Chico State University is at the Top of Class with IP Telephony

Business Wire, Oct 24, 2006

ANAHEIM, Calif. -- Altura Communication Solutions has successfully implemented an Avaya IP Telephony solution for California State University, Chico (CSUC). CSUC, a residential campus serving a diverse student body of approximately 15,000 students in Northern California, selected Altura to implement and maintain a seamless, integrated communications system capable of delivering to its current and future learners access to campus wide IP communications.

The communication solution from Altura has changed the way Chico State does business in regards to communications on campus. Instead of paying expensive monthly charges for features and usage of their system per line, CSUC now owns and operates the equipment that provides campus wide telephone communication. The Altura communication solution provides CSUC with advanced applications to its students and faculty, such as call center tools that are used for enrollment, caller ID to all users on campus, campus wide e911 notification, unified voice, email, fax messaging, audio conferencing and extension to cellular.

The communication solution integrates the Avaya Communications Manager 3.0 software running on fully redundant Avaya S8710 Media Servers and multiple Media Gateways across campus, AVST CallXpress Unified Messaging, Avaya Call Center, and @comm CommView call accounting. The Avaya solution also provides a solid disaster recovery plan with the three off-campus locations that have media servers with a Local Survivable Processor (LSP).

Chico State is among the most technologically advanced higher education institutions in the US. The Avaya web-based Integrated Management application provides standards-based software tools to facilitate network management through a web-based user interface. This will enable CSUC to improve network uptime, increase staff productivity, and reduce operating costs.

"Altura has such great employees that are the foundation of their company. Their dedication to the solutions and services they offer exceeded my expectations and we are thrilled to have them as a partner," said Scott Claverie, interim director of computing and communications services at CSUC. "Our new Avaya Telephone solution is not only a win for us financially but it will also facilitate the communications between students, faculty, and staff here on campus."

"The Avaya IP Telephony solution provides advanced applications to CSUC today, while reducing costs and improving productivity," said Bob Blazek, President and CEO of Altura Communication Solutions. "The successful implementation demonstrates Altura's expertise in the higher education market, as well as our specialization in large multi-site networks. Through our consultation, design services and network assessment, we assure peace of mind to universities and colleges implementing complex converged solutions."

Altura is an Avaya Platinum Certified Business Partner. The combination of Avaya's market leading IP solutions and Altura's market leading service creates a partnership of strength that is unmatched in the telecommunications industry.

About California State University, Chico

California State University, Chico, established in 1887, is internationally recognized as a pioneer in distance education. U.S. News & World Report rated Chico among the best Western public regional universities in their 2005 annual guide, America's Best Colleges. CSU Chico offers more than 100 undergraduate majors and options and maintains the highest graduation rate in the California State University system. For more information, please visit www.csuchico.edu

About Altura Communication Solutions

Headquartered in Anaheim, California, Altura Communication Solutions sells and services a variety of products, including voice over IP switching systems, unified communication systems, contact centers, multi media conferencing systems, network system management tools, data switching and routing products. The company has nationwide service capabilities and an enterprise customer base of more than 2,500 companies in the financial, education, healthcare and government markets.