Vodafone, Cisco, BlackBerry Launch Total SMB Comms Package

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Vodafone, Cisco, BlackBerry Launch Total SMB Comms Package
26th June 2008
ZDNet Australia

Vodafone Australia today took its first steps outside of the mobile world, announcing a new converged communications bundle designed to provide small businesses with their total communications needs.

The Vodafone Business One service, available by the end of this year, bundles mobile and fixed telephony, DSL and mobile internet connectivity, plus some clever unified communication smarts based around Cisco's IP networking and RIM's BlackBerry platforms, all as a managed service on a monthly bill.

Launched at a Sydney event hosted in conjunction with Cisco and RIM (manufacturers of the BlackBerry), Vodafone Australia CEO Russell Hewitt said the solution was a world first for the carrier.

Next to the launch of Vodafone's 3G and HSDPA services, Hewitt said the mobile carrier's move into the wider communications sphere was "the biggest announcement" the company has ever made in Australia.

The CPE-based solution will see customers provisioned with an all-in-one Cisco Integrated Services Router (which includes an IP PBX among other things), Cisco's fixed IP desk phones and Wi-Fi units, plus a choice of three dual-mode (Wi-Fi compatible) BlackBerry MVS mobile handsets, licenses for the BlackBerry Enterprise Server, and optional Vodafone-branded mobile broadband USB modems/data cards. The bundle will also include access to the Vodafone mobile network and AAPT-provisioned ADSL2+ network.

The cost of all of this equipment will be amortised over the length of a total monthly communications contract (including all fixed and mobile, voice and data) with Vodafone. Pricing is yet to be announced, but contracts are expected to be lengthy (minimum of 24 months) to cover the cost of the hardware.

The solution will be sold solely by Vodafone and its partner channel, but provisioned by Cisco Systems' business partners.

The managed service is likely to appeal to small businesses within the five-to-50 employee range that want one supplier, one contract, one invoice and one point of accountability for all their communications needs.

The BlackBerry MVS mobile phones, for example, will be able to make calls at landline rates when the caller is within their office WLAN. They can similarly receive calls on both their fixed and mobile handsets, and share a single voicemail account.

David McNaughton, head of fixed and value added services at Vodafone Australia, said small businesses are interested in converged solutions but don't have the skill-sets to build them.

"We've done the integration and testing so that SMB's don't have to do it themselves," he said.

While Vodafone's launch partner is BlackBerry, McNaughton concedes that other dual-mode mobile handsets may be applicable to the service.

Vodafone will gradually roll out the bundle to customers between now and the end of the year, but will register expressions of interest in the service as of today.

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Vodafone Goes Fixed, Broadband
26th June 2008
Technology News | IT News | Australian IT

VODAFONE Australia has revealed plans to step outside the mobile phone market with a new bundled product aimed at mid-sized businesses.

The carrier has partnered with network equipment specialist Cisco and Canadian BlackBerry maker Research In Motion, to offer mid-sized enterprises a package of telecommunications services that includes broadband, and fixed-line and mobile (voice).

The new bundled service, Vodafone Business One, is currently being trialled in four sites throughout Sydney and expected to be made available universally from October, Vodafone Australia fixed-line services chief David McNaughton said.

The carrier declined to reveal details about pricing for Vodafone Business One. However, Vodafone Australia chief executive Russell Hewitt said its model would stratify pricing into bands corresponding with its current business plans.

Businesses would not be required to pay upfront equipment costs.

Mr Hewitt said that while Australia wasn't considered a test market for the offering, Vodafone Group may launch it in other markets around the world.

"My expectation is that if this works well there's a whole bunch of the CEOs that I meet with on a monthly basis will be very keen to pick this up," Mr Hewitt said.

Vodafone ruled out making the offering to other mobile device platforms including Apple's iPhone.

"I think RIM's really proven itself as being the best in class smart phone out there in terms of the thought that has gone into those devices," Vodafone business markets manager Hugh Humphrey said.

"This is an exclusively RIM, Cisco and Vodafone deal, commercially sealed," Mr Hewitt said.

Cisco will supply IP network platform equipment for the package and RIM will supply new BlackBerry handsets capable of roaming between Vodafone's networks and office Wi-Fi networks.

RIM Global Alliances vice president Jeff McDowell said that the Canadian company would be watching the product's progress in the Australian market closely. RIM is working with Salesforce.com, Oracle and SAP to expand its mobile email platform to accommodate a wider range of enterprise software services.

"The simplicity of the solution is really the most important part of this offer but the implication is that everything that the BlackBerry has done from a platform perspective with all our application vendors ... will come along and play well in this offer."

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Answering the Call for Better Business Communications- the Future Revealed
25th June 2008
Research In Motion

Global leaders Vodafone, Cisco and Research In Motion (RIM) join forces to deliver a world-first business communications solution for small business: Vodafone Business One

Vodafone Business One delivers full service telecommunications; converged fixed and mobile services including DSL broadband, equipment and devices, fully managed support in One simple solution for One monthly fee, with One point of contact

Sydney, Australia- Revealing a world-first in IT and telecommunications, Vodafone Australia, Cisco and Research In Motion (RIM) today announce a three-way initiative to deliver integrated business communications services in Australia, to be marketed as Vodafone Business One.

