Mitel number one with growing businesses, according to InfoTech

Mitel has emerged as the early IP telephony (IPT) market leader in the small and medium business (SMB) segment, according to a new research report by InfoTech, a firm that specialises in global information and professional services for the telecommunications and data networking industries. The report, InfoTrack for Converged Communications: SMB Market Analysis and Forecast, found that Mitel surpassed Avaya to claim top spot in the fast growing segment.

"Each year that we conduct a new ICC research study in the SMB market, we see a significantly higher demand for IP Telephony," said Terry White, vice-president and senior programme director, InfoTech.

"The small and medium business decision-makers that participated in the study are expecting a major increase in the percent of their sites that would be implementing IPT and converged applications in 2006," said White.

In 2005, the revenue from IPT systems and converged applications for SMBs was $1.4 billion. By 2010, that market is projected to increase to $3.3 billion, which represents an average annual growth rate of 19%. Last year converged applications accounted for only 20% of that total. By 2010, the applications share is expected to jump to 46% of the total revenue.

"Almost 60% of SMBs strongly agreed that IPT will enable new converged applications that can change the way that SMB companies do business," White added.

"We have long focused on innovation and delivering clear business value to our customers and that is being reflected by our increased market share," said Andy Bull, director for Mitel South Africa.

"Mitel delivers the full value of IP communications through networked business solutions that help customers achieve success through business process integration, enhanced employee productivity, increased customer loyalty and the generation of new revenue streams."

Mitel has announced the general availability of Live Business Gateway to complement Microsoft Office Live Communications Server 2005 and Office Communicator client applications. Based on the SIP, XML and CSTA standards, Live Business Gateway allows Microsoft`s applications to access Mitel`s IP-based call control, devices and applications, empowering businesses to leverage their existing investment in both Microsoft and Mitel communications solutions.

The combination of Microsoft Office Live Communications Server and Mitel Live Business Gateway enhances information worker productivity and brings business process efficiencies by combining collaboration tools with telephony. The Mitel gateway also interfaces to a customer`s existing Private Branch Exchange (PBX) equipment and to the Public Switched Telephony Network (PSTN), enabling a cost-effective, smooth migration to the benefits of a combined telephony and collaboration offering.