Independent Report From Leading Analyst Firm Cites Avaya Leadership in Communications Solutions for Small Businesses

BASKING RIDGE, NJ--(Marketwire - March 31, 2008) - A new independent report from global analyst firm Canalys shows that Avaya is the number one provider of communications solutions for small businesses -- companies with 100 or fewer employees -- in North America and Europe combined. Avaya Inc. is a leading global provider of business communications applications, systems and services.

The Unified Communications (UC) report from Canalys(1) represents lines shipped to small businesses in 2007. Canalys specializes in delivering market data, analysis and advice to the world's leading technology vendors.

"The report clearly demonstrates the global leadership Avaya has in the important and growing small business market," said Geoffrey Baird, vice president and general manager, Appliances, Mobile and Small Systems Division, Avaya. "It's our experience that small businesses need communications capabilities enabling them to solve problems such as improving productivity and competing with bigger brands or other local companies. We're delivering those capabilities and are committed to working closely with our worldwide network of resellers to bring these newest features to small businesses."

Avaya now has well over four million users worldwide on Avaya IP Office, its flagship converged communications solution. IP Office is the platform for Avaya's UC applications for small businesses. Avaya introduced the UC applications earlier this month at VoiceCon 2008, a leading conference and exhibition for enterprise voice, IP telephony and convergence solutions. The applications help companies improve efficiency and speed by giving them the capability for instant response, mobility and business continuity with practical business features at a price they can afford.

According to Matthew Ball, analyst, Canalys, UC can potentially save small businesses significant costs and dramatically raise their productivity. "These are benefits every small business needs at any stage of its life, but they are particularly critical during the challenging economic times in which companies are operating today," Ball said. "Having access to affordable, business-critical solutions is an extremely valuable proposition for small businesses -- and for the resellers who serve that market."

Avaya customer Spraylat Corporation, a specialty coatings company based in Pelham, N.Y., is using Avaya UC to help ensure its home-based sales and technical team maintains productivity and provides excellent customer service. "Our customers do not need to remember three points of contact -- facility number and extension, their home office and mobile phone numbers -- for their sales or technical contact. Instead, our sales and technical group have their own, direct inward bound number through the facility's IP Office, and customers can reach them directly, whether they're in the office or out on the road with other clients. It's a huge uptick in customer service," said Stacy Gardella, administrative services manager, Spraylat. "Plus, with UC from Avaya, we'll save close to $30,000 in the first year, just by eliminating the separate voice and fax lines for this team by utilizing their high speed Internet connection at their homes. Even our employees who work in the most remote, rural area can be networked into our headquarter IP Office. And now I have the visibility I need into the day to day functions of our sales and tech team, which is so critical to our company's success."

Another Avaya customer is Swing Autovermietung, a rental car company in Germany with five locations. The Avaya UC applications on Swing's IP Office platform at German rental have enabled the company to dramatically improve its customer service.

"Ninety-five percent of our sales are generated via the telephone and the Internet. That's why a reliable communication system is a must for our business. The system from Avaya is the ideal solution -- it meets all our requirements, particularly regarding customer service," said Heinz Weilnböck, prokurist, who has general commercial power of attorney at the firm. "For example, customer calls on price inquiries or reservations are automatically routed to the information department, while claim reports or billing queries are handled by the service team. This means our customers always have immediate access to the right professional person. And now we have the flexibility to quickly set up tele-workstations or provide communications to a new branch. As a growing small enterprise, we now have the long-term investment security and flexibility we need."

About Avaya

Avaya delivers Intelligent Communications solutions that help companies transform their businesses to achieve marketplace advantage. More than one million businesses worldwide, including more than 90 percent of the FORTUNE 500®, use Avaya solutions for IP telephony, unified communications, contact centers and communications-enabled business processes. Avaya Global Services provide comprehensive service and support for companies, small to large. For more information, visit the Avaya Web site at http://www.avaya.com.

(1) Worldwide Unified Communications Call Control Market Q4 2007, March 2008

Contact Information: Media Inquiries: Barbara Burgess (908) 953-3348 barbarab@avaya.com