The BCM Era is Over and Avaya IP Office Reigns Supreme (What Does This Mean For You?)

Who can deny that that technology is advancing at an alarming rate?  Why just consider the Nortel BCM telephone system.  This system has been described as one of the best inventions of its type, and helped Nortel to reach a worldwide #1 market position. 

However, technology is moving so fast that Avaya has apparently determined that the best is no longer relevant.  The company is in the process of terminating the BCM product line, as they recently announced an end of sale for the system.  This was not particularly shocking, since rumors have been heard of its termination for quite a while, especially in lieu of the Avaya roadmap two years ago. 

Nevertheless, this will have a significant impact on the North American market for telecommunications.  Nortel MeridianNorstar and BCM claimed nearly 80% of the entire Canadian telephone market, not to mention millions of purchased from around the world.  

However, don’t fear the worst.  The company is not cutting the operation off…they are simply moving customers to a different direction, namely, the Avaya IP office 8.1 system.  The company is confident that its customers will see the value of upgrading to Avaya IP Office for a number of reasons.  They include:

"Now What are the Most Important Reasons to Think About Upgrading to an Avaya IP Office?"

·         Your current telecommunications system is a few years out of date.

·         You have not updated the phone system for a number of years.

·         You have not updated the software for a few years.

·         Your hardware is no longer supported by the company.

·         Your business is expanding.

·         You are relocating.

·         Email is a major point of growth in next decade.

·         Most of your sales happen as the result of your telephone system.

·         You handle heavy conference calls.

·         You use fax services on a daily basis.

·         You require call recording for training or compliance purposes. 

·         You operate in more than one office.

"Don’t Panic!  There is Still Time for Planning"

The company does not expect you to suddenly make the switch.  They are encouraging gradual migration.  They allow customers to reuse Nortel handsets in order to hold onto to some of the investment.  And this is a timely decision, considering that most companies hold off from upgrading because of cost and loss issues.  

Because customers can keep the same phones and simply switch the software, they can avoid much of the new investment that would make the switch unfeasible.  Some companies are already undergoing a switching process, starting the trade slowly, giving only the most important positions (i.e. sales, executives) new phones, but providing entry level employees with the standard phones.

"Yes, There is a Timeline for the Gradual BCM Elimination"

What if your company is completely uninterested in upgrading?  Not to worry.  The company is going to keep selling the product until all units have been sold, and will continue to do so for the time being.  They also will continue to provide customers with customer service and tech support, as they have always done according to contract. 

However, as technology is ever increasing, the company has found it advantageous to focus on greater opportunities, namely the Avaya IP Office system.  As the future brings brilliant and expanded new technology, so do past products go the way of the dinosaurs.  Still, it’s encouraging to note that Avaya is not forgetting their BCM customers.

In fact, just in case you’re worrying about the future, the company has released a schedule for the product’s final hurrah. 

·         BCM products will continue to sell for the next nine months. 

·         October 1, 2012 marks the last day of sale for systems excluding upgrades.

·         On October 1, 2015, the company will officially stop providing upgrades, expansion and authorization codes.

·         October 1, 2018 will be the last day Avaya provides support for the BCM product line.

Are you making plans to switch over?  Obviously, you don’t have to make a switch right away…but it may help to think up long-range plans.  Whenever a phone system lasts beyond its useful life, you actually lose money by holding onto it, since you’re holding onto inefficient technology—the likes of which the competition has already left behind. 

In the end, you want to be one step-ahead of technology in business, not struggling to catch up!  Fortunately, the company is providing a timeline in advance and sharing information on the upgrade to come.