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Telstra Awarded Gold Status by Avaya


WEBWIRE

Gold certification level reinforces commitment between Australia’s leading telecommunications company and the global leader in IPT

29-Aug-2006 - AUSTRALIA – Telstra and Avaya Inc. (NYSE:AV) today announced joint plans to bolster the penetration of IP telephony in Australia with Telstra Business Systems, a wholly owned subsidiary of Telstra Corporation Limited, joining Avaya’s BusinessPartner program at the Gold certification level. The new relationship means Telstra can now provide Australian enterprises with end-to-end access to the full range of market leading intelligent communications products and services offered by these companies.

Demonstrating its commitment to IP Telephony adoption in Australia, Telstra has established an impressive team to market and sell the Avaya technology. The relationship combines Telstra’s strength as the leading ICT company in Australia with Avaya’s proven leadership as the global leader in IP telephony1 and contact centre solutions2. The Gold accreditation status recognises Telstra’s team has the technical and commercial expertise at levels consistent with Avaya’s high standards.

Telstra Business System’s Managing Director, Malcolm Flanagan, said the new collaboration with Avaya is consistent with the company’s enterprise telephony strategy.

“The addition of Avaya to our portfolio means a greater choice of technology for the customer as well as enhanced capability within Telstra to guide them on their IP transformation journey,” said Mr Flanagan. “IP telephony is fast becoming the preferred option over traditional voice systems with Australian companies recognising the business benefits of converged solutions.”

Under the terms of the agreement, Telstra Business Systems will provide sales, marketing, distribution and support for the Avaya enterprise IP telephony range and call centre solutions to businesses in Australia. At the same time, Avaya will provide Telstra’s team with training and certification for the delivery of converged voice and data networking and applications as well as supporting services to enterprises.

“Telstra has a unique position in the market. It has the ability to service customer’s needs for all of their communication requirements across a broad range of platforms today and tomorrow. Our new partnership with Avaya strengthens this position. We offer unrivalled geographic coverage and ”best in class“ customer satisfaction levels,” Mr Flanagan added.

Together, Telstra and Avaya offer customers IP technologies to increase productivity and improve competitiveness in the marketplace, as well as the necessary skills to integrate and maximise the benefits of a converged IP environment.

“The rise of IP telephony has provided more than voice connectivity at reduced costs,” said Carlton Taya, Managing Director, Avaya South Pacific. "IP telephony is the foundation for proliferating voice-embedded business applications – Intelligent Communications – in a customer’s business processes to profoundly transform their operation in areas such as mobility, customer service, productivity and collaboration.

Avaya is leading the uptake of intelligent business communications applications and with Telstra marketing, selling, servicing and supporting our technology, we now have an expanded presence locally. Avaya is in full support of the new relationship with Telstra as it will leverage the combined strengths of these organisations to provide customers with an end-to-end solution to their telecommunications needs"

About Avaya
Avaya Inc. designs, builds and manages communications networks for more than 1 million businesses worldwide, including over 90 percent of the FORTUNE 500®. Focused on businesses large to small, Avaya is a world leader in secure and reliable Internet Protocol (IP) Telephony systems and communications software applications and services.

Driving the convergence of voice and data communications with business applications - and distinguished by comprehensive worldwide services -Avaya helps customers leverage existing and new networks to achieve superior business results. For more information visit the Avaya website: www.avaya.com.

About Telstra
Telstra is Australia’s leading telecommunications carrier and a world-class fully integrated, full service provider across wireline, ADSL, HFC, satellite and digital wireless networks and platforms. Telstra has more than 10 million household, business and wholesale customers. Telstra’s BigPond™ is Australia’s leading ISP. Telstra has the most highly accessed family of internet portals and sites and provides entertainment and multimedia content over its broadband network and through its Pay-TV joint venture, FOXTEL.

Telstra owns and operates one of the most technologically advanced networks, offering end-to-end solutions ranging from broadband, IP, mobile and intelligent network services, to voice and data network hubs, call centres, and advanced multimedia and e-commerce applications. It has business operations in the Asia-Pacific region, North America, the UK and Europe.

1Synergy Group, “Enterprise VOIP WW Market Share, 1Q 2006”
2MZA Group, “World Call Centre Market, 2005.”

™Trade mark of Telstra Corporation Limited
® FOXTEL is registered trade mark of Twentieth Century Fox Film Corporation

Telstra’s national media inquiry line is 1300 769 780 and the Telstra Media Centre is located at: www.telstra.com.au/abouttelstra/media



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