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Intel offers Internet phone
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July 22, 1996: 11:45 a.m. ET
Microsoft, Intel hope new software becomes industry standard
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NEW YORK (CNNfn) -- Intel Corp. announced plans Tuesday to launch Intel Internet Phone applet, a new Internet phone system using protocols that Intel, Microsoft and other tech giants hope will become the industry's standard.
Intel executive Frank Gill said the plan aims to "demonstrate our vision of the connected PC -- one that can seamlessly communicate via the Internet with any PC running software built around these standards."
Intel said it plans to make beta versions of the new software, which uses a technical standard called "H.323," downloadable for free beginning Wednesday.
Microsoft Vice President John Ludwig said his company "shares Intel's commitment to establish H.323 as the standard for voice and video communication on the Internet."
Making long-distance or international calls over the Internet offers consumers tremendous potential savings over traditional telephone companies.
However, current systems have drawbacks. For instance, a user can only call people who have the proper software for accepting such calls.
At the same time, users often experience gaps of several seconds in transmission times, making usage more like radio conversations than traditional phone calls. 
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