Network Provides University Students, Staff and Communities in Pennsylvania
With Video Distance Learning Opportunities and Lower Administrative Costs
SANTA CLARA, Calif., Dec. 7 /PRNewswire/ -- FVC.COM (Nasdaq: FVCX) today
announced a joint effort with Bell Atlantic and FORE Systems to provide
Pennsylvania's State System of Higher Education with broadband ATM and Wide
Area Network (WAN) connectivity, including Internet and videoconferencing
services.
The network includes 14 universities in Pennsylvania's State System of
Higher Education (State System), Dixon University Center (which houses the
Office of the Chancellor-the State System's Governance Center), and two branch
campuses. The network will serve faculty, staff and affiliated university
students, as well as some partnering K-12 school districts. Videoconferencing
will be used to facilitate communications and meetings among administrative
staffs as well as faculty across the State System. It also offers delivery of
distance education among the member universities as well as off-site
locations. In addition, if the video system is not scheduled for State System
functions, facilities may be made available to community groups.
"We're using FVC.COM to maximize our existing technology investments in
H.320 (ISDN) video equipment on our broadband network. With FVC.COM, we now
have the ability to distribute video services throughout our campuses, and we
can make video calls from any connected location, studio, classroom,
laboratory or office, to any other such location, with or without scheduling
or operator assistance," said Tom Pavelchek, director of Technology, for the
Business Technology Center at West Chester University of Pennsylvania. "The
State System began investigating the use of the network for video in early
1998, and FVC.COM has been very helpful in our research, from the early stages
and ongoing projects. We anticipate continued success with our partnership."
FVC.COM is providing equipment and support for managed video services over
broadband networks, including FVC.COM's newly-developed Video Portal. The
Video Portal is a browser-based interface which brings point-and-click
simplicity to video calls involving up to several parties simultaneously.
Bell Atlantic provides the majority of end user connections as well as
managing the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania's statewide broadband network. Bell
Atlantic works closely with the Network Operations Center of the Business
Technology Center at West Chester University (a State System University) to
configure, test and maintain the network. FORE Systems is providing ATM edge
switches and technical assistance with ATM implementations; multipoint control
units are provided by Accord Networks.
"The State System network benefits higher education in two ways. First,
it provides distance learning opportunities via video for students both within
and outside of the state, improved collaboration among faculty and staff, and
it will aid in community outreach programs for inner city and rural areas,"
said Robert A. Lahr, director of Information Infrastructure for State System.
"Second, through the use of top quality videoconferencing, meetings between
university administrative staff can be held virtually rather than traveling to
each location. This dramatically lowers administrative costs and creates a
time savings for all parties involved."
The FVC.COM solutions permit the State System to leverage existing
investments in videoconferencing room systems from PictureTel and V-Tel to
lower costs and increase the quality of videoconferencing via ATM's guaranteed
QoS. At the same time, the selected FVC products will enable a migration path
for the State System to implement H.323 videoconferencing without requiring
additional upgrades.
About Bell Atlantic
Bell Atlantic is at the forefront of the new communications and
information industry. With more than 43 million telephone access lines and
more than 10 million wireless customers worldwide, Bell Atlantic companies are
premier providers of advanced wireline voice and data services, market leaders
in wireless services and the world's largest publishers of directory
information. Bell Atlantic companies are also among the world's largest
investors in high-growth global communications markets, with operations and
investments in 23 countries.
About FORE Systems
FORE Systems, a wholly owned subsidiary of The General Electric Company,
p.l.c. (U.K.), is a leading global supplier of high-performance networking
solutions. FORE's Networks of Steel(R) deliver the increased capacity,
resiliency and scalability necessary to build networks that last. Thousands
of enterprise and service provider customers worldwide have put FORE Systems'
solutions at the heart of their networks.
About FVC.COM
FVC.COM (Nasdaq: FVCX), the world leader in broadband video networking,
designs, manufactures and supports a wide family of products for real-time
interactive video, streamed video and broadband access. Designed for high-
quality video delivery integrated with voice and data, these products enable
applications such as video calls, video conferences, video mail, and
conference overflow and video events.
FVC.COM's OEM, distribution, and system integration partners include Bell
Atlantic Network Integration, British Telecommunications plc, Cisco Systems,
Inc., EDS, France Telecom, IBM, NEC, Nortel Networks, Telstra and other
leading companies worldwide. Further information about the company is
available at http://www.fvc.com .
SOURCE FVC.com
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Related links:
http://www.fvc.com
CONTACT:
Elyse Phillips of FVC.COM, 408-567-7230, or
e-mail, ephillips@fvc.com; Sharon B. Shaffer of Bell Atlantic,
215-963-6200, or e-mail, sharon.b.shaffer@bellatlantic.com; or
James F. Blew of FORE Systems, 724-742-7745, or e-mail,
jblew@fore.com
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