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Cisco Systems (Nasdaq: CSCO) and Sun Microsystems, Inc. have announced an agreement to jointly develop and market an end-to-end Unified Communications solution for service providers. The joint solution will allow service providers (SPs) to offer their customers consolidated voice, fax and email services independent of location, time or device.

The foundation of the joint solution is an open, IP standards-based infrastructure for carrier-grade applications. The solution enables the seamless integration of voice and Internet applications such as unified messaging, single number reach and fax capabilities. In cooperation with systems integrators and best-of-breed application providers, this powerful approach provides unified voicemail, email and fax messaging access via phone, PC and hand-held devices and the ability to develop a broad base of applications.

Cisco, Sun and the Sun-Netscape Alliance are planning to market and deliver the solution through each company's direct sales channels, third party resellers and systems integrators. Available now, the joint solution was featured at several venues at Telecom '99 in Geneva, including the Sun Microsystems booth (Hall 4, Booth 4263).

"The service provider market will definitely benefit from this new offering," said Robert Flood, chief technology officer at Cable & Wireless, one of the world's leading global integrated telecommunications companies. "Powered by such industry veterans as Cisco, Sun and the Sun-Netscape Alliance, this joint solution will undoubtedly encourage tremendous new application development by systems integrators and third party software developers-leading to unique and competitive applications that service providers can bring to market more quickly and cost-effectively."

Global Systems Integrator Speeds Deployment A major component of the joint initiative is to work with leading global systems integrators to expedite the deployment of the joint Unified Communications solution. The companies also announced that Cap Gemini will be the first systems integrator to provide world-class system integration, implementation and ongoing support services for the joint Unified Communications solution.

"Cisco, Sun and the Sun-Netscape Alliance offer unmatched pedigree, experience and innovation in IP network infrastructure technologies to meet service providers' needs," said Alain Gerset, Market Development Director, Cap Gemini Telecom. "Leveraging our 5 years of unified communications experience with global service providers, the joint solution allows us to offer complete, reliable and scalable unified communications solutions which can be easily and rapidly integrated and supported. Adding this total end-to-end solution to Cap Gemini's leading systems integration services presents a powerful value proposition to service providers now and as they build out their IP network infrastructure and value-added application suite."

Service Providers Gain Competitive Advantage The joint Unified Communication solution enables service providers to offer value-added, cost-effective communications services across an open infrastructure. This modular approach can help SPs aggressively compete in today's IP services marketplace by reducing their total cost of ownership, shortening their service introduction cycles and reducing customer churn. In addition, the solution can scale horizontally and vertically as needed and accommodate application hosting, e-commerce and other new IP-based services.

"Leading service providers are transitioning to the New World where IP networks are the foundation for their network infrastructure and application needs," said Kevin Kennedy, Senior Vice President, Service Provider line of business at Cisco Systems. "Together, Cisco, Sun and the Sun-Netscape Alliance are offering these service provider customers a robust, standards- based solution that can be cost-effectively deployed and maintained. In addition, the new relationship with Cap Gemini reinforces our belief that it is the total solution -- from hardware, software and network infrastructure to consulting and professional services -- that makes a service providers' deployment successful. Via these new relationships, we are offering our customers the most complete and flexible Unified Communications solution available today."

"The Next Generation Service Driven Network is all about accessing information anytime, anywhere, with any device -- exactly what the Unified Communications solution from Cisco and Sun Microsystems, building on the Sun-Netscape Alliance iPlanet suite of products, enables," said John McFarlane, president, Network Service Provider Division, Sun Microsystems, Inc. "And because the solution -- in keeping with Sun's philosophy -- is modular and based on open standards, SPs can easily add new service of ferings while leveraging existing infrastructure investments."

"In the next millennium, Unified Communications products will become the foundation that service providers use to deliver the solutions needed to successfully compete in the Net Economy," said Dr. Stuart Wells, senior vice president, Infrastructure Products for the Sun-Netscape Alliance. "Consumers, small businesses and large enterprises will need to access a myriad of messaging, calendaring, content and e-commerce services. These services, managed by leading service providers, will require a comprehensive set of reliable and scalable infrastructure components and they are available today for the service provider that has the vision to build now for the future."

Unified Communications Joint Solution Components The joint solution combines proven technologies from Cisco, the Sun-Netscape Alliance and Sun: -- Cisco Universal Access Server Products - The Cisco AS5x00 Family, including award-winning Cisco remote access servers and Voice Gateways, Cisco feature cards and voice-enabled Cisco IOS software

-- Cisco Unified Communications Software - An open, IP standards-based application platform that enables the unification of voice and Internet applications. In cooperation with Cisco Ecosystem partners, this powerful approach provides unified voicemail, email, and fax messaging access via phone, PC and hand held devices, and the ability to enable systems integrators and best-of-breed application providers to develop a broad base of applications.

-- Sun's Netra Carrier-Grade Servers - The Netra t 1120 and Netra t1 carrier-grade servers are specifically designed for easy deployment in network environments that require continuous application availability. Both have been designed for the rigorous environmental standards for their class (NEBS Level 3 certification and ETSI compliance), which helps ensure continued reliable operation, even under the most severe conditions. A variety of rack-mount options enable the systems to be integrated easily into existing communications equipment. Sun's Netra systems are based on the robust, scalable Solaris Operating Environment and the industry proven SPARC chip technology to meet customer needs from development to deployment.

-- Sun-Netscape Alliance Universal Messaging and Directory Solution -- This platform includes the integration of iPlanet Messaging and iPlanet Directory Server products, the industry leading platform for scalable, reliable high performance solutions with iPlanet Web Server, iPlanet Calendar Server, iPlanet Webtop (for encrypted on-demand virtual private network and remote access), security and encryption products and a broad range of e-commerce applications.

The joint Unified Communications solution from Cisco, Sun, and the Sun- Netscape Alliance will be delivered by world-class systems integrators such as Cap Gemini:

-- Cap Gemini consulting and system integration practices and services offer integration with SS7 signaling protocols, depth of experience in large-scale unified messaging and voice mail systems for wireline and wireless service providers, bundled services for rapid launch, IP OSS integration, and tailored IP billing.

The Cap Gemini Group is a leading global management consulting and IT services group. Designing and delivering strategic change through ideas, people and technology, the Group provides management consultancy (Gemini Consulting) and systems design, integration and outsourcing (Cap Gemini's I.T. services). With a workforce of 40,000 operating in Europe, the United States and the Far East and revenues of 4 billion euro (about $4.4 billion) in 1998, the Group is among the world's largest information technology