Research, collaboration drives AARNet unified communications deal

AARNet signs deal with Amcom to offer a cloud-based UC platform to AARNet’s customers

AARNet’s customers - including 38 Australian universities and the CSIRO - will be able to collaborate further on research projects using a unified communications (UC) network hosted in the cloud.

University and CSIRO researchers can now access the Amcom Telecommunications (ASX:AMM) cloud collaboration UC offering via AARNet’s network infrastructure.

Amcom said the UC service integrates with AARNet's unified communications exchange (AUCX). ACC is an integrated suite of telephony, video, mobility, and collaboration tools.

An AARnet spokesperson told Computerworld Australia that it had added the additional UC option to give academics and researchers a choice of UC platforms.

“The AUCX provides a platform so that institutions can route calls over the AARNet network. It is also part of a global UC exchange that enables voice and video calls between participating research and education networks around the world. The Amcom UC offering provides a replacement for researcher’s on-campus PABX or voice over IP call manager," the spokesperson said.

University and CSIRO researchers will also be able to chat about projects in real time using Jabber instant messaging. They can see if colleagues are online in other states and territories by using Jabber’s panel, which includes instant messaging, voice and video.

Amcom CTO Richard Whiting said that AARNet’s customers will be billed monthly for the UC services that they use.

In August 2013, Amcom acquired Perth data centre provider aCure Technology for $14.3 million. It currently operates seven data centres in the city.

At the time, Amcom CEO Clive Smith said that the acquisition was made due to growing demand for cloud and hosted services in Western Australia.

Follow Hamish Barwick on Twitter: @HamishBarwick

Follow Computerworld Australia on Twitter: @ComputerworldAU, or take part in the Computerworld conversation on LinkedIn: Computerworld Australia

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Tags CSIROunified communicationsamcomAARNet Chris Hancock

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