Sprint Expands Fixed Mobile Convergence Capability for Businesses

-- Sprint announced plans to launch BlackBerry Mobile Voice System (MVS) as the next generation of Sprint Mobile Extension. BlackBerry MVS enables businesses to give users a converged desk phone and mobile device experience on BlackBerry smartphones.

BlackBerry MVS integrates the functions of a desk phone with a BlackBerry smartphone to help mobile workers be accessible from virtually anywhere for improved productivity, enhanced collaboration with co-workers, and backend management and IT controls.

Sprint said that busy mobile workers can streamline their communications with one corporate phone number that simultaneously rings up to four devices, one caller ID and a consolidated voice mailbox. BlackBerry smartphone users can access enterprise desk phone functions like transfer, allow and block callers, and seamlessly handoff of calls between BlackBerry smartphones and desk phones using the integrated interface on their BlackBerry smartphones.

Fayetteville State University (FSU) in North Carolina has relied on Sprint Mobile Extension for immediate communication for almost two years. FSU has realized proven cost savings and productivity gains, seeing this solution as a necessity, not a luxury. "FSU is a 100-acre campus and our staff is constantly moving throughout the university. This solution gives us flexibility to adapt and control how our employees work, whether staff is remote or mobile on campus. We can control and deliver time-sensitive and critical communications virtually anytime, anywhere," said Joseph Vittorelli, FSU's Director of Systems and Infrastructure. Vittorelli noted that the volume of voice messages he received went from over 30 to roughly two daily. "We are in the process of migrating to BlackBerry MVS and are excited to optimize the experience for all of our BlackBerry Smartphone users." Designed to integrate with both TDM and IP PBX systems, BlackBerry MVS leverages an organization's existing telecom infrastructure and extends the value of their investment to mobile workers. BlackBerry MVS gives IT and telecom administrators the ability to gain more control over their mobile costs, such as routing calls from a BlackBerry smart phone through the PBX, as well as call logging and auditing to better comply with regulatory mandates. Also, by setting voice service usage policies on a per-user basis, costs can be better controlled.

"Building on its convergence leadership and the power of its Now Network, Sprint is focused on providing fixed mobile convergence solutions to provide more value, simplicity and enhanced productivity that extend the value of a business customer's existing telecom investment. BlackBerry MVS is an extension of that portfolio," said Tim Donahue, vice president - Business Marketing, Sprint. "We're in a unique position to deliver innovative, converged solutions that leverage our unique wireless and wire line assets and bring more value to businesses, which is critical in this challenging business environment.”

From TMC News Room