Agito Brings VoIP to 3G, iPhone

By Richard Martin

Addressing the rising costs of mobile and wireless services for businesses, Agito Networks released a new enterprise mobility platform that includes support for VoIP over 3G networks, support for advanced handsets including the iPhone, and a new router that can support up to 10,000 users on a single appliance.

Called the “RoamAnywhere Mobility Router 4.0,” the new system expands the options for companies with highly mobile employees and can offer savings on international calls of up to 80 percent, by routing those calls over 3G wireless broadband networks rather than the cellular carriers.

Since releasing its first VoIP application for BlackBerry devices last June, said Agito chief marketing officer Pejman Roshan, the company has been hearing loud demands from its customers: “Seven out of 10 customer inquiries over the last six or seven months have been around cost savings, particularly international roaming direct-dial,” Roshan told VON. “Mobile UC is important, but those are really second-order bits. The real reason [for seeking an IP-based mobility solution] is cost savings.”

RoamAnywhere now enables mobile professionals to make calls, send instant messages, and use presence features over either 3G or Wi-Fi data connections, bypassing the more costly cellular network. The new release also supports the iPhone and iPad, from Apple (AAPL), along with the BlackBerry Bold 9700 and Nokia (NOK) N and E series devices.

Roshan added that, while company-wide iPhone adoption remains relatively rare, many top executives are demanding support for their iPhones “regardless of what the enterprise is doing.”

The top-of-the-line RA6000 Series router, which can support as many as 10,000 users, costs $34,995 and will be available around the end of the first quarter of this year. The 4000 Series, supporting between 100 and 1,000 users, starts at $26,995, and the 2000 (25-100 users) at $9,995.

Subscription pricing is also available, said Roshan, starting at $11 per user per month and going down depending on volume.