If you have a SIP-based VoIP network, you can now interface directly with the Skype network without the need for analog phone connections. Here it is, from the horse’s mouth:

Sunnyvale, Calif., August 19, 2008 – VoSKY, the market leader in developing Skype for business solutions, today announced the industry’s first Skype-certified, enterprise-grade PBX-to-Skype gateway for SIP networks. Designed to enable medium and large-sized enterprises to maximize the value of their IP-PBX, the new VoSKY Exchange Pro VISIP-EX connects an IP-PBX to Skype to dramatically reduce telecom costs up to 90% over traditional telco trunks. This latest addition to VoSKY’s award-winning PBX-to-Skype gateway family is based on the company’s next-generation Linux platform and offers enterprise-grade performance and scalability.

As the industry’s first enterprise-grade PBX-to-Skype gateway for SIP networks to achieve Skype certification, the VoSKY Exchange Pro VISIP-EX delivers unmatched performance and reliability – along with complete interoperability with all Skype features and services. The plug-and-play appliance is also fully certified and endorsed by key PBX vendors to further simplify integration in the enterprise environment.

The VoSKY Exchange Pro VISIP-EX seamlessly integrates with any existing IP-PBX through SIP trunk ports and adds up to 30 lines of Skype. As a result, enterprises can add extra capacity and take advantage of Skype’s cost savings and enhanced business features without overhauling their existing network and phone infrastructure. With a VoSKY Exchange gateway, employees can make and receive Skype calls from their regular office phone – no Skype software, computers, or headsets are required.

By centralizing administration, VoSKY Exchange gives IT managers full control of Skype in their network to help address some of the chief concerns of using the peer-to-peer (P2P) service in the enterprise environment. Administrators no longer have to manage and troubleshoot a mix of computer hardware, operating systems, Skype client versions, and headsets. VoSKY Exchange also minimizes security concerns by removing Skype from the employee’s desktop. And by integrating Skype with the corporate PBX, VoSKY Exchange ensures that all inbound and outbound Skype calls are included in the company’s Call Detail Records (CDR).

VoSKY Exchange Pro VISIP-EX also adds innovative Skype business applications to an IP-PBX. For example, companies can take advantage of Skype’s newly launched Unlimited World plans for ultra low cost international and long distance calls to customers and business partners. Businesses can also enhance their online sales efforts by adding a Skype-powered click-to-call button on their e-commerce site, online support portal, or web banner, as well as expand market presence by adding a local number in any country where global SkypeIn is available.

Furthermore, the VoSKY gateway lets telecommuters and traveling workers connect to the company PBX from wherever they are, allowing them to talk to the office for free or place low cost international calls. To add remote PBX access, companies only need to install a free Skype client on the employee’s laptop or smart phone. Using Skype dramatically simplifies deployment by eliminating common complexities associated with remotely accessing IP-PBXs, such as VPN configuration or NAT/Firewall traversal issues. Additionally, Skype’s private voice network ensures greater voice quality compared with VoIP calls over the public Internet.

“The enterprise market continues to embrace IP-PBXs as a way to lower their telecom costs. According to a report by The Info Pro, 59% of enterprises currently have an IP-PBX in use, while 29% of them include an IP-PBX in their near- or long-term plans,” said David Tang, VP of Global Marketing at VoSKY. “The VoSKY Exchange Pro VISIP-EX was not designed to replace the IP-PBX, but rather enhance its value through Skype’s global reach, enormous user base, robust voice quality, and value-added business applications such as click-to-call.”

The launch of the VoSKY Exchange Pro VISIP-EX rounds out VoSKY’s PBX-to-Skype portfolio to meet the needs of companies of all sizes – from SMBs to large enterprises. VoSKY Exchange gateways seamlessly integrate with legacy and next-generation telecommunications equipment via industry standard analog FX/FXS, digital T1/E1, or IP (SIP) interfaces.