8x8, Inc., provider of Packet8 (www.packet8.net) broadband Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) and videophone communications services, announced that it was awarded two new U.S. Patents for VoIP technology on October 10, 2006.

The first is U.S. Patent number 7,120,143 entitled "Voice Over Internet Processor." Claim 1, the first of twenty-seven (27) allowed claims, reads:

1. A programmable audio processor chip for processing voice data comprising: a DSP voice compression device adapted to compress the voice data; audio processing circuitry programmed with an audio processing software application for processing the compressed voice data; an IP network stack adapted to store and process IP data, the IP network stack including protocols for processing the compressed voice data via an IP network; and a communication stack adapted to store and process communications data, the communications stack including audio processing protocols for processing the compressed voice data.

The second is U.S. Patent number 7,120,238 entitled "Sensor-Controlled Telephone System." Claim 1, the first of twenty-four (24) allowed claims, reads:

1. A method for selecting an operating mode of a telephony system that is used in a closed facility and is communicatively-coupled to the Internet, comprising: detecting at least one person within a predetermined area, the area being associated with a telephone device in the telephony system; communicating a detection signal to the telephony system responsive to detecting the at least one person; operating the telephony system in a first operating mode responsive to the absence of the detection signal, and in a second operating mode responsive to receipt of the detection signal; and communicating via the Internet in response to the first or second operating mode.

"8x8 is pleased that the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) has awarded these patents in recognition of the core innovation and technological leadership we have contributed to the Internet telephony industry," said Bryan R. Martin, 8x8's Chairman and Chief Executive Officer. "8x8 developed, built and sold some of the industry's first platforms for analog telephone adapters (ATAs) and IP communications. These two patents nicely compliment the other two VoIP portfolio patents the Company received this past summer," concluded Mr. Martin.

On June 13, 2006, 8x8 announced that it had been awarded U.S. Patent #7,035,935 for the hosted IP-PBX technology used in the Company's Packet8 Virtual Office business telecommunication services. On August 16, 2006, 8x8 announced that it had been awarded U.S. Patent #7,092,379 for technology used to route telephony signals over the Internet and standard switched telephone communication networks. Since its establishment in 1987, 8x8 has been awarded sixty-four (64) United States patents covering a variety of voice and video communications technologies.