@ CIPTUG
@ Internet Telephony
Avaya
Cooling
Defense
Forecasts
Siemens
Speech recognition

@ CIPTUG

Latest version of Unimax's 2nd Nature introduced
Unimax unveiled the newest version of its patented 2nd Nature software at the Cisco IP Telephony User Group's (CIPTUG) 2006 Annual Conference.  According to Andrew Hunkins, Unimax's chief technology officer, 2nd Nature Version 6.3 provides feature, functionality enhancements and support for Cisco systems that also better meet the needs of the marketplace. 2nd Nature version 6.3 also provides enhancements for Avaya and Nortel systems.  2nd Nature simplifies system administration by offering consolidated voice mail distribution list management, global view of all phones and voice mailboxes, single sign-on through Active Directory, reporting and record modification across telephony environments in a vendor-neutral single easy-to-use Windows interface or from external file inputs. In addition, Unimax continues to expand its migration support, adding businesses moving from legacy PBX and voice systems to Cisco CallManager and Unity systems.  By automating data transfer from legacy systems to Cisco CallManager (v.3.3 and v.4.1) and Unity (v.4.0), 2nd Nature reduces migration time from weeks or months to just days.  
Visit www.unimax.com.

Qovia announces IP Telephony Manager 3.0
Qovia, a technology and market leader in enterprise IP telephony management, announced IP Telephony Manager 3.0. The new version includes an enhanced, customizable reporting system; extended application, server and network device data collection; more granular grading of real-time call quality; and support for Cisco CallManager 5.0.  These and other new features will help customers and service provider partners continue to ensure call quality by identifying and solving problems in real-time. "Monitoring and management remains central to the success of enterprise IP telephony deployments," said David Woodall, CEO of Qovia. "We continue to listen to customer and partner needs and focus on incorporating their feedback into IP Telephony Manager. Version 3.0 includes a number of features they've asked for, including a customizable reporting portal that provides new views of system performance all the way down to the handset, in real-time."
Visit www.qovia.com.

Sagem-Interstar showcases new release of its boardless FoIP fax server software
Sagem-Interstar Inc. showcased the latest software release of its field proven XMediusFAX SP at the CIPTUG 2006 Annual Conference. Sagem-Interstar is a Cisco Technology Developer Partner, and its XMediusFAX is a Cisco Compatible IP fax server that is certified to interoperate with all major Cisco VoIP gateways. XMediusFAX's T.38 Fax over IP (FoIP) protocol enables IP fax functionality in VoIP networks equipped with Microsoft Exchange, SMTP and Lotus Notes email gateways. XMediusFAX is an essential component in unified messaging, allowing faxes to share a common inbox along with voicemail and email. The new XMediusFAX SP 5.0 contains a number of unique features including   T.38 multi-tenancy; system monitoring and alerts through SNMP ; built-in server redundancy; ability to handle up to 480 fax channels per server ; boardless desktop IP faxing (without expensive fax boards) ; Web-based fax composition; and support for international character sets.
Visit www.faxserver.com.
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@ Internet Telephony

Sphere Communications unveils unified communications on IP telephones
Sphere Communications unveiled unified communications on next generation IP phones providing flexible and powerful communications call controls, unified communications services, high quality video, and Internet/intranet information to new micro-browser based IP telephones from Aastra, Polycom, and integrated IP video phones from Tandberg. Building upon its software-based unified communications services engine, featuring a powerful suite of web services capabilities, Sphere is expanding its engine to include an integral web server that can host a range of services for browser-based devices such as IP telephones. Providing an open system that can be easily programmed using standard scripting, XML files and a set of Call Control & Media Services functions, the system can be easily customized to adapt to the needs of enterprises and their business applications. Built on open industry standards, the Sphere communications services engine makes it easy for enterprises, ISVs, and developers to optimize their unified communications to their business needs.
Visit www.spherecom.com.
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Avaya

BellSouth and Avaya team to deliver IP telephony to businesses
BellSouth announced that it is has entered into an agreement with Avaya to resell Avaya IP telephony solutions to businesses. Customers can now work with BellSouth as a single point of contact to address telephony, messaging and contact center requirements using Avaya's broad portfolio of IP-based solutions. BellSouth will market and sell Avaya IP telephony including the following product suites and services: Avaya MultiVantage Communications Applications; Avaya MultiVantage Express; Avaya IP Office; Avaya one-X Mobile, Desktop and Deskphone Editions; and Avaya Professional and IP Support Services.
Visit www.avaya.com or www.bellsouth.com.
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Cooling

