VoIP equipment provider Avaya released for general availability an application jointly developed with Nokia to address fixed/mobile convergence and partnered with Meru Networks to resell its wireless LAN solutions.

The jointly developed solution for the Nokia Series 60 platform devices will transform them into virtual desktop phones by enabling mobile workers to access the features and functions of their Avaya Communication Manager office desk phone. The partnership and their intent to build such a product were announced in March.

The application has a feature that enables business users to be reached at a single business phone number that rings the desk phone and mobile phone simultaneously. It provides centralized intelligence and control of policies between enterprise fixed and mobile voice communications. Calls made or received on both the desktop phone and the mobile phone can be recorded or accounted for in order to comply with federal regulations.

The application’s user interface provides access to business telephony features such as abbreviated extension dialing, multi-party conferencing, call transfer, voicemail forwarding, group call features, and call forwarding.

Users also have the option of turning off the business profile as needed while remaining accessible for personal calls.

Avaya has conducted trials in North America, Europe and the Asia Pacific region. Preliminary results show that 89% of users were satisfied with the Avaya Mobile client.

“Customer trials are essential because it is very important to get the user experience correct,” said Carolyn Nguyen, vice president for technology and strategy in Avaya’s EMEA region.

In the fixed, IP telephony world Avaya could define the look and functionality of its end-user equipment, but the mobile market is different, Nguyen said. “Now that we are developing clients for mobile phones we have to make even more sure that it is easy to use and that people who are mobile will use the client,” she said.

Nguyen said that only 20% or less of enterprise users are deskbound all the time. “So we are looking at how to enhance the productivity of the other 80% to 90% of employees that are working at home, or roaming about the office or are true road warriors,” she said.

Fifty-six percent of users in the trial said they experienced an increase in productivity and in the usage of their mobile phone for business operations as a result of the enhancements in the application.

Strategic Products and Services, one of Avaya's largest business partners in the United States, is trialing Avaya Mobile for Series 60.

Meru was named a premier member of the Avaya DeveloperConnection program, which certified the interoperability of Meru's Wireless LAN system with key Internet protocol (IP) telephony solutions from Avaya.