In November Avaya announced an iPhone version of its one-X Mobile client which allows iPhone to connect to Avaya IP PBX as a node. Once the iPhone becomes a node it gains access to PBX functions like conferencing, abbreviated dialing (3, 4-digit) and corporate voicemail. Through one-X Mobile client the iPhone essentially assumes the personality of the desktop phone including its Caller ID. Therefore, any call placed from the iPhone once it is connected to the PBX will display the caller ID of the desktop phone to the person being called and the iPhone can receive calls placed to the desk extension.

One-X Mobile client is already available for Palm Treos, Java WAP-based feature phones. Avaya also announced the client for RIM’s Blackberry devices and plans to have clients available for Symbian and Windows Mobile devices in 2008. For the Nokia E-series phones there is also a Dual-Mode client allows the Wi-Fi interface for voice connection while inside the corporate network and provides a handover between GSM and Wi-Fi.  This capability is not available for other devices.

With this offering Avaya provide a very nice Fixed Mobile Convergence (FMC) story.  By bridging mobile devices to a desktop phone provides a better single-number vision and bring another key device into the folds of the Unified Communications. I think it is time for speak up if it wants to be a player in Unified Communication especially after the recent announced from Microsoft’s OCS 2007.