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[February 23, 2004] New Avaya Solutions Provide More Effective Real-Time Collaboration Through Increased Control Over Business Communications Avaya Inc. (NYSE:AV), a global provider of communications networks and services for businesses, today introduced new software, applications and phones that provide greater control over the growing number of devices people use to conduct business.The company said its new converged communications solutions integrate Internet applications, such as instant messaging, with voice and telephone features such as conferencing, voice-mail and “click-to-dial” capabilities. This enables individuals and teams across many locations to easily collaborate with the right person, using the right device, at the right time. The end result is the reduction of time it takes to reach colleagues, obtain information and make decisions, increasing overall productivity and operational efficiency throughout an organization. With today’s introductions, Avaya integrates Session Initiation Protocol (SIP) - an industry standard that enables users to conduct multimedia communications sessions - into its portfolio of IP-based MultiVantage™ Communications Applications. Avaya’s SIP solutions enable enterprises to use the full benefits of “presence” to enable enterprise users to accelerate and simplify real-time communication across multiple points of contact - including desktop telephones, mobile devices, PCs, and instant messaging. Presence is a capability that lets individuals indicate their availability, the device they are using, and how they want to be reached. The foundation for these capabilities is the new Avaya Converged Communications Server, a suite of open standards-based software applications that enable an information technology staff to securely and cost-effectively deploy SIP and presence-enabled applications. Through the server, network administrators can provide employees with a single, secure SIP address that consolidates various modes of communications. For instance, a sales director can turn an instant messaging session with a team member into a phone conversation, simply by clicking on the team member’s IM address. Then, if the director requires immediate input from others, she can see who is available via phone (based on presence icons), alert them via an instant message, and set up a conference call with multiple parties. The Avaya Converged Communications Server SIP-enables the following Avaya products, extending them with presence and other advanced telephony capabilities: · Avaya Communication Manager: The Avaya Converged Communications Server extends the calling, mobility and IP-based features of Communication Manager - the company’s flagship IP telephony software - to SIP phones and applications, fostering the integration of presence-based Web applications with new telephony and voice capabilities. Avaya IP Softphone R5 with Instant Messaging: This new SIP-enabled IP Softphone, which turns any PC into an office phone, delivers secure, enterprise-class instant messaging with voice interactivity and presence. This easy-to-use soft phone lets users send encrypted instant messages, initiate ‘click-to-talk’ phone calls with contacts, show and view availability/phone status of users, and dial phone numbers listed on Web sites. · Avaya 4602 SIP Desktop Phone: Avaya’s new standards-based SIP office telephone drives a cost-effective communications evolution, including interoperation with any type of device in an enterprise (i.e. traditional, IP or digital). Evolving to SIP with Avaya - Securely and Cost-effectively The Avaya Converged Communications Server incorporates Avaya’s comprehensive security features, including secure SIP signaling and encrypted instant messaging using Transport Layer Security to help protect instant messages during live interaction. The server also enables an organization to evolve its existing infrastructure with SIP-based solutions that provide investment protection through interoperation with any type of phone, including SIP phones from other vendors. This reduces the costs of deployment and maintenance. By incorporating security, open standards and interoperability into its SIP-based solutions, Avaya helps an IT staff introduce enterprise-class instant messaging, presence and advanced applications to a workforce. “Organizations are being challenged every day to grow revenue through increased productivity and improved customer satisfaction, while keeping an eye on the bottom line,” said Don Peterson, Chairman and CEO of Avaya. “Avaya continues to take the lead in helping businesses meet these challenges with solutions that improve the speed and accuracy of communications, while retaining the reliability and security that enterprises expect from communications networks.” Strategic Products and Services: Empowering Mobile Workers With Avaya Solutions One company building its SIP foundation with Avaya’s new Converged Communications Server is Strategic Products and Services, a communications equipment and services supplier. With Avaya’s SIP solutions, this organization can evolve its existing network with advanced SIP-based applications, providing employees with secure instant messaging and presence capabilities. Strategic Products and Services utilizes Avaya’s SIP solutions, as well as Modular Messaging and Speech Access for Communication Manager, to help its technical and design staff boost productivity while they work from home or on the road. According to Mike Taylor, vice president of emerging technologies of Strategic Products and Services, the new SIP-enabled IP Softphone enables mobile employees to use presence to see if colleagues are available online or via phone, and communicate as easily as if they were visiting a co-worker’s office. This helps employees working at home to remain connected to their office’s day-to-day business activities, building stronger teams among dispersed workers. “Avaya’s SIP-enabled solutions provide us with the best way to gain the full benefits of a virtual workplace,” said Taylor. “In our business, we are required to remain connected and productive while working at home or on the road. With Avaya’s practical SIP solutions in place, our employees remain accessible, and in close proximity to customers and colleagues, regardless of their location |