CommunicationsManager

Business

Network convergence strategies designed

to empower organisations of all sizes

SOLUTION OVERVIEW

Network convergence strategies for a broad range of markets

The powerful synergy created by converging traditional data

networks with breakthrough IP telephony applications offers

significant benefits to businesses.

Whether it’s using Internet Protocol (IP)networks to handle telephony traffic,establishing Interactive Voice Responseand Auto Attendant applications toprovide higher levels of customer service,or network management tools thatdeliver streamlined global solutions,Business Communications Manager can help businesses gain a strategic edge over their competitors.

By supporting both digital and IPtelephony in a single, easy-to-manage,cost-effective unit, this scalable platformenables organisations to adopt IP-basedsolutions at their own pace.

Network solutions that canhelp grow the bottom line

Business Communications Managerdelivers a complete, stand-alone solutionthat provides a smooth migration path to the IP-enabled networks of the future.Whether a company wants to establish IP telephony on-site, extend the serviceto remote sites, or to home offices, Nortel Networks can help. Unlike digitaltelephony equipment, IP phones areconnected directly to the data network.This enables companies to capitalise onthe economies of a single, simplifiedwiring system for both data and voicenetworks. Business CommunicationsManager also supports a full range offlexible wireless IP solutions to streamlinetheir operations.

Retail and eCommerce

Business Communications Manager helps deliver new levels of customer servicethat can set organisations apart from thecompetition. For example, InteractiveVoice Response (IVR) enables customersto save time by reordering products simplythrough entering information via thetouchtone keys on their phone. If theyhave a question that needs personalassistance, Auto Attendant gives them theoption to be routed to a staff member,request a callback, or receive otherinformation. This can cut customer on-hold times and increase employee efficiency. Business Communications Manager

delivers cost-effective IP Telephony accessto as few as ten users. As a company’sbusiness grows it can be expanded tosupport up to 200 users. Powerfulmanagement solutions are available thathelp companies configure new units withease, and make quick, efficient globalchanges to all the units on their network.

Government and Education

For central and local government and foreducation, Business CommunicationsManager offers a robust, stand-alonesolution that provides virtually seamlessvoice networking capabilities. Centralisedvoicemail and four-digit dialling can beextended to all branch locations over thewide area network (WAN). Advancedtelephony features – such as call transferbetween branches, conference calling, call centres, universal/co-ordinateddialling plans, and wireless telephony –streamline internal operations andincrease efficiency.

Finance and Insurance

When security is a priority, VirtualPrivate Networks (VPNs) createencrypted data tunnels between corporatesites over the Internet, delivering TripleDES security without the need for costlyleased lines. IP telephony, voicemail, andfour-digit dialling between branchesimprove operational efficiency and reducecosts. Security is also enhanced by usingfile transfers, email, and unifiedvoice/data/fax messaging.

Telephony costs are effectively containedby consolidating incoming lines and rerouting traffic over available bandwidthon the corporate IP network. Incomingcustomer calls can be routed through amain or regional facility and distributedto Business Communications Managerunits at branch locations manually orusing the integrated Auto Attendant. CallDetail Recording allows companies totrack telephony usage patterns across thenetwork, delivering a precise picture ofhow network resources are being utilised.

Healthcare

Staff can have instant access to medicalrecords via their laptops from anywherein their facility, accessing and updatingpatient records as they make theirrounds. Wireless phones also increaseefficiency by keeping staff in constantcontact with their co-workers. Byeliminating the need for purchasing,cabling, managing, and maintaininglegacy telephony equipment, facilities can cut costs through simplification oftheir internal network.

Nortel Networks Business

Communications Manager 400 and

Business Communications Manager 200

Solving business challenges with hybrid digital/IP solutions

IP-enabled or pure-IPnetworks? The choice is yours.

Whether a company is creating a hybrid digital/IP telephonyenvironment, or creating a new IP-based voice network, Nortel Networks has the solutions to ensure its success.

For customers interested in atraditional digital telephonyimplementation, BusinessCommunications Manager supportsthe requirements of sites with up to160 telephones. Nortel NetworksBusiness Series Terminals provide afull-featured option for traditionaldigital phones. Full interoperabilityand support are also offered forNortel Networks Norstar andMeridian equipment.

Today’s competitive marketplace demands that organisations

adopt new technologies that can help deliver improved

customer service, reduce operating expenses and increase

revenues by expanding market reach.

A member of the Nortel NetworksSuccession converged IP telephonyportfolio, Business CommunicationsManager is available in two differentmodels:

• Business CommunicationsManager 200 is designed to supplythe benefits of converged voice/datanetworking to smaller sites, typically of 10 to 24 users and more (up to 64using a mix of digital and IP phones).

