Critical Links Showcases New edgeBOX Dedicated Network Appliances, Targets Emerging $2.6 Billion Market in Converged Voice+Data+IT Appliances

San Jose, CA, USA, May 15th, 2007 – Critical Links, an international networking technology company, will be launching the award-winning edgeBOX 4.3 appliance into the US market at Interop Las Vegas (Booth 1685, Mandalay Bay Convention Center, Las Vegas, USA, May 20-25).  

Critical Links will be showcasing edgeBOX dedicated network appliances to be made available in the US at the end of the second quarter. “edgeBOX is the first multi-function device or “Office-in-a-Box” that consolidates Voice, Data, and IT at a price point accessible to the booming SMB market” points out Mr. João Carreira, Critical Links’ CEO. “The edgeBOX has a very attractive value proposal for prospective partners, wanting to enter an emerging $2.6 Billion market in converged voice+data+IT appliances”.

So called “Multi-Service Business Gateways” or “Office-in-a-Box” devices are, according to high tech market research firm In-Stat, a fast-growth market that is set to reach $2.6 billion in 2011 worldwide with more than half of the revenue coming from the US market (Multi-Service Business Gateways: Cisco under Attack, April 2007). 

As a multi-function business gateway that consolidates data, voice and IT services for small and medium sized businesses, edgeBOX effectively replaces an average of 4 to 6 devices, by providing a fully featured IP-PBX, router (wired and wireless LAN), security platform (VPN, Firewall, anti-spam/virus, etc.), and file/print/email/web servers along with full network access control. The result is a dramatically simplified deployment and management environment for all networking services, with significantly lower total cost of ownership.

Critical Links’ partners are able to deploy a wide range of value-added services today, while retaining the capability to deliver tomorrow’s applications and services using the very same platform. The edgeBOX is distributed through channel partners (VARs, Systems Integrators, Service providers and OEMs) worldwide in the UK, Spain, Brazil, Chile, China, India, Indonesia, Portugal, Singapore, South Africa and Thailand among others. 

edgeBOX has been identified as a key player in the emerging “Business Gateway” market by leading analyst house InStat and won the Best Broadband Appliance award at the World Broadband Forum in 2005. It was selected as a finalist by IDG Communications’ Techworld for its 2006 “Small Business Product of the Year”, and recently won INTERNET TELEPHONY Magazine’s 2006 Product of the Year Award.

Further information can be found on the edgeBOX website www.edgebox.net