RIM Offers BlackBerry-PBX Convergence

Telecom News Editorials Reports Glossary

5:55 am on May 14, 2007 | Category: Mobile Devices, Wireless, PDAs, Email, Software

Ontario-based Research In Motion announced a new “Mobile Voice System” product last week at its annual user conference, in an effort to converge the popular BlackBerry email device with enterprise PBX functionality.

The BlackBerry MVS solution promises a single “Reach Me Anywhere” phone number for corporate employees, and integrates desk phone features such as extension dialing and call transfers. All calls placed and received with the service are securely routed through a central PBX, allowing managers to log or record conversations for compliance purposes.

“For years I’ve been hoping we could somehow make the mobile take over the role of the phone that sits on my desktop,” noted RIM Mike Lazaridis. “It rings all the locations you are normally at, at the same time so if you’re in your office your desk phone and your BlackBerry ring simultaneously and whichever you pick up the other stops ringing.”