Softbank BB deploys CommuniGate Pro Cluster for its Fully Integrated IP Services
Released on: November 6, 2007, 8:54 am
Press Release Author: Brian Blank / FutureWorks, Inc.
Industry: Internet & Online
Press Release Summary: CommuniGate Pro delivers carrier grade Unified Communications for massive subscriber base
Press Release Body: Mill Valley, Calif. - November 6, 2007 - CommuniGate Systems, the leader in carrier-class Internet Communications solutions, announced today that SOFTBANK BB Corporation (SBB) has launched "BB Communicator\", a new integrated communication service based on the CommuniGate Pro Unified Communications platform. Softbank BB, the largest shareholder of Yahoo! Japan, made the BB Communicator service available as a part of the YahooBB, Yahoo broadband offering. With this service, users can enjoy applications such as IP phone, e-mail, calendaring and address books regardless of their internet service provider (ISP), when they are connected through their broadband environment. After an extensive pilot system, the service went live on November 1, 2007.
"BB Communicator" enables users to make inexpensive phone calls to fixed and mobile phones, in addition to free calling among "BB Communicator," BB Phone and BB Phone fiber optic users. SBB has over 4.8 million subscribers of IP Phone in Japan, making this one of the world's largest IP phone services.
\"We evaluated a number of solutions for 'BB Communicator' and after careful evaluation, we selected CommuniGate Pro because of the platform's proven high reliability, scalability and performance; the ability to easily add nodes as needed without stopping the system; its ease of manageability even for very large deployments; as well as the ability to easily customize VoIP applications,\" said Daiki Orihara, General Manager, Business Development Dept., CNW Business Management Dept., Communication Network Division of Softbank BB.
\"The seamless integration with Microsoft Outlook\'s groupware features is another advantage of using CommuniGate Pro as the core engine behind our system infrastructure. We plan to continue capitalizing on the many new and exciting services offered by CommuniGate Pro including Web 2.0 and Fixed Mobile Convergence,\" continued Orihara.
CommuniGate Pro is a highly scalable and fully integrated internet communication server and development platform that provides 99.999% uptime with its truly unique dynamic clustering technology. In addition to IP calling, CommuniGate Pro provides "BB Communicator" customers with services such as e-mail, instant messaging, presence, calendar management, address books and rich media via the ASP (Application Service Provider) model. Regardless of their ISP, customers can use "BB Communicator" at home or away, in the office, hotel or Internet café. In the future, these features and applications will be available on mobile phones as well.
Key features of "BB Communicator" include:
Voice Services . Incoming/outgoing IP phone . Call transfer . Voice mail . TV Phone using PC
Application Services . Robust security features on messaging (CloudMark anti-spam) . Easily manageable schedule and calendar . Secure instant messaging using encryption . Presence
Looking ahead, SBB also plans to roll out another SaaS (Software as a Service) product targeting small- to mid-sized businesses and leverage CommuniGate Pro as an alternative to their MS Exchange server and groupware features.
\"We are honored that Softbank BB has selected CommuniGate Pro for its 'BB Communicator' services. This proves that CommuniGate Pro offers a truly unified communication solution that combines scalability, high performance and reliability in an easy-to-mange platform. This project was made possible through the joint collaboration of our Japanese partners, Dragon Networks Associates, Inc. and Open Technologies Corporation. Hitachi Software Engineering Corporation provided the hardware and its support. SBB is well known for being a catalyst and innovator in improving lives with the use of advanced technologies. Together with SBB, we hope to continue to bring innovative and exciting services to SBB and their valued customers throughout the Japanese market," said Jon Doyle, Vice President of Business Development at CommuniGate Systems.
The CommuniGate Pro Enterprise Suite, including Pronto! a sleek, unified communications dashboard based on Adobe Flash(r) and Adobe Flex(tm) 2 technology, is available today at www.communigate.com/community, free for the first five users, making it a smart choice for small businesses or the home office network. For installations over five users, the CommuniGate Pro Enterprise Suite is priced starting at US$849 for 25 users. ISPs, Broadband and Mobile Operators can contact sales@communigate.com for pricing information.
About my BB Communicator http://www.softbankbb.co.jp/news/press/2007/p0831_01.html
About Dragon Networks Associates http://www.dragon-networks.com/
About Open Technologies Corporation http://www.opentech.co.jp/AboutUs/index-e.html
About CloudMark http://www.cloudmark.com/serviceproviders/company/
About SOFTBANK Group Since its establishment in 1981, management policy of SOFTBANK Group has been to \"endeavor to benefit society and the economy and maximize enterprise value by fostering the sharing of wisdom and knowledge gained through the IT revolution\". Foreseeing the advent of the PC era at the time of business establishment, the company got to market fast with the package software distribution business. In 1990s, before the dawn of the Internet era, we established Yahoo! Japan Corporation, and later established \"Yahoo! Japan\" which became the biggest Japanese Internet portal. In 2001, SOFTBANK BB Corp. launched a commercial service of high speed and low price \"Yahoo! BB ADSL\", and led Japan to be the best broadband superpower in the world. Together with fixed line business of SOFTBANK TELECOM Corp. and mobile communication business of SOFTBANK MOBILE Corp., the company is taking now a big step toward the ubiquitous society where people can access \"anytime, anywhere and with anyone\" through broadband. The company is now asked for unprecedented speed, flexibility, and innovation while people\'s lifestyle and concept of values is diversifying. SOFTBANK Group will keep challenging to offer the advanced service which will contribute to enriched people\'s lifestyle in the age to come. About CommuniGate Systems Founded in 1991 and based in Mill Valley, California, CommuniGate Systems develops carrier-class Internet Communications software for broadband & mobile service providers, enterprises, and OEM partners worldwide. Over 130 million subscribers including 47 million voice customers rely upon CommuniGate Systems products for their voice and data communication today. CommuniGate Systems is the most trusted & financially stable vendor which maintains the highest customer satisfaction levels in the Rich Media Communications industry. CommuniGate Systems provides flexibility, performance, scalability, with the benchmark proven architecture that remains un-challenged in the industry. Our open development environment with simple APIs delivers extensible flexibility with a unique clustering technology for 99.999% uptime for the most demanding application environments. CommuniGate Systems has over 175 members in its partner network worldwide. Download CommuniGate Pro today and join the initiative to drive interoperability of Unified Communications and convert nearly 2 billion e-mail accounts to a single identity for all forms of Internet Communications. For more information, go to www.communigate.com
# # #
Brian Blank FutureWorks, Inc. (408) 428-0895 Ext 114 brianb@future-works.com
Web Site: http://www.future-works.com
Contact Details: Brian Blank FutureWorks, Inc. (408) 428-0895 Ext 114 brianb@future-works.com