Is Skype Becoming Yet Another VoIP Service Provider?

October 26, 2010 by Garrett Smith

It sure seems so.

From their trunking partnerships with big names like Avaya to the cutting off of API access to companies like fring everything you read these days seems to point to the fact that Skype has surrendered to becoming yet another VoIP service provider.

The one time poster child for innovation and disruption in telecommunications is shaping up to become nothing more than a cheap minutes pusher. You can thank eBay’s mismanagement, increased competitive threats and a pending IPO for that.

It’s recent announcements and partnerships seem to point Skype direction straight to the enterprise. Not the small medium business – where Skype is very popular (and currently best fits as a communications solution).

Skype could have delivered on, say, some sort of hosted PBX solution rather than simply turn itself into the cheap pipe for large companies.

It hasn’t gotten mobile right yet either (Which just so happens to be one of the fastest growing ways to make a VoIP call). Many argue that companies like fring and Nimbuzz are eating Skype’s lunch.

No one can refute the fact that making a communications service ubiquitous is difficult – if not down right impossible – given the access fragmentation that is present today.

But for a service that once held this promise, it is difficult to watch it meander down the path that so many others before it have taken.

Cheap minutes might drive revenues today, but Skype going to need more than that if it wants be around tomorrow.

Asus Video Phone for Skype – a Hit for Holiday Gift Giving

Asus SVIT Video Phone for Skype

The Asus SV1T is a standalone Skype video phone which allows you to make free video calls to other Skype users and inexpensive video and voice calls to landlines and mobile phones.  Unlike using your webcam and microphone, the Asus SV1T can be used anywhere in your home or business independent of your PC.  The SV1T simply needs a broadband internet connection. You can connect it via a cable if there is a router nearby, or connect it wirelessly if you have WiFi in your home or business.

Features That Make the SV1T a Sure Hit

The Asus SV1T features a 7inch color TFT LCD touch screen that allows for easy navigation at your fingertips.  It’s integrated speaker and microphone mean it is truly portable and doesn’t have many pieces to move or arrange on a countertop.  The SV1T features a 2.5mm headset jack in the event that you would like the topic of your calls to be private or amplified over speakers and a 2.5mm microphone jack if you need to hear a  bigger audience (think 30 family members in your living room on Christmas day calling over to your brother in Iraq….)

Besides the awesome functionality of the Asus SV1T in general, there are 2 features that make it a great item for the home.  First of all it looks cool.  The SV1T comes in black (SV1TS) or white (SV1T) and looks like a small CRT TV but slightly thinner.  White would compliment most kitchens, where black would look cool in the living room or a bedroom.  The 2nd cool feature is that you CAN put it in your kitchen, living room, or bedroom. If your home has a WIFI network, the Asus SV1T can connect wirelessly from anywhere within range while maintaining stunning video quality and clear voice calls.  If you choose to make your video call from your couch, you can do that! The Asus SV1T features an included lithium ion battery which allows it to be unplugged and used wherever you choose, as long as it is in range of the WiFi network.

In addition to the capability to make free video calls to other Skype members, you can make inexpensive voice and video calls to non-Skype members via Skype-In/Skype-Out.  If you choose to follow recent trends and be rid of your home landline, you can utilize Skype for all your home calling needs via Skype-In (inbound calls to your Skype account from landlines or mobile phones) or Skype-Out (inexpensive voice/video calls to landlines and mobile lines).   The Asus SV1T offers normal Skype features such as call forwarding, Skype Voicemail, and conference calling (as a guest only).

(more…)

How To Choose The Right IP Camera

October 25, 2010 by Nathan Miloszewski

I’ve talked about the advantages of IP cameras and where they are used but, there is a lot to choose from.  Why are there so many options and how can choosing the right IP camera be less difficult?

IP cameras have considerably more functionality than their analog counterparts due to the available technology which allows for great flexibility.  This is also driven by end users increasing demands on the products that shape the video surveillance market.

(more…)

Introducing Nationwide VoIP Installations

October 20, 2010 by Garrett Smith

The Problem With VoIP

deploy_smallIf you’ve spent any amount of time around VoIP you know that difference between a great experience and a crap one often comes down to how well the systems and services were implemented.

Installations Aren’t Always Easy

For most deploying VoIP is a daunting, if not impossible task.

Successfully navigating the myriad of factors involving a VoIP deployment – from the available bandwidth to transport calls to the condition of the network infrastructure and the equipment used – can get pretty complex.

Not to mention the time and effort that is involved. If you’ve ever snaked cable runs, you know what I’m talking about.

Introducing Deploy by VoIP Supply

That’s why today we are excited to announce Deploy. Deploy is VoIP Supply’s new nationwide VoIP installation services.

Through Deploy business of all sizes can now make the daunting task of deploying VoIP fast, easy and affordable. Featuring everything from site assessments and phone consultations to Cat5e cable and VoIP system installations, Deploy is designed from the ground up to eliminate all of the hurdles to your success that VoIP Supply has seen over the last seven years.

VoIP Installations From the VoIP Experts

Backed by a nationwide network of licensed and certified field technicians, an industry leading Service Level Agreement and a Lifetime Workmanship Warranty, Deploy delivers everything you need to ensure your systems and services are properly implemented.

For more information about Deploy, or to get started with your VoIP installation, please visit the VoIP installations section on VoIPSupply.com or call 800.398.8647.

