Nortel To Unite IP-PBX, Legacy Voice Systems

Succession Enterprise Software Release 3.0 is slated to be unveiled at Global Connect 2003 in Las Vegas, an event sponsored by the International Nortel Networks Meridian User Group.

The new software will provide a common platform for both Nortel's Succession 1000 IP-PBX and its Meridian 1 PBX, said Ann Swenson, senior product marketing manager of enterprise IP telephony at Nortel, Brampton, Ontario.

The Succession upgrade will replace Meridian's X11 system software,now in its 25th release,and provide a simplified migration path to IP telephony, Swenson said.

"For Meridian customers out there, this is a further demonstration that Nortel is providing an investment-protected path to new technology," she said.

With the upgrade, Nortel is also expanding its Succession portfolio with Succession 1000m, which supports up to 10,000 IP users per call server. Previously, the Succession 1000 line supported up to 1,000 IP users per call server, Swenson said.

Release 3.0 integrates seamlessly with Nortel's Multimedia Exchange, a Session Initiation Protocol-based collaboration platform that features conferencing, personalized call screening and video calling.

The new multimedia capabilities and simplified migration path should give Meridian 1 customers good reasons to upgrade, said Mike Olson, senior vice president of sales and marketing at NextiraOne, a solution provider based in Houston. "Clearly, IP telephony is something we're all going to at some point," Olson said.

The new system software will also support Nortel's forthcoming low-end i2001 Internet Telephone, and a new survivable small branch office gateway for five to 50 users, both scheduled for availability later this year.

Release 3.0 is scheduled for general availability in the fourth quarter. Pricing has not been established.