The Microsoft-Skype Deal Was About Facebook The Whole Time

August 11, 2011 by Garrett Smith

Microsoft, Really?

Months before Skype was scooped-up by Microsoft for $8.5 billion dollars there was tons of speculation as to who may ultimately purchase Skype.

Would it be Google, who could bolster its Google Voice offering? Or maybe Apple, who with Skype could be come an even more disruptive force in the wireless communications space.

Others still speculated that Facebook should buy Skype. Given that Facebook aims to transform the way we communicate, adding Skype would only further that aim.

Almost no one thought Microsoft would buy Skype. Yet that’s exactly what happened.

Weeks after the announcement many are still wondering why exactly Microsoft shelled out $8.5 billion for Skype. It’s a lofty price to pay for a low cost service that isn’t exactly printing money.

And while there certainly are some synergies between existing Microsoft products and Skype, they’re not exactly awe inspiring.

So what is really going on here? I call it the big brother effect.
(more…)

The Business Case for VoIP and UC at ITEXPO 2011

August 10, 2011 by Nathan Miloszewski

Billed as “The World’s Communications Conference and Expo,” the supersized ITEXPO 2011 in Austin, TX from September 13-15 is featuring VoIP Supply’s very own marketing wizard.

ITEXPO’s conference program this year includes Garrett Smith, CMO of VoIP Supply, who will be speaking on the SMB panel, “The Business Case ITEXPO for VoIP and UC.” Smith will be joined by:

Steve Davis, Director Product Management, Cypress Communications
Luis Grados, Technical Engineer, Grandstream
Alan Percy Director, Market Development, AudioCodes

The Business Case for VoIP and UC

Providing his extensive experience integrating VoIP technology, Smith will help to make the business case for migrating from existing analog technology to a futureproof VoIP platform.

Many businesses have already started converging or have completed the migration to IP-based communication networks. However, there are still many other businesses still contemplating the benefits of VoIP and trying to justify the switch to VoIP or UC.

A few talking points that will be covered:

What are the key metrics to consider?
What does it cost and how is that cost amortized over the solution’s lifespan?
Which components are absolutely necessary, which are nice to have, and which are overkill for your business?
What will it take to support your new IP Communications infrastructure?
How do you ensure buyin from end users so your businesses enjoys maximum business gains from your investment?
What are the most common mistakes businesses make when migrating to IP?

Who Attends ITEXPO?

Compaines and representatives from all sectors of the IP Communications industry from Service Providers, Carriers, Enterprises, Government Agencies, Resellers, Manufacturers, and Developers will be attending.

Come listen to Garrett Smith on September 14th at this year’s ITEXPO and get a sampling of what makes VoIP Supply North America’s leading supplier of and everything you need for VoIP.

Mobile Access to NVR with ACTi MobileGo

August 9, 2011 by Nathan Miloszewski

Keep watch on your IP surveillance cameras at all times even when you’re not at home or in the office.

ACTi’s MobileGo! software connects to your NVR to allow live viewing and camera control remotely via iPad, iPhone or iPod.

Free App

It’s a free application and when installed on your devices you’ll gain:

Easy access to live view
PTZ control: Pan, Tilt and Zoom control available for ACTi PTZ cameras, including preset points.
Search and Playback video with both time based and event based search functions.

NOTE: The free Android version will be available in Q4, 2011.

Keep an Eye On Grandstream IP Surveillance

by Nathan Miloszewski

VoIP Supply is making customer research easier with the addition of a brand new category, Grandstream IP Surveillance featuring IP cameras for network-based surveillance.

We’ve also revamped and reorganized all Grandstream products with newly segmented Grandstream Video Phones and Grandstream IP PBX appliance categories.

Same Grandstream Performance

Just like Grandstream’s VoIP devices, Grandstream IP Surveillance products offer the same broad interoperability, enhanced features, and flexibility at price-performance competitiveness allowing easy entry into IP network-based security systems.

“VoIP Supply’s Grandstream line just got a lot stronger with Grandstream IP Surveillance products,” said Garrett Smith, Chief Marketing Officer at VoIP Supply. “VoIP and IP camera technology are intertwined so it’s great to give customers a single stop to research all of Grandstream’s cost effective network-based solutions.”

ClueCon Is Next Week – Are You Going?

August 3, 2011 by Nathan Miloszewski

Less than a week away, ClueCon will be kicking off on Tuesday, August 9th in Chicago. You might have noticed a few posts in the
past month but, if you still haven’t heard about it ClueCon is the conference to attend if your an open source VoIP professional.

Open source Telephony continues to grow in popularity with businesses and institutions of all sizes. If your doing anything in the Telephony space, you need to be up to date with what’s developing in this space.

Highlights

Some highlights on the ClueCon schedule of presentations this year include:

Philip R. Zimmermann, PGP creator, speaks on the VoIP Security Roundtable
James Aimonetti, Sr. Engineer at 2600hz, presents, “Roll Your Own VoIP Cloud…In About 30 Minutes”
Bill Sandiford, President/CTO of Telnet Communications, presents, “IPv4 Apocalypse”

By Developers, For Developers

ClueCon focuses on the technical aspects of VoIP and telephony and is the best place to expose yourself to whats new and interesting in real world open source telephony applications.

