Avaya has announced as of April several big changes to the IP Office Telephone System. Several big changes to the Avaya IP Office Release 8.0 platform cover changes in the voicemail, mobile twinning, and support on 96x1 devices.
Originally there was a plan to release a device called the UC110 module. This product will now be called the Avaya UCM. The Avaya UCM is a Linux based module that resides in a single slot of the main cabinet of an IP Office 500 V2. This module replaces the need for a separate server for Preferred Edition Voicemail. It can support up to 59 users and up to 20 ports of voicemail. You may use this voicemail as a Centralized Voicemail option for multiple sites. Some of the benefits of using this module, rather than an external server, is that the unit is not tied to Microsoft or Linux updates and licensing, and it also takes under 30 minutes to install. It also includes an Avaya Preferred Edition License when you purchase the unit.

They have also announced a larger option for voicemail called the Avaya IP Office Applications Server. This is a Linux based sourced server and it supports up to 250 users, and 40 voicemail ports. It ships with a Linux OS and Applications Software Images. It is scalable to the full capacity of 1 Avaya IP Office Phone System (384 users).

Avaya has also announced full support on the 96x1 IP Phones.. On release 7, the last service pack fully supported the 9608, 9621G and 9641G IP Phones. Finally with Release 8 Q1 Service Pack, the 9611g will be fully supported.

And the last major update to IP Office Release 8.0 is a very exciting one. Mobility server will now support use on an iPhone Mobile Phone. So you now may load the one-X application on a iPhone for full featured mobility. This is currently in Beta testing and will be available for use in May. Unfortunately for Blackberry users, there is a big question mark as to whether or not Mobile Worker will be fully integrated.
Avaya IP Office Release 8.1 is at the moment planned for a June Release Date. One of the big announcements for Release 8.1 IP Office is a larger capacity. They have announced the upcoming Avaya IP Office Midside Server Edition, which is a Linux based platform and can support up to 500 users per server and up to 1000 users per site with 2 servers. This server can be supplied by the customer as long as it is on Avaya’s approved server list.

• Supported on IP500 V1 or V2 Cabinets
• One SD Card for all Versions- Basic Mode, Partner Version
• Upgrade with license to Essential, Preferred or Advanced Edition
• Avaya IP Office Web Manager: System Management via Web Browser
  • Supports the following web-browsers:
    • Firefox
    • Internet Explorer
    • Safari
    • Chrome
• New Hardware: (Preferred Edition Only)
• UC110 Unified Communications Module
  • Requires a slot in Main Cabinet
  • Supports Preferred Edition without Server
  • Supports User Productivity Packages
  • Supports Mobility Server
• Basic Edition, Partner Mode- V2 Cabinet only
  • Upgrade to Essential Edition with Keycode
  • Mobile Worker (Mobile Twinning) not supported, requires upgrade to Essential Edition
  • No new feature enhancements with the exception of the voicemail
  • Voicemail Enhancements:
    • Intuity Audix Commands
    • Call Screening
    • Allow System Administration while Users are on a call
• Essential Edition
  • Requires a keycode to upgrade from Basic Mode
  • Comes with Mobile Twinning Feature for all users (requires SIP Trunks or PRI)
  • Comes with the ability to have 2 remote workers - requires VCMs, does not require VPN or IP Endpoint License (9600 series Phone)
  • Anything more than 2 remote workers requires an IP endpoint license- and maybe used for 1600 or any other IP Phone that requires VPN router
  • Coaching Intrusion, Silent Intrusion and Whisper
• Preferred Edition
  • Requires Dedicated PC, Server or UC110 Module
  • Requires purchase of Essential Edition License
  • Required Keycode to use Office Worker, Teleworker or Power User Productivity Licenses. If a customer with User Productivity License upgrades to Release 8.0 and does not have Preferred Edition, they must purchase this license in order to keep the User Productivity Licenses. Otherwise they will no longer work.
  • Required for Multi-Site Networking at minimum of 1 site even if Centralized Voicemail is not required
  • Multi Time Zone Support
  • MAPI Exchange Integration on Linux
  • Call Screening
• Advanced Edition
  • Agent Monitoring and reporting via Customer Call Reporter Updates for 8.0
    • Avaya one-X Portal for IP Office: Agent Control Gadget, World Clock Gadget
    • System Talk Time Report Enhancements
    • APF- Agent Productivity Factor (Agent Time Card Report)
    • 15 & 30 minute reports for Call Summary Report and Call Detail Report
    • Custom Reports

There are many benefits of using SIP Trunks on an Avaya IP Office Telephone System. There are both monetary benefits and technical benefits for each. Let’s take a look at both.

