Linksys Roll Out Low Cost Mature VoIP Offering
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The VoIP market is set to hot up with the launch by Linksys of a low cost VoIP solution that is as ideal for the Smart Office as it is the SmartHouse.

Small-medium businesses in Australia would save thousands of dollars by moving to an IP based phone system such as the recently launched System One solution from Linksys a division of networking giant Cisco.

Rod Brown a Brisbane based IP systems engineer said at the launch of the new IP based phone system that a Queensland based business who had implemented a Linksys VoIP system had managed to cut their normal phone costs from $1600 a month to $400 a month and had in fact recovered the cost of the deployment within 3 months.  

Based on a new generation of networking and IP phone technology the new system appears to very inexpensive with video handsets ranging from $350-$400 and the backend switch gear costing less than $900.

Linksys unwrapped the 2.0 version of the software that runs its Linksys One hosted voice over IP solution at a press event in Sydney. The new IP based solution adds PBX features tailored to the needs of small businesses. They also announced a revamped Cisco service node that powers the Linksys One solution, and several new switches and routers for remote and branch offices.

Linksys One all-in-one service routers, IP phones and VoIP gateways are the cornerstone of Linksys’ small business strategy. Version 2.0 gives Linksys One the ability to support up to 100 users and to link up to five different sites using VPN connections for voice and data, said Graeme Reardon, Regional Director at Linksys Asia Pacific.

Another feature called single number reach gives small business customers the ability to ‘move’ calls between Linksys One and their cell phone, he added.

 

Reardon claims that Linksys One is a purpose built hosted solution that helps Service Providers to deliver a comprehensive, easy-to-use and easy-to deploy solution for the small business market. Linksys One small business system can help integrate data networking, security, configuration back-up, and low-cost Voice-over-IP (VoIP) services with applications and other business services into one simple solution. It can be customized to each company’s specific requirements and can grow as a business grows with additional Linksys One Ready Switches and Network Storage Systems, Linksys One VoIP Phones, and other devices that instantly connect to and automatically install on the network.

Linksys One takes the burden of communications technology away, leaving growing businesses to focus on their business. Small businesses enjoy all the competitive advantages of a business-quality IP network that can grow as their business does.

The Linksys One solution is available from Hosted Solution Providers (HSPs) such as Sydney based IP systems that provide Internet connectivity, IP voice services and other applications over a broadband connection, an in conjunction with authorised Value Added Resellers such as Soul (VARs) who provide and install the Linksys One data networking or VoIP phone equipment directly on-site. Additionally, HSPs and VARs have the ability to remotely manage some or all of the Linksys One devices on the small business customer’s network, enabling those customers to focus their time and resources on their core business.