Intel Desktop Adapter Simplifies VoIP Calls For Small Businesses And Residential Customers

New Intel PCI Card Works with Service Providers to Deliver Easy-to-Use VoIP Solution Using Existing Telephones

COMPUTEX, Taipei, Taiwan, June 6, 2006 – Intel Corporation today announced a new product that allows small business and residential users to make VoIP (Voice Over IP) calls from desktop PCs using existing telephones.

The new Intel® 600SM PCI Phone Adapter offers a complete solution, including hardware, software and services featuring an Analog Telephone Adapter (ATA) on a PCI card that works with a variety of leading VoIP service providers. Combining the utility of the PC, the familiarity of the telephone and the value of VoIP services, the product creates opportunities to lower phoning costs, increase productivity, improve collaboration and enhance audio quality.

The Intel® 600SM PCI Phone Adapter allows PC OEMs and system integrators to deliver a complete, easy-to-use solution for small businesses and residential VoIP subscribers. VoIP subscribers, in turn, can benefit from the increased performance of Intel® dual-core technology in PCs. Intel dual-core platforms are uniquely suited to handle the performance demands of VoIP applications by improving system responsiveness during VoIP calls while preserving good call quality.

“Intel recognized the need for an easy-to-use, cost-effective solution that would help small businesses and residential callers take advantage of VoIP,” said Tom Rampone, Intel’s vice president of the Digital Enterprise Group and general manager of the User-Centered Platform Solutions Division. “Many businesses rely on remote collaboration to overcome high costs of long distance calls and traveling. The new Intel 600SM PCI Phone Adapter, together with Intel dual-core technology, allow PC users to bridge the PC to the telephone. This makes using the benefits of VoIP much easier, bringing Intel’s vision of close collaboration for the digital office one step closer.”

With the Intel 600SM PCI Phone Adapter, users no longer need to be tethered to their PCs to access VoIP services or be required to purchase additional hardware or software or have technical knowledge to set up and run VoIP. Now with Intel ’s new product, the PC becomes a viable, easy-to-use end point for PC to PSTN calling using a standard analog telephone.

The Intel 600SM PCI Phone Adapter is the latest addition to Intel’s portfolio of products and technologies for office workers. The company recently announced Intel® vPro™ technology, the PC platform representing new desktop PC uses and capabilities optimized for businesses.  Intel vPro technology is Intel’s premier platform for superior manageability, enhanced security and energy-efficient performance. PCs based on Intel vPro technology will be available in the second half of 2006.

“Intel software is essential to the Intel® 600SM PCI Phone Adapter,” said Jonathan Khazam, Intel’s general manager of the Platform Software Division and vice president of the Software and Solutions Group.  “By integrating optimized softphone technology from CounterPath Solutions, Intel provides a total VoIP solution which allows OEMs to quickly deliver phone-ready PCs to their customers.”

The Intel 600SM PCI Phone Adapter works with the world’s leading VoIP service providers including:  

• engin* — One of the leading broadband phone companies in Australia offering VoIP services to households and businesses.
• Packet8* — Its 8x8's broadband telephone and videophone service provides VoIP-hosted private branch exchange (PBX) features and unlimited calls in the United States and Canada.
• Skype* — Software that enables users to make free calls on the Internet worldwide,
• yak* — Provider of legacy and VoIP telecommunications services to residential and business customers.

Intel, Intel vPro and the Intel logo are trademarks or registered trademarks of Intel Corporation or its subsidiaries in the United States and other countries.

* Other names and brands may be claimed as the property of others.