BlackBerry enterprise Voice server embraced by operators

Sprint announced to launch BlackBerry MVS, a service designed to unify fixed and mobile voice communication for greater productivity, more accountability, and extended accessibility. Blackberry MVS integrates the functionality of a desk phone with a BlackBerry Smartphone. Verizon the biggest CDMA operator also uses BlackBerry MVS to provide their corporate customers with FMC like features. This is a shot in the arm for blackberry MVS. No wonder BlackBerry Curve overtook iPhone in US smartphone ranking .

According to telephonyonline, Both Sprint and Verizon are offering the services as a joint solution between their business and wireless groups, selling wireless voice and data plans along with IP trunking services to link the devices securely to the enterprise. Sprint will be offering the FMC solution over both its CDMA and Nextel iDEN networks.


What is BlackBerry MVS?
BlackBerry Mobile Voice System (MVS) is designed to provide FMC features for corporate subscribers. The feature allows road warriors to move seamlessly between their desktop phones and mobile phones. Enterprise users can create a single number for up to four devices. Along with this comes a unified voicemail box and a seamless bridge for advanced PBX features such as conference calling, user groups and messaging between the wide-area mobile and local-area enterprise networks. Through integration with your existing PBX systems, employees gain office phone features on their BlackBerry® smartphones, while IT departments gain the advanced security, controls, and call-logging features that help make their jobs easier.

The latest version of RIM MVS server has been customized to integrate with Cisco® Unified Communications Manager 6.1 and later. The MVS however is designed to integrate with other IP-PBX system.

The BlackBerry MVS includes the following components:
BlackBerry MVS Client
BlackBerry® MVS Client software adds desk phone features to BlackBerry smartphones. The client integrates directly with the native phone application to allow the user to receive or place calls from the mobile line or the enterprise line.
BlackBerry MVS Services
BlackBerry® MVS Services enable communication between the BlackBerry® Enterprise Server and the BlackBerry® MVS Server. This allows control over voice management and security functionality through IT policies and highly secure authentication between BlackBerry smartphones and the corporate telecom environment.
BlackBerry MVS Server
BlackBerry® MVS Server interfaces between the BlackBerry Enterprise Server and the corporate PBX system, and is designed to mobilize a variety of PBX telecom environments. BlackBerry MVS Server includes configuration options for TDM, IP PBX, and mixed environments.

Looks like RIM is focused more on enterprise customers and that’s a great strategy. As I said earlier, follow the money, and enterprise is where money is. Wake up Apple!