Telecommunication Providers Line Up to Provide Next-Generation Communication Experience for Windows Messenger Users

REDMOND, Wash., Oct. 11 /PRNewswire/ -- With the widespread availability of the Microsoft½ Windows½ XP operating system just two weeks away, Microsoft Corp. (Nasdaq: MSFT - news) today announced an update of Windows Messenger, available Oct. 25. The new Windows Messenger includes numerous design enhancements and enables consumers to use their PCs to make voice calls to telephones virtually anywhere in the world via a choice of participating providers within local regulations. (Photo: http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20000822/MSFTLOGO )

``The new Windows Messenger is an easy way for people to communicate with friends, family and co-workers anywhere,'' said John Frederiksen, general manager of Windows at Microsoft. ``This enhancement to Windows Messenger, which incorporates customer feedback and underscores our commitment to continue to innovate and to ensure that Windows XP enables the best, easiest, most exciting computing experience for consumers. It also underscores our commitment to work with the industry to make Windows XP a great platform for third-party solutions.''

Depending on their location, Windows XP users will have the option of choosing amongst different IP telephony service providers to complete their PC-to-phone calls. Callserve Corp., deltathree Inc., Dialpad Communications Inc., Net2Phone and TELUS Corp., Canada's second-largest telecommunications company, will offer high-quality phone calls within their own service areas and to other locations in the world. Further, these companies will maintain the account relationship with their respective end-user customers while enabling users to track their current call account balances all from within Messenger.

``As the leading Internet telephony provider across Europe, Callserve is excited to provide Windows Messenger users with a high-quality option for PC- to-phone service,'' said Paul Duffy, CEO of Callserve. ``Callserve shares Microsoft's product vision for an integrated communications platform that enables a new generation of personal communications services fulfilling our promise of Internet-based telephony for users around the world.''

``We believe that the inclusion of an easy-to-use PC-to-phone client in Windows XP will help move PC-based voice communication closer to the mainstream and will provide a technological building block for our next-generation SIP (Session Initiation Protocol) applications,'' said Noam Bardin, CEO and president of deltathree.