Multi-Tech IP Telephony Gateway Links the Small Office as Part of Avaya Enterprise Connect Solutions

BASKING RIDGE, N.J. and MINNEAPOLIS, MINN. , US - Avaya Inc. (NYSE:AV) a leading global provider of communications networks for businesses, and Multi-Tech today announced an Internet Protocol Telephony gateway specifically targeted for large companies with small, distributed offices. In conjunction with Avaya Enterprise Connect Solutions, Multi-Tech's MultiVoIP gateways, extend the advanced communications applications of Avaya MultiVantage Software from a centrally managed system to small offices with up to ten people.

With Avaya and Multi-Tech's MultiVoIP gateways, companies eliminate the need to manage disparate, standalone key and PBX platforms with varying features and functions. Instead, the centralized system offers consistent communications and call features to all users in the enterprise — including the very small office — with local office survivability capabilities that ensure business continuity.

The MultiVoIP gateways bridge the remote office voice and data network to the central Avaya Media Server over an IP WAN link, cost-effectively extending the features of Avaya MultiVantage™ software to all locations. MultiVoIP gateways also bridge the PSTN to the IP network by connecting to one or more analog trunks, and can function as an alternate gatekeeper at the local office. In the event of a WAN link failure, the MultiVoIP gateway's PSTN fail-over capability automatically redirects calls to the public telephone network.

"This application of our new combination gateway/gatekeepers is a perfect fit," said Chip Harleman, Vice President of Sales and Marketing for Multi-Tech Systems, Inc. "Avaya was looking for an economical media gateway for its small office users that provided distributed office capabilities, PSTN trunking and local office survivability. MultiVoIP fit their needs. And, because of Avaya's established reputation in providing secure network infrastructures and reliable voice and data applications, we find ourselves partnered with one of the best in the industry."

The MultiVoIPs are combination IP Telephony gateways and gatekeepers designed to offer an economical alternative to autonomous systems utilizing separate PC-based gatekeepers. The new Multi-Tech MultiVoIPs are available in two-port desktop and four or eight port rack mounted versions. The MultiVoIPs are H.323 compatible, feature PSTN fail over, and offer H.450 supplementary services.

"Multi-Tech's MultiVoIP Gateway cost effectively completes the full range of scalability offered by Avaya Enterprise Connect Solutions," said Jorge Blanco, vice president of Product Marketing, Avaya. "It fully delivers Avaya MultiVantage to the small office, seamlessly integrating locations under ten people into the larger enterprise and allowing companies to leverage skills whenever they're needed — wherever they're located."

The MultiTech MultiVoIP Gateway will be generally available in North America in June, and internationally later in 2003.

Multi-Tech is a Premier member of Avaya's Developer Connection Program (DevConnect), a comprehensive set of innovative sales, support, marketing and services programs through which Avaya works with members to develop, promote and sell their products and solutions that interoperate with Avaya solutions. For more information, visit DevConnect at http://www.devconnectprogram.com