Avaya releases touchscreen phone, links to dual-mode client by DiVitas

Avaya is adding a VoIP desk phone it describes as a blend of a phone and computer that comes with a color touchscreen and support for embedded applications.

View a slideshow of this product.

The screen on the Avaya 9670G phone supports function buttons that eliminate the need for actual buttons on the phone itself. The phone also includes applications that display maps, support a full keyboard, a calculator and weather reports, among other things.

The phone is a Class 2 Power over Ethernet (PoE) device drawing 6.24 Watts.

The company says the existing 9620L phone has been officially rated as a power-saving Class 1 PoE phone drawing 2.2 Watts. Both phones are part of Avaya's one-X Series of VoIP phones. The 9620L costs $370 and the 9670G costs $840.

The company also is introducing a software tool called MyPhone USB that downloads to a USB memory stick individuals' personal phone configurations so they can go to any phone on the network, plug in the USB device and have the phone set up to their specifications. The tool is good for any Avaya 9600 Series phone except the 9610.

Avaya also has integrated its Communications Manager call-control platform and DiVitas Networks' Mobile UC software. Together the two products support dual-mode mobile phones so callers can move drom Wi-Fi networks to cellular networks without losing the connection.

By tapping into Communications Manager, callers can access corporate directories, share presence information and be reached via one number on either the Wi-Fi or cellular network.

The DiVitas Mobile UC client software also integrates with Avaya's Modular Messaging software so users can retrieve visual voice mail -- a text version of voice messages -- through a single mailbox.