How to Extend Connection to A Remote Site

March 10, 2016 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. Here is a new real question and answer from VoIP users like you.

HOW TO EXTEND CONNECTION TO A REMOTE SITE

Q: I have a remote site that has a network but is not connected to the internet. The site is an island 12 miles from shore. I have a wireless network that connects the remote island to shore. What I need is something that I can extend a POTS telephone line across the wireless network to the island, as we have need for telephone out there. We do not have access to the internet. Is it possible to build a system that can do this?

A: We can extend that connection with two Grandstream ATAs and Peer to Peer HandyTone Scenario (Extend Analog Lines Using the HandyTone 503 without SIP Server).

Grandstream HT502 ATA

The Grandstream HT502 is based on the SIP 2.0 standard and features 2 FXS ports, dual 10M/100Mbps Ethernet ports with integrated high performance NAT router, port status and message waiting LED, and a base stand for vertical positioning. Learn more here.

Grandstream HT503

Grandstream HT503 is a hybrid Analog Telephone Adapter and VoIP Router featuring both an FXS (analog telephone) port and an FXO (PSTN) Port so you can have backup lifeline support using the PSTN in the case of a power outage. It also integrates 2 10/100 RJ45 ports with an integrated high performance NAT router. Learn more here.

What are SIP Phones?

March 9, 2016 by Ying-Hui Chen

Note: This post was updated March, 2020. Click here to view the updated post!

SIP phones are no doubt the hottest topic in the telecommunication industry today. You may have heard people talking about SIP phones and have no clue what they are and how you can benefit from them. Today, we will walk you through the important things you need to know about SIP phones and help you stay on top of the trend!

WHAT ARE SIP PHONES?

SIP stands for Session Initiation Protocol which is a communications protocol for integrating multimedia communication sessions. SIP phones, also known as VoIP (Voice over Internet Protocol) phones, are IP (Internet Protocol) telephones that enable your internet service provider to integrate basic phone capabilities with web, email, online chat and more through IP network.

TYPES OF SIP PHONES

SOFTWARE-BASED SIP PHONES (Virtual Phones)
Software-based SIP phones are the software applications that are installed onto your desktop or laptop that allow you to complete the phone calls over the internet via a computer. There are a lot of softphones available including Wengo, XLite from Counterpath, and more.

HARDWARE SIP PHONES (Physical Phones)

Hardware SIP phones function like traditional phones but they make phone calls through IP network instead of PSTN lines. SIP phones can share the existing data network with your computer and don’t need to have an extra internet service. Popular hardware SIP phones include Grandstream, Polycom, and more.

CAN TRADITIONAL PHONES WORK WITH VOIP SYSTEM?

Absolutely! With VoIP adapter connecting both ethernet and your traditional phone, it functions like a standard SIP phone. VoIP Supply also offers a wide range of on sale SIP phones and refresh SIP phones giving you more options to switch to VoIP system with low cost.

BENEFITS AND DRAWBACKS OF SIP PHONES

BENEFITS

Cost Effective: You can save a lot of money by switching to a VoIP phone system. VoIP systems offer low monthly rates which means more saving on your phone system to put back into your growing business.
Mobility: Simply get your SIP phone connected to the internet, you can make phone calls anywhere in the world.
Integration: Some VoIP phones deliver rich enterprise telephony capabilities integrating to your Outlook contacts, CRM systems, and business applications through the thousands of available Android apps.

DRAWBACKS

Emergency: SIP phones need both electricity power and internet to operate. When the power is down, the hardware SIP phone that has a backup battery unit and the software SIP phone in your mobile phone can still work. However, during a total blackout when internet service is not available, your SIP phones won’t work.
Hardware and Network: In order to have high quality SIP phone calls, you will need to have solid hardware and fast network speed.

7 Reasons to Switch to VoIP Service

by Jeff Quinn

7 Reasons to Switch to VoIP Service (1)

The decision of moving your phone system over to VoIP sometimes does not come easy and may inherit some speed bumps along the way. Here are 7 reasons why you should take the time to move over to a VoIP phone system.

Check out these benefits with a short description of each.

Reason #1

Less Expensive Phone Service

VoIP Service allows you to drop your old telephone service, reduce long distance costs and offer plans that allow you to only pay for what you use.

