Cisco Introduces New Unified Communications System to Streamline Business Processes, Drive Productivity

Cisco Systems, Inc. (NASDAQ:CSCO) today announced the Cisco(R)Unified Communications system, a new suite of voice, data and videoproducts and applications specifically designed to help organizationsof all sizes to communicate more effectively. The system will allowcustomers to integrate their communications system with their ITinfrastructure, streamlining business processes for the way effectivebusinesses need to work today.

Based on the Cisco Service-Oriented Network Architecture (SONA)announced in December 2005, the Cisco Unified Communications system isan open and extensible platform for real-time communications based onpresence, mobility and the intelligent information network. By usingthe IT data network as the service delivery platform, the system helpsworkers to reach the right resource the first time by deliveringpresence and preference information to an organization's employees.

"The Cisco Unified Communications system is the first truesecond-generation Internet Protocol (IP) Communications systemproviding not just telephone services, but rather a richcommunications environment that seamlessly integrates voice, video anddata collaboration in one system. It is also the first new Ciscosystem to fully support the Cisco Service-Oriented NetworkArchitecture (SONA) announced in December 2005," said CharlesGiancarlo, chief development officer, Cisco Systems, Inc. "Cisco SONAextends the power of the network to optimize applications, processesand resources to deliver greater business benefits to enterprises. Bybuilding on Cisco SONA, Cisco Unified Communications leverages networkintelligence to greatly simplify the day-to-day challenges ofcollaboration with colleagues."

The Cisco Unified Communications system is based on Cisco'sindustry-leading IP Communications portfolio including CiscoCallManager, Cisco Unity, Cisco MeetingPlace and Cisco IP ContactCenter and now includes additional innovative products, applications,features and capabilities. New to the Cisco Unified Communicationssystem are Cisco Unified Personal Communicator, Cisco Unified PresenceServer and Customer Interaction Analyzer. Current customers will beable to upgrade their existing systems to take advantage of the newcapabilities.

-- Cisco Unified Personal Communicator simplifies the way workers share information by helping them to communicate in real time. Its user-friendly GUI (Graphical User Interface) makes it easy to move through multiple communications applications. The Unified Personal Communicator bridges the gap between the stand-alone applications on the desktop, telephone and network. Using dynamic presence information, employees can search existing directories to locate contacts and simply "click to call" using voice and video, allowing them to exchange ideas face-to-face. The virtual nature of IP networks allows remote or traveling employees to securely access these tools from wherever they are.

-- Cisco Unified Presence Server collects information about a user's status, such as whether or not they are using a device such as a telephone, personal computer or video terminal at a particular time. Using this information, applications such as Cisco Unified Personal Communicator and Cisco Unified CallManager can help users connect with colleagues more efficiently by determining the most effective method of communication. The Cisco Unified Presence Server aggregates presence information from the network as well as Cisco Unified CallManager and third-party devices using SIP and SIP for Instant Messaging and Presence Leveraging Extensions (SIMPLE) and then publishes that information to Cisco Unified IP Phones, Cisco Unified Personal Communicator and third-party services and applications such as IBM Lotus Sametime and Microsoft Live Communications Server (LCS) 2005.

-- Customer Interaction Analyzer is being introduced to maximize effective communications with customers, a new approach to analytics in the contact center. It uses information from customer interactions, including self service and agent assisted interactions, to determine things like customer distress, agent distress, silence and word patterns. The data helps to give the conversations business context and can help a business to coach and train agents, make changes to processes and self service scripts based upon findings -- ultimately creating better customer relationships and growth for the business.

Additional new features of the Cisco Unified Communications Systeminclude the following:

-- Cisco Unified CallManager 5.0 and Cisco Unified CallManager Express 3.4 and Survivable Remote Site Telephony (SRST) 3.4 now natively support SIP, effectively opening up the system to an emerging standards-based developer community while retaining the current security and resiliency features. A new program, SIP Verified, provides third-party verification for voice, data and video SIP endpoints. An initial set of vendors who have completed this testing is also announced.

-- Cisco Unified CallManager 5.0 is now available in a choice of operating models based on customer and channel partner preference. A new appliance model version based on Linux is available now and a version based on the existing open operating system model is scheduled to be available within 12 months.

"Miercom has exercised and reviewed key components of the entireCisco Unified Communications system and after seeing it in action, webelieve that Cisco has leapfrogged their competition in a number ofareas," said Ed Mier, principal, Miercom. "Cisco's nativeimplementation of SIP, which is interoperable with Skinny ClientControl Protocol (SCCP) helps give customers investment protection fortheir system so that it can adapt as quickly as the standard does."

Cisco continues to bridge the communications islands withinnovative solutions building on the enterprise Wi-Fi (802.11)networks and the GSM public networks. In conjunction with leadingwireless handset suppliers such as Nokia and RIM, Cisco will soonbring to market single and dual mode Smartphone solutions which driveenhanced productivity of mobile enterprise employees both inside andoutside the office. These single device products allow users to reducethe communications complexity and help companies manage costs withoutlosing the productivity.

Among the major European organizations running early field trialsof the Cisco Unified Communications system are T-Systems, DeutscheTelekom's business customer brand, and global systems integrator,Getronics.

"T-Systems and Cisco share one vision of how convergence andunified communications can improve collaboration and effectiveness forall businesses from SMBs to multinational organizations," said HendrikOtten, vice president, Customer Based IP Voice, T-Systems. "We are nowworking with Cisco to take advantage of the Unified Communicationsplatform to add new services to our Octopus portfolio."

Getronics has deployed Cisco Unified CallManager and Cisco UnifiedContact Center in its network of over 8,000 Cisco IP phone users and500 call centre agents. Gail Anderson Lavender, vice president, GlobalAlliances at Getronics said, "The solutions introduced by Cisco todaywill take convergence of business communications to a new level,making it possible for Getronics and our customers to enable moreeffective communications that directly impact the top and bottom line.From our early field trials of the Cisco Unified Communications Systemand the new Cisco Lifecycle Services model, we see a clear migrationpath that will deliver greater returns on both our own and ourcustomers' infrastructure investments."

Cisco and its partners provide a lifecycle services approach todeploy and manage the Cisco Unified Communications system. New CiscoOperate Services for Unified Communications combine technical supportservices capabilities such as server replacement, application softwareupdates and hardware and software problem resolution into one servicethat covers the entire system. To ensure proper deployment, Cisco isalso offering Planning and Design Service Bundles and OptimizationServices that are packaged for easy ordering.

Cisco also today introduced a number of new phones and updates toexisting applications, as well as announcing Cisco Unified CallManagerand Cisco Unified IP Phone are localized for China, Korea and Japan.For more information on the Cisco Unified Communications System visit:www.cisco.com/go/unified.

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