AVST Supports Microsoft Customers Transitioning fr

FOOTHILL RANCH, CA--(Marketwired - Jul 20, 2017) - This week Microsoft announced that as of July 2018 they will be discontinuing support for Session Border Controllers to connect third-party PBX systems to Exchange Online Unified Messaging (UM). This news forces many Microsoft customers to seek an alternative Unified Messaging solution for Office 365 that can connect to their existing on-premise PBX. Today Applied Voice & Speech Technologies, Inc. (AVST) announced a significant promotion to ease the economic impact of this UM challenge for enterprises.

AVST provides Microsoft customers with an enterprise-class UM solution that enables them to continue using their existing PBX investments until they are ready to transition to the cloud and Skype for Business. AVST not only delivers Unified Messaging that is compatible with Office 365 and third-party PBX environments, but also provides enhanced functionality around Voice Messaging, Automated Attendant, Interactive Voice Response, and Call Center solutions. While alternative solutions require an immediate PBX replacement, AVST's industry-leading telephony interoperability provides Microsoft customers with an evolutionary solution for achieving their migration goals to Skype for Business.

While the discontinuation announcement leaves less than a year for Microsoft customers to complete their migration, AVST's CX-E Unified Communications platform delivers a unique enterprise-class UM solution that offers the following benefits:

• Integrates with all leading PBX/IP-PBX phone systems -- Avaya, Cisco, Microsoft and more;
• Ability to continue using Exchange UM Outlook forms;
• Enables a migration from existing premise-based PBX to Skype for Business Premise or Cloud over time; and
• A promotion designed to economically provide an enterprise-class Unified Messaging solution that integrates with their current on-premise PBX.

"There are many Office 365 Exchange Online UM customers that use a third-party PBX and are not ready to rush to Skype for Business as their phone system. In this scenario, consider AVST," said Jim Burton, Founder and CEO of CT Link . "AVST's extensive experience with enterprise-class telephony and Unified Messaging makes it an ideal solution for customers looking for a flexible alternative to Exchange Online UM."

"As a long-time Microsoft Gold Partner with competencies in Communications and Messaging, combined with 35 years of PBX integration experience, AVST is uniquely qualified to deliver Unified Messaging to Microsoft enterprise customers worldwide," said AVST CTO Tom Minifie. "With the recent news that Exchange Online UM will no longer directly support third-party PBXs, we are pleased to offer customers an alternative that will enable them to continue to enjoy the benefits of Exchange-based UM, regardless of their current or future PBX, with no interruption in service."

To learn more about how AVST can help future-proof communications infrastructure investments, please visit www.avst.com/exchange .

About AVST With more than 35 years of continuous innovation, Applied Voice & Speech Technologies, Inc. (AVST) is a trusted developer of software-based, enterprise-class Unified Communications (UC) solutions.

Our mission is to design, deliver and support communications solutions that transform the productivity of individual workers, teams and enterprises while leveraging the value of their existing and evolving IT infrastructure.

Thousands of businesses worldwide rely on AVST's advanced voice, mobility, team communications, and business process UC solutions to meet their mission-critical communications requirements. The world-class interoperability and flexibility of AVST's UC platform provides a future-proofed bridge to their digital future.

Headquartered in Orange County, California, AVST maintains facilities in Seattle, Washington, Victoria B.C., Canada, the United Kingdom, and has remote sales offices throughout the United States. AVST's UC solutions are sold and supported worldwide by an extensive network of resellers and OEM partners. To learn more about AVST, our products and partners, please visit www.avst.com or you can follow us at Twitter , Facebook or LinkedIn .