Reason #2

Convenience

VoIP service brings such features as call routing, voicemail to email, advanced call reporting and call presence. Also, the outward appearance won’t change much to your users and that will ease the transition and learning period of the phone system.

Reason #3

High Flexibility

Whether you need to work from home or are out on a business trip you can log in to your business phone system remotely and receive all the benefits as if you were sitting right in your office. When you make calls you can appear to be calling from the same number and you will be able to dial extensions to reach coworkers.

Reason #4

Slow Implementation – Test it out on part of your system

There is no need to make the big switch all at once. With a VoIP Service you have the option to slowly transition your business phone system. Once you try it out with a few extensions/users you can decide to move forward or stick with your current system.

Reason #5

Eliminate phone wiring

Your VoIP phone system will use your existing internet cabling. Since you can drop your current telephone provider you have the choice to remove cabling in your building.

Reason #6

Scalable

With a business phone system you have to ability to add/remove users very simply. When your business is growing you need to add/replace employees rapidly and this type of business phone system allows it to happen with ease.

Reason #7

Easier to manage because of web/GUI based configuration interface

An IP PBX can be managed via a web-based configuration interface or a GUI, allowing you to easily maintain and fine tune your phone system.

I hope the reasons help to alleviate your worries about making the switch to VoIP. If you ever have additional please contact us at 1-800-398-8647 or [email protected].

How to Activate 3CX Phone System

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. Here is new real question and answer from VoIP users like you.

HOW TO ACTIVATE 3CX PHONE SYSTEM

Q: I tried to activate my 3CX Phone System Standard- 4SC and it gives me an unexpected error: LIC_ERR_FAILED_CERTIFICATE_CHECK. My 3CX version is: 12.5.39117.982 What should I do?

A: You will need to install a service pack for the license. Please follow these instructions in regards to that error. (The following content is from 3CX website.)

V10 users and below- Please upgrade to V11 for free. Your license key has been automatically upgraded to activate on V11. Version 11 can be download here. Perform a backup for your current system, uninstall 3CX Phone System and install Version 11. Use the restore option within the installation wizard to import your user data. Note: 3CX Phone System 11 is End Of Life and is not entitled to support.
V11 users- Please download the latest Service Pack from the 3CX Management Console. SP 4B, Build 30296. Once updated to this version you can re-activate your license key.
V12 & 12.5 users- Please send an e-mail including your 3CX License key to [email protected]. You will receive a reply within minutes with instructions on how to upgrade to the latest Service Pack.

3CX Phone System 4 Simultaneous Calls:

A complete 3CX Phone System for Windows® consists of the server software, soft phones or SIP hardware phones, and a VoIP Gateway to connect your existing phone lines. The web-based interface makes 3CX Phone System configuration and management a breeze. No need to learn an obscure, archaic phone system interface or pay for the phone system supplier to make configuration changes. You can monitor phone system status, including which extensions and PSTN lines are busy, and more, from a web browser. Learn more 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 support ticket or contact our VoIP experts today at (866) 582-8591

Mom’s Calling VoIP Q&A Series

March 4, 2016 by Ying-Hui Chen

VoIP Supply’s business, people, products and services all revolve around maintaining and living up to our five core values:

Get Goosed (teamwork)
Go Beyond the Bottom Line (the greater good)
Mom’s Calling (customer first)
Be a Very Hungry Caterpillar (embrace change)
No Donkeys! (positive family spirit)

To realize our mission, we want to introduce our Mom’s Calling Q&A blog series, highlighting the “Moms’ Calling” core value. When Mom is calling for help, we all jump into action. VoIP Supply employees treat every customer like it’s their mother on the other end of the phone. We show the same caring and urgency, because the customer comes first.

Here’s What You Can Expect from the Mom’s Calling VoIP Q&A Series

mom's calling We will post a Mom’s Calling VoIP Q&A blog every two weeks. In this series, we will be covering questions about VoIP devices and services we have received from real customers like you.

Customers submit questions through a technical support ticket or via the “Ask The Expert” tab on our product pages. We respond to these requests directly but more often than not, we think this Q & A would be helpful for lots of other folks. Thus, we would like to share the information with our readers and help you solve problems efficiently.

