IP Unity's software centre in Bangalore

IP Unity, the US-based company focussing on providing enhanced solutions for IP-centered public networks, has announced the setting of its software development centre in Bangalore. It plans to invest close to Rs 150 crore over the next few years.

IP Unity enables carriers to deploy enhanced services such as unified messaging, voicemail, conferencing, interactive voice response, speech recognition and text-to-speech on the standardised network with one piece of hardware.

With the IP Unity platform, carriers can simultaneously offer enhanced services to their existing legacy subscribers and new broadband subscribers.

Said Arun Sobti, a Motorola veteran, currently chairman and CEO at IP Unity: "The convergence of voice, data and web applications enabled by new packet switching technologies has generated a dramatic opportunity for carriers to create and deploy highly differentiated, high-margin communication services. With traditional voice and basic internet services generating lower margins, the demand for enhanced services is growing, generating significant new revenue opportunities for carriers. Our Media Server offers the bandwidth for a carrier to offer a variety of features with scalability."

The India centre will focus on developing innovative unified communication and collaboration enabling core platform modules and integrate third-party peripherals in messaging, speech recognition, video and data collaboration capabilities.

The centre is expected to have 25 developers shortly and is expected to touch 100 professionals in another two years.

"We plan to start with an investment of Rs 10 crore and over a period of five years, we estimate that this will touch Rs 150 crore," Sobti noted.