News

Reseller Win: IBSL Gain Conservation Contract

The World Conservation Monitoring Centre (WCMC), part of the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP), has deployed Alcatel's OmniPCX Office at its global headquarters in Cambridge. The solution was installed by reseller Integrated Business Systems (IBSL), an Alcatel business partner, and has enabled WCMC to improve call handling while starting its migration towards IP telephony.

IBSL say the Alcatel OmniPCX Office enables WCMC to operate a dual IP/TDM environment, deploying VoIP where required in order to reduce costs, while allowing the organisation to migrate to a complete IP solution at a pace that best suits its needs. IBSL has also provided Alcatel Reflex phones, and WCMC now benefits from dial-by-name and enhanced conferencing functionality for those employees required to spend a large amount of time on calls.

WCMC evaluated solutions from a number of leading communications vendors, opting for the Alcatel OmniPCX Office based on its ease of use and overall value for money. WCMC was also impressed by the Alcatel system's ability to handle both IP and TDM environments concurrently, as the organisation is currently considering future plans to migrate to VoIP and to deploy collaborative applications for improved internal processes and increased employee productivity.

"Communication is key to our work, but in the past we have struggled to interact effectively with our local and global partners, as staff have often been hard to reach even when they are in the office," said Dr. Tim Johnson, deputy director, WCMC. "The Alcatel solution has solved that problem, greatly increasing our ability to stay in touch and speeding up the decision-making process as a result."

IBSL provided training and support at all stages of implementation, deploying on-site staff to assist WCMC's own IT department with the installation of the new system.

"It was important to provide WCMC with a solution that offered both ease of use and ease of management," said Pete Tankard, managing director, IBSL. "The Alcatel OmniPCX Office telephony solution simplifies tasks that had been notoriously difficult to undertake using the old system, allowing staff to complete their vital work more quickly and effectively than ever before."

"The WCMC implementation stands as proof that it is not just large enterprises that are looking to embrace the benefits of IP telephony," said Graeme Allan, VP for Alcatel enterprise activities in Northern Europe. "By giving smaller organisations the ability to make the move to IP at their own pace, they can start making productivity and efficiency gains while minimising the risks associated with overhauling legacy networks and systems."