Stay Tuned…

Follow our blog to learn and solve more VoIP questions with VoIP Supply. Thank you to our customers for the questions!

VoIP Supply Earns Recertification as B Corporation

March 3, 2016 by Youleidy Vega

BUFFALO, N.Y. February 29, 2016— VoIP Supply is proud to announce that they have been recertified as a B Corporation (B Corp) in Western New York for another three years. VoIP Supply first received its B Corp certification in December of 2013 and through much dedication to their employees and to the community, the company has earned the privilege of maintaining their status as a Certified B Corporation.

This is a major achievement for VoIP Supply, who continuously strives to be a great company, piloted by a great team of employees who strive to do great things for each other, their partners, vendors, as well as for the Western New York community.

Being a B Corp Certified company means that VoIP Supply has met meticulous standards of social and environmental performance, accountability and transparency set by the nonprofit B Lab. Being a B Corp represents a new viable way of doing business and gauging success. It can be directly compared to the way food can be labeled as Fair Trade or USDA Certified, or architecture being classified as Leed Certified (Green).

VoIP Supply remains in group with over 14,000 other Certified B Corps from 42 distinct corners of the world-all-for-profit companies in a mix of over 120 industries with the common goal of reinventing success in business beyond profit growth.

As a B Corp, VoIP Supply has pledged to continue following the B the Change motto of B Corps- People Using Business as a Force for Good. The company is dedicated to constantly improving its culture in order to be a better company for employees, for the surrounding community and for the environment. As part of this, VoIP Supply remains true to participating in different volunteering efforts throughout the year, making donations to those most in need, as well as implementing an extensive recycling program.

Ben Sayers, founder and CEO of VoIP Supply is enthusiastic about the company’s achievement of reaffirming itself as a B Certified Corporation and looks forward to 2016 as a year with many promising things on the horizon.

“I’m very proud that we have been able to renew our certification and continue our participation in the B-Corp movement,” said Ben Sayers, founder and CEO of VoIP Supply.

For more information about VoIP Supply’s B Corp Certification please call 716-531-4329 or email our Marketing Supervisor Mary Cheney at [email protected]

About B Corp

Certified B Corporations 1)meet rigorous standards of social and environmental performance; 2)legally expand their corporate responsibilities to include consideration of stakeholder interests; and 3)build collective voice through the power of the unifying B Corporation brand. Since 2006, the B Corporation has added over one-thousand certified corporations from over 120 industries, representing a diverse multi-billion dollar marketplace.

About B Lab

B Lab is a nonprofit organization dedicated to using the power of business to solve social and environmental problems. B Lab drives systemic change through three interrelated initiatives: 1)building a community of Certified B Corporations to make it easier for all of us to tell the difference between “good companies” and just good marketing; 2)accelerating the growth of the impact investing asset class through use of B Lab’s GIIRS impact rating system by institutional investors; and 3)promoting supportive public policies, including creation of a new corporate form and tax, procurement, and investment incentives for sustainable business.

About VoIP Supply

VoIP Supply, LLC (www.voipsupply.com) is your trusted source for everything VoIP; from our large selection of name-brand hardware to our CloudSpan Marketplace. 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 home user, business, reseller or service provider, VoIP Supply has the products, experience and expertise to make your deployment a success.

VoIP Supply is a three-time Inc. 500/5000 honoree, listed by Business First as one of WNY’s Most Admired 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.

Our dedicated Solution Specialists are here to help, so call us today at 1-800-390-VoIP or visit our website at www.voipsupply.com.

RenegadePBX by VoIP Supply Now Available in the U.S.

March 1, 2016 by Elizabeth Krohn

Since 2002, VoIP Supply has provided solutions for any customer’s VoIP needs by utilizing their dedicated team of Voice over IP experts, as well as offering a wide variety of Voice over IP solutions.

Today, VoIP Supply has officially added its own line of PBX appliances. The RenegadePBX by VoIP Supply features three unique PBX solutions that can accommodate the needs of any size business: the RenegadePBX mini, RenegadePBX 1U, and RenegadePBX Pro. An open-source PBX series, each model has the ability to be loaded with any of the following software options including Elastix, AsteriskNOW, FreePBX, 3CX – allowing for great flexibility.

