ShoreTel’s (News - Alert) Latest Software Release Includes Enhanced Video Communications and Instant Messaging Capabilities
ShoreTel, a provider of simple premise and cloud-based business phone system and communications solutions with fully integrated unified communications, announced the global availability of ShoreTel 13, its latest software release. ShoreTel 13 includes enhanced capabilities for video communications and instant messaging for overall employee productivity.
"Video collaboration solutions are transforming communications in more companies, across more industries," said Ron Myers, senior vice president of Global Channels at Polycom. "Both ShoreTel and Polycom (News - Alert) share a vision to deliver easy to use UC and video collaboration solutions -- whether you are in the office, at home or mobile -- to power richer conversations, increase productivity, and change the way we work and live."
Through ShoreTel Communciator, the call manager application within the new software, users can participate in room-based video conferences using industry standard H.264 AVC technology, one of the most commonly used formats for the recording, compression and distribution of high definition video. This enhanced video support enables users to communicate from their desktop or laptop, whether in the office or working remotely, adding a new level of simplicity to productive collaboration.
"Pervasive video equips organizations to leverage the power of video collaboration, providing a full, rich communication experience both internally and externally," said Sandra Hill, director of channels, LifeSize. "The integration between ShoreTel Communicator and LifeSize room systems now allows organizations to further maximize their investment in unified communications through multi-modal communication."
ShoreTel’s support for open standards includes an array of open interfaces that allow seamless integration of third-party information and applications from leading communication and video collaboration solution providers. Its unique purpose-built distributed voice architecture forms the heart of its unified communications premise-based platform, allowing for its rich feature set and highly reliable distributed voice services. Along with IP telephony, contact center and unified communications services, it scales with plug-and play ease across as many sites as needed.
"Our ShoreTel solution, particularly compared to Cisco (News - Alert), is so much simpler to architect and much simpler to manage, said Ari Piotrkowski, senior IT technician for the City of Santa Rosa. “We regularly hold meetings across multiple venues, and we are thrilled to be able to start hosting room-based video conferences, giving us the ability to make decisions in a timely, more efficient way."
The company also introduces instant messaging capability for ShoreTel Communicator with personal access, giving every ShoreTel user access to IM at no additional cost. It extended its enterprise contact center agent capabilities based on services enabled from SIP trunking service providers, where enterprises can leverage standards-based IM servers, such as ShoreTel XMPP IM server, or protect existing investments in already-installed technologies, such as Microsoft (News - Alert) SIP-based Lync for ShoreTel Communicator.
"Video is becoming mainstream -- moving out of the board room and into the everyday workflow. People need the flexibility to connect by video from their desktop not only into the corporate boardroom but also with customers, partners and others with varying system types from Polycom, LifeSize and others," said Kevin Gavin, chief marketing officer at ShoreTel. "By the same token, IM is now conventional for communicating with colleagues regardless of where they're located. ShoreTel fully embraces the complete circle of unified communications by integrating video, voice, and data across any device to streamline collaboration and enhance productivity with IM, presence, audio and Web."
The ShoreTel 13 unified communications software release ensures ease of deployment, ease of management, ease of scalability and ease of use across a single-image system around the globe and is available in 48 countries around the world. The software upgrade is included at no charge to all existing customers with a maintenance agreement.
Want to learn more about the latest in communications and technology? Then be sure to attend ITEXPO West 2012, taking place Oct. 2-5, in Austin, TX. ITEXPO (News - Alert) offers an educational program to help corporate decision makers select the right IP-based voice, video, fax and unified communications solutions to improve their operations. It's also where service providers learn how to profitably roll out the services their subscribers are clamoring for – and where resellers can learn about new growth opportunities. For more information on registering for ITEXPO click here.
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Edited by Rich Steeves