Business collaboration systems, software and services provider Avaya announced the new version of the company’s communications solution for the small to medium-size business (SMB) market, Avaya IP Office 7.0. The latest version of the software completes the integration of Nortel Enterprise Solutions (NES) IP and digital phones into the IP Office platform.
This integration now enables approximately 14 million NES users to gain Avaya IP Office's collaboration capabilities. The upgrade can be accelerated by a new data migration tool that lets partners transfer a business' existing data like voicemails and phone extensions to their new systems. “Avaya has done a great job of bringing the features of our existing Nortel phones to the Avaya IP Office platform, which makes the transition easier,” said Howie Gold, director of IT for The Agency Group, an IP Office 7.0 customer.
IP Office 7.0 also delivers an expanded portfolio of devices for multimedia collaboration, including new color touchscreen desktop phones that let users scroll through contacts or manage visual voicemail. Additionally, new conference room phones offer wide-band audio, call recording via SD card, and USB connectivity to a laptop for temporary set-ups. These are part of a portfolio that offers a range of communications, such as HD videoconferencing via a desktop PC, with no added equipment.
"As the economy shifts into a higher gear, today's small and medium businesses need the best tools available to collaborate and compete effectively,” said Isabelle Guis, general manager of Avaya’s small and medium enterprise division. “Avaya IP Office 7.0 represents the pinnacle of advanced communications in this market, providing vast unified communications capabilities with a focus on simplicity and savings."
Additionally, Avaya announced that several service provider partners — including Bell Canada and Verizon — would offer IP Office 7.0 to their SMB customers. A recent study from IT analytics firm Forrester Research found nearly 60 percent of midmarket companies use, are interested in, or are planning to use collaboration software.
Avaya also shared its vision for a hybrid cloud approach to small and medium communications, which places Avaya IP Office on premise, while enabling select applications to be hosted 'in the cloud' on a partner network. The company said this capability would allow more flexible use and faster deployments of Avaya's latest collaboration applications.
At an Avaya press, analyst and partner event in New York, the company discussed forthcoming innovations in collaboration for this market, including the Avaya Flare Experience for SMBs. Avaya also demonstrated advanced multi-party videoconferencing via several devices, desktop sharing capabilities, and an upgrade from a Nortel device to Avaya IP Office using the Data Migration Tool.
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Messaging and Collaboration 
