Switchvox Launches PBX Solution for the SMB Budget at Spring VON 2006

SAN JOSE, Calif.–(BUSINESS WIRE)–March 14, 2006–Small- and medium-sized businesses (SMBs) now have all of the advanced features of an enterprise-level phone system at a fraction of the cost, with the launch of Switchvox SMB. The new, full-featured, easy-to-use IP PBX solution starts at $2,495.

Switchvox SMB is the only IP PBX to offer a Call Event Notification Application Programming Interface (API) for companies to integrate their IP phone system with other business applications or databases, such as contact directories or order tracking software. The product also includes Switchboard 2.0, the industry’s most advanced real-time call control panel that leverages the benefits of unified voice and data while providing greater visibility into the phone system. For example, users can easily direct calls to other extensions in real time, view if other employees are currently on a call, and even display relevant information from other applications as calls are received.

Switchvox is built from open source software and uses open standards. It works with all Session Initiation Protocol (SIP)-compatible hardware and software phones as well as standard analog handsets, rather than typical PBXs that rely on proprietary telephones. Voice-over-IP providers can be used to send calls over the Internet worldwide and directly to remote corporate offices by peering Switchvox systems using the SIP or Inter-Asterisk eXchange (IAX) protocols.

In addition to supporting the latest technology, Switchvox can also connect to existing phone lines, whether those lines are analog or T1. Other advanced features in Switchvox VoIP system include:

• Outlook Integration – TAPI plug-in for Microsoft Outlook allows users to click to call any of their contacts in Outlook
• Firedialer – Firefox users can click to call any phone number on any Web page
• Universal Call Recording – Flexible call recording feature gives administrators the capability to define “jobs” that record all calls or only the calls they need
• Live Call Monitoring – Allows users with permission to listen in to live calls on the system
• Call Pickup – Enables users to answer another extension’s ringing phone from their own phone
• On-Phone Status Indicators – Presence indicators on the phone’s display allow users to see when others are on a call

“Before we deployed Switchvox, we were using a traditional phone system with limited features. We often missed calls while we were out of the office and needed a way to make sure we were accessible to customers,” said Jason Wieland, CTO of Mission Bay Vacation Rentals. “Switchvox allows us to be away from the office when showing properties and continue to conduct business as usual, at a fraction of the price that we would have paid for any other PBX system.”

“Our customers and prospects have requested a more feature-rich IP PBX phone system to handle the growing needs of their businesses,” said Joshua Stephens, CEO of Switchvox. “With the launch of Switchvox SMB, companies will have all of the features they require in a phone system, without the high price tag. Growing organizations now have a solution that is easy to install and manage, while giving them the appearance of a larger company.”

Analyst firm The Radicati Group estimates that by 2009, 74% of all corporate telephony lines will be IP lines. Worldwide revenue for hybrid and pure IP PBXs is expected to grow from approximately $1.5 bln in 2005, to $9.9 bln in 2009.

Switchvox products are sold as turnkey solutions that include the server hardware and pre-installed Switchvox software. Switchvox SMB is available immediately starting at $2,495 and the Switchvox SOHO product is available for starting at $995.

About Switchvox

Switchvox is a leading provider of PBX and VoIP phone systems for small- to medium-sized businesses (SMBs). The company’s business VoIP SOHO product enables small and home offices to easily and affordably create and manage their phone system, using traditional analog lines, as well as VoIP services. The Switchvox SMB product is a full-featured, more advanced IP PBX system for larger organizations. Based on Linux and other open source software, Switchvox has created software products that fit business and consumer needs.