Avaya Inc. last month launched Version 2.0 of its Modular Messaging voice mail platform, with unified messaging features and support for more users on a single IP-based server.
The new messaging software lets end users with Microsoft Outlook or Lotus Notes e-mail clients access Avaya Modular Messaging voice mails in their in-boxes.
The platform also allows for Web-based voice mail access and new voice-activated message retrieval interface. Avaya Modular Messaging 2.0 runs on a Linux-based Intel server and can support up to 20,000 voice mail boxes per system — up from 10,000 mailboxes on the previous version. This lets one Modular Messaging server support voice mail for clients in remote offices via an IP WAN link, and end users inside a main corporate office. The messaging platform works with either Avaya IP or legacy PBX phone switches.
Modular Messaging includes a software plug-in for client PCs, which lets voice mails be integrated with Outlook or Lotus Notes clients. This lets voice mails be sent to an end user as an e-mail attachment. This differs from Avaya’s Unified Communicator, which keeps voice mail and e-mail storage on the same server, and integrates voice mail and e-mail into scheduling and other applications.
“The Outlook plug-in is excellent,” says Beth Seymour, senior project manager for voice network services at AmeriHealth Mercy Health Plan. “It’s great having everything in one interface” for accessing messages. Avaya Modular Messaging costs between US$50 and US$100 per seat.