Avaya brings big business converged communications to the very small business

Avaya Inc, a global leader in corporate networking solutions and services, today announced a new entry-level system - Avaya IP Compact Office 401 - from the Avaya IP Office suite aimed at the small office, home office (SOHO) environment and retail market.

Avaya`s IP Office suite, part of Avaya`s Enterprise Class Internet Protocol Solutions (ECLIPS) family, offers an "all-in-one" IP-enabled converged system that provides integrated, voice and data networking as well as communications applications such as call processing, unified messaging and contact centre services.

The new Avaya IP Compact Office 401 provides converged voice and data communications, enabling SOHOs and retailers to save on calling charges by sending phone calls over an Internet Protocol (IP) network. Typical capital investments are reduced by 70% by combining telephone system, router, firewall, DHCP server, voice over IP (VoIP) gateway and voicemail into a single system. In addition, as a single network and a single management interface are required, operational, maintenance and infrastructure costs also stand to be reduced.

The Avaya IP Compact Office 401 delivers IP telephony, Internet access, home worker support, voicemail and other telephony features in one package, and can support up to four digital, four analogue and four IP phone handsets.

Also, the Avaya IP Compact Office 401 offers a wide range of user-friendly features, such as simple, non-technical user settings, and can connect to external equipment, such as point-of-sale devices (EFTPOS) for credit card authorisations and security systems used in retail outlets.

For those not yet ready to deploy pure IP telephony, Avaya`s IP solutions enable them to benefit from highly efficient, traditional voice systems, while at the same time allowing them to have the infrastructure in place to address future communications needs. IP Compact Office 401 can be configured and sized to suit a customer`s needs, functioning as an IP or circuit switched-PBX. This allows SOHOs to implement IP communications at their own pace, while preserving some investment in their existing equipment.

Retailers can use the IP Compact Office 401 to connect credit card machines to financial institutions` clearing houses for the facilitation of payments and may link it to IP-enabled tills for inventory management and sales analysis. Also, it can be connected to till-activated security alarms and cameras designed to prevent theft from tills. As a single platform for retailers that can provide connectivity for voice and data communications without an additional router, IP Compact Office 401 can provide considerable savings as retailers only have to purchase and manage a single device instead of two or more.

The new IP Compact Office 401 offers many features for home workers. This includes remote management possibilities, meaning that it can be set up by and networked with a head office; an integral remote access server and firewall to ensure security over the company network is maintained; and Phone Manager software that enables users to control and respond to phone calls direct from their PC. Avaya believes that this functionality could help increase home-worker productivity by at least one hour per day.

This new offer supports Avaya`s strategy to offer SMEs a range of systems that enable them to benefit quickly from advanced communications - such as IP telephony - as a strategic asset to improve their bottom line. Such communications applications, which are often already used by large companies, are designed to help smaller companies compete on a more equal footing with bigger organisations.

Like the Avaya IP Office 403 and 406 systems for SMEs launched earlier this year, IP Compact Office 401 was developed at Avaya`s Global SME headquarters in the UK.

Dave Robinson, global vice president of SME products at Avaya, comments: "The SOHO and retail sectors are growing rapidly in both size and importance across the world. Avaya is committed to helping these small enterprises and locations succeed in the customer economy, by giving them the communications technology that is available to larger locations, in a cost-effective way. The converged communications offered by the Avaya IP Compact Office 401 product are one example of this."

The Avaya IP Compact Office 401 is now available through Avaya`s BusinessPartner network of dealers, including data and convergence value-added resellers, in Europe, the Middle East and Africa (EMEA).

IP Compact Office 401 is available in two configurations:

IP Compact Office 401 Digital Terminal 2

* Two digital terminal ports for use with Avaya 20 Series handsets;

* Two analogue ports for use with analogue phones, fax, or modem;

* Support for two IP hardphones/softphones (requires Voice Compression Module);

* One Basic Rate Interface (BRI), two B channels - up to 128Kbps combined;

* Four 10/100 Mbps LAN hub ports with a Cascade switch for connection to external hubs or switches;

* A Universal Serial Bus (USB) port for addition of plug-and-play devices;

* A Data Terminal Equipment (DTE) port for an additional modem or EFTPOS device for credit card authorisations;

* An audio port for an external source of on-hold music; and

* Two relay ports for IP Compact Office 401 control of door entry systems.

IP Compact Office 401 Digital Terminal 4

Digital Terminal 4 has all the features of IP Compact Office 401 Digital Terminal 2, with these key capabilities expanded:

* Four digital terminal ports for use with Avaya 20 Series handsets;

* Four analogue ports for use with analogue phones, fax or modem;

* Support for up to four IP hardphones/softphones (requires Voice Compression Module);

* Two BRIs, four B channels-up to 256Kbps combined; and

* Eight 10/100Mbps LAN hub ports with a Cascade switch for connection to external hubs/switch.

The IP Compact Office 401 performs a variety of call management tasks, including automatic routing of number-withheld calls to voice mail and call barring for specific numbers. Specific calls can bypass the Do Not Disturb function during office hours, while user-determined time profiles enable direct routing to voice mail or an alternative destination (eg mobile) after office hours, allowing customers to reach some means of personal or message service. It uses the same fixed-line and wireless phones as the Avaya INDeX Communication Server and IP Office products.

Used with the optional Phone Manager Pro application, the IP Compact Office 401 enables differentiated ringing, based on caller line identification (CLI), which allows for immediate recognition of business and personal calls, as well as direct dial numbers and voice mails assigned for distinct home and business use.

Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol (DHCP) allows for centralised configuration of IP addresses. When workers are in the office, IP Compact Office 401 can periodically poll their home ISP for new e-mail, eliminating missed communications. And the integral hub enables a LAN at home, simplifying file and external device sharing.

The ISDN line in IP Compact Office 401 enables Internet access at up to 128 or 256Kbps, depending on configuration. The integral firewall in IP Compact Office 401 provides security for small businesses and their customers.

IP Compact Office 401 is CTI and TAPI compliant and integrates easily with popular contact management applications such as Microsoft Outlook.