The only really great feature about an old clunky answering machine- which by now many people have replaced with voice mail-is call screening. Solopoint Inc. said its SoloCall SmartCenter combines the best of both worlds.
The two-year-old Los Gatos, Calif., company designs, produces and markets a product that allows users to forward incoming faxes, pages and phone calls to wherever they choose, said spokesman Michael Coates. Solopoint is targeting the home-office worker, which represents a fast-growing segment of the working population, and wireless market.
Our focus “is making sure you get the calls you want to get,” said Coates.
The SoloCall SmartCenter does not operate on a voice processing or private branch exchange telephone system and unlike other call management products, SoloCall does not require users to change their phone number.
Less than two inches tall, the SoloCall unit fits next to and is connected to a user’s wired home or office phone and can be programmed using a touchtone phone or Windows software package. It’s like a mini PBX, said Coates.
At the most basic level, SoloCall is a call routing service. If users are out and about with their cellular phones and calls come into their home, SoloCall will ring both phones simultaneously.
Smart Routing offers users the choice to send incoming calls to various locations based on a distinctive ring or caller ID. Also, Solopoint can be set up so calls feed into a menu of options for the caller.
SoloCall also has an automatic fax detection command, so if a fax accidentally is sent to a user’s voice line, SoloCall will recognize the signal and route the fax to the fax machine.
With Smart Monitoring, a SoloCall user can answer a call directly, send it to voice mail or choose to monitor the call-listen in unbeknownst to the caller. In mid-message the user can interrupt and talk to the caller. Likewise, if the call was answered, a user can choose to route the caller to voice mail, perhaps to record some detailed information.
Smart Menus allow the SoloCall user to activate individual capabilities. Smart ID prioritizes incoming calls by the user’s choice. A personalized greeting can be left for incoming callers about what choices they have.
And the user can give certain callers, like the boss or a family member, a code that will ring the user no matter where they are.
SoloCall adds “more productivity and functionality on both ends,” commented Coates. He added that call management control is best in the hands of the user, not the network.
To set up routing at a very detailed level-by hour of day and day of week-Solopoint users can add an adjunct software program that runs with Windows on an IBM-compatible computer.
Coates noted SoloCall prevents dead-end calling. For instance, a caller may dial a SoloCall user’s home phone, hear a menu of options, select “3” for the user’s cellular phone and reach a recording. The person’s phone is turned off or out of zone. Instead of hanging up, the user can push a prompt to return to the main menu and leave a message.
The SoloCall SmartCenter retails for about $500. The company plans to sell its product where cellular phones are sold, primarily through cellular reseller locations and through a few communications product catalogs.
Later this year or next year, the company plans to introduce similar products, some which target larger companies and organizations.
Solopoint received initial funding by co-founder and venture capitalist Charlie Bass. Major early investors were Ameritech Corp. and Olivetti SpA of Italy, whose interests converted to stock when Solopoint went public.
Bass is chairman of the board of directors for Solopoint and chief executive officer. President Edward Esber came aboard about a year ago.
Solopoint employs about 15 people.
