Toshiba Strata CS Release 5.0 Communication Server Expands Capacity up to 480 Stations, Features New Web Client and Updated PC Client Interface.

Business Editors/High-Tech Writers

IRVINE, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--March 20, 2003

Combining the Power of Desktop Computers with Advanced

Telephony and Voice Processing Capabilities, Strata CS

Version 5.0 Provides Expanded Capacity, Updated Client

Interface and New Call Center Capabilities

Toshiba America Information Systems, Inc., Telecommunication Systems Division (Toshiba TSD) today announced that the availability of Toshiba Strata(R) CS Release 5.0, a software update that provides expanded capacity up to 480 analog stations per server, updated client interface, and new call center capabilities for its popular IP-enabled, communication server-based business communication system.

"The new Toshiba Strata CS Release 5.0 gives small- to medium-sized enterprises even more robust, server-based business communication system," said Michael Durance, vice president/general manager of Toshiba Telecommunication Systems Division. "Providing 'big company' features, including extensive call center capabilities, follow-me call routing, integrated voice and email messaging, PC desktop call management, Web access, IP telephony, and much more, the Toshiba Strata CS Release 5.0 is an affordable solution for even the smallest enterprises."

The Strata CS Release 5.0 is a significant new upgrade of Toshiba's popular business communication system for small to medium-sized companies. It is one of the first communication server-based business communication systems to concurrently support digital, analog and IP telephones and give users the ability to integrate all their business communications via voice, voice mail, or e-mail through a graphical user interface (GUI) on their desktop or laptop PC, or via a telephone handset.

Expanded Capacity for Up to 480 Stations per Server

With Strata CS Release 5.0, system servers can now support up to 192 trunks by 480 analog stations per server when configured using new high-capacity Dialogic hardware that is all PCI and H.100 bus compliant.

Up to 60-person conference calls are supported meeting the needs of large conference applications.

New Client Interface Enhances Web Client Support, Improved Call

Recording

Release 5.0 brings a new features to the client interface, including:

-- Enhanced Web client supports all Client views and most Client features, including the ability to transfer and conference calls, record greetings, and send and forward voice mail

-- The Call Log now shows if the call was recorded and by right-clicking on the Call Log entry, the recording can be played (user must have permission to access the mailbox where the recording is stored)

-- New unified installer program allows the system administrator to more easily install and manage workstation applications, including the Administrator, Client, TSP, and Contact Manager Assistant

-- New custom data column allows users to see any custom data associated with a call that resulted in a voice message

-- Local and international Caller ID format compatibility

-- New option for creating new contacts allows the designation of "personal" or "public" contact

-- Ability to edit account codes stored in any Call Log entry

New Voice Mail Features Allow New Call-Back and Message

Notification

The Toshiba Strata CS Release 5.0's integrated unified messaging system now offers the following voice mail features:

-- Ability to call back a voice message using telephone commands

that allow a choice of different numbers for that contact

(home, office, cell phone, etc.)

-- Ability to press 9 during a voice mail greeting so users can

log into their voice mail boxes without having to use the auto

attendant, a feature especially using for DID-centric

companies

-- Enhanced voice mail notification that gives users a choice of

being notified by telephone or e-mail when a new voice mail is

waiting

New Call Center Features Give Users More Control, Access to New

Reports

Strata CS Release 5.0 includes many expanded call center features, including:

-- Improved performance of the Call Monitor and Queue Monitor, as

well as the ability to change the refresh rates for queue

statistics to support large numbers of agents, accommodates

larger call center applications

-- Enhanced call center statistics are now available in the Queue

Monitor view, including additional outbound statistics,

combined statistics, agent statistics for Away, Forced Break,

and No Answer, and statistics showing how many calls were

redirected away from the queue.

-- Supervisors can coach, monitor, and join call center calls

from any telephone

-- Automatic call recording can apply to both outbound and/or

inbound queue calls

-- Call center queue redirection enables call center calls to be

diverted when the queue contains too many callers, too few

agents, or the wait time is too long, with calls being

redirected to another extension, another queue, or a voice

mail box.

-- Expected wait time calculations for queues have been improved

to better account for the number of available agents and

average call time

-- New reports including: Activity History by Agent, Activity

History by Queue, Call Center Queue Information, and Call Log;

all reports include a refresh button to enable the user to

obtain updated data for a report without changing the criteria

from the previous run

-- VeriSign certificate so the report can be run in organizations

that conform to high security settings for Excel macros

-- Queues can be optionally configured to automatically close

when all agents are signed out

New Features Improve Telephone User Interface, Capabilities

When paired with Toshiba 3000-series digital telephones, the Strata CS Release 5.0 provides expanded call handling capabilities, including:

-- Multiple line appearances allowing multiple calls to ring a

digital telephone simultaneously without going to voice mail

-- Secondary extension number appearances of analog stations

enable digital telephone users to support call coverage for

analog stations

-- Directed hold allows a call placed on hold from a secondary

extension number to be picked up from the corresponding

primary extension number, or vice versa

-- Full display of Caller ID name and number for all digital LCD

telephones

-- Scrolling on LCD screen so digital telephone users can view

and access multiple calls on hold

-- Ability to determine what number will be shown on Caller ID

for outbound calls (main company number versus individual

extensions) and ability to unblock Caller ID for outgoing

calls (for ISDN PRI and BRI trunks only)

