Aastra unveils OpenCom solutions in SA

Johannesburg, 20 Jul 2009

Aastra, a developer of Internet protocol (IP)-based and traditional communications networking products, has introduced its OpenCom 130 and 150 models to the SA market.

“The OpenCom solutions are aimed at the micro and small enterprise markets with between two and 20 users to lower telephony costs and increase telephony functionality and connectivity,” says Zak Evans, sales director for Aastra SA.

Evans says the three key selling points of the OpenCom solution are increased mobility, fixed mobile convergence and increased terminal wiring distance.

In terms of mobility, the company says its system incorporates digital enhanced cordless telecommunications (DECT) solutions, whereby a DECT base station is connected through an incorporated digital port, supporting up to 1km wiring distance without the need to install a dedicated DECT interface card.

It supports fixed LAN, wireless LAN (WiFi) and roaming between LAN, fixed or wireless.

Says Evans: “It offers full flexibility for the connection of DECT base stations to the system, with digital, fixed and wireless LAN connectivity. It also features roaming, with handover possible between base stations using the same technology, and includes full DECT terminal or generic access profile compliant DECT telephone compatibility.”

The OpenCom solution also provides session initiation protocol (SIP) connectivity via SIP trunking or utilising SIP clients.

The solutions support the Aastra SIP client or any third party SIP clients to allow companies with various branches to be easily networked and take full advantage of IP infrastructures, which in the case of most companies already exists, notes Evans.

According to Evans, the OpenCom product suite will see one major release every year, and a minimum of one bug-fix release each year on the latest major version. “Looking on to the next major release, scheduled for September 2010, customers can expect enhancements like visual voicemail and dual mode support.”