NATD in the news
Upfront
Avaya
Canada
CIPTUG
Cisco
DESI
FLAG: EU & International news
Mitel
Siemens

NATD in the news

Westcon's ConvergencePoint SMB helps resellers deliver customized, secure business solutions
Westcon Group, Inc. announced the launch of ConvergencePoint SMB at its Westcon division. The program provides SMB-oriented resellers with a single environment in which to access a best-in-class line card of targeted convergence and security solutions, along with state-of-the-art selling and lead generation tools to keep them ahead of the competition. All of the products offered in the ConvergencePoint SMB program are interoperable with Nortel's Business Communications Manager (BCM) 50 offering, a proven IP-based system that has received industry accolades for its reliability, performance and functionality both here and abroad. When combined with other security and application products in Westcon's targeted portfolio, the BCM50 can be a powerful differentiator for many SMBs across a range of vertical markets. Westcon has carefully evaluated and selected a suite of best-in-class convergence products, services, and solutions designed to interoperate with and complement the Nortel SMB offering, which include APC, GN Netcom, Nice, Packeteer, PowerDsine, Quintum, Secure Computing, Spectralink, Trapeze, Tripp-Lite, Veramark, and many others.
Visit http://www.convergencepointsmb.westcon.com. ^Back To Top

Upfront

Nortel advances SMB go-to-market strategy in North America
Nortel is introducing new product offerings and simplifications to its SMB program that will allow the company to better support its current SMB resellers, broaden its channel base and evolve SMB customers to converged networks and IP-based communications as business needs change. As part of this strategy, new and existing value-added resellers (VARs) now have access to pre-defined, easy-to-sell SMB voice and data packages that address the distinctive requirements, challenges and budgets of smaller businesses. In addition, Nortel is introducing a streamlined fast track accreditation program that will help lower the cost of entry and increase time to market for both new and existing SMB channel partners to sell Nortel's Business Communication Manager (BCM) 50. Simplifications to Nortel's SMB strategy will help increase momentum for its recently announced IPT 1-2-3 initiative to provide simple, easy to implement options that help enterprises migrate or upgrade to IP telephony at their own pace and at a more affordable cost. Nortel is working closely with its value-added distributors (VADs) to substantially increase its SMB channel base and extend its reach into the SMB market by recruiting new resellers, particularly ones experienced in SMB voice and data convergence.
Visit www.nortel.com/smb.
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Avaya

Avaya's Interaction Center 7.1 builds contact center toolbox
Avaya has updated its flagship contact center software application, Interaction Center, with new features that make it easier for developers to build agent portals to their own specifications and needs. This latest iteration of the application, version 7.1, is taking aim at a pain point that many vendors have tried, unsuccessfully, to address: the agent desktop. Avaya Interaction Center 7.1 includes a new software development kit that leverages .NET and Java technology, thus providing developers with greater flexibility to build and customize agent screens, according to Lawrence Byrd, director of IP Telephony and Mobility at Avaya. Examples would include single screen applications for agents, or screens that emphasize certain transactions such as e-mail or chat interactions. Developers and administrators can customize tools that agents typically use -- such as context-based toolbars, communication controls, contact history and other informational displays -- and embed them within existing enterprise applications, such as a CRM or customer database application. The need for new code development is minimal, the company said, since the latest version of the product was designed to easily integrate with existing Web Services-based applications.
Visit www.avaya.com.
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Canada

Six to be inducted into Telecommunications Hall of Fame  
Canada's Telecommunications Hall of Fame unveiled the names of six telecom pioneers and industry leaders who will be officially inducted into the Hall of Fame for 2006. The 2006 Telecom Hall of Fame Laureates are Edward S. "Ted" Rogers (CEO, Rogers Communications Inc.), Edward S. Rogers, Sr. (Communications Inventor and Wireless Wizard), Donald L. Hings (Inventor of the Walkie Talkie, Burnaby, B.C.), Leila Wightman (Rural Telephone Pioneer, Clifford, Ontario), Francis Dagger (Public Ownership Advocate for the Prairies), and Ernest E. "Ernie" Saunders (Dean of Canadian Telecom Law and Regulation, Montreal, Quebec). The 2006 Hall of Fame Special Recognition Award will go to Digital World, the hugely successful digital switching initiative of Bell-Northern Research (BNR) and Northern Telecom (now Nortel) that revolutionized global telecommunications in the mid-1970s. Chosen from numerous public nominations, the six Laureates will be inducted into Canada's Telecommunications Hall of Fame and the Special Recognition Award will be conferred at the 2006 Telecom Laureate Awards gala dinner and induction ceremony, October 16, 2006, at The Carlu in Toronto.
Visit www.telecomhall.ca.
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@ CIPTUG

Removing communication barriers throughout the organization with application driven telephony
As the IP communications market has matured, the focus has moved from cost savings to the potential uses of the capabilities inherent in a converged network. Customers expect more out of their IP communications solutions than parity with traditional telephony. Those expectations, and the applications that enable them, are driving adoption of IP Telephony. The founders of Cistera Networks have worked closely with Cisco since 2001 to identify the function-ality and features that customers require to maximize their business performance and productivity while delivering the return on investment (ROI) they demand. The Cistera Convergence Server compliments Cisco Unified Communications offerings by delivering the industry's broadest set of applications on a single, robust platform that is designed to scale to meet the needs of the most demanding environments. Customers can select from a broad range of capabilities addressing specific requirements: Quality Assurance and Compliance; Event Alerting and Notification; Presence Management; Productivity and Collaboration; and Fixed Mobile Convergence. In a Cisco IP Communications environment, the Cistera Convergence Server delivers all of the capabilities customers need to enhance their productivity on a single, secure, reliable platform.
Visit www.cistera.com.

