Verizon debuts fixed-mobile services

CHICAGO -- Verizon this week unveiled three fixed-mobile convergence services at the NXTcomm conference here.

The services, part of the carrier’s mobility suite of wireless business offerings, are designed to help mobile workers optimize wired and wireless services to avoid gaps the other might present while conducting business remotely. Verizon says about a quarter of the workers in large businesses travel frequently to conduct business.

Some of these new services had been expected.

The services are Wireless Office, PBX Mobile Extension and Mobile Conference Connection. Features of all three services include: a single phone number that simultaneously rings to an office, home and cell phone; a unified mailbox that consolidates voice mail from multiple devices; and instant conference calls that can be organized and initiated on any Research in Motion BlackBerry or Microsoft Windows Mobile smart phone or PDA.

Wireless Office and PBX Mobile Extension are designed to provide wireless phone users with the same capabilities available on a desk office phone. Wireless Office works on the Verizon Wireless network and extends common PBX calling features -- such as abbreviated dialing, closed user groups and call control -- to the wireless devices of small/midsize business users.

The service includes two different pricing options for either on-campus wireless calling or on-net calling for calls that originate from a wireless handset to a corporate office extension. It is available now in the United States.

PBX Mobile Extension is targeted at large corporate campuses or large numbers of mobile workers. This service works with a company’s existing PBX system to provide a single phone number that simultaneously rings on a user’s cell phone, home phone or any pre-selected phone number.

If a user can’t answer the call, PBX Mobile Extension uses a company’s existing voice mail system to deliver a unified voice mailbox, Verizon says.

Outbound calls by employees using cell phones show the caller’s office phone number via caller ID. Cell phone callers also can use other PBX functions, such as call-transfer, park, hold and so forth. The service will be available in the United States starting next month, and Verizon plans to roll it out internationally in 2008.

Mobile Conference Connection is targeted for launch next month. It allows remote workers to initiate or join a conference call on any BlackBerry or Microsoft-based smart phone or PDA.

For example, Mobile Conference Connection lets meeting organizers in North America, Europe, Middle East, Asia-Pacific and Latin America initiate and schedule spontaneous meetings, send e-mail meeting invitations, start meetings, and add participants to conference calls via a link embedded in an e-mail invitation that participants receive via their mobile registered device. In addition, participants can join audio calls by having a conference call bridge dial out to contact them.

Users of Verizon’s new Global BlackBerry 8830 service can use Mobile Conference Connection to initiate or participate in conference calls from 150 countries.