Second Look: Siemens Gigaset A580IP

June 9, 2009 by Garrett Smith

First off, let’s describe the technology built into the Siemens Gigaset A580IP as well as its capabilities from a hardware perspective. The Siemens Gigaset A580 IP is a DECT 6.0 cordless handset which comes with a cordless handset, charging desktop docking station, DECT base unit, and power adapters. The cordless handset simply pairs to the DECT base unit much like your traditional analog cordless phones do (actually a similar technology @ 1.9 GHz) or your mobile Bluetooth headset would.

Here is where the DECT Gigaset A580IP differs from your traditional analog cordless phone; the base unit has both an analog RJ-11 port to connect your existing landline in (POTS/ PSTN), and also an RJ-45 LAN Ethernet port to plug into your IP network to support VoIP service. The base has the ability, if you configure it to, to perform auto-PSTN fall back or failover. What this means is that if you have a VOIP service or are connected to your organization’s IP PBX via SIP, and your IP connection or Internet goes down, the Gigaset will automatically route calls through your landline connection plugged into the back of the DECT base unit. Pretty effective if you are one of those people that needs to make and receive calls 24/7.

The DECT base unit has the ability to support up to 6 different cordless handsets and each can be configured as an individual SIP VOIP account. Pretty cool for a small office setup!! Please note that the product ships with only 1 handset and you can purchase up to 5 additional handsets to add on.

If you are used to IP web GUI based configurations, the Gigaset A580 IP is right up your alley as you can easily browse to its LAN DHCP fed IP address from any computer on the same LAN by simply typing its IP address in your web browser address bar.

Here are some of the first-look highlights and configurations I have performed on the A580IP:

–Has the ability to configure up to 6 SIP VOIP accounts (I have configured 2, one for my lab Trixbox, and the other on our production Switchvox SMB. (Click Image Below for Expanded Screenshot)

-Easy to setup SIP registrations: (Setup for Trixbox account) (Click Image Below for Expanded Screenshot)

-VoIP Provider auto-configuration (auto-provisioning support)
-Configurable auto-PSTN fall back or failover (This is discussed above). Configurable incoming and outgoing call rules specific to the SIP VOIP connections or PSTN Landline connections. (Click Image Below for Expanded Screenshot)

-Configurable Dial plans for cost based routing. (Click Image Below for Expanded Screenshot)

-Configurable VM boxes for each SIP VOIP account (Click Image Below for Expanded Screenshot)

–Configurable Audio codec’s per each SIP VoIP account in cases where there may be a small amount of bandwidth (G.729 codec) or to experience HD Voice (G.722) HD endpoint to HD endpoint only. Call VoIP Supply for a complete listing of HD IP Phones. (Click Image Below for Expanded Screenshot)

-Web Based Software Upgrades (Click Image Below for Expanded Screenshot)

Cisco Systems unveils new VoIP phones

June 8, 2009 by Garrett Smith

Earlier this month networking and enterprise VoIP giant Cisco Systems announced a brand new series of VoIP phones – the 6900 series.

First you’ve heard? Don’t feel bad.

The 6900 series seemed to have been launched with out a powerful marketing push. After diving in deeper, I found out why.

The new 6900 series of VoIP phones from Cisco are an interesting move for the company as they seem to buck a number of trends. Not just for Cisco, but the VoIP industry in general.

Upon first sight you’ll notice something different about these new VoIP phones. They’re ugly. Gone is the slick styling that businesses of all sizes have grown to crave, replaced by a rather basic and drab aesthetic.

(more…)

First Look: Siemens Gigaset S675IP / A580IP DECT VoIP Phones

June 4, 2009 by Garrett Smith

Uber-Popular in Europe, Siemens Gigaset Product Division is finally bringing several of their slick Wireless DECT hybrid PSTN-VoIP phones across the pond to the US marketplace.

The Gigaset S675 IP is comprised of a stand-alone DECT base station with integrated RJ45 ethernet port as well as an RJ11 FXO port for a PSTN landline. Plug the base station into your home of office LAN, and you can then register up to SIX individual VoIP provider accounts. The majority of users have a single account, but with multiple SIP registrations you can add additional provider accounts, or even register your S675IP as a remote extension off your Asterisk IP PBX.

