Members Pledge to Demonstrate Interoperability Between Major Brands

NEW YORK, Feb. 5 /PRNewswire/ -- Despite V.pcm's certain future role as 
the new 56K modem standard, early testing has revealed interoperability
is not automatic between differing V.pcm implementations. As a result, 
leading communications industry companies -- Ascend, Cisco Systems
and Hayes Corporation -- have banded together and pledged to release
new V.pcm-only products when interoperability can be demonstrated 
between major modem and server providers. The new V.pcm 56K modem 
standard is set for determination this week, with final adoption and 
ratification expected to occur in September 1998.

While the new standard provides very specific methods and techniques 
for communicating at up to 56K, differences currently exist within 
each company's V.pcm implementation, preventing initial interoperability.
To prevent such problems from affecting customers, the V.PCM Work Group
was formed to insure complete interoperability between major brands. 
Each company within the Work Group is responsible for determining when
interoperability is achieved and its individual products' release 
schedule. Individual members are also free to respond to market
pressures, in a responsible manner through the release of product with
limited V.pcm interoperability.

"The entire reason for developing a V.pcm standard was to end the
confusion for end users by delivering interoperable 56K modem 
communications," stated Ron Howard, CEO of Hayes and a member of the 
Work Group. "Hayes and other Work Group participants are committed to 
assuring our existing K56flex and x2 products are interoperable using 
V.pcm. Any company releasing 'so- called V.pcm' products before
interoperability exists, without clearly stating its limitations, would
be doing a great disservice to end users."

"In the last year, growth of the remote access market was significantly
reduced as a result of the confusion caused by incompatible 56K 
standards," commented Brad Baldwin, Director of Remote Access Research
for International Data Corporation (IDC). "With these experiences behind
us, it is hard to imagine any company would release what amounts to a 
proprietary implementation of V.pcm that cannot achieve universal
connectivity. IDC supports the goals of the Work Group and recommends 
end users purchase V.pcm products only after their vendor confirms 
interoperability between major brands."

"Demand and revenue in the modem market are expected to improve
significantly this year in large part due to the release of a new modem
standard that ends interoperability problems," said Lisa Pelgrim, 
Senior Analyst, Dataquest. "I encourage industry leaders to work 
together to achieve interoperability in a timely manner."

Additional communications companies are expected to join the V.PCM Work
Group. The Work Group is open to all communications companies. For 
further information about the V.PCM Work Group, contact Bill Taylor, 
Hayes Corporation, at (770) 840-9200, x 6341 or btaylor@hayes.com.

Ascend Communications, Inc. develops, manufactures, sells and services
wide area networking solutions for telecommunications carriers, 
Internet service providers and corporate customers worldwide.
For more information about Ascend and its products, please visit the 
Ascend web site at www.ascend.com or send e-mail to 
info@ascend.com.

Cisco Systems, Inc. (Nasdaq: CSCO) is the worldwide leader in 
networking for the Internet. News and information are available at 
www.cisco.com.

Headquartered in Norcross, Georgia, Hayes Microcomputer Products, Inc.,
a wholly owned subsidiary of Hayes Corporation, a publicly-traded
company, (Nasdaq: HAYZ) markets its ULTRA(TM), ACCURA(TM), OPTIMA(TM),
Practical Peripherals(TM), Cardinal(TM) and CENTURY(TM) brands of 
analog, digital and cable modems, remote access servers and terminal 
adapters along with Smartcom(TM) communications software worldwide. 
Today, with distributors in more than 45 countries, it is one of the 
largest manufacturers of modems in the world. For more information 
about Hayes and the company's award-winning products, visit the Hayes 
Web site at www.hayes.com.

Hayes is a trademark of Hayes Microcomputer Products, Inc., a wholly 
owned subsidiary of Hayes Corporation. Hayes, the Hayes logo, ULTRA, 
ACCURA, OPTIMA, Practical Peripherals, Smartcom, and CENTURY are 
trademarks or registered trademarks of Hayes Microcomputer Products,
Inc. Cardinal is a trademark of Cardinal Technologies, Inc. Other 
trademarks are trademarks of their respective companies.

"Safe Harbor" statement under the Private Securities Litigation
Reform Act of 1995: This release contains forward looking statements
that are subject to risks and uncertainties, including, but not limited
to, the impact of competitive products and pricing, product demand and
market acceptance, new product development, reliance on key strategic 
alliances, availability of raw materials, the regulatory environment, 
fluctuations in operating results and other risks detailed from time to 
time in the Company's filings with the Securities and Exchange 
Commission. 

SOURCE Hayes MicrocomputerProducts, Inc.

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