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Weekly UpdatesCentreCom, Costa Mesa, Calif., the world's only Virtual Local and Long Distance Service Provider (V-LEC(TM)) has announced a landmark partnership with Ericsson Enterprise Systems to offer advanced VoIP telephony capabilities at the highest- quality level in today's marketplace. CentreCom will use Ericsson's WebSwitch 100 to allow it to deliver a comprehensive suite of enhanced Internet Telephony and Unified Communications services to both individual subscribers and business customers around the globe.
CentreCom provides local and long-distance phone service over the Internet through ISPs, DSL service providers and broadband solution providers. CentreCom provides these services and combines its advanced unified communications offerings that include the following:
* Toll-quality local phone service through its patent-pending technology that digitally samples and filters phone conversations enabling better than toll-quality communications at 6.3Kbps over the Internet.
* Standards-based H.323 v2 interoperability with such key players as Cisco, Ericsson, QuickNet, and TekDigitel CPE devices.
* Enhanced Phone-to-PC calling enabling users to receive telephone calls anywhere in the world on any multimedia PC or H.323 VoIP device on the Internet.
* Virtual PBX services that include: voice and fax messaging, unified messaging, multiple inbound calls, caller id, virtual automated attendant and on-the-fly conference calling that eliminates traditional PBX equipment and utilizes existing Cisco routers.
* One-number phone service that rings on up to three communications devices simultaneously over regular telephone lines as well as over the Internet.
* Voice-enabled communications portals that provide users with instant access to critical communications anytime, anywhere from any IP and traditional telephone device.
* Click-to-call applications that require no changes to a call's center's infrastructure and provides toll-quality voice communications from any web browser to the company.
* Co-Marketing opportunities that seamlessly integrate with Internet related and wireless telephony infrastructures that drive usage and increase customer retention.
"By using Ericsson's award winning WebSwitch 100 as part of our offerings, our customers have new abilities that were not offered from any carrier before, and we have a new revenue stream and a competitive edge over the competition," said Don Feuer, President and CEO of CentreCom. "Our customers can now enjoy the highest quality IP telephony services while taking advantage of the cost savings -- at no risk."
Ericsson's WebSwitch 100 is a cost-effective desktop voice over IP (VoIP) gateway that allows remote users, including branch offices and telecommuters, to seamlessly integrate into their corporate-wide call management system. This technology allows access to the company operator, the voice-mail system and other advanced telephone resources. The WebSwitch 100 provides multiple telephone and fax extensions over a single data connection providing CentreCom subscribers with the ability to have up to four toll-quality service phone lines per Box in their home or office.
In addition, the subscribers' phone costs are slashed as the phone lines to their home or office cost far less than the phone lines from the Local Exchange Carrier. Also, ISPs would be able to sign contracts for long-term subscribers and include the WS100 for the monthly access fees. Now business customers can eliminate the need for phone lines and PBXs and take advantage of CentreCom's cutting-edge services.
The WebSwitch 100 allows CentreCom to offer its unique CentreOne(SM) virtual office telecommunications solution for small to large business utilizing either the switched telephone network or the Internet. With the implementation of the WebSwitch 100, the home, cellular, Internet, and the office phone number are tied to one number eliminating the need for customers to give out multiple phone numbers. In addition, incoming calls can be routed to three different phone lines simultaneously allowing subscribers to receive their personal communications in any method they desire. On a case-by-case basis, subscribers can either take a call, send the caller to voice mail, send the caller to another account, join a conference if one is initiated or send the call to another phone number. The location of an individual being called and that person's physical proximity to other individuals within an organization is transparent to a person calling.
Using the WebSwitch 100, CentreOne also offers enhanced calling features that provide an organization's personnel with extension dialing, call forwarding, personal operator (i.e., administrative assistant), conference calling, and other convenient features regardless of where personnel are located. Businesses can even have an automated attendant that routes incoming calls to any person, anywhere. Further, because calls can be transmitted to three communication devices at once, network members' calls "follow them" when they are working or traveling outside of their primary office location. More significantly, members of the network can be reached anywhere in the world through an Internet telephony hardware device.
In addition, CentreCom offers CentreCall(SM), a Web-enabled e-commerce communications solution that allows the website customers to simply "click" a CentreCall icon on a website to automatically place the call to the website's sales support staff. Once the call is initiated by the site customer, the call is placed from the website over the Internet through CentreCom's advanced switching network enabled by Ericsson's powerful IP telephony technology. This information is then authenticated and decompressed from data into voice and directed to the designated phone number.
A company can also create a worldwide "private network" by deploying these Internet telephony devices at its various locations. CentreCom's POPs provide the direct connection from the local exchange carrier to CentreCom's voice over IP network, thereby bypassing the Public Switch Telephone Network for major parts of the call routing. The WebSwitch is extremely easy to manage -- it requires no external components in small configurations and connects to a data network through a standard 10baseT connection.
ABOUT CENTRECOM
CentreCom is a privately held Southern California company established in 1997. CentreCom utilizes traditional telecom infrastructures and the Internet to capitalize on the global shift from separate voice and data networks and provides convergent communications services over the Internet. By seamlessly integrating local, long-distance, and unified communications services, CentreCom is positioned to be the world's leading Next-Generation local and long distance phone company. CentreCom provides these services today on a worldwide basis and is currently building out its network platform to include over 500 POPs by the end of 2001. For more information, please refer to CentreCom's website at http://www.centrecom.com.
ABOUT ERICSSON ENTERPRISE SYSTEMS DIVISION
Ericsson is the leading communications supplier, combining innovation in mobility and Internet in creating the new era of mobile Internet. Ericsson provides total solutions covering everything from systems and applications to mobile phones and other communications tools. With more than 100,000 employees in 140 countries, Ericsson simplifies communications for customers all over the world.
For more information, visit http://www.centrecom.com or call 714-678-5786.
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