IQ NetSolutions software unites telephony apps

IQ NetSolutions this week is scheduled to add features to its IP telephony application suite that let users tie together disparate voice and messaging systems - such as legacy PBXs, IP PBXs and unified messaging servers - into a single end-user application that supports conferencing, click-to-dial and other features.

VistaPoint software runs on a Windows-based server and connects to legacy and IP voice systems via System Interface Modules (SIM), pieces of code the vendor has written to access features on other systems. For instance, VistaPoint software could tie together an IP-enabled Nortel PBX, 3Com and Cisco IP PBXs and a Microsoft Exchange e-mail server to create a unified messaging architecture, presence capabilities and conferencing supported across all platforms. (Alcatel, Avaya, Mitel and Siemens TDM/IP gear also is supported.)

The new software includes SIM software for tying a Microsoft Live Communication Server (LCS) into VistaPoint. Through a client interface, users can get presence information about others who are attached to a Session Initiation Protocol (SIP)-based Microsoft LCS - instant messaging or videoconferencing end users with Microsoft Messenger. SIP support also can tie in other SIP-based platforms, such as Alcatel's OmniPCX or Siemens' OpenScape IP PBX and messaging platforms.

Another new feature of the VistaPoint software is the ability to tie cell phones into a presence/conferencing system. Cell phones are connected to VistaPoint by loading the phones with a special midlet - a tiny cell phone application (ring tones and games are common examples).

The VistaPoint midlet lets the software connect and transfer cell phone users in VistaPoint conferences, and include cell phone users in presence applications. IQ NetSolutions says the midlets will work on most cell phones and can be downloaded to phones via USB ports, recharging cradles or via wireless Bluetooth.

IQ NetSolutions' software competes with most business IP telephony vendors' unified messaging products for their respective systems; among them are 3Com's Convergence Application Suite, Avaya's Unified Communicator, Cisco's Unity platform, Nortel's CallPilot and Siemens' OpenScape product.

The new VistaPoint package costs $50 per end-user license. The server also costs $5,000, and administration software costs $600.