• Business CommunicationsManager 400 is designed to bring the benefits of converged voice/datanetworking to small- to medium-sizedsites of 16 to 200 users.

Both models offer key technologies that can help businesses compete moreeffectively, including support for both IP and digital telephony, Interactive Voice Response, Auto Attendant, UnifiedMessaging, and more – all from a single,cost-effective, easily-managed device.

Nortel Networks has broughteight key capabilities into asingle, affordable devicethat’s designed to helpbusinesses offer exciting newservices while simultaneouslyreducing costs.

Digital and IP telephony from asingle, cost-effective device. BusinessCommunications Manager can supportup to 160 digital telephones (or up to200 telephones, using a mix of digitaland IP phones) and can offer a level offlexibility and usability that is unmatchedby any other product in today’s market.

Business Communications Manager is also ideal for supporting IPtelephony in hybrid digital/IP and pure-IP environments. The Nortel Networks i2002 and i2004Internet Telephones combine thefunctionality of the popularMeridian handsets with the powerand flexibility of IP telephony, andthe Nortel Networks i2050 SoftwarePhone brings complete telephonyfunctionality to a Windows PC.

IP telephony – A technologywhose time has come

Until now, it’s been impossible tofind an affordable platform that’scapable of handling both data and IP telephony in a convergedenvironment. Telephony can now be easily extended across large

campuses without the distancelimitations of digital systems.In addition, wireless IP telephonyprovides companies with exciting new ways of meeting their business requirements. Wide-area connectivity over IPextends advanced call centre and messaging applications to both branch and home offices,creating a more cohesive structurethat will maximise the efficiency of personnel.

Best of all, Business CommunicationsManager is a flexible, future-proof solution that will enableorganisations to adopt newtechnologies at their own pace.Whether a company is interested in a gradual migration from digitalPBX phone systems to a more cost-

effective IP telephony infrastructure,or a pure-IP solution capable ofdelivering advanced networkservices, Nortel Networks can help.

Today’s increasingly competitivemarketplace poses a challenge tosingle-site and multi-site businesses:to adopt technologies that will helpbusinesses grow and compete more effectively.

Nortel Networks understands that new hardware investments need to deliver tangible benefits. BusinessCommunications Manager isdesigned to help organisationsachieve the strategic edge they arelooking for, reduce operating costs,improve customer service, andincrease revenues by expandingmarket reach.

Centralised configuration andmanagement for networks of all sizes.In addition to an intuitive applicationthat’s ideal for configuring a single unitor small networks, Nortel Networksdelivers Network Configuration Manager,a powerful, global, template-basedsolution that simplifies the managementof large networks containing hundreds of units.

Interactive Voice Response (IVR)for improved profitability. Now smallercompanies can cut down on customerhold times, increase the efficiency of their employees, and improve customerservice by offering information andordering capabilities from the keypad of any touchtone phone.

Virtual Private Networks (VPNs) for enhanced security. Intra-site VirtualPrivate Networks (VPNs) enableorganisations to use the public Internetfor secure communications, reducing the need for costly leased lines. Contivityclients can now be loaded on to users’remote PCs and laptops, delivering secure access from any location.

Call centre applications combinepersonalised agent interaction andcustomer support with advanced web-based solutions. The silent monitoringfeature enables supervisors to listen tocalls as they occur, helping to ensure high levels of customer service.

Unified messaging increasesproductivity by consolidating allincoming messages – including email,voicemail and faxes – on to the screen of a user’s PC.

Hybrid environment leverages existing investments in Meridian andNorstar systems, offering a future-proofmigration strategy.

Simplified network infrastructurecuts costs by connecting IP phones overthe LAN wiring system, streamliningnetwork management and extendingconnectivity to multiple sites over the IP network.

Hybrid digital/IP telephonysolutions

Unlike some competing products thatrequire companies to make an ‘either/or’choice, Business CommunicationsManager gives them the option ofcontinuing to support, or even expand,their digital telephony network, whilesimultaneously deploying IP telephonywhere it suits the needs of their organisation.

Business Communications Managerprovides an elegant, self-containedsolution that is simple to deploy andmanage. Unlike complex chassis-basedproducts that can only be deployed at the central site, this cost-effective solutioncan be installed in the branch officeenvironment and easily managed fromany remote location.

Business Communications Managerenables the network of companies to be extended economically withoutsacrificing features or functionality. Both units deliver the unique benefits of IP telephony, including:

• Portable connectivity options that enablea configured handset or computer to beconnected to any LAN/WAN port with

• sufficient bandwidth. For example, a user can connect his laptop at any branch office, plug in the Nortel Networks i2050 Software Phone,and place or receive calls exactly as iflocated at his home office.

• Flexible connectivity options that allowcompanies to deploy handsets across thedata infrastructure, including wireless802.11b connectivity and extendedfibreoptic cabling runs.

