Avaya, a leading global provider of business communications applications, systems and services, today announced a new telecommuter solution that embeds virtual private network (VPN) remote capabilities into Avaya’s family of IP telephones. Businesses around the Middle East can use this solution to more easily and securely extend headquarters-quality communication to employees working from any home office, temporary work site or emergency location. By integrating new Avaya VPNremote™ software within the phone, telecommuters have an “always on” business-class IP telephone that contains all of the functions required for highly-productive and continuous enterprise voice communication.
“The Middle East’s business community includes thousands of executives who work from home or remote offices around the region, and who need the same of level of telephony while working remotely that they do while in the office,” said Nidal Abou-Ltaif, Avaya’s managing director for MENA. “Avaya’s new VPN-enabled IP phones transparently extend the office to users, giving telecommuters or ‘road warriors’ an easier way to communicate, while supplying enterprises with a strategic solution for improved business continuity and streamlined costs.”
The solution—called VPNremote for Avaya 4600 IP Telephones—enables telecommuting employees to quickly and cost-effectively install the desktop IP phone in their home office with minimal equipment or IT assistance, similar to how a laptop PC is connected for remote access via Internet. For example, after an IT administrator loads the new VPN software into the Avaya IP Phone, a home office-based worker can simply plug the phone into a power source, connect it to a home broadband router, enter a password, and it is operable. No other equipment or software is required in the home office. This simplicity can also be applied to temporary remote deployments, such as when business teams gather at trade shows, corporate events or other temporary work locations.
This solution drives greater business continuity by enabling companies to swiftly deploy Avaya IP phones with VPNremote to necessary locations when responding to a disaster recovery scenario or disruption in network communication. An organisation can cost-effectively deploy the phones to dispersed and remote workers anywhere, knitting together a secure communication network that keeps business running and workers productive under the most challenging conditions.
The features of the Avaya IP phones with VPNremote are identical to those found in a corporate headquarters or contact centre, making them ideal for home-based contact centre agents, telecommuting sales people or other remote employees that must access enterprise telephony capabilities daily. Familiar features includes a high-performance speakerphone, superior voice quality, short extension dialing, transfer, and conferencing—as well as Web-based access to information and corporate-wide broadcasts via a screen display.
“In order for telecommuters in a home office or remote location to be productive, they require a business communications experience that is secure, highly-functional and equal to that within a corporate headquarters,” said Allan Sulkin, president of TEQConsult Group. “Avaya’s new solution helps improve the performance capabilities of the telecommuter, and can be a lifesaver for executives who need to operate in a virtual workspace.”
VPNremote for Avaya 4600 IP Telephones is part of Avaya’s portfolio of mobility solutions, which includes the Avaya IP Softphone, a software-based version of one’s office phone accessible from a laptop PC and designed for highly-mobile users and road warriors. Both solutions are based on the Avaya Communication Manager software platform, the company’s award-winning IP telephony software.
About Avaya
Avaya Inc. designs, builds and manages communications networks for more than 1 million businesses worldwide, including over 90 percent of the FORTUNE 500®. Focused on businesses large to small, Avaya is a world leader in secure and reliable Internet Protocol (IP) telephony systems and communications software applications and services.
Driving the convergence of voice and data communications with business applications – and distinguished by comprehensive worldwide services – Avaya helps customers leverage existing and new networks to achieve superior business results. For more information visit the Avaya website: http://www.avaya.com.
