Aastra Complements its ViPr Platform with BluStar 8000i Media Phone Desktop Videoconferencing Offering

Event Summary

February 28, 2011 - Aastra announced a desktop videoconferencing solution, the BluStar 8000i Media Phone, for point-to-point and multi-point video conferencing and business collaboration applications. The product complements the company’s ViPr videoconferencing solution and will provide investment protection for ViPr customers wishing to add a desktop video solution. The solution can be used with the Aastra Call Manager or in a PBX neutral standalone mode. Not yet finalized, list pricing is estimated to be $1,500-$2,000 per user.

Quick Take

Analytical Summary

• Current Perspective: Positive on Aastra’s introduction of the BluStar 8000i Media Phone, because it enhances the company’s position in the desktop videoconferencing market and complements its PBX offerings while supplementing Aastra’s collaboration portfolio. The product blends high quality video and audio conferencing capabilities with business applications and productivity tools, making employee collaboration relatively simple. The product moves Aastra into the desktop videoconferencing market, an area in which it has had relatively little market exposure, and it is a global offering designed to work in multiple regions, with country specific languages and tones.

• Vendor Importance: High to Aastra, because BluStar 8000i Media Phone expands the company’s IP telephony and collaboration product line and a natural complement and evolution of its previously-introduced ViPr room video conferencing system that will enhance its global market position as a full service provider of collaboration equipment and applications.

• Market Importance: Moderate on the market for video conferencing and collaboration, because from a desktop video conferencing perspective there are a number of competitors offering desktop video devices in the enterprise space. These include Avaya, Cisco/Tandberg and Polycom, each of which already have desktop personal video devices among their offerings. In addition, sales in this market have not yet blossomed and are generally limited to specialized employee groups such as product developers or graphic/editorial production teams who have a frequent requirement for collaboration and video.

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