VoIPisms: Episode 2 – What is BYOD?

February 24, 2017 by Steve Lopian

One phrase that you might find popping up more and more these days is “Bring your own device.” As an acronym, or VoIPism, this is also known as BYOD. While this VoIPism has been around for almost a decade, it is more relevant today than ever before. The term is simple. Bring your own device, and it means exactly that.

More and more businesses are allowing employees to use their own devices at work. In fact, more and more businesses encourage it! By employees using their own laptops, tablets and smartphones, this not only cuts costs for businesses, but it allows employees to bring their office with them, wherever they go!

No matter if you are working from home, traveling, or vacationing on a sand beach, a ground number of businesses are allowing your devices to access privileged company information and applications.

So, now you’re probably wondering how this applies to VoIP? Or why this would be considered a VoIPism.

VoIP Technology is rapidly becoming the norm in the business world, and it goes hand in hand with BYOD concept. Many VoIP providers, like Nextiva, offer apps that can be installed on your smartphone, desktop, laptop and tablet. This allows you to stay connected to your office with voice, video and text chat. Basically, having VoIP takes BYOD to the next level.

Are you thinking of integrating a BYOC policy into your business, but are not sure where to start? Let us know! VoIP Supply can help! But if you are one of those business owners who says “No thanks, I want my employees in the office everyday” then you could find yourself outdated, and out of the game.

Does your business use a BYOD policy? What is your experience? We want to know!

The Polycom RealPresence Trio 8800: How to Format Numbers

These days it seems that conference phones are becoming more and more flashy. Some of the newer conference phones that I’ve seen remind me of spaceships, or at least something that you would expect to see on the Star Trek Enterprise.

Even with all the bells and whistles these new conference phones have, it can be easy to sometimes overlook the basic things that a phone can do.

Let’s take the Polycom RealPresence Trio 8800 for example:

RealPresence Trio 880

This conference phone is really awesome, and with a price point of just under $1,200 – it should be. This thing has everything from video calls, recording audio calls and content sharing to being able to connect to Bluetooth devices like laptops and tablets. All of these features, to go along with its futuristic drone-like look.

But what if I told you this phone still has some basic features? Some basic and small things that can add up to make your life easier. Because, after all, isn’t it the little things that count? And who wouldn’t appreciate a little extra ease to go alongside your first cup of coffee before your company meeting on Monday morning? I know I’d take anything I can get!

So, in an efforts to help out those in charge of leading their team to success, let’s talk about the RealPresence Trio’s ability to format numbers.

By default, the phone will list the numbers that you enter for a phone call on its screen. So, if you were calling VoIP Supply, the numbers would appear something like this:

18003988647

This can get confusing, especially when dialing a number you are not used to. Did I enter it right? Did I hit the 8 before the 6? But what if the numbers could be formatted to look like, you know, a phone number?

Simply go to Settings followed by Preferences then go to Number Formatting. From there, switch this setting to Enable.

Once this is completed, go ahead and call VoIP Supply from the homescreen. It should now look like this

+1(800)398-8647

Ahh, that’s better, right? Now that looks like a phone number. It is also very easy on the eyes and you can be sure you have entered it correctly into the RealPresence 8800 before hitting that call button, on a Monday morning, in front of all of your coworkers….

Have you used a Polycom RealPresense Trio 8800? How do you like it? What are some of your favorite features? We’d love to know!

VoIP News! The Latest On Digium’s D80 IP Phones, ITEXPO 17 Recap, VoIP Fulfillment and More!

February 23, 2017 by Steve Lopian

Big news has come out of Digium headquarters in Huntsville Alabama last week as they have announced the upcoming release of their new IP phone, the Digium D80. This is Digium’s first all-touch phone that is sleek in design and packed with features.

d80The phone is basically a 7-inch, high definition touchscreen tablet. While this phone has the normal features like HD voice, headset, and speaker functions, we thought one of the phones most impressive abilities is that it can scroll up to 100 BLF keys. The phone can display 20 BLFs at a time, which is impressive in itself, but the fact that you can have up to 100 is something that we feel will separate this phone from the rest of the pack.

fulfilment-by-vsThis episode of The VoIP News Update also covers VoIP Fulfillment by VoIP Supply. This service offers the shortest turnaround times, ordering and integrations, Provisioning and professional services, just to name a few. VoIP Supply has you covered on the west coast and east coast with warehouses in Las Vegas and New York. If you are a service provider, then you might want to look into Fulfillment by VoIP Supply today.

