Small Business Is The Next Frontier For Telephony At InteropSmall Business Is The Next Frontier For Telephony At Interop

The small- to medium-sized business (SMB) market is big at this year's Interop as vendors scramble to find new markets. Are SMBs really ready to kick down for routers and IP PBX systems?Just about everyone here thinks SMBs are the next big thing for IP communications. Is that because the enterprise market is saturated or because SMBs are really screaming out for IB PBXs? What do you think?

Regardless, here is a look at the SMB-related news from the show so far:

> 3Com SMB security solution -- The new platform includes IPS with firewall, VPN, and content filtering.

> D-Link NetDefend For SMB -- D-Link expands the NetDefend family of firewall/VPN products with the DFL-S500 SSL VPN Firewall.

> Samsung Plans WiMAX For SMBs -- Samsung's new Ubigate iBG Series combines networking, voice, and security for the SMB and the platform will include support for WiMAX in Q3. Samsung also launched the OfficeServ 7100, a shake 'n bake telephony solution designed for business with 25 or fewer employees.

> Polycom (or the Wi-Fi phone maker formerly known as SpectraLink)is showing off the enterprise-class NetLink 8030 Wi-Fi handsets here at Interop. But, Polycom is also talking a lot about Wi-Fi phones for SMBs too.

> Netgear today announced a partnership with Avaya to target, you guessed it, SMBs. The partnership combines Avaya Quick Edition peer-to-peer VoIP technology with Netgear's SMB-specific wireline and wireless network infrastructure.