Posted on Thursday, October 20 2005 @ 4:01 CEST by Thomas De Maesschalck
Telecommunications service providers offer multimedia services such as adding video to voice and text applications to help increase revenues, improve end user experiences and more effectively compete around the world. At the same time, enterprises are investigating multimedia and VoIP infrastructure to increase worker productivity, reduce operating costs, and protect existing infrastructure investment. But for both sets of customers, adding these services has historically been costly and complex.
"In addition to the 'cool factor' enjoyed by users, multimedia can provide important opportunities for service providers to attract new customers and increase the loyalty of current ones while growing average revenue per user. Until today, multimedia has been too costly and difficult to deploy. Host media processing technology from Intel drives a new price point that takes full advantage of the latest in multi-core processing power," said Anthony Ambrose, general manager of Intel's Modular Communications Platform Division. "Enterprises can also benefit from the transition to IP networks with improved employee productivity and lower total cost of ownership."
Intel has recently made available Intel NetStructure Host Media Processing Software Release 1.5 for Linux. This software will allow up to 120 channels of video and enable new revenue-generating services such as video mail, video color ring back, video caller ID and video portals.
"HMP software from Intel provides All New Video with an application development platform which meets our stringent requirements for a highly scalable, carrier-grade video-enabled IP media server," said Lee Woodland, CTO of All New Video. "This is a key component of our next generation of applications which include video content delivery and video messaging."
Intel is also providing help for small-to-medium enterprises interested in deploying multimedia services by releasing a reference design for a Converged Application Platform for the Distributed Enterprise. Intel offers this reference design, along with a working prototype as a recipe to help TEMs get to market faster. This design, using processors and host media processing from Intel, allows for the integration of separate pieces of network equipment (routers, VPN/firewalls, switches, and PBXs) into one device. Service providers can provide the converged application platform as a hosted service, allowing IT managers to more-easily deploy, maintain and upgrade their networks to support applications such as Internet access, fax, instant messaging with presence and multimedia conferencing.
Intel is also using its host media processing technology to address an important issue for enterprises eager to take advantage of VoIP technology. To help enterprises move to VoIP technology while protecting investments in legacy equipment, Intel announced Intel NetStructure Host Media Processing Software Release 2.0 for Windows and Intel NetStructure Digital Network Interface Boards. These products will help enterprises deploy IP-based services in a hybrid network, which is a combination of legacy TDM and newer IP infrastructures.
Intel itself is piloting a leading-edge hybrid VoIP solution at its Parsippany, N.J. site. Intel is reducing maintenance costs through a reduction in the number of equipment racks and the amount of floor space required to handle its own heavy call volume. When the entire New Jersey site is fully IP-enabled, Intel estimates that MAC (Moves/Adds/Changes) costs will be reduced by 72 percent and floor space for equipment racks will decrease by approximately 89 percent. The capabilities of Intel's Parsippany VoIP installation include unified messaging, presence, click-to-call, ad-hoc click-to-conference and follow-me call routing.
Intel NetStructure Host Media Processing Software Release 1.5 for Linux is available now. The Intel NetStructure Host Media Processing Software 2.0 for Windows and the Intel NetStructure Digital Network Interface Boards will be available within the next 90 days. Pricing is dependent on per port increments and by feature. For additional information contact an Intel Authorized Distributor.