Lastly, in VoIP news, ITEXPO has wrapped up for the year in Fort Lauderdale Florida. VoIP Supply was exhibiting in the Asterisk World Pavilion and had tremendous success. It was an incredible turnout and we were able to introduce ourselves to brand new customers and interact with current customers alike.

With ITEXPO behind us, we are now switching gears to get ready for a successful trip to Las Vegas where we will be exhibiting at Channel Partners from booth 250. This year’s Channel Partners event will take place at the Mandalay Bay Convention Center and we expect to have a tremendous turnout. If you are interested in attending, check out VoIP Supply’s special offer here!channel-partner-banner

Is There a Report that Outlines Grandstream Call Logs?

February 22, 2017 by Ying-Hui Chen

Our tech support team at VoIP Supply offers great pre- and post-sales support plus provisioning, consultations, configuration, and installation help. We get a lot of VoIP hardware and software questions and would like to share the solutions with everyone.

In the previous Mom’s calling Q&A series, we have discussed: What SIP Phone Could Connect Wirelessly? Today, we have more new real questions and answers from VoIP users just like you.

 

Is There a Report that Outlines Grandstream Call Logs?

A: Is there a User Guide that outlines the various data fields the Grandstream captures on calls in and out? We are looking for good data that we can parse into a reporting package to manipulate/ report on that data.

Q: Basically, it is the API/CDR report, call log. You are able to capture the data and export a csv. file. However, for more advanced features you would need to utilize AGG software shown here:

 

Stay Tuned

Come back for more VoIP questions and answers next time! If you have VoIP questions to ask us, please submit a technical ticket or contact our VoIP experts today at (866) 582-8591.

Get Refreshed with Refresh – Our Refurbished Line of VoIP Phones

February 21, 2017 by Youleidy Vega

Are you looking for an affordable way to update or get started on your VoIP solution? Then you are on the right page (literally!)

Refresh is our own line of Refurbished products that offer end users and businesses an affordable way to equip their offices or homes with VoIP equipment. VoIP Supply has a great array of Refresh products that have been examined for functionality and that underwent a 10-step reconditioning process before being repackaged. This month we are featuring three great products. Check them out below!

 

Polycom VVX310

Polycom vvx300This Polycom favorite is a 6-line IP phone that is perfect for call center environments and/or secretaries and receptionists handling a low to moderate volume of calls. The VVX310 features HD Voice for lifelike conversations and an intuitive, easy to use interface. This phone also brings unified communications (UC) features and productivity tools.

For instance, the VVX310 complements workplace applications by allowing the users to view and manage their Microsoft Exchange Calendars, receive meeting reminders and alerts and access Instant Messaging/presence status right on their VVX phone display. Get the datasheet here.

 

Polycom IP 5000

ip 5000The Polycom SoundStation conference phone turns ordinary conference calls into crystal-clear conversations that will have you thinking you are in the same room as the person on the other side of the call. This conference phone is perfect for executive offices or small conference rooms. Features of the IP 5000 include HD Voice, 7-foot microphone pickup and compatibility with a broad array of SIP call platforms. Get the datasheet here.

 

Snom 870 Black

SnomThis Snom phone is a great option for users looking flexibility and future-oriented technology.

The Snom 870 supports 12 lines and has a 4.3″ color TFT touchscreen display. But the best part of this phone is that it is Gigabit and it can support a WiFi card through the integrated USB port so that you can bring your Snom 870 wherever your wireless local area network (WLAN) can reach. Get the datasheet here.

Worry Free Guarantee: We stand behind our Refresh line and know that our products are quality products that will look great and work even better. But for your peace of mind, all Refresh products come with a 6-month guarantee, so that you can buy with confidence knowing that any mechanical failures and defects will be covered.

To learn more about Refresh or any of our product lines or services give our VoIP experts a call at 1-800-398-8647.