Each day of the conference is filled with presentations and Q&A sessions with many of the leaders in the industry including hardware engineers, programmers and project leaders.

Tickets to the event, at Chicago’s Sofitel Hotel, can still be had so register to attend ClueCon 2011 today.

Grandstream Firmware Version 1.0.1.83

August 2, 2011 by Nathan Miloszewski

It’s official. Grandstream Firmware Version 1.0.1.83 has been released to address remaining issues observed in previous releases for the following Grandstream IP Phones:

Downloads

Grandstream HD IP Phones Firmware Downloads

Grandstream GXV3175 Firmware Upgrade

August 1, 2011 by Nathan Miloszewski

Grandstream Networks has just released a major firmware upgrade for the award-winning Grandstream GXV3175 multimedia desktop IP phone with 7″ touch screen.

Version 1.03.22

Version 1.0.3.22 is a major Grandstream firmware upgrade supporting these enhanced features and more:

Support for social media platforms: Facebook and Twitter
Support for Virtual BLF (Busy-Lamp-Field) buttons for business phone system applications
Support for more Broadsoft call features
Support for GMI (Grandstream Manager Interface), a device management API/Software Development Kit that allows development of advanced custom phone applications
Support for advanced XML customization of the phone’s GUI (Graphic User Interface)
Enhanced language support for German, Italian and Russian

Cut Throat Customer Service Solutions from 3CX

July 29, 2011 by Nathan Miloszewski

3CX, developer of aggressively priced proprietary PBX replacements, is now offereing the 3CX Call Center Edition for professional call center installations.

Real-Time Reporting & Queue Statistics

The 3CX Call Center Edition is a software-based IP PBX Phone system that adds advanced real-time reporting, queue statistics and other features you’d expect from a call center offering.

3CX Call Center Edition’s biggest advantage is that no complicated hardware set-up is required.

Additionally, the Call Center module is simply a license key upgrade to your existing 3CX Phone System. So, if you’re already running a 3CX Phone System, you just need to purchase the 3CX Call Center Edition Upgrade Module.

Tailored for SMB’s

Improving customer service response is crucial for any business. With 3CX Call Center Edition you’ll gain a faster, more powerful, and more affordable method for managing phone communications.

Nick Galea, 3CX CEO, explains:

“Customer service is key in today’s cut throat market. The 3CX Call Center Module allows small and medium businesses to deliver superior customer service without having to buy an expensive enterprise call center. Previous to the 3CX Phone System, adding much needed call center features to your phone system was prohibitive.”

Ensure Customer Service

Don’t lose calls or keep your customers waiting. With 3CX Call Center Edition you’ll gain advanced enterprise level features in a simple software-based package at SMB prices. 3CX does the heavy lifting to better manage agents and customers making it possible for you to increase employee productivity and sales.

For more information, watch the 3CX Call Center Module Video.

ClueCon a Must for Open Source VoIP Professionals

July 28, 2011 by Nathan Miloszewski

In less than two weeks the unique ClueCon event for VoIP and open source telephony developers will be held in Chicago, IL from August 9th to the 11th. Instead of the typical trade show and conference fare that requires manning a booth all day, sponsors and developers instead freely interact with conference attendees in a relaxed atmosphere.

In short: If you attend, you should learn a lot.

Quality VoIP Presentations With a Technical, Real World Focus

Share your experiences with brilliant open source applications developers and interact with the most influential open source telephony experts. Enjoy three days full of technical VoIP and telephony presentations from expert speakers
(including PGP creator Philip Zimmermann) that examine the bones of telecommunications.

The attention to detail is complimented with presentations about real world VoIP applications by developers and entrepreneurs using open source telephony software as a catalyst for business.

Intimate Atmosphere

Ever since the first ClueCon event in 2005, the same intimate atmosphere exists that developers and sponsors have come to appreciate. Expect to spend time with fellow professionals and listen to high-caliber presentations from carefully screened speakers.

Craigslist Still Hates VoIP

July 27, 2011 by Nathan Miloszewski

A 2008 VoIP Insider post discussed Craigslist’s insistance that VoIP users are up to no good. The telephone verification process to authenticate Craigslist ads resulted in VoIP and pre-paid cell users being blocked. Presumably because those numbers can be changed frequently resulting in spam.

Since then, VoIP use has only increased making roundabout methods such as phone verified account (PVA) stores even more popular hence the latest lawsuit: Craigslist Sues Sellers of Phone Verified Accounts, Fights Posting Spam.

Craiglist maintains that these types of services “make it easier for people to submit automated postings to Craiglist” by circumventing their spam protection features.

Twarting spam is a worthy endeavor but Craigslist will have to recognize VoIP users at some point as the VoIP technology adoption rate continues its fast paced growth.

Who’s to say Craigslist isn’t using VoIP to save a buck just like the rest of us and to take a quote from my colleague’s post years ago about their own automated outbound verification calls:

I would not be surprised to learn that the provider was leveraging VoIP to send these very same outbound verification calls. Now wouldn’t that be ironic?