Avaya Intelligent Communications Solutions Simplify and Speed Collaboration and Messaging for IBM Lotus Users

ORLANDO, Fla., Jan. 23 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- LOTUSPHERE 2006 -- Communications clutter is being cut out for IBM(R) Lotus(R) and IBM Workplace(TM) Collaboration Services users through three Avaya Intelligent Communications solutions, including the new Avaya Meeting Exchange(R) Groupware Edition, that enable workers to easily and instantaneously connect with customers and co-workers. The solutions simplify and speed decision-making and problem-solving, which creates bottom line benefits for users, from significant time and cost savings to high quality customer satisfaction. Avaya is a leading global provider of business communications applications, systems and services.

At Lotusphere(R), IBM's annual conference for users of the IBM Workplace, Portal and Lotus Collaboration products and solutions, Avaya is demonstrating these three solutions at Pedestals 330, 331 and 332. All solutions are currently available globally.

The solutions solve key business problems facing all organizations today: communications clutter that makes collaboration, access and message management costly and time-consuming. These issues can actually become competitive advantages when managed using Avaya intelligent communications. Here's how:

* Collaboration: Avaya Meeting Exchange Groupware Edition, shown for the first time at Lotusphere, is a service-oriented solution that integrates audio conferencing with IBM Lotus Sametime(R), enabling workers using the Lotus Sametime Connect Client to determine the availability of colleagues and spontaneously launch virtual multi-modal meetings with the click of a mouse button. By making it seamless, convenient, and cost-effective to launch meetings, workers can accelerate decision making, while saving money for their business. * Access and Communications Control: Avaya Unified Communication Center (UCC) application provides "right time" access to email, voice mail, calendars, directories and task lists from any phone. Whether in-the-office or on-the-road, IBM Lotus Notes(R) and Domino(R) users can respond with equally strong speed in resolving critical customer service issues. For example, using speech commands with the UCC virtual assistant, a user a can seamlessly transition an email notification into a multi-party audio conference in order to resolve an urgent customer issue. * Message Management: Avaya Modular Messaging is a unified messaging solution that allows Lotus Notes and Domino users to simply and seamlessly work within the familiar on-screen Lotus Notes inbox to co-manage voicemail and email messages. For example, a worker can respond to a voice mail message requiring a detailed mixed media response by using email, voice mail or both.

"Companies that think about voice conferencing, voicemail and email as separate tools to manage customer service are losing time, money and most likely customers," said Jorge Blanco, Avaya vice president of Strategic Marketing. "Avaya's simplicity-and-speed solutions for conferencing, speech access and messaging provide Lotus users with intelligent communications that create competitive advantage capabilities directly tied to attracting and keeping customers. Combining Avaya intelligent communications applications with familiar IBM user interfaces, creates a hard-hitting one-two punch. Users of these solutions make their customer service workers more powerful problem-solvers, ultimately delighting and not just satisfying customers."

"As the need to drive more efficiencies into the communication process becomes even more critical, the convergence of audio and PC-based collaboration tools will be vital to organizations of all sizes and industries," said Ken Bisconti, vice president, Workplace, Portal and collaboration products, IBM. "The integration of Avaya's audio capabilities with Lotus Sametime and Lotus Notes and Domino will allow businesses to extend the value of their existing IT infrastructure while leveraging the benefits of integrated audio."

Solution details follow. Avaya Meeting Exchange(R) Groupware Edition

Avaya Meeting Exchange(R) Groupware Edition combines proven Avaya audio conferencing capabilities with leading collaboration solutions from IBM -- making it easier for users to launch and manage virtual conferences. Integrating Avaya Meeting Exchange with Lotus Sametime software, IBM's market-leading real-time collaboration solution that integrates instant messaging (IM), presence awareness and web conferencing capabilities, lets workers get the job done faster using on-demand conferencing. The solution's click-to-call feature enables workers to launch audio conferences directly from the Lotus Sametime Connect Client for fast and easy interaction. Users can also manage conferences simply and effectively, with controls such as mute, lock conference and dial out embedded in the Lotus Sametime Web Conferencing Meeting Room. Avaya Meeting Exchange Groupware Edition is a software-based solution that can scale from 24 to 10,000 ports and runs on standard IBM servers to leverage existing investments. Future releases of Avaya Meeting Exchange Groupware Edition will extend conferencing functions to Lotus Notes and Domino.

Avaya Unified Communication Center (UCC)

Avaya is also showing Avaya Unified Communication Center (UCC) for Lotus Notes and Domino. This Avaya application provides "anytime, anywhere" speech access to Lotus Notes and Domino applications, enabling users to access email, voice mail, calendars, directories and task lists from any phone, generating greater productivity in the office and on the road. The demonstration shows how anywhere-anytime speech access can improve response to customers and speed action in addressing business issues. Workers, from home, a hotel or an airport, can easily check for urgent messages through natural language speech interaction with their virtual assistant. By simply speaking with the assistant, a user can hear the content of emails and voice mails and reply to either type of message by voice. Users can also sort through calendar items and add or remove appointments, review and manage task lists, or access the corporate directory to launch a call or send a priority message, further enhancing the ability to respond rapidly to customers and business needs. Avaya UCC is a software-based solution that runs on standard IBM servers.

Avaya Modular Messaging

Avaya Modular Messaging demonstrates the value of integrating voice messaging with Lotus Notes and Domino. The solution adds voice messaging to the familiar on-screen Lotus Notes inbox for easier management of voice mail and email messages. By integrating Avaya messaging with the powerful collaboration tools provided by Lotus Notes and Domino, voice messages are no longer "trapped" in the voice messaging system -- workers can sort, file and save voice messages for better tracking, management and logging of communication with customers and colleagues. Based on industry standard technology protocols, Avaya Modular Messaging supports streamlined integration in multi-vendor network environments for cost-effective implementation. The solution is software-based and distributed, allowing a single server to support workers at multiple locations, and the solution can be networked to provide global messaging for easier sharing of information across a company, regardless of time zones and geographic boundaries.

IBM and Avaya have a longstanding relationship that has produced solutions across a range of technologies, including Contact Center, Internet Protocol (IP) telephony and Speech Self-Service. The solutions represented at Lotusphere highlight a portion of the integrated offerings currently being delivered by the companies.

About Avaya

Avaya Inc. designs, builds and manages communications networks for more than one million businesses worldwide, including 90 percent of the FORTUNE 500(R). Focused on businesses large to small, Avaya is a world leader in secure and reliable Internet Protocol (IP) telephony systems and communications software applications and services.

Driving the convergence of voice and data communications with business applications -- and distinguished by comprehensive worldwide services -- Avaya helps customers leverage existing and new networks to achieve superior business results. For more information visit the Avaya website: http://www.avaya.com/.

IBM, Lotus, Lotus Sametime, Workplace Collaboration Services, Lotus Sametime Connect Client and Lotus Notes are registered trademarks. Notes and Domino are trademarks of IBM. All trademarks, trade names, service marks, and logos referenced herein belong to their respective companies.

First Call Analyst: FCMN Contact: mthiele@avaya.com