The VoIP Addict’s Guide – My Top 3 VoIP Systems

If you were expecting to read about ShoreTel, Cisco, or Avaya, you’d be wrong. While these are “VoIP” systems, I’d like to draw some attention to the new world order of IP telephony. It’s no secret that the big names in VoIP (mentioned above) are suffering, and it’s all thanks for a little piece of software called Asterisk. Not to discount the contributions of Freeswitch, but Asterisk is, go here for a little background.

Many have harnessed Asterisk to create some pretty great turn key solutions. Below are my top 3 recommended Asterisk systems from years of deployments and obsessive tinkering. Behold, my shortlist.

Grandstream UCM 6200:

grandstream-logoPreviously the 6100 series; this appliance based IP PBX is a light weight, small (desktop/shelf mount, and 1U rack mounted) appliance that offers a range of 30-100 concurrent calls, depending on the model. The fact that this is PoE powered, and has built-in FXS and FXO is huge. The interface is excellent, and is genuinely intuitive. This appliance demonstrates that VoIP isn’t exclusive to specialists in that field, and can be integrated into existing environments by network, and system admins alike. This has always been a huge favorite of mine, which largely has to do with the company that makes it. Grandstream is endlessly innovating, and improving their product lines. It requires very little maintenance, and is a reliable performer. I personally have never seen one have a physical component failure. For those of you who prefer to pay a one time capital expenditure, this might be a system you should strongly consider. With that said, it’s priced to sell! Check them out here.

Sangoma FreePBX:

Sangoma FreePBXIt would be astoundingly foolish not to include FreePBX on my top 3 list. It’s probably the most recognizable name is regards to its ties to Asterisk and open source VoIP. What you may not realize is that it’s a fully matured enterprise ready PBX. It’s also one of the most versatile platforms that can be easily deployed on an appliance like VoIP Supply’s Renegade PBX, Sangoma’s own appliance, or virtualized on Hyper-V, or VMWare. FreePBX goes down in my book as the best “bang for the buck” in that there is no cost to have a fully functioning system. There are additional commercial modules that make life better, but aren’t required to make it work and there is no imposed limitations. Its integration with SIP Station also makes it an attractive solution. Filling out a short form in FreePBX’s web interface will have you calling out, and receiving calls in just a few minutes.

Digium’s Switchvox:

Digium Switchvox LogoDigium excels at user interfaces, and also bells and whistles. The user interface is designed to be used by humans, and never really becomes overwhelming to non-VoIPers. Speaking of bells and whistles, Switchvox’s Switchboard is monumentally amazing, and useful. The Switchboard has been around for a while now, but is much improved with Switchvox version 6.X and is a feature that really sets this system apart. Seriously, check out the demo video. Generally, Switchvox makes life better in a call center environment and really hardnesses Asterisk’s potential. They should though, because they created it. Aside from the Switchboard, the biggest differentiator for Switchvox is how you build IVRs, or auto attendants. Instead of defining a destination for a keypress (as with most systems), you build sequenced actions and functions allowing you to create a very capable menu structure. Of course, Asterisk (on other platforms) gives you the ability to create infinitely configurable IVRs through scripting, but Switchvox gives you this functionality through its web interface.

Honorable Mentions: Keep an eye on these.

Ombutel:

Ombutel is a derivative of Xorcom’s iteration of an Asterisk based platform, and it’s great. The user interface is clean, makes sense, and it supports FOP2 (flash operator panel). As with FreePBX, Ombutel is 100% free and virtualizes nicely. It is however still a little lacking in features when you compare it to FreePBX, and out of the box support for certificates is non-existent. I would like to see a self-signed certificate out of the gate at the least. Because of this, installations should be limited to on-prem. However, they are constantly adding features and fixing bugs. A major differentiator for Ombutel is their Class of Service (CoS) feature. This allows administrators to finely restrict or allow access to parts of the phone system from internal extensions. Normally, this is a features you’d have to pay for with other systems. Ombutel has a very active online community and are constantly receiving and replying to feedback. If Xorcom keeps this product alive, I expect it to do well.

