Conflicting strategies aired at unified comms show

Cisco was keen to use the event to promote its partnership with BT, its largest reseller in the UK by far. BT has historically had a close-knit relationship with one of Cisco's main rivals, Nortel, and Cisco is keen to muscle in. One of the fruits of that relationship is a service for small businesses that BT calls Communications Complete.

Demonstrated in a mock office on BT's stand, Communications Complete is based on Cisco's UC500 IP telephony system and switch (pictured on the shelf below the notebook). It's a basic UC setup for up to 48 users that includes telephony, desktop videoconferencing and instant messaging/presence. BT usually adds to that by providing DSL connectivity and phone services, both fixed and mobile, and even security services, such as IP-based door entry systems (see keypad in bottom right of the photo).

BT now has a growing partnership with smartphone maker HTC, which is providing the devices for the telco's small-business push-email services. As both the devices and the UC500 contain Wi-Fi radios, the telco is actively encouraging businesses to make their voice calls over Wi-Fi when they are in the office.

BT is rather cautious on its pricing, though. Avaya started a UC verbal price war last month by saying it can offer a system for just 15 US cents (7.6 pence) per user per day, trumping Cisco's earlier statement that its offering would cost just 32 cents (16 pence).

Nick Molyon, senior propositions manager for unified communications at BT, declined to reveal exact pricing, but said that the telco's offering was comparable in price to a cup of coffee.

Molyon did not reveal the number of customers who have signed up for Communications Complete, which was launched in January; but he did confirm that BlackBerry devices are on a shortlist for inclusion with the service in the coming months.

The major disadvantage with Communications Complete is that it's a pretty hefty technical refresh, something that may only be worthwhile on a greenfield site or when the existing PBX is nearing the end of its life.