Aastra has significantly expanded its SIP Telephone portfolio offering with the launch of the Aastra 5i Series. Comprised of four new telephones and two expansion modules, this new family of SIP-based products allows Aastra to offer additional choice and flexibility to customers looking for standards-based IP desktop and mobility solutions.

Designed by a team of North American and European engineers, the Aastra 5i family features an elegant global design, large LCD display screens, additional programmable function keys and expansion modules for console and reception functions. The family also incorporates all of the productivity enhancing features found on Aastra’s existing SIP telephones including; embedded XML browsers, full duplex speakerphones, and an industry leading simplified deployment and upgrade design. Continuing a commitment to be fully interoperable, the Aastra 5i series has also been designed to integrate with leading IP Telephony platforms making it appeal to a wide range of SMB and Enterprise customers.

“Our customers have been extremely pleased with how well Aastra’s current portfolio of affordable feature-rich SIP telephones tightly integrates with our IP Telephony system solution” said Hugo Hamel, President of Prival, a Montreal based provider of integrated VoIP solutions. “By adding Aastra’s 5i Series to our offering, we will be able deliver an even greater variety of options and configurations ensuring a flexible standards-based IP solution that can be easily customized to meet individual customer needs.”

The 5i Series consists of four telephones and two expansion modules;

• 53i Featured set with 3 line/16 character display and 6 programmable keys
• 55i Advanced Featured set with 144 x 75 backlit LCD display, up to 20 programmable function capability. Compatible with up to three 536M expansion modules.
• 57i Full Featured set with 144 x 128 backlit LCD display, up to 30 programmable function capability. Compatible with up to three 560M or 536M expansion modules
• 57i CT All the features of the Aastra 57i plus integrated cordless base providing VoIP mobility employing secure 2.4GHz Frequency Hopped Spread Spectrum technology
• 536M Expansion Module with 36 programmable keys
• 560M Expansion Module with LCD Screen and 60 programmable keys

Organizations that are migrating to a converged IP environment whether it is Hosted VoIP, a Premised based IP-PBX / Hybrid PBX or Open Source PBX will be able to find an Aastra IP Telephone perfectly suited to meet their needs.

“We are very excited about expanding our IP portfolio with this family of SIP phones” said Yves Laliberte, executive vice president of sales at Aastra Telecom. “The 5i Series was designed to meet the needs of our partners and customers requiring console solutions and large display screens for advanced XML graphics. Adding the 5i Series to Aastra’s IP family means that we now offer one of the most extensive and complete portfolios of carrier/enterprise grade quality SIP Telephones in the marketplace today”

The Aastra 5i Series is available immediately through Aastra’s authorized IP distribution channels in North America.