For Immediate Release
Digium Continues Market Disruption with New Appliance
Early access to new application available through Developer Kit
HUNTSVILLE, AL and BOSTON, MA — (September 12, 2006) — Digium Inc., the Asterisk company, today announced the launch of its all-in-one “Asterisk Appliance Developer Kit.” Providing early access to Digium’s Asterisk Appliance, which will be unveiled at the beginning of next year, this launch signifies Digium’s official entry into the telephony appliance market. Originally created by Digium as the industry’s first open source telephony platform, Asterisk offers a more flexible and cost-effective alternative to traditional voice and data solutions.
The Asterisk Appliance Developer Kit provides ITSPs, OEMs, resellers and integrators with all of the components necessary to build a turn-key telephony platform based on the upcoming Asterisk telephony appliance. Targeted for small to medium businesses (2-50 users), and remote branch offices of larger organizations (2-50 users per site), the Digium Asterisk Appliance will feature the first Digium-developed Asterisk GUI framework. The Digium GUI framework provides simple, easy-to-use, basic configuration capabilities for open source developers to differentiate and customize their Asterisk-based solutions and applications. The Asterisk Appliance will also offer a hybrid solution alternative (a combination of VoIP applications using legacy telecom equipment) for enterprise customers who are not yet ready to migrate to a complete VoIP solution.
“Today’s communications offerings have fallen short for companies and sites with 2-50 users,” said Mark Spencer, president of Digium and creator of Asterisk. “Traditional vendors lock-in users while lower-end solutions typically lack many features. At Digium, we are committed to developing products that will bring small to medium enterprises a feature-rich, cost-effective, reliable telephony solution.”
Based on the upcoming “Embedded Business Edition,” a software platform to be announced with the official launch of the Asterisk Appliance, the Asterisk Appliance Developer Kit includes training, engineering support and an optional “Day with Mark Spencer” for the first 50 customers who purchase the kit and pay an optional premium. Kit adopters will become an authorized “Asterisk Appliance Partner,” qualifying for special programs, pricing and priority availability on production products built on this platform.
The Asterisk Appliance Developer Kit was designed to allow developers to begin working on solutions based on the upcoming Asterisk Appliance. The kit includes an early pilot production of the Asterisk Appliance, the Asterisk GUI framework, 2-4 port FXS cards, 2-4 port FXO cards, multi-media add-on cards, 8 MB Flash, cables for all port types, an IP phone, a CD with all software, documentation and specifications, how-to manuals, Digium support details, and Asterisk memorabilia.
“This is a unique and extremely cost effective opportunity for developers, resellers and ITSPs to create and deliver valuable applications,” said David Yedwab, founding partner in Market Strategy and Analytics Partners, LLC. “The entire Asterisk/Digium community will benefit from this launch, as will small enterprises who will able to take advantage of applications customized for the small location, not one cut-down from large enterprise scale solutions.”
The Asterisk Appliance included in the Asterisk Appliance Developer Kit features a small footprint (11 x 6 x ¾ inches), a complete Asterisk server, eight analog ports (FXS, FXO), five Ethernet ports (4 LAN, WAN), hardware echo cancellation, compact flash for voicemail/wireless, a built-in router, a craft port for debug, stackable capabilities, a commercial Asterisk license and built-in uCLinux.
Support and Availability
The Asterisk Appliance Developer Kit will be available directly from Digium in October for $3,995.00. The Asterisk Appliance production units will be available at a later date with volumes of 10,000 for under $500. Digium will also be demonstrating the Asterisk Appliance Developer Kit in Booth #819 at the Fall VON conference.
About Digium
Digium, the Asterisk company, is the original creator and primary developer of Asterisk, the industry’s first open source telephony platform. Digium provides hardware and software products, including the Asterisk Business Edition, its professional grade version of Asterisk, to enterprises and telecommunications providers worldwide. Digium also offers a full range of professional services including consulting, technical support and custom software development services.
Used in combination with Digium’s PCI telephony interface cards, Asterisk offers a strategic, highly cost-effective approach to voice and data transport over IP, TDM, switched and Ethernet architectures. Digium’s offerings include legacy PBX, IVR, auto attendant, next generation gateways, media servers and application servers. Additional information can be found at www.digium.com.
About Asterisk
Code for Asterisk, originally written by Mark Spencer of Digium Inc., has been contributed to from open source software engineers around the world. Currently boasting over 1 million users, Asterisk supports a wide range of TDM protocols for the handling and transmission of voice over traditional telephony interfaces, and VoIP packet protocols such as IAX, SIP and H.323. It supports U.S. and European standard signaling types used in business phone systems, allowing it to bridge between next-generation voice-data integrated networks and existing infrastructure.
The Digium logo, Digium, Asterisk, and the Asterisk logo are trademarks of Digium Inc. All other trademarks are property of their respective owners.
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Media Contacts:
Julie Webb
Digium, Inc.
256-428-6203
jwebb@digium.com
Janine Savarese
MRB Public Relations
732-758-1100 Ext. 103
jsavarese@mrb-pr.com
