German IP phone maker snom technology AG (News - Alert) recently announced the launch of its partnership program for interoperability and technology partners. The program is designed to offer customers and partners simple, complete solutions.

 

Small and medium sized businesses are rapidly becoming the market leaders when it comes to demanding plug-and-play solutions that can be easily integrated into existing networks and services. snom is addressing this demand by ensuring that its phones are able to work with — and are certified as working with— a wide variety of IP-based platforms. Company officials are proud to exclaim that the result is the realization of the highest performance, complete solutions possible.

 

“Right now, there are so many VoIP component suppliers, that it is becoming increasingly difficult for users and administrators to keep abreast of developments and to select the components most suitable for their specific requirements. But going through all of these different component vendors is the only way to currently take full advantage of open standard VoIP solutions,” said Dr. Michael Knieling, CFO and executive vice president of marketing and sales for snom. “If one component is SIP-based, it doesn’t necessarily mean it will be completely interoperable with other SIP-based products, which is why we have created this program — to make installations involving snom’s phones as easy and surprise-free as possible.”

 

snom’s Web page offers an overview of current companies and products that have been shown to work with snom phones and with each other. In addition, the site displays whether interoperability partners have completed certification procedures that are currently available on two different levels.

 

There are nearly 20 vendors certified t work with snom’s offerings, including Broadsoft, Digium/Asterisk (News - Alert), Nortel, Brekeke, Fonality/Trixbox, Objectworld, and others.

 

Detailed information on the respective settings for integrators, specialist dealers and system administrators is also provided on the company’s Web site. From a technical standpoint, this new program ultimately offers solution bundles by the industry.

 

Essence, supplier of PBXs, and Simicomm (News - Alert), supplier of soft PBXs, are among the first companies to join snom’s new interoperability partner program on the first level; this level supports basic telephony functions, such as initiating and terminating calls. Prerequisites for the next partner level, which includes companies such as Starface PBX and pbxnsip (News - Alert), are functions like transferring a call, call waiting, Music on Hold, LED status indicators, and integration of answering machines.

 

snom plans to work more closely with partners in the planning stages of phones to strengthen their technology partnership and ease integration.

 

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