Unified Messaging Service (UMS)

 

Voice Mail Synchronization via IMAP
Email applications such as Outlook which support IMAP can connect to an IMAP server integrated with the VoiceMail Pro server.

When using a mail client new voice mails arrive as an email with wave attachment and the user can handle them like every other email. If a voicemail has been listened to, its status will change to “read” everywhere. If the user deletes it, it will be deleted everywhere.

Users that have UMS access enabled just need to add an additional email account to their client to be able to use the unified messaging features.

The instructions how to add this account and configure the web address for the VoiceMail Pro Web Access can be provided by an administrator email without the need for system administration or Business Partner support.

 

Unified Messaging Services web services requires the VoiceMail Pro installation to be on a server with IIS pre-installed. In addition, the VoiceMail Pro web services option must be selected during installation.

Once installed, the system will require the following additional configuration:

• UMS licenses (for the number of users that will be configured to use UMS)

• the users selected for UMS support must be enabled by the system administrator in Manager

• each user must have a voicemail passcode (a blank passcode is not acceptable)

As the UMS solution is not reliant on integration with Exchange significant savings are made in the cost of installation and maintenance.

Interaction of Voicemail with Email Systems (Unified Mailbox) and Fax Systems

As standard, VoiceMail Lite, Embedded Voicemail, and VoiceMail Pro allow for a simple voicemail alert or the entire voicemail to be forwarded or copied to any MAPI or SMTP compliant Email application (Microsoft Outlook, Exchange, Lotus Notes, etc.) as a .WAV file attachment. This allows emails and voicemails to be unified and collected from a single source – the email client.

The simple alert option (which forwards only the time, date and caller’s number information) has been designed for use with commercial Short Message System (SMS) services whereby this information can be forwarded to the display on a Mobile/Cell Phone or Pager when the user is away from the desk. This email notification, forwarding and copying, can be done for all voice messages or on individual selection and can be activated remotely. This is beneficial if you are working from home and have an email connection available.

Forwarding voicemail to Email is one element of unified messaging and is particularly useful for group voicemail boxes as it allows a single voicemail message to be copied to the Email of every member in that group.

While not directly supplying or supporting fax software, the same result can be achieved with fax to the desktop or client fax applications when using fax servers. This then allows an Email client (e.g.: Microsoft Outlook) to be utilized as an easily affordable unified messaging solution. The many benefits of unified messaging include security (as faxes are sent to the users PC rather than on paper for everyone to see), ease-of-use and efficiency in terms of storage and retrieval of messages and the great gains that can be made in overall workforce efficiency and productivity.

To enhance the support of Third Party Fax solutions VoiceMail Pro supports the automatic detection of incoming fax calls. Traditionally a dedicated telephone number will be provided for all incoming fax calls. In addition to, or as an alternative to, the VoiceMail Pro ‘Menu’ action can automatically detect any incoming fax calls and then utilize its comprehensive routing capabilities to direct the call to a predefined location. The benefit to a business is that only one number is required for either Voice or Fax calls.

The VoiceMail Pro can store the default fax location for the automatic routing of fax calls. Alternatively, with fax tone detection at the voicemail box, each voicemail box can have a fax location number. If a voicemail box owner has set his or her own fax number, then that number is used instead of the default fax location. Voicemail box subscribers can set their own fax number through their mailbox menus.

Most fax solutions can be used in conjunction with IP Office; however the following products have been tested and verified to operate in the above scenarios:

• Equisys - Zetafax – Zetafax for Networks provides versatile network fax software solutions for small businesses, corporate offices and distributed enterprise businesses. It enables employees to send and receive faxes at their desktop, without the need to print fax communications, take them to a fax machine and send them manually. Zetafax can be seamlessly integrated into market leading email systems like Exchange allowing users to send and receive faxes directly from their Outlook client. In addition Zetafax can be integrated with other existing applications, such as accounting or CRM systems, for fast, automated faxing from the desktop or back office. Zetafax for networks is already used by more than 60,000 customers worldwide. Further product information available from www.equisys.com

• Captaris – RightFax – RightFax offers a broad, scalable product line that integrates with email, desktop, CRM, ERP, document management, imaging, archival, call center, copier/scanner systems, as well as host, legacy and mainframe applications–virtually all business applications. Further product information available from www.captaris.com

• Fenestrae – Faxination – Fenestrae Faxination Server for Microsoft Exchange integrates fax into email technology. Create faxes on your desktop and deliver them to your chosen fax machine at the click of a mouse. Further product information available from www.fenestrae.com

• GFI – GFI FaxMaker – a GFI FaxMaker for Exchange/SMTP allows users to send and receive faxes and SMS/text messages directly from their email client. It integrates with Active Directory and therefore does not require the administration of a separate fax user database. GFI FaxMaker integrates via the SMTP/POP3 protocol with Lotus Notes and any SMTP/POP3 server. Further product information available from www.gfi.com

• Avaya C3000 (Germany only) – The C3000 can run as a fax server only and be integrated with VoiceMail Pro. This variant of C3000 is known as Faxmail Pro.

Castelle Fax - Castelle's FaxPress Premier analog fax servers represent an advanced, state-of-the-art approach to network faxing. Castelle’s patent pending Premier technology, built on existing FaxPress hardware and software features, offers a complete, enterprise-level network faxing solution in one robust, server-class machine. Faxes are routed to a user’s mailbox via SMTP by Castelle fax servers and will be recognized by VoiceMail Pro as faxes. Further product information available from http://www.castelle.com/products/premier.htm

Unified Messaging Service

Unified Messaging Service is an enhancement of Voicemail to E-mail presentation providing message synchronization with any IMAP4 client (e.g. Outlook, Outlook Express). The icons are recognizable for New, Priority, and Read Messages. There is full synchronization of messages with message waiting light on the telephones.

Additionally, employees can access voicemail messages through web browser (e.g. Internet Explorer 7, Mozilla Firefox) enabling them to select and listen to specific voicemail messages by using either the PC’s multimedia equipment or the desk phone.

When using a mail client new voice mails arrive as an email with wave attachment and the user can handle the message like every other email. If a voicemail has been listened to, its status will change to “read” everywhere. If the user deletes it, it will be deleted everywhere.

Text To Speech (TTS) for Email Reading and Reply (Microsoft Exchange only)

In addition to providing a unified mailbox for Voicemail, Email and Fax message, VoiceMail Pro can also provide the ability to retrieve Voice and Email messages through the telephone. When operating in Intuity mode and with the system licensed for Text To Speech (TTS) facilities the user will be presented with a list of both Voicemail messages and Email messages. The Emails can be read out over the telephone in any of the supported 14 languages, based upon the system or user localization settings. The benefit to the user is that their messages are now accessible while in and out of the office through any telephone. The user then has the ability to reply to the sender by sending a WAV file attachment containing your voice response. When accessing messages through the telephone all new Voicemail messages will be presented to the mailbox owner before any new Email messages. When accessing an Email message the system refers to the message as “New message with text”.

Presentation of Voicemail to Email