Selecting a Headset for Skype

May 19, 2010 by Garrett Smith

Four Easy Steps to Selecting a Skype Headset

Most folks who are utilizing a VoIP service these days don’t realize the importance having the right equipment plays in a quality calling experience.

This is especially true for Skype.

If you’re not yet familiar with Skype, it’s a free piece of software that allows you to make voice and video calls (alongside IM, conferencing and content sharing). Today it is the most widely used VoIP service in the world, with over 1 billion downloads and 5 million active users at any given time.

Now just because Skype is free to download, use and offers low cost international calling options doesn’t mean that it is a low quality service. Skype is actually a very capable service that even overs high definition calling with its SILK codec.

But in order to take advantage of Skype’s audio quality and utilize Skype’s SILK codec for high definition calling, you need to make sure you have the right equipment. That’s why selecting the right hardware for Skype is important.

Today there are number of devices for use with Skype. From headsets to web cameras to desktop IP phones, there is a piece of Skype hardware for everyone.

For now lets focus on Skype headsets and how to go about selecting the right one!
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What do you need from a phone system?

May 18, 2010 by Arthur Miller

In my last post we took a look at the benefits of a hosted VoIP system versus that of a premise based solution.

Today we’re going to take a look at what you need from your phone system. More specifically, what features you will need from a phone system.
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Yealink IP Phones

May 17, 2010 by Garrett Smith

Three years ago the under $100 IP phone market was dominated by Grandstream, fueled by it’s popularity with those deploying open source PBX systems.

At the time, most manufacturers were staying away from the low end of the market. It was either difficult for them to produce a quality product at that price point or they were totally unaware of the market demand.

Not today.

While Grandstream continues to have the dominate position in the under $100 IP phone market, almost every major manufacturer of IP phones has an offering under $100. From Polycom to Cisco, finding an IP phone for less than $100 is not difficult.

And new solutions are coming out every month.

One such manufacturers that is emerging as a strong player in the under $100 IP phone market is Yealink.
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Introduction to Fax over IP with FaxxBochs

May 14, 2010 by Garrett Smith

Since you’re reading the VoIP Insider it likely that you’ve decided to embark on the road of implementing Voice over IP (VoIP) or already have.

Congratulations!

Whether for reasons of cost, service availability, feature set, or ease of mobility, VoIP is a fantastic technology. However, it does have one major drawback that has been unreliable until recently, fax.

Who needs fax?

You may immediately question the need for fax.

Isn’t fax technology something from the past? Who really uses a fax machine anymore when we live in a world of “eFax”, scanners, and email?

Simply put, many people.

Fax is a secure method of document transmission that is still relied upon by many in the medical, legal, real estate, and other business fields. Well, no problem. If we need fax, let’s just plug our fax machine into an ATA/DTA device and fax away.

Right? WRONG.
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U.S.A Broadband Demand up in the first Quarter 2010

by Garrett Smith

A recent article and report published by Durham NH based Leichtman Research has indicated that broadband services were up for the first time in a long time in the first quarter of 2010.

This report is great news for those end users and carriers interested in selling Hosted VoIP services; Net new broadband circuits probably means that Plain Old Telephone Service (POTS) is on the way out for these same businesses.

The Aastra Carrier sales team has several Hosted VoIP carriers who use the embedded base of POTS service as a lead source, of sorts. That is to say if a customer has a lot of older cooper POTS lines or circuits, billing anywhere from $35 to $65 / month / circuit (depending on where you live), the Hosted VoIP carrier will offer SIP Trunking or Hosted VoIP service to replace these connections.

The net result is the customer can disconnect these lines and receive concrete savings as a result of going to the new, broadband based SIP trunk or Hosted VoIP service. Broadband, for both internet and now voice, is becoming the mean vehicle to deliver these services.

I envision the day when the multipurpose, broadband circuit will be all the only wired carrier service needed to run a business. If this happens get ready for the regulated phone companies to go crying to their local department of utilities for a rate increase for those POTS lines.

