As [...]]]>

Orlando, Florida – Avaya has announced “Collaborative Cloud,” a “strategic framework” for cloud-based collaboration solutions using Avaya’s various products plus the “AvayaLive” suite of of public cloud-based collaboration applications. If you’re really shocked about this, you missed the 10 foot sign Avaya put up at IT EXPO East 2012 earlier this year.

As usual with Avaya, there’s the heavy marketing-speak to parse through. The Avaya Collaborative Cloud framework enables customers, channel partners, service providers and developers to use, build, deliver and enhance cloud collaboration solutions based on Avaya applications, platforms and infrastructure. The framework allows a wide range of flexible, cloud-based deployment and utilization options to accommodate diverse market segments and needs, says the press release.

Public cloud-based solutions — “part of the Collaborative Cloud” — in the AvayaLive suite include:

AvayaLive Connect, a new, fully-integrated, unified communications solution for small businesses that includes voice, voice conferencing, messaging, video, mobility, presence and more. The solution supports PC, Apple Mac, iOS and Android devices; multiple offices and remote and mobile employees. The entire solution can be easily ordered, downloaded and accessed through the Web. AvayaLive Connect is currently in trials and is planned for general availability in the U.S. market by mid-2012.

AvayaLive Engage – formerly known as web.alive, the Web-based, immersive collaboration environment adds new features and capabilities. The solution enables participants to use personalized avatars in a 3D environment to engage in collaboration activities such as meetings and creative sessions, sales and customer service, HR training and recruiting. New features of AvayaLive Engage include Support for Apple Mac OSX operating systems and
Safari browsers, enhanced collaboration tools and all kinds of video streaming, sharing collaboration, and conferencing.

Expect more AvayaLive cloud-y services to be rolled out over the months to come.

Wrapping up the announcement, Avaya Communications Outsourcing Solutions can also be provided to enterprises as a private, managed cloud service.

Key features of the announced solution sets include:

• Protocol normalization and interworking [...]]]>

Orlando, Florida – SBC leader Acme Packet has announced UC vendor-neutral session management solutions with support for Microsoft Lync. The new solutions combine Microsoft Lync with legacy multivendor enterprise communications networks without compromising Microsoft Lync’s powerful enterprise voice features.

Key features of the announced solution sets include:

• Protocol normalization and interworking between H.323 and SIP protocols
• Centralized dial plan management tools using Microsoft Lync’s E.164 addressing capabilities while unifying disparate legacy enterprise dial plans.
• Highly scalable protocol and media encryption capabilities
• A session routing engine with an Active Directory interface applies centrally defined rules and user policies to help control costs, simplify administration and ensure quality of service
• Support for Microsoft Lync media bypass that optimizes bandwidth utilization
• Media interworking that resolves common incompatibilities, including DTMF and fax
• Call accounting log that captures and centrally stores complete call detail records
• High availability features that protect the communications infrastructure against failures

The session management solutions are based on the Acme Packet Net-Net product family. They are available immediately and fully qualified by Microsoft under the Unified Communications Open Interoperability Program (UCOIP) to ensure interoperability with Microsoft Lync. More info can be found at www.acmepacket.com/enterpriselync.

Targeted at the small to medium enterprise (SME) markets, the new SBC offering rolls into service providers’ need for a new CPE demarc device to handle [...]]]>

Orlando, Florida – ADTRAN has rolled out Session Border Control (SBC) software to its NetVanta 3430 and 6000 series, plus its Total Access 900e IP Business Gateways.

Targeted at the small to medium enterprise (SME) markets, the new SBC offering rolls into service providers’ need for a new CPE demarc device to handle normalization, security and monitoring for SIP trunking services.

The announcement shouldn’t come as a surprise; It’s part of ADTRAN’s philosophy these days to add more functionality to its devices via software. The company hinted it might add SBC functionality and other features to its boxes at its annual media/analyst event in December.

Features included in the SBC software are:NAT/firewall traversal, VoIP protocol interworking, transcoding, media anchoring and “numerous” service provider troubleshooting tools.

By moving the functionality to the edge of the enterprise network, service providers can more easily integrate directly with a wide variety of IP PBX vendors’ SIP trunking implementations. It also provides a clear point of demarcation that enables providers to gather valuable metrics and perform tests, as well as implement network disaster recovery, security and failover polices without having to modify a customer owned IP PBX. (Yes, that’s straight out of the press release…)

The company is boasting of best-of-breed components to integrate mobile and fixed consumer devices into a “secure, feature rich” communications environment [...]]]>

Orlando, Florida — GENBAND, like everyone else making network boxes these days, announced it is expanding into the enterprise communications market with UC and SIP trunking solutions, including support for mobile solutions.

