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TANDBERG User Florida Child Protection Team Wins Top Honors at TeleCon West

Anaheim, CA, USA, November 5, 1999 Florida's Child Protection Team Program received top honors at TeleCon West, the international exposition and conference for collaborative communications. The Telemedicine Pillar Award is the Best of Show honor granted to a program or individual who has made the most significant advancement in the use of telemedicine.

The Child Protection Team Program uses the TANDBERG Health Care System III. The Child Protection Team Program, under the direction of Dr. J.M. Whitworth, Professor of Pediatrics at the University of Florida, is responsible for the early detection and prevention of child abuse in Florida. When it recently became clear that traditional resources were no longer sufficient to meet the needs of the state's children, a proactive partnership was established between several agencies: the Department of Health, the State Attorney General's office, the University of Florida, and the Department of Management Services. The goal of this partnership is to help abused children through a new and innovative approach to health care - tele-healthcare.

After carefully evaluating the needs of the program and the capabilities of the telecommunications infrastructure already in place, the TANDBERG Health Care System III was chosen to fulfill this vision. "Its two strongest points were the ability to do detailed microscopic exams, and the fact that this was a real medical tool, as opposed to a videoconferencing system with some medical add-ons," said Dr. Whitworth. "The unexpected but added bonus turned out to be that TANDBERG, in conjunction with their dealer Telecom Response, worked with us as a partner to ensure that the system met our special needs - since due to our subject matter, we are required to handle accumulated data in very specific and secure ways."

The expanding child protection network consists of hubs and spokes, all equipped with TANDBERG tele-medicine systems. With qualified physicians available 24 hours a day at each of the hub locations, exams are conducted to the remote sites. Ultimately, it is hoped that there will be a tele-healthcare presence in each of Florida's 67 counties. Of the 50,000 expected cases per year, approximately one third will be handled with the help of the TANDBERG Health Care System III.

In response to the award Dr. Whitworth responded, "Tele-healthcare is providing a solution that works for Florida's kids, at an estimated cost savings of up to $ 25 million - that is a terrific win-win scenario. My strongest hope is that this recognition will encourage other states to consider tele-medicine too, for the sake of their children. It is a very special program."

"We are certainly pleased that a TANDBERG system is being used in Florida's award-winning application," stated Richard Grace, Executive Vice President of TANDBERG's Applications Business. "We are even more pleased that a TANDBERG system has facilitated better care for some of our country's children. It affirms our company's commitment to providing tele-healthcare solutions that enhance lives."

About TANDBERG Health Care System III

The TANDBERG Health Care System III was designed specifically to meet the needs of the health care industry. The Health Care System III was designed with the collaboration of industry experts, health care professionals, and leading design engineers in the field of interactive video applications. As with all TANDBERG systems, the Health Care System III offers the highest standards of quality in a reliable system that is easy to use.

About TANDBERG

TANDBERG is one of the world's largest providers of videoconferencing solutions. The Company designs, develops, and manufactures videoconferencing systems and offers sales, support, and value-added services in over 80 countries worldwide. With its headquarters in Oslo, Norway, the Company has major offices in the United States and Canada. TANDBERG is publicly traded in Norway on the Oslo Stock Exchange under the symbol TAA.