By Michael Foreman
Melbourne-based Tennyson Technologies has launched Small Office Exchange (SOX), claiming it is the first "true CTI" (computer telephony integration) product to arrive in New Zealand.
According to Tennyson sales and marketing manager Peter Hatcher, SOX combines telephone and computer technologies in a single-box device that presents users with a
unified windows interface for voice, fax, and e-mail communications. SOX is modular and can be expanded to accommodate from between eight and 64 users. Mr Hatcher said that cards could be incorporated to suit conventional analogue or ISDN lines, and that an ADSL card would be available soon.
The system is integrated with Microsoft Outlook software, and will be compatible with third-party CTI "plug-ins" for specialised applications including packages for the medical, dental, and retail industries, and call accounting software.
Mr Hatcher said that Tennyson would release a software development kit in January or February next year to encourage technology developers to offer turn-key solutions.
A plug-in available immediately is Virtual Phone, which Mr Hatcher said provided a PC interface for a wide variety of traditional phone functions.
Cogent Communications has been appointed as the distributor for SOX in New Zealand, and Tennyson expects first year sales will exceed $2 million. Last June Tennyson signed a similar deal with MUA in Australia, which has agreed to purchase at least $A10 million worth of SOX product in the year to September 2000.
A typical system for 20 to 30 users would be priced between $26,000 and $38,000 depending on the options installed. According to Cogent Communications' SOX product manager Phil Faidley, the cost per user of around $1400 is similar to a traditional telephone system with voicemail and fax.
Mr Faidley said that three early New Zealand customers included Auckland-based law firm Stevenson Campbell, a management consultancy company also in Auckland, and a Wellington-based security company. Cogent was also progressively rolling the SOX system out at its offices throughout New Zealand.
Late last month Tennyson's parent company, Tennyson Holdings, raised $A3 million with an institutional share placing. It also announced the appointment of Charles Zoi, group managing director of Telstra from 1992 to 1997, as a director. The company is seeking a chief executive officer to lead global expansion, beginning with Britain and the United States.
