Released on: May 20, 2008, 11:06 am

Press Release Author: Appia Communications

Industry: Telecommunications

Press Release Summary: TotalConnect lowers capital investment and monthly costs, and
includes disaster recovery features.

Press Release Body: Appia Communications, Inc., a leading provider of managed IT and
telecom services, has developed a service that lowers the costs of owning a Cisco
CallManager. The service, called TotalConnect, makes it possible for small to
mid-sized companies and organizations to use Cisco's enterprise-class
telecommunications platform.

TotalConnect consists of one or more connections between a customer's premises and a
secure, telco-grade Appia operations center. The connections are used to deliver
voice and video services and Internet access.
TotalConnect lowers capital investment by eliminating the need to purchase a
gateway, which is the equipment required to connect the CallManager to local and
long distance voice providers.
TotalConnect also lowers monthly costs. TotalConnect requires a single connection to
Appia, as opposed to at least one for voice and one for Internet access. Since Appia
buys network services in bulk from major providers, Appia is able to offer much
lower rates than organizations can negotiate on their own. Appia also offers lower
calling rates than most other providers.

In addition, unlike local voice providers, Appia can provide telephone numbers from
most U.S. cities. This makes it possible for a company to establish a "virtual
presence" almost anywhere.
TotalConnect makes it easier to own and operate a CallManager installation because
there is only one vendor to call, instead of three or four. Appia provides support
for all of its services through its 24/7/365 network operations center.
TotalConnect also includes access to Appia's voice disaster recovery options. By
locating a Cisco CallManager server at Appia's Point of Presence (PoP), services
continue even if a customer's physical location becomes unavailable. Calls can be
rerouted by Appia to phones at alternate locations, or to home or mobile phones,
according to a customer's disaster recovery plan. By locating Unity Voicemail
servers at Appia's PoP, the auto-attendant continues to function if a customer's
site goes down. There is no interruption in the ability of customers and suppliers
to make contact. Finally, it is possible to locate the entire CallManager cluster at
Appia's PoP. The power, HVAC, security, and fire suppression capabilities at these
PoPs far exceeds what most organizations can afford.
For organizations concerned about managing another complex software platform, Appia
can configure the CallManager, Unity, and other servers, and manage the installation
once deployed.
About Appia Communications

Appia Communications is a leading provider of managed IT and telecommunications
services, whose mission is to enable small and mid-sized companies and organizations
to realize the benefits of Internet Protocol (IP) technology. Appia's managed
solutions help customers reduce costs, enhance employee productivity, improve
customer care, and compete more effectively against much larger enterprises.

Headquartered in Traverse City, Michigan, Appia has operations in New York, Chicago,
Los Angeles, Detroit, Indianapolis, St. Louis, Boston, and other markets in North
America and Europe. For more information, please visit www.appiaservices.com, or
call 877-277-4297. Appia is a Cisco Powered Network and holds advanced Cisco
communications certifications.


Web Site: http://www.appiaservices.com

Contact Details: Keli Minick
Marketing Communications Manager
Appia Communications
1030 Hastings St., Suite 100
Traverse City, MI 49686
231-929-0970