News

Cloud-based Apps Now Available as a Subscription Service, With Minimal or No Capital Cost
IRVINE, Calif., Sept. 30, 2014 ― Toshiba America Information Systems, Inc., Telecommunication Systems Division (Toshiba — www.telecom.toshiba.com) today announced its new VIPedge® Application Service, which brings advanced Unified Communications, Mobility and Unified Messaging applications to users of Toshiba’s Strata® CIX and CTX business telephone systems.  With these cloud-based applications now available as a subscription service, users gain the benefits of hybrid cloud networked applications with minimal or no capital expenditure.  Toshiba’s VIPedge Application Service is now available nationwide from Authorized Toshiba Dealers.
“Toshiba’s VIPedge Application Service delivers today’s most in-demand communications solutions to users of Toshiba’s Strata CIX and CTX systems via the cloud, with minimal or no capital costs,” said Brian Metherell, vice president and general manager of Toshiba America Information Systems, Inc., Telecommunication Systems Division.
“Toshiba’s VIPedge Application Service delivers consistent features in a multi-site network for distributed Toshiba business phone systems, regardless if they are on-premises systems, such as Toshiba’s Strata CIX/CTX, or Toshiba’s cloud-based VIPedge solution,” he added.
Toshiba’s VIPedge Application Service enables organizations to budget communications as a monthly operating expense instead of an upfront capital expenditure. With low, per-user pricing, applications are delivered via the cloud as a subscription service, making it affordable for Toshiba’s Strata CIX and CTX customers to keep up with current technology, without having to move to a new platform.  Strata CTX customers will require a processor, firmware and IP card upgrade to Strata CIX, while Strata CIX users will only require minimal or no upgrade.
With Toshiba’s VIPedge Application Service, Toshiba customers with multiple offices can now flexibly mix cloud and on-premises solutions and take advantage of feature transparency and applications across all locations.  It also allows them to affordably add staff or new locations in the future with the flexibility to expand on demand.  For traveling and work-at-home employees, Toshiba’s VIPedge Application Service gives them the same robust communications applications as the in-house staff, helping improve communications between employees, customers, vendors and others.
Toshiba is now offering two cloud-based application packages:

• Unified Messaging (UM) Package

Subscribing to UM as-a-service eliminates the expense of purchasing and installing an add-on voice mail card or unified messaging appliance.
The Unified Messaging application plan features:

• Standard Voice Mail — Receive, send, forward and save voice messages left by callers.  Easily manage, sort and filter voice messages with a few keystrokes.
• Auto Attendant — Enable callers to route their own calls and leave messages without assistance.
• Unified Messaging — Manage voice and e-mail messages from your PC or telephone.
• Message Notifications — Know when a message arrives by any combination of message waiting light, pager, or a call to any office or cellular phone.
• Soft Key Navigation — Manage your voice mailbox through your phone with LCD display, using intuitive menus and soft keys.

• Follow Me — Configure a mailbox to forward calls to an internal or external phone number based on caller ID or calendar information.
  Redirect a caller or record a conversation that has been answered at the Follow Me number.
• IPMobility Client — Enable Apple®  and Android™ smartphones to be extensions of the Toshiba phone system.  Get single-number reach, call control and visual voice mail from a smartphone.

• Unified Communications (UC) Package

This extensive unified communications (UC) application suite includes the voice mail and unified messaging features included in the UM Plan plus Toshiba’s new UCedge™ client application for Android and Apple smartphones and tablets. UCedge features include:

• Control calls and multimedia communications from select Android and Apple smartphones and tablets.  Support for Windows® and Mac® computers will be available in October 2014.
• Access popular business phone system features (extension dialing, hold, transfer, etc.).
• Use only your business number to be reached on your mobile or desktop device.
• Access UC capabilities such as presence, group instant messaging and visual voice mail.
• Share presence and instant messaging with users inside or outside the company.
• Consolidate call and instant messaging history information across multiple devices.
• Use the built-in softphone to make calls over Wi-Fi from Android devices through the office phone system.  Support for Apple, Windows, and Mac devices will be available in 2015.

With UCedge, the user’s mobile device becomes his or her business telephone, displaying the user’s office extension in the Caller ID for single-number reach whether the user is in or out of the office. By simply installing client software, a smartphone or tablet device can still function as a personal phone but also as a business phone with access to corporate phone system features such as extension dialing, call hold, transfer, forwarding or ad-hoc conferencing and even UC capabilities such as presence, and individual and group instant messaging.
Cloud-based Survivability Ensures Calls Stay Live, Even in Power Outages
As an added bonus, Strata CIX and CTX customers that subscribe to either of the cloud application service plans and opt for Toshiba’s affordably priced SIP Trunk iVoIP Service will also benefit from basic call control survivability of their DID number and Follow Me service.
If the Strata CIX or CTX system is not operating due to a natural disaster, power outage or other failure, incoming calls will continue to reach users at their assigned Follow Me numbers.
Integration With Toshiba’s Hybrid Cloud Networking
In addition, with Toshiba’s recently introduced hybrid cloud networking capability, existing customers that have a Toshiba IPedge® and/or Strata CIX phone system deployed at their business location(s) can now subscribe to the VIPedge hosted/cloud service when adding a new office location.  This minimizes the upfront capital expense and quickly integrates the new office into the existing network without interoperability issues.
Compatibility
VIPedge Application Service is compatible with all three of Toshiba’s business telephone platforms:  VIPedge cloud-based business telephone system, IPedge on-premises IP business telephone system, and Strata CIX/CTX IP converged business telephone system.
More at www.Telecom.Toshiba.com