Avaya, Samsung To Pitch VoIP, Other Products To Enterprises

Avaya Inc. and Samsung Electronics have inked a deal to jointly develop and market converged IP communications solutions to businesses.

In addition to integrating each others technologies, the partners will collaborate in the developments on a range of voice and video products, leveraging Avaya's strengths in Voice over IP (VoIP) and Samsung's position in the mobile communications market. Avaya boasts one million enterprise customers worldwide and, with $56.7 billion in sales last year, Samsung is one of the world's largest semiconductor and communications technology firms.

In the short term, however, the partnership will have the effect of raising Avaya's profile in the fast-growing Asia Pacific communications market. Under the agreement, Samsung's first step will be to market its partner's contact center and IP telephony solutions in Korea. Jointly-developed IP mobility and convergence products will be marketed as both individually and co-branded offerings.

"This agreement enables us to increase our global competitive advantage in IP communications and further strengthen our position in the Asia Pacific region," Avaya Chairman and CEO Donald K. Peterson said in a statement. "Our reputation for innovation and communications solutions that improve business operations will bring new advantages to Avaya and Samsung customers."