BASKING RIDGE, New Jersey, January 19 /PRNewswire/ -- Avaya today unveiled its vision for the future of communications and a roadmap that integrates products and services from the recently acquired Nortel Enterprise Solutions to create a new standard for business communications.

Avaya's vision is based on open standards, communication-enabled business systems and effective, contextual, real-time communications. Using Session Initiation Protocol (SIP) organisations, large to small, can make smooth transitions to new capabilities at their own pace while protecting existing communications investments. Avaya's communications-enabled business systems streamline business processes by injecting real-time communications where they can provide value. Users are able to be more effective by having access to information based on the context of the task at hand.

The integrated roadmap we're outlining today supports Avaya's commitment to providing customers with the advanced communications capabilities they need to manage and grow their organisations, said Alan Baratz, senior vice president and president, Global Communications Solutions, Avaya. In developing the portfolio, our guiding principle was to deliver the most compelling and cost-effective systems and services to customers and partners.

Roadmap Highlights

The new roadmap, unveiled today, builds on the existing Avaya portfolio with capabilities integrated from Nortel Enterprise Solutions. The roadmap highlights include:

Unified Communications

The centrepiece of the unified communications (UC) portfolio is Avaya Aura(TM), a SIP-based communication platform that unifies complex communications networks. With proven abilities to reduce infrastructure costs and easily deploy centralised collaboration and customer service applications, Avaya Aura provides an upgrade path for all existing Nortel voice and UC customers. The roadmap expands the value of Avaya Aura with the addition of Avaya (formerly Nortel) Agile Communications Environment (ACE). ACE uses Service-Oriented Architecture and Web Services to facilitate the rapid development of communications enabled applications.

Click here for more information on Avaya Unified Communications Roadmap (http://media.marketwire.com/attachments/201001/1239_577997-MW-UCFactShee... f)

Click here for more information on Avaya Agile Communications Environment (http://media.marketwire.com/attachments/201001/1240_577997-MW-ACEFactShe... JanUC4433.pdf)

Click here for more information on Avaya Global Services ( http://media.marketwire.com/attachments/201001/1241_577997-MW-ServicesFa... et11JanSVC4430.pdf)

Contact Centre

Avaya Aura will also be at the centre of Avaya's contact centre portfolio. With this foundation, contact centres will move to a SIP-based, service-oriented architecture, simultaneously supporting multiple modes of communication. The new contact centre solution will be based on a new and collaborative work assignment model that will connect customers, agents, and information. The new capabilities will enable businesses and organisations to stay ahead of growing customer care demands for tighter integration and lower costs. The integrated roadmap will seamlessly extend Avaya and Nortel Enterprise Solutions market leading portfolio with capabilities for agent desktop, work assignment, experience management, analytics that will scale from mid-range to large contact centres.

Click here for more information about Avaya Contact Center Communications. ( http://media.marketwire.com/attachments/201001/1243_577997-MW-CCFactShee... nGCC4435.pdf)

Small and Medium Enterprise (SME) Communications

Avaya IP Office, BCM, Norstar, PARTNER(R) and Integral 5 all remain for sale with a plan to converge the platforms to the company's flagship hybrid IP offering, IP Office. Avaya will blend Nortel features, interfaces and phones with IP Office to create a richer solution with strong investment protection benefits. This approach follows the model Avaya has successfully implemented with other systems into IP Office.

The company also now offers the Avaya Software Communication System, a SIP-based offer from NES for small and medium enterprise customers who want to manage unified communications from their data centre.

Click here for more information about Avaya SME Communications Solutions (http://media.marketwire.com/attachments/201001/1244_577997-MW-SMEFACTSHE... janSB4434.pdf)

Data Products

As Avaya previously announced, it will adopt the current roadmap of NES data products in its entirety. Avaya believes that the technology, customer base and innovative product roadmap represent a compelling value proposition for global customers. A key component of plug and play communications is the underlying, enabling network and the new Avaya data portfolio brings significant advantages of Always-On reliability, network efficiency and scalability to grow with customer's business needs. Included in the Avaya data portfolio are solutions for Ethernet Switching, Routers, Wireless Networking, Access Control and Unified Management.

Click here for more information about Avaya Data Networking. (http://media.marketwire.com/attachments/201001/1245_577997-MW-DataNetwor... FactSheet11JanDN4431.pdf)

Click here for quotes from Avaya partners regarding today's roadmap announcement. ( http://media.marketwire.com/attachments/201001/1246_577997-MW-ChannelPar... uotes.pdf)

(Due to the length of these URLs, it may be necessary to copy and paste the hyperlinks into your Internet browser's URL address field. Remove the space if one exists.)

