Archive for June, 2008
Communication has come a long way from the time of smoke signals. What was new yesterday is considered required today. Technology advances are fast and furious and to keep ahead in the business world you must advance along with it, or risk missing out on the new moon.
The speed and effectiveness of your communication infrastructure is vital in today’s marketplace, where clients expect instant results. In addition, your ability to virtualize your office is key in a decentralized and mobile environment. Assisting your customers and making them feel serviced is vital in a world where price comparisons can be retrieved in an instant. Service will set you apart. This is where advanced communication technology can help.
The following is an example of how Life Communications LLC assisted a business improve their communications effectiveness, work product and bottom line. Saran Importers Inc. (name has been changed) is an importer of many products, including clothing, undergarments and electronics. They have small offices in California, Michigan and Texas with their headquarters in Brooklyn, NY. The Michigan and Texas offices have two salesmen per location, while the California office has three operations people and one salesman. The Brooklyn headquarters has 10 operations people and three salesmen. For the sake of simplicity, the definition of “operations people” is people who don’t travel extensively, while salesmen do.
They had a Lucent Partner system in Brooklyn and small SOHO (Small Office Home Office) Panasonic multi-phones in the remote locations. They communicated with the remote locations by calling them over a regular phone line and with the salesman by office number or cell phones, which they also gave to the clients. Some problems arose from this arrangement. The following are a sample:
- High cost of inter-office communications.
- Multiple places for voice-mail. Hard to manage.
- If the cell phone was dead or otherwise not available the calls went to voicemail or were lost.
- If a salesman was unavailable for extended periods (more than one day) it affected communications with clients.
- No call accounting. No management of remote offices.
Life Communications replaced their Lucent system with a customized PC-based advanced phone system. In the remote locations they put Voice Over IP (VOIP) phones that communicated directly with the VoIP phone system over secure private network DSL lines. This enabled the remote offices to have all the advanced features of the main office.
They also setup a feature that enabled the salesman to manage where they can be reached. In doing so, they would be able to give out a single phone number that routed through the phone system. They would direct where the phone would ring or even the order of where they can be reached and the amount of times it would ring by each location. If the call would go to voicemail the voicemail would actually reside on the phone system and a voice file would be emailed to the salesman. Some salesmen chose to have a copy, of the voice file, also emailed to the operations person who handled their accounts.
This solved their problems by doing the following:
- Cut down, drastically, on the cost of inter-office communications. The costs of the DSL lines are marginalized due to their dual-use as data lines. All calls between offices are now as if they are in the same office, they communicate by calling the extension, not an outside number.
- One place for voice-mail, all located on the phone system. Cell phone calls are now called by the phone system and if the salesman is unavailable it puts it in the internal voice-mail. This allows for easier voice-mail management.
- Due to the advanced routing feature, calls can ring by multiple places to reach a person who can help the client.
- When salesmen are now unavailable the calls can be automatically rerouted to another salesman who can help.
- All calls, in all offices, can now be managed and kept track of. Client communications can be more effectively handled.
This is just a small sample of the improvements made to the business process. Another advantage to the VoIP system is; as new features, and advancements, come out they can be integrated into Saran’s current platform. Expandability is also part and parcel of this VoIP experience; the system can grow as Saran grows.
Cy Yablonsky is
a realtor associate at Othello Realty,
http://www.OthelloRealty.com. Cy has an
extensive background in technology
and communications and applies that to the real estate
market. Feel free to reprint this article as long as
all links stay live and no changes are
made.
Don’t be fooled into thinking that VoIP is a new kid on the block. The Telcommunications industry has known about…….and been using….VoIP technology of some kind for awhile. There’s always been talk concerning VoIP and how to capitalize on this Juicy market to come. Early on, only Cisco was really able to make it work properly. But it was just a matter of time before covergence would emerge and make more “dreams” posssible.
Today businesses are rushing into this market in mass for different reasons. From the price savings to the convergence effect of using a single network. But there is still “truth and myth” about VoIP as a business application you need to be smart about when using your own IP PBX or IP-Phone. [Note: for the purposes of this discussion soft phone such as Skype is not addressed.]
Myth……..
Being able to be reach anyone and call from anywhere.
This is almost true but you need optimal conditions in order to do this. The following problems will explain why many times challenges still exist when trying to place a VoIP call.
