Avaya extends enterprise mobility to Nokia Series 80 smart phones

Avaya and Nokia have announced that Avaya`s flagship IP telephony software, Avaya Communication Manager, now supports the popular Nokia Series 80 smart phones, such as the Nokia 9300 and the Nokia 9300i enterprise smart phones and the Nokia 9500 Communicator. This lets workers use a single mobile device that contains key functions usually found on a desktop business phone, and that keeps users easily accessible wherever they go. The capability provides businesses with a greater choice of business communication applications for mobile workers regardless of their location, access technology or communication device, enabling them to collaborate and respond rapidly to customers and colleagues. The Communication Manager application for the Series 80 complements Avaya`s existing support for the Nokia Series 60 smart phones which has been deployed by customers worldwide since 2005.

Avaya, a global provider of business communication applications, systems and services, is the first vendor to build and deploy enterprise fixed-mobile convergence (FMC) systems and applications which enable businesses to achieve more effective mobile communication.

"IP telephony and mobility have individually transformed the communications market and provided benefits for enterprises across all geographies, sizes and verticals," said Lars Vestergaard, research director, IDC EMEA Wireless and Mobile Communications. "Strong growth in these markets will be fuelled even further by fixed/mobile convergence, which will deliver easily integrated and managed solutions that will enable employees to stay connected any time, any where and at the lowest cost. It is still early days for these applications and devices, but dynamic enterprises can already take advantage of the obvious possibilities offered."

Nokia`s Series 80 enterprise smart phones can be equipped with Avaya Communication Manager software, enabling the phone users to be accessible via one business number and use a single voicemail system whether they are in the office or mobile. Irrespective of their work locations, users have access to the same enterprise communication capabilities found in the office such as call conferencing, transfers, call recording, abbreviated dialling, all levering the corporate IP network. Also, the application allows users to switch between personal and business calls, avoiding the need to manually separate the different calls for billing purposes.

"Integrating Avaya`s mobility application into mobile devices, gives businesses a powerful and cost-effective tool that enables workers to remain highly productive - and always accessible -- wherever they go," said Geoffrey Baird, vice-president and general manager, Communication Appliances Division.

"Collaborating with an industry leader like Nokia further extends Avaya`s leadership in mobility, enabling us to help businesses maximise the potential of IP applications for more intelligent communication."

Jaakko Olkkonen, Nokia`s General Manager of Enterprise Voice Solutions, said: "We have been working together with Avaya in bringing IP and mobile telephony together, freeing people from their desks without sacrificing the enterprise features available to the end-user. Extending the Avaya Communication Manager application to Series 80 smart phones is yet another example of intelligent communication at work. We are delighted to demonstrate the latest results of our continued cooperation with Avaya."

Global availability of IP telephony over GSM from Nokia`s S60 smart phones will be extended to the Nokia series 80 smart phones by the winter.