Independent Report From Leading Analyst Firm Cites Avaya Leadership in Communications Solutions for Small Businesses

BASKING RIDGE, NJ, Mar 31 (MARKET WIRE) --
A new independent report from global analyst firm Canalys shows that Avaya is
the
number one provider of communications solutions for small businesses --
companies with 100 or fewer employees -- in North America and Europe combined.
Avaya Inc. is a leading global provider of business communications applications,
systems and services.

The Unified Communications (UC) report from Canalys(1) represents lines
shipped
to small businesses in 2007. Canalys specializes in delivering market data,
analysis and advice to the world's leading technology vendors.

"The report clearly demonstrates the global leadership Avaya has in the
important and growing small business market," said Geoffrey Baird, vice
president and general manager, Appliances, Mobile and Small Systems Division,
Avaya. "It's our experience that small businesses need communications
capabilities enabling them to solve problems such as improving productivity
and competing with bigger brands or other local companies. We're delivering
those capabilities and are committed to working closely with our worldwide
network of resellers to bring these newest features to small businesses."

Avaya now has well over four million users worldwide on Avaya IP Office, its
flagship converged communications solution. IP Office is the platform for
Avaya's UC applications for small businesses. Avaya introduced the UC
applications earlier this month at VoiceCon 2008, a leading conference and
exhibition for enterprise voice, IP telephony and convergence solutions. The
applications help companies improve efficiency and speed by giving them the
capability for instant response, mobility and business continuity with
practical business features at a price they can afford.

According to Matthew Ball, analyst, Canalys, UC can potentially save small
businesses significant costs and dramatically raise their productivity. "These
are
benefits every small business needs at any stage of its life, but they are
particularly critical during the challenging economic times in which
companies are operating today," Ball said. "Having access to affordable,
business-critical solutions is an extremely valuable proposition for small
businesses -- and for the resellers who serve that market."

Avaya customer Spraylat Corporation, a specialty coatings company based in
Pelham, N.Y., is using Avaya UC to help ensure its home-based sales and
technical team maintains productivity and provides excellent customer service.
"Our customers do not need to remember three points of contact -- facility
number
and extension, their home office and mobile phone numbers -- for their sales or
technical contact. Instead, our sales and technical group have their own,
direct inward bound number through the facility's IP Office, and customers
can reach them directly, whether they're in the office or out on the road with
other clients. It's a huge uptick in customer service," said Stacy Gardella,
administrative services manager, Spraylat. "Plus, with UC from Avaya, we'll
save
close to $30,000 in the first year, just by eliminating the separate voice and
fax lines for this team by utilizing their high speed Internet connection at
their homes. Even our employees who work in the most remote, rural area can be
networkedinto our headquarter IP Office. And now I have the visibility I need
into the
day to day functions of our sales and tech team, which is so critical to our
company's success."

Another Avaya customer is Swing Autovermietung, a rental car company in
Germany with five locations. The Avaya UC applications on Swing's IP Office
platform at German rental have enabled the company to dramatically improve its
customer service.

"Ninety-five percent of our sales are generated via the telephone and the
Internet. That's why a reliable communication system is a must for our
business. The system from Avaya is the ideal solution -- it meets all our
requirements, particularly regarding customer service," said Heinz Weilnboeck,
prokurist, who has general commercial power of attorney at the firm. "For
example, customer calls on price inquiries or reservations are automatically
routed to the information department, while claim reports or billing queries
are handled by the service team. This means our customers always have immediate
access to the right professional person. And now we have the flexibility to
quickly set up tele-workstations or provide communications to a new branch. As
a
growing small enterprise, we now have the long-term investment security and
flexibility we need."

About Avaya

Avaya delivers Intelligent Communications solutions that help companies
transform
their businesses to achieve marketplace advantage. More than one million
businesses
worldwide, including more than 90 percent of the FORTUNE 500(R), use Avaya
solutions for IP telephony, unified communications, contact centers and
communications-enabled business processes. Avaya Global Services provide
comprehensive service and support for companies, small to large. For more
information, visit the Avaya Web site at http://www.avaya.com.

(1) Worldwide Unified Communications Call Control Market Q4 2007, March 2008

Media Inquiries:
Barbara Burgess
(908) 953-3348
barbarab@avaya.com

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