Citytalk eyes enterprise and bolsters it's LG-Nortel portfolio

Citytalk Communications is bolstering its LG-Nortel telephone system portfolio with the launch of two new products for the IP-based call management platform, IPECS. According to Marketing Executive Director, James Francis.  The move will consolidate LG-Nortel's position in the small business market, and help the company gain ground in the UK enterprise space.

Citytalk Communications now enhances our position in the sub-50 extension environment adding system offerings reaching into the lower enterprise space. "Since we launched IPECS a year ago, there's been a fundamental shift in our business. LGE and LG-Nortel have always been strong players in the SME market, but IPECS is taking us into much larger environments. It will ultimately support up to 1,200 ports."

The new products, Network Management System (IPECS-NMS) and Unified Communications Software (IPECS-UCS), add web-based remote management tools and a full collaboration suite to the IPECS toolset respectively.

James Francis has reiterated that the additions will help the company grow into corporate markets. "We'll be introducing these concepts over the next 12 months to our existing and new client base on an up-to-300 port basis," and "During Q3 we plan to introduce new data switching products that will allow us to offer single-vendor converged networks that reach up into the enterprise space, using the larger IPECS call servers."

Francis is quick to point out that the company is not abandoning its small business customers that still make up 95 per cent of sales and have been responsible for a successful year at Citytalk. "These tools will enable our organisation to win more business," he stated. "And entice potential clients of larger systems to look again at the LG-Nortel portfolio."

Citytalk Communications works directly with Capstan, the exclusive UK distributor of the Korean firm LG-Nortel's call server products. While LG-Nortel may not be as well known in the UK telecoms enterprise market as other big names, its strength overseas and the power of its brand in other product lines are creating good opportunities for Citytalk both in the UK and throughout Europe. "Ten years ago people were aware of LG but it was associated with lower cost and value brands," said Francis. "Now it's one of the biggest providers of cellular phones, a leading supplier of LCD screens and the brand is everywhere, that's a phenomenal invisible marketing scenario for us, which we get the benefit of every single day."

The relationship between Francis's team and LG-Nortel has been consolidated by the amount of investment made by Citytalk. "It's very much a tried and tested solution," he explains. "We launched IPECS last year, but globally it was already phase five of the product and had been selling since 2002. Outside of Korea, we have more knowledge of LG-Nortel product than anyone else. We have incredibly valued experience in our team which our clients come to know and expect."

Despite the ambitious plans to grow the company into new markets, Francis is keen not to lose sight of the fact that one of its most attractive points for both new and existing customers is the small size and feel of Citytalk Communications.