Polycom and Jabra Working Together to Bring You “Electronic Hookswitch” Capabilities

June 18, 2008 by Garrett Smith

With the introduction of Polycom’s 3.0.0 SIP firmware, users using cordless DECT or Bluetooth headsets now have the ability to answer and end calls from their Polycom phones with an easy press of a button on the headset itself. No need for a Handset Lifter or corded solution! This is a very nice and useful feature since in the past…and I know…. handset lifters tend to take the handset completely off the Polycom phone, thus requiring a special part from both GN Netcom Jabra and Plantronics. Forget about all of that and make the shift …utilize the Electronic Hookswitch feature at its best.

There are a couple things you should know first before you go and experiment with your Polycom phones. The Electronic Hookswitch feature or EHS works through the Polycom IP Phones serial port connection located on the back-side of each of these models: IP-320/330, 430, 550, 560, and 650 and pictured below:

Electronic Hookswitch

The connection then feeds into the AUX port of these two (compatible) headsets from GN Netcom Jabra (GN9350 and GN9120 with EHS adapter). Please refer to picture below:

Hookswitch control

There are a couple changes that need to be made to Polycom phone configuration as well. This is described in Polycom’s Technical Bulletin 35150, but in short, you must perform the following:

Edit the up.analogHeadsetOption to “1”in the sip.cfg file. This value is set to “0” by default and when set to “1” allows DHSG-compatible headsets to be attached to the Polycom phone.

From the Phone UI, access the Menu, Settings, Basic, Preferences, Headset, and Analog Headset and then select Jabra Mode

Ensure that the physical connection as noted in the above illustration is correct!!

I would also like to inform you a few other special requirements that may be needed under certain applications and variations of the Polycom and GN Netcom Jabra products.

When using a Polycom IP-320/330, you will need a GN Netcom Jabra 2.5mm to RJ-9 adapter cord since the Polycom IP-320/330 have a 2.5mm headset jack.

When using the GN9350 headset, the unit does NOT ship with the EHS connection cable described in the above illustration (From Polycom Phone serial port to AUX port on GN9350/9120).This is a required accessory product of the GN9350/9120.

You must be running Polycom 3.0.0 SIP Firmware or higher and bootrom 4.1.0.

IPCS Word(s) of the Day: Network Video Recorder (NVR)

by Garrett Smith

Network Video Recorder (NVR) = Functionally similar to a DVR, a NVR also accepts IP camera inputs. NVRs can be software-based, making them suitable only for accepting IP camera streams over the Internet. An NVR typically consists of a PC or Server, with on-board CPU, RAM, Operating System (Typically Windows) and local Hard Drive storage on which video streams from surveillance cameras are archived. Some examples of NVR software packages include Milestone Systems, Axis Camera Station and Luxriot.

(Y) BootyDialer.com: Best Asterisk App EVER!

June 17, 2008 by Garrett Smith

So we had a contest last week….the gist of which was for our readers to submit their ideas concerning novel uses for Asterisk.

I was doing some research online today and I came across BootyDialer.com, which is certainly one of the most creative applications of Asterisk I have come across.

The application itself is hard to describe, so I grabbed the text below from the blog of one one the creative geniuses behind BootyDialer, Adam Simon. You can also click on the BootyDialer flowchart thumbnail below the quote, for a visual interpretation of the app.

For our Redial midterm, Corrine and Marc and I are creating Booty Dialer, an automated booty call system. The notion is that you sign up on the website, and enter the phone numbers of your potential booty calls. When you’re out and about and decide you want some booty, you call in, and it puts you on hold while it calls your contacts, whom it asks if they would like to talk to you. If they do, it connects the calls. If they don’t, it goes on to the next one, saving you the embarrassment of being rejected by returning the same response for a “no” as a person who didn’t answer.

We’ve got a loooong list of features we’d like to implement (including booty blocking, booty networking, proximity integration for finding nearby booty, and booty recommendations), but for this week’s midterm we’re just aiming to have basic contact list management and call bridging working properly…which means more adventures in AGI!

Adam is apparently an alumnus of NYU’s “Interactive Telecommunications Program”. Where was this program when I shrugged apathetically in the office of my high school guidance counselor when he suggested I pursue a major in “Communications” at a regional college? Oh well, it turned out okay….

My BootyDialing days are behind me….but that may not be the case for many of our readers. BootyDialer.com is free of charge, and appears to still be up and running.

Police Departments Strengthening By Using IP Cameras

by Garrett Smith

Increasingly police departments, such as this one in Buffalo, N.Y., are installing IP Cameras at intersections to catch those who speed through red lights. While an annoyance to some, this could help stop thousands of accidents a year. Think twice the next time you try to beat that light!

New Senate Legislation Seeks to Level the 911 Playing Field

by Garrett Smith

VoIP e-911 E911 FTC

Critics of VoIP often point to safety concerns surrounding the availability of reliable 911 services for consumers of VoIP services. The FUD surrounding the 911 issue, which certainly has some merit, has been a rallying cry for those who would seek to slow the adoption of IP telephony.

It’s been hard to miss the widespread, mostly negative media coverage concerning VoIP and 911.

Back in 2005, the FTC passed legislation mandating that all VoIP providers offer enhanced (E911) services.

This new legislation is a mild victory for independent VoIP service providers, and a minor defeat for traditional telco operators such as Verizon and AT&T.

For some, the original FTC mandate created a business opportunity, and a host of E911 providers sprang up to help VoIP service providers meet the new compliance regulations. Amongst these are Dash 911, RedSky and e911ToGo.com.