Wazo:

Wazo, formally Xivo, is another 100% completely free system that is also feature-rich, but has a rare High Availability feature right from the get-go. High Availability is typically an expensive add-on, and that makes Wazo a really interesting product. Wazo is the most rough around the edges system in this list, but it has a lot of potential. Before it was Wazo, I found Xivo easy to install, but since they’ve gone through some changes, I haven’t been able to get Wazo to behave correctly when virtualized. I found it to be very buggy and dysfunctional. With that said, I am looking forward to the future development of Wazo. It’s very much a PBX un-plugged. If it were a car, it would be a driver’s car.

Digium Introduces the D80 Touchscreen IP Phone

February 8, 2017 by Mary Cheney

Digium kicked off the opening of ITEXPO with the release of the D80 IP Phone, an HD touchscreen desk phone for businesses who are looking for a high-quality phone at an affordable price. Yes, you heard it right, the words quality and affordable in the same sentence isn’t that amazing!

digium-d80-touchscreen-ip-phoneThe D80 features a 7-inch HD display with multi-point capacitive touchscreen, 100 rapid dial/busy lamp field (BLF) entries, dual 10/100/1000 Mbps Gigabit network ports and advanced touch-optimized applications. This model is perfect for users who want an easy-to-use interface with the highest level of quality.

Digium phones support plug-and-play provisioning. Simply plug the phones in, automatically discover your Asterisk or Switchvox server, select the user, and start talking!

Features

  • 7-inch, High Definition (HD), 800 x 1280 pixel backlit color LCD display
  • Multi-Point capacitive touch-screen display
  • 1-line appearance
  • 20 on-screen Rapid Dial / BLF keys, scrollable to 100
  • Feature and context-sensitive functions
  • Headset, speaker and mute functions
  • 2-color LED Message Waiting Indicator
  • Volume control
  • 2P2C handset jack
  • Electronic Hookswitch port
  • Wireless Headset support (coming soon)
  • 2 switched 10/100/1000Mbps Ethernet ports
  • 802.3at/af Power over Ethernet
  • 5-volt DC power port

The D80 IP Phone comes with a one year warranty and the minimum software requirements are Switchvox 6.3.5 and DPMA 3.4. The D80 touchscreen IP phone will be available beginning in March 2017, for $329 USD.

Avaya Replacement Solution: Digium’s Switchvox

February 7, 2017 by Marc Spehalski

Another one bites the dust.

It wasn’t that long ago that we discovered Elastix had gone the way of the dodo and left us scratching our heads. Now, Avaya files for chapter 11 bankruptcy protection. What is this world coming to?

Digium Switchvox LogoIf you’ve ever had a job in a sizeable building (especially as I.T.), you’ve probably seen some sort of Avaya equipment hanging around somewhere. They (Avaya) quickly became a household name, of sorts, in the early 2000’s and was the product of both Lucent Technologies, and AT&T. In the early years, Avaya was known for being innovative, and a front runner in the unified communications market space. As the years rolled on, the open standard SIP protocol became more prominent and began taking possession of market share slowly but surely. Companies like Avaya stuck with proprietary signaling, for the most part, and although it remained a serviceable enterprise-grade telephony solution it started losing it’s grip to the likes of platforms like Asterisk, and Freeswitch, which were built around the SIP protocol.

SIP allowed traditional telephony, and eventually, VoIP to be exponentially more affordable, drastically reducing things like ROI, and TCO. Phone systems also became smaller, and no longer occupied entire rooms. The glory days of big, loud, obtrusive PBX’s have certainly faded in favor of small rack mounted, or even shelf “mounted” appliances. Of course, you now have the option of virtualizing platforms like Asterisk, and all of its offspring.

Speaking of Asterisk’s offspring, Digium is now offering a promotion for current Avaya and Nortel customers looking to make a change. If you own one of these systems and it’s showing its age, now might be the time to consider a change and obtain special pricing when you purchase a Digium system from VoIP Supply. Don’t get left out in the cold when you need support from Avaya.

Similarly to Avaya, Digium was born in the early 2000’s, and was founded by a man named Mark Spencer. Digium competed directly with companies like Cisco, Avaya, and Nortel and quickly became a disruptive force. Unlike proprietary vendors, Digium will never lock you into a specific network equipment vendor which means you are free to choose a solution that fits your needs and budget. You can easily upgrade your phone system without a total “rip and replace”. At VoIP Supply, you’ll find everything you need to design a custom VoIP solution.

