Skype and Outlook Get Cozy

August 19, 2013 by Nathan Miloszewski

What is new technology and new mediums of communication but simply, new ways to access email?

Microsoft has announced the addition of Skype to Outlook. So even as the business world enters a “pervasive video era“, its heavy reliance on email isn’t going to change.
If you’re an Outlook customer in one of these six countries (Brazil, Canada, France, Germany, UK, US) you can now enjoy Skype integration which will give you a similar user experience to Gmail which offers users quick access to voice, video, email, and chat on one platform/screen.

Skype Hardware

Check out a rundown on Skype accessories that we use in the VoIP Supply offices or a full list of Skype hardware to enhance your video experience.

Via CNET

How to Get Mobile, Wireless Technology in School Classrooms

August 16, 2013 by Nathan Miloszewski

In the past, VoIP Supply’s Edu Assist Program helped hundreds of educational institutions deploy VoIP phone systems.

Our assistance program is now helping schools set up wireless networks to take advantage of the latest mobile technology trend in education.

Mobile Tech in Education

The 2013 National Survey on Mobile Technology for K-12 Education, sponsored by Amplify and conducted by market research firms IESD and STEM Market Impact, show some interesting results from over 500 district leaders:

More than half of surveyed district leaders are now using mobile technology in 25% of their schools with a growing popularity for tablet use in classrooms.
An additional 15% of districts said they were “very likely” to adopt mobile technology in the next 1-2 years.

Wireless devices such as WiFi enabled tablets, laptops, wireless VoIP phones, and wireless printers all rely on a strong and secure wireless local area network (WLAN).

Liz Logan at Amplify explains in her blog post that, “Tablet interest is particularly strong: 71 percent of respondents said there’s a high level of interest among district leaders in purchasing tablets.”

Wireless Campus Recommendations

For larger WLAN deployments, such as a campus we recommend scalable solutions from one of these top two wireless access point (WAP) manufacturers listed below.

Grandstream WiFi Access Points

From small-sized businesses, multiple floor offices, to multiple branch offices, the GWN 7600 series has the right solution to cover all your needs, providing dual-band network throughput and expanded WiFi coverage range.
With up to 175 meters range and over 250 concurrent clients access, the GWN 7600 series is a very powerful solution for commercial locations that have medium wireless network deployments with medium-to-high user density.

Read our blog to learn more: The GWN Series Wireless Networking Products – Secure, Easy and Powerful!

Ruckus ZoneFlex

Indoor/Outdoor: Offered for both indoor and outdoor functionality. Outdoor access points are perfect for outdoor areas where running Ethernet cable isn’t possible while indoor models offer great coverage from fewer access points for large deployments.
Adaptable: Whether indoor or outdoor, all models combine power, simplicity, dynamic beamforming (automatically directs transmissions to the best performing signal path), and adaptive meshing (automatically adapts to environmental changes so have to worry about constant site surveys) for great WiFi flexibility and function.

Cisco Wireless Access Points

Remote Access: Remote areas of a campus that were previously out of WiFi range are no match for Cisco WAPs that expand network connectivity, eliminate the need to run additional cabling, and deliver a wireless signal with the same security, standards, and encryption levels of a wired network.
Secure Connection: Cisco WAPs provide WiFi access anywhere on-site for students, employees, and guests while continuously scanning the network for malicious attacks from hackers.

“Wireless devices are commonplace and applications for their use are always expanding,” said VoIP Supply CEO, Ben Sayers. “The ease of setting up wireless networks is driving the strong demand for game-changing mobile learning in schools.”

I Want My TouchScreen VoIP Phone

August 13, 2013 by Tom Costelloe

Before I go any further I have to be honest, when the touchscreen VoIP phones first came out I was somewhat skeptical. Sure it was cool but it seemed a little unnecessary and, dare I say it excessive, to have a touchscreen on a desk phone. But in the years since my opinion has shifted and now I want a touchscreen VoIP phone on my desk.

I think maybe this ‘want’ is just an extension of the fact that a lot of the things I own and use touchscreen. My cell phone is touchscreen. My laptop/tablet is touchscreen. While my displays for my desktop computers at work and home aren’t I’ve found myself touching the screen only to be disappointed when nothing happens, so: In the future my desktop computer will be touchscreen.

So what are my options for touchscreen VoIP Phones?

As I see it there are three different options when it comes to touchscreen phones:

The Small Display – These phones have kept the form factor of a traditional business VoIP phone but the display is touch. Some examples of this include the Grandstream GXV3140, Polycom VVX 500 and snom 870.
The Horizontal Display – Stripped of almost all of the traditional telephony keys this phones usual boast large displays and a touchscreen only interface. Some examples of this include the Grandstream GXV3175, Panasonic KX-UT670 and CloudTC Glass 1000.
The Horizontal Display with Keypad – The middle ground between the two other types these phones usually boast a larger display but keep the telephony keys. Some examples of this include the RCA IP150 and Yealink VP530.

