Optimum Business today announced that its Optimum Voice SIP Trunking service is now certified with the Cisco® Unified Communications 500 Series for small businesses. The pre-certified solution delivers an efficient way to make communications more flexible and cost-effective than traditional T-1 solutions by simplifying the configuration, reducing equipment costs and improving the quality of voice service. Cisco joins a growing list of technology partners working with Optimum Business to enable an affordable, easy-to-manage communications system for small businesses. Optimum Voice SIP Trunking delivers a high-quality, reliable voice service to small businesses through a converged voice and data network that can scale for up to 100 employees. The service is designed for customers that want to take full advantage of a small business IP PBX system, while avoiding the cost of analog gateway and traditional T-1 solutions.

“Optimum Voice SIP Trunking has a tremendous commercial advantage for small and medium businesses,”

said Joseph Varello, Cablevision’s vice president of business and voice product management. “Most importantly, our customers can achieve enterprise-level capabilities at a low cost while improving the quality and reliability of voice services. We are pleased to integrate Optimum Voice SIP Trunking with Cisco, who shares a commitment to delivering the small business community competitive solutions to help grow their businesses.” The Cisco UC500 system supports up to 130 users in flexible deployment models, a wide array of IP phone models, public switched telephone network (PSTN) interfaces and Internet connectivity with security services. It eliminates the need for multiple servers and combines voice, data, video, security, and wireless capabilities while integrating with existing desktop applications such as calendar, email, and customer relationship management (CRM) programs. Compatibility testing is designed to determine interoperability in most customary configurations. “Small and medium-sized businesses are realizing that the use of Internet Protocol is very efficient and the Cisco Unified Communications 500 system for small businesses capitalizes on this for quick and easy deployment, improved utilization of network capacity, economical direct inward dialing and business continuity, all of which Optimum Business customers can now enjoy,” said Mark Monday, vice president and general manager, Small Business Technology Group, for Cisco. “These key features will continue to push SIP Trunking service to the forefront for small and medium businesses. We have also integrated Optimum Voice SIP Trunking into the drop down configuration menu of the Cisco UC500 system to make it a one-click process for small businesses deploying the integrated system for added simplicity.”

Key features of Optimum Voice SIP Trunking include:

• Capacity for 100 Direct Inward Dial (DID) Telephone Numbers – Supports businesses that need up 24 simultaneous call sessions and up to 100 individual phone numbers.
• Immediate ‘Alternate Call Routing’ – Businesses are able to specify an alternate phone number in the event that an equipment problem is detected, with calls automatically re-routed to ensurebusiness continuity.
• Flexible Service Adjustments As Needed – Small business customers have the ability for dynamic upgrade of service by simply calling the Optimum Business Service department.
• Unlimited Calling & Advanced Calling Features For One Low Flat Monthly Price – Businesses receive unlimited all-distance calling and simple pricing with no incremental fees or per minute usage extra charges. Features include: Caller-ID, White Pages Listing, E911, Call Forwarding, Anonymous Call Blocking and Anonymous Calling.
• Call Admission Control – Businesses are able to specify the number of call paths for inbound and outbound features. With unbeatable flat-rate value pricing, Optimum Voice SIP Trunking offers significant savings over traditional T-1 solutions.

Specifically, each simultaneous inbound/outbound call session is priced at $29.95 per month, and business customers can select to purchase anywhere from four to 24 sessions. The first block of 10 DIDs is included. Up to 90 additional DIDs are available per customer and are sold in blocks of 10 for $1.95 per block, per month. The flat rate calling area includes the U.S., Canada and Puerto Rico. SIP Trunking is exclusive to Optimum Online customers and is available for $29.95 per month for the first year.

