Unified Messaging Service (UMS)

Unified Messaging Service (UMS) is being introduced to replace the Integrated Messaging Solution (IMS). While it delivers almost the same functionality that was available on IMS, the UMS solution dramatically simplifies the installation and configuration. It delivers the user with two client interfaces through which voicemail messages can be retrieved from VoiceMail Pro. When using a mail client new voice mails arrive as an email with wave attachment and the user can handle them like every other email. If a voicemail has been listened to, its status will change to “read” everywhere. If the user deletes it, it will be deleted everywhere.

Users that have UMS access enabled just need to add an additional email account to their client to be able to use the unified messaging features.

The instructions how to add this account and configure the web address for the VoiceMail Pro Web Access can be provided by an administrator email without the need for system administration or Business Partner support.

VoiceMail Pro Web Access

The second interface the UMS license offers to the users is a web interface allowing voicemail access via a web browser, such as Internet Explorer 7 or Mozilla Firefox, with the ability to listen to targeted voicemails by using either the PC’s multimedia equipment or the desk phone.

E-mail Reading

In addition to providing a unified mailbox for voicemail messages, emails and fax message, VoiceMail Pro can also provide the ability to retrieve email messages through the telephone.

When operating in INTUITY mode, using a Microsof Exchange server and with the system licensed for Text-To-Speech (TTS) facilities the user will be presented with a list of both voicemail messages and email messages. The emails can be read out over the telephone in any of the supported 14 languages, based upon the system or user localization settings. The benefit to the user is that their messages are now accessible while in and out of the office through any telephone.

When accessing messages through the telephone all new voicemail messages will be presented to the mailbox owner before any new email messages. When accessing an email message the system refers to the message as “New message with text”.

Configuring the reading of emails to users is a simple exercise:

1. TTS services will be loaded onto the VoiceMail Pro server (the Avaya TTS media pack will install the Avaya TTS engine)
2. A TTS license key will need to be purchased and entered into IP Office manager
3. For each user who is wishes to utilize email reading, the user’s email address will need to be entered into the user profile details in IP Office Manager and the facility enabled through the email reading checkbox.

Where the user has email reading in their voicemail box, they will be able to record a voice reply to the email, and send it as a .WAV attachment to a reply email to the person who sent the email.

Auto Attendant

VoiceMail Pro provides an easy-to-use, multi-level configuration tool (the VoiceMail Pro client) which allows network managers and system administrators to construct an interactive menu system, based upon DTMF telephone key entry. This allows an Auto-Attendant system to be built and configured to suit business needs, be that on its own or as a back-up for the regular operator when call volumes are high. VoiceMail Pro offers the caller the ability to dial the name of a person via the phone keypad (like “Text” messaging on cell/mobile phones). In response the auto-attendant offers the caller a best match name or if there is more than one, a selection list is offered and the caller can select which one they want to call.

As an example, VoiceMail Pro can be used to build an Auto-Attendant that prompts callers to “enter 1 for sales, 2 for support, 3 for admin, or 0 for the operator” allowing them to be transferred to the appropriate department without operator intervention. Alternatively, a list of personnel and their extension numbers could be listed, allowing the caller to directly access the person they want. For larger companies it could be department name listed first, followed by the list of employee extensions within the department.

The latter two examples are ideal where company telephone operation has changed from a central operator to Direct Dialing (DDI/DID), allowing callers to “learn” the required extension number from the prompting of VoiceMail Pro, and then in future dial the extension number, or other pre-defined variables, directly. Auto-Attendant operation is also ideal where multiple languages are required, for example “Dial 1 for English, 2 for German, 3 for French, …”.

Fax Messages

While not directly supplying or supporting fax software, integration with fax to the desktop or client fax applications can be done through the use of fax servers. This then allows an email client (for example Microsoft Outlook) to be utilized as an easily affordable unified messaging solution. The many benefits of unified messaging include security (as faxes are sent to the users PC rather than on paper for everyone to see), ease-of-use and efficiency in terms of storage and retrieval of messages and the great gains that can be made in overall workforce efficiency and productivity.

To enhance the support of third party fax solutions, VoiceMail Pro supports the automatic detection of incoming fax calls. Traditionally a dedicated telephone number is provided for all incoming fax calls. In addition to, or as an alternative to, the VoiceMail Pro ‘Menu’ action or a subscriber’s voicemail box (INTUITY mode) can automatically detect any incoming fax calls and then direct the call to a predefined location. The benefit to a business or user is that only one number is required for either voice or fax calls.

The VoiceMail Pro can store the default fax location for the automatic routing of fax calls. Alternatively, with fax tone detection at the voicemail box, each voicemail box can have a fax location number. If a voicemail box owner has set his or her own fax number, then that number is used instead of the default fax location.

Voicemail box subscribers can set their own fax number through their mailbox menus.

Voicemail Pro

IP Office VoiceMail Pro offers all the features and facilities of VoiceMail Lite and can be tailored to meet the individual needs of a business. It has higher call capacity by scaling up from 4 to 30 simultaneous calls. All options are available in a choice of languages; both spoken voice prompts and graphical programming interfaces and have the choice of IP Office TUI and INTUITY emulation TUI.

At the heart of VoiceMail Pro is the ability to construct call flows from a series of different building blocks. These building blocks allow automation over tasks like answer a call, listen for tone-dialed digits, make a call etc. VoiceMail Pro call flows allow far more than just guiding a user to the group or extension they require. Call flows allow VoiceMail Pro to dial back users as soon as a voicemail message is left for them, it provides remote access to phone forwarding settings should a user wish to change their Forwarding or Follow Me number from an external telephone.  VoiceMail Pro provides message handling for individuals or groups, audio information to callers so assisting the operator during periods of heavy call activity and links to business applications through services such as Text-to-Speech. VoiceMail Pro provides a full telephony applications environment where call flows can be set up and interact in real time with business workflow – callers can interact via menus and data entry and VoiceMail Pro applications can speak back results. For example, users can listen to their email messages through the telephone

A single PC based VoiceMail Pro server can provide voicemail services to multiple IP Office systems in a Small Community Network over the LAN, WAN or a Frame Relay network. This is referred to as ‘Centralized Voicemail’ and can reduce costs, while facilitating communication between IP Office sites.