While I have had a chance to use all of these VoIP phones during my time at VoIP Supply and they all are pretty good phones, I am talking about MY touchscreen VoIP phone.

Now that we’ve gotten my petulant child-esque outburst out of the way, what do I want to see in this VoIP phone?

Personally I would like to see one that keeps the form factor of a standard desktop VoIP phone such as snom 870 but extend the touchscreen to cover the whole side of the phone. Remove the directional keypad and the keypad and just have one large vertical touchscreen display.

More than anything I think I am splitting hairs on the details but if any manufacturer out there is working up some sketches for their next touchscreen VoIP phone. . . .hit me up, I have some ideas.

Optimized for Lync 2013 vs Compatible with Lync VoIP Phones

August 8, 2013 by Tom Costelloe

Over the last couple years Microsoft Lync, formerly Microsoft Office Communicator, has been gaining a larger share of both the enterprise and the SOHO/SMB unified communication market. If you ask a room of people in the know about UC platforms what Lync 2013 is you’ll most likely get a group response reminiscent of students repeating a lesson back to a teacher that “Lync is a unified communications platform that provides a single client experience for presence, instant messaging, voice, video and a great meeting experience” or something along those lines.

Ask a follow up question what the difference between a device that is Optimized for Lync compared to one that is Compatible with Lync and you’re more than likely to hear the sound of few heads being scratched with the occasional “um. . .ahh. . .um” than a unified response.

So what is the difference between an Optimized for Lync and Compatible with Lync VoIP Phone?

Let’s start with the definition from the textbook or in this case the Microsoft website for each term

Optimized for Lync

Powered by Lync Phone Edition these phones have full support to PBX functionalities, access to calendar and contacts, rich conferencing, extended functionalities when connected to the PC, and integrated security and manageability.

Compatible with Lync

Compatible IP phones run manufacturer OS and do not require gateways for interoperability. They are fully tested and qualified to provide direct connectivity, core call functionality, presence awareness, and server management and provisioning.

To summarize Optimized means that the phone has been built specifically for use with Lync and you get all the functionality, while Compatible means that the it has been tested and will work with the core functions of Lync but you may lose some functionality.

So what do you miss out on by going with a Compatible with Lync vs an Optimized for Lync VoIP phone?

As much as I wanted this to be a straight answer where I could give a blanket yes or no to each feature it does vary a bit from manufacturer to manufacturer and even phone to phone within a series from a manufacturer.

To see what you miss out by going with a Compatible Lync Phone vs an Optimized Lync VoIP Phone I looked specifically at the Lync Voice Features and the Manageability Features. Of the 15 or so features listed it really came down to 6 where the Compatible phones dropped off compared to the Optimized ones.

This list is the 6 key features that many of the Compatible phones didn’t support but the Optimized phones did. The phone models listed are Compatible phones that do support the feature.

Add Multiple People to an Existing Call – Polycom SoundStation and snom UC phones
Call Park – snom UC phones
Malicious Call Trace – Not supported
Search Lync Contacts – snom UC phones
Lync Server Managed Updates – VVX 600 and snom UC phones
Lync Server Integrated Manageability – VVX 600

So what phones are Optimized for Lync vs Compatible with Lync

So in my process of listing the features that aren’t support I showed my hand a little bit about what phones are Compatible with Lync. With both the Compatible and the Optimized phones I have focused on the IP phones and stayed away from the USB and the conference phones.

Optimized for Lync

Aastra Phones
- Aastra 6721ip
- Aastra 6725ip

HP Phones
- HP 4110
- HP 4120
Polycom Phones
- Polycom CX500
- Polycom CX600
- Polycom CX700
Audiocodes Phones
- Audiocodes 420HD

Compatible with Lync

Polycom Phones
- Polycom SoundPoint Phones
  - Polycom IP 321, IP 331, IP 335, IP 450, IP 550, IP 560, IP 650, and IP 670 – Require Polycom firmware version 4.1.0.84959
- Polycom VVX Business Media Phones
  - Polycom VVX 300, VVX 310, VVX 400 and VVX 410 – Require Polycom firmware version 4.1.4.7045
  - Polycom VVX 500 – Require Polycom firmware version 4.1.2.25376
  - Polycom VVX 600 – Require Polycom firmware version 4.1.2.25646
Snom Phones
- snom 3xx Series
  - snom 300 UC edition and 370 UC edition – Require firmware version 8.8.1.15
- snom 7xx Series
  - snom 710 UC edition, 720 UC edition and 760 UC edition – Require firmware version 8.8.2.8
- snom 8xx Series
  - snom 821 UC edition – Requires firmware version 8.8.1.15

For a more in depth look at Lync VoIP phones as well as other devices qualified for Microsoft Lync you can take a look at the TechCenter on the Microsoft site. It provides an informative overview of all Compatible and Optimized Lync Devices.

