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Hitachi Cable announced it has confirmed the interoperability of its AquaVocal*1 all-in-one IP-PBX *2 and products in the Yamaha Router RT series, developed and sold by Yamaha Corporation (Headquarters: Hamamatsu, Shizuoka, President and Representative Director: Shuji Ito; "Yamaha" hereafter).

In recent years, falling prices and the advancing functionality of data communication networks have led to rapid growth in corporate IP-based internal telephony networks linking a company's various sites.

When an enterprise decides to build an internal phone network to link its sites (headquarters, branch offices, sales functions, etc.) based on IP telephony, the selection and installation of IP telephony equipment is usually carried at such sites, with the enterprise then linking them through subscription to an IP telephony communications service provider. At small and medium-sized sites, however, this may present a significant hurdle due to the initial costs involved. Such situation has therefore led to calls for cheaper IP telephony-based internal phone networks.

Hitachi Cable has responded to this demand by continually expanding interoperability between its AquaVocal and systems and devices made by other manufacturers.

Recently, Hitachi Cable and Yamaha confirmed the interoperability of Hitachi Cable's AquaVocal and Yamaha's Yamaha Router RT series.

AquaVocal is a single-unit, all-in-one IP-PBX that provides a broad range of functions *3 to allow users to establish a complete IP telephony system in small and mid-sized offices of 200 users or less. The Yamaha Router RT series of Internet routers for small and mid-sized offices feature both cost-efficiency, and VPN*4 -which enables communication, via the Internet, over a virtual dedicated line between different parts of an enterprise.

The combination of AquaVocal and the Yamaha Router RT series makes it possible to build an IP-telephony-based internal phone network via the Internet, freeing users from the need to subscribe to communication carrier IP telephony services and allowing small and mid-sized offices to introduce internal phone networks at modest cost.

This system also offers various functional advantages. The Yamaha Router RT VPN function makes it possible to modify the settings of an AquaVocal unit positioned at a remote location over the Internet, allowing system administrators to manage systems without having to physically travel to each site. The VPN function also permits internal calling from any location having Internet access and a notebook PC running softphone software*5-for example, from a hotel while on a business trip.

Following this confirmation of interoperability, Hitachi Cable intends to work with Yamaha in various marketing and sales efforts, including joint seminars and exhibition of products from both companies at trade shows.

Hitachi Cable will continue to respond to the needs of its customer base by pursuing the interoperability of AquaVocal with various software and applications and by providing solutions that increase the convenience of IP telephony systems. In doing so, Hitachi Cable intends to increase its share of the IP-PBX market.

*1	AquaVocal is a registered trademark of Hitachi Cable, Ltd. in Japan.
*2	PBX stands for Private Branch Exchange. IP-PBX refers to a Private Branch Exchange for an IP telephony system.
*3	In addition to IP-PBX functions, AquaVocal provides various gateway functions (protocol conversions for connecting different networks, including communications carriers, IP telephony networks, the public telephone network, and internal phone networks); PPPoE (Point to Point Protocol over Ethernet: permits use of PPP over Ethernet networks; PPP protocol is used to link computers to networks over telephone lines); and a survival function that allows calls to be made and received between analog phones and the public network, even in the event of a power failure.
*4	VPN (Virtual Private Network) technology enables safe communication between physically separate sites by connecting them over the Internet and networks provided by communication carriers, establishing virtual dedicated lines.
*5	Softphone technology allows users to use a PC as a telephone after installing IP phone software on a PC to which a headset and receiver are connected.

Services, equipment, and software confirmed to operated with AquaVocal series

Classification Product Name Company Name IP internal phone network by VPN connection Yamaha Router RT series Yamaha Corp. Juniper Networks Secure Service Gateway (SSG) 5 series Juniper Networks, Inc. UTM (Unified Threat Management) appliance SonicWALL Pro series SonicWALL TZ series SonicWALL, Inc. Canon System Solutions Inc. IP telephony service FUSION IP-Phone Fusion Communications Corp. Hikari Denwa Business Type Nippon Telegram and Telephone East Corp. Hikari Denwa Business Type Nippon Telegram and Telephone West Corp. KDDI Hikari Direct KDDI-IP Phone KDDI Corp. IP phone terminal IP NetPhone SX IP NetPhone S SAXA, Inc. FOMA*1 /wireless LAN dual-network terminal "N900iL" NTT DoCoMo, Inc. Wireless LAN-compatible mobile phone "E02SA" KDDI Corp. (au) Software phone "LUTi IP-Phone" J.Link, Inc. Wireless IP phone "WirelessIP5000" Hitachi Cable, Ltd. Application IP phone control software "COCO-DA-Phone" COCOWADOCO Inc. CTI*2 software for small call centers "CallNavi" ACTION Systems Corp. 3D reception system software "3d-Reco" Netdimension Corp. SIP-compliant intercom adapter LANdeVOICE DA301-SIP A2 Corp.

*1	FOMA is a registered trademark of NTT DoCoMo, Inc.
*2	CTI (Computer Telephony Integration) is a technology used at call centers and similar facilities, integrating telephone and fax functions into a computer system. A system linked to a client database allows display of client information for incoming phone numbers, among other features.