Avaya to Highlight the Benefits of SIP in Higher Education During EDUCAUSE 2005

BASKING RIDGE, N.J., Oct. 13 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Avaya Inc. , a leading global provider of business communications applications, systems and services, today announced it will highlight the benefits of new Session Initiation Protocol (SIP) technology for higher education during EDUCAUSE 2005. Scheduled for October 18-21 in Orlando, Fla., EDUCAUSE is the industry's premier information technology show focused on the education market.

Avaya experts also will share how they are bringing SIP to the Internet2's SIP.edu initiative, which is promoting the convergence of communication identities on college campuses by facilitating the use of email addresses for voice and multimedia communication. The SIP.edu initiative seeks to build a large base of SIP-reachable Internet2 users by making existing campus PBX, Centrex, and VoIP systems reachable via SIP.

"Educational institutions are poised to reap significant benefits from SIP," said Robert Bluemer, North America director, State and Local Government and Education Markets, Avaya. "By adding new SIP capabilities to their existing hardware and software investment, they can prepare their campuses for the future -- using intelligent communications to connect students and staff in new ways and making them more productive and accessible."

An industry-standard protocol, SIP breaks down communications silos and uses a single address to reach students or staff -- whether they are on the phone, using a laptop computer, or away from the office on a cell phone or PDA. SIP also erases the boundaries among vendors since it operates with any communications device, regardless of the manufacturer. As a result, colleges and universities are able to add new capabilities to their networks and gain new flexibility, while protecting their investment in their current infrastructure.

Avaya's booth at EDUCAUSE 2005 (#334) will be set up like a coffee house -- complete with a coffee bar and comfortable sofas -- offering participants a chance to meet informally with technology experts so they can see first-hand how SIP works and the productivity benefits it delivers. The Avaya team will feature the following SIP offers:

* A freeware version of the Avaya SIP Softphone that allows anyone with a Windows-based PC or laptop computer and access to an IP network to make peer-to-peer calls through an easy-to-use, intuitive interface. The software supports a basic set of telephony and instant messaging features. For more advanced telephony capabilities, the software can be easily upgraded to a licensed version that connects to a SIP proxy server for integration within an Avaya voice network. * A "SIP~n~Go" package that gives educational institutions an affordable way to give SIP a try. This bundled offer includes everything needed to establish a self-contained trial SIP network, including: Avaya Communications Manager IP telephony software; an Avaya Communications Manager Media Server and Gateway; Avaya Converged Communications Server SIP Enablement Services running on an Avaya S8500 Media Server; and Avaya SIP softphones. A free online tutorial provides guidance on basic SIP telephony configuration and on how to set up the SIP~n~Go kit. * A specially priced Avaya SIP Enablement Kit available to those purchasing or upgrading to a new communications network using Avaya S8500 or S8710 Media Servers. The kit includes Avaya IP softphone licenses and Avaya Converged Communications Server SIP Enablement Services running on an S8500 media server. With this open communications infrastructure, institutions can easily and affordably add SIP to their new network.

Avaya and its development partners also will be poised to discuss the following solutions that can help campuses communicate better with students, staff and alumni:

* Solutions for real-time collaboration, conferencing and distance learning. * Power applications for students and faculty including mobility solutions, dorm room messaging, safety and emergency preparedness features. * Contact center technologies that can support fundraising initiatives, improve service to students and alumni, and reduce costs through operational efficiencies. About Avaya

Avaya Inc. designs, builds and manages communications networks for more than 1 million businesses worldwide, including over 90 percent of the FORTUNE 500(R). Focused on businesses large to small, Avaya is a world leader in secure and reliable Internet Protocol (IP) telephony systems and communications software applications and services.

Driving the convergence of voice and data communications with business applications -- and distinguished by comprehensive worldwide services -- Avaya helps customers leverage existing and new networks to achieve superior business results. For more information visit the Avaya website: http://www.avaya.com/.

BACKGROUNDER: AVAYA SUPPORT FOR INTERNET2 AND THE SIP.EDU WORKING GROUP

Membership in Internet2: Avaya is an active corporate member of Internet2, a consortium of 207 universities working in partnership with industry and government to develop and deploy advanced network applications and technologies that will support the nation's research institutions and accelerate the creation of tomorrow's Internet.

Membership in the SIP.edu Working Group: Avaya is collaborating with Internet2's SIP.edu Working Group which promotes the adoption of new real-time campus communications services using Session Initiation Protocol (SIP). To engage what is estimated to be nearly four million Internet2-connected users in an exploration of new communications models, SIP.edu encourages advanced communications applications that integrate voice, email, video, and instant messaging through presence services and open standards.

Development of an Industry-Leading "Handle-Based Dialing" Feature: Avaya is the first commercial vendor to add SIP.edu functionality to its communications product line, leveraging a campus LDAP(1) directory to allow real-time communications to both SIP and traditional users through existing e- mail addresses. The "Handle-Based Dialing" feature was initially developed by Avaya in conjunction with Harvard University, also a member of both Internet2 and its SIP.edu Working Group. For more information on the Avaya deployment, visit: http://mit.edu/sip/sip.edu/deployments/avaya.shtml

How it works: When the SIP email address (such as sip:username@bigu.edu) is "called," an Avaya software plug-in queries a campus Lightweight Directory Application Protocol (LDAP) directory for reach information belonging to the individual with that address. If a user is not found on the SIP network, the call is handed off via an Avaya gateway to other PBXs (both traditional and IP-based) so that the call can be completed. In order to honor potential privacy concerns, Avaya's software allows administrators to decide which phone numbers in the directory are mapped to their email address, giving them control of when and how they are reached.

Availability to other Universities: Now, other universities can easily and affordably implement Handle-Based Dialing by purchasing an Avaya a SIP~N~Go Package (for a SIP trial network) or a SIP Enablement Kit (for Avaya customers upgrading their existing network). Both packages contain everything needed to implement SIP. The dialing by email feature can be added easily to the configuration to allow anyone to reach campus users via a single SIP email address -- whether they are on a traditional or SIP-compatible phone, a cell phone or PDA, or using their PC for instant messaging and email.

(1) Lightweight Directory Access Protocol used by Web browsers and email

programs to access a directory listing.