VoIP Supply CFO Paula Griffo Promoted to President

August 5, 2013 by Nathan Miloszewski

Paula Griffo, newly named President and CFO of VoIP Supply

VoIP Supply is honored to announce the internal promotion of a valued executive team member who has been a tremendous leader in transitioning VoIP Supply’s finance department.

VoIP Supply CFO, Paula Griffo, has been named as President and CFO to oversee the company’s entire day-to-day business operations including a improving processes and procedures, employee development programs, and strategy and business development.

Griffo holds a Bachelor’s degree in Business Administration and Accounting, has a Certified Public Accountant License and is a member of the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants.

New Sense of Urgency

Since 2007 Griffo has been responsible for the operation and management of the company’s finances. After the 2008 recession, Griffo eliminated VoIP Supply’s debt load while increasing cash flow partly thanks to the use of the word “No.”

She was empowered to veto VoIP Supply CEO Ben Sayers’ entrepreneurial whims.

This has allowed the company to accomplish such things as purchasing the company’s first corporate headquarters building (2011) and have the resources to stock larger amounts of inventory so that we can offer the pricing and availability that our customers need.

“VoIP Supply is always pleased to promote dedicated, passionate, and creative employees like Paula Griffo,” said Benjamin P. Sayers, Chief Executive Officer of VoIP Supply. “Mrs. Griffo has earned this promotion by her outstanding work that has put VoIP Supply in the best financial position the company has ever been in.”

Griffo is now creating a new sense of urgency in the company by proactively pushing and freeing up Sayers to pursue new opportunities that will ultimately provide better service to our customers.

What Is Content Marketing and Why Do Businesses Need It?

July 31, 2013 by Nathan Miloszewski

Back at the end of April, VoIP Supplys’ Garrett Smith joined his fellow local marketers on the panel, Why Content Marketing Matters, hosted by the Ad Club of Buffalo.

In attendance that evening was Jennifer Wozniak, Marketing Assistant at Yourbrain Media, Inc. and writer of WNY Online and Social Media Marketing News, who wrote a great recap of the event that also serves as a helpful how-to guide for content marketing.

Wozniak’s article, In content marketing, consider your audience first, first explains that, “Content marketing is more than talking about your product; it’s about understanding your audience, knowing their interests and creating content for them.

She then laid out three key tenets of content marketing.

Why use content marketing?:

“It engages the user to keep a relationship with us and the company and that’s what we are going for.” – Mitch Mirksy, Fisher Price Digital Marketing Manager

What should I post?

“What is this content going to support? Maybe it’s a new category launch, new product or service. Develop campaign specific metrics: reach, traffic, number of downloads or direct sales. Who’s the audience, what do they want? Use Google trends and keyword search tool to see what people are searching for and see what’s trending on Twitter.” – Garrett Smith, VoIP Supply CMO

Content Planning and Scheduling

Wozniak sums up the panels thoughts on planning and scheduling by noting that:

Most marketers on the panel agreed that creating a calendar helped insure they had material ready and also helped meet their objectives. However, most cautioned that you should allow a certain amount of flexibility to react to real-world events.

[Crista] Finn Geary [of Crista Geary Creative] and a co-worker planned out a calendar a month in advance with daily postings. She said posts received the most engagement from fans at 7 p.m.

For more examples and stories on how to customize a content marketing strategy to your unique fan/customer-base.

How to Use Hotel Phone for Internet On the Road

July 30, 2013 by Nathan Miloszewski

No WiFi in your hotel room? No worries.

You can still save money by using dial-up (yes, that old thing) through your hotel phone. This video shows you how:

Via Science Channel

How To Private Label Cloud-Based Unified Communications With ADTRAN ProServices

July 29, 2013 by Nathan Miloszewski

How do you provide more value to your customers while gaining trust, loyalty, and recurring revenues?

One way to achieve all those is by offering your customers cloud-based Unified Communictions (UC) via ADTRAN’s new ProServices suite of network deployment services. Jon Arnold, independent telecom industry analyst, explains the opportunity in his recent article, Reinventing the Network – ADTRAN’s ProServices.

Like a lot of other networking and communications equipment vendors, the ADTRAN business model is continuing to follow the convergence from analog to IP-based systems and now, they’re listening to the latest customer demands to provide cloud-based communications.

Arnold explains that, “While it’s not clear whether this is really the best choice long-term, that’s where the value seems to be now – perceived for sure, and possibly for real. Regardless, vendors can’t afford to ignore this trend, and ProServices is meant to be an end-to-end set of capabilities that can support channels however far they want to take the cloud/hosted/managed route.”