• Lower per line cost
• Lower rates for Long Distance
• Lower rates for Inbound Toll Free Service
• Inexpensive Fax to Email
• Free In-Network calls to local and international locations
• No taxes or FCC Charges

• More control over call progress (SIP Messaging)
• Services can be split to Inbound and Outbound
• Free Caller ID with Name and Number
• Quick and easy disaster control
• Easy relocation of service
• Higher audio quality
• No audio loss when bridging lines for conferences
• Outgoing Caller ID control
• Easy DID integration
• On-Line access and control of services and features
• Time of Day Call Preferences / Control

Technical and Monetary Benefits will vary from each Service Provider.

So how do you connect your SIP Trunks to your Avaya IP Office Phone System?

There are several ways to connect your SIP Trunks. You will need 2 parts in your IPO System- VCM Channels and SIP Trunk Keycodes. VCM Channels are Avaya’s proprietary codec and are include on the Avaya IPO ATM Combo Card or a VCM 32 or VCM 64 Card. SIP Trunk Licenses can be purchased in quantities of 1, 5, 10 and 20. The Avaya IPO Partner Version comes with 3 SIP Trunk Licenses to start, while the Avaya IPO Essential Edition does not come with any to start and must be licensed.

• If the cell phone is ON and the twinned call is not answered, the caller will go to the Voice Mail Box with the shortest time out.
• Timeout Example: Cell phone is ON
  The cell phone sends unanswered calls to its Voice Mail Box after 15 seconds of ringing.
  The IP Office sends unanswered calls to its Voice Mail Box after 10 seconds of ringing. In this case, the caller will go to the IP Office Voice Mail Box since it has the shortest timeout.
• Timeout Example: Cell phone is ON
  The cell phone sends unanswered calls to its Voice Mail Box after 10 seconds of ringing.
  The IP Office sends unanswered calls to its Voice Mail Box after 15 seconds of ringing. In this case, the caller will go to the cell phone Voice Mail Box since it has the shortest timeout.
• If the cell phone is OFF and the Mobile Answer Guard timer option in the IP Office is set correctly, then all unanswered calls will go to the IP Office Voice Mail Box. It makes no difference how the Timeouts are set when the cell phone is turned off.

Well the answer to this is very simple. Any customer who purchases a new IP Office Cabinet can upgrade to release 7.0 free of charge for 90 days. This free upgrade is tracked by the phone system cabinet, not by the SD card. We have had customers who purchased a brand new SD card and tried to upgrade, but they get an error code that says “Must install Run Time License”. If you receive this error code, it means that your IPO Control Unit is older than 90 days and you must now purchase a license in order to upgrade. A Run Time License is the same thing as an IPO License Upgrade and you must know whether you have over 32 extensions, or under 32 extensions or if you plan to upgrade to more than 32 extensions. There are two different License Upgrades either small (under 32 extensions) or large (32 extensions or more).

If you are within the 90 day free upgrade period, then your installer or distributor can either upgrade your system for you, or provide you with a link to upgrade the system.

When an installer first starts working with the Avaya IP Office Phone System, often times they are surprised to find that there is no paging port on the system.  
So how do you connect a Paging System to your IP Office Phone System?  What we recommend is using a Bogen WMT1A transformer and a spare Analog Station Port. 
This analog station port can be on an ATM combo card, a Phone2 card, a Phone8 card, a Phone16 Module, or a Phone30 module.   Then you can go ahead and connect your paging unit of choice.   This transformer will work on both the Avaya IP Office Essential Edition or the Avaya IP Office Partner Version.

We have discovered a new solution to this problem.  Avaya has addressed this issue in IP Office Release 7.0.  The IPO 7.0 now has a “PBX System” mode. This allows incoming calls on CO Lines to be sent to 1 of 4 “Ring Groups”.  If a standard single line telephone (cordless) is a member of the Ring Group, it will ring on incoming calls.

So the old rule that single line telephones won’t ring on incoming calls has been modified.
At the moment, Avaya is still issuing release 6.0 SD cards, so if you need to access this feature, you must upgrade your system to release 7.0 when purchasing.