- Q2: 2008-04-01
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AstriCon
September 22-25, 2008
Phoenix, Arizona USA
AstriCon is the official conference for the wildly popular Asterisk® PBX and telephony platform. AstriCon includes a wealth of information for those who are getting started with Asterisk, as well as those who have already discovered the power of open source telephony. For 2008, Astricon remains in Phoenix, Arizona, but will be located in a high-rise hotel instead of spread out across a large resort. The Renaissance Glendale Hotel and Spa will be home to the 2008 Astricon Conference. www.astricon.net
Switchvox SMB 3.5 & AA60 Switchvox Appliance
Digium® has released Switchvox™ SMB 3.5 and the AA60 Switchvox Appliance. Switchvox, designed for small to mid-sized businesses, is the most widely used communications system based on Asterisk, the open source project headed by Digium and strengthened by the contributions of hundreds of developers around the world. Switchvox SMB 3.5 introduces features and enhancements that larger companies require. The AA60 Switchvox Appliance was designed specifically with the needs of small business in mind, highlighting the expanding market for the Switchvox product line.
Switchvox IP PBX products deliver the advanced functions typically associated with expensive, proprietary systems, but also provide unique, innovative features that bridge the gap between the business phone system and the power of Web 2.0. Integration with leading CRM applications Salesforce.com and SugarCRM as well as Google Maps is included through Switchvox SMB's Switchboard interface, and customers can easily create custom mashups that leverage other Web applications in seconds with no programming knowledge required.
In this way, when individuals receive calls, they can have useful information from internal company databases or external Web applications automatically displayed, e.g., a real estate agent sees the properties his caller has expressed interest in, a hiring manager sees the blogs and Facebook page his caller has created, and a doctor's receptionist sees insurance information for his caller-all in real time. It is these types of powerful features that drive the expansion of Switchvox's target market, both up-market to larger businesses and down into the smallest organizations which can truly benefit from this type of efficiency boost.
New features in version 3.5 of the IP PBX software make it easier for administrators or resellers to set up larger systems more quickly than ever before. Bundling Switchvox SMB 3.5 on Digium's AA60 Switchvox Appliance makes for an even more reliable communications solution and saves valuable space in a small office environment.
"Our customers want customized solutions-one size doesn't fit all," said Dave Michels, president of Buffalo Communications, a VoIP solutions provider based in Denver. " Switchvox's flexibility allows us to deliver exactly what customers need-the features that end users want with a level of system control calibrated to meet the needs of each company. Switchvox SMB 3.5 automates the time-consuming tasks associated with setting up a phone system for the larger organizations we're installing Switchvox in, and frees us up to focus on delivering even more value."
Highlights of Switchvox SMB 3.5 include:
- Integrated phone management
- Multi-level administration
- Batch direct inward dial (DID) mapping
- Batch caller ID configuration
- Enhanced phonebook panel
- Type to find extensions
- Small form factor
- Increased reliability
- Full coverage by the Digium Exceptional Satisfaction Program
- VoIP ready
- Support for PSTN connectivity
"Digium has always led the pack when it comes to providing next-generation features that elevate the PBX out of the phone closet and into an inherently connected, more powerful communications platform," said Joshua Stephens, general manager of business products at Digium. " With the latest release of Switchvox SMB, we're addressing a real need to provide solutions to larger and larger organizations as they become increasingly interested in what open technologies and voice over IP can do for them. And the release of the AA60 Switchvox Appliance shows that the technology that appeals to the big boys can be affordable for even a small home office."
WestCON GROUP announces CollaborationPoint Open Source
Westcon Group, Inc., the leading specialty distributor in networking, convergence, security and mobility, is now offering Digium's complete line of Asterisk-based telephony solutions to its worldwide community of reseller customers. The ground-breaking partnership enables Westcon resellers to deliver open source-based, non-proprietary VoIP solutions to small to medium-sized businesses (SMBs) more economically.
The entire line of Digium's solutions is now available through Westcon's CollaborationPoint Open Source program, including the Switchvox™ IP PBX, Asterisk Appliance™, Asterisk Business Edition™ software and appliances, and Digium's complete line of analog, digital and voice processing telephony cards for Asterisk servers and appliances. By offering Digium solutions, Westcon resellers are now able to compete more effectively on price, performance and features, bringing greater value to the end-user community.
"Digium is the undisputed leader of open source innovation and is breaking new ground in providing SMBs with the means to integrate reliable and affordable IP communications platforms that meet the needs of evolving business," said Dan Pirro, group commercial sales manager of Westcon Group, Inc. " This partnership delivers greater competitive advantage to Westcon resellers as they look to provide businesses with customized and affordable, open source-based communications options where none previously existed."
Through Westcon's CollaborationPoint Open Source program, resellers will be able to access sales support, pre-sales engineering and post-sales support, advanced selling and configuration tools, authoritative market analysis and up-to-date product information designed to increase reseller profitability. In addition, all Digium products are backed by its Exceptional Satisfaction Program (ESP) money-back guarantee.
"By partnering with Westcon, we will be able to bring more affordable Asterisk-based VoIP solutions to the mass market and expand our mainstream channel coverage," said Steve Harvey, Digium's vice president of worldwide sales. " The Digium line of telephony products, along with Westcon's Asterisk-friendly ecosystem, will help Westcon resellers more confidently address new market opportunities by offering complete, open source-based communications solutions that compete with proprietary solutions on features, performance and price."
To learn more about CollaborationPoint Open Source, please visit the program portal at opensource.westcon.com.