Avaya, Extreme simplify VOIP

Avaya and Extreme Networks have joined forces locally to deliver a bundled offering to small and medium enterprises (SMEs) comprising Avaya's small business IP PBX and intelligent network edge switches from Extreme Networks, reports IT Wire.

The two companies claim the combined product set will give "even very small businesses an easy, affordable way to take advantage of advanced, secure IP-based communications to improve productivity, customer service and other business processes".

The offer will be made exclusively through ChannelWorx, a joint Avaya and Extreme distribution partner. It will combine Avaya IP Office, Avaya's IP telephony system for SMEs, with Extreme Networks' Summit series of network edge switches.

Since Google's purchase of Grand Central, it appears the company wants to centralise and integrate phones, just as it has done with e-mail, blogging and other activities, reports Associated Content.

It also wants to add the voice capabilities to its growing productivity suite, including document and spreadsheet sharing, e-mail and other activities. GrandCentral's offering looks similar to g-mail for voice, allowing users to organise their incoming calls and voicemail, and even block "spam" calls.

Grand Central's e-mail to users made several important points about the Google acquisition of its company. It will remain free for now, as it completes the transition to Google and adds more features. In the current beta phase, existing users will be given five invitations to send to friends who wish to try it at this point. Those who don't want their accounts moved to Google, can opt out before the transition.

The use of mobile VOIP phones will grow dramatically in the next two years, but many IT chiefs may be left struggling to cope with the management challenges this poses, reports Techworld.

A survey of executives revealed 27% worked for businesses that already used mobile VOIP phones, and 70% said they expected their companies to be regularly using the devices within two years.

The research, by Coleman Parkes on behalf of mobile device management vendor, Mformation, questioned 200 CIOs from among the five hundred largest businesses in the UK, Europe and the US.

Vox Telecom has launched the first phase of its residential voice offering, Vox Home, competing directly with Telkom's fixed line voice services, says Myadsl.

The Vox solution is a high-quality, low-barrier-to-entry VOIP solution available to all ADSL subscribers in South Africa.

Vox Telecom's new direct selling consumer initiative is aimed at "giving South African consumers the opportunity to take control of their telecommunication costs", said Douglas Reed, CEO of the group.