AltiGen Communications recently rolled out the latest version of its AltiWare system software for its IP-PBX products, an upgrade that integrates contact center software previously only available as a separate add-on.
"It's the most significant feature release in the company's history," said James Puchbauer, director of marketing at AltiGen, Fremont, Calif., noting that version 5.0 represents the sixth generation of AltiWare and an unbroken 10-year development cycle on the software.
With AltiWare 5.0 comes new modular software licensing that enables AltiGen solution providers serving small to midsize customers to turn on features such as advanced call routing and centralized call recording on a per-user basis. The new flexible licensing gives customers the ability to purchase the particular features they need, reducing up-front investment costs by not requiring them to purchase full contact center functionality, Puchbauer said.
"We're letting everyday businesses take advantage of specialized productivity tools that have been [traditionally available in] high-end call centers," he said.
Previously, contact center features were offered in a separate software package that cost about $5,000, plus licensing fees, Puchbauer said. In addition to the integration of contact center features, AltiWare 5.0 adds about 100 new features and capability enhancements to AltiGen's AltiServ IP telephony products, including E911 features that allow remote users to contact local emergency services and remote IP extension survivability.
"They've really done a nice job from the user perspective of simplifying it and making it more user-savvy," said Pete Busam, vice president and COO of Decisive Business Systems, a solution provider in Pennsauken, N.J. Busam points to the new E911 capabilities as well as support for multiple-line appearances and the ability to assign different profiles for settings such as business hours to different departments as key features.
Other new features include enhanced multisite management tools, redesigned user interfaces, improved reporting tools and a software development kit with additional APIs for developers and integrators.
Systems featuring the new software are available now starting at $7,500.
