Digium Widens Reach with Sleek New Version of Switchvox IP PBX.

Software improvements ideal for larger organizations, while new appliance platform is targeted at small businesses

SAN JOSE, Calif. -- Digium[R], Inc., the Asterisk[R] Company, today released Switchvox SMB 3.5 and the AA60 Switchvox Appliance. Switchvox, designed for small to mid-sized businesses, is the most widely used communications system based on Asterisk, the open source project headed by Digium and strengthened by the contributions of hundreds of developers around the world. Switchvox SMB 3.5 introduces features and enhancements that larger companies require and the AA60 Switchvox Appliance was designed specifically with the needs of small business in mind, highlighting the expanding market for the Switchvox product line.

Switchvox IP PBX products deliver the advanced functions typically associated with expensive, proprietary systems, but also provide unique, innovative features that bridge the gap between the business phone system and the power of Web 2.0. Integration with leading CRM applications Salesforce.com and SugarCRM as well as Google Maps is included through Switchvox SMB's Switchboard interface, and customers can easily create custom mashups that leverage other Web applications in seconds, with no programming knowledge required.

In this way, when individuals receive calls, they can have useful information from internal company databases or external Web applications automatically displayed, e.g., a real estate agent sees the properties his caller has expressed interest in, a hiring manager sees the blogs and Facebook page his caller has created and a doctor's receptionist sees insurance information for his caller--all in real time. It is these types of powerful features that drive the expansion of Switchvox's target market, both up-market to larger businesses and down into the smallest organizations, which can truly benefit from this type of efficiency boost.

New features in version 3.5 of the IP PBX software make it easier for administrators or resellers to set up larger systems more quickly than ever before. Bundling Switchvox SMB 3.5 on Digium's AA60 Switchvox Appliance makes for an even more reliable communications solution and saves valuable space in a small office environment.

"Our customers want customized solutions--one size doesn't fit all," said Dave Michels, president of Buffalo Communications, a VoIP solutions provider based in Denver. "Switchvox's flexibility allows us to deliver exactly what customers need--the features that end users want with a level of system control calibrated to meet the needs of each company. Switchvox SMB 3.5 automates the time-consuming tasks associated with setting up a phone system for the larger organizations we're installing Switchvox in and frees us up to focus on delivering even more value."

Highlights of Switchvox SMB 3.5 include:

* Integrated phone management--Streamlined phone configuration without the need to manually enter the network address of each phone saves the system administrator or integrator time. Switchvox automatically finds phones and allows their extensions to be specified through the Switchvox interface or through the phone.

* Multi-level administration--Increases system security by giving some administrators access only to chosen areas of the phone system.

* Batch direct inward dial (DID) mapping--Allows administrators to quickly map all of the company's extensions to direct dial numbers rather than keying them into the IP PBX one at a time.

* Batch caller ID configuration--Lets administrators specify per extension outbound caller ID for all extensions with one simple setting.

* Enhanced phonebook panel--Users can add multiple extensions at once to their personalized Switchboard phonebook, saving time during setup for employees of larger companies.

* Type to find extensions--Administrators can start typing an individual's name and a search feature quickly finds the extension. This makes it much faster to navigate larger phone systems with many extensions.

The new AA60 Switchvox Appliance replaces the tower server for both SOHO and SMB products. The AA60 offers:

* Small form factor--It weighs about 10 lbs. and can be mounted on a wall to save space.

* Increased reliability--A one-year warranty comes standard; a three-year warranty is optional.

* Full coverage by the Digium Exceptional Satisfaction Program--The strongest guarantee in open source telephony gives customers their money back if the product is defective or fails to perform as described.

* VoIP ready--No extra hardware is necessary to connect to SIP or IAX voice over IP trunks.

* Support for PSTN connectivity--Support for one to eight analog ports or a T1/E1 line gives customers greater flexibility in working with their existing network.

The new IP PBX products can be seen this week at Digium Asterisk World in San Jose, Calif., and VoiceCon in Orlando, Fla., and will be available on March 31, 2008, from Digium through www.digium.com/switchvox and authorized partners in North America, Europe and Australia. U.S. pricing begins at $3,390 for a Switchvox SMB and AA60 bundle for 10 users, including one-year subscription and warranty.

"Digium has always led the pack when it comes to providing next-generation features that elevate the PBX out of the phone closet and into an inherently connected, more powerful communications platform," said Joshua Stephens, general manager of business products at Digium. "With the latest release of Switchvox SMB, we're addressing a real need to provide solutions to larger and larger organizations as they become increasingly interested in what open technologies and voice over IP can do for them. And the release of the AA60 Switchvox Appliance shows that the technology that appeals to the big boys can be affordable for even a small home office."

About Digium

Digium[R], Inc., the Asterisk[R] Company, created, owns and is the innovative force behind Asterisk, the most widely used open source telephony software. Since its founding in 1999, Digium has become the open source alternative to proprietary communication providers, with offerings that cost as much as 80 percent less. Digium makes Asterisk software available to the open source community and delivers Asterisk Business Edition and Switchvox IP PBX software to power a broad family of products for small, medium and large businesses. The company's product line includes a wide range of hardware to enable resellers and customers to implement turnkey solutions or to design their own voice over IP (VoIP) systems. More information is available at www.digium.com.

The Digium logo, Digium, Asterisk, Asterisk Business Edition, AsteriskNOW, Asterisk Appliance, Switchvox and the Asterisk logo are trademarks of Digium, Inc. All other trademarks are property of their respective owners.