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ADDING MULTIMEDIA New Avistar Video-Over-IP Software Expands Mobility at an Affordable Price

Posted on: Tuesday, 3 October 2006, 18:00 CDT

Breaking down barriers to bring the power of "face-to-face" interaction to more users wherever they are, Avistar Communications Corp. (NASDAQ:AVSR) today announced the release of its new video-over-IP software that significantly lowers the cost of installing its enterprise-quality suite of collaborative video applications at the desktop or laptop.

The release of AvistarVOS™ Client 9.0 offers easier-than-ever access to video calling and data sharing capabilities at a price point that makes the system more affordable and accessible for more users wherever they are -- in the office, at home or on the road.

The AvistarVOS™ Client software provides the same self-service, easy-to-use, feature-rich functionality deployed for years by thousands of professionals at the nation's top financial services institutions to foster faster, more nuanced and effective visual communications. But now a web camera, audio device and network connection are all that's required to access Avistar's fully integrated, comprehensive suite of high-performance communications tools from any desktop or laptop.

While the software client offers new flexibility, users can still count on the suite of standard-setting applications for which Avistar has long been known: top-quality, one-to-one or multiparty videoconferencing, large-scale interactive meetings, whiteboard data sharing functions and the ability to record calls, broadcasts, and other communications for later playback via endpoints, websites, or e-mail.

"We're looking to connect more faces, in more places," said Gerald J. Burnett, chairman and CEO of Avistar. "With its portability and accessibility, Avistar's new software solution can enable a critical mass of workers to visually interact over the Internet at extremely low cost. We expect it's going to open the way to widescale video adoption for businesses of all sizes."

The AvistarVOS™ Client utilizes software codecs running on a laptop or desktop computer to deliver a high-quality audio and video experience. It can be centrally deployed and supported, making it quick and easy to install video on one system -- or thousands. At roughly 50% of the cost of previous Avistar endpoints, Avistar's new low price makes it possible for customers to reach a critical mass of users and the kind of saturation crucial to maximizing the benefits of a video communications system.

Video heightens the quality of business meetings and enhances daily workflow, enabling users to better leverage in-house research and helps dispersed workers at home offices or out on the road stay on the same page and in close communication with colleagues. Avistar's video solutions also help support business continuity plans to mitigate natural or man-made work disruptions.

The core application software for all Avistar endpoints, the AvistarVOS™ Client is fully functional as a video-over-IP client and can be deployed on most PCs in use today. Where PC power is limited or heavily devoted to other applications, the AvistarVOS™ Client can be used in combination with the Avistar AC300 Hardware Accelerator to offload the video and audio processing. This flexible approach enables organizations to cost-effectively support a range of users and applications with visual communications -- from traveling "road warriors" with a laptop to "power users" running complex desktop analytic models.

Avistar's new software-based solution is immediately available. For further information, visit www.avistar.com. To view a video demonstration and overview of AvistarVOS™ Client Software capabilities, please visit: http://www.avistar.com/assets/media/avistar_communications_1003.wmv.

About Avistar Communications Corporation

Avistar Communications Corporation develops, markets, and supports a video collaboration platform for the enterprise, all powered by the AvistarVOS™ software. From the desktop, Avistar delivers business-quality video calling, recording, publishing to web and e-mails, video-on-demand, broadcast origination and distribution, and document sharing. Avistar video-enables business processes by integrating visual communications into the daily workflow and connecting communities of users within and across enterprises. Founded in 1993, Avistar is headquartered in Redwood Shores, Calif., with offices in New York and London. Avistar's technology is used in more than 35 countries.

Collaboration Properties, Inc. (CPI), a wholly owned subsidiary of Avistar, holds a current portfolio of 71 patents for inventions in the primary areas of video and network technology. CPI pursues patents for presence-based interactions, desktop video, recorded and live media at the desktop, multimedia documents, data sharing, and a rich-service network video architecture to support Avistar's product suite and customers. CPI offers licenses to its patent portfolio and Avistar's video-enabling technologies to companies in the video conferencing, rich-media services, public networking, and related industries.

Forward-Looking Statements

This press release contains forward-looking statements including statements regarding the adoption, impact and benefits of AvistarVOS™ Client 9.0 software. Such statements are subject to risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially, including such factors, among others, as delays in adoption or acceptance of Avistar's video collaboration technology and difficulties or delays in the integration, installation and use of such technology. We refer you to the documents that Avistar files from time to time with the Securities and Exchange Commission, in particular the section entitled "Risk Factors" in Avistar's annual report on Form 10-K and its quarterly reports on Forms 10-Q.

Copyright (c) 2006 Avistar Communications Corporation. All rights reserved. Avistar, AvistarVOS™, and the Avistar logo are trademarks or registered trademarks of Avistar Communications Corporation.

Note to Editors: The release will run a second time to include multimedia attachment at 4:05 p.m. ET.

Source: Business Wire

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