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19.03.2008 18:45 VoIP Web News
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Features
Aastra Jumps Into IP-PBX Game
IP-phone vendor introduces Asterisk appliances to sell with its SIP phones.
Robert Poe on March 18, 2008
Many IP-PBX vendors use Aastra Telecom SIP (Session Initiation Protocol) phones as part of the turnkey telephony systems they sell to small businesses. But those vendors often provide other phones in their packages as well, which means they do not offer customers the full range of Aastra phones. Aastra has devised a solution to that problem by developing its own IP PBX to sell with its phones.
Astra's New IP PBX
The new product, which Aastra is introducing at the Spring 2008 VON.x Conference and Expo in San Jose, Calif., is called AastraLink Pro Model 160. Described as a"fanless appliance" by Astra Telecom executive vice president Yves Laliberte, the new product is built around DSP (digital signal processing) chips and solid-state electronics instead of conventional servers. It uses the Linux operating system and Asterisk call-control software. Aastra added its own user interface on top of the Asterisk program to make Pro Model 160 easier to set up and operate.
The PBX benefits from tight integration with the Aastra phones. A particular advantage is ease of use, according to Laliberte. After opening the box, a card instructs the user to plug a phone into a color-coded port. A few questions appear on the phone's LCD screen, asking for preferred language, time zone, and other features. Then the PBX gives the phone an extension number and it is ready to make calls. When other phones are plugged in, they also get automatic extensions. Wizard-based software allows the administrator to override the default choices and give phones different extension numbers.
The Advantages
Although auto discovery and provisioning is common these days, having the PBX and phone come from the same manufacturer has advantages, Laliberte claimed. One benefit is that it makes setup faster than it would otherwise be. As noted above, it also gives customers access to a larger selection of the manufacturer's phones. In Aastra's case, those range from $130 entry-level models to executive desk phones with separate cordless handsets. "In talking with small businesses, we see people with all kinds of needs," explained Laliberte. "They want phones that are very inexpensive for the lobby, or with more lines, or with big displays, or expansion models for receptionists. We have an entire portfolio of phones for small businesses that are attractively priced."
Because the phones are standards-based SIP devices, their benefits begin even before a company decides to move to a premises approach. According to Laliberte, many hosted VoIP providers use Aastra phones as part of the service bundle they offer, so when companies decide to buy their own IP PBXes, they can keep the same phones. That is a significant advantage for them. Laliberte said that for an average small company with 8 to 10 employees, phones can account for half the cost of the phone system. Using the same phones is also good for VoIP providers, because it allows them to keep the companies as customers for other offerings, such as SIP trunking.
At the same time, businesses using such SIP devices with IP PBXes, such as Aastra's new product, can keep their phones if they decide to move to hosted service, Laliberte added. And if a small company merges or is bought by a another enterprise, the chance of being able to combine phone systems is better with standards-based SIP phones.
The pricing on the AastraLink Pro follows what Laliberte called a "no-surprise" model. The IP PBX costs $999 regardless of the number of users. There are no additional per-user fees. In practical terms, the product targets businesses with 25 or fewer employees, said Laliberte.
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