Cisco enters Indian Voice market with New World IP-based Communications Solution

Cisco Systems announced its entry into the Indian market for communications systems
with its New World IP Telephony solution. The announcement follows a specification by the Telecom Engineering
Center of the Department of Telecom for IP based PABX solutions.

The Interface Approval Certificate from the TEC makes it legal for the approved IP-based products from Cisco to be connected directly to the Bharat Sanchar Nigam Limited (BSNL) and Mahanagar Telephone Limited (MTNL) networks to carry voice traffic from the internal enterprise PABX to anywhere in the world. The Enterprise will, however, need to invest in a physically separate
data network, since an integrated PSTN voice and CUG Voice/Data architecture is still not legal.

IP-based solution will enable companies to deploy key services such as video conferencing, collaboration and other value-added options such as directory integration, XML integration, application prioritizing calls received, calling party name and number, calls received, missed calls and dialed calls, extension mobility etc--in an easy-to-program and easy-to-use platform, at a touch. This solution is backed up with ease to install and configure, and standard CAT-5 LAN cabling. IP-PBX is an open-standards solution, which means that enterprises need not be tied down
to one vendor for application integration to the solution.

Speaking about Cisco’s IP-PBX solution, Manoj Chugh, President (India, SAARC), Cisco Systems said, "Technology, today, is accepted as a key enabler for growth. This is evident from the fact that Enterprises are moving fast to integrate technology advances into their business planning processes. Cisco’s IP-PBX solution will enable important new functionalities on the employee desktop - with the advantages of an open-standards platform."

In a 1999 research report, Frost&Sullivan had estimated the Indian PBX market at US $ 63.9 million - with more than a million unit lines. The market has been hitherto served by circuit-switched 'one-box' offerings.