eWEEK content and product recommendations are editorially independent. We may make money when you click on links to our partners. Learn More.
In a preview of things to come for residential voice-over-IP users, Sylantro Systems at the Fall VON conference in Boston on Sept. 12 will introduce the ability for its service provider customers to allow wired and wireless phones to interoperate transparently to deliver business phone functions.
With an eye on the fast-growing number of teleworkers, Sylantro in Version 4.1 of its Synergy Application Feature Server software made it possible for carriers, service providers and network equipment suppliers to integrate mobile handsets into business VOIP virtual PBX systems, according to Ron Raffensperger, senior vice president of marketing for the Campbell, Calif., company.
“Weve created an interface that allows the network equipment provider to create an offering theyd sell to a cellular company that would allow you to use your cell phone as your business extension. You would have a menu choice on your cell phone that says, Im at work now, and when you click on it, all your calls are sent to your cell phone. The cell phone shows where incoming calls are coming from in a display just like the one on your desk. You can transfer calls to colleagues and get all the same features you expect from a desk phone using your normal GSM or other kind of cell phone,” he said.
Synergy is software sold primarily to large service providers that allows them to offer advanced services on their hosted IP PBX services for SMBs (small and midsize businesses).
Sylantro officials claimed the new release enables the first end-to-end wireless virtual PBX. It allows functions such as call forwarding, extension dialing, dialing restrictions, and business administration of wireless features to be available to a business user, whether they are working in the office, at home or in a car.
The software works with any vendors MSC (mobile switching center) and gateway MSC equipment. It does not expose the internal details of the carrier network infrastructure, and call handling from the mobile carriers point of view stays the same.
Synergy 4.1, in trials now and generally available in October, has already been adopted by Nokia.
Sylantro also announced at VON on Sept. 11 that Internet phone service provider SunRocket is using Synergy to provide advanced features for its VOIP service such as call blocking, caller ID, call forwarding and distinctive ring tones.
“As Sylantro rolls out more features such as simultaneous ring and call forwarding, and voice mail treatment, we are planning to add advanced services,” said SunRocket CTO Mark Fedor, in Vienna, Va.
SunRocket, which initially started using Synergy as its core call control server for its telephony services, is also looking at other advanced services—”especially in how you can potentially tie someones PC desktop into their home telephony VOIP service for call control, notification, calls coming in and so on,” he said.
SunRocket is the second fastest growing residential VOIP provider after Vonage. It has 150,000 customers and 250,000 lines, according to Fedor.
Its approach to the market is to provide a “better and less complicated experience for the user. With an all IP Internet-based platform, were not just a PSTN replacement but an Internet-based service fully integrated with a VOIP service,” said Fedor.