Follow-up to Metaswitch Forum 2010

by Garrett Smith

Did you ever plan a summer party and then it rains and blows the plans? All of your provisions are sitting in the fridge with know one to serve them to (maybe except the wine and beer which somehow always finds a home).

Well that’s nothing compared with what Metaswitch encountered in the last two weeks when their forum venue, the Gaylord – Opryland Hotel and resort was flooded and their Annual User Conference needed to be canceled.

See photos of the hotel at this link.

The organizers have not announced the rescheduling of the event. I’m sure the more than 800 customers and vendors will find something else to do next week, and I’m also sure that the we all feel for, the Opryland Hotel staff and the people of Tenn. who have a much bigger task ahead of them, rebounding from this event.

Skype Group Video Calls Brings Video Conferencing to Everyone

May 13, 2010 by Garrett Smith

Earlier today Skype announced their version 5.0 BETA.

There’s a number of improvements and new features. They are all of value, but perhaps the most important and intriguing feature release is group video calling.

The highly demanded and anticipated group video calling feature allows Skype users to conduct a Skype video call with up to five other Skype users.

That’s right – five way video conferencing. For free.

All you need is a Skype Web camera, a Skype account and some Skype buddies.

For years video conferencing technology has been out of the reach of small companies. With version 5.0, Skype has enable millions to start leveraging video conferencing to increase productivity, efficiency and even lower costs.

Small businesses no longer need to outlay thousands of dollars to enjoy basic video conferencing if they don’t need to. This is a huge win for Skype and users of the service.

Now this feature release doesn’t signal the end for existing video conferencing providers. If anything it will only further increased interest and use of the technology.

And as interest and usage increases, so to does demand for more advanced and feature rich video conferencing options. This makes the announcement a win for just about everyone.

Oh and we’ll get back to VoIP tomorrow. Promise.

Advantages of Video Conferencing

May 11, 2010 by Joe Shanahan

Video conferencing is a very popular and rapidly growing technology due to the many advantages and cost savings it can provide to both large and small businesses and organizations of all types.

Business meetings, educational training, medical procedures and collaboration, stockholder meetings, distance learning, surveillance and military operations are just a few of the many different environments where video conferencing is used on a daily basis.

The Main Advantages of Video Conferencing

Cost Savings

The most obvious advantage of utilizing video conferencing is the reduction of travel costs that is realized when face to face meetings are conducted via video rather than in person. Cutting travel expenses is an excellent way for a company to help the bottom line while keeping the same level of service to customers and business associates that they are accustomed to.
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Video Conferencing Solutions Now Available at VoIP Supply

May 10, 2010 by Garrett Smith

If you don’t know it already or can’t tell from my posts I talk a lot.

More precisely I communicate a lot.

From face-to-face meetings, phone calls, emails and text messages more than half of my waking hours are spent communicating.

And recently, I’ve added a new hammer to my communications tool box – Video conferencing.

Whether I’m leveraging the Polycom HDX 8002 video conferencing system in our training room or desktop video calling using Skype and a web camera, video conferencing has helped me become a more efficient and profitable employee.

I no longer have to travel to EVERY meeting. I can foster better relationships and collaboration with the Manufacturers we represent. And I can now tell when someone’s snoozing on a call 🙂

Now you can too.

I was supposed to keep this quiet until Wednesday, but I can’t keep quiet any longer. Video conferencing equipment is now available at VoIP Supply.

Look for more on video conferencing solutions from the likes of Polycom, FREETALK, Grandstream and others over the coming weeks as VoIP Supply brings together voice and video for the first time.

In the mean time, check out the following articles to get you primed for what’s to come:

Cisco IP Phone Headsets

May 3, 2010 by Garrett Smith

So you have put the research into it, tried out a demo unit, and finally you have decided on Cisco IP Phones for your VoIP deployment.

Selecting a headset for a Cisco Phone

In most cases the headset to use with your new VoIP phone is a hasty afterthought. VoIP Supply has done the research for you on headsets so you can decide quickly and with confidence which headsets are your best bet to use with your new Cisco IP phone.
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