North Yorkshire, UK – 16th November 2005
TeleWare, the leading provider of intelligent business communication solutions for hosted and customer solutions to businesses and Service Providers, today announced availability of its iX-Fone for Microsoft CE and Microsoft PocketPC based PDA’s. Features of the new iX-Fone CE include intelligent numbering, presence, voice mail and tele-conferencing, when used alongside TeleWare intelligent eXchange (iX), the company’s SIP-based softswitch.
The iX-Fone CE client is a 100% SIP compliant softphone allowing interaction with any conforming application and has been successfully tested with CE devices from a number of leading manufacturers including Dell, HP Compaq and HTC (manufacturer of the XDA II). The iX-Fone CE enables the use of these PDAs as WiFi telephony devices in the office and also as a mobile device into a WiFi enabled PC – for example, a portable PC/laptop used at home over a broadband connection.
"In the past, there have been a small number of shareware type VoIP offerings for PDAs from smaller vendors, but this is the first time that an enterprise class product with the full range of features has been made available," explains Richard Holland, Product Manger for TeleWare. "We have tested it with a wide range of applications and we are committed to evolving the product, both in terms of features and in line with new standards," says Holland.
Working with TeleWare intelligent eXchange, iX-Fone CE supports traditional PBX features on a PDA, including: message waiting, caller ID, call transfer, call waiting, call divert and call hold. The system also has tight messaging integration with Novell GroupWise, Lotus Notes and Microsoft Office. To reduce management overhead, iX-Fone can automatically update across the network via TeleWare intelligent eXchange.
"We have chosen to create a PDA softphone product on the Microsoft operating system due to the growing number of hardware vendors now available, which gives our customers the widest choice in selecting the best device for their business needs. This avoids customers having to use a particular mobile phone in order to take advantage of voice over WiFi.
In the past, the use of PDAs for telephony has been limited to specific vertical applications, such as within warehouses, where the PDAs are also used for stock control and, therefore, the business justification for the LAN upgrade to a network of sufficient quality to carry voice traffic has already been made. Improvement in LAN bandwidth availability, both in the LAN and through the pervasive availability of broadband, has expanded this market to a point where non-specialist devices have a role to play in the enterprise. This brings the use of PDAs for telephony well beyond this type of specialist application," added Holland.
The software provides a reduction in call costs by automatically prompting the device to be selected and utilises the lowest cost network at any point in time such as fixed LAN, Wireless Network, Wireless Hotspots or cellular/PSTN network. If configured, the system will use the least expensive network available, instead of the GSM or PSTN, with subsequent cost savings to the customer.
"Although this market is still small, the growth potential is huge as the mobile phone and PDA converge to become a single item. We are the first provider to offer the same level of functionality as available from a fixed handset and already have a number of pilot projects running with key customers," Holland concludes.
TeleWare iX-Fone for PCs, iX-Fone CE for PDAs and intelligent eXchange SIP switch/IP-PBX are supported by a software development kit for integration of telephony applications into other business processes and to allow more bespoke customisation of features and functions.
About TeleWare Group Plc
The TeleWare Group delivers products and services based on the TeleWare applications developed by TeleWare Plc. in a variety of ways to suit the differing target markets. The TeleWare Group consists of TeleWare Plc, TeleWare Hosted Services and TeleWare Application Services.
About TeleWare Hosted Services (THS)
THS is the Centre of Excellence for the delivery of TeleWare’s IP Softswitch and multiple applications portfolio in a hosted environment where the TeleWare service is delivered across TDM or IP networks. The Hosted Services can be delivered from TeleWare’s hosted environment in Thirsk, a Service Provider’s hosted environment or from an approved co-location facility.
About TeleWare Application Services (TAS)
TAS is an Application Service Provider (ASP) providing services based on the TeleWare intelligent Communication Application suite. TAS was established specifically to host TeleWare applications for delivery through the BT Featurenet VPN and is the preferred Messaging and Mobility platform for BT and O2 customers. Today TAS supports both Featurenet and independent corporate and public service customers and has over 20,000 connected users taking services such as personal numbering, auto attendant, unified and integrated messaging and IVR.
About TeleWare
TeleWare is the leading supplier of intelligent communications solutions provided as packaged and tailored Application Software. TeleWare’s applications provide local and wide area Unified Communications capabilities to businesses, improving communications contact with individuals and teams and providing full multimedia messaging services. TeleWare’s applications enhance communications and enable the support of today’s working practices such as teleworking. They provide a consistent user interface to the phone, PC, PDA or mobile handset over the entire range of communications infrastructures from traditional telephony to IP Telephony. Unparalleled interoperability and a commitment to open standards ensure flexibility, freedom and ease the migration path from today’s infrastructures to full IP operation.
TeleWare’s suite of applications is delivered as On-Premise solutions, Managed or Hosted Services to medium and large Enterprises and Service Providers. TeleWare customers include over 23% of the FT-SE 100 and approaching 20% of the top 1000 blue chip national and multinational companies.
TeleWare has certification for the quality standard ISO9001/2000 TickIT and has been awarded the Investors in People national standard for training and development of its employees to achieve its business goals.
For further information, visit http://www.teleware.com
Recent Comments