As mentioned in the video, links to the:

Agito eFMC Whitepaper
Cisco Motion Press Release
Agito/Cisco Partnership Press Releases
Agito Product Demo

Pej

There was an exciting announcement this week from Cisco and Agito Networks about how the two companies are partnering to provide an integrated enterprise fixed mobile convergence (eFMC) solution for Cisco customers. This effort validates what our Agito customers have already learned. That is, only Agito’s user location (click here to learn more about our location technology and architecture) and integration with the wireless networks – whether it is the home, public, or enterprise network – provides the best possible mobile voice user experience. This is why Agito is the only enterprise mobility company invited to integrate with Cisco at this stage. It also goes without saying that it is also great to see a leader such as Cisco recognizing the importance of enterprise mobility for customers to improve their business operations, a validation of the eFMC space.

But don’t just take our word for it. Industry reception of this integration has also been extremely positive. To see some of the best coverage we’ve seen, check out Agito’s coverage page which we’ll be updating with this launch coverage periodically this week. While Cisco has the brand recognition, the huge installed base, and a leading WLAN system, most editor and analysts understand Agito’s innovation, and contribution in this partnership. Agito’s integration into the MSE will provide:

• Intelligent, seamless roaming between Cisco’s WLAN in-building networks and cellular networks. It’s Agito’s handover capability from WiFi to cell, and cell to WiFi (not just Cisco WiFi, but home WiFi for example) that is being leveraged for this solution.
• Robust context awareness of networks outside of Cisco’s WLAN (cellular, home, etc.). Cisco provides intelligence within the network, and it’s Agito’s client on the mobile device that provides intelligence when mobile users are outside Cisco’s network.
• Mobile UC functionality extended to mobile users. The MSE connects to the Agito client on the mobile device, but it’s Agito’s RoamAnywhere Mobility Router that connects the device to the enterprise PBX and provides all the mobile UC functionality.
• Mobility policies capabilities – Agito’s location-based policies are leveraged, especially polices applied when outside the network, where Agito has the visibility.

For Agito, Cisco adds network intelligence, information from Cisco’s Unified Wireless Network, to Agito’s RoamAnywhere as an optional metric to help determine the time and place for wireless network handover. Agito’s RoamAnywhere already uses the industry’s most robust set of metrics to determine WiFi/cellular routing – including user location, call cost, battery life, call quality, network reliability, user load and signal strength.

As enterprise mobility becomes a business critical need for enterprises, Agito’s RoamAnywhere products make up the only enterprise-ready mobility architecture with high-availability; a scalable, non-blocking architecture; and LDAP/ActiveDirectory (click here for more details) integration for ease of deployment that enterprises require. Agito brings a solution for enterprise mobility, and mobile UC to Cisco customers.

Christian

Read the Agito Press Release
Read the Cisco Press Release
See the News

I don’t usually write about vendor products, but with a slew a new phones either here today or in the near future, I can’t resist!

I am a huge Nokia fan (my daily phone is an Agito-enabled Nokia e61i – love it!), and so I am excited to see the official product shots of the the new e66 (replaces the e65) and the e71 (replaces the e61i). Very thin, US 3G, and of course, voice-grade WiFi!

Click the image for a link to a review

I was traveling in Europe a few weeks back and lost my phone. It wasn’t just any phone, it was my Agito powered Nokia e61i. I love that phone. I have mobile email, Qik, Google Maps 2.0, and of course the Agito client running on it. I was really sad to lose that phone, and not just because of the cost, or (significant) inconvenience, but for the fact that I felt irresponsible.

The worst part of the whole debacle was that I didn’t have any device management running on my device. So whomever found my phone would be getting my emails, Facebook updates, etc. I rallied, and used my laptop to VPN back to Agito and change all my passwords, and disabled my Agito client so calls could not be make on the phone. While I was slightly relieved, I was still concerned about the data saved on the phone. Who would look at it? What would they do with the data?

I swore at myself the remainder of the trip, because I should know better. As an executive for a enterprise mobility company, I know the statistics around disclosure of lost devices. I made a promise to myself that when I get stateside, device management would be a priority for us.

I am back and just read an article in Informationweek by our friend Richard Martin. In his article titled “Trouble Ahead: Most Companies Don’t Have A Mobile Device Management Plan” (catchy, if not dead on), he cited a few companies that have made the same mistake I have. That stats are chilling:

Not only have most organizations in InformationWeek’s recent survey of 307 business technology managers not adopted mobile device management strategies, most of them–52%–don’t even have plans to buy or implement tools that would help them corral proliferating wireless devices.

Take my advice, get in front of mobile device management sooner rather than later.

Pej

Read Richard’s article

In the USA Today dated May 15th, 2008, there was a snapshot of a statistic on the front page that caught my eye. It read:

“Nearly 90% of US adults are cellphone users, up from 77% at the end of 2006. Phones used at home: 89% Cellphone and 79% Land line.”
Source: Harris Interactive survey of 9,132 adults conducted online between October 2007 and January 2008

What I’ve observing as a trend in communications is now clearly validated by this survey. In my own personal kith and kin, my parents no longer have a land-line telephone and use their mobile phone as their primary mode of communication. While my wife and I have a land-line telephone at home, we find ourselves using the mobile phone the vast majority of the time. And based on this survey, we’re not alone.

There are a suite of reasons why we are seeing a greater dependency on the mobile phone for our lives. It really comes to increased accessibility: We are constantly on the move, and getting a call on my land-line telephone would largely lead to the caller being dropped into voicemail, and we all know how much we hate to hear that automated greeting ourselves when we call others. The mobile phone has become the device that each of us carry wherever we go, making us easier to reach, and hence making it the primary phone for many of us. While I can call-forward my land-line phone to my mobile, this technique essentially minimizes the value of that land-line telephone, underscoring the importance of the cellular phone.

There are times, however, when the mobile phone presents challenges. Coverage issues (I have a tough time at home), controlling costs, and dealing with multiple numbers – one for work, one for home, and for my mobile), are issues that I didn’t have to deal with before.

Cell phones make me more mobile, and being mobile lets me get more “things” done in the same span of time. Somehow, having more spare time continues to elude me…

Sandeep

Interop 2008 in Las Vegas is always an interesting event to attend and participate in. As an advocate for mobility, I always enjoy taking part in panel sessions, talking to customers and other technology companies, and engaging in lively discussion and debate.

I was on a panel for called “Convergence: Technologies and Strategies.” The panel consisted of a variety of companies in the mobility and convergence space, but it was the theme of the session that was so interesting – “Did you know eFMC was available now? Here is how to deploy it.” It was wonderful to see the 70 or so real enterprises folks (out of about 100 attendees) realize that this technology is real and here today from Agito Networks.

I also had the opportunity to record a podcast about eFMC and Mobility with Curt Franklin. We discussed a range of topics from wireless security to business drivers for mobility and eFMC, to how we see mobility, presence and unified communications evolving.

We announced some product news as well:

High Availability
Integration with Cisco’s Unified Wireless Solution
Native support for Active Directory and LDAP

Details on these enhancements can be found in our Interop press release.

We also announced the first phase of our eFMC Interoperability Program. The eFMC “Passport” included WLAN infrastructure vendors like Meru Networks, Trapeze Networks, and Aerohive, and PBX vendors including Avaya. This program highlights that eFMC is happening now and across a broad ecosystem of vendors.

It was a great show for Agito, and based on the number of customers we continue to deploy, 2008 looks to be the year for eFMC.

Pej

Listen to the PodCast
Read the Interop Press Release
Read the Passport Program Press Release