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Cisco

CallRex passes interoperability testing
Telrex announced CallRex has successfully passed interoperability testing as the first call recording solution to support the recording of encrypted calls occurring on Cisco Unified CallManager 5.0. Firms with a regulatory obligation to record calls benefit from CallRex's ability to record encrypted calls. Until now, most financial services firms chose call recording and compliance; now they can have both, and enjoy the additional assurance that the solution has been verified by Cisco Systems. CallRex records encrypted calls by capturing encrypted voice packets as they pass through the network and decrypting them using encryption keys shared by Cisco Unified CallManager 5.0 on a per call basis. CallRex, Telrex's flagship product, enables small and medium businesses to record VoIP calls for training purposes, dispute resolution or regulatory compliance.
Visit www.telrex.com/callrex.htm.

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DESI

What's new at DESI?
DESI has added Telecor to the DESI Labeling System, which consists of DESI software and DESI labels. Together they create professional, easy to read labels that will make the DP300 Display phone look complete.

Now you can print your own labels for the AlitGen AlitTouch 510 using DESI Part 12795. These labels come on an 8.5 x 11 sheets of paper, already die-cut and perforated to fit the phone. The labels are designed to work with laser and ink jet printers.
Visit www.desi.com , www.telecor.com or www.alitgen.com.

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The FLAG: EU & International news

Telegraph Group goes IP with enhanced mobility, multimedia
The Telegraph Group, a major British media organization, is equipping its reporters in the field with anytime, anywhere communi-cations mobility for video-streaming and multimedia services through IP-based communication capabilities from Nortel. The multi-million dollar IP infrastructure at the Group's new London headquarters will be deployed by Nortel's Gold Solutions Partner Applinet plc. Nortel's technology will provide a highly secure and reliable, high-speed network based on some of the latest technologies for current and next-generation multimedia applications. The deployment includes a comprehensive end-to-end portfolio of solutions based on Nortel Ethernet Routing Switches and Ethernet Switches with Nortel's server-based, full-featured IP PBX Communication Server 1000 and Nortel's Multimedia Communication Server (MCS) 5100 for SIP-based multimedia and collaborative applications. End to end security of the new network is ensured by Nortel's VPN Gateway, Threat Protection System and Switched Firewall running Check Point firewall-1.
Visit www.nortel.com or www.applinet.co.uk.
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Mitel

Mitel and BorderWare reduce barriers to VoIP adoption
BorderWare Technologies Inc. and Mitel, respective leaders in IP security and communications solutions, announced the launch of a combined solution based on BorderWare's SIPassure VoIP security and Mitel's 3600 Hosted Key System. The agreement combines robust technologies from both companies to deliver the new Mitel 3600 Security Gateway and opens the door to secure, low-cost delivery of business quality VoIP services over public IP networks. Powered by BorderWare, the Mitel 3600 Security Gateway is embedded with application layer security reducing the barriers to VoIP adoption by providing a truly secure solution for VoIP deployment over public IP networks that is more robust, less expensive and simpler to manage than standard industry solutions which operate at the packet layer. The Mitel 3600 Security Gateway securely enables and protects Session Initiation Protocol-based (SIP) and MiNET (Mitel's proprietary voice protocol)-based VoIP signaling and transport, and sets a new standard of affordability for carrier and service provider markets. The solution is tightly integrated with the Mitel 3600 Hosted Key System and provides application layer security to protect against SPIT (Spam over Internet Telephony), Denial of Service, Unauthorized Registration and other types of VoIP attacks which would easily penetrate packet-layer security devices.
Visit www.mitel.com or www.borderware.com.
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Siemens

TelstraClear deploys Siemens tango Subscriber Manager
Siemens Home and Office Communication Devices announced a major milestone in its Asia-Pacific regional expansion with TelstraClear's implementation of tango Subscriber Manager centralized server software. This solution together with Siemens Integrated Access Devices provides TelstraClear maximum flexibility to deploy, configure and control its business-class VoIP service. tango Subscriber Manager is a DSL-Forum standard Auto-Configuration Server (ACS) that enables service providers to auto-mate all phases of the VoIP lifecycle including ordering, deployment, installation, management and maintenance. It simplifies the process for subscribers and is designed to increase customer satisfaction and loyalty, helping service providers to drive more revenue over time. Siemens, a champion of an open platform philosophy, has embraced DSL-Forum's new TR-069, TR-106, TR-104, TR-098 and TR-111 standards designed to help simplify delivery and management of enhanced services such as VoIP across all devices and platforms.
Visit http://www.siemens.com/gigaset.
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