Two new entry level, feature-rich products enhance one of the most complete IP telephone offerings in the industry.Aastra, a leading company at the forefront of the enterprise communication market, today announced the addition of two new models to its award-winning SIP desktop and wireless phone portfolio. Designed to deliver enterprise-grade advanced features and performance normally found at higher price-points, the Model 6730i and Model 6731i SIP phones share the same powerful, open-standards firmware design found on all Aastra 67xi SIP telephones (formally the 5xi series telephones). Offering up to 6 lines with call display, full duplex speakerphone with excellent voice quality, intercom, paging and auto answer features, as well as XML browser capabilities, these SIP phones are ideally suited for regular telephone usage in small and large business environments as well as enterprise and home-based applications. The 6731i telephone, which is available now, is unmatched in the market place for its small desk foot print, price and performance: the product supports Power Over Ethernet (POE), security support as well as its advanced range of features. “We feel that in today's business environment, these cost effective additions to our portfolio of SIP telephones will be well received by the market,” said Marcus Junthe, head of Product Management at Aastra Telecom Middle East. “Aastra has one of the most complete portfolio of SIP desktop phones for our customers and demonstrates its on-going commitment to open standards. We continually improve our offering by the addition of new models” Extending Aastra's commitment to interoperability, the 6730i and 6731i belong to Aastra's 67xi handset series, that are all designed to integrate and deploy easily with all of Aastra's own IP systems as well as other certified solutions, including Broadsoft, Metaswitch, Nortel and Digium's Asterisk Business Edition, making it appeal to a wide range of SMB and Enterprise customers. These two new telephones are equipped with advanced XML capability allowing access to customised services and productivity enhancing applications. With an internet access, this feature can provide, for example, a direct access to news RSS feed from the telephone display. The XML browser can also offer unlimited potential to create custom menus or specific actions for conference manager, directory and even vertical applications. The Model 6731i SIP telephone is now shipping. Advanced orders for the Model 6730i can be placed now with an expected ship date of April 2009. Aastra's SIP desktop phones can be ordered through Aastra's regular distribution channels in NA, EMEA, Central and Latin America and Asia Pacific. About Aastra Telecom Middle East Aastra Telecom Middle East is the Middle East & North African business unit of Aastra Technologies Limited, (TSX:“AAH”), a leading company at the forefront of the enterprise communication market. Headquartered in Concord, Ontario, Canada, Aastra develops and delivers innovative communications products and applications for businesses. Aastra's operations are truly global with more than 50 million installed lines around the world and a direct and indirect presence in more than 100 countries. Aastra is entirely dedicated to enterprise communications and offers one of the most complete portfolios of unified communications solutions individually tailored to satisfy its customers' requirements. These range from feature-rich call managers for small and medium businesses and highly scalable ones for large enterprises, integrated mobility, call centres solutions to a wide selection of terminals. With a strong focus on open standards, Aastra enables enterprises to communicate and collaborate more efficiently. For additional information on Aastra, visit our website at http://www.aastra.com
