Alcatel and Bermuda's Largest Law Firm Take a Case for Convergence.Business Editors & High-Tech Writers CALABASAS, Calif. and HAMILTON, Bermuda--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Sept. 17, 2001 Appleby Spurling & Kempe deploy Alcatel OmniPCX 4400 IP-based PBX (Private Branch eXchange) An inhouse telephone switching system that interconnects telephone extensions to each other as well as to the outside telephone network (PSTN). and Omni data solutions for a convergence-ready network Alcatel (NYSE NYSE See: New York Stock Exchange :ALA) today announced that Bermuda law firm Appleby Spurling & Kempe (AS&K) have installed a convergence-ready communication network using Alcatel's OmniPCX 4400 communication servers and Alcatel's Omni family of data switches. AS&K wanted to consolidate the voice traffic on a single platform to deliver common phone features to all 352 users across three offices in Bermuda. Each office has been equipped with an OmniPCX 4400 communication server which are networked together to operate as a layer. Prior to the installation, AS&K grappled with aging telephone systems at its three locations, limited phone features, and slow network access. Regardless of their office location, users now have access to the same features such calling party name display, dial-by name capability and centralized cen·tral·ize v. cen·tral·ized, cen·tral·iz·ing, cen·tral·iz·es v.tr. 1. To draw into or toward a center; consolidate. 2. resources such as voice mail and call accounting. The Alcatel OmniPCX 4400 voicemail application lets employees easily forward voice messages to other offices. The Alcatel OmniPCX 4400 also works with AS&K's existing call accounting solution so billable client calls can be tracked easily and managed centrally -- improving productivity and reducing billing errors. All AS&K attendants are equipped with a robust Alcatel Multimedia Attendant Console An attendant console is a telephone station that is generally part of a private branch exchange (PBX) or Centrex or other private telephone system. An attendant console generally is a regular PBX telephone station with one or more additional modules each bearing numerous buttons which makes call handling functions easier and more efficient by allowing computer access to corporate directories and call transfers with the click of a mouse. In the spring of 2000, AS&K upgraded its data infrastructure using Alcatel's Omni Switch/Router and OmniStack to move from a legacy Token Ring network A LAN access method that uses the token passing technology in a physical ring. Each station in the network passes the token on to the station next to it. Token Ring and FDDI LANs use the token ring access method. See Token Ring, FDDI and token passing. to a Gigabit backbone. With virtual LANs Also called a "VLAN," it is a logical subgroup within a local area network that is created via software rather than manually moving cables in the wiring closet. It combines user stations and network devices into a single unit regardless of the physical LAN segment they are attached to and (VLANs) in place, these Alcatel data switches enable attorneys, paralegals, assistants and administrators to have faster access to mission-critical applications on the network. Users share client information, court records and transfer files across the AS&K network much faster and easier than before. "With VoIP applications such as unified messaging Having access to e-mail, voice mail and faxes via a common computer application or by telephone. For example, unified messaging may send faxes and digitized voice mail to a mail server that turns them into e-mail attachments. and Web-based contact center in mind, AS&K needed a rock solid data infrastructure and a highly reliable and scalable communications platform that could provide us with a migration path for voice/data convergence," said Catherine Mahoney, facilities manager, Appleby Spurling & Kempe. "The Alcatel OmniPCX 4400 provides for a future-proof platform while enabling us to retain traditional connections for digital phones, analog speaker phones and fax equipment directly into the OmniPCX. We can convert the digital phones to IP phones whenever we need to and we now have the foundation to add new applications as they are developed. Overall we found that Alcatel has the most comprehensive solutions on the market that will enable AS&K to stay on the leading edge of technology." "In today's competitive marketplace, legal practices like AS&K and their medical and banking counterparts are looking more closely at voice/data convergence to improve efficiencies and reduce communications and administrative costs administrative costs, n.pl the overhead expenses incurred in the operation of a dental benefits program, excluding costs of dental services provided. ," said Tom Wilburn, senior vice president, Alcatel North American North American named after North America. North American blastomycosis see North American blastomycosis. North American cattle tick see boophilusannulatus. Enterprise Business. "The Alcatel OmniPCX 4400 is the best IP-PBX solution in the market to address their immediate needs for expanded voice capabilities and future requirements for voice-over-IP applications. Alcatel's Omni family of data solutions allows AS&K to effectively deliver the infrastructure to enable these applications." Certified See certification. Systems, an Alcatel Business Partner in Bermuda installed and continues to provide support for the Alcatel OmniPCX 4400 network at AS&K. "Based on our experience setting up the Alcatel OmniPCX 4400 at the AS&K offices, we demonstrated that the OmniPCX's open, standards-based architecture made it simple to connect third party applications and provides for a future-proof convergence solution," said Dwyer Williams, president, Certified Systems (http://www.csystems.bm). About the Omni family of convergence-ready network solutions Alcatel's award-winning Omni family of networking solutions meets the needs of enterprises converging con·verge v. con·verged, con·verg·ing, con·verg·es v.intr. 1. a. To tend toward or approach an intersecting point: lines that converge. b. voice and data networks. Based on a client/server UNIX architecture A Unix architecture is a computer operating system system architecture that embodies the Unix philosophy. It may adhere to standards such as the Single UNIX Specification (SUS) or similar POSIX IEEE standard. , the Alcatel OmniPCX 4400 is an IP-PBX with dual IP-TDM capabilities that supports scalability from 50 to 50,000 users, innovative Reflexes telephone handsets, 99.999 percent reliability, one-number mobility, unified messaging and voice-over IP networking. Alcatel's Omni-family of data switches and Secure VPN (Virtual Private Network) A private network that is configured within a public network (a carrier's network or the Internet) in order to take advantage of the economies of scale and management facilities of large networks. solutions provide the network foundation that supports the quality of service, security, and management requirements of converged networks The integration of the telephone system with IP-based data networks. See softswitch. (networking) converged network - A single network that can carry voice, video and data. . About AS&K Appleby Spurling & Kempe and its forerunners have offered innovative solutions to complex legal problems for more than 100 years. Today, the firm is Bermuda's largest law firm and a leader in the competitive offshore legal world, and the first Bermuda law firm to embrace the new possibilities provided by the growth of electronic commerce. AS&K can be found on the Web at http://www.ask.bm. About Alcatel Alcatel builds next generation networks, delivering integrated end-to-end voice and data networking solutions to established and new carriers, as well as enterprises and consumers worldwide. With sales of $29 billion (EURO 31 billion) in 2000 and 110,000 employees, Alcatel operates in more than 130 countries. For more information, visit Alcatel on the Internet: http://www.alcatel.com. |
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