of the Embedded and Appliance Platforms Group at Microsoft. "Windows CE .NET 4.2 will provide the industry's most integrated and extensible standards-based VoIP device platform, enabling OEMs and network equipment providers (NEPs) to more quickly, easily and richly innovate and deliver on the promise of VoIP."

Platform for VoIP-Enabled Devices and Connected Applications

The new VoIP enhancements to Windows CE .NET consist of three core elements that enable OEMs and NEPs to rapidly and cost-effectively build VoIP-enabled devices for enterprise-class customer environments:

Telephony User Interface provides a fully integrated and telephony-specific graphical user interface that OEMs can easily customize and extend.

VoIP Application Interface Layer provides a comprehensive, extensible VoIP application suite and API layer, based on real-time communication and SIP, enabling OEMs and network operators to easily write and customize voice applications to meet market needs. Enterprise Infrastructure Integration services provide new support for the .NET Compact Framework and key new security and network technologies such as IP Security (IPSec) and 802.11a to facilitate device integration into existing IT infrastructures.

The new enhancements will be included in version 4.2, the next release of Windows CE .NET, due in the second quarter of 2003. More information can be found at http://www.microsoft.com/windows/embedded/devices/voip/.

At Spring 2003 VON, Microsoft and Samsung demonstrated a Windows CE .NET-based IP-enabled landline screen phone. The first wave of Windows CE .NET-based VoIP devices is expected to be delivered to the marketplace by OEMs and ODMs during the second half of 2003.

The VoIP enhancements to Windows CE .NET integrate with "Greenwich," currently in beta, to provide a standards-based and extensible real-time communications client and server solution. The VoIP enhancements also complement the recently launched Microsoft® Windows 2000 Server for Telecommunications Systems with the Server Appliance Software 2.0, embedded server software for telecommunications equipment designed for use in small to medium-sized businesses. OEMs, network operators and enterprises use Microsoft Windows 2000 Server for Telecommunications Systems to create telecommunications-centric server applications such as call centers, unified messaging and interactive voice recognition. NEC Infrontia and RADVISION Corp. are among the first industry-leading companies deploying Microsoft Windows 2000 Server for Telecommunications Systems.

About the Microsoft Embedded and Appliance Platforms Group

Microsoft Windows Embedded operating systems and tools provide comprehensive software platforms for building the next generation of intelligent, 32-bit connected Windows Powered devices that demand rich applications and Internet services for a wide range of flexible solutions. In addition, Microsoft offers a wide range of programs and services designed to meet the specific needs of Windows Embedded customers, industry partners and developers. The Windows Embedded operating systems currently include Windows CE and Windows XP Embedded. The Server Appliance Kit for Windows 2000 helps OEMs build Windows Powered server appliances, including Network Attached Storage (NAS) and Web servers. Windows CE was honored at the 2003 International Consumer Electronics Show for innovations in the category of Software/Embedded Technologies. The Embedded and Appliance Platforms Group also delivers the Windows CE for Smart Displays software technology that powers a wide range of Smart Displays to extend the Windows XP experience to any room in the home. Currently in development is "Media2Go," which is the code name for a new device platform for powering the next generation of portable media player devices that enable consumers to enjoy their videos, music and pictures on the go.

About Microsoft

Founded in 1975, Microsoft (Nasdaq "MSFT") is the worldwide leader in software, services and Internet technologies for personal and business computing. The company offers a wide range of products and services designed to empower people through great software -- any time, any place and on any device.

Microsoft and Windows are either registered trademarks or trademarks of Microsoft Corp. in the United States and/or other countries.

The names of actual companies and products mentioned herein may be the trademarks of their respective owners.

Supporting Industry Quotes

"AMD and Microsoft share a common vision for next-generation client devices. We applaud Microsoft's step forward in transitioning VoIP to mainstream adoption and are confident that AMD Alchemy Solutions will be an optimum platform for bringing these new technologies to market. To that end, we are supporting customers who are integrating VoIP and the high-performance, low-power AMD Alchemy Solutions processors and plan to ship a Windows CE .NET 4.2 broad support package for VoIP/networked/embedded devices in the first half of 2003 in partnership with Microsoft."

Phil Pompa
Vice President of Marketing
Personal Connectivity Solutions Group
AMD

"The VoIP industry is poised to hit volume over the next couple years, and the ARM architecture is well positioned in numerous system-on-a-chip devices, operating systems and application software offerings addressing this space. We are pleased to engage with Microsoft and our semiconductor partners to expand this industry and enable cost-effective Windows CE .NET-based solutions for OEMs and ODMs."