• Unlike digital phones, which arehardwired to the PBX base unit, theNortel Networks i2002 or i2004Internet Telephones or Nortel Networksi2050 Software Phone will workanywhere on the data network, evenover a remote connection. In addition,the Contivity VPN capabilities ofBusiness Communications Managerextend secure voice services over thepublic Internet.

• Toll-free telephony between branchoffices eliminates toll charges. By usingthe extra bandwidth on the wide areanetwork (WAN) for IP telephony,companies can leverage the untappedcapabilities of their existing datainfrastructure to maximise the returnon their current network investment.

IP telephony offers a truly portablesolution. Any port with sufficientbandwidth on the LAN/WAN willprovide the connectivity needed – justplug in a configured phone or laptop and a user is ready to go. And if wirelessIP connectivity is required for a phone,laptop, or scanner, the equipment willwork anywhere on the network wherethere’s an 802.11b access point installed.

Business Communications Managerdelivers a fully integrated solution thatdoes not require external devices – suchas application servers or voicemail servers– to realise the benefits offered by IPtelephony. These capabilities are native tothe unit, improving network reliabilityand resiliency because there are fewerdevices to manage and keep online. To ensure prioritisation of latency-sensitive network traffic such as voice, the Nortel Networks BayStack 460-24T-PWR Switch or other DiffServ-capabledevice should be installed on the network.

Finding the strategic edge for businesses

Data services

In today’s challenging businessenvironment, the fast, secure exchange of information between the users in acompany is a prerequisite for success.Until now, achieving this level ofconnectivity has required the purchase of multiple devices, posing financial and network management challenges that small-and medium-sized businesseswere not prepared to meet.

For organisations that need to establishsecure communication between sites,Business Communications Managersupports the creation of Triple DESencrypted Virtual Private Networks(VPNs). Contivity software clients can be loaded on to a user’s laptop or PC,and costly leased-line connections can be reduced or even eliminated byestablishing secure, encrypted tunnelsover the public Internet, corporateintranets, and extranets. Ideal forprotecting sensitive data, VPNs use themost powerful IPSec encryption andauthorisation technologies available, andcan be extended to a Nortel NetworksContivity Extranet Switch, a NortelNetworks Shasta 5000 Broadband Service Node, or another BusinessCommunications Manager.

Even for small sites, Nortel Networksdelivers a solution capable of meeting allthe data and voice networking needs of acompany from a single, easily manageddevice – Business CommunicationsManager. The unit includes on-boardrouting capabilities and is capable ofextending Internet connectivity to allusers, enabling them to communicate viaemail, access web sites, and share filesbetween remote locations.

Voice messaging

Up to 75 percent of business calls are not completed on the first try, and that iswhy efficient voice messaging is essentialto a company’s success. To maximiseefficiency, Business CommunicationsManager CallPilot unified messagingsolution enables employees to managetheir voicemail, email, and incomingfaxes directly from any multimediaWindows PC. Users can listen tovoicemail, save or forward messages, view faxes on the screen and forwardthem as email, or even use Caller ID to go straight to the message they have been waiting for.

Many small-and medium-sizedbusinesses, as well as larger enterprises,can’t afford a full-time receptionist atevery site. The Auto Attendant featuresolves that problem with customer-controlled routing that gets callers wherethey need to go – fast. This ensures thatcustomers can always reach the company,eliminating busy signals and the potentialfor missing an important call or message.

Business Communications Manager will help organisations create a flexible,scalable solution that will improvecustomer service and streamline internal and external communications.These enhanced voice-processingapplications are an incredible time saver,and will dramatically simplify companies’message management.

Nortel Networks

i2002 Internet

Telephone

Nortel Networks

i2004 Internet

Telephone

What is a convergednetworking environment?

In a converged environment, bothtelephony and data signals aretransmitted as packets over the datanetwork. This approach deliversseveral advantages, including:

• Cost-effective IP telephony.Bandwidth resources that havetraditionally been restricted to data can now be used for telephony,maximising the efficiency of acompany’s network and simplifyingnetwork management. Digital voicecircuits can be relegated to back-upstatus or even eliminated, and tollcharges between branch offices canbe reduced.

• Simplified networking architecture. A single infrastructure is capable ofcarrying both data and telephonytraffic, saving money by eliminatingthe need to install separate cablesand manage two networks. Thisapproach reduces repair time andstreamlines system installationsand reconfigurations.

• Portable, flexible solution. Networkdeployments and reconfigurationsare simplified, and service can beextended to remote sites and homeoffices over cost-effective IP links.

Call centre

When customers pick up the phone,what happens next can make thedifference between the success and failureof a business. Whether customers arecalling to place their first order, toreorder, or for support with an existingorder, Business CommunicationsManager can help deliver the top-flightcustomer service that leads to success.

