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

This 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

The 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

This 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

by Marc Spehalski

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:

Previously 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:

It 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 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!

The 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.

More from: First Look Mary Cheney digium voip

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?

If 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.

The 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

The 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 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.

Sangoma Adds the s400 to its Family of IP Phones!

by Ying-Hui Chen

Sangoma, a leading provider of VoIP hardware and software, releases the s400!

With the previous release of the s300, s500, and s700 IP phones, Sangoma now introduces s400 IP phones to its family of IP phones, targeting the light users who need access to powerful phone applications.

Featuring the zero touch provisioning, all Sangoma s-series IP phones allow you to locate your FreePBX or PBXact system quickly and get the full configuration right out of the box. The s400 also comes with multiple phone apps that enable complicated features directly from the Sangoma IP phones. Applications include:

S400 Features:

Industry standard Power over Ethernet – no power cable or outlet required
3x SIP Accounts
Full Duplex Speakerphone
5-way Conferencing
2.7 Inch Graphical LCD with Backlight
25 Programmable Soft Keys
EHS Support for Popular Wireless Headsets
Built-in VPN for Plug & Play Security for Remote Users
Optional Annual Support & Software Maintenance Plans

Check out the s400 in this video with Marc Spehalski, he walks you through a comparison of the s300 to the s400 so that you can see the differences!

s-series-chart

More from: First Look Ying-Hui Chen Sangoma

How to Transfer a Call with the Incom 1000G WiFi Wireless Phone

January 27, 2017 by Steve Lopian

Wifi phones are becoming more popular in the workplace. This is especially true in warehouse and hospital settings.

If you work in a hospital, having a WiFi phone allows you to carry your phone on you at all times. This is a very important feature because it can eliminate the need to be paged, and having to continually check a desk phone for messages and missed calls, which can become daunting.

If you are in a large warehouse setting, then you know how frustrating it can be when you are across the room from a ringing desk phone. WiFi phones help solve this problem by allowing you to answer a call from anywhere, which can boost productivity instantly!

One of the more popular WiFi phones that are on the market right now is the Incom 1000G. This phone is feature rich and is easy-to-use.

For those of you that already have this phone, or are still learning how to utilize the phone’s features, we are going to cover how to transfer a call.

How to Transfer a Call with the Incom 1000G

This simple, but important feature is easy to use on the Incom 1000G. If you are on the line with a customer or patient, and you need to transfer them to a different department, simply press the Send button to place the caller on hold.

Once the call is on hold, you then dial the number or extension you are transferring to. Once the number is dialed, press the send button again. This will begin calling while your original call remains on hold.

After the call is answered you will then press the left” •” button. This will access your menu. From the menu, highlight the transfer option using the directional pad in the center of the phone and press OK.

And VOILA! Your call is transferred! It can feel pretty good to be more efficient on the phone, especially while being anywhere in the workplace. If you feel like this is something that can benefit your productivity, then I would highly recommend looking into the Incom 1000G for your business or workplace!

Do you have a different WiFi phone that you use currently? Let us know what it is!

VoIP Supply Participates In Electronics Drop Off Now Through April 4, 2017

by Angela Burgin-Logan

AMHERST, NY – Western New York Technology company VoIP Supply, North America’s leading Voice over Internet Protocol solutions provider is inviting all Western New Yorker residents and businesses to drop off old electronics in a recycling program that will benefit Camp Good Days.

The E-Scrap for Camp drive is in partnership with Sunnking Electronics Recycling who will make a monetary donation to Camp Good Days for every pound of old and unwanted electronics collected from VoIP Supply.

Camp Good Days and Special Times, commonly called “Camp Good Days”, is a residential summer camp which provides summer camping experiences for children, adults and families whose lives have been touched by cancer and other life challenges. Last year VoIP Supply’s recycling efforts contributed to a total donation of $11,219.94 and we are looking forward to beating that number this year!

VoIP Supply is a certified B Corp that has ingrained sustainability into its business and corporate culture. VoIP Supply’s Founder and CEO Benjamin P. Sayers said, “Providing tech solutions to business and residential customers is what our company is founded on. Finding ways to leverage tech to do good in the communities that we serve is what our mission is.” The technology pioneer added, “We are thrilled to do good for our environment and for the children and families that Camp Good Days serves.”

The Western New York-based Camp Good Days is a not-for-profit organization founded over 30 years ago by Gary Mervis. Camp Good Days relies on donations and fundraising events like E-Scrap for Camp to bring hope, support and happiness to children and families who have been affected by cancer free of charge.

You can make arrangements to drop off your old and unwanted electronics to VoIP Supply now through April 4, 2017 by calling 1-800-398-VoIP. Our staff will meet you at VoIP Supply’s loading dock to retrieve your recyclables. You can also simply drop items off at VoIP Supply’s Amherst headquarters located at 80 Pineview Drive Amherst, NY 14228 between the hours of 9:30am – 4pm Monday through Friday.

VoIP Supply and Sunnking have provided a list of all acceptable materials for electronics recycling here. Items eligible for recycling include computers (desktops & laptops), printers, scanners, copiers, fax machines, televisions, cell phones more.

Sunnking Acceptable Materials For Electronics Recycling

The list of items that are not accepted are here and include items such as smoke detectors, carbon monoxide detectors, items containing liquids, propane tanks, Freon containing devices and the like.

Items Not Acceptable For Electronics Recycling Event

About Sunnking

Founded in 2000 Sunnking Inc. is an eScrap Recycling company, dealing in used electronic equipment. The main facility located in Brockport, NY specializes in recycling and refurbishing electronic products from residential and commercial suppliers throughout Western and Central New York.

About VoIP Supply

VoIP Supply, LLC (www.voipsupply.com) is North America’s leading VoIP solutions provider. Since 2002, VoIP Supply has delivered valuable solutions for some 125,000 customers worldwide. With passionate employees, 6,500 products, 20,000 square feet of office space and an unlimited number of VoIP solutions to meet your needs, whether you are a consumer, business, service provider or reseller, VoIP Supply has everything you need for VoIP. For sales and media inquiries contact [email protected].

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

What is Digium’s Next Big Thing? Come to Find Out!

January 26, 2017 by Ying-Hui Chen

Are you a Digium, Asterisk and Switchvox fan? Get your ITEXPO tickets before it’s too late! Digium’s next big thing is coming!

Digium is going to announce their new product release at ITEXPO 2017 at Asterisk World Pavilion on February 8, 2017 in Ft. Lauderdale FL. VoIP Supply will be there for the reveal and provide all the information you need at the moment it is released. We will also have real-time updates on our social media, so be sure to follow us!

That’s not all. We have a FREE ExpoPlus Pass for you! This free ticket will include Keynotes, general sessions, free workshops, networking receptions and unlimited Exhibit Hall access. Does not include access to conference sessions or meals. Register now!

Can’t wait to see the big release? Here’s a quick glimpse! See you at ITEXPO 2017.