Launching later this year, Vodafone Business One will combine all telecommunication services – fixed and mobile, voice and data, services and equipment – into one simple, managed service with single-point accountability on installation, technical support and fleet management and one monthly invoice. Focusing primarily on small-medium sized businesses of between 10 to 100 employees, the integrated solution uses the latest, business grade technology, delivering efficiency, scalability and cost benefits to Vodafone Business One customers.

Today’s announcement marks the first move beyond ‘mobile-only’ communications services for Vodafone Australia and is the first instance globally of a Cisco® Unified Communications solution with BlackBerry® smarpthones as a handset option.

Russell Hewitt, CEO at Vodafone Australia explained the significance of the announcement: "Today, Vodafone Australia makes it’s most significant strategic play since the launch of 3G services three years ago. With the announcement of Vodafone Business One, Vodafone has evolved from being a ‘mobile-only’ provider, to the world of full-service telecommunications services, enabling Vodafone to bring the principles of innovation and competition it has delivered in the mobile space to the fixed-line arena."

Vodafone Business One customers will receive the latest in cutting-edge networking and unified communications technology – a scalable Cisco Powered platform. With it, small businesses can step away from the traditional world of fixed line access fees and into the cost-effective world of Internet Protocol (IP), broadband and unified communications. By using Wi-Fi®-enabled BlackBerry® smartphones and secure Cisco Wi-Fi and IP-PBX in the office, Vodafone Business One customers can use their BlackBerry smartphones to make calls within the office zone at fixed-line rates, while making calls outside the office via the Vodafone mobile network. Both fixed and mobile calls will be covered by a single account-level service fee, similar to Vodafone’s popular Business Cap plans.

Hewitt continued; "Customers have told us that they want to capitalise on the latest IP technologies without sacrificing quality, security and reliability. SME business owners are busy growing their business and don’t have time to deal with multiple systems, technologies and suppliers, so we’re doing all of the hard work for them. Vodafone is integrating the very best, business-grade technologies available, so our customers can benefit from the combined expertise of three global leaders and enjoy the advantages of a fully integrated, scalable, converged managed communications service.

Hewitt concluded; "Spending money on traditional, fixed-lines with costly line rentals is now a thing of the past. Vodafone Business One provides a genuine alternative for Australia’s small businesses."

With Vodafone Business One customers will also gain access to unique features such as Office Zone Calling, Office Number Anywhere and One Voicemail:

Office Zone Calling - when inside the secure Office Zone Wi-Fi coverage area, calls from dual-mode BlackBerry smartphones are routed through the fixed network and charged as a fixed line call.

Office Number Everywhere - enables customers to keep their fixed line identity while away from the office environment and receive calls to their landline number on their mobile, through Wi-Fi in the office and via Vodafone’s GSM network while out of the office.

One Voicemail - enables customers to simplify voicemail with one, integrated account covering both fixed and mobile.

Les Williamson, Vice President, Cisco Australia and New Zealand, said: "Vodafone Business One is the coming of age of unified communications for small to medium-sized businesses and Cisco is proud to be an integral part of this ground-breaking initiative. Mobility and the integration of business communications services is now essential for customers in the modern competitive environment, and Vodafone Business One will soon become the new standard for integrated communications."

Vodafone Business One utilizes BlackBerry® Mobile Voice System (MVS) technology to extend desk phone functionality, including hold, transfer, conference and extension dialling, to BlackBerry smartphones over Wi-Fi networks. Vodafone plans to offer several new BlackBerry smartphones that will support the Wi-Fi calling capabilities of Vodafone Business One, including the BlackBerry® Pearl™ 8120, BlackBerry® Curve™ 8320, BlackBerry® 8820 and the new BlackBerry® Bold™ 9000.

An integral part of the Vodafone Business One solution, BlackBerry smartphones can automatically select Wi-Fi as the preferred transmission method to send and receive calls and emails, as well as access other data applications, when in the office. Customers can choose to use IP phones or their BlackBerry dual-mode smartphones while in the office.

Jeff McDowell, Vice-President, Global Alliances, Research In Motion, said: "We are very pleased to support Vodafone Australia in delivering this full service telecommunications solution. Vodafone Business is an innovative offering that enables small businesses to gain the benefits of convergence with the simplicity of a turn-key service."

Vodafone, Cisco and RIM have been collaborating for more than 12 months to develop a unique, converged solution of services and equipment and since early 2008, Vodafone Business One has been deployed at a number of Sydney-based businesses, where the service has undergone stringent testing, development and refinement.

Vodafone, Cisco and RIM today invite businesses to learn more about Vodafone Business One by visiting: www.vodafonebusinessone.com.au. Prospective customers can view all key elements of the Vodafone Business One proposition and pre-register their interest.

Vodafone will begin a progressive rollout of Vodafone Business One over the coming months to small and medium-sized enterprises in New South Wales before extending the service to customers in all major business centres by the end of the year.

Further details relating to Vodafone Business One products, services, features and pricing will be released closer to launch, later this year.