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Network Equipment Technologies, Inc. has completed telephony equipment interoperability testing with Polycom (News - Alert); creating an entry-level SIP-based wireless telephony system geared for smaller sized businesses.

 

A global player in the telepresence, video and voice communications solutions space, Polycom's KIRK DECT (News - Alert) – a digital enhanced cordless telecommunications phone – is now capable of working within NET's VX Series including: KIRK Wireless Server 300 and KIRK Wireless Server 6000 systems, as well as the full lineup of KIRK wireless phones.

 

Jim Kruger (News - Alert), vice president of marketing for Polycom, said the company is committed to offering open standards-based communications solutions to customers, and the teaming with NET (News - Alert) will expand the offering mobility to the SMB market.

 

The combined solution is designed to enable DECT handsets – which now includes Polycom's full portfolio of KIRK handsets –  to work as a SIP client and register directly with a gateway instead of a SIP softswitch.

According to Kruger, the combined benefits are many starting with enhanced compatibility features, ease of operation, remote survivability, and a more cost effective solution for small enterprises and branch office locations.

 

More specifically, he said, Polycom and NET's interoperability offers enterprises and system integrators compatibility with all VoIP system elements – from service provider equipment to the end user including  KIRK wireless solutions.

 

In addition, with the VX Series system integrator, engineers only need to set up one network device with SIP registrar, instead of setting up multiple devices like a gateway, an IP PBX, and a softswitch.  This is expected to reduce call routing complexity by centralizing it within the gateway and with its ability to integrate with Active Directory/LDAP servers.

 

"Interoperability with Polycom's DECT systems opens options for system's integrators to offer solutions to small businesses seeking the benefits of IP-based network telephony," said Kevin Isacks, director of Product Marketing.

 

With the help of IP DECT solutions registered in each branch office, inter-office calls can be completed over PSTN links if the IP network to headquarters or data center is lost. As a result, even when the IP network fails, branch offices equipped with Polycom's DECT systems can remain available.

 

"NET makes reliable, efficient, and robust VoIP communications devices that provide secure telephony capabilities over IP networks," said Kevin Isacks, director of Product Marketing at NET.

 

And these “efficient and robust” solutions are expected to be a cost-effective alternative voice solution for small enterprises. That is because basic VoIP calls can be provided with KWS300 and KWS6000 IP DECT solutions registered on a VX Series' SIP registrar. This “basic” call processing provided by the VX for SIP phones registered on the gateway is also designed to eliminate the need for purchasing and installing an expensive SIP server or an IP PBX.

 

Both NET and Polycom have a heavy presence at the ITEXPO West in the Los Angeles Convention Center from Sept. 1 to Sept. 3. The event is slated to provide an overall educational program that teaches resellers, enterprises, SMBs, and Government Agencies how to select IP-based voice, video, fax, and unified communications to purchase or resell.

 

NET will be demonstrating a Polycom phone connected to a laptop, simulating a real world configuration, in Booth #419 during the ITEXPO.

 

Polycom has several executives on hand to lead and participate sessions.

 

On Wednesday, Bob Preston, Polycom vice president of Industry Solutions and chief collaboration officer at Polycom,  will lead a session titled, “The Stimulus and Vertical Markets.” He will address what the billions of dollars of Federal spending might mean to a number of key verticals including healthcare, education and the public sector.

 

Jeffrey Rodman, Polycom founder and CTO, on Wednesday will join a group of other industry insiders during a session titled, “HD Voice and Wideband Codecs.”

 

He will also participate in another session, titled, “Pushing the Envelope with HD Voice: A State-of-the-Industry Panel Discussion.” The group will discuss the benefits of HD voice services and how this higher quality of sound can be used to attract, retain and drive service providers’ success in a highly competitive marketplace.