3Com Pairs IP Telephony, Audioconferencing

3Com

The networking hardware vendor also plans to unveil an NBX IP conference phone with partner Polycom.

With the NBX upgrade, 3Com has completely integrated the NBX and the 4400 switch so that no configuration is necessary, said Greg Zweig, NBX product manager.

Bob Inpyn, team member at Roseville, Calif.-based solution provider Team One Networking, said the new automatic configuration is "like the carpool lane on the Interstate."

"It's a very useful tool," Inpyn said. "The 4400 senses an NBX voice packet and automatically gives it voice prioritization."

Slated for March availability, the SoundStation IP 3000, 3Com's NBX IP conference phone from Polycom, integrates fully with the 3Com NBX platform, Zweig said.

The phone is virtually "plug and play," Zweig added. Users need only plug the phone into an Ethernet jack and the NBX platform recognizes it, assigns it an extension and a voice-mail box, he said.

Team One Networking has been participating in beta trials with the IP conference phone and customers have been pleased, Inpyn said. "Everyone knows that Polycom makes high-quality conference phones," he said. "When you combine with the functionality of NBX, it's a great business tool."

As with other IP phones, the conference phone can move from site to site without having to be reconfigured. An interface gives access to the same IP telephony features of any 3Com IP phone, including full access to voice mail, call transfer, internal name directories and the ability to add new participants, Zweig said.

The SoundStation IP 3000 - 3Com NBX IP conference phone, a Polycom product, will be available to 3Com partners through regular 3Com distribution channels, Zweig said. The phone lists for $999 plus $100 for the 3Com NBX license.

"It's not cheap for a conference phone, but because it's multifunctional, no one has questioned the price," Inpyn added. "And it works right out of the box."