Through the power of IP telephony,Business Communications Managerenables agents in multiple locations tosupport the same queue – even agentsworking from home can receive calls as ifthey were at the central site. Customersbrowsing the website of an organisationcan enter the queue simply by clicking abutton and entering their phone number.When their request reaches the front ofthe queue, they are called at the specified

number by the next available agent.Special offers can be provided via the webwhile they are waiting; and if they justneed a quick question answered, they can‘chat’ online when their message reachesthe head of the queue.

Business Communications Manageralso supports Computer TelephonyIntegration (CTI), which enables callcentre agents and other users to haveaccess to caller information before theconversation begins. Recent purchases are displayed on the screen, enablingagents to provide improved customerservice and more efficient call handling.By giving customers rapid access to sales and support personnel via the phone, the web, and email, businesses can deliver the highest levels of customerservice – even better than largercompetitors who haven’t adopted these advanced techniques.

Network architecture

Business Communications Managerdelivers a flexible, scalable solution forgrowing businesses. Ideal for creatingbranch office connectivity betweenmultiple sites, the hybrid digital/IP-basedsolution delivers multiple benefits interms of creating a more unified,cohesive, and cost-effective network forbusinesses. Capable of supporting ahybrid environment of digital telephony,IP telephony, and 10/100 Ethernet datanetworks, this innovative platformmaximises the utility of a company’sexisting equipment while providing asmooth migration to the IP-enablednetworks of the future.

Until now, companies of all sizes havetraditionally used separate cablinginstallations to support their datanetwork and PBX phone systems. Eachtelephone needed its own twisted-paircopper connection to the central PBXunit, and typically had to be located nomore than 1,200 metres away. In theconverged environment created byBusiness Communications Manager,

voice connections can now be transmittedover the same fibre connection as theLAN. This eliminates the need for dualcabling plants, dramatically increasescabling distances, and provides a networkarchitecture that is both more efficientand easier to manage.

Key benefits are realised by enablingpersonnel at different sites to reside onthe same network. Companies of all sizes can use Business CommunicationsManager to create a unifiedcommunications network that supportsmultiple branches – and even homeoffices – over IP connections. Companieswith a Meridian 1 PBX phone systeminstalled at the central site can extendCallPilot and Meridian Mail services to remote offices where a BusinessCommunications Manager is installed,optimising their existing investment byextending unified voice/fax/emailmessaging to the remote site. Bothapproaches provide centralised voiceservices, and offer four-digit extensiondialling to any point on the network –including home offices connecting overbroadband or cable.

Prioritising network traffic with the BayStack 46D-24T-PWR Switch

Now there’s a way to make a company’snetwork priorities mirror those of theirbusiness. By installing the BayStack 460Switch with Business CommunicationsManager, the network becomes anintelligent partner that can prioritisebusiness-critical traffic, helping to get themost out of the existing infrastructure.DiffServ ensures that latency-sensitiveapplications and selected users willreceive platinum-level service, while lessurgent traffic is allocated bandwidth on a lower-priority basis.

Traffic prioritisation is especiallyimportant for businesses that supportmission-critical IP applications –including IP telephony – but do notwant to incur higher costs by over-provisioning the network to ensurebandwidth availability.

Whether your business is transitioning from digital to IP telephony, oryou're creating a new IP-only environment, Nortel Networks deliversthe only integrated solution that supports either approach.

Figure 2: Business Communications Manager multi-site solution

Figure 1: Business Communications Manager single-site solution

Business Communications Managerhelps companies compete moreeffectively by delivering new technologiesdesigned to increase the efficiency oftheir personnel, maximise the viability oftheir existing resources, and reduceoperating costs.

To learn more about how BusinessCommunications Manager can put the power of IP telephony to work for businesses, contact your local Nortel Networks representative, or call00800 8008 9009 for more information.

Putting the power of IP telephony to work for businesses

In an increasingly competitive marketplace,

companies of all sizes need to find a strategic edge.

Nortel Networks

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United Kingdom

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Information Centre

Telephone 00 800 8008 9009*

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* Number accessible from most

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For more information, please call your Nortel Networks representative or visit our website.© 2003 Nortel Networks. All rights reserved.

Nortel, Nortel Networks, The Nortel Networks corporate logo, the globemark design, BayStack, CallPilot, Contivity, Meridian, Norstar, Shasta and Succession are trademarks of Nortel Networks plc. All third-party trademarks are recognised and acknowledged. Information is subject tochange since Nortel Networks reserves the right to make changes, without notice, in equipment design or components as engineering ormanufacturing methods may warrant. The description of features and services in this document does not imply availability in all markets. Published by Nortel Networks. Printed in UK.

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Printed October 2003