[October 20, 2003] Inter-Tel Unveils Presence Management Strategy Focusing on the need for communications equipment vendors to deliver practical applications that address real business needs, Inter-Tel and Craig W. Rauchle, chief operating officer, today introduced Inter-Tel’s Presence Management Solutions, the company’s new communication management strategy. Rauchle made this announcement today during a keynote address at Internet Telephony Conference and Expo, a leading industry trade show held in Long Beach, California. Described by Inter-Tel as “user-defined, user-controlled communications,” presence management is not confined by time or location. Instead, emphasis is placed upon the individual user by empowering them to originate or receive their mission-critical voice, data or Internet communications where and when desired. Inter-Tel’s Presence Management Solutions incorporate advanced collaboration and messaging tools and are designed to enable businesses to increase productivity, streamline operations and reduce overhead. The company currently anticipates releasing a series of new products and applications throughout 2003 and 2004 that are designed to deliver advanced presence management to enterprises. “For years, our industry has been successful selling connectivity to companies that rely on communications in order to do business,” explained Rauchle “but in recent years the equation has changed. Providing connectivity, whether in legacy or advanced converged systems, is not enough for our customers. They demand tools that will help them solve real problems, such as sales, administrative and operations issues. Our industry must adapt to customer needs. We expect presence management to deliver tangible, practical and accountable applications that make business sense for the customer.” Inter-Tel’s Presence Management Solutions encompass three product sets: collaboration tools, messaging solutions, and multi-protocol IP endpoints. Collaboration products, including Inter-Tel’s Enterprise™ Conferencing scheduled to release this month, and recently released Unified Communicator® solutions, deliver two-way voice, data, and Internet communications, regardless of geographic location. Inter-Tel’s collaboration tools are designed to facilitate multi-person communications such as conferencing, and can work in conjunction with Inter-Tel’s converged and wireless products. Messaging solutions, such as Enterprise™ Instant Messaging, planned to release this month, provide two-way text messaging communications between parties and are also designed to work in conjunction with Inter-Tel’s converged and wireless environments. In addition to collaboration and messaging solutions, Inter-Tel expects to a number of multi-protocol IP devices over the next few months that will include a touch screen desktop phone and a soft phone for pocket PC PDAs. According to Jeff Ford, Inter-Tel’s chief technology officer, Our new advanced IP endpoints are being designed to support the industry-standard Session Initiation Protocol (SIP) for connecting to Inter-Tel communication systems or other SIP-compliant systems. Inter-Tel's new Presence Management Solutions and advanced IP endpoints are being developed to build on our commitment to deliver Session Initiation Protocol (SIP) based applications and solutions to our customers. “The architecture of Inter-Tel's converged communications systems is designed to allow our Presence Management Solutions to deliver functionality seamlessly, over converged, circuit switch or wireless infrastructures,” explained Ford. “These planned releases are being designed to provide the individual the tools to access their vital communications; whether they are voice, data or Internet using a desktop phone, wireless PDA or a laptop.” This news release contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933 and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 including statements regarding Inter-Tel’s new communication management strategy, statements regarding releasing a series of new products and applications through the 2004, and statements regarding the designs and proposed uses of the software and solutions. Such statements are based on current assumptions that involve risks and uncertainties that could cause actual outcomes and results to differ materially. These risks and uncertainties include, among others, risks associated with new product development; availability of inventory from suppliers; the market acceptance of these products and services generally; timely and successful release of defect-free products; retention of personnel working on these solutions; industry, competitive and technological changes; the composition, timing and size of orders from customers; and price and product competition. For a further list and description of such risks and uncertainties which could cause the actual results, performance or achievements of the Company to be materially different from any future results, performance or achievements, please see the Company's previously filed SEC reports, including the company's Form 10-K, dated March 25, 2003 and most recent Form 10-Q dated August 14, 2003. Inter-Tel disclaims any intention or obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise. All products and services mentioned are the trademarks, service marks, registered marks or registered service marks of their respective owners. [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ]