Raytheon of "Patriot missile" fame is set to launch a new SIP VoIP gateway called the ACU-2000 IP through their Ratheon JSP Communications subsidiary.They claim that the ACU-2000 IP is the only solution that provides a true SIP-based gateway to digitally converge your existing radio systems with SIP telephones, networks, and devices. Using their system you can bring the advantages of the open-standards SIP protocol to your radio systems and add radio functionality to your network.
The question is will this SIP gateway be strictly focused on the government, military, and wireless carrier operations or will general enterprises find it useful as well? Just imagine Cisco going head-to-head with Raytheon - titan vs. a titan. Of course, Raytheon could just launch a Patriot missle through Cisco HQ. Ok, ok, I know, the Patriot missile is an air-to-air missile. Semantics... Besides, that's what the government would lead you to believe about the Patriot's capabilities. They still haven't come clean about those Men In Black (MIB) flying in unmarked black helicopters or those aliens they've been secretly negotiating with.
Actually, the ACU-2000 isn't targetting enterprise - but rather operations that rely on radio, such as search and rescue (SAR) outfits, police/fire, Homeland Security, and the government. Their ACU-1000 product does radio interoperability, so I'm assuming the ACU-2000 adds the voice over IP functionality to the existing radio functionality. Essentially, the ACU-2000 IP enables communications interoperability among radios, telephones, cellular, satellite and SIP phones. This can be crucial during disasters where some communications systems fail and require re-routing or if ad-hoc conferences need to be setup. Remote communications devices can be interfaced via an IP network to enable wide area interoperability. It features a GUI interface for simple setup and control, remote radio channel changing and a distributed network design for operation continuity.
Here's a product shot of the ACU-1000 (don't have a ACU-2000 photo). I assume the ACU-2000 is very similar and will update this post when I find out more:
