Nortel has released three new unified communications-based (UC) applications – Mobile Cost Optimizer, Hot Desking, and UC Desktop. According to Nortel, these three new UC applications leverage its Agile Communication Environment (ACE), a software that allows customers to extend the value of existing investments in applications and infrastructure.

It works across multivendor environments, including Nortel and Cisco PBXs, Microsoft and IBM desktops.

Nortel said that the Mobile Cost Optimizer application integrates mobile smartphone devices with multi-vendor voice networks and enables users access to the enterprise dial plan for short code extension numbers, click-to-call from e-mail and click-to-join/chair conference calls from a user’s calendar.

In addition, it automatically calculates and routes a call over either the mobile network or corporate voice network after determining which route costs less.

The company said that the Hot Desking application model provides one-number access to employees wherever they are. It integrates with Nortel Mobile Cost Optimizer to reduce mobile call charges by redirecting calls initiated from a smartphone to any desk phone.

The UC Desktop application integrates existing multi-vendor voice and video systems with UC desktop application from Microsoft and IBM. It improves productivity with ‘click-to-communicate’ and telephony presence capabilities that employees can access directly from the desktop, the company added.

Joel Hackney, president of enterprise solutions at Nortel, said: You can achieve new heights in collaboration and productivity with these easy-to-deploy applications. They can dramatically reduce human latency, enable better customer care, and yield major cost savings in months, not years.