If you want to maintain a landline, you can integrate it easily with the Gigaset S675IP (more…)

Don’t block Mobile VoIP, just charge more for it

June 3, 2009 by Garrett Smith

That’s exactly what Duetsche Telekom, T-Mobile parent and one of the world’s largest mobile operators, is doing.

Duetsche Telekom, which until today had banned access to VoIP services over their wireless networks, has announced new plans that will allow it’s users to pay an additional fee for the ability to place VoIP calls. The plans, which start at EUR 9.99, will be tiered based on usage.

This news is a victory for consumers (and mobile VoIP providers) who’ve been snubbed by carriers and a sign that the “tides are continuing to change” with respects to mobile carrier bans on VoIP services. Some may argue that VoIP is just an application or utility, like Google, and thus shouldn’t have to pay extra to use it.

I say take what you can get.

And while it’s still not the end goal, paying $10 for access is a small price when compared to the fees one could rack up making international calls at Duetsche Telekom’s rates.

VoIPSupply Labs: 4 Uses for the New Cisco SPA8800 Gateway

June 2, 2009 by Garrett Smith

There are bunch of interesting applications for the new Cisco SPA8800 4FXS + 4FXO SIP gateway. Having both RJ11 FXS and FXO ports makes the Cisco SPA8800 a pretty versatile piece of equipment at a very attractive price point.

Let’s take a look at a few deployment scenarios for the Cisco SPA8800. (more…)

VoIPSupply Labs: Tip for Cisco IP Phone Owners Migrating to SIP Version 12

by Garrett Smith

To all Cisco CP-7940G/60G owners thinking about upgrading to Cisco’s new SIP Version 12.0 firmware….please pay attention and avoid a migraine!

Being that I run a Cisco CP-7940G on my desk with SIP protocol (under Smartnet Maintenance Contract), I received a notification in my email inbox sometime last week from Cisco telling me that the latest version of SIP protocol firmware for my CP-7940G was available for download from my CCO login on www.cisco.com.

Always wanting keep my phone up-to-date, I pointed my browser to the Cisco website and downloaded the latest version of SIP Firmware. Once downloaded, I was quickly frustrated to find that I could not get my Cisco CP-7940G phone to take the new firmware, (more…)

First Look: Cisco SPA8800 Analog VoIP Gateway

June 1, 2009 by Garrett Smith

Cisco is set to release the Cisco SPA8800 IP telephony gateway, featuring 4 ports of FXS and FXO connectivity. The Cisco SPA8800 is an affordable IP telephony gateway solution that is ideal for small business environments that have VoIP service and also require a connection to the public switched telephone network (PSTN). It can be used with existing analog telephones and teleconferencing equipment, enabling small business customers to protect and extend their investments.

The Cisco SPA8800 features four onboard RJ11 FXS ports for connecting converting analog endpoints such as phone or fax machines to IP. In addition, the Cisco SPA8800 has four onboard RJ11 FXO ports for integrating up to 4 traditional, analog POTS lines with a SIP based IP PBX, such as Asterisk. In addition, the Cisco SPA8800 features a convenient amphenol connector interface on the back of the gateway which allows you to easily connect the unit to a telco punch-down block or mini RJ11 patch panel.

Please visit the VoIP Insider in coming weeks for more in-depth coverage of the Cisco SPA8800. The Cisco SPA8800 is currently available for purchase.

More from: Fax over IP Garrett Smith Cisco

When Will HD Audio Come to Mobile Phones?

May 29, 2009 by Garrett Smith

You’ve probably seen lots of talk here on the VoIP Insider about HDVoice, Wideband VoIP, G.722 Codec, etc. Lead by VoIP endpoint manufacturers including Polycom, Snom, Audiocodes, Cisco and others, the VoIP industry at large is gearing up to push “High Definition Voice” in a big way.

Industry analysts are also evangelizing wideband audio technology. Jeff Pulver’s HD Communications Summit recently convened on May 21st in NYC, a gathering of like-minded technology vendors and technorati pontificating on the ramifications of wideband audio and telephony.

I have experienced HD audio firsthand on Polycom’s VVX1500 and their other HDVoice capable models, as well as Audiocodes’ new 320HD, and the difference between 16K “HD” and 8K traditional audio clarity is indeed striking.

