[September
26, 2000]
3Com Intros New IP Telephony Solution For
SIP-Based Services To Small- And Mid-Sized Businesses
3Com Corporation announced 3Com SIP
Solutions, a Session Initiation Protocol (SIP)-based, Internet-centric
voice solution that enables service providers to offer new, differentiated
IP telephony features and services to small and mid-sized businesses.
Benefits include convergence of IP and telephone services, innovative user
interfaces, mobility, dynamic phone personalization, and radically simple
provisioning and management for business phone users.
Available immediately in the U.S., 3Com SIP Solutions includes
SIP-based Internet phones, personal digital assistant (PDA) phone control
applications, a SIP client service platform, software developer's kit, and
support services. 3Com SIP Solutions is part of a broad range of IP
telephony solutions being offered by 3Com, from premise-to-network-based
solutions, to help 3Com customers gain simple and reliable access to the
information and services they need.
"The fragmented nature of today's communication services requires
small and medium businesses to contact multiple organizations to secure
the long distance service, local service and Internet access necessary to
conduct business," said Ikhlaq Sidhu, vice president, Internet
Communications, Voice Solutions Division, 3Com. "3Com SIP Solutions
offers service providers rich connectivity to seamlessly integrate
Internet access, ASP services, and a full range of telephony services over
one voice and data network."
3Com SIP Solutions enables service providers to offer IP-centric voice
services to their customers. Competitive local exchange carriers (CLECs),
Internet service providers (ISPs), and application service providers (ASPs)
will be able to provide their customers with truly differentiating voice
features and capabilities. In addition, service providers will be able to
reduce the extra overhead and costs associated with deploying and managing
separate voice and data networks.
For end-user customers, 3Com SIP Solutions provides radically simple
provisioning to achieve plug-n-play telephony across the IP network. Users
can simply plug a phone into any network location and receive service. If
the phone is moved to another network location, all service configurations
and subscriber preferences will remain intact.
The 3Com SIP Phone is a smart client device that has the intelligence
of a computer and the connectivity of an Ethernet interface. The 3Com SIP
Phone provides the basic features found in everyday, high-end business
telephones, such as call hold, call transfer, redial and call forward.
Moreover, the phone leverages SIP technology to support additional
features and functions, such as plug-n-play installation, user mobility,
multiple user support through one phone, and non-intrusive software
upgrades directly from the network.
The 3Com SIP PDA Phone Control Application is a software application
that allows end-users to control the 3Com SIP Phone using a PDA. With this
application, PDAs may be used to perform basic functions such as
conference and call transfer. Additional functions include the ability to
select a number from the PDA's address book and then "tapping"
to dial the selected person by directing the PDA at the 3Com SIP Phone's
infrared port.
Because the PDA contains personalized information, such as speed dial
lists and other preferences, users can be semi-mobile and "beam"
their identity to the SIP Phone in order to log into the SIP system. In
addition, the 3Com SIP PDA Phone Control application communicates with the
SIP Phone with an open, standards-based mechanism that allows third-party
developers to create their own special purpose PDA applications on any
handheld computing platform.
The SIP Client Service Platform is comprised of the 3Com SIP Signaling
Server and the 3Com SIP Support System, and manages the authentication,
signaling and provisioning of the client device, the 3Com SIP Phone. The
platform allows businesses to operate and provision the SIP phones from
anywhere in the network. The 3Com SIP Signaling Server supports all call
signaling functions between client devices and backbone PSTN gateway
networks including proxy, re-direct, forking registrar, and location
management functions. The 3Com SIP Support System handles all of the
configuration of the SIP Signaling Server, as well as provisioning for the
SIP Phone subscribers, including phone numbers, user preferences, voice
mail, extension dialing plans and user privileges and restrictions on the
system.
The 3Com SIP Software Developer's Kit (SDK) is designed for technology
partners to develop solutions and applications that will be compatible
with the 3Com SIP Solutions and other SIP-based products and services. The
3Com SDK includes well-defined instructions and libraries. The SDK will
drive the development of new SIP-based applications from other vendors and
ensure integration with 3Com SIP Solutions.
In addition, a full suite of 3Com services supports all the 3Com SIP
Solutions products. 3Com offers 24x7 call center and Web support, as well
as an experienced consulting team to recommend the best solution to
integrate 3Com SIP Solutions into an existing network/architecture and
develop customer applications if necessary.
The 3Com SIP Solutions Client Service Platform architecture is
interoperable with the 3Com CommWorks architecture, the company's
versatile solution for multi-service packet-based networking. 3Com SIP
Solutions focus on the client devices and its management, while the
CommWorks architecture allows service providers to deliver multiple
services in a single, unified networking environment, streamlining the
migration from today's analog networks to next-generation, packet-based
converged networks. Additionally, the SIP Solutions architecture will work
with 3Com's broadband access equipment including the OfficeConnect Remote
840 SDSL Router that has SIP aware address sharing and firewall
capabilities.
The 3Com SIP Phone lists at $395 USD, with a one-year limited warranty.
This price includes the 3Com SIP PDA Phone Control Application, as well as
the infrared-ready port device. Pricing on the 3Com Client Service
Platform is contingent on individual system configuration requirements.
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