Patton Interview Explains Why Gateways are "Set It and Forget It"

May 21, 2012 by Nathan Miloszewski

The timing was perfect when Patton dropped by the VoIP Supply office last week for a visit.

A webinar is airing on Tuesday, May 22nd that explains the symbiotic relationship between Patton gateways and 3CX VoIP phone systems. Or, rather, how to get started with VoIP.

So with the event right around the corner, it was a great chance to bluntly ask Tyler Delin, Patton’s Product Manager, “Why should customers choose Patton?” And instead of a canned response that their stuff “just works” (Well, he did say that but, more eloquently and with a deeper explanation), Delin told me more about the company than I thought I wanted to know.

The wealth of information he provided about Patton gateway performance should be a great resource in your VoIP solution search. Delin also highlights Patton’s fierce commitment to customer service and support.

Don’t forget to register for the Complete Turn-Key IP PBX Solutions webinar.

VoIP Supply: What does Patton do, and Where is Patton located?

Tyler Delin, Patton Product Manager: Patton is a family-owned-and-operated business that was started in 1984 by the three Patton brothers while students in college. Patton’s niche was making modems and connectivity products for the telecommunications industry. Over the years Patton has taken those simple beginnings and expanded into a manufacturing company that today employs more than 170 people and provides over 1,000 products, with a focus on VoIP and Ethernet extension technologies. Today, Patton equipment is up-and-running in carrier, enterprise and industrial networks all over the world. We are headquartered right outside of Washington DC in the famous “technology corridor” and we have regional offices in strategic locations across the globe, with training and technical-support centers in Switzerland, Hungary, Italy, Lebanon, India and Vietnam.

VS: Where are your gateways made?

TD: We are proud to say that all of our SmartNode Gateways are manufactured right here in the USA. Our manufacturing plant is here in our Washington DC headquarters. Our Smartware software, on the other hand, is actually developed by our team in Bern, Switzerland. So we can boast both Swiss Precision and Made in the USA. Doesn’t get much better than that Nathan!
VS: Why Patton? Can you tell us a little about what separates Patton from other gateway manufacturers?
TD: Our customers aren’t quiet about why they chose Patton. There are other great gateways out there, but time and time again they rave about the quality of this SmartNode product and our customer support. Our customers will tell you they choose our gateways because they just work. Set it up. Forget about it. It just keeps working.

On top of this, I have to say people choose SmartNode because of our customer support team. These guys are absolutely phenomenal! They go above and beyond what they are called to do. And by the way, customer support here at Patton is FREE for all of our channels, resellers and end users. Our customer support is truly unrivalled by any player in the industry.

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Trouble Transferring Calls with Cisco SPA5xx Phones

May 19, 2012 by Nathan Miloszewski

There’s a known issue for the line of Cisco SPA5xx phones. If you’re an administrator/receptionist using this phone you’ll want to be aware of this.

Turns out there’s some trouble when you try to transfer one phone call while an additional phone call is coming in on another line. The context sensitive soft key “transfer” no longer displays for the initial call because the second call coming in takes precedence and overrides the soft keys.

From the Cisco Support Community forum:

While the second call is ringing, she can no longer hit the “transfer” soft key to send the 1st call to Person B. She has to wait until the call stops ringing for the button to appear.

Again, this is a known issue, not sure if there will be a resolution, but it’s a good thing to note. There are some workarounds suggested in the support thread.

5 Myths of Hosted VoIP Service

May 18, 2012 by Nathan Miloszewski

There’s a great read I’d like to share about the myths of hosted VoIP service from Ben Rife over at the Invoip Hosted Voice Blog. Myths

The 5 Myths of Hosted Voice and VoIP debunks misunderstandings about hosted VoIP and should relieve any anxiety small businesses owners may have in switching to a hosted solution.

Here are the myths Rife hears about on a near daily basis:

1. VoIP means my calls are “free.”
2. If my internet is down, my phones are down.
3. Any internet connection will work.
4. VoIP is not reliable and sounds b-r-o-k-e-n.
5. T1’s and Analog POTS lines are here to stay.

If you’re interested in hosted VoIP, click here for up to five no obligation VoIP service quotes from industry leading VoIP providers.

Via Invoip Hosted Voice Blog

Virtual Field Trip to the Zoo

by Nathan Miloszewski

Start your Friday morning off right with a fun trip to the Zoo.

Virtually.

Courtesy of the Virtual Field Trip Extravaganza from LifeSize, a full schedule of visits will be hosted this morning, May 18th, across the country.

All of the field trips will be streamed live on this LifeSize Virtual Field Trip page. – this is ended

Here’s the schedule:

9:00 am CDT: Houston Audubon Society- “Birds of the Wild”
9:45 am CDT: Dr. Cindy Joffrion- “Obtaining Video Conferencing Grants for Your School”
10:00 am CDT: Indianapolis Zoo- “Adventures with Animals”
11:00 am CDT: Museum of Nature and Science in Dallas- “Adapt to Survive: Animal Weather Predictors”

LifeSize had such a great response to their first virtual tour that they decided to host one more before school lets out.