* Let’s imagine you have an IP phone connected to your IP PBX or have your own VoIP line and you are willing to use it from a public network, in a conference room, or in the hotel you are staying in. The following problems might appear.
1. The ADSL line is too slow…..This means you might be able to place the call but lags and echoes will appear.
2. There is no Quality of service…..Without getting into details, if someone is downloading or uploading a heavy document, you will lose quality because the IP is not prioritized.
3. The NAT (telecom Network) is blocking all VoIP calls…..This can be caused by multiple problems from Port translation to firewalling.
4. Your are using the WIFI….Most of the time hotspots are just made for surfing on the Net. Many problems could appear such as lags etc. Hotspots aren’t made for using your VoIP phone…..yet.
The Truth………
To be honest, the truth about IP phone is that it will work fine mainly when you are using it on a clean network using “Quality Of Service”….and in a well known IP enabled environment. To make it work fine you need:
1. An XDSL pro with “Quality Of Service” and best of all connected directly to your Telco Provider.
2. An IP phone with a good firmware….. Don’t risk using a cheap phone. You’ll get what you pay for.
3. A good VoIP provider….. Most of the time the price of your calls have a bearing on their quality too. Anything costing 50% or less than what your standard PSTN phone service provider is good enough (believe me they still make a good profit).
4. No WIFI…. Don’t use WIFI for VoIP, you will lose quality most of the time.
Conclusion:
VoIP technology is still in the growth stage and developing everywhere because of price structure pressures and IP convergence advances. Just don’t get the false sense of security that all VoIP providers are good, and don’t think you will be able to place a call from anywhere.
If you want to introduce VoIP into your business, do your home work. Be sure to consider your intended application(s), appropriate configuration, and beware of being unduly impressed only by the price you might pay. Make your decision based on the best combination of meeting your application, configuration, and cost point requirements….as a total package.
Michael is the owner of FreedomFire Communications….including DS3-Bandwidth.com and Business-VoIP-Solution.com. Michael also authors Broadband Nation where you’re always welcome to drop in and catch up on the latest BroadBand news, tips, insights, and ramblings for the masses.
I’m writing this article with several National Internet Service Provider pages in front of me. To name a few they are: Juno–$9.95, Justdialup–$8.95, Netzero–$9.95, PeoplePC–10.95, Netscape–$9.95 and more. What I’m looking for is the service in service provider.
The term on-line support is used a lot in the Internet trade. What exactly that means is simple, write an e-mail to get help. Chat on-line live with someone in India is also available.
What about real support. You know the old fashion way, talk to someone. Just pick up the phone and call. Wow what a concept. It’s almost analog like using a pencil. I can feel the terror building in all the geeks. Actually talk to a customer? BRRRR sends a chill down the technical spine.
Where is the support in this market? All providers have telephone tech support. Some in the U.S. and most outside of it. The portion of providers charging an outrageous fee per minute in telephone tech support has sky rocketed.
I’ve read the fine print and only two of the above have free telephone tech support. Read for yourself and decide. The time you spend in your search will be well worth it in the end.
Don’t ever spend $1.95 per minute!
VoIP is an abbreviation for voice over Internet protocol. It
is easy to confuse VoIP with broadband phone service. Though
broadband phone service uses the voice over Internet
protocol to send and receive phone calls, it is not actually
VoIP. As of now, VoIP basically comes in three forms,
PC-to-PC, PC-to-Phone, and Broadband telephone service.
You may have used the most common PC-to-PC or PC-to-phone
VoIP services without even realizing it. Have you ever used
Yahoo Messenger to call someones computer? If you have,
you’ve used Yahoo’s free PC-to-PC VoIP service.
Additionally, Yahoo Messenger allows you to call someones
home telephone from your computer for a small fee. This is
called PC-to-Phone VoIP.
Broadband phone service also uses VoIP but allows you to
make and receive calls on your home telephone the same way
you always have. While PC-to-Phone, and PC-to-PC only
require a software download to use the service, you’ll need
a broadband phone adaptor to be able to use your home
telephone with VoIP. Once installed, broadband phone service
is very much like a traditional land line with just a few
exceptions.