The company is boasting of best-of-breed components to integrate mobile and fixed consumer devices into a “secure, feature rich” communications environment for improved productivity, collaboration, and reduced cost.

The new GENBAND enterprise network solutions portfolio includes the A2 Communications Application Server, S3 Intelligent Session Border Controller, G6 Universal Gateway and C20 Converged Softswitch along with application suites such as the GENBAND A2 Mobile Office.

GENband’s Mobile Office allows enterprise employees to use their mobile phones and tablets as if they were wired directly to their business office, utilizing the same UC features available on their desktop, as well as the same dial plan, calling line ID and long distance plan as their main office phone.

Among the features cited for GENBAND’s enterprise solutions are fully integrated VoIP, video, federated and secure instant messaging, presence, applications, desktop sharing and collaboration solutions along with native client integration into Microsoft Exchange and IBM SameTime, plus integration of existing analog, digital, UNISTIM and SIP phones.

If that’s not enough, users can tap into the GENFuzion Developer Community; there’s an open UC application development eco-system and application library for highly specialized vertical market needs.

A week from today, I’m headed out to Las Vegas for CES.  Next month, I’ll be [...]]]>

YES, there hasn’t been a lot of posting on this site recently. Most of my blog time is going into HD Voice News (www.hdvoicenews.com).   And there’s an update on the HD Voice News report due for 2012.

A week from today, I’m headed out to Las Vegas for CES.  Next month, I’ll be at IT EXPO East in Miami.

If you are interested in finding more of my recent writing, you can check out:

I strongly recommend TMC’s media day on Monday. Briefings starts at noon at the Austin Convention Center; contact TMC to schedule a briefing time.

Location updates during that period will be posted on [...]]]>

I’m going to be running around at IT EXPO West 2011 in Austin, Texas, from September 12 through September 14.

I strongly recommend TMC’s media day on Monday. Briefings starts at noon at the Austin Convention Center; contact TMC to schedule a briefing time.

Location updates during that period will be posted on Twitter at DougonIPComm.

Colibra’s products are deployed by operators worldwide – no hint as to how many customers it has in the press release – to deliver [...]]]>

And the buying continues. Metaswitch Networks has bought Colibria.   Metaswitch gets what it describes as the “leading independent provider” of enhanced instant messaging, presence, and network address book solutions.

Colibra’s products are deployed by operators worldwide – no hint as to how many customers it has in the press release – to deliver advanced messaging and content sharing capabilities.  Its products are IMS and RCS/RCS-e compliant.

This week’s announcement is being positioned as a further emphasis of the whole “Metaswitch is ready to help you with over-the-top competitors” message to carriers and is also linked to Metaswitch’s launch of Thrutu(SM) service.   Thrutu is available as a branded platform for operators, allowing mobile users to exchange/share content during a call. 

As usual, no announcement of terms between Norway-based Colibra and Metaswitch; both are privately-held companies.

Net-net, Metaswitch is continuing to build up a portfolio of mobile and client-based apps between acquisitions and third-party cooperation with folks like CounterPath.

I’m hoping for a wrap within the next week to 10 days, which means that business-as-usual would happen around March 1 or so…

Stay tuned.

The Cox Managed IP PBX+ service has launched in Oklahoma and Las Vegas.  Small business [...]]]>

Cox Business (www.cox.com), looking to add more green to last year’s billion dollar plus number, has announced it is the first MSO to get Cisco Managed Services certification and will be adding managed equipment to its voice services options.

The Cox Managed IP PBX+ service has launched in Oklahoma and Las Vegas.  Small business customers get a full system that is managed end-to-end, including service and gear.  Businesses can share features between up to five networked locations, including four-digit dialing, without long distance charge; there’s also a PC-integrated tool bar and a soft phone for remote employees.

Targeted at small and medium businesses with less than 100 employees, Cox Business plans to extend the Managed IP PBX+ service to additional markets it serves in 2011. No word if the offering supports HD voice out of the box.

Cox also underlines that it “expects” to launch SIP trunking in 2011, so that’s Yet Another Service the company plans to offer businesses.