Dying communications technology equipment maker Nortel has made some excellent PBXs and PBX (
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Alas the company is being sold off in chunks including its enterprise division to Avaya (
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So if you like your Nortel (
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OnState Communications which provides on-demand virtual contact center and PBX business communications systems has a third alternative, applying OnState’s (
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Alert) cloud-based i.e., hosted business communications service. Using OnState’s solution, Nortel customers can enhance the value of their incumbent equipment by introducing new features and routing capabilities at the network level, thereby protecting and extend their investment in Nortel technology.
OnState lets companies leverage existing phone systems, along with mobile phones, VoIP/SIP and Internet telephony services such as Skype (
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Unlike a conventional phone system, OnState manages people and business functions: not just phones. Using its patented business presence technology, OnState tracks the availability and activity of employees independent of device, PBX or network. It then connects customers to the employee who can serve them best based on worker availability, capability, or any other company-defined criteria.
By delivering business communications as a cloud-based service, OnState says it enables companies to keep pace with innovation and take advantage of new features and capabilities without disrupting their business, disturbing their existing phone system, or requiring new equipment investments. And since users and services are added on-demand, companies can respond quickly to rapidly changing business conditions.
“Nortel's recent bankruptcy filing and the sale of its enterprise solutions business to Avaya has left its customers in a lurch,” Pat Kelly, CEO of OnState, said. “Uncertain support plans and product roadmaps have customers questioning their Nortel investment. Many are considering drastic 'rip and replace' strategies, but with OnState, Nortel customers can take advantage of the latest advances in business communications without decommissioning still-functioning hardware or introducing costly new premise-based equipment.”
Brendan B. Read is TMCnet’s Senior Contributing Editor. To read more of Brendan’s articles, please visit his columnist page.Edited by
Kelly McGuire