Critical.
Authoritative.
Strategic.
Subscribe to CIO Magazine »

ShoreTel links Android phones to corporate PBXs

Enterprise IT groups can now tie in Android-based mobile devices to corporate directories and IP PBXs, with the latest update by ShoreTel to its mobility software.

ShoreTel Mobility 4.6 is server software, plus a mobile OS client -- in this case for Android 2.2 or higher -- that together let enterprises extend a range of IP PBX services and features to corporate- or employee-owned smartphones and tablets.

CASE STUDY: Cisco VoIP network ousted for ShoreTel in Wisconsin school district

The software is based on code originally developed by Agito Networks, which ShoreTel acquired a year ago. The ShoreTel client integrates with the native dialer on the smartphone, and creates a new phone-based user interface to features on the PBX. The ShoreTel Mobility Router in the enterprise interfaces with an array of third-party IP PBX systems, and eliminates the need for a VPN, according to the vendor.

ShoreTel, located in Sunnyvale, Calif., offers an IP phone system and unified communications (UC) software for the enterprise. The company competes with Cisco, Avaya and others. Earlier this year, a Wisconsin school district scrapped a Cisco VoIP infrastructure for one based on ShoreTel. 

With the new release of the ShoreTel Mobility software, Android phones now can use corporate PBX and unified communications features, such as putting a call on hold, conferencing, transferring, and having a single enterprise phone number and voicemail. Previously, ShoreTel Mobility supported iOS, BlackBerry OS and Nokia phones.

The ShoreTel client will look first to make a call over a Wi-Fi connection if available. If the user is outside the corporate firewall, the software detects this and automatically starts up the application-level SSL VPN.

The software can distinguish between personal calls and business calls. For example, friends calling the user's personal cell number are directed to personal voicemail, but a customer or colleague dialing the business number will be directed to the corporate voicemail.

Version 4.6 of ShoreTel Mobility is expected to be available in November, with server software ranging from $5,000 for 100 users to $15,000 for 5,000; individual users are licensed for a list price of $150.

John Cox covers wireless networking and mobile computing for Network World.

Twitter: http://twitter.com/johnwcoxnww

Email: john_cox@nww.com

Blog RSS feed: http://www.networkworld.com/community/blog/2989/feed

Read more about anti-malware in Network World's Anti-malware section.

Join the CIO Australia group on LinkedIn. The group is open to CIOs, IT Directors, COOs, CTOs and senior IT managers.

More about: ASE, Avaya, BlackBerry, Cisco, Google, Nokia
References show all

Comments

Post new comment

The content of this field is kept private and will not be shown publicly.
Users posting comments agree to the CIO comments policy.
Login or register to link comments to your user profile, or you may also post a comment without being logged in.
Related Coverage
Related Whitepapers
Latest Stories
Community Comments
Tags: Agito Networks, Android, consumer electronics, networking, Shoretel, smartphones, unified communications, wireless
Latest Blog Posts
Whitepapers
  • IBM agility@scale™: Become as Agile as You Can Be
    In this eBook, Scott Ambler, IBM Rational software's Chief Methodologist for Agile and Lean discusses how IT organisations are finding that agile project teams, as compared to traditional project teams, enjoy higher success rates, deliver higher quality projects, have greater levels of stakeholder satisfaction, provide better return on investment (ROI) and deliver systems to market sooner.
    Learn more »
  • Reducing Costs Through Better Server Utilisation
    By consolidating systems onto the latest server technology and taking advantage of virtualization techniques, enterprises can optimize datacenter efficiency, gain flexibility, and reduce operating costs—without sacrificing performance or impacting service levels. Read on.
    Learn more »
  • Optimised Data Protection for VMware® Environments with Symantec NetBackup™ Appliances
    VMware® remains the most widely deployed virtualisation solution. The explosive growth of VMware infrastructure in organisations both large and small has enabled corporations to more fully exploit their hardware investments. With multiple virtual machines running on few physical hardware nodes, hardware costs are reduced, as well as space, power, and cooling requirements. This white paper discusses in more detail how VMware environments can be protected with the NetBackup appliances. Read more.
    Learn more »
All whitepapers
rhs_login_lockGet exclusive access to Invitation only events CIO, reports & analysis.
Recent comments