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TelecomTactics Update: NEC Philips Unified Solutions Expands SOPHO Product LineAnalyst, Access Intelligence LLC NEC (News - Alert) Philips Unified Solutions announces the SOPHO IPC 500, an IP-PBX for small- and mid-sized businesses and new member of the IPC family which includes the smaller SOPHO IPC 100 (eight to 96 stations) introduced in the summer of 2005.
IPC 500 is a hybrid system that supports traditional circuit-switched telephony (analog and digital), DECT wireless telephony and Voice over IP (compatible with Session Initiated Protocol or SIP) in any combination, allowing businesses to deploy IP telephony as needed. IPC 500 supports single sites with up to 512 station users, as well as multi-site deployments with 2,500 station users.
Customers will benefit from integrated digital voice mail and advanced SOPHO productivity applications, including SOPHO InSite call accounting and call center management, the SOPHO Operator PC-based tool and SOPHO View Call for screen pops.
In addition to analog, digital or IP telephones, SOPHO IPC 500 customers can choose the company’s Business Mobility DECT and IP DECT handsets, including the SOPHO iSMobile C244 DECT with 50-entry phone book, call logging, 12 languages, 200 hours standby time, 20 hours talk time, 1-line x 16-character display and a 50 meter range (indoor) or 300 meter (outdoor).
The C944 DECT cordless handset (pictured) has similar features, but with a 3-lines x 16 character display and 100-entry phone book, text messaging and a headset; the I600 DECT Industrial cordless handset has a larger display (4-line x 16-character), 18 keys, 100 entry-phone book, 100 hours standby time, seven hours talk time, headset and text messaging.
SOPHO IPC 500 is available through Philips channel partners throughout EMEA that will provide support, tools, sales and training. This system is generally available for resale across EMEA depending on product type approval and channel readiness in each country, according to Philips. Currently, SOPHO IPC 500 is available in France and Germany with other countries to follow in the coming months.
Partnering since 2003, NEC Philips offers the NEC IP PBX systems throughout Europe, the Middle East and Africa (the EMEA region), adding a selection of European languages, European trunk interfaces and integration to Philips applications and solutions, as well as networking to other Philips platforms.
As of April 3, 2006, NEC has taken a majority share (60 percent) in Philips’ Business Communication (PBC), according to the Memorandum of Understanding signed by Royal Philips Electronics of The Netherlands and NEC Corporation of Japan.
The joint venture forms the new company called “NEC Philips Unified Solutions” that strengthens NEC’s position in the worldwide telecom market by combining NEC’s market presence in North America and Japan with Philip’s presence in the European enterprise market.
In addition to the SOPHO IPC family, the company also offers SOPHO 2000 IPS, a converged telephony system supporting up to 512 TDM extensions, plus IP extensions for a total of 1,020 ports; SOPHO IPK, an IP-based key system for small- to medium-sized businesses or branch offices (up to 120 stations); and larger SOPHO SV7000 systems which are available on a project basis.
See below for a snapshot of four small- to mid-sized SOPHO systems and visit www.telecomtactics.com for full details.
Visit www.telecomtactics.com for full details on the NEC Philips SOPHO product line and to compare with other Key, PBX and IP PBX systems on the market. Also new in TelecomTactics this month are Panasonic KX-TDA 100/200 3.0 and KX-TDA50 2.0, Inter-Tel (News - Alert) EncoreCX 4.0, Mitel 3300 ICP 7.0, Mitel IP Phones (5212, 5224, 5235 and Navigator IP), Siemens (News - Alert) HiPath ProCenter Enterprise and more!
---- Sandra M. Gusavsen is an analyst for TelecomTactics and Access Intelligence, LLC. To see more of her articles, please visit the TelecomTactics column page.
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