CallTower together with its network partners recently acquired several new unified communications clients across a broad range of industries, including consulting services,  manufacturing, logistics, healthcare, insurance, real estate and media.

CallTower hosted unified communications fits perfectly clients that are looking to standardize their communications across multiple offices.  The solutions allows them to replace their often outdated and inconsistent phone systems with reliable and secure Cisco® Voice over IP technology without the need to pay for the hardware or software. CallTower offers its clients to lease phones or re-purchase them at any point in the future.

CallTower services include:

• Voice over IP (Cisco® Unified Communications Manager)
• Voicemail
• Email (Microsoft Exchange)
• Unified Messaging
• Audio, web and video Conferencing
• Integrated Mobility (Sprint Mobile Integration, BlackBerry Technology Server)

CallTower hosted PBX service offers its clients the following benefits:

• Standardization of their telecommunications across multiple locations with one reliable, scalable solution.
• Cost savings achieved from the managed service: no servers or technology to buy.
• Greater control over telephony cost with CallTower bundled voice and data services.
• Lower maintenance cost. No resources required to manage or upgrade the technology.
• The ability to add or reduce users as the organization needs.
• PBX replacement with a secure, reliable, best-of-breed IP technology by Cisco®.
• Advance unified communications features, such as voice-to-text, eFax and unified messaging.

The solution works for customers of any size: our clients range from 25 users to large multi-nationals with over 10, 000 users.  Companies often have multiple remote locations ranging from 2  to over 80.  Want to learn more about why hosted unified communications makes sense? Visit us here.

Foster City, CA, October 26, 2011: Today, CallTower Inc. announced that it has completed the implementation of its hosted unified communications service for Worldwide Flight Services (WFS), a world leader in ground services for airlines and airports with over 120 locations. The implementation successfully streamlines the company’s telecommunication systems into a  Voice over IP technology plaftorm.

Prior to engaging with CallTower for its unified communications, WFS had managed their multiple locations with disparate telecommunications systems where every location had its own regional provider. The nature of the cargo handling business requires the flexibility to add and reduce locations quickly based on frequent demand changes. The company’s goal was to implement a strategic solution that would standardize voice communications across its many locations and remove the redundancy and maintenance cost.

CallTower’s cloud-based unified communications based on industry-leading Cisco® Unified Communications Manager integrated through CallTower’s proprietary vXML VoiceCube® messaging platform was chosen to deliver hosted voice over IP and voicemail service to the company’s six locations. CallTower provides the client with hosted point-to-point enterprise class voice and data communications service delivered through its two redundant data center.

The Vice President of Information Technology at WFS, John Robinson, was very pleased with the ease of implementation that required zero disruptions to the business flow. “Our users were very pleased with the new phone system and the personnel appreciated that the transition required very little of their time.  The new system represents a significant improvement in quality, the number of features and the ease of use.” said John.

The benefits of hosted unified communications extend beyond those of a premise based PBX system. While premise based solutions typically require a high initial capital investment as well as high recurring support cost to manage, maintain and upgrade the technology, hosted solutions are predictable, all inclusive and cost effective. Clients sign up on a month-to-month, per seat subscription basis and let the expert provider manage the technology on their behalf.

While WFS is currently using phone and voicemail service only, they are looking at adding other advanced features of the CallTower Unified Communications suite down the road. Other productivity enhancing features of the CallTower solution are Presence Awareness, Unified Messaging, Voice-to-Text transcriptions, Audio, Web and Video Conferencing, Microsoft® Exchange hosting and Fixed Mobile Convergence.

About CallTower

CallTower is the leading provider of cloud-based enterprise-class unified communications (UCaaS) that integrates voice over IP services, unified messaging, presence awareness, instant messaging, conferencing and collaboration tools into one reliable platform.  CallTower partners with leading technology providers: Cisco® (Unified Communications Manager) and Microsoft® (Office Communications Server, Lync Server, Exchange Server and SharePoint), integrating these services through CallTower’s proprietary vXML Voice Cube voice messaging platform.  With CallTower, organizations gain the functionality of advanced Unified Communications features in a reliable, stable and scalable environment, without the complexity and costs of implementing, managing and upgrading solutions internally. For more information please visit www.calltower.com.

