Communicator Inc Launches Hub Connex Secure Business Connectivity Suite

WHITE PLAINS, NY–November 10, 2003–Communicator Inc, a provider of identity-based communications solutions for business, government and the extended enterprise, today announced the general availability of Hub Connex(SM), a secure business connectivity suite that connects the right people to the right information in real-time. Hub Connex is built on an open, modular platform integrating content distribution, alerting, discussion forums, standards-based enterprise instant messaging and presence, and identity-based directory services. By using combinations of these capabilities for real-time information sharing and collaboration, organizations make decisions more quickly and intelligently, and build closer relationships with customers, partners and colleagues across locations.

Hub Connex increases productivity and the profitability of key business processes in industries such as financial services and government. For example, on Wall Street, securities dealers can use Hub Connex to distribute market information and discuss it both internally with traders, researchers, and sales teams and externally with clients. In the public sector, where the efficient flow of information is critical to issues like Homeland Security, Hub Connex can be used to coordinate communication and collaboration across disparate agencies, organizations and contractors.

“Communicator’s mission is to address today’s business and public sector growing needs for cost-effective, secure cross-enterprise collaboration,” said Gary Reifman, product manager for Communicator Inc’s Messaging Services. “We are accomplishing this by integrating identity-based real-time communications, information delivery, intelligent filtering and managed communities in a flexible and open platform.”

Hub Connex is built on Communicator’s Hub ID identity management technology. Strong authentication, authorization and administration tools allow customers to maintain control of their identity information while granting permissioned users access to other people, information, applications and Web sites across communities using a single ID and password.

Customers can use Hub Connex either as a stand-alone application or within Web sites and applications. Delivered as a managed service, Hub Connex is fast and easy to deploy and yields a low total cost of ownership. Hub Connex is designed to fit in with managed desktop environments and includes automated deployment options, full administrative controls and audit/compliance tools. Hub Connex also works though firewalls without requiring network security modifications.

The Five Modules of Hub Connex

Content Distribution (“Content Channels”)
Content channels allow customers to publish internal and/or third party information to users’ desktops. Users can view either an individual content channel or numerous channels simultaneously. Sophisticated filtering allows users to customize their view of the information and trigger pop-up alerts. Filter criteria, such as keyword, priority or provider, are dynamically generated based on the content provided. Administrator tools allow customers to add new content channels and publish in minutes either manually using a Web interface or dynamically through an XML-based API.

Global Alerts
Hub Connex delivers real-time alerting functionality to the desktop, unobtrusively notifying users of information, breaking news, market information and events they deem important. A consolidated window displays messages, notifications and alerts for IM conversations, Forums and content channels. Users define their own keywords or phrases to create custom alerts or filtering across content channels, discussion Forums and IM conversations. Content and Forum alerts are fully customizable by keyword.

Collaboration (“Discussion Forums”)
Forums is a tool for the real-time creation and distribution of information. The tool provides fully permissioned, multi-participant discussions that enable groups to hold business-style chats. Persistent transcripts allow users to access information exchanged by participants anywhere, at any time. Forums can be created either by an individual or centrally by an organization. They include sophisticated, personalized filter and notification options that tie into global alerts. All Forums are secure and auditable for regulatory compliance.

Enterprise Instant Messaging (“Hub IM”)
Hub IM, Communicator’s proven enterprise-class service for secure, guaranteed delivery of instant messages, is included in Hub Connex. In production since 2001, Hub IM is currently used by more than 80,000 people at 2,000 companies worldwide. New in Hub Connex, Hub IM supports standards-based (XMPP and SIP/SIMPLE) instant messaging and presence. In addition, the instant messaging service is now interoperable with consumer networks as well as internal IM systems. Communicator also is offering an internal Hub IM server for customers who want to keep internal messages and presence information inside their firewall. This provides organizations the added control, speed and compliance capabilities they demand.

Directory Services
A federated directory service is a core component of Hub Connex. A presence-enabled global directory provides users a consolidated view of all the organizations and people they are authorized to see, quick access to contact information and the ability to launch communication tools such as IM and e-mail. In addition, users can build personal contact lists that make it even faster to reach the people they do business with the most. Interoperability with public IM networks enables users to add personal contacts from outside their pre-established communities. An open API allows customers to link directory information and related security and application services to additional communication channels such as telephony, Web conferencing and wireless.

“Large and small organizations alike gain a competitive edge when they can collaborate effectively both within their organizations and with the customers, partners and suppliers that comprise their extended enterprise,” said Genelle Hung, market analyst for The Radicati Group. “Hub Connex is a good example of a tool that facilitates real-time information delivery and communication while addressing the security and compliance issues many companies face.”

Michael Osterman, president of Osterman Research, comments, “Hub Connex moves secure messaging and collaboration forward significantly, delivering the features and functionality of real-time communication and information exchange that customers have asked for while providing the security features and community controls organizations need to address regulatory imperatives.”

Availability
Communicator Inc is offering two versions of Hub Connex. The Professional edition is an all inclusive, full service solution. The Enterprise edition is a flexible, a la carte offering. For more information, contact Communicator at (914) 872-2800, sales@communicator.com or visit www.hubconnex.com.

About Communicator Inc
Communicator Inc provides a suite of secure software tools and managed services that connect the right people to the right information in real-time, within and across the extended enterprise. The company’s Communicator Hub business connectivity/collaboration, identity management and information exchange services can be used either individually or combined to create industry-specific solutions for financial services, the public sector and other highly regulated markets. The results are faster collaborative decisions, stronger relationships and reduced operational costs. Communicator is a privately held company headquartered in White Plains, New York. For more information, visit www.communicator.com, call (914) 872-2800 or email info@communicator.com.