A new set of collaborative applications and capabilities have been added to the Alcatel-Lucent OpenTouch Suite for SMBs giving employees, businesses and channel partners better communications tools to help business grow.

SMBs are looking to work smarter to reach tangible business outcomes while also delivering customer satisfaction. The newest OpenTouch applications designed for SMBs (small- and medium-sized businesses) simplify unified communications while also expanding mobility and BYOD solutions. The result creates a personalised connected experience and lends to higher productivity for employees. 

SMB Employees can tap into the company environment anytime and anywhere via any device using the professional mobile applications, while lowering communications costs for the business. This new release provides the following enhancements and updates:

·         The Alcatel-Lucent OmniPCX Office RCE release 10.1, a feature-rich, converged communication server designed for SMBs, delivers a more powerful CPU, with no moving parts, to create higher levels of reliability without sacrificing functionality or capacity, while reducing the cost of the solution.

·         New Alcatel-Lucent PIMphony Touch, a communication application within the OmniPCX Office RCE, delivers collaborative functionalities for office workers in Win8 Modern User Interface environments. It is available now on Windows tablets and laptops, enriching the existing PIMphony offer to mobile users. The tiled interface allows users to slide between applications and capabilities, provides a telephony presence and instant messaging, in addition to existing PIMphony Pro features.

·         Alcatel-Lucent OpenTouch Conversation (OTCV) mobile application extends communication beyond the office walls. Employees can benefit from the same communication service on the road as in the office allowing them to respond faster to internal or external communication requests and be a more effective member of the virtual team. New features provide telephony presence and a call history per contact, and is available now on Windows Phone in addition to iPhone and Android. 

·         The SIP companion in VoIP mode add-on for the Android and iPhone versions of the OTCV Mobile application enable voice calls to be routed over IP. Users can avoid high voice charges while roaming by routing calls as VoIP over Wi-Fi and their flat rate data plan.

·         The 8242 DECT Handset is supported in IP configuration and supports Bluetooth accessory device connections. Notification and location capabilities, along with one-button alarm functions, benefit mobile employees in hospitality and other industries. A large, colour screen, HD audio-ready superior sound quality, and USB connectivity make for a better user experience. 

·         The Get Call instant one way call switch feature gives the user the ability to switch from deskphones to mobile DECT phones with one click. 

The latest update also provides Alcatel-Lucent Enterprise channel partners a new application to sell and support SMBs - the SMB Sales Assistant. An interactive tool, the SMB Sales Assistant makes it easier for the channel partner to interact with the customer by capturing needs on multiple devices, synched online and then used to deliver the solution.

Ravin Naidu, Regional Director, Sub Saharan Emerging Africa, ALE “The latest update enhances business outcome opportunities making them suitable for all small- and medium-sized businesses. BYOD and mobility is a growing trend in South Africa and in order to meet the demands and expectations of this technology, SMB’s need to improve their communications performance whilst controlling the associated costs.  OmniPCX Office RCE enables SMB’s to face and overcome any business and technology transformation challenges.”