In my opinion, one factor that currently limits the proliferation of HD communications is the lack of an existing deployed base of of “wideband audio capable” endpoint devices….ie phones. There are currently a nice variety of HD capable IP phones available in the marketplace from the aforementioned vendors, but they have not been available long enough to be widely installed, yet. I have several HD capable phones provisioned in our offices but precious few clients and colleagues with whom to converse in hi def.

I began wondering if/when a mobile provider would roll out HD calling services for wireless subscribers, and came upon a piece by Daniel Berninger of Gigaom entitled How HD Voice Can Save Wireline Telecom. As good as the HD experience is on a hardphone in the office, I can’t help but think how great this technology would be if applied to mobile devices. If given my first choice, I think I’d opt to have the benefits of HD audio clarity on a mobile call while driving in my car, or on a layover in a noisy airport, versus in the office.

With 3G here and 4G coming, the bandwidth is certainly there to support HD calling on mobile devices. Seems all that is currently lacking is a traditional carrier or mobile VoIP provider and a handset manufacturer with a wireless device that supports G.722 or alternative wideband codecs. I wonder if there are existing mobile phone devices with a large deployed base that could be made “HD capable” via firmware update?

If anyone amongst our readership has any particular insight into HD audio and the near term impact on both fixed line and mobile telephony, we’d love to hear from you.

New Firmware Released for Citel C4110 SIP / IAX Phone

May 27, 2009 by Garrett Smith

Citel has recently released new firmware which corrects several issues with the C4110 SIP/IAX Phone.

You can download the latest firmware below. NOTE: the file is a .z file which will directly load to the phone; you don’t need to unzip it.

Amongst the issues corrected in this firmware release are:

Daylight saving time now works properly for SNTP settings. The default dates are now correct for the USA.
Improved DTMF
Config download via FTP/HTTP now working on the AUTO PROVISION interface.

First Look: Audiocodes 320HD IP Phone

by Garrett Smith

The AudioCodes 320HD IP Phone is nearing release and enters a growing field of High Definition VoIP endpoints. The Audiocodes 320HD is a 4-line IP Phone with a large Monochrome LCD screen. Based on AudioCodes’ VoIPerfectHD software, the 320HD is designed to utilize the most popular wideband codecs such as G.722, G.722.2 (WB-AMR), G.729.1, EVRC-B and G.711-WBE.

The Audiocodes 320HD also features enhanced proprietary capabilities, such as packet loss concealment, high quality wideband acoustic echo canceller, and low-delay adaptive jitter buffers to enrich the HD VoIP experience.

The AudioCodes 320HD promises interoperability with a wide range of SIP IP-PBXs, Softswitches and IP Centrex solutions. I’m currently running the 320HD as my primary extension on Switchvox 4.0 and setup was painless.

The term “HD VoIP” refers to the use of wideband codec technology, a marked improvement in audio clarity versus traditional telephony. The traditional Public Switch Telephony Network (PSTN) limits bandwidth to 300-3400Hz and voice signals are sampled at a rate of 8 kHz, causing limitations in communication quality and comprehension.

With HD VoIP, wideband telephony refers to transmitting speech signals with bandwidths ranging between 50-7000Hz and a sampling rate of 16 kHz. HD VoIP effectively doubles the narrowband speech signal bandwidth and offers the caller “true voice” conversation.

Compared to narrowband telephony, wideband technology establishes a sense of presence, resulting in a natural and comfortable conversation.

Audiocodes has not provided an official release date or pricing information on their HD IP Phone lineup as of this writing. Visit the VoIP Insider in coming weeks for additional coverage on the Audiocodes 320HD IP Phone and other Audiocodes HD VoIP products.

Second Look: Siemens Gigaset A580IP

Cisco Systems unveils new VoIP phones

First Look: Siemens Gigaset S675IP / A580IP DECT VoIP Phones

Don’t block Mobile VoIP, just charge more for it

VoIPSupply Labs: 4 Uses for the New Cisco SPA8800 Gateway

VoIPSupply Labs: Tip for Cisco IP Phone Owners Migrating to SIP Version 12

First Look: Cisco SPA8800 Analog VoIP Gateway

When Will HD Audio Come to Mobile Phones?

New Firmware Released for Citel C4110 SIP / IAX Phone

First Look: Audiocodes 320HD IP Phone

Featured Posts

Popular Posts

Read Our Feed

Latest

VoIP Post Categories

Archives