VOSS Wins Global Telecoms Business Innovation Award

VOSS, Cisco & du recognized by GTB for Innovative UC Delivery & Management Project

Reading, UK – Monday 22nd June 2009 - VOSS, nominated a Cool Vendor in Unified Communications (UC) by Gartner, and a leader in UC service delivery software, today announced that its Middle East customer, UAE’s integrated telecom service provider ‘du’, has won the prestigious 2009 Global Telecoms Business Innovation Award, for the implementation of a state of the art UC service delivery platform (UC SDP). The award was received by Samer Geissah, Vice President, Core Network, on behalf of du.

Global Telecoms Business (GTB) magazine, which is read by industry leaders in the telecommunications industry worldwide, launched the Innovation Awards in 2007. Award winners are selected by a judging panel, from hundreds of nominations for the industry’s most innovative projects involving telecoms operators and service providers around the world, in association with their vendors and suppliers.

In recent years, du has established itself as the new telecommunications company of the UAE, offering fixed and mobile telephony, broadband connectivity and IPTV services to individuals, homes and businesses, and carrier services for businesses. As a rapidly growing enterprise, du chose to replace its Cisco IPT platform with a Cisco Hosted Unified Communications solution, which included the VOSS advanced, pre-integrated UC service delivery platform (UC SDP). GTB awarded du, VOSS and Cisco the esteemed innovation award in recognition of their industry-leading solution, with its ability to scale in line with du’s aggressive growth strategy and enable du to satisfy evolving customer demand by providing new and improved UC services, quickly and seamlessly, as and when the customer requires.

The benefits that the VOSS UC SDP brings to du include:

  • A fully automated, centralized management platform enabling non-technical staff at du to add new customers and carry out maintenance and changes in real-time; leading to radical cost and time savings
  • VOSS provides du with an fully outsourced, centrally managed IP communications environment, providing its customers with a rich voice, video and web experience, with business-ready UC features
  • New advanced UC services can now be created in a matter of days and delivered to customers on-demand, with little systems integration
  • du is able to actively promote its managed service offering, with full confidence that there are no longer any issues with capacity or a limited service offering

Farid Faraidooni, EVP Commercial, du, commented; “du has a much valued relationship with Cisco and supports VOSS in its mission on service delivery. VOSS gives du a meaningful competitive edge, to introduce new UC features seamlessly, removing deployment blockers, improving customer satisfaction and maximizing revenues.”

Mike Frayne, CEO VOSS, added; “the work that VOSS and Cisco has carried out at du is at the forefront of UC technology, and showcases how powerful a managed UC solution can be to carriers and end users alike. We look forward to continuing to push the boundaries with du, to ensure that it continues to lead the way in providing next generation UC services”.

Alan Burkitt-Gray, Editor, GTB also commented; “This project stood out, even though the competition was strong, and it just had to be one of the winners. Well done to all involved.”

Samer Geissah, Vice President Core Network Technology, du receives award from Alan Burkitt-Gray, Editor, GTB
Photo: Andy Lane, Global Telecoms Business


Samer Geissah, du, Mike Frayne, VOSS, Mahmoud Dasser, Cisco with awards
Photo: Andy Lane, Global Telecoms Business

About VOSS
VOSS, a leader in service delivery software, helps organizations meet their complex and rapidly changing Unified Communications (UC) and IP telephony requirements. Uniquely, VOSS delivers Unified Communications services and systems integration, over large networks that use disparate technologies, vendors and operating systems, in multiple locations and countries.
The company’s real-time, automated and centralized service delivery platform cuts costs while speeding and simplifying the deployment of Unified Communications services. VOSS gives users and providers unprecedented operational efficiency, letting them reap savings, performance gains and the confidence that their Unified Communications environment is agile and flexible enough to change as business demands.

Based in Berkshire, UK and Herndon, VA, VOSS is funded by UK early-stage venture capital firm Eden Ventures, XAnge Private Equity and PE Investments. Founded as VisionOSS, the company is now called VOSS. Its solutions have been deployed by prominent service providers, large enterprises and partners such as Cisco Systems across Europe and North America. For more information, visit www.visionoss.com.

PR Contacts
Christopher May
+1 203 444 3485
christopher.may@visionoss.com
Rachel Chicken
+44 (0) 7788 567 604
rachel.chicken@visionoss.com

About du
du, the integrated telecom service provider in the UAE, launched mobile telecommunication services in February 2007 across the UAE, in addition to internet and pay TV services that du provides in some of the free zones of Dubai. Call Select, du's nationwide fixed line services for voice telephony, was launched in July 2007. By the end of 2008, over 3 million people in the UAE chose to become du customers.
Among du’s many firsts is its historic Number Booking Campaign for both individuals and business, Pay by the Second billing system, Mobile TV, Mobile Payments, first of its kind ‘WoW’ recharge card (which offers customers the choice between more credit, more time and now ‘more international’ recharge option with additional credit on international calls) and Self Care.
For business customers, du business offers include Closed Business User Group and preferred International Destinations. du Broadcast Services division brings scalable media technology platforms and telecommunication solutions to the broadcast community through its world class teleport (Samacom) and Master Control Room (MCR) facilities.
du products and services for consumers and business are available through du’s retail network, currently numbering 30 du shops located in strategic locations across the UAE, more than 3000 authorized dealers Or through du e-shop, accessible at http://www.du.ae/en/where-to-buy/eshop.html. du shops are a one stop shop for mobile service, carrier select and the payment of the service bills.
du is 39.5 percent owned by the UAE Federal Government, 19.75 percent by Mubadala Development Company, 19.5 percent by Emirates Communications & Technology Company LLC and the remaining stake by public shareholders. It is listed on the Dubai Financial Market (DFM) and trades under the name du.
Awards to date

  • du presented with an award for Best Middle Eastern Local Currency Deal 2008 by UK’s EuroWeek
  • du won two prestigious awards at UAE Web Awards 2008. du e-shop portal won the best strategic online portal award in the e-commerce category and du media club website won the bronze award in the media and press category.
  • du corporate brand launch campaign awarded a Cristal MENA award in 2008
  • du declared ‘Best Brand’ at Telecoms World Awards Middle East 2007 for innovative branding and outstanding brand success
  • Second place in the New Brand Launch category at the GMR Effectiveness in Marketing Awards 2007
  • Silver Award for the best website in the ICT category at the UAE Web Awards 2007
    du WoW TV Commercial awarded amongst the best 50 TV commercials in mobile telecom category in the world for 2007

For further information on du, please contact:

Saugat Chatterjee
Public Relations Manager
Brand & Communications
du
Mobile: +971 55 9367045
Email: saugat.chatterjee@du.ae