Doug on IP Comm » mobile UC

Digium Switchvox gets IPhone, Blackberry app boost

Doug Mohney — Fri, 09 Jul 2010 20:51:00 +0000

Digium (www.digium.com) has announced the availability of Switchvox Mobile applications for iPhone and Blackbeery. The freely downloadable apps integrate with the Switchvox VoIP/UC solution to bring “advanced UC” functionality to users when they are away from the office.

The Switchvox Mobileapps are connected to an employee’s phone extension so when mobile workers make a business call through Switchvox mobile, the call appears to be from their work phone rather than their mobile (Personal) phone, and billing can be handled like any other call made from the office.

Mobile workers can place a call through Switchvox mobile by selecting a name from the company directory, dial the employee’s extension from the keypad, or return calls from the Voicemail and Call Log tools.

Other key features thrown in include the ability to control voicemail greetings, access the full company directory, view missed calls, check voicemail, and easily return call via smartphone. Users can also set call rules while away from the office.

Switchvox Mobile for iPhone is free of charge and available now through the iTunes App Store. It is compatible with iPhone, iPod touch, and iPad.

Switchvox Mobile for the BlackBerry is free of charge and available now through BlackBerry App World. It is compatible with the Bold, Curve, Pearl, Storm, and Tour models.

CounterPath releases NomadicPBX app

Doug Mohney — Mon, 19 Apr 2010 18:04:49 +0000

CounterPath (www.counterpath.com) has launched its NomadicPBX, a turnkey platform for enabling converged mobile and broadband SIP voice, messaging and presence services.

NomadicPBX provides fixed-mobile convergence (FMC) services across any desktop phone, softphone, or mobile phone. CounterPath is pitching the app as a way to give wireless carriers and MVNOs a cost-effective way means to launch enterprise FMC services.

The NomadicPBX app is a presence-based "mashup” of fixed and mobile voice, and IM/SMS technology with a “select set” of enterprise-ready features. Built around the company’s Network Convergence Gateway (NCG), NomadicPBX uses presence for status updates and real-time management of call and message delivery across a wide variety of endpoint types, from PCs to feature phones to smartphones.

As you expect from any FMC app these days, end users benefit from a single number and identity. The app also enables extension dialing (short-dialing/speed calling) from any mobile handset, and supports core dialing features found in most PBX solutions.

As a hosted solution at a wireless carrier, NomadicPBX would operate completely independent of an enterprise IT infrastructure, so fewer support and security headaches within the corporation.

DiVitas Networks moves mobile UC client to Android, Blackberry, iPhone, desktop

Doug Mohney — Mon, 02 Nov 2009 13:43:50 +0000

Mobile UC solution provider DiVitas Networks continues to make steady progress. Today, the company announced it is rolling out “Enterprise Social Networking” (Hmm, I wonder if they’ve seen Avaya’s FacePhone demo) for all major commercially-available smartphones, including web client support for Android, Blackberry, and the iPhone. In addition, they added a desktop — which could just as easily go on a netbook or laptop — client as well.

Previously, DiVitas had announced support for Nokia Eseries and Nseries, along with various Windows Mobile smartphones.

And what is Enterprise Social Networking? DiVitas does a redirect of an existing desk phone number to provide business voice/PBX services to the smart phone. In addition, DiVitas has integrated business voice with IM and social networking applications to include a person’s availability, location and network. Contacts are accessed directly from an organization’s LDAP director for one-click access to any member within the secure corporate community and individuals within the secure community can check on availability of others via Mobile Presence and Status to figure out the best way to contact a person based upon a listed preference and location.

Net-net: If a corporate colleague is in a meeting and they don’t want a phone call, the client will indicate that, so you send an IM, enabling you to communicate faster than playing phone tag.

IT and service providers of DiVitas have the ability to maintain version control with the web client, allowing the most current version of the software to be provided; the DiVitas server can provide both the new web client and the native client simultaneously.