-- Hot-desking support enables users to log onto different

stations using telephone commands

-- Voice-first answering enables internal calls to connect

automatically without ringing the telephone and, if the called

user is away from his or her desk, the caller has the option

to go to the next action in the routing list

-- Intercom and zone paging at the touch of a button

New System and Administrator Features Expand IVR and IP

Capabilities

New System and Administrator features include:

-- New IVR Plug-in Interfaces enable the development of IVR media

processing applications without requiring an IVR development

tool

-- Ability to specify the number of rings before answering per

analog trunk

-- An IP Gateway user's forwarding settings can be configured to

"Attempt Centrex/PBX Transfer" to conserve VoIP ports during

blind transfers

-- System Call Recording can be configured to record all calls in

the system and optionally exclude recording internal

station-to-station calls or calls involving certain users,

roles or queues

-- Strata CS Station Message Detail Reporting (SMDR) service

enables integration with third-party call accounting packages

to improve call billing, particularly in enterprises that bill

for time such as law firms and consultancies

-- Music-on-hold can be specified on a per-user basis, useful for

multiple tenant applications

-- Tenanting support enables each user's outbound calls to be

tracked in the Call Log by organization

-- Auto attendants can be constrained by workgroup so that

callers cannot dial extensions outside of the workgroup, also

useful for multiple tenant applications

-- Hotline telephones can be configured to automatically dial any

extension or external number when going off-hook, useful for

lobby telephones

-- Users can be prevented from being able to make outbound calls

over specified trunks, even during specific times, by

configuring Routing Service rules for individual users or

groups of users

Strata CS 5.0 includes Original Benefits of Previous Versions

In addition to the new functionality, Strata CS 5.0 also includes the original features and benefits of previous offerings, including:

-- Graphical call and voice mail control from the user's desktop

PC via the Strata CS graphical user interface (GUI), including

integration of e-mail and voice mail communication

-- Contact management, including one-click calling; caller ID

association, contact database dialing, and screen-pop

integration; and call logging, annotating and reporting

functionality

-- Support for low- to high-capacity VoIP interface cards,

providing small to medium-sized businesses with a lower cost

of entry for VoIP than traditional systems. In addition, since

the capability can be fully integrated with the Strata CS

telephone system, there is no need for expensive external

add-on solutions.

-- IP Gateway administration, which facilitates the creation of

connections between corporate branch offices and other office

locations. For example, Internet/intranet calls can be placed

from or to the Strata CS desktop via an IP telephone or analog

or digital set through the gateway to a remote IP telephone,

NetMeeting PC, or another Strata CS system.

-- Compatibility with both Windows NT and Windows 2000, which

ensures companies who transition from Windows NT to Windows

2000 a seamless upgrade

-- Support for Microsoft Outlook(R), Lotus(TM) Notes R5, ACT(R)

2000, and GoldMine(TM) 5.0

-- Support for analog and digital lines, including T1, E1, and

ISDN PRI and BRI interfaces, addressing the full range of

customers' needs.

-- Concurrent support of digital, analog, and IP telephones

-- Telephone User Interface support for both U.S. and U.K.

English as well as Spanish. In addition, using the

localization toolkit, language prompts can be recorded in any

language and accessed by any caller to improve communication.

-- Administrative features including remote administration

capabilities that save time and travel costs and support for

"pushing" PC client upgrades, which automatically upgrades the

individual users' clients when they log onto the Strata CS

application

-- Support for Dialogic's series of telephony cards based on the

PCI form factor, enabling the user to utilize a newer and

broader range of server platforms for increased system

capacity

-- Integration with third-party devices to provide a complete

E-911 solution for small to medium-sized businesses. This

enables them to comply with 911 requirements set forth by many

state and local governmental agencies.

-- Built-in auto attendant for call processing

-- CS Call Center Reporter to generate useful reports on agent

ACD statistics

System Requirements

Toshiba Strata CS is an advanced voice-based communications server turnkey solution that includes the Strata CS application software and dedicated Windows NT server to provide a complete business communication system. The optional client interface software is compatible with any PC running Windows 98, 2000, NT, or XP.

Availability

Strata CS Version 5.0 is now available and shipping with all new Strata CS systems. Upgrade kits are available for users of Strata CS 4.x systems. To find an Authorized Toshiba Dealer in your area, visit the Toshiba website at www.telecom.toshiba.com.

About Toshiba America Information Systems, Inc.

Headquartered in Irvine, Calif., Toshiba America Information Systems, Inc. (TAIS) is comprised of multiple divisions that provide computer, communications and imaging products and services. Products include industry leading portable computers, PDAs, mobile computing accessories, communications and portable servers, storage subsystems, cable modems, digital business telephone systems, voice-mail, digital cameras, security systems, and projectors. TAIS provides sales, marketing, services and manufacturing for its wide range of information products in the United States and Latin America. TAIS is an independent operating company owned by Toshiba America, Inc., a subsidiary of Toshiba Corporation, which is a world leader in high technology and integrated manufacturing of electrical and electronic components, products and systems. Toshiba has global sales of over $50 billion and more than 300 subsidiaries and affiliates worldwide.

About Toshiba Telecommunication Systems Division

The Toshiba Telecommunication Systems Division markets the Strata CTX and Strata DK families of digital business telephone systems, Strata CS Communication Server, and Stratagy voice processing systems. For additional product information, contact Toshiba America Information Systems, Inc., Telecommunication Systems Division, 9740 Irvine Blvd., P.O. Box 19724, Irvine, CA 92618-1697, or visit the website at www.telecom.toshiba.com.