Foster City, CA, October 13, 2011: Today, CallTower announced that it will be offering a cloud-based Microsoft® Lync™ Server 2010 for its Presence, Instant Messaging and Voice service to all current and future customers. The Lync client will be offered as a free upgrade to current CallTower customers who are on Microsoft® Office Communications Server (OCS).  The new Lync client with its robust functionality represents a major improvement in user experience and allows a significant increase in workforce mobility.

The CallTower hosted Microsoft Lync services provides a fully integrated unified communications service that combines PSTN and PC-to-PC telephony, presence, chat, audio, video and web conferencing, collaboration and mobility in a single, cost-effective cloud-based platform. It is unique in that it provides a truly integrated enterprise telephony and unified messaging solution in addition to the base Microsoft Lync collaboration and conferencing product.

With Lync, customers can engage in a real-time, Presence driven communication allowing them to collaborate more easily and get things done faster. Based on Presence information that sync’s with their calendar, they can choose to send an instant message, make a phone call or start a conference call with a simple click-to-dial feature directly from their Lync client.  Other voice features include call transfer to cell phones or voicemail, phone number portability and an auto-attendant.

Lync also federates with other public messaging services such as Windows Live Messenger enabling users to expand their reach. Other collaboration features include desktop sharing, white-boarding, file transfer and skill search, which allows pulling skills information from the client’s SharePoint database. Users can also click to dial any number listed in their Internet Explorer browser without the need to pick up their phone handset.

“We believe that our current customers will be pleasantly surprised about the sleek interface and advanced functionality of the Lync client. With its Presence information, profile pictures, status updates, click-to-dial and web and video conferencing capabilities, it adds a more engaging and collaborative aspect to our clients’ everyday work life. It will be a welcomed upgrade for our existing customers.” Said Bob Barnes, EVP of Sales, Marketing and Business Development.

If you are interested in learning more, please sign up here.

About CallTower

CallTower is a leading provider of cloud-based enterprise-class unified communications (UCaaS) that integrates business phone service, email hosting, unified messaging, presence, instant messaging, conferencing and collaboration tools into one reliable platform.  CallTower partners with leading technology providers: Cisco^® (Unified Communications Manager) and Microsoft^® (Office Communications Server, Lync Server, Exchange Server and SharePoint), integrating these services through CallTower’s proprietary vXML Voice Cube voice messaging platform.  With CallTower, organizations gain the functionality of all available advanced Unified Communications features in a reliable, stable and scalable environment, without the complexity and costs of implementing, managing and upgrading solutions internally. For more information please visit www.calltower.com.

Foster City, CA, September 22nd, 2011 – Today, CallTower, Inc. announced a new improved program for its channel partners. The CallTower Partner Program allows resellers to bring their customers CallTower’s cloud-based, secure, scalable, end-to-end voice and data unified communications platform. The program now offers a more attractive revenue share and a better tier structure to its value added resellers and partners.
CallTower unified communications service is subscription based and includes hosted Cisco® Unified Communications Manager, IP PBX softswitch, Hosted Microsoft® Exchange Server and Microsoft Office Communications Server, Microsoft® Live Meeting, T1 connectivity, Internet, and mobile device support, all from a single vendor with a single bill. Customers can avoid costly capital investments and instead focus on their core competency.
The Partner program now offers recurring monthly revenue based on closed lead or sales opportunities for the life of the contract in three tier levels: Partner, Premier and Gold. The partnership is active for one year and can be extended based on the level of partner engagement.

Other features of the program include:
• CallTower’s industry-leading hosted voice and data technology
• 100% Quality of Service
• CallTower’s 24/7/365 customer support
• CallTower provided customer installation and maintenance
“CallTower gives qualified partners the opportunity to increase their revenue by delivering advanced cloud-based IP communications services and applications to their customers. We see an increased adoption of hosted UC, particularly by small and medium businesses,” said Bob Barnes, EVP of Sales, Marketing and Business Development.
The CallTower Partner Program is available immediately to qualified resellers and consultants in North America. For more information or to register for the program, interested partners can contact CallTower Sales at 866-586-5900 or register directly on CallTower’s website.