Now we know VoIP is the means of transmitting voice data
over the Internet, and PC-to-Phone, PC-to-PC, or broadband
telephone are the VoIP hardware and software solutions for
VoIP. Armed with that information, which is the cheapest
solution in VoIP for you? Free VoIP is not always the
cheapest solution in VoIP. Let me explain.
As mentioned before, PC-to-PC VoIP is often times free with
Popular Instant Messenger clients such as Yahoo Messenger,
MSN Messenger, and now, Google Talk. These messengers
provide an excellent free service which allows you to talk
to friends and family over long distances through your home
computer and speakers or headset.
What if you need to call someones home telephone or business
phone? That’s where PC-to-Phone Voip comes in. PC-to-Phone
allows you to call a telephone from your computer. Though
PC-to-Phone isn’t free it’s very cheap, sometimes around 1
cent per minute or less. Examples of Popular PC-to-Phone
VoIP services are offered by Yahoo Messenger and Skype.
Broadband telephone service allows you to make and receive
phone calls without the aid of you’re computer. Broadband
telephone is hyper popular since it cuts out the telcos and
dramatically reduces your phone bill. Some VoIP companies
offer unlimited local plus long distance calling for a flat
fee of less than 20 dollars per month.
As with anything else, the cheapest solution for VoIP is
going to be determined by your usage of the service. If
using your computer to talk with your contacts does not
bother you, by all means use PC-to-PC or PC-to-Phone. If you
want to reduce your phone bill, and enjoy the convenience of
talking on a normal phone, broadband telephone is going to
be the cheapest solution in VoIP.
Daymon Hoag is the Editor for Cheapest Service and provisioner of Cheapest-Service.com VoIP Broadband Phone
1. Do not name your SSID your last name or first name
2. Do not have your pass phrase your last name of first name
3. Don’t leave your wireless channel at six, change it to 2 or 11
4. Don’t leave your wireless network open enable some sort of encryption
5. Place your wireless router in the middle of your home not next to a wall
6. Don’t place your wireless router next to large heavy objects
7. Configure your laptop not to automatically connect to a wireless networks named “linksys”
8. Don’t leave your passphase the same and change it every couple months
9. Don’t use only WEP encryption, enable WPA2 and your wireless network will be a lot safer.
10. Don’t use AES wireless encryption for wireless gamming it does slow your network down.
11. Don’t start configuring your wireless network until you have upgraded your wireless router firmware
12. Don’t purchase anything but wireless MIMO routers for home networks, MIMO routers will give you better coverage.
13. Don’t leave your transmit power at the default transmission level. If you need a strong signal turn it up, if you don’t turn it down to the minimum
14. Don’t place your wireless router in the lowest spot in your house. Place it as high as possible to give you the best coverage.
15. Don’t have your wireless antennas pointed in the wrong direction. Meaning your signal does not emit from the points, they emit from the sides.
16. Don’t expect to achieve those 108 mbps speeds that are advertised with MIMO routers.those speeds only are achieved under super ideal circumstances.
17. Don’t upgrade your wireless routers firmware over a wireless connection
18. Don’t upgrade your wireless routers firmware until you have reset your options to the defaults
19. Don’t confuse an access point for a wireless router. Wireless routers act as a firewall, access points do not.
20. Enable some sort of security on your wireless router, if you don’t you will be sorry
If you have a question we have the answer. Come check out the most popular wireless technology database on the internet http://www.wirelessninja.com Simple and Secure wireless networking. Come See us today!!
If you are interested in purchasing a new wireless router you should consider DLINK’s DI-634M. Many wireless routers such as the Linksys WRT54g have been on the market for many years which lack the speed and coverage of newer MIMO enabled routers.
Features:
MIMO – MIMO stands for (MULTI in MULTI out), this enables to the router to transmit and receive twice as fast as a non- MIMO router. MIMO technology will be a part of the new 802.11n standard that is being worked out by the IEEE. MIMO technology is also in Wi -MAX routers as also. MIMO does not give your router the ability to cover vast amount of larger areas by it will improve your signal quality and speed of transmission. Still in an average size house you will be able to receive an outstanding signal any where in your home, basement or even the backyard with proper placement.
Wireless Antennas – These antennas are not just your ordinary rubber duck antennas. They are actually four antennas two vertical and two horizontal. Four antennas sending out a blazing fast speed spread evenly on all directions.
