UC firm Avaya has launched a new version of its SMB platform, called IP Office, which offers integration with legacy Nortel Enterprise Solutions (NES) products.
IP Office version 7.0 enables legacy Nortel customers to upgrade to Avaya’s platform without the need to invest in new products. Users still working with Nortel IP or digital phones will not need to replace them, Avaya said.
Avaya bought Nortel Enterprise Solutions back in 2009 for $900m during the fire sale resulting from the Canadian telecoms firm’s bankruptcy.
The latest release also includes a new Data Migration Tool, which enables users to transfer data and settings, including voicemails and phone extension, to Avaya IP Office. The company reckons an average migration will take around 15 minutes, depending on how much information needs to be transferred over to the new system.
The SMB market has occasionally been ignored when it comes to UC but Avaya is aiming to change that. "SMBs are the driver of change for the economy; 99% of businesses around the world are SMBs and they generate the vast majority of the world economy," said Alan Baratz, president of Avaya Global Communications Solutions. "It’s an exciting market for us and we understand the importance of it."
Making the transition process as simple as possible is key to ensuring that Nortel customers remain with Avaya and upgrade to IP Office 7, Baratz added. He estimated that around half of Avaya’s customers are using 30 million customers are using legacy Nortel equipment.
Avaya also announced a number of new devices to work alongside IP Office 7, including a new touchscreen desktop phone that enables users to manage conference calls via their phone. The company also demoed a new web app that lets users control their phone, including answering calls and listening to voicemails via their PC.
