3COM Unveils IP PBX With VoIP Support

3Com Corporation has unveiled the fifth generation of its IP private branch exchange (PBX), featuring a number of significant enhancements, including support for 3COM's IP phone.

Designed for small and mid-sized businesses, the new version of 3Com's NBX IP Telephony system features a new automatic call distribution (ACD) option that supports up to199 agents and new account code dialing and verification functionality. The system supports silent monitor/whisper/barge-in which, when used in conjunction with the ACD function, can allow supervisors to listen in on an incoming calls and silently converse with agents.

The new version also adds support for 3Com's 3103 Manager large screen IP phone and the 3100 Entry Power over Ethernet (PoE) compliant IP phone. In addition, the NBX IP Telephony system can connect up to two cordless IP phones for retail and small office applications.

"3Com recognizes that small and medium sized businesses have similar communications needs as large enterprises, and want to leverage IP telephony to help them stay competitive and operate their businesses more efficiently," 3Com senior director of product marketing Peter Brockmann said in a statement. "With the fifth generation of our NBX system, 3Com delivers advanced functionality not found in competitors' first-generation offerings that enable our customers to reap the benefits of a converged network."