April 1998

• Harmony CPE
• Millennium Server
• Call Center Command Server (3CS) and Commander

Open Port Technology, Inc.
676 North St. Clair Street
Suite 900
Chicago, IL 60611
Ph: 312-867-5000
Fx: 312-867-5100
Web site: www.openport.com
E-mail: [email protected]

In the middle of last year, UUNET Technologies selected Open Port Technology’s Harmony suite to provide the fax messaging software and expertise supporting of UUNET’s new Internet fax service. Harmony works for UUNET, one of the world’s largest Internet Service Providers (ISP) and subsidiary of WorldCom, Inc. On a smaller scale, Harmony works hard for the corporate enterprise, too. As one of three tiers of Open Port’s overall Harmony line, Harmony Customer Premise Equipment (CPE) lets corporate end users tap into the easy-to-use, cost-effectiveness of Internet Protocol (IP) telephony services from fax machines, e-mail, desktop clients, Web browsers, and more.

Open Port’s Harmony CPE uses public networks such as the Internet, in addition to the Public Switched Telephone Network (PSTN), for its fax applications. A least-cost routing function allows system administrators to configure Harmony CPE to choose the most economical route for corporate fax traffic. The Harmony Fax Server (HFS) software (with Windows NT and Unix versions) is the heart of the Harmony CPE fax system, providing the intelligence to manage user accounts and route fax traffic. The HFS comprises four main software modules:

• Internet Gateway: Provides a direct connection to any Harmony Network Service Provider (NSP)-enabled Internet fax service.
• On-Net Routing: For direct delivery of faxes to an online user’s fax mailbox.
• Least Cost Routing: Delivers faxes to recipients outside your company’s fax network.
• Harmony Fax Administrator (HFA): Manages fax users and the configuration of routing tables.

Add more functionality to the Harmony Fax Server by choosing optional components. Options include the Efax Server, which enables users to send and receive faxes from any SMTP-based e-mail package, such as MS Exchange, Lotus Notes, or Eudora. The optional Harmony API (HAPI) is a C-callable library of routines that allows corporate developers to interface fax applications directly to the Harmony Fax Server.

Network several Harmony Fax Servers together to create an enterprise-wide IP fax network, and eliminate interoffice fax charges over PSTN. Users can access their faxes from anywhere in the world by dialing remotely into their fax mailboxes on the Harmony Fax Server. A familiar Windows, Mac, or OS/2 GUI  lets users manage faxes from their desktop or laptop computers and eases user adoption.

Intecom, Inc.
Liberty Plaza II
5057 Keller Springs Road
Dallas, TX 75248
Ph: 972-855-8000
Fx: 972-855-8533
Web site: www.intecom.com

In April of 1997, George Platt, Intecom’s chief executive officer, outlined plans to shift the company’s market focus to providing call center solutions. Their goal was to become one of the top three domestic call center providers by the end of the decade. Intecom may be well on its way toward achieving this goal with the release of its Intecom E Millenium Server.

The Intecom E, the Millennium Server’s predecessor, is an intelligent network providing enterprise-wide integrated telecommunications access in a non-blocking communications platform. The Millennium Server enhances the current features and functionality of the Intecom E communications platform. The Intecom E provides unlimited geographical network capabilities with a single database and centralized administration. Remote sites are maintained by a single database and centralized administration is from a single point of control. The distributed structure and open architecture, plus a range of call center and CTI solutions, provide Intecom users a lot of options to maximize their corporate communications.

The Intecom E Millennium Server components include:

• Redundant Intel-based commercial grade servers with 128 MB RAM.
• Ethernet-based switching interface.
• Ethernet CTI interface.
• Standard one-hour uninterruptible power supply (UPS).
• 19" rack.

Intecom was initially promoting the Millennium Server’s ability to increase the processing power of the Intecom E, in optimum configurations, to enable customers to complete over 400,000 calls and support at least 1.7 million CTI messages per busy hour. But even higher results than expected were reached in Intecom’s actual tests — the call center engine can complete over 500,000 calls and support 3 million CTI messages per busy hour in optimum configurations. The new release serves up to 8,000 agents in a non-blocking single database system.

With the ability to process over 500,000 sustained calls, every hour, 24-hours a day, call centers can perform even more functions, creating opportunities for additional revenue growth. To further increase revenue, the Intecom E Millennium Server supports an Ethernet CTI interface with 63 IP addresses that can handle complex CTI capabilities.

The Millennium Server begins shipping in the Fall of 1998, and existing Intecom E customers will be provided upgrade options at that time.

Rockwell International
Electronic Commerce Division
300 Bauman Court
Wood Dale, IL 60191
Ph: 800-416-8199
Fx: 630-227-8186
Web site: www.ecd.rockwell.com

Rockwell Electronic Commerce Division believes a shift in thinking about call center call control is necessary. As the call center evolves into enterprise-wide electronic commerce centers, the concept of "transaction management" will better encompass the role of call center call control. To facilitate this shift, Rockwell announced a new open systems, call center control platform — Call Center Command Server (3CS) — for its industry-leading Spectrum Automatic Call Distributor (ACD) and other ACDs. 3CS allows supervisors and systems integrators to rapidly develop custom call center solutions to improve agent productivity and reduce operation costs. Major transaction management benefits of 3CS include fast application development, interoperability through an open systems architecture, support for Web-enabled call centers, and increased customer access to a broader range of call center applications.

3CS acts as an interface layer between business applications and call center systems. The control platform’s open systems architecture features reusable object-oriented components such as Microsoft’s ActiveX controls, which make it easier for call center managers to quickly create custom, enterprise-wide applications that draw on agent, real-time, historical, call control, and other information gathered and maintained by Spectrum or another ACD. The platform also expedites the creation of ACD, CTI, and IVR applications with multiple call center components.

The first application Rockwell has introduced for the 3CS is called Commander. Commander consolidates separate call center data elements into a single point of control, enabling supervisors, managers, and administrators to view and respond to changes in the call center environment using a drag and drop GUI  in real-time. Information management drives this application: Commander information screens are customizable and scalable. Administrative features include the ability to view equipment configurations for the call center. Users can choose graphical or text modes to modify call flow commands, and Rockwell is making a developer toolkit available to explain the ActiveX controls needed to build call center applications that take full advantage of Commander’s components.

Future applications for 3CS are imminent, says Rockwell’s Mark Michelson, manager, Client/Server Division. In addition to upgrades for Commander, look for a Web-based administration application, and messaging applications to be released this year. Michelson also notes that Rockwell will be working with industry partners to make their applications 3CS-compatible.