BASKING RIDGE, N.J.-Avaya Communications Inc., the former Enterprise Networks Group at Lucent Technologies Inc., celebrated its just-completed $8 billion spin-off by introducing a half-dozen additions to its Enterprise Class IP Solutions product line.
The spin-off, completed on Sept. 30, involved Lucent shareholders of record on Sept. 20 receiving one share of Avaya common stock for every 12 shares of Lucent common stock and a cash payment for any fractional shares.
Lucent noted the Internal Revenue Service ruled that the special stock dividend qualified as tax-free for federal income tax purposes, except to the extent that cash was received instead of fractional shares.
The new products that Avaya introduced included the Avaya IP600 Internet Protocol Communications Server, a 19-inch rack-mounted IP solution that brings voice mail, six-party conferencing, call coverage, attendant console support, multiple line appearances, bridged appearances and speed dialing to converged IP networks; the R300 Remote Office Communicator, designed to extend the Communications Server’s features and applications to remote locations over the wide area network; the Directory Gateway, a Web access tool for streamlined workflow and information management in a converged voice/data environment; IP Telephones, with available upgrades through downloadable firmware; a second-generation IP Softphone with support for seven languages; and the Definity IP Solution software that Avaya said provides improved traffic handling, voice quality over packet facilities and support for its IP Telephones and Softphone.
The company said the products allow users to make phone calls, send and receive voice mail, run a customer contact center on a single IP infrastructure with mission-critical reliability and private branch exchange functionality.
“Avaya’s vision is that customers of all sizes will be able to gain the efficiency and cost savings of IP-based communications without compromising on reliability or functionality,” explained Carl Wiese, product management vice president for Avaya.
Wiese noted the company’s IP solutions are based on open platforms and standards and are compatible with existing systems, applications and network infrastructure.
