Avaya IP Office Gives SMBs Voice, Data

Avaya Inc. on Wednesday shipped a converged voice and data solution that delivers large-enterprise voice and data capabilities to small- and mid-sized companies.

Called Avaya IP Office, the offering is being expanded into the U.S. market after initially launching in Western Europe in January, said Avaya officials, in Basking Ridge, N.J.

Avaya IP Office is a communications server that can function as an IP or traditional circuit-switched PBX. That ability allows companies to move to full IP telephony as they choose, said Stephanie Anderson, alliances sales vice president at Avaya.

“It was designed from ground up with the small-business segment in mind,” she said. “It can accommodate where you are as business.”

Avaya IP Office can support as many as 180 users, or 75 contact center agents, in its largest configuration. In one piece of hardware, it delivers Internet access, voice and data access, data networking and an integrated hub, router and firewall, officials said. It also offers features for call distribution, alternative call routing and T1/E1/PRI/analog connectivity in addition to IP connectivity.

Avaya IP Office starts at $2,700 for a four-line configuration with eight extensions that includes voice mail and CTI (Computer Telephony Integration), Anderson said.

Along with those capabilities, users can add more advanced features by turning on software licenses at additional cost. These features include advanced voice mail and contact center tools.

Along with smaller companies, Avaya IP Office is targeted to enterprise branch offices where companies increasingly want advanced telephony functionality at a lower cost, said Paul Cantwell, vice president of small and medium enterprise markets at Avaya.