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Unified Communications Featured Article
December 10, 2009
Aastra to Announce UC Product for SMBs at ITEXPO East 2010
By HD isn’t just about making the user’s experience more pleasant – it can actually improve business productivity and efficiency, an official with the U.S. division of an international enterprise communications provider based in Ontario, Canada, told TMCnet in an interview.
According to Tim Whittington, senior vice president and general manager of Aastra USA, problems that come with conference calls for example, when it’s hard to understand someone because of language barriers, can be solved by HD voice.
“And over time, users who have been exposed to HD voice will come to expect it,” Whittington told TMC (News - Alert) CEO Rich Tehrani in an interview, printed in full below. “One barrier to adoption will be the expense of upgrading desktop phones to support it. That is why, at ITEXPO (News - Alert) in Los Angeles last September, we announced our Hi-Q wideband audio technology which is available as a free software download for all of our new and existing 67xi SIP phones.”
Aastra (News - Alert) will be on hand for ITEXPO East 2010, to be held Jan. 20 to 22 in Miami, and Whittington said the company is excited to announce a new product for the SMB market.
“Resellers and end users who are interested in unified communications applications for this market will definitely want to come by the booth for a demo and more information on this new offering,” he said.
Their full exchange follows.
Rich Tehrani (News - Alert): Smartphones continue to rise, find their ways into offices and homes alike. Who will dominate that market and why?
Tim Whittington (pictured left): In the near term the iPhone (News - Alert) will continue to be the favorite in the consumer market and the BlackBerry will still dominate for business users. Over the next few years, however, Android is poised to eclipse both of these as more and more handset manufacturers are adopting the platform.
RT: We hear more and more about high-definition voice features in IP communications products and services. What is going to drive wideband audio and HD VoIP into the mainstream market? How long will it take?
TW: HD isn’t just about making the user’s experience more pleasant; it can actually improve business productivity and efficiency. For example, conference calls can present problems when someone is hard to understand due to different native languages or when it is hard to distinguish who is talking. HD voice can alleviate these issues. And over time, users who have been exposed to HD voice will come to expect it.
One barrier to adoption will be the expense of upgrading desktop phones to support it. That is why, at ITEXPO in Los Angeles last September, we announced our Hi-Q wideband audio technology which is available as a free software download for all of our new and existing 67xi SIP phones.
RT: What’s the most innovative product that’s going to hit the market in 2010, from a company other than your own?
TW: It’s always hard to predict the next big thing – my crystal ball is no better than yours. Whatever it is it will likely involve a mobile device. I believe video will continue to play a more important role in our daily activities.
RT: We entered 2009 in a recession and now we’re seeing signs of the economy picking up. How did the slow economy affect demand for your products and services and what are you anticipating in 2010?
TW: Certainly there has been some slow down in demand, but for the most part we have come out okay this year. Customers continue to look for “value” and Aastra provides an excellent value proposition. Next year I think enterprise buyers will begin to open their wallets with cautious optimism. However, I do think buyers will look more closely at the viability of the companies they do business with.
RT: President Barack Obama has been in office for nearly a year. What has surprised you, whether a pleasant surprise or disappointment, about his presidency, policies and administration?
He really hasn’t done much in my opinion. He seems to be focused on the superficial issues and not the tough challenges we face as a nation; driving down unemployment, lowering taxes to spur growth; ballooning deficits will only lead to higher inflation and tougher times for our kids. I’m a free market supporter and government intervention stifles growth.
RT: If you were president of the United States, what tech-friendly policies would you enact?
Policies that reduce government intervention in the free market; I am a firm believer that innovation happens faster and the economy works better that way.
RT: What are some of the areas of market growth in the next few years?
TW: Social media and other collaboration tools will continue to grow; however enterprises will opt for in-house, secure solutions. For example, microblogging can be very useful within an organization to give quick status updates on projects, problem resolution, what people are working on, etc., but that’s not the type of information you would want blasted on Twitter. The same applies to desktop video. Desktop video will be more affordable and displace many of the low quality, free solutions available today.
RT: I understand you are exhibiting Jan. 20 to 22 at ITEXPO East 2010 in Miami. What will you show there? Describe the companies or people who should come to your exhibit.
TW: Aastra has always been focused on providing communications solutions for businesses of all sizes. We are very excited about a new product offering we will be announcing for the SMB market. Resellers and end users who are interested in unified communications applications for this market will definitely want to come by the booth for a demo and more information on this new offering.
RT: Why should customers choose your company’s solutions? How do they justify the expense to management?
TW: Our solutions – from our PBXs and applications, down to our SIP phones – are all designed with innovative features to help people work smarter, and in these days most companies need to do more with less. Aastra’s broad portfolio provides value for companies of all sizes and our many customers that have worked with us for over 20 years are a testimony to the quality of our products.
RT: Please give me one outrageous prediction pertaining to our markets for 2010.
TW: There will be more consolidation in the market and the landscape in 12 to 18 months will look surprisingly different. But that’s not really outrageous to predict.
To find out more about Aastra, visit the company at ITEXPO East 2010. To be held Jan. 20 to 22 in Miami, ITEXPO is the world’s premier IP communications event. Visit Aastra in booth #212. Don’t wait. Register now.
Michael Dinan is a group managing editor for TMCnet, overseeing TMCnet's Web editorial team and covering news in the IP communications, CRM and VoIP industries. He also oversees production of e-Newsletters in the areas of 4G wireless technology and smart products. To read more of Michael's articles, please visit his columnist page.
Edited by Michael Dinan