About CallTower
CallTower is a leading provider of cloud-based enterprise-class unified communications (UCaaS) that integrates business phone service, email hosting, unified messaging, presence, instant messaging, conferencing and collaboration tools into one reliable platform. CallTower partners with leading technology providers: Cisco® (Unified Communications Manager) and Microsoft® (Office Communications Server, Lync Server, Exchange Server and SharePoint), integrating these services through CallTower’s proprietary vXML Voice Cube voice messaging platform. With CallTower, organizations gain the functionality of all available advanced Unified Communications features in a reliable, stable and scalable environment. For more information please visit www.calltower.com.

This week, CallTower launched a new product ideal for Small and Medium Businesses – NextUC. It is a fully integrated unified communications service based on hosted Microsoft Lync that combines telephony, presence, chat, audio conferencing, video, collaboration and mobility in a single, cost-effective cloud-based platform. The product is unique in that it provides a truly integrated enterprise telephony and unified messaging solution in addition to the base Microsoft® Lync™ Server 2010 collaboration and conferencing product.

At this time, CallTower is offering a limited time free trial of NextUC Enterprise and NextUC Messenger. NextUC Enterprise is a cloud-based, all-inclusive voice, collaboration and conferencing platform designed for companies that want to streamline their enterprise-class telephony, instant messaging, Presence, audio, video and web conferencing and collaboration tools into one interface. This service will replace all of their audio and web conferencing charges as well as local and long distance PSTN telephony charges. It is suitable for companies that want to receive all services from one vendor for one monthly affordable cost.

NextUC Messenger is intended for partners, consultants, temporary or non-strategic employees who are looking for a reliable and secure instant messaging tool. It allows users to see and display Presence information such as available, busy, in a call or in a meeting and conduct secure chat with other team members on Lync or with public IM clients that are federated with NextUC. Additionally, users can place PC to PC audio calls and PC to PC video calls. The Messenger service also allows users to participate in a Web conference via IP with up to 25 participants.

If you are interested in the free trial, please visit the trial sign up page.

Posted by Linda Kazdova, Marketing Manager, CallTower

Interview with a Sprint Account Executive

Recently we had the chance to speak with Stacy Pepper, Sprint Account Manager and Jason Groves, Sprint Solutions Engineer about their recent customer win: Global Brass and Cooper Metals, a leading manufacturer and distributor of copper and copper-alloy sheet, strip, plate, foil, and fabricated components in North America.

Stacy is a Senior Account Manager for Sprint’s Base Management and Acquisition group, Wireline division of the General Business Group and has been with the company for 23 years in a variety of sales and sales management roles. Stacy is based in St. Louis, Missouri.

Jason is a Solutions Engineer for Sprint’s Enterprise and General Business Group and has been with the company for 15 years. Jason is also based in St. Louis, Missouri.

When and how did you first introduce the client to CallTower?

Stacy: When the partnership between CallTower and Sprint was announced in November, I decided to leverage the press release and sent an email to my customers highlighting the benefits of our joint-solution: greater productivity through a full unified communications solution, cost savings achieved from an OPEX-based model and enterprise-class reliability based on Cisco. I wanted my customers to understand how they could benefit from the full integration of Sprint networking solution with the CallTower UCaaS product.

What was the trigger event that initiated the sales discussion?

Jason: The client had an existing environment with an older PBX that was supporting their multiple sites. They were adding a brand new site with a key functionality that needed a reliable telephony solution with unified messaging integration to their Exchange. The client did not want to buy a new PBX or have to support it internally so a hosted solution seemed like the perfect solution.

Were there any concerns that you had to overcome?