Mike Inglis
Executive Vice President of Marketing
ARM

"Windows CE .NET provides a comprehensive VoIP solution, which enables BCM too rapidly and cost-efficiently develop and market a variety of customized IP phones and VoIP devices to partners."

Stone Shih
Chief Technology Officer and Vice President of Business Development
BCM

"We believe that the addition of Windows CE .NET to Broadcom's comprehensive VoIP solutions portfolio could be a catalyst that hastens the transition to fully converged IP communications. Broadcom's industry-leading IP Phone solutions, combined with Windows CE .NET, offer a high-performance platform, enabling our customers to quickly develop next-generation communication devices integrated with network applications."

Rick Bye
Product Line Manager
VoIP Client Products
Broadcom

"As a worldwide leading manufacturer of mobile handhelds, Casio is using Windows CE .NET as its software platform of choice. Windows CE .NET is a robust and comprehensive software solution that enables Casio to bring high-performance and easy-to-use VoIP-enabled electronics devices to increase the productivity of businesses."

Masami Chikauchi
Director and Senior General Manager
Information Technology System HQ
CASIO COMPUTER CO. LTD.

"We are committed to the development of optimized VoIP silicon solutions that support the Microsoft Windows CE .NET platform. VoIP is becoming an increasingly important technology for the broadband digital home, and we're pleased to work with Microsoft to provide our customers with a cost-effective semiconductor solution for their products."

Chee Kwan
Vice President, Broadband Access Products
Conexant

"Hitachi's VoIP-enabled PDA, the NPD-20 JWL, is capable of supporting public wireless LAN services based on Windows CE .NET. By adopting Windows CE .NET as a VoIP-enabled platform, Hitachi has experienced a rapid and cost-effective development process and a reduced time to market."

Shigeru Matsuoka
General Manager
Mobile Information & Communication Appliance Division
Hitachi Ltd. Ubiquitous Platform Systems

"Intel's work to port Windows CE .NET onto the Intel IXP425 network processor means our OEM customers will have a rich platform for rapidly developing and deploying next-generation VoIP applications."

Nick Finamore
General Manager, Network Processor Division
Intel

"Windows CE .NET and the MIPS architecture make a powerful combination for companies looking to standardize upon a common hardware/software platform to lower the costs of next-generation IP telephony solutions. Under the auspices of the MIPS Alliance for Windows CE, MIPS licensees are working closely with Microsoft to maintain their competitive lead in the VoIP marketplace by creating advanced IP phone platforms that use the Windows CE .NET operating system."

Brad Holtzinger
Director of Systems Solutions
MIPS Technologies Inc.

"We are excited to be using the latest version of Windows CE for our next-generation IP phone systems. Together with NEC's telecommunications systems based on Microsoft's Windows Server technology, we are able to provide an integrated, robust, interoperable and secure end-to-end solution that will help our customers increase worker productivity and reduce cost."

Norio Saito
President and Chief Executive Officer
NEC Infrontia

"RADVISION depends heavily on Microsoft Windows 2000 Server for Telecommunications Systems with the Server Appliance Software, which provides us with a powerful platform with which to manage our rich media communications solutions. The Windows 2000 Server technology provides us with a feature-rich, robust, scalable solution that allows us to flexibly customize and rapidly deploy our videoconferencing and video telephony products."

Gadi Tamari
CEO
RADVISION

"Samsung is closely working together with Microsoft in developing advanced IP phones based on Windows CE .NET. Windows CE .NET is a rich, yet flexible and extensible OS that enables Samsung to rapidly and cost-effectively bring customized IP phones to market."

Ki soon Lee
Vice President
Internet Infra Team
Samsung

"Symbol is excited to collaborate with Microsoft in the emerging wireless voice over IP market. Our family of rugged Pocket PC mobile computers, already integrated with WiFi (802.11b) wireless connectivity, provides a natural platform for converged voice and data applications. Wireless voice is a key initiative that is driving new applications for Windows CE-based devices."

Ron Goldman
Senior Vice President
Symbol Technologies Inc.

"Tatung is working closely with Microsoft to develop and market VoIP phones based on Windows CE .NET 4.2. The market for VoIP phones is rapidly growing, and we find Windows CE .NET to be a comprehensive, extensible platform that helps us to flexibly and cost-effectively develop desktop and mobile VoIP phones according to the needs of our customers."

Wen Lin
Executive Vice President
Global 3C Business Unit
Tatung

"Building on TI's support for Windows CE in the embedded space, TI extends its support of Windows CE to our VoIP customers. We believe this latest initiative from Microsoft will help propel the development of next-generation, secure-client IP devices, and ultimately enhance the end-user experience with the transmission of voice over IP."

Bill Simmelink
General Manager of VoIP Group
Texas Instruments

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