Avaya helps small and mid-size companies 'Think Big'...

17 May 2011

- New Avaya IP Office 7.0 completes Nortel Enterprise Solutions integration, delivers up to 60% savings.

 

- New SME customers: bakery owner and TV star Buddy Valastro and top music firm The Agency Group; share experiences in collaboration.

 

Avaya, a global leader in business collaboration systems, software and services, today unveiled new product releases, customers and innovations in the small and medium business market at a global press, analyst and partner event. These announcements include the new version of Avaya's communications solution for this market "Avaya IP Office 7.0" which drives improved savings, user experiences, and collaboration for a new generation of entrepreneurs, early-stage companies, and mid-size firms.

 

Today, the company also unveiled customer and partner support for Avaya IP Office 7.0 including two new 7.0 customers: Carlo's Bakery, home to owner and television personality Buddy Valastro, and top music booking firm The Agency Group (for more details on customers, see quotes below).

 

New Avaya IP Office 7.0 Capabilities

Avaya IP Office 7.0 completes the integration of Nortel Enterprise Solutions (NES) IP and digital phones into the IP Office platform (NES was acquired by Avaya, Dec. 2009). This integration now enables approximately 14 million NES users1 to gain Avaya IP Office's collaboration capabilities, and can drive 40 to 60 percent in savings for NES customers by enabling them to retain existing phones when upgrading to Avaya IP Office. This upgrade can be accelerated and simplified by a new Data Migration Tool that lets partners transfer a business' existing data (i.e. voicemails, phone extensions) to their new systems, maintaining productivity without interruption.

 

Avaya IP Office 7.0 also delivers an expanded portfolio of devices for multimedia collaboration, including sophisticated new colour touch screen desktop phones that let users scroll through contacts or manage visual voicemail at the touch of a finger. Additionally, new conference room phones offer patented wide-band audio, call recording via SD card, and fast USB connectivity to a laptop for temporary set-ups. These are part of a portfolio that offers a range of advanced communications, such as HD videoconferencing via desktop PC with no added equipment required.

 

Forthcoming Capabilities, Demos for Small and Medium Businesses

Nearly 60% of small and mid-size businesses state they use, are interested in, or are planning to use collaboration software.3 At an Avaya press, analyst and partner event today in New York, the company discussed forthcoming innovations in collaboration for this market, including the Avaya Flare Experience for small and medium businesses. Avaya also demonstrated advanced multi-party videoconferencing via several devices, desktop sharing capabilities, and an upgrade from a Nortel device to Avaya IP Office using the Data Migration Tool.

 

Avaya also shared its vision for a hybrid cloud approach to small and medium communications, which places Avaya IP Office on premise, while enabling select applications to be hosted 'in the cloud' on a partner network. This capability will allow more flexible use and faster deployments of Avaya's latest collaboration applications.

 

Supporting Quotes

Buddy Valastro, owner of Carlos Bakery and reality-television star (IP Office 7.0 customer): "Our business is growing. The lines at the bakery are getting longer, and customer call volumes are rising, which is fantastic. But I realized we needed a communications solution that's powerful enough to handle our rising business and can enable us to serve every customer with as much quality as we put into our cakes. Avaya IP Office 7.0 gives my employees and I the collaboration tools necessary to drive top quality service and business, whether we're on-the-go or at Carlo's Bakery. I know the importance of delivering and getting the best, and that's why I chose Avaya IP Office." (Implementation by Avaya business partner American Office Equipment)

 

Howie Gold, director of IT, The Agency Group (IP Office 7.0 customer): "Avaya has done a great job of bringing the features of our existing Nortel phones to the Avaya IP Office platform, which makes the transition easier." For full story on The Agency Group's experience, read the press release issued today here. (Implementation by Avaya business partner Telanet)

 

Isabelle Guis, general manager, Avaya Small and Medium Enterprise Division: "As the economy shifts into a higher gear, today's small and medium businesses need the best tools available to collaborate and compete effectively. Avaya IP Office 7.0 represents the pinnacle of advanced communications in this market, providing vast unified communications capabilities with a focus on simplicity and savings."