VOIP – This router was designed to handle VOIP. Many router state that VOIP will work on their router but the DI-634M blows them away. The biggest reason to VOIP is to save a ton off your phone bill. I was paying $70 a month through the phone company and now use VOIP and pay only $30. I’ve tried using VOIP with many other wireless routers but the bandwidth is used up.
Security – Security features for this router include:
1.MAC address filtering – Limits only the computers you want or don’t want to access the network
2.WEP,WPA,WPA2 – WPA2 is the highest form of wireless security out their for wireless routers. WEP is a weaker form of security with flaw due to it’s reuse of encryption keys. WPA2 rotates the keys which doesn’t let the cracker hack your system.
3.TKIP – Encryption is in conjunction with WPA2, if your gamming you will wan’t to use TKIP because AES does use more bandwidth.
4.AES (Advanced encryption standard) – Holy crap you need like five degrees and 30 computers to crack this form of encryption. THe only draw back is that all users might not be compatible with it, also it does slow down the network some.
QOS- Quality of Services is all about regulation how much bandwidth each application uses. You don’t want lime wire or kazzaa eating up all your bandwidth when your trying to purchase Steelers tickets. So, when you are sharing your internet connection with multiple users you can limit how much their file sharing software eats up. Also you may want to dedicate more bandwidth to gamming programs.
VPN – Setting up a VPN server to your home network or an SSH server is a must. IF you ever need to get around a firewall or proxy server you will need a remote connection. DLINks DI-634M will work with a VPN.
The DLINK DI-634M has all the features you should be looking for in a wireless router. MIMO to extend your wireless signal’s range and signal quality. VOIP which will save you a ton of money on phone bills and free long distance. All the latest security features from WEP to WPA-RADIUS. Like I said before to crack WPA2 you have to be an uber hacker who has tons of time and tons of computer power to crack it. Finally QOS if you are sharing your signal with your brother who is sucking up your bandwidth buy this router and get control over it.
Join the most popular wireless networking newsletter on the internet http://www.wirelessninja.com
VOIP or voice over Internet Protocol is the ability to transmit voice over the Internet to either a receiving computer, telephone or even a mobile phone. VOIP offers an inexpensive alternative to traditional telephones and keeps you away from huge bills. VOIP helps you save money, especially for long distance calls. It also enables you to talk to several people simultaneously. It offers different services with developing technologies. VoIP enables you to send any type of data at higher speeds of Internet.It is increasingly becoming a great choice for residential and business customers.Many providers offer unlimited plans, that will give the subscriber unlimited long distance, free calling with VOIP.
VOIP promises cost savings over traditional phone lines and thus allows you to save on your monthly phone expenses.VOIP is one of the coolest advancements you’ve ever been blessed to experience. VoIP allows you to make phone calls over the internet, using your computer, to pretty much anywhere on the planet. the technology with VoIP has yet to progress to the point where you will consistently experience crystal clear sound over slower internet connections.If you currently live in an area that hasn’t been wired for broadband, you shouldn’t have to wait too long for the technology to progress to where you can enjoy a quality conversation over a slow internet connection.
However, the quality can suffer without a high speed internet connection. VoIP services cost less than residential phone service and much, much less than most monthly cell phone plans.If your broadband internet company just happens to be one of companies that currently offers VoIP services, then its better because it would cost you higher if used an independent or outside company for your VoIP phone service. If your internet connection goes down you wouldn’t be able to make or receive phone calls.Due to lack of signal strength,your calls can also get dropped.Although it has some drawbacks, but once you use it, you’ll not want to loose it, especially with your bills getting lower each month.
With many people discovering the benefits of VOIP by switching from using their land line telephones to VoIP service, VoIP phone service providers are increasing in popularity. People are now aware that VoIP phone services costs significantly less than standard phone service.In today’s advanced technology world, VOIP is expected to have a great future ahead.
Alen
Dial up Internet service providers, or ISPs, are mostly organizations, companies or business that provides people who want access to the information superhighway the chance to do so. People who use dial up ISP are provided immediate access to the Internet through their own telephone lines. All you need is a computer, a telephone line and a modem that serves as the medium and channel between the phone line and the computer. Dial up ISPs provides users Internet connections that are around 56 kilobytes per second, or less.
