FOSTER CITY, Calif., Nov. 26, 2001 -- FaceTime
Communications, the premier provider of instant messaging for
business, and Optum, a leader in providing creative and innovative
customer contact strategies and technologies, recently announced
its partnership with FaceTime Communications to provide technology
support for instant messaging (IM) with Optum NurseLine's
registered nurses. Optum will integrate FaceTime Communications' IM
technology and deliver IM services as an "add-on" component to the
Optum NurseLine program, providing individuals with a new channel
for rapid and reliable health information. Instant messaging is the
fastest growing communications channel in history. According to
International Data Corporation (IDC), by 2004, more than 400
million people will be using instant messaging to generate 2
trillion instant messages between consumers and businesses. By
extending IM into the health information arena, Optum provides
individuals with yet another option by which to contact an Optum
professional. By going online, IM users will now be able to select
a custom "buddy name" from their list and connect with Optum's
secure OptumLive! chat technology. They will experience a live,
one-on-one conversation and share Web pages with Optum NurseLine's
nurses. As with all Optum services, NurseLine instant messaging via
OptumLive! is private, confidential and secure, unlike most
standard instant messaging services available today. FaceTime hosts
and maintains Optum's custom IM names, which are programmed to
include instructions for secure NurseLine chats, and password-free
access to Optum's award-winning Internet application,
HealthForums.com. Additionally, with FaceTime's Instant Message
Director application, Optum enables customers to differentiate and
extend their brand image by creating a custom "buddy name" on the
America Online (AOL), Microsoft Network (MSN) and Yahoo! public IM
networks. The custom buddy name can then be promoted to consumers
and kept online in a user's buddy list for instant access to
NurseLine anywhere, at any time. "FaceTime provides us with a
flexible connection to the public IM networks and easy-to-deploy
integration and hosting services," said John Kluchka, manager of
new product research and development at Optum. "The IM capability
offers individuals a unique new option when contacting an Optum
professional to obtain health and well-being information and
resources when, where and how they are needed." Through telephone,
in-person, Internet and print channels, Optum makes nearly 22
million contacts annually with the more than 20 million individuals
they serve. "We are excited to have the opportunity to work with
Optum, to provide IM to the individuals they serve and to be part
of Optum's extensive, customer-focused portfolio of products and
services," said Glen Vondrick, CEO, FaceTime Communications. "The
Optum implementation demonstrates that instant messaging can
provide a new vehicle for accessing health information and is an
integral part of customer communications." IM has empowered users
to quickly connect with others via "buddy lists" that show who is
online through net-connected devices, such as desktop PC's, set-top
boxes and mobile devices. Optum's relationship with FaceTime brings
this level of connection to health information and is another
example of how consumers are benefiting from new communications
technologies.
About Actiance, Inc. (Formerly FaceTime Communications, Inc.)
FaceTime Communications became Actiance, Inc on January 11, 2011 following an agreement to
transfer the FaceTime trademark to Apple.
FaceTime Communications enables the safe and productive use of Unified Communications and Web 2.0,
including instant messaging, blogs and social networking. Ranked number one by IDC for five consecutive
years, FaceTime's award-winning solutions are used by more than 1,500 customers for the security,
management and compliance of real-time communications. FaceTime supports or has strategic partnerships
with all leading IM, unified communications providers and social networks including AOL, Google, Yahoo!,
Skype, Microsoft, IBM, Cisco, Facebook, LinkedIn and Twitter.
FaceTime is headquartered in Belmont, California. For more information visit
http://www.facetime.com or call 888-349-3223.
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