RenegadePBX mini

An SMB elite solution, the RenegadePBX mini provides a compact and effective Voice over IP PBX. A full-featured IP PBX, the mini offers up to 100 extension and 75 concurrent SIP calls. The RenegadePBX mini also comes fully equipped with these additional features:

2GB RAM
24GB Flash Memory
Single PCIe half mini slot
Intel Atom Dual Core x86-64 1.86GHz CPU
External 12V DC power supply
Music on hold, Hold/Transfer, Call Pickup, etc..

RenegadePBX 1U

A stand-alone PBX, the RenegadePBX 1U can be tailored to meet the needs of businesses ranging from SMB to Enterprise by offering a 61GB SSD hard drive, 2BG of DDR3 memory as well as an additional two PCI card slots. The RenegadePBX 1U also comes fully equipped with these additional features:

Dual gigabit (10/100/1000) integrated network ports
Up to 75 concurrent calls
Hard drive capacity up to 3TB drive
Dual high reliability chassis fans
24 analog or 16 digital (T1/E1) telephony ports

RenegadePBX Pro

The largest PBX of the Renegade family, the RenegadePBX Pro is a 3U PBX solution that can accommodate up to 300 extension and up to 100 concurrent calls. Pre-configured with FreePBX, the RenegadePBX Pro will exceed the expectations of any sized business. The RenegadePBX Pro also comes fully equipped with these additional features:

Intel i5-3550 LGA 1155 CPU
500GB SATA hard drive
4GB DDR3 RAM (Upgradeable to 16GB)
400W power supply
4 PCI slots, three PCI Express slots (One 1x PCI-E, One 4x PCI-E, One 16x PCI-E)
Video Out (HDMI, DVI, VGA), mouse and keyboard ports
6 USB Ports, Dual GbE ports

Not only is VoIP Supply offering this exclusive line of PBX hardware, but they also provide the essentials for a full VoIP solution with the Renegade PBX Family; such as VoIP Phones, VoIP Headsets, Gateways, and much more. As an open-source product line, the RenegadePBX takes away the restrictions of what you previously could not achieve with your VoIP system. Visit us today online to learn more about the Renegade line, or call an expert today at 1-800-398-8647 if you have any questions or need advice for your Voice Over IP solution.

We’d love to hear from you! Leave us a comment below about this article.

5 Ways That DECT Will Revolutionize Your VoIP Solution

February 26, 2016 by Elizabeth Krohn

Communication, over the ages, has consistently and constantly evolved. Petroglyphs to pictograms, carrier pigeons to lightbeam photophones…. Ok maybe I’m getting off target here a bit, but the reality of it is that everyday communication, more specifically telecommunication, is changing at a rapid pace.

With today’s modern communication forms, such as wireless, Bluetooth, wifi and the like, we have the amazing ability to utilize a constant stream of information. When dealing with a Voice over IP solution, a method of constantly steaming verbal information is via a wireless technology known as DECT. DECT (Digital Enhanced Cordless Telecommunication) is a common commodity for businesses of all shapes and sizes; mostly seen in warehouse environments and/or businesses that require workers to constantly be on their feet and portable. It’s not a new technology. Since the 1980’s DECT has been a huge asset to businesses on a global scale.

So you’re probably asking yourself, “If it’s been around that long, isn’t it outdated?” – to which my response would be – absolutely not. If anything, the DECT world is growing and constantly inventing new technologies and capabilities that allow for it to expand it’s classic communication reach. DECT is no longer just a simple handset device with limited range – it has evolved into something so much greater!

Recently in 2015, Panasonic, a company that has been a part of the media and communications market for decades, decided to revolutionize the way that that the VoIP Industry does DECT. More specifically, they feature 5 key new features that will revolutionize the way we communicate with DECT technology:

200 Hours of Standby Time – Yep. You read it. Panasonic has upgraded their DECT solution to be available for up to 200 hours of standby time on one charge. Not only will this allow you to have a constantly portable DECT solution, but it will require less charge time and more availability from your device.

