Telco announces new SMB broadband solution as it pushes its digital credentials.
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‘Digital Business’ offers high-speed fixed broadband and telephony, which works with remote working solutions, mobile telephones and cloud software.
The new unified system, which starts at $120, is for firms with up to 25 employees and will be available in capital cities later this month, and nationally by September.
Its main features include:
· New voice calling features: ‘Auto attendant’ – a virtual receptionist service which feeds incoming calls to an interactive answering system, redirecting calls to fixed phones in up to three locations and mobiles.
· High-def call quality – the first SME voice-over-broadband guaranteed by network improvements known as QoS (Quality of Service).
· Sophisticated voicemail – fixed and mobile voicemail messages are collected in a single hosted voice box and can be forwarded to staff as email or SMS. All services come with free MessageBank.
· New pricing – businesses pay a ‘per user’ fee rather than ‘per phone line’, with a flat rate for services including hosted email.
· Free calls- all voice calls between phones on a Digital Business account including mobiles are free of charge.
· Domain Registration- access to professional email and web addresses.
· Hosted email via Microsoft Exchange Online – real-time and synchronised email, calendar and address book information across computers, laptops, tablets or smartphones.
· Broadband back-up service via the Next GTM network – can switch businesses automatically to wireless in the event of a fixed network outage
· Help at hand – ranging from an online Plan Advisor to help businesses construct the ideal package and mentors who visit a business onsite.
And the telco look to be getting ready to cash in on the broadband boom expected when the NBN is rolled out with CEO David Thodey saying his company will
invest $600m to upgrade its network technology to help businesses
make the switch over to digital.
According to IDC research commissioned by Telstra, small businesses could save more than $2,400 per year by using the new system and also warn business growth was being hit by using dated technology.
Speaking at the launch, Federal Minister for Small Business, Nick Sherry, said it was important for small businesses to make the switch to digital technology so Australia could immediately enjoy the economic gains that would come with the roll out of high speed technologies.
“Digital Business represents a major step forward for Telstra … [and] will mean Australia’s small businesses will have easy access to an extensive, integrated range of communications tools, saving them time and money,” Thodey said.
“We’re offering some of the world’s most sophisticated call features and complete integration between fixed and mobile, allowing small business people to work in a way that has up until now only been possible by people working in large corporations,” Thodey said.
Two prototype demonstration sites are already in Sydney and Melbourne, to be taken nationwide over coming months.
