THERE are buzz phrases and there are buzz phrases, but "data convergence" is definitely the favourite in the telecommunications industry at the moment. It's the way forward for any company wishing to keep at the forefront of the communications revolution in the 21st century to improve its efficiency and its customer care.

A new piece of equipment being marketed by Pennine Telecom of Bury enables just that -- without the huge cost of changing hardware such as telephone handsets or retraining staff.

The new Panasonic ICX is essentially an upgrade to their popular DBS exchange. It is, physically, little more than a new box on the wall, but the added value to a company's communications strategy is enormous as it brings computer databases and telephony together into one system.

Key features include multi-site working -- either locally, regionally or globally -- with automatic route selection which cuts the cost of calls by routing them over the most cost-effective network.

Computer Telephony Integration and Calling Line Identification enables the integration of customer databases with the communications system so that when an employee takes a call he can view the customer's details on screen before answering.

Personalised greetings and the customers' histories being immediately accessible make for more efficient call handling.

Up to 254 mailboxes are available enabling messages to be left day and night and other key features include call management, automatic call distribution and digital cordless handsets (DECT).

The ICX's greatest attraction, however, is the fact that, because it is also compatible with other Panasonic exchanges, many of its features and functions are operated in the same manner and it can be used immediately by staff familiar with those smaller systems.

The ICX is specifically designed to accommodate future developments such as Voice-Over IP (VOIP).

Pennine Telecom has organised a special open day at Manchester United's Old Trafford ground in conjunction with BT, and one of the presentations will give a glimpse of the capabilities of this impressive piece of technology.

BT will be making presentations on ADSL, ISDN 30 and the BT business network tariffs.

The seminar, on Tuesday, October 9, will include a buffet lunch and the opportunity to tour the famous ground. For further information and to reserve your ticket phone Pennine Telecom on 0800 633333.