Mitel, Sun deliver on global OEM agreement

Mitel and Sun have announced the availability of the Sun Ray Unified IP Client from Mitel.

Mitel, a leader in IP-based voice solutions, and Sun Microsystems, the leader in IT infrastructure, are continuing to deliver on their global OEM agreement which offers enterprises and SMBs a complete unified communications solution with new levels of flexibility and business process improvement for existing and future Mitel and Sun customers worldwide.

The unified communications solution is well-suited for both cost and security-sensitive environments as well as for people that work remotely or are very mobile.

Earlier this month Mitel announced the availability of the Mitel Communications Suite on the Sun Fire X4150, which introduces the ability to consolidate mission-critical voice applications such as messaging, mobility, conferencing and Microsoft Office Communications Server 2007 in the data room environment.

With the Sun Ray Unified IP Client, Mitel has taken the ultra thin client Sun Ray technology and created a slim module that snaps securely onto Mitel IP phones to create the industry's first truly unified communications desktop.

This allows users to securely "hot desk" into both the Mitel IP phones and the Sun Ray thin client terminals using a personal, authenticated Java Card.

"The Sun Ray Unified IP Client provides voice and data services at any workstation on the network, dramatically reducing desktop cost and complexity while preserving the familiar, proven, telephone device," said Andy Bull, director for Mitel South Africa.

"The simultaneous hot desking takes place within five seconds of the Java Card being inserted into the Sun thin client on any terminal within the network, providing the user with access to their desktop profile as well as advanced unified communications capabilities, such as mobility, unified messaging, video streaming, and presence information," Bull continued.

"The Sun Ray Unified IP Client delivers a secure unified computing and communications environment fully integrated into our world-renowned Sun Ray solution," said Peter Ewens, Sun's vice-president of global OEM.

"This combined solution is also among the industry's most energy efficient, providing ongoing capex and opex savings through the elimination of power-hungry desktop PCs and the reduced energy consumption of low power Mitel IP phones," said Ewens.

The Sun solutions 'Powered by Mitel' have been designed to significantly reduce power consumption with a combined nine Watts required to power the Sun Ray Thin Client and Mitel IP phone compared with 80 Watt PC/60 Watt laptop and 10 Watt IP phones.

Additional power savings are realised through the reduction of servers provided by the pre-integrated Mitel Communications Suite that incorporates the Mitel Communications Director call control software.

"With first releases around Sun Ray Unified IP Client, NuPoint Messenger IP, and Mitel Communications Suite, Sun and Mitel are introducing a whole new era in voice and data communications," said Bull.

"These Sun, 'Powered by Mitel' solutions make it even easier for businesses to enjoy the many advantages of unified communications to address the emerging needs of distributed, flexible, mobile work environments. These solutions are the first deliverables in a relationship with Sun where the industry can expect more to come in the next several months," Bull said.

* Mitel Communications Suite - A pre-integrated unified communications solution that allows Mitel's flagship Communications Director call control software to reside on Sun servers and consolidate applications such as Mitel NuPoint Messenger IP, Mitel Live Business Gateway, Mitel Teleworker Solution, Mitel Mobile Extension, and Mitel Audio and Web Conferencing all on a single server for simplified, cost-effective deployment of unified communications solutions.

* Mitel Customer Interaction Solutions - Mitel has configured its award-winning contact centre solution integration into the Sun Ray Unified IP Client. Users in a contact centre environment can log on as an ACD agent and retain all the same features and functionalities associated with a Mitel Contact Centre ACD Agent. Mitel's Customer Interaction Solutions are a Windows-based application that also allows for full Office Communications Server 2007 integration.

* Mitel Mobile Extension - Mitel's Mobile Extension software allows for multiple devices to simultaneously ring thus ensuring the user receives the majority of phone calls. The user has the ability to provide customers, colleagues, suppliers, and partners, one contact number which ensures both the contact number provided and the user's associated mobile phone ring simultaneously. Additionally, the user has the ability to transfer the call seamlessly to any hot desk Sun Ray Unified IP Client, thus eliminating any additional mobile phone charge and also allowing the user to access the rich features associated with the Mitel 3300 IP Communications Platform (ICP).

* Mitel Teleworker Solution - Mitel Teleworker Solution integrates the Sun Ray Unified IP Client with a Mitel IP phone as a teleworker for secure access to corporate information. Both the Teleworker Solution and Sun Ray devices are in effect thin clients allowing zero security threat from intruders.

* Mitel NuPoint Messenger IP Release 12 - Part of Mitel Communications Suite of applications that integrates with the Sun Ray IP thin client, NuPoint Messenger IP Release 12 provides Speech Auto Attendant with Text-to-Speech playback of called party names and provides the presence infrastructure for open standards interface to commercial presence servers. The Speech Auto Attendant is the first application within the NuPoint Messenger IP product family to be presence-enabled with portions of NuPoint such as Call Director to follow in future releases.