Desk Phone DECT Solution – What? DECT isn’t just a handset anymore? You got it. Panasonic’s new KX-TPA65 is an actual desk phone. Say goodbye to no longer being able to have a remote office environment. The KX-TPA65 is a robust desk phone that offers all of the best features of DECT and Desk VoIP hardware, such as easy, no-WAN installation, HD Audio, and a full-duplex speakerphone.

Up to 8 Devices Per Base Station – Each Panasonic DECT device delivers consistent audio quality even when there are eight devices being utilized on one base station. This includes the Desk DECT Phone as well! Any Panasonic DECT solution can also accommodate up to eight different phone numbers and calls at a time.

11 Hours of Talk Time – Tired of your DECT device not being able to last throughout your long work day? Panasonic has reversed this problem and offers up to 11 hours of talk time per DECT device.

Noise Reduction Technology – With the press of a button, you can reduce any unwanted noise while you’re using your Panasonic DECT product. Panasonic’s TGP-600 system will automatically adjust receiver volume to a level that is easy to hear and understand. How cool is that?

As you can see, DECT isn’t just old-fashioned “DECT” anymore. Every day companies are continuing to change the way that we communicate with one another. Take advantage of these new changes in technology, or else you may miss out on the most efficient and effective communication possibilities for your business.

Have questions about DECT, Panasonic DECT Phones, or VoIP in general? Contact us today at 1-800-398-8647 and one of our VoIP Experts will be happy to assist you.

We want to know what you think about DECT! Leave a comment below and give us your thoughts!

Key Features of Hosted and On-Site Phone Systems

February 19, 2016 by Jeff Quinn

Cloud Phone System (1)

When choosing VoIP service you have two different options either an on-site system (SIP Trunks) or a Cloud Phone System (Hosted PBX).

With an on-site phone system we recommend you have someone or a group of people to manage the system. All setup and configuration will be handled by your team of experts in your office. The upfront costs are increased with the need for hardware, but your monthly recurring costs are greatly reduced with the removal of traditional phone lines.

Key Features:

On-site Phone System – SIP Trunking:

Save on costs (most SIP Trunking channels are less than HALF the cost of traditional phone lines)
No long distance charges in the Domestic US
Flexibility to own numbers based all over the country (and in some cases world), and have them terminate to the same central location or main office
Quickly and easily add numbers & capacity

Key Features:

Cloud Phone System – Hosted PBX:

With a Cloud Phone System you can reap the benefits of VoIP, but not have to struggle with technical and setup issues. You’re able to afford high hardware costs and manage your phone system from inside and outside the office.

No Hardware Failures
No Maintaining the Server (Power, cooling, server space, etc)
Assistance with configuring features
Automatic Phone set up
If Internet goes down in office, PBX still answering and routing calls
If Power goes out in office, PBX still answering and routing calls
Automatic failover to cell phones if devices go offline

The VoIP and telecommunications world has been known for its acronyms and different names for the same product/feature. Here are just some of the different ways I have seen Cloud Phone System titled:

Hosted PBX
Hosted VoIP
Cloud VoIP System
Cloud PBX
Hosted Cloud Phone System
Virtual PBX

If you’re interested in learning more about VoIP Service please contact us at 1-800-398-8647 or [email protected].

What is the first step when implementing VoIP Service?

February 17, 2016 by Mary Cheney

Confused about where to start when choosing what VoIP solution is right for you? We are here to help!

The CloudSpan MaketPlace by VoIP Supply was created to make your life easier, by setting you up with one of our VoIP Cloud Service Specialists. They will seamlessly guide you to the perfect VoIP solution to fit your businesses needs. One of the big questions you will need to answer is if you want a hosted or on-site system. This can be a difficult decision, so to help you decide we have broken down the key features of each solution.

Once you make the choice between a hosted or on-site solution, it’s a fairly easy process. Our VoIP Solutions Specialist will guide you through the next couple of steps and when you are done, you will have the perfect VoIP Solution that will fit your business needs. It’s seriously that easy! So what are you waiting for? Fill out our consultation form or give one of our specialists a call today!

For the month of February only take advantage of the free phone promotion! Receive free phones when you sign up for a three year service contract. Click here for more information.

How to Extend Connection to A Remote Site