Softbank BB deploys CommuniGate Pro Cluster for its Fully Integrated IP Services

Released on: November 6, 2007, 8:54 am

Press Release Author: Brian Blank / FutureWorks, Inc.

Industry: Internet & Online

Press Release Summary: CommuniGate Pro delivers carrier grade Unified Communications
for massive subscriber base

Press Release Body: Mill Valley, Calif. - November 6, 2007 - CommuniGate Systems,
the leader in carrier-class Internet Communications solutions, announced today that
SOFTBANK BB Corporation (SBB) has launched "BB Communicator\", a new integrated
communication service based on the CommuniGate Pro Unified Communications platform.
Softbank BB, the largest shareholder of Yahoo! Japan, made the BB Communicator
service available as a part of the YahooBB, Yahoo broadband offering. With this
service, users can enjoy applications such as IP phone, e-mail, calendaring and
address books regardless of their internet service provider (ISP), when they are
connected through their broadband environment. After an extensive pilot system, the
service went live on November 1, 2007.

"BB Communicator" enables users to make inexpensive phone calls to fixed and mobile
phones, in addition to free calling among "BB Communicator," BB Phone and BB Phone
fiber optic users. SBB has over 4.8 million subscribers of IP Phone in Japan,
making this one of the world's largest IP phone services.

\"We evaluated a number of solutions for 'BB Communicator' and after careful
evaluation, we selected CommuniGate Pro because of the platform's proven high
reliability, scalability and performance; the ability to easily add nodes as needed
without stopping the system; its ease of manageability even for very large
deployments; as well as the ability to easily customize VoIP applications,\" said
Daiki Orihara, General Manager, Business Development Dept., CNW Business Management
Dept., Communication Network Division of Softbank BB.

\"The seamless integration with Microsoft Outlook\'s groupware features is another
advantage of using CommuniGate Pro as the core engine behind our system
infrastructure. We plan to continue capitalizing on the many new and exciting
services offered by CommuniGate Pro including Web 2.0 and Fixed Mobile Convergence,\"
continued Orihara.

CommuniGate Pro is a highly scalable and fully integrated internet communication
server and development platform that provides 99.999% uptime with its truly unique
dynamic clustering technology. In addition to IP calling, CommuniGate Pro provides
"BB Communicator" customers with services such as e-mail, instant messaging,
presence, calendar management, address books and rich media via the ASP (Application
Service Provider) model. Regardless of their ISP, customers can use "BB
Communicator" at home or away, in the office, hotel or Internet café. In the future,
these features and applications will be available on mobile phones as well.

Key features of "BB Communicator" include:

Voice Services
. Incoming/outgoing IP phone
. Call transfer
. Voice mail
. TV Phone using PC

Application Services
. Robust security features on messaging (CloudMark anti-spam)
. Easily manageable schedule and calendar
. Secure instant messaging using encryption
. Presence

Looking ahead, SBB also plans to roll out another SaaS (Software as a Service)
product targeting small- to mid-sized businesses and leverage CommuniGate Pro as an
alternative to their MS Exchange server and groupware features.

\"We are honored that Softbank BB has selected CommuniGate Pro for its 'BB
Communicator' services. This proves that CommuniGate Pro offers a truly unified
communication solution that combines scalability, high performance and reliability
in an easy-to-mange platform. This project was made possible through the joint
collaboration of our Japanese partners, Dragon Networks Associates, Inc. and Open
Technologies Corporation. Hitachi Software Engineering Corporation provided the
hardware and its support. SBB is well known for being a catalyst and innovator in
improving lives with the use of advanced technologies. Together with SBB, we hope
to continue to bring innovative and exciting services to SBB and their valued
customers throughout the Japanese market," said Jon Doyle, Vice President of
Business Development at CommuniGate Systems.

The CommuniGate Pro Enterprise Suite, including Pronto! a sleek, unified
communications dashboard based on Adobe Flash(r) and Adobe Flex(tm) 2 technology, is
available today at www.communigate.com/community, free for the first five users,
making it a smart choice for small businesses or the home office network. For
installations over five users, the CommuniGate Pro Enterprise Suite is priced
starting at US$849 for 25 users. ISPs, Broadband and Mobile Operators can contact
sales@communigate.com for pricing information.


About my BB Communicator
http://www.softbankbb.co.jp/news/press/2007/p0831_01.html

https://bbcc.softbank.jp/personal/info/2007/071002_001.html

About Dragon Networks Associates
http://www.dragon-networks.com/

About Open Technologies Corporation
http://www.opentech.co.jp/AboutUs/index-e.html

About CloudMark
http://www.cloudmark.com/serviceproviders/company/

About SOFTBANK Group
Since its establishment in 1981, management policy of SOFTBANK Group has been to
\"endeavor to benefit society and the economy and maximize enterprise value by
fostering the sharing of wisdom and knowledge gained through the IT revolution\".
Foreseeing the advent of the PC era at the time of business establishment, the
company got to market fast with the package software distribution business. In
1990s, before the dawn of the Internet era, we established Yahoo! Japan Corporation,
and later established \"Yahoo! Japan\" which became the biggest Japanese Internet
portal.
In 2001, SOFTBANK BB Corp. launched a commercial service of high speed and low price
\"Yahoo! BB ADSL\", and led Japan to be the best broadband superpower in the world.
Together with fixed line business of SOFTBANK TELECOM Corp. and mobile communication
business of SOFTBANK MOBILE Corp., the company is taking now a big step toward the
ubiquitous society where people can access \"anytime, anywhere and with anyone\"
through broadband.
The company is now asked for unprecedented speed, flexibility, and innovation while
people\'s lifestyle and concept of values is diversifying.
SOFTBANK Group will keep challenging to offer the advanced service which will
contribute to enriched people\'s lifestyle in the age to come.
About CommuniGate Systems
Founded in 1991 and based in Mill Valley, California, CommuniGate Systems develops
carrier-class Internet Communications software for broadband & mobile service
providers, enterprises, and OEM partners worldwide. Over 130 million subscribers
including 47 million voice customers rely upon CommuniGate Systems products for
their voice and data communication today. CommuniGate Systems is the most trusted &
financially stable vendor which maintains the highest customer satisfaction levels
in the Rich Media Communications industry. CommuniGate Systems provides flexibility,
performance, scalability, with the benchmark proven architecture that remains
un-challenged in the industry. Our open development environment with simple APIs
delivers extensible flexibility with a unique clustering technology for 99.999%
uptime for the most demanding application environments. CommuniGate Systems has over
175 members in its partner network worldwide.
Download CommuniGate Pro today and join the initiative to drive interoperability of
Unified Communications and convert nearly 2 billion e-mail accounts to a single
identity for all forms of Internet Communications. For more information, go to
www.communigate.com

# # #

Brian Blank
FutureWorks, Inc.
(408) 428-0895 Ext 114
brianb@future-works.com


Web Site: http://www.future-works.com

Contact Details: Brian Blank
FutureWorks, Inc.
(408) 428-0895 Ext 114
brianb@future-works.com

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