Mitel Networks says it will soon fill a hole in the features of its collaboration suite: The lack of video connectivity.
The Ottawa company said that by the end of the year it will release a version of its Unified Communications Advanced client that will link directly to Vidyo Inc.’s VidyoConferencing solution.
Not only will customers using the on-premise version of MCA be able to launch into a Vidyo client, those using the virtual version of MCA on VMware will also be able to take advantage of it.
To use it, however, Mitel customers will also need the VidyoRouter (either hardware or virtual version) and licences for Vidyo software clients. In virtual environment they will need VMware View.
“Video has been a gap in our UCA portfolio,” acknowledged Alan Zurakowski, Mitel’s manager of business development and strategic alliances. UCA includes audio and Web conferencing.
Marty Hollander, Vidyo’s senior vice-president of market development also noted that the solution will allow Mitel UCA users to start in an audioconference and easily shift to video.
Because Vidyo clients can run on laptops, smart phones and tablets a person out of the office can take a scheduled videoconference without having to get back to a desk, he said.
The partners will not be selling a bundled solution: The products will be sold separately. The announcement is merely that interoperability is coming “by year end,” said Zurakowski.
The solution will be demonstrated this week at VMworld in San Francisco.