Unified messaging expands through Cisco-CMG alliance

(Telephony) Cisco Systems and CMG Wireless Data Solutions announced an alliance today to deliver to mobile carriers an IP-based enhanced services platform that features unified messaging and will extend in phases to a full unified communications platform.

The alliance partners first will release the standards-based Cisco/CMG UM solution—an end-to-end unified messaging solution for mobile customers that combines software and hardware from both companies, including Cisco’s uOne Unified communications software platform and CMG’s Mobile E-Mail solution. The solutions supports e-mail, voice and fax messages with a single mailbox that can be accessed via any mobile or fixed-line device. The solution will be available to carriers via CMG second quarter 2001.

“What’s key here, especially in this relationship between Cisco and CMG is you have two leading providers who are very focused on using the IP infrastructure to deliver services to mobile users,” Dick Hyatt, director of marketing for Cisco’s communications software group. “Having this common IP software platform enables Cisco and CMG to work together to evolve through these phases and deliver all of these services over time to their mobile carrier customers.”

In the next phase of the alliance, CMG and Cisco will extend the service to create a unified communications offering through the addition of inbound and outbound call management, content access services, delivery services and transaction services.

Cisco already has inbound and outbound call management capabilities, a Cisco spokeswoman said. The company currently is working on content and transaction services and already has outlined a strategy on where they company will offer those services, she added.

The CMG/Cisco combination strengthens Cisco’s promise to deliver anywhere, anytime device-independent access to multimedia messages through specific mobile capabilities, Hyatt said.