News

Intelliverse improves VoIP Softphone

Wed, 16 Jan 2008 06:59:59 -0500

Intelliverse already has a solid application in its VoIP Softphone. Now, however, the company is making improvements that allow the software to more completely take advantage of callEverywhere, Intelliverse's hosted VoIP service. The user interface has been improved to more closely mimic the functionality and user input expected of general computer applications, to add a tabbed look, and to allow faster switching of calls when multiple calls are received. Add to all this the capability of skins to match customer logos and color schemes, and you have a much better answer for many users.

For more on the new Intelliverse Softphone:
- Read the product news at VoIPMonitor

Running a global, Skype-based call center

Wed, 16 Jan 2008 06:59:59 -0500

It's one thing to want and need a call center; it's quite another to be able to afford one. Hosted call center services provide one set of options, though even lower costs can come when the service is based on the popular Skype VoIP service. OnState Communications has had a Skype-based call center offering for some time, and they've now added the capability to run the call center anywhere the business requires, whether in the U.S. or internationally. The software basis helps keep the price low, though low cost doesn't necessarily translate into few features--skills-based routing, video calling, text chats, and call recording are just some of the features the new solution makes available. For smaller companies, or just companies looking to maximize their call center dollars, it's a powerful set of features in a low-cost package.

For more on OnState's Skype-based call center:
- Read the complete article at VoIP-News

Convergence 2.0 inches closer

Wed, 16 Jan 2008 06:59:58 -0500

It's really just what we all need: another buzzword. This time, Convergence 2.0 -- which popped up around the recent CES conference and promises to become more popular with time--is the buzzword, and communications that involve audio, video, animated graphics, computers, cell phones, and game consoles (oh, and so much more) are the target. It doesn't seem like the ink had time to dry on all the press kits that talked about the first wave of convergence before companies started in on the new, improved convergence. How can you tell if it's 2.0? Look for mobility, to start. Tack on a massively personalized user experience and you're well on the way. If the product soaks up bandwidth like drought-parched topsoil, you know you're in 2.0 territory. We're all heading in that direction--get ready for the ride.

For more on Convergence 2.0:
- Read the practical primer at NetworkWorld

Identify VoIP problem root causes

Wed, 16 Jan 2008 06:59:58 -0500

When you're busy putting out fires around your network, it can be tough to take the time to figure out why the darned thing seems so very flammable to begin with. If you ever want to move out of reaction mode and start building a better network for all your users, though, you have to solve the basic problems of the network and fix the root causes of your problems. David Messina has seen a lot of problems in his time at Xangti, and he's ready to talk about how to get to the root of them. One of the first steps is to get out of silos--think of the network as a whole, rather than a series of unrelated parts. You should also be thinking of Quality of Service in proactive terms; something to be planned for, rather than just allowed to happen.

For more on tracking down root causes:
- Read the complete interview at TMCnet

Briefly noted...

Wed, 16 Jan 2008 06:59:57 -0500

> TelExtreme enters U.S. VoIP market. Article

> FCC approves Verizon link to China. Article

> Vontoo embeds voice into business apps. Article

> IVR Technologies out with Microsoft Smartphone apps. Article

IP comms blur lines between service and app providers

Wed, 16 Jan 2008 06:59:57 -0500

When you're developing relationships with your suppliers and partners, part of the relationship will be based on what it is, precisely, that they bring to the table. Are they a service provider? Do they bring applications to bear on your business problems? Two different scenarios, two different relationships. IP communications, however, present an arena in which it can be very difficult to tell just what it is that a provider is...well, providing. Software as a service (SaaS) is just one of the acronyms that keeps coming up, and IP-based application provisioning is a topic that will keep the lines blurred--and your enterprise humming along--for years to come. Figuring out how to deal with partners that stand astride the broad, glowing line is just one of the adjustments you and your organization will have to make.

For more on the bright, blurred line:
- Read the whole interview at TMCnet.com.

Planning and good info key to unified comms

Wed, 16 Jan 2008 06:59:57 -0500

Unified communications tend to be many things: "simple" isn't one of them. The acknowledged complexity can lead to organizations being reluctant to deploy unified comms, convinced that network instability and communications unreliability are an inevitable result. It doesn't have to be that way, but you can only achieve positive results by planning obsessively and providing your deployment team with all the information possible on the applications and networks that will support your new communications efforts. It's not just the product and service set that's complex: plan on one of the most complex deployments you'll ever deal with, too. Managing and allocating bandwidth is where things start, and maintaining visibility into the network and all its applications must be part of the continuing process.