Jason: Although this was their first exposure to a cloud-based solution, the client was already very comfortable with working with Sprint on other services, such as MPLS, internet and managed routers. So it was a natural move for us to introduce them to a new service that would meet their current needs.

What do you think helped close the deal?

Stacy: We had to do a lot of analysis, in terms of the cost and ROI, and we also partnered with a third party vendor for a LAN connection. Ultimately it was the team work between CallTower and Sprint that helped in meeting the client’s needs. Everybody did their best to work through the client’s requests and any complications that arose during the implementation.

How did you utilize CallTower to close the deal?

Stacy: The CallTower team was instrumental in driving the sales and implementation process. We had meetings twice a week to make sure that we kept the project moving forward. CallTower was heavily involved in all of the presentations, pricing and the project management and did a great job following up with the client on their requests.

How long was the sales process?

Stacy: It took about 5 months from the first introduction of CallTower in November, to signing the contract in March.

What is the opportunity of this deal?

Stacy: Although this is initially a small deal of 35 users in their new location, it has an enormous potential to grow to 1,000+ customers if the solution proves itself.

What was that biggest thing you took away from this deal?

Jason: We’ve learned that CallTower has a great solution for a company that wants to start smaller with a single site where the customer needs a solution and then grow bigger.  As they say, “You don’t have to have the whole enchilada” –but you can gain a lot from starting smaller.

Contact us for more customer wins similar to this.

Posted by Linda Kazdova, Marketing Manager, CallTower

The trend of companies outsourcing their communications infrastructure has taken off this year, as enterprise decision-makers look for productivity enhancements and cost savings without having to compromise on features and functionality.

The move by businesses to replace legacy phone systems is driving much of the growth in hosted unified communications (UCaaS). And it’s not just small and medium businesses that are embracing hosted UC. Organizations adopting this outsourced model range from very small businesses to very large, multi-location organizations.

Even large businesses that traditionally shied away from hosted services for mission-critical communications are deploying hybrid models, and experimenting with hosted services in smaller doses.

Indeed, because large companies also tend to be widely distributed – with several branch offices and often telecommuters – hosted UC makes perfect sense. That’s because it can enable all those locations to be served from the cloud easily, affordably and consistently.

Hosted UC solutions can enable employees to work remotely and still have the same calling functionality (including the ability to transfer calls between extensions, for example) and business caller ID appearances as they would were they all in the same physical location.

“Hosted IP telephony platforms have come a long way over the past 10 years and can provide flexibility, risk avoidance and economic scalability for enterprises looking to implement advanced IP communications capabilities,” says Elka Popova of Frost & Sullivan. “According to our research, hosted IP telecommunications deployments have been embraced most by enterprises with a variety of geographically-dispersed locations such as government, education and retail organizations.”

CallTower is a hosted UC provider that delivers hosted enterprise-class unified communications to business of all sizes. It integrates business phone service, email hosting, unified messaging,  presence and instant messaging, conferencing and collaboration tools into one reliable platform bringing productivity-enhancing tools to its clients.  Learn more at here.

Posted by Linda Kazdova, Marketing Manager, CallTower

The Power of the Cloud for Unified Communications and Mobile Integration

Mobilizing Unified Communications to Improve Collaboration, Productivity and Cost Savings

It is easier than ever to drive efficiency, innovation and profitability using your smart phones, tablets, laptops and desktops.  But what does Unified Communications really mean?  How does it look in real life?

Please join us on June 16^th, 2011 from 10am-1pm for a hands-on catered technology symposium at the Sprint Executive Briefing Center in San Mateo, 850 Gateway Drive, 7th Floor, San Mateo, California. See the benefits of Unified Communications for yourself.  We will be showcasing live demos from industry experts on the following topics:

1. Leveraging Cloud to Deliver Enterprise-class Unified Communications.

2. Extending your Desktop to your Mobile Device.

3. Driving Profits through Improved Collaboration – Work from Anywhere!

We’ve recently met with the COO of Porteous Fastener to discuss the chalenges they had with their antiquated phone system and the path they took to get a hosted business VoIP solution from CallTower.

