Staying true to its enterprise-oriented roots, Research In Motion (RIM) recently launched the latest version of it BlackBerry Mobile Voice System (BlackBerry MVS) business software for mobile devices. While it boasts similar capabilities to Google’s Google Voice application, RIM’s new baby may see accelerated adoption due to the company’s mastery of delivering products that meet enterprise needs better than any other player in the wireless market as well as its end users’ absolute affinity for software that comes in any size or shape as long it syncs beautifully. Let’s also not forget: Google Voice is processed through Google’s offsite servers rather than on your local BlackBerry Enterprise Server and while that may be alright for some people, many companies don’t want to risk the potential security threats of having critical emails going through another company’s servers.

In addition to call waiting, call hold, call transfer, call scheduling and simultaneous ring, MVS 5.0 also packs these whizz-bang-wow features:

  • One Office Identity: This feature enable enterprise MVS 5.0 users to make calls from their mobile phone that the receiver sees as originating from their desk phone number. On the flip side, it also allows for both a user’s mobile and office phone to ring simultaneously when someone, potentially a client, is calling their office phone. I like to think of this feature as an alter ego, a superhero identity if you will. After all, superheroes are always on call.
  • One Office Voicemail: MVS 5.0 conveniently notifies out-of-the-office employees of work voicemails with an indicator on the BlackBerry home screen. For mobile workers, this is really a lot more helpful than it initially sounds. For example, most enterprise employees probably already have their voicemails being pushed to their office phone via email in a downloadable .WAV file which they then receive in their smartphone inbox. At first glance, One Office Voicemail would appear to be the same feature in a shinier package. However, this MVS 5.0 feature is actually more functional and reliable. Downloadable .WAV files attached to emails sometimes don’t adhere to size limitations on BlackBerry devices, so oftentimes voicemails are still remotely inaccessible. This is a setback I’ve been experiencing more frequently lately while on lunch breaks, personal time off or at offsite client meetings so I’m a pretty jazzed about One Office Voicemail – simple as it may seem. We’ve pointed out previously the wild success that can be driven from simplicity (Hello, Apple and Google brand strategists.)
  • Voice over Wi-Fi Calling: This feature addresses cost, coverage and communications needs with a “trifecta” by allowing for calls to be made “from your office phone” at home, at work or in Wi-Fi hotspots.
  • Move Call: Move call enables users to transfer calls from their mobile device to their home, a preset conference room or a one-time use number. This means that if I’m on a work call on my home, I can use MVS 5.0 to transfer it to my handset when I walk in the door to make sure I don’t lose the call, or the client, due to AT&T’s “wonderful” service. Move Call also works in conjunction with the Voice over Wi-Fi feature to move calls from a service provider’s network to a Wi-Fi network. I can think of several other scenarios where having this little trick up your sleeve would come in handy, but you get the picture. Sorry iPhone users…
  • Extension Dialing: Last but not least, this final MVS 5.0 feature drives the convenience factor home and is so short and sweet it speaks for itself. Extension Dialing gives enterprise users the capability to dial any coworker using their corporate extension.