Telecom air filters meet new NEBS GR-63 (Issue 3) standard
Design engineers who need more cooling power in confined spaces can achieve it with Universal Air Filter NEBS GR-63 (Issue 3) certified filters. The revised standard reduces dust arrestance requirements for 1U and 2U equipment boxes from 80 percent (Issue 2) to 65 percent to increase air flow and avoid overheating components. This new standard works well with UAF low-profile air filters with edge-to-edge design that trims away frame flanges on the sides of the filter providing complete, edge-to-edge ventilation. These filters are perfect for 1U and 2U compact equipment applications. Universal Air Filter is the only Telcordia certified switch air filter manufacturer. Certification is a result of meeting the rigorous requirements of Telcordia NEBS for fire resistance, dust arrestance, particulate contaminant bypass, and temperature change that have been identified by the telecommunications industry as critical parameters.
Visit www.uaf.com.
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Defense

Ultra-DNE nets $18.4M order from US Marine Corps
Ultra Electronics-DNE Technologies, a manufacturer of tactical voice and data communication systems, announces that the United States Marine Corps (USMC) has placed an $18.4M order with the company as part of the USMC's AN/MRC-142 Product Improvement Program (PIP).  Ultra-DNE will provide high-speed tactical access concentrators and protocol converters to the program, with scheduled deliveries through 2008.  The AN/MRC-142 system is a medium range, Ultra-High Frequency (UHF) line-of-sight radio system used by the Marines to communicate between deployed troops and Command and Control centers. The AN/MRC-142 PIP replaces obsolete tactical communications equipment, enabling the Marines to access a wider variety of data – such as video and imaging – at faster speeds than the current AN/MRC-142 systems.  The program will improve communications between deployed units at speeds up to 8 times faster than the currently fielded systems, improving throughput from 2Mbps to 16Mbps. The new system will now interface with other communications systems, such as the TRC-170 and Transition Switch Module (TSM), which will operate at speeds up to 16Mpbs.
Visit www.ultra-dne.com.
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Forecasts

Small and medium-sized businesses looking for greater flexibility, mobility in communications systems
Communications solutions that free employees from the tethers of their desks and offices top the technology spending priorities for small and medium-sized businesses, according to a new survey commissioned by the Computing Technology Industry Association (CompTIA). The survey of more than 350 small and medium-sized businesses across North America found that upgrades to laptop computers are the top spending priority over the next 12 months. Investment in wireless local area networks (LANs) is the number two spending priority for these businesses. Replacement or upgrade of existing phone systems ranked third on their list of technology investments for the next year. Among companies with less than 100 employees, phone system upgrades are the number two buying priority, ahead of wireless LANs and behind laptop upgrades. When asked what factors are driving their investment in new communica-tions solutions, 46% of the organizations surveyed said savings generated through streamlining business processes. Another 30% said cost-cutting within their information technology and communica-tions spending, while 23% said initiatives to launch new services or capabilities are the driving factor.
Visit www.comptia.org.

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Siemens

BelAir Networks and Siemens Networks team to deliver broadband wireless mesh and WiMAX solutions
BelAir Networks and Siemens Networks LLC announced a worldwide agreement enabling Siemens to market and sell BelAir Networks products globally under the Siemens brand as part of its mobile networking portfolio.  The companies have already teamed on several projects for leading cable and cellular operators, focused on both WiMAX mesh deployments and cellular backhaul. Siemens offers a comprehensive suite of products and services to leverage service providers' existing assets to deliver converged wireless solutions. Siemens Broadband wireless solution includes the Siemens Wireless Integration @vantage (WI@), featuring web portal management, voucher management, access control, authentication and accounting. WI@, along with BelAir's Mesh radio and Siemens suite of professional services, enables service providers to design, build and maintain a wireless network, integrating within the existing core solutions, allowing roaming and access network sharing. With solutions targeted at service providers, cable operators, and mobile network operators, the addition of the BelAir Networks mobile broadband wireless mesh portfolio - along with Siemens end-to-end capability and complete portfolio of wired, wireless, Core and IMS products - enables Siemens to deliver a new wireless access alternative to its converged solutions for data and voice services.
Visit www.siemens.com/networks or www.belairnetworks.com.

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Speech recognition

Message Technologies, Inc. reveals 'Four Ways Speech Recognition Is Going To Change Mid-Market Retail'
Message Technologies, Inc. (MTI), an industry-leading provider of Interactive Voice Response (IVR) and speech automation technologies, announced the release of its white paper entitled, “Four Ways Speech Recognition is Going to Change the Mid-Market Retail Call Center.” The white paper is a must-read for all mid-market retail executives, directors and managers who want to improve the performance of their call centers. Authored by MTI's top manage-ment, the white paper draws on research, interviews and more than twenty-five years experience working with thousands of clients. The white paper provides critical, timely insights into current and future use of speech automation and speech-enabled IVR in the retail contact center. The paper's conclusions are supported by citations to data and comments from key industry research analysts. A copy of the white paper can be downloaded, without charge, by visiting the MTI home page at www.messagetech.com.
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