The companies are in the final stages of interoperability testing the BlackBerry 7270, which is a WLAN-based device designed for use on a campus, with Avaya’s enterprise communications server.
Adding VoIP to the BlackBerry 7270 will enable campus workers and customers to communicate more effectively, said RIM COO Larry Conlee. Essentially, it will turn the BlackBerry into a mobile office phone for workers on campus who are not at their desks.
Ontario-based RIM is not giving away any details on when VoIP will actually be available to its BlackBerry customers.
Lawrence Byrd, director of communications applications at Avaya, said a VoIP-BlackBerry launch was imminent or within the coming months.
As well as VoIP, the companies plan to bring addition SIP-based functionality to the device, such as integrating voice with enterprise applications already available on BlackBerry, such as sales force automation tools. This would allow workers to use desktop phone features, such as call hold, forward and transfer, no matter where in the company they are physically.
The goal is to give workers greater agility and more rapid response times at any place on a campus.
Basking Ridge, New Jersey-based Avaya hopes its initial deal with BlackBerry 7270 is just the tip of the iceberg.
Clearly we would expect to expand our relationship across other RIM devices, Byrd said. We see this as the beginning of our relationship with RIM.
RIM announced in early February similar working partnerships with 3Com and Nortel to bring VoIP to BlackBerry 7270. But there has since been no word from RIM on just when VoIP for the 7270 will actually be available. And the company isn’t talking VoIP timing for any of its partnerships.
However, the Avaya deal was the first announcement that specified the companies were in final stages of interoperability testing.
