The vendor adds that the Portico platform delivers the features and functionality of VoIP without the costs associated with typical “rip and replace” VoIP migration solutions, such as network upgrades, new handsets, and retraining.
Citel’s Portico TVA connects legacy PBX handsets to a premise-based IP PBX or Hosted IP service provider network, and reduces the expenditure and disruption they say is usually associated with IP telephony migration.
VoIP features and services pass through Portico TVA directly to existing PBX handsets over existing wiring, transforming them into new IP phones. The application offers the possibility for users to avoid the expense of a LAN assessment, LAN upgrade, and new IP handsets. A laptop or desktop web browser is used for enhanced VoIP features such as click to call, simultaneous ringing, and Microsoft Outlook integration.
“Recent research shows that an estimated $20.6 billion will be wasted on IP screen phones over the next five years,” said Michael Burke, senior vice president, Citel. “Portico provides a radical alternative to VoIP migration by removing the cost and complexity. With the TVA, businesses retain their existing infrastructure and telephones while gaining all the cost savings and productivity enhancements of IP telephony.”
Citel Portico TVA is available in both digital and P phone/analogue compatible versions. Portico TVA interoperates with IP PBX platforms such as Asterisk, Avaya. Portico TVA also interoperates with hosted IP server platforms such as BroadSoft and Sylantro. In addition, Citel says Portico TVA interoperates with more than 100 handset types including Avaya Definity, Ericsson, NEC, Nortel, Panasonic DBS, and Toshiba Strata DK.