CounterPath Solutions, Inc., a provider of Voice and Video over Internet Protocol (VoIP) applications and softphones, has launched X-Lite 3.0, its new free softphone. X-Lite 3.0 is based on eyeBeam 1.5, CounterPath's carrier grade commercial SIP softphone, and offers key functionality such as automatic configuration, high quality audio and video, presence and instant messaging, and a comprehensive address book.

X-Lite 3.0 builds on the success achieved by the previous version of X-Lite, which was launched in April 2003, and has since been downloaded and used by the vast majority of companies looking to test, build and deploy SIP-based solutions. X-Lite 3.0 can be downloaded from CounterPath's Web site, enabling users to experience the benefits of softphones for free, as part of CounterPath's drive to accelerate mainstream adoption of VoIP. These benefits include the flexibility to communicate with others in a cost-effective way, regardless of location, and over different applications, and with greater audio and video clarity.

"By providing X-Lite 3.0 free of charge, we are extending the benefits of softphones to as many people as possible, as part of our commitment to driving widespread VoIP adoption and to ongoing innovation in the SIP-based IP communications space," said Donovan Jones, President and COO at CounterPath. "X-Lite 3.0 is the most advanced free softphone solution available and complements our commercial offering, eyeBeam 1.5, providing an easy and intuitive way for users to explore how VoIP can lend flexibility and cost savings to their everyday communications needs. Many of the current users of X-Lite are using it in conjunction with PBX solutions such as Asterisk and with the resulting enhanced usability and performance, we expect to see significant additional deployments of this complementary pairing."

As part of CounterPath's ongoing commitment to the SIP community and to product development, X-Lite 3.0 will be used as a platform for innovation, by enabling users to test, evaluate and provide feedback on new features and applications to be launched in the future. A comprehensive developer's program will be launched in the next few months, and will enable users to engage in real world deployments, therefore accelerating the time to market of innovative multimedia and communications solutions.

"Third-party developer communities have been essential in the rapid prototyping and development of applications for leading companies such as Nokia, Microsoft and IBM," said Jason Fischl, CTO at CounterPath. "CounterPath's standards-based approach to SIP ensures our preeminent position in the VoIP community, allowing us access to the largest organizations in the world involved with developing and deploying SIP-based applications. Through the implementation of a developer community around X-Lite, we expect to see X-Lite as the catalyst for innovative new features and concepts such as photo-sharing, music downloads, and other collaborative applications."

X-Lite 3.0 is highly inter-operable with many commercially available, standards-compliant SIP elements, as well as with other open source solutions including Asterisk, SIP Express Router (SER), repro and sipX.

X-Lite 3.0 is available from today and can be downloaded free of charge from www.counterpath.com. It is currently available on Windows, with Mac and Linux versions launching later this year. To experience the full power of CounterPath's SIP softphone solutions, including individual brand customization, security and encryption such as TLS and SRTP, and performance monitoring, please contact a CounterPath Account Executive at 1-800-320-3344.