Dial up ISPs also provide other services – they are not just limited to dial up access. They also provide Internet transit, domain name registration and domain name hosting. These dial up ISPs are mostly telephone companies, but not all of them are.
One of the disadvantages of relying on dial up ISPs is a slow connection. This sluggishness can be particularly annoying to people who are use to accessing the Internet through fast DSL, cable or broadband subscriptions. The average Internet speed through dial up ISP services is only 30 kilobytes per second, or 50 at most. But many people like dial up ISP because it is less expensive; if you don’t need speed, use dial up.
Finding the right kind of dial up ISP for you is not very difficult. However, the thing that you should remember is that, just like deciding on any other product or service, the best dial up ISP is the one that will provides quality service and gives you exactly what you need.
Dial Up provides detailed information on Dial Up, Free Dial Up, Dial Up ISP, International Dial Up and more. Dial Up is affiliated with Dial Up Access Numbers.
It is no secret that communication is key to survival for small business. The advantage to small busineses of using a VoIP solution is that the market is very competitive. While there are relatively few companies from which to choose for normal phone service, many VoIP providers will gladly offer VoIP phone service at a very competitive rate and with unlimited long distance.
But….you need to do your homework first.
Phone service features indispensable to your business, such as voicemail, conferencing and call waiting, allow business to flow smoothly and efficiently. So….how do you decide if a VoIP solution is best for your business?
One of the first steps when analyzing your current service is to decide what features your business needs. Does it need multiple lines to accommodate the sales force? What about a toll free number for customer service? Make a list of all the features your office uses and think about others you might want to try.
The next step is to make an estimate of all intrastate (in- state), interstate (state-to-state) and international calls. An easy way to estimate these numbers is to view a recent phone bill. You might be surprised at how large or small your call volume actually is. If you rely heavily on fax machines, consider the number of incoming and outgoing faxes. As you review these numbers, remember to consult growth projections for the rest of the year.
Once you’ve done all this…you’re ready to go comparison shopping.
Here’s some resources to help you do that:
VoIPReview does a good job comparing feature sets from each of the providers. Its user reviews seem a bit skewed, but otherwise the site looks good.
ZDNet usually has objective reviews. Read through its commentary on any of the providers you are considering.
Broadband reports has a specific area for review by users…with a regularly updated scoring system. It’s often skewed with a tad bit of emotion….and reviews are mostly residential. But it does give you an idea for business use.
I’m sure most of you already do this, but once you’ve figured out what you’re looking for, perform a search on companies on Google to see what others have said about it.
If you’re willing to do a bit more work, contact various providers and create your own comparison chart. You can begin your research by visiting voipreview.org. The site offers VoIP facts and reviews of various broadband phone service providers. Compare the business plans for different providers and research the various features offered with each plan. Also, make sure your current Internet connection can handle VoIP calls. The Web site testyourvoip.com will evaluate and score your Internet connection. You’ll know if it makes sense to run your phone traffic over your broadband connection.
Here is a list and description of the top ten (supposedly) VoIP providers (includes home plans for telecommuter staff).
- Axvoice
Axvoice has many plans for you to sign up. Unlimited call to USA/Canada plan costs $ 18.99 per month. Unlimited international & USA/Canada plan costs $29.99. Axvoice also has business plan starting from $ 39.99 per month.
- INVIVNI
INVIVNI has three plans, Residentials, Small Office, and Business. The Residential plan costs $24.95 per month. The Small Office plan costs $32.95 per month, and the Business plan costs is negotiable.
- VCInetwork
VCInetwork has three plans, Unlimited Long Distance :Home, Unlimited Long Distance: Business and 500 minutes to USA/Canada and Europe. Unlimited Long Distance : Home plan costs $28.95 per month. Unlimited Long Distance : Business plan costs $49.95 per month and 500 minutes to USA/Canada and Europe plan costs $14.50 per month.
- Skype
Skype is famous for their slogan, “The Whole World can Talk for Free”. Skype is a free download and users can make free calls via, Skype to Skype. For a fee, you can advance your Skype to Skype Out and make calls to landline phones. Skype In will let your choose your area code and phone number. This way, friends and relatives can call you locally, if you select the same area code. Skype is compatible with Windows, Mac, Linux, and Pocket Pc operating systems. Not really a good business solution.
