Research In Motion (RIM) has unveiled BlackBerry Mobile Voice System 5 (BlackBerry MVS 5) with voice over Wi-Fi calling, which works with Cisco Unified Communications Manager to provide business users with the ability to use their regular desk phone number and extension from their BlackBerry smartphones. 

The new version allows employees to use a single work phone number shared between their desk phone and BlackBerry smartphone, and make and receive enterprise calls on their BlackBerry smartphone over a Wi-Fi connection, adding to the existing capability available over cellular networks.

The BlackBerry MVS 5 allows calls to be routed through the corporate phone system/Private Branch Exchange (PBX). The IT features of MVS 5 will provide controlled, managed and secure use of BlackBerry smartphones with the corporate phone system, the company said.

According to RIM, the key features of MVS 5 include, Wi-Fi network access controls; network preference settings with the option of prioritising the use of Wi-Fi or cellular for making phone calls; and authentication to ensure that only authorised BlackBerry smartphones have access to the corporate phone system; and incoming call filtering based on allowed and blocked caller lists.

In addition, a new interoperability platform has been added to BlackBerry MVS 5 to enable telecommunications companies to offer BlackBerry MVS 5 as part of their corporate phone system offerings.

Alan Panezic, vice president of platform product management at RIM, said: “BlackBerry Mobile Voice System 5 effectively provides a wireless extension of the corporate phone system to allow voice over Wi-Fi calling at work, public hotspots and home.

“It presents a great opportunity for companies to enhance the productivity of employees who are often away from their desks or working from home, such as workers in construction, hospitality, sales and professional services.”

RIM said that it is working with other companies to make BlackBerry MVS available for a range of PBX systems. BlackBerry MVS 5 is expected to be available later this year.