Adding VoIP to Your Home Network

Voice over Internet Protocol isn’t going anywhere. It’s here and it’s staying. It’s time to bid farewell to your traditional phone in your home and welcome VoIP phones or VoIP service to enjoy calling to friends and family in US, Canada or any destination in the world at a rate which will suit your budget.

VoIP phone service not only saves you on your calls, but lets you enjoy all value-added features, which otherwise are charged for in case of your traditional phone. Owing to these facts, people are abandoning their traditional phones and going head-over-heels for purchasing residential VoIP services. I want to outline some basic options or requirements that you will need to get started.

Soft Phone Options

A soft phone is a software program for making telephone calls over the Internet using a general purpose computer, rather than using dedicated hardware. Often a soft phone is designed to behave like a traditional telephone, sometimes appearing as an image of a phone, with a display panel and buttons with which the user can interact. A soft phone is usually used with a headset connected to the sound card of the PC, or with a USB phone.

It’s important to differentiate soft phones from services based on soft phones. Skype, Google Talk, and Vonage are Internet telephony service providers having their own soft phones that you install on your computer. Unfortunately these three major providers are not interoperable, and you can’t place a direct call between them.

Currently VoIP Supply is carrying a wide variety of Skype hardware and accessories. This includes Skype phone, wireless phones, and headsets to name a few. Check out these great deals here.

VoIP Analog Adapters

A VoIP Adapter, most commonly known as (ATAs) are used by many VoIP companies selling a Telco-alternative VoIP service, where the device is used to replace a user’s connection to a traditional telephone company. When sold in connection with a VoIP service, the ATA is often locked so it cannot be used with a competing service, and the user can only partly change its configuration. Some providers do sell devices that are not locked and can be used with any compatible provider. All of the products that VoIP Supply sells are unlocked and can be used with any provider that allows you to bring your own device to their offering.

Some of the more popular brands that we carry are Linksys and Grandstream. Inside those brands you some various types.

  • Single FXS – A single FXS VoIP adapter allows you to connect one telephone. Single FXS VoIP adapters come with either one or two Ethernet ports.
  • Dual FXS – A dual FXS VoIP adapter allows you to connect up to two telephones. Dual FXS VoIP adapters come with either one or two Ethernet ports.
  • FXO / FXS – A FXO / FXS VoIP adapter allows you to connect a single telephone and a single POTS line. These combination adapters are typically used to provide fail-over or life-line capabilities.

VoIP Phones

Utilizing a VoIP phone can really enhance the over VoIP experience. A VoIP phone works by taking your analog voice and converting it into digital packets that are then transmitted across a network using. VoIP phones can also convert digital packets in analog voice streams. To accomplish this conversion and transfer of voice stream a VoIP phone uses specific set of VoIP protocols and voice codec’s.

Here at VoIPSupply.com we have a wide variety of ip phones to choose from. We carry all of the major brands including Polycom, Aastra, Linksys, Snom and Grandstream to name a few. All of the phones we offer are great choices for any user level.

If you need assistance choosing any of the above hardware option feel free to contact me directly.

[email protected] or 1-888-398-8647 X3417.

Advantages of an IP Camera Based Surveillance System

October 18, 2010 by Nathan Miloszewski

Thinking about switching to an IP camera based system but you’re not sure if it’s right for you or, if the added features are beneficial enough to outweigh the time, money, and effort you may need to spend?

In this post and the ones to follow in the next few days we will be explaining the features and benefits, the various components of IP cameras and where IP video is used, and we’ll outline how to wade through the difficult process of selecting the right camera.

(more…)

How To Implement Mobotix IP Cameras Into Your Surveillance Systems

October 14, 2010 by Nathan Miloszewski

Mobotix prides itself on being the high resolution video company because the benefits of their megapixel IP cameras are: 

Those are great features that can be advantageous to many surveillance situations.  Plus, with their rough and tumble fiberglass-reinforced housing that allow an extreme operating temperature range of -30° C to +60° C (-22° F to +140° F), Mobotix IP cameras have been installed in all environments from the desert to tropical jungles to the arctic. 

These cameras can do and withstand a lot but if you’re still wondering how this applies to you, continue reading and I’ll highlight some more practical applications.

(more…)

snom One VoIP PBX Released

October 13, 2010 by Garrett Smith

If you’ve been following along for any amount of time you know that I generally find most new VoIP PBX announcements to be rather ho-hum.

That’s because when it comes right down to it a PBX is a PBX. There are few –  if any – MAJOR differences amongst today’s most popular brands.
snom_one
As such most VoIP PBX systems hitting the market today can be labeled as YAOS – Yet Another Open Source PBX. In other words these systems are simply a new wrapper on the same ‘ole thing.

Admittedly I was expecting to see YAOS when I heard that snom had released a VoIP PBX. The snom One as it is called was announced earlier today and was touted as a simple and affordable VoIP PBX for the small medium business.

(more…)

How Mobotix IP Camera Features Improve Surveillance

Would you rather have to install, say, four cameras to monitor a single room or just one?  Instead of relying on your PC to analyze and record video how about an IP camera with a capacity up to 32GB of internal storage to process the video so the PC is used only for viewing, thus freeing up bandwidth and processing power? 

And how about instead of having to buy video software to manage the video and making you sure you have the proper amount of licenses, how about free software downloads directly from the manufacturer for an unlimited amount of users and cameras? 

Interested?  There’s more. 

(more…)

  • Featured Posts

  • Popular Posts

  • Read Our Feed

  • Latest

  • VoIP Post Categories

  • Archives