Cisco Systems Eases Migration to Secure IP Telephony from Traditional PBX Systems

Launch of Q.SIG inter-working support in Cisco CallManager 4.1 offers enhanced voice security

Dubai, UAE, January 13th, 2005 - Cisco Systems® today announced new security features for its IP Communications system that enhance voice privacy and further the company's standing as the world's leading provider of secure IP Communications solutions.

The new and currently shipping Cisco CallManager 4.1 IP telephony system extends voice media and signaling encryption support for new 7940G and 7960G Cisco IP phones and over 3.5 million installed Cisco 7940G and 7960G IP phones. Media encryption helps to ensure the security and privacy of telephone conversations and signaling encryption protects against tampering with telephone signaling packets. Cisco CallManager 4.1 now also interoperates with a wide range of Cisco Media Gateways, including the Integrated Services Router line, to provide voice media and signaling encryption support.

"Media encryption support for Cisco Media Gateways complements the strong Voice over Virtual Private Network (V3PN) and threat defense security capabilities these platforms already offer," Ghazi Atallah, General Manager, Cisco Systems Middle East. Media encryption on media gateways enhances voice privacy on Cisco IP phones in remote offices and provides more secure connectivity to legacy devices, including digital telephones and fax machines. In addition, Cisco is also announcing secure private messaging for Cisco Unity™, an industry-first encrypted messaging feature that protects the contents of voice messages.

Cisco IP Telephony is Rated the Industry's Most Secure System

Cisco recently demonstrated that it offers customers the most secure IP Communications system available today in an independent, IP telephony security test conducted by Miercom, a leading network consultancy and product test center. Cisco proved it can build a Voice over IP (VoIP) network that sophisticated hackers were not able to break or even noticeably disturb, according to Miercom. Cisco's "secure" rating was the highest of all vendors who participated in the Miercom test.

"With today's announcement, Cisco continues to raise the security bar, increasing the security options available to ensure the highest possible levels of privacy and availability for users of IP Communications," Atallah continued.

"These security enhancements to CallManager 4.1 embody Cisco's overall Self-Defending Network strategy, which calls for an integrated, systems approach to security," said Zeus Kerravala, vice president of enterprise infrastructure at The Yankee Group. "By adding media encryption to its 7960 and 7940 IP phones and media gateway products, Cisco demonstrates an insightful conclusion -- that the phone endpoint should mirror any highly secure web application. At the same time, Cisco customers gain increased security at more layers of an IP Communications system than those from any other vendor."

Easier Path for Migration to IP Telephony

With a wide range of new Q.SIG enhancements in CallManager 4.1, the Cisco IP Communications system offers an optimal migration path for customers that require interoperability with private branch exchange (PBX) systems. Q.SIG is the world wide signaling standard for PBX systems. Cisco CallManager 4.1 also features new, powerful call routing functionality and additional features that provide customers with significant cost control and call tracking benefits.

List Prices and Availablity

Cisco CallManager 4.1 software with a Cisco Media Convergence Server starts at $5,995 (USD). Cisco CallManager 4.1 software is now available as a no-cost upgrade for Cisco CallManager 4.0 customers. Media encryption software on Cisco Media Gateways is a standard option in the recently introduced Cisco Integrated Services Router. The new secure voice messaging feature in Cisco Unity 4.04 is a no-cost enhancement for Unity customers.

For more information about these products, please visit: http://www.cisco.com/go/IPCnew.

About Cisco IP Communications

"Cisco IP Communications is a comprehensive system of enterprise-class solutions including IP telephony, unified communications, rich media IP audio and videoconferencing, IP video broadcasting and customer contact solutions that take advantage of customers' existing Cisco IP infrastructure to deliver new, converged applications," Ghazi Atallah explained.

IP telephony is a subcategory of IP Communications and describes core, IP-based voice solutions including: IP phones, IP PBX, voice applications and infrastructure. Voice over IP (VoIP) defines a way to carry voice calls over an IP network including the digitization and packetization of voice streams. IP Communications utilizes the VoIP standards to create a telephony system where higher level features such as advanced call routing, voice mail, contact centers can be utilized. Although these communications can technically be accomplished using public Internet services, business use managed, private or virtual private networks (VPNs) to ensure quality and security of the communications.

More information about Cisco IP Communications is available at:

www.cisco.com/go/IPCnew. For more information on Cisco Systems in the Middle East, please visit www.cisco.com/me.