Toshiba Certifies Two More VoIP Service Options
AT&T's IP Flexible Reach and IPtimize's SIP Trunking services to be sold through Toshiba's dealer network.
Late last month, Toshiba America Information Systems (TAIS) and PAETEC Holding jointly announced a partnership that certified Toshiba's IP PBXs and PAETEC's SIP trunking services as fully interoperable, and launched the availability of the latter's VoIP service through Toshiba's authorized dealer network.
The idea of one-stop shopping for a VoIP system was, we thought, long overdue, and we predicted that such partnerships would soon become commonplace.
We did not, expect, however, that Toshiba itself would follow up with more such announcements two weeks down the road—but that's what happened. The telephony infrastructure vendor yesterday announced essentially similar agreements—with Internet Telephony Service Providers (ITSPs) AT&T and IPtimize, Inc.
AT&T's IP Flexible Reach service offering and IPitimize's SIP Trunking service both support voice and data traffic on a single IP network connection, both provide inbound and outbound and long distance calling, both are certified as interoperable with Toshibals Strata CIX "IP business communications systems," and, starting today, both will be available through Toshiba's authorized dealer network.
This in turn means that customers will be able to source their VoIP infrastructure and their IP telephony service in one transaction.
Moreover, both of the ITSPs' networks are nationwide, so customers will be able to fulfill their connectivity needs from a single provider, rather than having to deal with multiple local or regional providers.
Where the two offerings do diverge, however, is in the technical details.
“Since IPtimize does not require that end users be equipped with special CPE equipment, its services will operate in virtually any [IP] network environment, helping our users to optimize their Toshiba IP voice communications,” observed Brian Metherell, TAIS vice president and general manager.
By contrast, AT&T’s IP Flexible Reach installs fully configured gateway routers at each customer site to transport both voice and data traffic. On the other hand, both the Toshiba Strata CIX systems and AT&T IP Flexible Reach can be TDM-enabled, allowing enterprises to support both VoIP and PSTN connectivity.
To find an authorized Toshiba dealer visit the company's online Telecom Dealer Locator.