Cablevision Systems Corp. (NYSE: CVC) today announced that iO TV customers can now access full-length TBS, TNT, CNN, Cartoon Network, Adult Swim, and truTV shows on the Web and on their iPad, iPhone and iPod touch devices, wherever they are. The availability of Turner TV Everywhere, which includes live-streaming of CNN and HLN, enhances the customer experience that began with the popular Optimum App, which delivers the full cable television experience on these devices in the home, including more than 300 channels of live TV and thousands of titles of video on demand. iO TV customers can access Turner programming in two ways, via iPad, iPhone, and iPod touch apps (available in Apple’s App Store, free of charge) for TBS, TNT, CNN, Cartoon Network Adult Swim, and truTV (available later this month), as well as on Turner’s network branded websites TBS.com, TNT.tv, CNN.com, CartoonNetwork.com, AdultSwim.com, and truTV.com, using their Optimum ID and any broadband connection. “Cablevision broke new ground with the launch of our Optimum apps, which allow our customers to experience their full cable television service on a variety of devices in the home,” said John Trierweiler, Cablevision’s executive vice president of product management. “We’re pleased to be working with Turner to provide additional out-of-the-home and Web viewing options for our customers as well, offering the ability to experience the cable television service they have already paid for on new devices in a range of settings.” Turner TV Everywhere provides access to programming such as The Closer, Adventure Time, CONAN, Childrens Hospital, Leverage and AC 360, 24 hours after the show premieres on the linear channel. iO TV customers will need their Optimum ID and password to access the content on both the apps and the websites. Customers can go to Optimum.net to create an Optimum ID. Specific information on current Optimum IDs in use in the home, as well as detailed instructions on how to establish a new one, can also be found on iO TV channel 910. Access to the Turner TV Everywhere entitled content uses Adobe Systems authentication solution integrated with Cablevision’s customer management system. Cablevision’s award-winning digital cable service, iO TV, offers customers access to hundreds of channels, including more than 50 premium movie channels, 46 channels of commercial-free digital music, thousands of titles available on demand at all times, an interactive programming guide, more than 120 free high-definition programming services and uniquely valuable and relevant local content through News 12, MSG Varsity and their companion interactive television applications. Turner Broadcasting System, Inc., a Time Warner company, is a major producer of news and entertainment product around the world and the leading provider of programming for the basic cable industry. Time Warner Inc., a global leader in media and entertainment with businesses in television networks, filmed entertainment and publishing, uses its industry-leading operating scale and brands to create, package and deliver high-quality content worldwide through multiple distribution outlets.

The program delivers valuable, mission-critical business tools that can help small businesses run more smoothly, efficiently and cost-effectively. The new offer from Sprint (NYSE: S) provides discounted wireless services and equipment for qualified Optimum Business customers and their employees. The Optimum Business Benefits program provides enhanced value for Optimum Business customers that subscribe to both Optimum Voice and Optimum Online. Sprint joins Cablevision’s existing alliance partners: ADP, CardWorks, Citrix Online, Digital Insurance, FedEx, Network Solutions and US Business Technology. “In a recent survey of more than 500 small businesses in our area we found that they are often overwhelmed by selecting the right mobile service for their business,” said Stephanie Anderson, Vice President of Commercial Marketing for Cablevision. “We have formed a strategic alliance with Sprint to bring our Optimum small business customers a unique package to simplify the process of selecting a wireless service.” The significant growth of mobile networks and smart devices has created geographically dispersed work forces that even the smallest of businesses need to accommodate. The Sprint offer provides simple, straight-forward service and packages that meet the needs of many Optimum Business customers across the New York Metropolitan area. For more details on the Sprint offer for Optimum Business Benefits members visit www.OptimumBusinessBenefits.com. “Sprint is uniquely positioned to offer small businesses a world-class voice network, a reliable nationwide 3G network, and the first wireless 4G network from a national carrier with download speeds in the range of three to six megabits-per-second, and bursts of more than 10 megabits-persecond,” said Sprint Regional Vice President, Keith Dardis. “Our network can help small businesses take work on the go and achieve high levels of productivity virtually wherever their office might be at the moment. We are pleased to partner with Cablevision to make it even easier for small businesses to go mobile through the Optimum Business Benefits program.” From their mobile devices, Optimum Business customers can also take advantage of Optimum WiFi, the nation’s largest and most advanced WiFi network, providing wireless Internet access across tens of tens of thousands of outdoor locations like parks, downtown areas and commuter rail platforms as well as more than 7,000 indoor locations across Cablevision’s service area at speeds of up to 15 megabits-per-second (Mbps) downstream and 4 Mbps upstream. To enroll in the Optimum Business Benefits program, qualified Optimum Business customers can visit the Optimum Business Benefits website, www.OptimumBusinessBenefits.com, which includes a detailed landing page that explains the program, vendors and registration process. Members will be asked to input their Optimum ID and then will gain immediate access to the offers from the Optimum Business Benefits program. Designed for small and medium or home-based sized businesses that require high-speed Internet and voice communications, Optimum Business provides bottom-line benefits like predictable flat rate pricing and highly reliable voice and data services. To learn more about Optimum Business, including features, benefits and more, please visit www.optimumbusiness.com.