Integrator Damovo is celebrating becoming Aastra's first UK Elite Enterprise partner and bolstering its portfolio with the addition of the vendor's Aastra 5000 SIP-based IP PBX.

The Canadian communications vendor recently took the wraps off a new UK channel programme and Damovo is so far the only partner to bag a top-level Elite Enterprise badge. Damovo came into the Aastra fold through the firm's acquisition of Ericsson's Enterprise Communications Business last year.

In the last 18 months, the Horsham-based VAR has deployed Aastra kit for customers, including Transport for London, the University of Birmingham and medical nutrition specialist Nutricia.

Damovo will also be carrying the Aastra 5000, a pure SIP IP PBX aimed at the mid-market and the enterprise space. Aastra claims the software-based IP call control offering allows firms to take advantage of features including fixed mobile convergence and multi-media calling. It is designed to manage between 500 and 150,000 subscribers, and as many as 2,000 networked gateways.

Damovo UK managing director Paul Butcher said: “We are delighted to have been recognised with Elite Enterprise partner status. We invest considerable time and effort in working with leading vendors such as Aastra to ensure we can deliver the right solutions for our clients. Our absolute competence in technology is an essential part of our ability to deliver best-of-need solutions for our clients.”

Aastra's UK general manager, Michael Calvert, added: "Aastra has partnered with Damovo because of its strong history and technical prowess in the deploym ent of new and emerging technologies. Damovo has shown it is capable of taking new Aastra products to market in an efficient and timely manner, and is highly praised by end clients.”