You don’t need anything but your computer. You can chat with the presenters if you have a video conferencing endpoint by dialing this bridge number on a first-come, first-served basis:

64.47.41.102##1024.

Enjoy your trip.

Via LifeSize

Need Google Voice for Your VoIP Phone?

May 15, 2012 by Nathan Miloszewski

Connecting Google Voice on an old analog land line phone is comparatively easy compared to using Google Voice on a VoIP Phone.

You could simply follow the Google Voice: a cheapskate’s guide to cheap VoIP and use an adapter and connection service from Obi. Or, in the old days you could pair something like the Cisco PAP2T internet phone adapter with the now defunct Gizmo5 phone service to get connected to Google Voice.

For some reason, Google Voice doesn’t connect to IP phones as easily as you might think they should.

However, if you ever wanted to connect your VoIP phones to Google Voice, you need to read this recent article by Voxilla that explains the problems and the solution.

New Google Voice Gateway for VoIP Phones

Voxilla highlights Bill Simon’s free SIP-to-XMPP Gateway that is a “very easy way to get Google Voice on your IP phone that doesn’t require additional dedicated hardware.”

Voxilla tested this Google Voice Gateway on a CloudTC Android VoIP Phone with a few hiccups but, they got it to work with a small amount of latency that was “not enough to affect a typical telephone conversation” and reaching the conclusion that this solution would be “an excellent home solution for all but the heaviest users of Google Voice services.”

For more information about the Google Voice Gateway setup, tutorial, service and how it compares to the Obihai Obi devices read the full article at Voxilla: Bill Simon’s Free SIP-to-XMPP Gateway Easily Puts Google Voice on Your VoIP Phone.

Via Voxilla and Michigan Telephone Blog

Cisco Study Shows how VoIP Supply Ups Consumer Confidence

May 10, 2012 by Nathan Miloszewski

Cisco Case Study of VoIP Supply Small businesses love the quality and reliability of Cisco hardware. What they like even better is qualified Cisco support to lean on when something does goes wrong.

However, there was something standing in the way of Cisco customer’s happiness.

Not everyone offers Cisco Small Business Support Services and to make things more difficult, there was no simplified process to add this lifeline to your devices.

Until now.

Cisco Support Case Study

Cisco’s latest small business case study, Small Businesses Gain Big Support, looks at the challenges customer’s faced when upgrading or ordering new Cisco VoIP systems.

Once through the complex process of deciding on a VoIP system, customers wanted a high level of peace of mind which, they can now get in the form of Cisco Small Business Support Services.

The service provides customers “three years of telephone or online chat support, software updates, access to the Cisco Small Business Support Community, next-business-day hardware replacement, and, in some cases, accelerated response times to technical issues.”

Customers will be happy to note that this suite of services can be added quickly, with no hassle.

ClickToAttach

Cisco launced a new functionality called “ClickToAttach” to ensure that the service ordering process was monumentally streamlined.

VoIP Supply employed ClickToAttach on its website with a simple drop-down menu so that customers could easily purchase services during any part of the ordering process.

Christina Smith, VoIP Supply’s Cisco Product Manager explains:

“Cisco is perceived as a high-end brand. Customers who previously assumed that they couldn’t afford a Cisco Unified Communications system now realize they can have a world-class solution with extended coverage. With Cisco providing customer support, our customers feel confident making larger purchases of Cisco equipment.”

Cisco ClickToAttach Drop-Down Menu

Webinar: How to Get Started With VoIP

May 9, 2012 by Nathan Miloszewski

Do you need or want VoIP service for you business but you’re unsure how to get started?

Learn from the experts in the upcoming Complete Turn-Key IP PBX Solutions webinar on Tuesday, May 22nd at 1:00 pm EST / 10:00 am PST hosted by 3CX and Patton.

The first half of the webinar will discuss the benefits of using 3CX as your call solution and the second half will talk about how Patton hardware helps complete the solution.

3CX Phone Systems

3CX is an easy to install, flexible phone system that operates on a number of popular Windows versions. Start-up companies or large enterprises looking to switch to VoIP benefit from 3CX commercial editions that offer support from two concurrent calls up to 512 concurrent calls.

3CX Free Edition

3CX offers not just a free trial but, a full free edition that lets you use the basic features like call logging and reporting as well as the use of a web-based management console.

It’s a great way to try out the 3CX system and see if it’s right for you without making a financial commitment.

Patton VoIP Gateways

Patton is a leading producer of a range of network access and connectivity products including VoIP with a full line-up of Voice and Data Gateways, Servers, Routers and integrated access solutions for TDM, Packet, Leased Lines, Multi-Services and Dial-Up.

Patton’s Top Features

Patton’s gateways include FREE post sales technical support and configuration help, including a 1 year warranty.
Patton’s SmartNode products offer gateway and router solutions with just about every telephony interface.
When using 3CX, Patton works seamlessly as your gateway to the PSTN. Simply choose your Patton Gateway from the 3CX drop down menu.