So, why Digium? Well, Digium has a system called Switchvox, which is one of my favorites. It’s one of my favorites for a few key reasons. Whether you are an IT admin or an everyday user, the interface is amazing, and literally spelled out for those who are not quite savvy when it comes to VoIP. Everything is well thought out, and settings/options are in places you’d expect them to be. Switchvox, also has a fantastic call center solution that’s included in the system. Switchvox’s Switchboard allows users to monitor and interact with call Queues, and active calls on your phone via a web-based interface. You can also chat with your co-workers, utilize click and drag call handling, change your presence status (Busy, DND, Out to Lunch..), see who is parked, initiate a monitor/shisper/barge, and even see a map of where a phone call is coming from.

Call center solutions that have a similar feature sets are few and far between, and among them, I would consider Switchvox the most feature rich and cost effective. The best part is with Switchvox, all features are included at one low price. You don’t have to worry about a complicated or expensive feature licensing model. Switchvox saves money and decreases the complexity of your phone system because you get so many products in one. You don’t need extra servers for third-party solutions for voicemail, mobility, conferencing, call recording, etc. Switchvox deployment options are flexible to meet the changing needs of your business. It’s the same great feature-rich software regardless of whether you choose a premise based appliance, virtual or cloud platform.

If it’s time to start looking at a new phone system, whether or not you are a prior Avaya customer, you should take a good look at Digium’s Switchvox. To have any questions answered, or if you just want more information, be sure to give VoIP Supply a call.

How to Take Advantage of Predictive Dialing on The Grandstream GXP1760

February 2, 2017 by Steve Lopian

Workdays can get pretty overwhelming at times, so if there is any help we can get to ease some of the stress that comes with a 40 plus hour work week, we’ll take it!

Help can come from anywhere around the office, whether it’s from a coworker, a certain computer program, or even something as simple as a stack of sticky notes. But, what if I told you that you may have some shortcuts laying around your desk that you are overlooking?

In fact, there may be one shortcut inside your phone that can speed up the dialing process. It may seem small, but if your job requires you to make numerous outcalls, then you might want to want to take advantage.

grandstream-gxp1760The phone feature that I am talking about is called Predictive Dialing, and while this may be quite common for most IP desk phones, you can be sure that the Grandstream GXP1760 is equipped with this feature.

So, how does Predictive Dialing work? Its simple. It works on its own! There is nothing you have to do to turn it on, but if you tend to dial numbers off your computer screen, or a notepad, then you may be missing it!

When you begin to dial a number, the phone will scan your phonebook and call history and display a list of phone numbers that match what you have already dialed. If you notice the number you are trying to dial pop up, then you can use the directional pad on the front of the phone to highlight the number and call.

Obviously, the more numbers you enter into the phone, the more condensed the list will become. This makes it easier to return calls from earlier in the day, to contact clients that are in your phonebook and saves you time!

If your office is just beginning to switch to VoIP, or if you are looking to upgrade your current VoIP Phones, then this phone should be on your list! Because when your phone works with you, and not against you, everybody wins!

Do you use Predictive Dialing? What are some other phone features you use to save time? We want to know! Comment below

Global Business, Personal Touch

January 31, 2017 by Angela Burgin-Logan

Achieving Superior Customer Service by Treating Every Call Like Mom’s Calling

“These days, when so much is done via email and online and can be impersonal too; it was very nice to speak with a person who genuinely cared about the service they were providing and the customer too.” – Maria Obradovic, Powerstone Property Management Office Manager.

The Background

powerstone_logoThe VoIP market is soaring with small to medium sized businesses and large enterprises with one-third leaving legacy phone systems and adopting a VoIP phone system. In today’s digital world, there are many advantages of a Voice over Internet-based foundation. From reduced costs, abundant features and interconnectivity; it is what companies are turning to for unified communications solutions to collaborate more effectively across teams and to seamlessly interact with customers.

VoIP products and solutions continue to surge on pace with the growth of the market. However, this surge and the complexities of VoIP mean that businesses must find an innovative telecom provider that understands the market, brands and can be a one stop source for all of their communication solutions. Moreover, the provider must be an ongoing resource to assist the business as it encounters issues, opportunities and scales up. The key for a VoIP service provider is to be superior at what the technology is all about communication and service.

