Asterisk VoIP system to sync with Microsoft Exchange

German VoIP manufacturer Cruise intends to integrate its Asterisk-based system with Microsoft Exchange 2007 server.

The merging of the product will mean users can launch VoIP calls by clicking on clients in their Outlook email address book, as well as have their emails read out to them electronically through their mobile phone.

Further to this, the system will announce events entered onto the Exchange server calendar sent to a user's mobile phone to remind them, while users will be able to access the calendar in the opposite direction to cancel or postpone appointments.

"Microsoft products are used by nearly all of our customers," says Jens-Uwe Junghanns, spokesperson for the company.

"Therefore, we would like to further expand the advantages of our system and offer customers the possibility, for example, to choose contacts directly from their Outlook, easily receive voicemail messages or have emails read aloud on their mobile phone."

The company's Cruisephone product mixes a conventional phone line with IP telephony to allow access to the system from any telephone, not just through VoIP, which gives workers the ability to log into the system from anywhere using a normal telephone rather than using VoIP.

Some 40 separate VoIP connections can be run through one Cruisephone box and common features include conference calling, call waiting and the ability to have separate settings according to the time of day or night.

Jointly owned by Berlin's Junghanns.net and Addix, Cruise said the integration of the systems will be complete in around three to four months.