Now that traditional telecom operators cannot impose measures to block VoIP service providers from accessing 911 networks, the business model created by the original e911 compliance mandate may no longer be viable.

Women in VoIP: Running the Speakeasy

by Garrett Smith

Our next VoIP maven is Ginny Hutchinson of Speakeasy (A Best Buy Company). Hutchinson is Chief Marketing Officer and has been working in the VoIP world for five years now. Now, we are not talking about a saloon or Prohibition here, headquartered in Seattle, Wash., Speakeasy provides broadband and voice service nationwide.

What is it like working as a woman in the VoIP world?

The telecommunications industry is more female-friendly than many other tech areas. I encourage and support women who are interested in making the move to the telecom industry. VoIP is an exciting, fast-paced, growing market with a lot of opportunity for talented employees.

How did you become interested/introduced to VoIP?

I spent over 10 years in the wireless industry. My wireless experience laid the foundation for my move into broadband voice services. It was a natural fit with my background, and I’m proud to be able to offer a product where the features and functionality truly make it a next-generation phone system.

What are some of your networking/marketing methods?

I serve on a number of boards, both business-related and non-profit. This allows me to stay connected professionally and with my community. I also keep on top of industry trends through trade publications both on and off-line.

How is it working with men in VoIP?

I feel that, in telecommunications as with any other industry, the talent and work ethic of my colleagues is most important factor, and gender is not an issue. I enjoy working with a wide variety of folks. At Speakeasy, we hold as one of our core values: ‘respecting individuals and individuality.’ I’m fortunate at Speakeasy to work with a dedicated and talented group of people who inspire me every day.

What do you see for the future of women in VoIP?

I think that more women are claiming their rightful places in technology than ever before. There are many rewarding experiences and opportunities for women in telecommunications both domestically and internationally. Telecommunications is a great place to be!

IPCS Word(s) of the Day: NAS

by Garrett Smith

NAS = Network attached storage device. When using an NVR, it is often not necessary to archive recorded video directly on the local hard drive(s) of the PC or server running the NVR software, you can map a storage path to a NAS unit and archive your video footage there. NAS units come in a variety of sizes, ranging from 80GB to several terabytes in size.

IPCS Word of the Day: Multiplexor

June 16, 2008 by Garrett Smith

Multiplexor= A communications device that multiplexes (combines) several signals or camera feeds for transmission over a single medium. An example of a multiplexor is the GUI provided by an NVR system or networked DVR, which allows you to view the feeds from multiple surveillance cameras simultaneously.

Hotels and Asterisk

by Arthur Miller

Matthew Nickasch of NetworkWorld.com has written an interesting article about VoIP in the hotel industry.

Matthew notes (rightly) that albeit a little late, hotels are transitioning to VoIP because the cost of hardware has finally come down, and it has apparently become easier to implement changes to a large amount of extensions quickly.

At VoIP Supply, we have seen and worked on several initiatives to make deploying asterisk-based PBX’s easier to implement.

On a typical deployment we will use a Rhino Equipment FXS Channel bank, the Rhino Ceros IP PBX and Rhino Equipment Digital PCI card, along with Aastra analog phones. The magic is in the dial plan, and we can set a lot of that up ahead of time.

Women in VoIP: Vibrant VanDerHorst-Larson

June 13, 2008 by Garrett Smith

The next Woman in VoIP, Jennifer VanDerHorst-Larson, has over 10 years experience in the VoIP world and heads the controls as the CEO of Vibrant Technologies. Located in the Midwest, but selling worldwide, Vibrant provides consumers with quality used IT hardware and upgrades.

What is it like working as a woman in the VOIP world?

On a day to day basis, I don’t imagine being a woman in this industry is that much different than it is for a man. Individually, as CEO of Vibrant, I do have tendencies to communicate with my team and clients on a personal level…I often speak with every one of our 40 employees each day.

How did you become interested/introduced to VOIP?

Vibrant started out as a refurbished server reseller, and we would get these large lots of equipment from auctions and liquidations. We were increasingly coming across packages of Cisco routers, switches and telephony equipment, so we became more and more involved in trading networking and Telco hardware. We realized there was a big market in voice and networking and started to dedicate personnel to develop that market for us.

What are some of your networking/marketing methods?

I love to meet others in person at conferences and industry gatherings. Often the people you meet at these events may not have a direct business synergy with you but they have great insights and will link you up to new partners and clients.

How is it working with men in VOIP?

I enjoy working with the men in the industry. Of course I’m glad to see more and more women entering the VOIP world, but the men in the industry are great to work with. Successful people in IT sales have to possess a mix of intelligence, wit, toughness and integrity that it makes them such a great group to work with, no matter which gender they happen to be.

What do you see for the future of women in VOIP?

I hope to see more and more women take on a variety of roles from sales to technical positions, and of course more women heading up their own companies. Although currently male-dominated, women absolutely have the skills to thrive in this industry.

Polycom and Jabra Working Together to Bring You “Electronic Hookswitch” Capabilities

IPCS Word(s) of the Day: Network Video Recorder (NVR)

(Y) BootyDialer.com: Best Asterisk App EVER!

Police Departments Strengthening By Using IP Cameras

New Senate Legislation Seeks to Level the 911 Playing Field

Women in VoIP: Running the Speakeasy

IPCS Word(s) of the Day: NAS

IPCS Word of the Day: Multiplexor

Hotels and Asterisk

Women in VoIP: Vibrant VanDerHorst-Larson

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