Webinar Highlights

This webinar highlights turn-key IP PBX solutions that use SmartNode Gateways to connect your legacy phone equipment to your next generation 3CX phone system realizing that, a complete overhaul of your telephony infrastructure to an all-IP solution may not be the best approach.

Learn How To..

Leverage your existing phone system and reap the benefits of next-generation IP PBX technology–while migrating to converged-IP at your own pace.
Connect your existing phone lines to VoIP services and features including existing legacy phone and fax equipment.
Connect to remote offices, connect on the road, and from home all with voice and data survivability for business continuity.

Bluetooth Headsets for Polycom VVX 500

May 1, 2012 by Nathan Miloszewski

*This Post Was Updated By Jamie Stewart on 10.15.24*

The Polycom VVX 500 is not Bluetooth enabled. With everything else this multimedia phone is capable of, is that a little surprising?

The HD handset sounds so great though that it’s hard to really want to use a headset. But, keeping your hands free is necessary too and it’s even better when the headset works properly.

So, here are some 3rd party wireless solutions that are supported by your Polycom VVX 500.

Supported Wireless Headsets

Since you can’t pair a Bluetooth headset directly with the VVX 500 you’ll need to connect an adapter or base station to the phone. Below are the top wireless headset options for doing that.

Jabra Evolve 65 TE Bluetooth USB-A Binaural Microsoft Teams Stereo Headset

The Jabra Evolve 65 TE Bluetooth USB-A Binaural Microsoft Teams Stereo Headset (6699-833-309) is designed for professionals needing seamless connectivity and excellent audio quality. It features dual connectivity, allowing users to connect to two devices simultaneously via Bluetooth, ensuring flexibility for multitasking between calls. With noise-canceling technology and Microsoft Teams certification, it provides clear communication in noisy environments, making it ideal for both office and remote work.

*To function efficiently you will need the Jabra Link 360 and Jabra EHS Adapter.*

Poly Voyager 5200 UC USB-A Headset w/ BT600 Dongle

With the Poly Voyager 5200 UC USB-A Headset +BT600 Dongle 7K2E1AA you will be ready to take the call, wherever you’re connected. The Poly Voyager 5200 UC USB-A Headset +BT600 Dongle-TAA 7K2E1AA includes the charging case. The Voyager 5200 UC connects via a BT600 USB adapter (USB-A or USB-C options) to your PC/Mac and directly to the mobile phone.

The Voyager 5200 UC headset will connect to the Polycom VVX 500 with the included USB dongle (pictured).

VoIP Supply Named an AudioCodes Certified Partner

April 30, 2012 by Nathan Miloszewski

VoIP Supply is now a part of AudioCodes new “North America Partner program at the Certified Level.”

AudioCodes is a global leader in providing VoIP products and applications to both Service Providers and Enterprises with a full range of:

Media Gateways
Multi-Service Business Gateways (MSBG line)
Residential Gateways
IP Phones

Boosting Customer Benefits

As a Certified Partner, VoIP Supply’s ability to deliver AudioCodes solutions has been enhanced.

Customers can expect a VoIP Supply team, backed by AudioCodes, that is fully educated and capable of providing AudioCodes solutions quickly and with the comprehensive capabilities you demand.

VoIP Supply is ready to meet your evolving AudioCodes needs. Click here for more Audiocodes product information.

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Electronic Reycling Helps Kids with Cancer

April 27, 2012 by Nathan Miloszewski

For one more week, until May 3rd, you can take advantage of the eScrap 4 Camp free drop off site at VoIP Supply to unload your old and unused electronics.

VoIP Supply is participating in the Sunnking sponsored event for Camp Good Days. This recycling drive raises funds to send kids with cancer to summer camp.

All you have to do is drive on over and drop off something that you don’t need anymore.

Camp Good Days

Camp Good Days is a non-profit whose aim is to improve the lives of children and their families who are dealing with cancer. What started in 1979 from humble beginnings, Camp Good Days is now one of the largest organizations of its kind and its programs now serve as a model for other cancer treatment centers across North America.

eScrap 4 Camp

Sunnking’s very first eScrap 4 Camp drive took place last year. With the help of 60 Buffalo area businesses, Sunnking recycled 251,021 lbs. of electronics that resulted in a $8,030.63 donation to Camp Good Days used to fund future programs and send kids with cancer to summer camp.

We’re all hoping to top that number this year.

With Sunnking provided collection materials at VoIP Supply, recycling for this great cause is easy:

Accepting electronics from employees, friends, relatives, businesses or anyone else in the Buffalo area.
All hard drives will be securely destroyed.
At the end of the event, the company/organization with the highest weight of electronics collected will receive an additional $500 from Sunnking donated to Camp Good Days on the winning company/organization’s behalf.
Sunnking will provide a monetary donation per pound for the total amount of weight collected from the event.

Acceptable Materials

Click here for the list of acceptable materials for electronics recycling.