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January 22, 2010

Aksys Networks Launches KONNECT Phones for Asterisk at ITEXPO East 2010

By Patrick Barnard, Senior Web Editor, TMCnet

Last year, business communications solutions provider Aksys Networks (News - Alert) introduced its KONNECT Office Phone System – a server-less VoIP phone system geared for small businesses that requires no PBX (News - Alert) or hosted service.



 
The “intelligent,” SIP-based phones, which come preloaded with the software and gateway, connect directly to each other to create a network, and connect to outside networks via a router. Set up of the system is accomplished quickly and easily via just a few simple web pages. The system scales to 30 phones.
 
In September the KONNECT Office solution won TMC’s “Best of Show” award for “Best SMB Solution” at ITEXPO (News - Alert) West 2009, held in Los Angeles.
 
“The level of simplicity in the product is so foreign to the industry that it takes several minutes for most veterans to accept that there is no server or PBX and that configuration and management are delivered in so few simple web pages,” said Mike Tourigny, chief marketing officer for Aksys Networks, at the time. “The server-less nature of this solution means that not only does the customer get a solution that is simpler to use but the channel partner sees a simpler quoting process. The only components to price out are the phones themselves.”
 
This week, at ITEXPO East 2010 in Miami, Aksys Networks upped the ante by introducing a server-based version of the solution, based on Asterisk (News - Alert), which scales to up to hundreds of phones, thus significantly expanding its market.
 
“What we’ve done is we have taken that same physical handset and optimized it for integration with a SIP PBX, and more specifically for Asterisk,” Tourigny said during an interview here at ITEXPO East, currently underway at the Miami Beach Convention Center. “With the insertion of an Asterisk PBX, the system can scale up to hundreds of lines.”
 
“Our specific value and differentiation is around Asterisk,” Tourigny added. “Because we start with a more intelligent phone that is capable of operating without a PBX, we get to add a little more ‘magic.’ A lot of integrators – if you look at the blogs and message boards – they struggle with delivering a real key system experience on Asterisk. Asterisk can do it – it has the features in there to do shared line appearance and other things that are important to people getting rid of their old Norstar system – but after you implement it on a PBX you might get three or four flashing keys on the phone when a call comes in, and you’re like ‘what do I push?’ Caller ID is not clear … it’s awkward.”
 
The idea, he said, is to create a system that delivers the features and functionality a company expects from a VoIP phone system, out-of-the-box and “clean -- without requiring an integrator to hack around and say ‘this won’t work on this phone or that phone’ – the goal is to deliver a true key system experience.”
 
The KONNECT Phones for Asterisk solution offers tight handset integration with Asterisk, resulting in a more intuitive end user experience. The UI supports both Key System (KTS) and PBX modes of operation. The system also offers an optional integrated landline (FXO) port, thus providing the flexibility for remote workers to stay connected to the office while maintaining local landline connection as well.
 
Using Aksys Network’s SIPSTIM protocol, developers can rapidly deploy enhanced feature applications for the new system. SIPSTIM is an advanced SIP-based stimulus protocol that gives developers full control over the KONNECT phone LCD and LEDs, and allows their applications to respond to any key press events.
 
In addition, demo applications are available for tightly integrated visual voicemail, call forwarding, call parking and call recording applications.
 
Each phone sports an embedded analog port for those customers that aren’t ready to make a full transition to SIP. As Tourigny pointed out, “many small businesses don’t have an Internet connection that can handle all their traffic plus voice. And what are they going to pay for it?”
 
Tourigny said Aksys Networks is ready seeing strong interest in the solution, particularly from hosted VoIP providers.
 
“The hosted providers that are building their platforms on Asterisk are really enjoying that level of control, because they’re able to push the limits of the core Asterisk implementation without running up against a brick wall when they get to the handset,” he said. “They also like the fact that it offers an analog port.”

Patrick Barnard is a senior Web editor for TMCnet, covering call and contact center technologies. He also compiles and regularly contributes to TMCnet e-Newsletters in the areas of robotics, IT, M2M, OCS and customer interaction solutions. To read more of Patrick's articles, please visit his columnist page.

Edited by Marisa Torrieri

(source: http://ip-pbx.tmcnet.com/topics/ip-pbx/articles/73305-aksys-networks-launches-konnect-phones-asterisk-itexpo-east.htm)








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