As Porteous Fastener grew its locations through the years the company ended up with nearly as many phone systems and communications service providers. None of the systems interacted with one another, and vendor and systems management was daunting to say the least. The business was challenged with how to keep all of the systems working, how to manage maintenance and upgrades to the different systems, and the company needed a backup system to ensure 100 percent uptime.

About five years ago the company decided to go with CallTower and its hosted unified communications solution because it offered all of the services the company was looking for through one vendor.  “There really was no CallTower competitor at the time,” the VP of IT said. “Nobody could offer one fully hosted integrated solution and manage it for us reliably.”

The company started with phones with two features – voice mail and call forwarding –  through CallTower’s hosted Cisco CallManager service and point-to-point circuits. The company has since added “Find me, Follow me,” and Voice-to-Text services, two productivity enhancing features  that allow mobile users to always be reachable with one phone call and to access their voicemail via email from their laptop or PDA. The company also recently migrated to Sprint’s MPLS network which they chose for better reliability and to enable future bandwidth-intensive applications. The integration with Sprint MPLS network is yielding significant technology cost savings for the company. View the video testimonial here:

Posted by Linda Kazdova, Marketing Manager, CallTower

Sprint and CallTower are quickly removing the line in the sand that used to exist between cell phones and the corporate communications platform. While historically the two have worked separate of each other, Sprint Mobile Integration makes cell phones a completely integrated element of the corporate communications platform. There is great leverage here to be enjoyed by both the employees as well as the company.

For me as an SMI user, I am hooked. How many of us find ourselves sitting in our office stuck on conference calls and need to jump to either another meeting within the building or into our vehicle for an offsite appointment? How many of us are running to our office to get on a call, whether it be pulling into the parking garage following an offsite meeting or simply coming from a meeting somewhere else in the building? Sure, we can always join from one device initially, drop, then rejoin from another device, but not without the ever present infamous departure and entrance alert tone.

Complete Transparent Mobility

SMI provides me with complete transparent mobility. Whether running late into my office from another meeting, or needing to head out of the office, with SMI I can initiate a call from either my Cisco desk handset or my Sprint wireless device and easily transfer to either device without having to drop and rejoin the call. Additionally, with my wireless device now being an integrated part of the corporate communications platform I am able to fully leverage our 4-digit dialing plan, both placing and receiving calls. During hours specified by me or the administrator, calls from internal and external sources simultaneously ring both my Sprint wireless device and my Cisco desk phone. This is achieved through intelligent signaling and only occupies a physical line or port once the call is connected through one of the two devices. Even when transferring calls back and forth between the wireless device and desk phone only a single line or port is being utilized at any given moment.

Identity Ownership

Outside of the increased ability to communicate with both co-workers and customers, companies value the identity ownership afforded through SMI. It has become highly prevalent for customers to contact and communicate with their sales reps through their cell numbers. When sales reps leave a company, that cell number which the customers had used as their primary connection to the company also leaves. This creates a challenge for companies to retain the identity and customer interaction associated with that number as employees take those numbers with them when leaving the company.

With SMI the only number that customers see and utilize is the corporate number that has been assigned by and owned by the company. When sales reps call their customers during timeframes specified by the company, no longer is it the cell phone number that is seen and adopted as the hub of communications, but instead the corporate number, which comes through as the caller ID from both the desk handset and wireless device. In this case when sales reps or other employees leave a company, the identity remains with the company and customers remain connected with that company through the number that they had become accustomed to using. Additionally, many professionals value this capability as it enables them to interact with customers or clients without disclosing their personal cell number, providing invaluable privacy.

Productivity Growth Through Technology

According to Alan Greenspan, “most of the gains in the level and growth of productivity in the US since 1995 appear to be structural, largely driven by advances in technology and its application”. CallTower’s application of Sprint SMI represents a substantial shift in how we are able to interact both internally and externally with our customers, and will benefit its users accordingly.

Could we live without it yesterday? Yes. Can we continue to remain competitive in the future without it? Probably not.

Posted by Clay Shubin, CallTower VP Channel Sales