For more on successful unified communications:
- Read the practical analysis at TechTarget

Editor's Corner

Wed, 09 Jan 2008 07:00:00 -0500

Getting personal

First, Happy New Year, and welcome back to the Business VoIP Report. This week, just about everyone's attention is focused on Las Vegas, where the electronics industry has brought together 140,000 or so of their closest friends to talk about the cool new things we'll all be buying in the coming year. If you don't need a 12-foot flat-screen television or a combination Taser and MP3 player (both are on display), then perhaps something like the ability to make Skype calls from a Sony PSP mobile game console will get your blood pumping. I know a surprising number of executives who carry the PSP to stave off boredom in airports and other essentially boring places, and I suspect many will be excited about the Skype deal. Of course, the target market is the young crowd--the old strategy of getting them hooked on a brand while young even extends to VoIP. If that's not cool enough, then Creative Labs' inPerson video conferencing system is another step into a future when we'll all have the ability to make video calls from, essentially, anywhere. I've got a Nokia N800 that I'm setting up for my mobile VoIP and video-conferencing platform--what are you doing that's exciting in the world of VoIP? The tools and techniques just keep getting better, and the year is only one week old... -Curtis

Skype stresses mobility at CES

Wed, 09 Jan 2008 06:59:59 -0500

While it hasn't been all smooth sailing for consumer-VoIP powerhouse Skype, the eBay brand is continuing to expand, trying to reach ever-younger audiences with the possibilities of VoIP. At the 2008 Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas, Skype debuted a partnership with Sony that will allow players on the PSP mobile game console make Skype calls, taking advantage of both SkypeIn and SkypeOut. The deal is not for a stripped-down "Skype-light", since players will be able to perform almost all Skype functions from their game consoles. Coming on the heels of the Skype partnership with MySpace, it's obvious that the future looks quite young to the big VoIP provider.

For more on Skype via PSP:
- Read the new product report at VoIP-News

Creative brings WiFi videoconferencing tool inPerson

Wed, 09 Jan 2008 06:59:59 -0500

It's not hard to understand why many organizations continue to be fascinated by video conferencing: It can save money on travel, it's good for the environment, and it's the sort of thing that George Jetson had in his office. At the Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas, Creative is demonstrating their inPerson video conferencing solution. With a $699 purchase price and a $10-$15 monthly fee, the units allow multi-station conference calls for individuals and small groups. The system uses a wireless or wired connection to provide more networking options, and can be connected to flat-panel televisions or video projectors for high-resolution, "life-size" teleconference sessions. Given the price point, Creative estimates that inPerson could be a significant seller in the consumer market as well as the SMB space. The futuristic high-definition video conference call may be closer than you thought.

For more on inPerson low-cost video conferencing:
- See the report from CES at Gizmodo

Contact center miscues

Wed, 09 Jan 2008 06:59:58 -0500

There are plenty of voices out there telling you how to build the best VoIP call center. You can even find instructions for building a call center based on Skype technology. What's harder, though, is finding out what you're doing wrong and deciding on concrete steps to fix it. In this case, Cindy Waxer says that the compensation model is where most call centers get it wrong, and in doing so they hinder their ability to get the most out of the employees in the center. What should they do? Define quality by rigorous standards, then base compensation on quality and results, not just on the volume of traffic an individual agent can handle. It's a tougher set of metrics to develop, but Waxer says that the results are fast and positive--just like a good call to your contact center.

For more on avoiding contact center mistakes:
- Read the suggestions at VoIP-News

Professional social networking

Wed, 09 Jan 2008 06:59:58 -0500

There's something about the company of your peers--no one questions the need for serious networking to maintain your professional viability. In the last couple of years, though, social networking web sites like MySpace have made the transition from being playgrounds for kids into serious business tools for professionals. Understanding the strengths and weaknesses of each social networking site, and leveraging the capabilities of each, can help you build business relationships and communicate more effectively with partners and customers. Who knows--it might even create a situation in which you never want to leave the social network.

For more on professional social networking:
- Read the how-to article at TechTarget

Briefly Noted...

Wed, 09 Jan 2008 06:59:57 -0500

> Asterisk 1.4.17 released. Article

> Unified comms and SOA. Article

> Skype's impact on global phones. Article

> VoIP helps emergency responders. Article

The cool, open future

Wed, 09 Jan 2008 06:59:57 -0500

Look into the future of VoIP communications and what do you see? Nitin Patel, VP of strategic marketing at Telenity, sees a marketplace defined by open-source software, open network access, and combinations of hardware and services that can only be described as extremely cool. Nitin points to the disruptive nature of Skype's business model and the potentially game-changing effects of the 700 Mhz spectrum auction as reasons for customers to be excited and providers to remain light on their feet. The biggest question, in fact, may be just how nimble the incumbent carriers will prove to be when the competition keeps getting faster and better.

For more on VoIP's near-term future:
- Read the complete interview at TMCnet

Weighing unified communications' benefits

Wed, 09 Jan 2008 06:59:57 -0500

There are few topics more important for forward-looking networking executives than how their organization will embrace unified communications. Looking at strategies and technologies is critical, but the first thing on you to-do list should be sitting down to define and weigh the benefits of unified communications. For most organizations, the greatest single benefit will be reducing latency between employees--cutting down on the time-lag between the start of a critical communication and the reply received. There are three broad areas in which to consider the benefits: Personal (which deals with the status and needs of individual employees), work-group (for collaborative efforts of relatively small teams), and enterprise (in which business processes and large-scale applications are powered by application-aware unified communications). Slow down, define and weigh, and your unified communication project will see big benefits.

For more on understanding the benefits of unified communications:
- Read the technology update at NetworkWorld