Complete Voice & Data Communications System
Secure, High Speed Internet Access
Comprehensive Telephone System for up to 180 Extensions
Fully Integrated 10/100 Mbps LAN Hub for PC & Server connectivity
Data router provides inter-office networking
Enables network access for Home Workers and Mobile Employees
Voice-Mail and Computer Telephony applications supplied as standard
Connects to ISDN and Digital Leased Line Services
The Total Communications Solution for Medium Sized Offices

ArgentBranch

Your complete Voice & Data Communications system

The Alchemy ArgentBranch system from Lucent Technologies has been specifically designed to meet the total communications needs of your employees. Telephone system, voice-mail, high-speed Internet access, remote network access for those working from home or on the move, the ArgentBranch provides all of this and much, much more.
Being completely modular, the ArgentBranch can grow to meet your office communications requirements, both now and in the future. You could start off with an Internet access and/or branch office router and combined remote access system, or with an integrated eight extension, telephone system. At it’s maximum size, the same ArgentBranch system supports up to 180 extensions and 60 ISDN trunk lines.

Sophisticated Telephone System

For most businesses the telephone remains the prime means of contact with customers, prospects, suppliers and colleagues alike. A fast, courteous and efficient response to a telephone call can, therefore make the difference between winning and losing business.
To help you win business, the ArgentBranch builds on the success of the award-winning ArgentOffice by delivering advanced client-handling features, at an entry-level price. Use of standard analogue Caller Display telephones allows employees to see who is calling, and just as importantly, whom they’re calling for, before they even pick the handset up. For those who wish to use standard telephones, or headsets, the same caller information can also be “popped-up” on the users PC, while DECT handsets are also supported for those who aren’t tied to the desk. Comprehensive and easy-to-use, call forwarding & following facilities allows those out of the office, be it “on-the-road” or working from home, to remain in telephone contact at all times. To ensure that there is always an option for callers, VoiceMail, which is supplied as standard with the ArgentBranch, can be utilised for out-of-hours operation, and at those times when you just can’t take calls.

Despite supporting Direct Dial In (DDI), most companies will still require a dedicated operator or operators. For these situations the optional Windows Operator Console & Busy Lamp Field applications ease the day-to-day workload of experienced and novice operators alike. The ArgentBranch’s Automatic Dial Detection also ensures that external calls no longer get routed to the operator by mistake, just because you forgot to pickup a line or dial 9 before the number.

Internet Access for All

While the telephone is still the number one business communications tool, Internet access is becoming increasingly important for business-to-business communications. The ability to send and receive E-mail, is now considered mandatory when dealing with many suppliers and customers, whilst access to the World Wide Web for e-commerce applications and information mining is also becoming vital. LAN networked PCs and servers can be connected at 10 or 100 Mbps to the integral hub of the ArgentBranch, allowing your employees secure, high speed access to the  Internet & World Wide Web, via a firewall and ISDN or digital leased line services. The same system also provides routing between offices and remote access to centralised resources, via ISDN terminal adapters/routers, data enabled GSM phones and standard analogue modems.

Bringing Voice & Data Together

Whilst the ArgentBranch provides the ideal basis for a telephone system, or for Internet access and company wide data routing/remote access, it’s in the fusion of voice & data systems that the unique design of the Alchemy Series provides unparalleled business benefits. The same ISDN circuits can be dynamically used to transport voice and data calls, significantly reducing your line costs. Desktop PC s can be used, in conjunction with standard analogue telephones, to assist in the making and receiving of telephone calls, delivering features and facilities beyond proprietary feature phones for a fraction of the cost. Voicemail can be forwarded to e-mail and SMS services, providing notification of messages wherever your employees are. Popular 3^rd party desktop applications can be utilised to automate the making of telephone calls, and also show a caller’s records before the phone call is answered. The list is endless.

The System That Grows With You

The Alchemy ArgentBranch system consists of a series of modules that can be shelf or rack-mounted as desired.   Modules interconnect via high-speed interfaces and can be added simply and quickly as and when required. As your communication needs grow, and new affordable services are delivered, you can rest assured that, with the ongoing development of new modules, your investment in ArgentBranch will continue to bear great dividends.

Technical Features

PBX Feature

• 8-180 Telephone Ports for telephones, faxes or modems.All features supported on standard, low-cost analogue telephones.
• CLI & Alpha Tagging for Caller Display telephones
• 16-60 ISDN Trunks
• Full Call Processing including;
• Call Hold, Forward, Park, Pickup and Transfer.
• Call Barring and Do Not Disturb
•    Do Not Disturb with Exceptions
• Personal & System Speed Dial
• PBX System Features including;
• Hunt Groups
• Group, Hunt, Rotary & Idle ringing
• Overflow Groups
• Line Groups
• Music on Hold
• Door Relay output
• DDI, MSN and Sub-Addressing
• Distinctive Ring Tones
• Night Service
• Call Conferencing
• Least Cost Routing
• ACD
• “Hot Desk” Telephone Support

Voice-Mail Features

• Voice-Mail for:
• Individual Users
• Hunt Groups
• Virtual Users
• Local and remote message retrieval
• Personalised greetings
• PIN code security
• Automatic CLI recognition
• Caller Queue Entry & Queue Update announcement messages for Hunt Groups

