Blackberry uses PBX and WiFi support to give employees central contact point

The BlackBerry Mobile Voice System 5 (MVS5) employs PBX and WiFi support to allow workers to use their landline phone number and extension from their BlackBerry smartphone.
They can also receive and make calls, or look up corporate directory numbers on their home WiFi network using their BlackBerry mobile device.

BlackBerry MVS5 calls are routed through a Private Branch Exchange (PBX) which is supplied by Cisco Systems. The PBX connects telephone extensions from inside and outside the corporation. The result is a product similar to Google Voice where you can have one number for all your calls.

The impressive new product will be available from all major American stores this summer including Wal-Mart. It was originally unveiled by RIM, the maker of Blackberry, at its Wireless Enterprise Symposium.

In a press release RIM said: "With MVS5 employees are now more accessible via their work number and also enjoy the convenience of extension dialling from their BlackBerry smartphone. Furthermore they have the flexibility to move calls from their BlackBerry to their desk phone."

By putting calls through to both the BlackBerry and the desk phone, employees stay connected with colleagues. And when mobile workers use WiFi for mobile calls they actually save their companies international roaming charges and long-distance fees.

BlackBerry MVS 5 includes BlackBerry MVS Server, which enables communication between PBX and the BlackBerry Enterprise Server.
There is also a BlackBerry MVS smartphone client software application which can be distributed over the air to BlackBerry smartphones through BlackBerry Enterprise Server.