About Avaya

Avaya is a global leader in enterprise communications systems. The company provides unified communications, contact centres, and related services directly and through its channel partners to leading businesses and organisations around the world. Enterprises of all sizes depend on Avaya for state-of-the-art communications that improve efficiency, collaboration, customer service and competitiveness. For more information please visit http://www.avaya.com.

Reporter and Industry Analyst Conference Call Information

Alan Baratz, Avaya's Senior Vice President and President, Global Communications Solutions, will host a conference call about the roadmap for reporters and industry analysts today, 19Jan., 2010, , at 16:00 GMT.

To access the call from outside of the United States, please dial: +1-706-902-3818 Conference Code: 50160600

Replay Information

A replay of the call will be available from 17:00 GMT, 19 Jan., 2010 until 2 Feb., 2010.

To access the replay from outside of the United States, please dial: +1-706-645-9291 Conference Code: 50160600

Following the reporter and analyst call, attend a public virtual event on Avaya's vision

At 18:00 GMT Avaya will host a Public Virtual Event on its vision for the future of Business Communications, the Avaya Reference Architecture and details on the new roadmap for integration. First, hear presentations and perspectives from Kevin Kennedy, Avaya CEO, Dr. Alan Baratz, SVP President, Avaya Global Communications Solutions, Joel Hackney, SVP President, Government and Data Solutions, Chris Formant, SVP President, Avaya Global Services, and other Avaya leaders.

Additional information will then be available at your convenience with (10) 30-minute on-demand roadmap sessions, including: UC, Contact Centre, SME, Data, Government Solutions and MORE.

To attend the virtual event, please register by visiting: http://bit.ly/NewAvaya

Quotes:

Bell Canada

Avaya is enabling customers to continue to benefit from their existing investments while opening new paths to long-term future growth. We at Bell are committed to delivering cost savings and productivity gains not only to Bell-Nortel customers but also to Bell-Avaya clients.

Stephane Boisvert, President, Bell Business Markets

Black Box Network Services

We are very excited about the Avaya Integrated Roadmap. In our role as an Avaya Platinum Partner, we will use the Roadmap in discussions with our large base of Nortel clients, as well as new Avaya client opportunities. The team at Avaya has done a great job of articulating a clear vision for technical leadership in the communications space.

Mark Neel, Vice President of Global Accounts, Black Box Network Services

Catalyst

The roadmap affords Avaya and Nortel dealers the flexibility to transition their end-user customers to the go-forward platforms, which will be a combination of the best-in-class features of Avaya and Nortel communications products. What's more, Avaya Aura enables dealers to provide customers with the architecture to migrate over time without having to rip and replace their current solution. We look forward to continuing to support our Avaya and Nortel partners as they move forward with this exciting new roadmap.

John Black, President, Catalyst Telecom

Cross Telecom

Cross is excited about the Avaya integrated roadmap, which will deliver true, business transforming communication solutions to both Avaya and Nortel customers. Cross has already seen some of Avaya's key development initiatives accelerated with the addition of Nortel's enterprise assets. As both a Platinum Channel Partner and a Platinum DevConnect Partner, this roadmap benefits Cross by enabling us to come up with even more creative communication solutions to our customers' complex business needs.

David Lover, Chief Technology Officer, Cross Telecom

Shared Technologies

Shared Technologies believes the Avaya integrated road map is tremendous news for Nortel customers. Avaya is sending a very clear message that they do not intend to force anyone out of their existing infrastructure. Ultimately Avaya's position in the marketplace is clearly number one for unified communications and contact centres. Avaya's product future will be to overlay Aura as a way for customers to upgrade to a full suite of unified communications applications and features while maintaining their current core infrastructure.

Tony Parella, CEO, Shared Technologies

Westcon Convergence

Our Nortel oriented partners are enthusiastic about moving into the Avaya ecosystem and the opportunity this represents. Westcon is committed to helping our Nortel-oriented customers become more successful as they transition into becoming Avaya Partners; we already have aggressive training and on-boarding measures in place and the response has been outstanding.

Steven Bernard, vice president and general manager, Westcon Convergence

Verizon Business

Verizon Business has a strong legacy of supporting both Avaya and Nortel equipment within its broad portfolio of world class technology providers, and is well positioned to help customers navigate their path forward. The Avaya Aura(TM) platform is SIP certified to interoperate with the Verizon Business network, and Avaya plays a key role in providing our customers with advanced unified communications and collaborations solutions.

Roberta Mackintosh, director of global unified communications and collaboration marketing, Verizon Business.

SOURCE: Avaya

CONTACT: Media Contact: Finola Urquhart, avayauk@fleishmaneurope.com ,+44(0)20-7395-7154