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Bellsouth Expands Voice Over IP Portfolio to Include Centrex IP With Advanced New Features for Businesses ATLANTA, May 13 /PRNewswire/ -- BellSouth announced today the availability of BellSouth(R) Centrex IP Service throughout the Southeastern markets served by the company. This availability follows successful market trials and the service is part of BellSouth's plan to utilize voice over IP (VoIP) technology to provide innovative and diversified solutions for business customers."As a complete voice provider, BellSouth is positioned to deliver sound consultation and support as customers explore and evolve towards next- generation services," said Bill Smith, BellSouth's Chief Technology Officer. "Centrex IP is indicative of the company's commitment to aggressively deploy solutions that allow customers to have multiple options as they build converged voice and data networks." Centrex IP services provide large enterprises with the same benefits as traditional Centrex (custom calling functionality housed in BellSouth's network instead of in equipment at the customer's location), as well as additional efficiencies and features enabled by harnessing the power of BellSouth's data network. Centrex IP will allow customers to use browser- based software that assists them with call management. Customers will be able to use Centrex IP to access enhanced call management functions through a secure login and have real-time control of calling features. Centrex IP service provides a platform that links desktop and other enhanced service applications, delivering the efficiency and productivity benefits of VoIP to businesses, including: - Find Me, Follow Me functionality sends communications to email, voicemail or wireless phone based on time of day or availability, a result of system integration in the converged network - Access to incoming and outgoing call history allows easy tracking and auditing for internal and external record keeping - Click to Dial, Click to Conference functions make voice calling more efficient, saving up to several minutes on each call - A variety of supporting media (instant messaging, chat, polling, instant document transfer) can run concurrently with basic voice conversations, over the same network, for a more effective and productive environment - The cost of Moves, Adds and Changes is greatly reduced with IP configuration at the desktop versus reprogramming traditional PBXs - The ability to access office calling features from any remote location with Internet access provides telecommuters with additional functionality and increased business continuity for the organization - Simplified migration capabilities enable existing Centrex users to transition to Centrex IP at a pace that makes sense for their organization, while maintaining communications functionality "Converged communications solutions that utilize next generation technologies are critical as enterprises and carriers plan their network evolution for the next several years," said Mark Winther, group vice president of Worldwide Telecommunications at IDC. "It is apparent that BellSouth understands the importance of VoIP and, as it continues to add services to this portfolio, is focused on consulting with its customers to guide them down a migration path that is most appropriate for the specific organization." To deliver its portfolio of comprehensive voice and data solutions to customers, BellSouth continues to work with best of breed equipment vendors and has selected Lucent Technologies to serve as the platform provider for BellSouth Centrex IP Service. Over the last two years, BellSouth has evolved its underlying SONET infrastructure to a next-generation MSPP (Multiservice Provisioning Platform) to improve network efficiencies and to better support new optical solutions. The company has also integrated MPLS (Multi-Protocol Label Switching) into its network core and edge and is running a region-wide IP backbone using this technology. With its network enhancements, BellSouth can provide improved service-level agreements, quality of service and incremental speed options for customers. The enhancements also enable the creation and delivery of next- generation services, such as VoIP, beyond traditional network boundaries. About BellSouth Corporation BellSouth Corporation is a Fortune 100 communications company headquartered in Atlanta, Georgia and a parent company of Cingular Wireless, the nation's second largest wireless voice and data provider. Backed by award winning customer service, BellSouth offers the most comprehensive and innovative package of voice and data services available in the market. Through BellSouth Answers(SM), residential and small business customers can bundle their local and long distance service with dial up and high speed DSL Internet access, satellite television and Cingular(R) Wireless service. For businesses, BellSouth provides secure, reliable local and long distance voice and data networking solutions. BellSouth also offers online and directory advertising through BellSouth(R) RealPages.com(SM) and The Real Yellow Pages(R). More information about BellSouth can be found at http://www.bellsouth.com/ . BellSouth Corporation CONTACT: Media, Todd Smith of BellSouth Media Relations,+1-404-829-8723, or [email protected] Web site: http://www.bellsouth.com/ |