UC is a Service, Not a Product

Customers want value and if you’re just supplying them with the hardware for a hosted UC solution, you’re going to be facing a lot of competition with low margins. Arnold describes the current market in a vendors versus carriers scenario:

As often stated, UC is a service not a product, and as cloud and virtualization both play bigger roles, it becomes easier for carriers to own the end customer. Previously, the business was shared, with carriers providing connectivity and vendors providing the premise-based solutions. Now, carriers can provide everything, potentially cutting out the vendor and minimizing the role of the channel.

This is where you can step in with ADTRAN ProServices to private label your own cloud offering to “maintain ownership of the customer” because “at the end of the day [that’s] all that matters, and the best way to do that is provide value in ways that resonate with those customers.”

Cheng Zhang from Yealink Talks About the New Yealink SIP-T4 Phones

July 26, 2013 by Tom Costelloe

In May Yealink announced a new series of VoIP Phones that marked a change from their current line of SIP-T2 and SIP-T3 VoIP phones. To get a better understanding of the decision to release these new models and how Yealink seems them fitting in the current VoIP phone market I talked with Cheng Zhang, Marketing Manager at Yealink.

VoIP Supply: While I am looking forward to learning more about the new Yealink SIP-T4 phone models before we start for those who aren’t familiar with Yealink would you be able to tell me a little about Yealink?

Yealink：Founded in 2001, Yealink is the Global Top5 SIP Phone Supplier and a leading provider of VoIP Phone and IP communication solutions. Yealink focuses on VoIP products characterized by high cost-performance, easy deployment and affordable price. Based on solid core technology, Yealink benefits customers with its flexibility and broad interoperability with the major IP-PBX, Softswitch and IMS in the market. Chosen by famous carriers, enterprises and clients from over 80 countries, Yealink delivers SMB and diversified customers worldwide with the best choice for extending their value of network communication.

VS: Taking a quick look at the new SIP-T4 series phones the first thing that strikes me about the phones is that they are quite different then the Yealink phones I have been used to seeing these last couple years. What prompted the new design and what are some of the benefits of the new phone design?

Yealink: Yealink T4 Series IP Phones– including the SIP-T46G, SIP-T42G and SIP-T41P – are designed specifically for consumers who expect integrated communication to come with excellent functionality and ultra-smart design.

The SIP-T46G, SIP-T42G and SIP-T41P all represent the next generation of VoIP phones for business users who need a range of rich telephony features, a friendly user-interface and superb voice quality. All three are seen as a future-proofed infrastructure investment capable of providing a seamless and low-cost switchover to modern GigE-based, or in the case of the SIP-T41P cost-efficient 10/100M Ethernet, high-speed broadband networks.

The SIP-T46G and SIP-T42G have dual-port Gigabit Ethernet connections that offer a range of flexible installation options. They also ensure much lower cabling costs. Extra-large 4.3 inch 480 x 272 pixels, high-resolution, TFT color display screens mean that caller information is always shown very clearly with high illumination. In addition, the user-interface (UI) for each model is designed for clarity and intuitive operation.
Further features include USB Bluetooth support for easy Bluetooth earphone use. Enhanced sound quality is delivered by the Optima HD Voice system which meets TIA 920 certification standards.

Revolutionary in appearance with many advanced technical features, the convenient and easy use of the T4 Series is designed to make pen and paper redundant in busy office environments and represents the cutting-edge of contemporary VoIP technology in action.

Two accessories enhance performance. The first is the Yealink EXP40 Expansion Module for the SIP-T46G. This is designed to take SIP phone functional capability to a new level. It uses a large backlit graphic LCD and two pages of 20 flexible buttons. These are shown on the display and can be programmed for up to 40 productivity-enhancing features.

The second accessory is a Bluetooth USB dongle which adds connectivity to the SIP-T46G through a wide variety of Bluetooth headsets. This allows users to receive calls wherever they are in the office.

VS: What type of users can benefit from using the new phones?

Yealink:

People who require high value phones or paperless office environment,
Enterprise customers
Carriers / service providers who already use Yealink IP Phones. They can have T4 series in their product portfolio for high end customers.
Low end gigabit IP Phone markets. For example, some new schools, and new hospitals where gigabit Ethernet switch is already deployed and gigabit connection is required by PC.

VS: Yealink has been quite busy so far in 2013 with the release of new SIP-T4X and before that the Yealink SIP-W52P and SIP-W52H DECT units, can we expect more new releases from Yealink in the coming months?

Yealink: Two new VoIP Phones targeted the low end market can be expected to be released in the 4th quarter of this year.

Why Switch to VoIP?

July 24, 2013 by Nathan Miloszewski

If you’re still thinking about switching to VoIP, check out this infographic from Elite Telecom that outlines the benefits, steps, and reasons why VoIP is good for your business.

And if you want some real world stories of people that switched to/from VoIP, read my posts Making the Switch…From VoIP – Part I and Part II.