The Executive Centre Deploys Cisco Unified Communications System to Provide Differentiating, Valued-added and Consistent Services to Customers

Business Wire, June 15, 2006

HONG KONG -- One of the First in the Serviced Office Industry in Asia-Pacific to Benefit from Flexible Lease Option and State-of-the-Art IP-Based Communications Technology

Cisco Systems(R) announced today that The Executive Centre, the leading serviced office company in Asia, has deployed the Cisco(R) Unified Communications system and Cisco Unified Wireless Network in seven of its business centers in the region. Three of these centers are in Hong Kong, and the other four are in Seoul and Taipei. Cisco's flexible leasing option enables The Executive Centre to deploy the solution cost efficiently in different offices and in different countries.

The Executive Centre is one of the first in the serviced office industry to deploy an Internet Protocol (IP)-based communications system to support customers' voice communications needs. The Cisco solutions help The Executive Centre offer its customers differentiating, value-added services consistently across all seven locations.

The Executive Centre is now able to provide its customers with an enhanced, more flexible communications experience via value-added services such as consistent phone system services in different business centers. Traditional private branch exchange (PBX) systems did not allow the company to move in that direction.

"The technology we deploy must be upgradable to meet the dynamic needs of our customers. We also needed a lease option that allowed us financial flexibility and great solution scalability," said Teresa Cheuk, The Executive Centre's group virtual office manager.

After a thorough search for an IP-based communications solution, The Executive Centre selected the Cisco Unified Communications system and the Cisco Unified Wireless Network solution. "The Cisco routers and switches we implemented before have given us substantial confidence in deploying Cisco solutions to build mission-critical voice and data systems. In addition, the expertise, resources and support for Cisco solutions are readily available in the market," Cheuk said.

"Above all, Cisco Systems Capital(R) offers us flexible leasing structures which have enabled us to deploy the solution in seven new locations in the last 12 months. The Cisco Unified Communications system and the Cisco Unified Wireless Network solution form one of the best total solutions available in the market today."

"We are delighted to work with The Executive Centre - a leading serviced office provider in Asia," said Charleston Sin, general manager of Hong Kong for Cisco Systems. "Cisco's lease option gives customers like The Executive Centre immediate ROI by allowing them to align their expenses with monthly revenues. In addition, it enables effective management of cash flow and resources, which can be deployed for other business areas. The lease option also brings greater flexibility in equipment upgrade and technology migration, helping customers respond to market changes in a timely manner."

The Cisco Unified Communications system comprises the Cisco Unified CallManager, Cisco VG224 Analog Phone Gateway, Cisco Catalyst(R) 3560 Series Switches, Cisco IP Softphone and more than 500 Cisco Unified IP Phones. These include the latest Cisco Unified IP Phone 7941G, 7961G and 7971G-GE models.

In Hong Kong, systems integrator Macroview implemented the Cisco Unified Communications system and the Cisco Unified Wireless Network solution, while Datacraft took care of the implementation in other markets.

New differentiating services and revenue streams

The Cisco solution enables The Executive Centre to generate new revenue streams by offering tenant customers differentiating services such as centralized billing, call pop-up, e-Voice, IP softphone and wireless telephony.

Customers can now receive a single invoice for all their communication services, reducing the administration time associated with multiple bills. The system's "pop-up screen" service informs the receptionist of the customer's profile and availability status before callers are greeted, ensuring consistent customer service. The Executive Centre's virtual office customers, who typically manage their business remotely, now enjoy productivity enhancements through the e-Voice service, which sends users voicemails in a .wav file directly to their e-mail accounts, reducing the time associated with checking voicemail over the phone.

In addition, the IP softphone service allows tenant customers to benefit from lower communications costs and higher level of mobility. Customers of The Executive Centre can also enjoy mobility through the Unified Wireless Network in and around the office space when they lease Cisco Unified Wireless IP Phones.

Consistent Services in Different Centers

As The Executive Centre has deployed the Cisco solutions in different Asian cities and will continue to do so, its customers are increasingly able to enjoy the same services and benefits in its different business centers in the region.

"This further reinforces our strategy of having a consistent look and feel in our centers in Asia. Now customers will find the communications services they enjoy at our centers are the same too," Cheuk noted.