BEDMINSTER, N.J., Feb. 3 /PRNewswire/ -- For consumers ready to make the move into broadband telephone, AT&T CallVantage(R) Service is the "best overall choice" according to PC Magazine. The publication awarded AT&T with its "Editors' Choice" award in its February 8 cover date VoIP review touting AT&T's voice quality, easy-to-use interface, and optional in-house installation among the key features that lead to its decision.
"AT&T is thrilled to have received recognition from a key technology influencer like PC Magazine," said Cathy Martine, AT&T senior vice president for Internet Telephony. "Consumer acceptance of VoIP grew by leaps and bounds in 2004 and we're looking to build on that to encourage further adoption by businesses and consumers in 2005."
AT&T CallVantage Service was selected as the top pick among six providers reviewed in PC Magazine's VoIP round-up, tested by the publication's labs staff and reviewers. The scorecard was based on the following features: installation, initial configuration, features, call management, call logs, call quality and pricing.
"Its installation options, rich features and easy-to-use interface are the chief reasons this service earns our Editors' Choice," said Oliver Kaven, Lead Analyst, New Product Testing at PC Magazine. "AT&T CallVantage Service is a solid choice from a well-established company. Its impressive, well-rounded service is recommended for consumers looking to adopt VoIP."
AT&T offers in-home installation, and a number of innovative features like Voicemail with eFeatures to listen to messages from any phone or PC and forward them to anyone on the Web; Locate Me that rings up to five phones, all at once, or sequentially; and Conference Calling to set up meetings with up to nine additional callers for $0.35 a minute.
Further differentiating itself from the competition, AT&T recently introduced two industry firsts:
AT&T CallVantage(R) Plus that allows users to create up to nine sub- accounts, or distinctive telephone numbers, with the ability to manage each separately while sharing a single line to receive calls. The additional monthly fee for each number is $7.49.
Record & Send makes repetitive callings easy and convenient so that classroom 'moms,' soccer coaches and the like can record a message and quickly deliver it to as many as 20 separate phone numbers. Usage of Record & Send is currently free, but depending on the phone numbers used, long-distance and international charges may incur.
About AT&T CallVantage Service
Introduced in late March, AT&T CallVantage Service is now serving consumers in more than 170 markets in 39 states and Washington, D.C. The service, which works with a customer's broadband connection, provides a complete calling solution that provides unlimited local and long-distance domestic calling, including calls to Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands, unlimited calling to Canada, discount rates for international calling, and a suite of advanced features for $29.99 a month with the first month free to new subscribers who sign up before January 31, 2005.
Under its AT&T CallVantage Local Plan, customers receive unlimited local calling and access to the entire AT&T CallVantage Service advanced feature set for $19.99 per month. All local toll and long distance calling and feature use in the U.S. and to Canada will be billed at $0.04 a minute.
To learn more about AT&T CallVantage Service, consumers can visit http://www.callvantage.com/, call 1-866-816-3815 extension 70339, or visit one of its valued retailers.
About AT&T
For more than 125 years, AT&T (NYSE "T") has been known for unparalleled quality and reliability in communications. Backed by the research and development capabilities of AT&T Labs, the company is a global leader in local, long distance, Internet and transaction-based voice and data services.
The foregoing contains "forward-looking statements" which are based on management's beliefs as well as on a number of assumptions concerning future events made by and information currently available to management. Readers are cautioned not to put undue reliance on such forward-looking statements, which are not a guarantee of performance and are subject to a number of uncertainties and other factors, many of which are outside AT&T's control, that could cause actual results to differ materially from such statements. For a more detailed description of the factors that could cause such a difference, please see AT&T's filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission. AT&T disclaims any intention or obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise
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CONTACT: Gary Morgenstern of AT&T, +1-908-234-6416, gmorgenstern@att.com
Web site: http://www.att.com/ http://www.callvantage.com/