- Vonage
Probably the most well known VoIP providers, you may be surprised to discover that Vonage is also one of the more expensive providers. Vonage offers two plans, residential and small business. Residential users may choose between the Basic 500 plan and Unlimited. The Basic 500 plan offers 500 minutes of talk time for $14.99 a month. The Premium Unlimited residential plan costs $24.99 per month.
The Small Business Basic plan costs $39.99 per month and allows 1500 minutes. The Small Business Unlimited plan costs $49.99 a month and provides unlimited calls throughout the United States, Puerto Rico, and Canada.
- Dialpad
Dialpad and Yahoo have merged services. Currently, Dialpad offers three plans- Dialpad Monthly 300, Dialpad Monthly 500, and Dialpad USA. The cost for Dialpad Monthly 300 is $7.50 per month, Dialpad Monthly 500 costs $9.99 per month, and Dialpad USA costs $11.99 per month.
- Broadvox Direct
Broadvox Direct offers residential and small business services. Their residential services include the Residential Choice Plus plan for $9.95 per month. The Residential Choice Plus plan includes 100 outbound minutes and unlimited incoming minutes. Their Residential Unlimited Plan costs $29.95 a month and includes unlimited calling anywhere in the US and Canada. The SoHo Small Business Regional Plan costs $34.95 per month and includes 1500 monthly minutes in the US and in Canada. The SoHo Small Business Unlimited Plan costs $44.95 per month and includes unlimited calls in the US and Canada and also includes a free fax line and Yellow Page listing.
- Galaxy Voice
Galaxy Voice offers two plans, Residential and Business. Their residential plan costs $19.95 a month and includes unlimited calling, Voicemail, Caller Id, Call Waiting, Call Return, Three Way Calling, and Call Forwarding. Their business plan costs $39.95 per month and includes unlimited calling, Free Voice Mail, Free Call Transfer, Free Call Forwarding, Free Repeat Dialing, and Free Caller ID block.
- Voice Pulse
Voice Pulse has three plans, America Unlimited, Local Unlimited +200, and Business Unlimited. The America Unlimited plan costs $24.99 per month. The Local Unlimited +200 costs $14.99 per month, and the Business Unlimited costs $45.99 per month.
- VoIP American
VoIP American has three different plans. These are the VoIP American PBX plan, the VoIP American Voice plan and the VoIP American bVoice plan. The VoIP American PBX plan cost $19.99 a month for a private line and $44.99 a month for unlimited calling. The VoIP Voice Residential Basic plan costs $14.99 per month and the VoIP Voice Residential Unlimited plan costs $29.99 per month. The bVoice Business plan costs $34.99 per month.
- Packet 8
Packet 8 not only offers phone plans, but they also offer videophone plans. Their residential plans are the Freedom International and Freedom Unlimited. Both of these plans cost $19.99 per month. [note: currently they're running a special for $9.95 per month for your 1st 3 months.] The Videophone plan is the Freedom Unlimited and that too is $19.99 per month. Their business plans consists of three different plans. These are the Virtual Office service plans, the Virtual Attendant Service plans, and the Business Phone Service plans. The Virtual office phone plan costs $39.95 per month, the
Virtual Attendant service plan costs $14.95 per month, and the Business Attendant service plan costs $34.95 per month.
- Sun Rocket
Sun Rocket offers their signature service for either $24.95 per month or $199.00 per year.
- Speakeasy
Speakeasy offers many different plans ranging from Home Office, Small Office I, Small Office II, and Small Business. Their Home Office plan costs 79.90 per month, the Small Office I plan costs $560.00 per month, the Small Office II plan costs 1,039 per month and the Small Business plan costs $2,349 per month.
Analyzing phone service is often a real headache. However, unreliable line quality, which results in poor customer service and huge monthly bills are even worse. In the end, doing your research will pay dividends for your business. Personally, I have no reservations recommending Packet8 for your business VoIP solution right now. However, go through the above steps first for your own peace of mind…..you’ll likely reach the same conclusion.
Michael is the owner of FreedomFire
Communications….including Business-VoIP-Solution. Michael also authors Broadband Nation where you’re always welcome to drop in and catch up on the latest BroadBand news, tips, resources, and insights.