Router and Remote Access Server Features

• Access Router Software
• Remote Access Server Software
• Integral 8 port Dual Speed Ethernet Hub (10/100 Base-T)
• Single WAN port, X21,V35,V24 auto-sensing
• Three port WAN module to increase leased-line capacity (option)
• Up to 30 ISDN data channels  
• Communications standards; PPP, Multi-Link PPP,V.120, V.110, BACP
• Hardware Compression standards: CCP, Stac and MPPC
• PAP and CHAP authentication security
• Secure Firewall
• DHCP
• Networks Address Translation (NAT)
• Single IP Address Internet connectivity
• Dynamic IP Addressing
• Dual V.90 56kbps Central Site modem module for dial-in/dial-out applications (option)

Voice & Data Convergence Features

• Dynamic use of ISDN for Voice & Data
• Caller Display with CLI and associated Alpha-Tagging on Telephone and/or PC
• “Popping” Call Status PC application
• Forwarding of Voice-Mail to Microsoft E-Mail (Outlook/Exchange) using MAPI
• Integration with popular 3^rd party software applications via Microsoft TAPI

PC Applications supplied as standard

• Alchemy Manager
• Includes Alchemy Installation Wizard
• Phone Status
• Call Status      
• Voice Mail
• TAPI Service Provider Interface
• Call Logger
• Specifications

Interfaces

ISDN:

Quad ISDN BRI S/T:

4 RJ45 ETSI S/T interfaces CTR3 for Pan European Connection

PRI (30 Channel Primary Rate Interface):

RJ45 ETSI interface CTR4 for Pan European Connection

LAN:

8 x RJ45 ports, Dual speed, 10/100 BaseT Ethernet Interface with integral LEDs for Link and Data (Ports 1 to 7-Hub interface for connection to Transceivers/PC’s. Port 8-Switchable MDI/MDIX ).

WAN:

1 x 37 pin D-type (X.21, V.35, V.24 Auto-sensing, for point-to-point data connections). Operates at speeds up to 2.048Mbps.

Expansion:

6 x RJ45 ports, for connection to Alchemy Expansion Modules.

Audio Input:

3.5mm Stereo jack socket (accepts mono).

External Output:

3.5mm jack socket to drive external door release relay.

Power:

12Vdc Power jack. See below.

Protocols

PPP, Multi-Link PPP

PAP, CHAP

CCP, STAC, MPPC

DHCP,

NAT,

IP, TCP, IPCP

Compression

Hardware Compression module, complies with CCP, Stac and MPPC standards. Provides compression ratios from 2:1 up to 10:1, dependent on data type.

Power

12Vdc 2A. Power Adapter CE Safety Approved. Pan-European variant.

Base Units

ArgentBranch 808

Integrated Voice and Data Router equipped with two Quad ISDN BRI Modules (2 x 8 channels), single WAN (X.21, V.35, V.24 auto-sensing), integral 8 port, dual speed, 10/100 Ethernet hub, Alchemy System software.

ArgentBranch 3000

Integrated Voice and Data Router equipped with ISDN PRI Module (30 channels), single WAN (X.21, V.35, V.24 auto-sensing), integral 8 port, dual speed, 10/100 Ethernet hub, Alchemy System software.

Expansion Modules

The following modules can be stacked or rack mounted, and when used in conjunction with the ArgentBranch 808/3000 provide a complete integrated office communications solution.

ArgentPhone 8
8 port stackable phone module, supports standard DTMF analogue handsets, fax machines and modems.

ArgentPhone 16
16 port stackable phone module, supports standard DTMF analogue handsets, fax machines and modems.

ArgentPhone 30
30 port stackable phone module, supports standard DTMF analogue handsets, fax machines and modems.

ArgentHub 16
16 port, 10/100Base-T, dual speed Hub. Used in conjunction with integral ArgentBranch hub to expand local LAN connectivity.

ArgentWAN 3
3 port WAN module for leased line connections to routers, Internet or other Alchemy platforms. Ports are X.21, V.35, or V.24. auto-sensing.

ArgentPRI 30
Internal Primary Rate ISDN module for upgrading an ArgentBranch 3000 to an ArgentBranch 3030.

ArgentISDN 8
Internal Quad BRI module, providing 4 Basic Rate ISDN interfaces (8 ISDN channels) for upgrading an ArgentBranch 3000 to an ArgentBranch 3008.

 ArgentModem 2
Internal Dual Modem module for ArgentBranch 808/3000. Allows remote and mobile personnel, modem access to networked resources via the ArgentBranch.

PC Based Applications

Windows Operator Console & Busy Lamp Field

The Windows Operator Console allows multiple calls and/or queues to be efficiently processed by single or multiple operators. The Busy Lamp Field shows, at a glance, the status of extensions, hunt groups and incoming lines and allows calls to be forwarded.

Voice-Mail Pro
Provides advanced features and facilities over and above those found on the entry-level Voice-Mail application supplied with the ArgentBranch. These include multi-level Auto Attendant and caller dial-back
Phone Manager
Advanced desktop phone application for Windows 95/98/NT4 PCs. Phone Manager combines a customisable “drag & drop” Busy Lamp Field with system & personal speed dials, user call records and call handling buttons. Phone Manager also integrates with Microsoft Outlook to provide screen “popping” of caller’s details and easy importing of telephone numbers to create new records.