SMRT.L Regulatory News (SMRT)

8 Oct 2009 07:00



COMS PLC ("Coms")

Contract Win

COMS PLC SUPPLIES HELPAGE INTERNATIONAL CHARITY WITH COST-SAVING TELECOMS SYSTEM

Coms Plc has been selected to supply HelpAge International with a hosted VoiP telephone system that will save this leading charity in excess of 25% of its monthly telecommunications budget. HelpAge International, which operates in over 75 countries, sought proposals from traditional and Voice over IP (VoiP) telephone system providers to ensure that the system it purchased would deliver both short term and long term benefits. These had to include:

achieving cost savings on UK and international calls

including 23 international offices within their "office" network

providing an integrated conferencing service

providing personal direct dial numbers

enabling "Hot Desking" flexibility

Voice mail to email

Coms is able to deliver these benefits. Its system includes 60 handsets in HelpAge International's London office and further handsets in 22 offices abroad. All UK users have direct dial numbers, which can be forwarded to any of the office handsets or other VoIP or traditional numbers should they be working off-site or at home.

HelpAge International's IT Manager Stephen Teal commented: "Deciding to switch from a traditional installed phone system was not an easy step to take, but once we appreciated the cost savings and benefits associated with Coms' Hosted VoIP, it was a very easy decision. In addition, because Hosted VoIP is a managed service, we now have 24/7 support ."

David Cargill, CTO Coms, stated: "Once we understood the nature of HelpAge International's telecommunication requirements, and the fact that they have 22 overseas offices, we were convinced that Hosted VoIP was the way forward because it includes all users within the same network, wherever they are, enabling a consistent company-wide phone directory, free on-net calls and centralised billing for calls made from foreign offices."

Further information is available from the Company website, www.coms.com.

Contact:

Coms plc

Jason Drummond  020 7148 3000

Richard Bennett 020 7148 3148

Threadneedle Communications

Graham Herring 020 7653 9850

Alex White

Notes to editors:

Coms plc

Coms was founded by Jason Drummond in 2000 with the vision of enabling businesses to communicate by voice and video over the internet. Voice over IP (VoIP) is changing the way consumers and businesses communicate. 

Coms offers a low-cost hosted communications service delivered over broadband. Coms customers can make high quality voice and video calls over the internet wherever a high-speed internet connection is available, including wireless hotspots, as they are allocated their own location-free unique user telephone number. Subscription is available in a range of packages.

Coms is an Ofcom authorised Public Electronic Communications Network (PECN) and a member of the Internet Telephony Service Providers Association (ITSPA).

Coms is listed on the London Stock Exchange AIM Market (LSE:COMS)

About HelpAge International

HelpAge International helps older people claim their rights, challenge discrimination and overcome poverty, so that they can lead dignified, secure, active and healthy lives.

HelpAge International works in over 75 countries is strengthened through its global network of like-minded organisations - the only one of its kind in the world. HelpAge's biggest donor is Help the Aged, which raises funds for its work from the UK public.

HelpAge International has offices in London and Brussels, five regional centres co-ordinating its work in Africa, Asia/Pacific, Latin America, the Caribbean and Eastern Europe/Central Asia, and a number of national programmes and emergency response programmes.