The Problem

PowerStone Property Management is a successful and full service property management firm that is headquartered in Orange County, California. The growing company also has satellite offices in Anaheim, San Diego and Palm Desert, CA. As the fastest growing firm in the common interest development industry in Orange County, communication with their properties, owners, and staff is critical to delivering the ‘Powerstone Promise’ as the company builds scale.

Powerstone Property Management Office Manager Maria Obradovic reached out to VoIP Supply in need of accessories for the companies Cisco SPA phones. Having difficulty sourcing the items, Maria called VoIP Supply and connected live VoIP Supply Consultant Brian Hyrek.

The Solution

The items needed were handset phone cords, small but essential items to the company maintaining its communication system. “I needed some specific info on a product and wanted to get the right info and that person helped me and expedited the whole ordering process,” said Obradovic. Powerstone Property Management is a frequent customer of VoIP Supply while their favorite VoIP Supply products are headsets the company also uses Cisco SPA business IP phones with corded handsets that their employees use daily to communicate. The company has said that what they like about VoIP Supply is that they are a “truly a customer service driven company that consistently provides great customer service no matter how big or little an order is.” Obradovic also went on to say that VoIP Supply’s product and solutions are unparalleled favoring “The variety and quality of products and good pricing.”

When the items were not in stock and not available for reorder quickly, Brian Hyrek had to come up with an innovative solution to meet Powerstone’s need. You see, VoIP Supply treats every call like Mom’s calling. The company views every call like it’s their Mother on the other end of the phone. When Mom’s calling for help, you jump into action. VoIP Supply shows the same care and urgency for every call because the customer comes first.

VoIP Supply LogoVoIP Supply goes beyond the bottom line when it comes to helping customers in need. The company’s approach is to band together to meet customer’s needs. That’s the approach Brian Hyrek took to solve Powerstone Property Management’s need. He collaborated with VoIP Supply Refresh Manager Mike Rehac on a solution that exceeded Powerstone’s expectations. VoIP Supply sourced the items through their Refresh Program and provided the items to Powerstone Property Management with a six month warranty.

Powerstone Property Management was thrilled with the solution. “VoIP Supply truly cares about their customers and the professional courtesy extended is appreciated. I don’t always encounter that when I’ve contacted other type of vendors,” said Obradovic who also noted that VoIP Supply’s website is a top-notch resource and can be “time saver when ordering quality products that are always in stock and ready to ship.” She went on to share that sometimes however, the personal touch and live interaction is needed when managing a company’s communications system and when she calls VoIP Supply she gets “knowledgeable and professional customer support.”

Powerstone Property Management has said that superior customer service, a knowledgeable staff, the breadth of product offerings and solutions makes VoIP Supply a telecom company that they recommend to other businesses for VoIP products and solutions.

About VoIP Supply

VoIP Supply, LLC (https://www.voipsupply.com) is North America’s leading VoIP solutions provider and your trusted source for everything VoIP. Since 2002, VoIP Supply has delivered valuable solutions for some 125,000 customers worldwide. With passionate employees, a selection of over 6,500 products including name-brand hardware to our CloudSpan Marketplace and over 20.000 square feet of office space VoIP Supply has an unlimited number of VoIP solutions. VoIP Supply provides you with a fully staffed inbound call center with licensed, certified and highly trained VoIP experts that can help you with any problem you might have. Whether you are a customer, business, service provider or reseller, VoIP Supply has everything you need for VoIP.

VoIP Supply is a three-time Inc. 500/5000 honoree, listed by Business First as one of WNY’s Top Private Companies, as well as being consistently ranked one of Western New York’s Best Places to Work. VoIP Supply is also the first Certified B Corporation in Western New York.

To learn more, call (800) 398-8647, or visit voipsupply.com and follow VoIP Supply on social media: Facebook(VoIPSupply), Twitter(VoIPSupply) and LinkedIn (VoIPSupply).

Download full case study HERE.

  • Featured Posts

  • Popular Posts

  • Read Our Feed

  • Latest

  • VoIP Post Categories

  • Archives