Archive for March, 2009

 

Reverse Telephone Lookup that Transcends Phone Type

Mar 31, 2009 in VOIP News

There is a new reverse telephone number lookup solution that is capable of searching wireless phone data, traditional landlines, VoIP and toll free telephone services. DOTS GeoPhone Plus was created by Service Objects, Inc. The company says that the service fills a need in the growing landscape that has fewer landlines and more alternative phone-types.
“In [...]

6 Voip Features That Attract People

Mar 30, 2009 in Technology and Gadgets

VOIP is an advanced technology which has surpassed the telephone companies and the mobile companies. Its popularity is increasing enormously with an increase in its network coverage. It has proved to be an astonishing invention which has created a new mode of telecommunication by using internet. VOIP is an abbreviated form of Voice Over Internet Protocol. Go to voip for more information.

Salient Features Of VOIP

The VOIP technology possesses many salient features which have attracted a large section of people towards itself.

1 – With the introduction of VOIP technology, the making of calls has become easy and cheap. You can easily make local, long distance, and international calls by using a broadband net connection which is a high-speed net connection.

2 – Its one of the significant advantages is the capability of directing the incoming calls to the VOIP service and one can easily get the details of incoming calls from any computer possessing internet by using VOIP system.

3 – It is a network that follows you wherever you go therefore you will never miss any of your important calls even if you are out of town.

4 – It has helped a lot in cost reduction because of the cheap call rates, the monthly telephone bills have cut down. Therefore, setting up of VOIP is very much beneficial economically.

5 – There are many value added services offered by the various VOIP service providers. For example, there is voice mail facility, 3-way conference, speed dialing, call forwarding, simultaneous ring, call waiting, caller ID, call return, caller ID block, anonymous call rejection, an interesting feature of do not disturb, and last number dial. All these services are mostly free of cost in their basic service plan.

6 – There is a facility of managing your VOIP account online from any corner of the world if there is an availability of a broadband internet connection.

Drawbacks Of VOIP Technology

The dark side of using VOIP technology has made the customer to reach the state of dilemma whether to go for VOIP technology or not. The major disadvantage of VOIP is that a problem can be cropped up by using VOIP technology and text messaging because it has been found that the use of this technology can lead to many security flaws. Refer to voip for more information.

Experts are working on the problem of security flaws, but have not come to any results yet. Therefore, one cannot rely completely on the use of VOIP technology. In terms of security, VOIP is not also completely supportive for their encryptions. Because of this weak point, it has become easy for the cyber attackers to impede the communication system.

How To Call Without VOIP

It is also very easy to make calls without possessing VOIP service by using an adaptor. This adaptor will be hooked up to a regular phone and to your VOIP in order to utilize the residential VOIP phone which can be a VOIP phone, landline, or cell phone. This adapter has proved to be very much useful for those who do not want to make investment in VOIP service.

Residential VOIP

Residential VOIP is a type of software which permits the downloading of technology on your computer to chat with anyone across the globe. In this system of communication, computer will be solving the purpose of the telephone. There is one specification in using residential VOIP service and that is the person whom you want to contact should also need to possess the software with same technology on his computer.

Therefore, after considering the both positive and negative aspects of the VOIP technology, you should come to an apt and appropriate decision whether to opt for it or not. Visit voip for further information.

Is Skype for SIP a Revoluntion for SMBs?

Mar 26, 2009 in VOIP News

With the release of the beta version of Skype for SIP this week, there is considerable interest — and there should be. The new money-saving service could make VoIP communications an even more desirable avenue for businesses to pursue.
But what does the release mean for the SMB market?
VoIP-News tackles that question in this feature. Here’s [...]

Clearwire Testing Mobile VoWiMAX

Mar 24, 2009 in VOIP News

What’s coming on the VoIP horizon? More VoIP over WiMAX — except it’s going mobile.
Mobile Voice over WiMAX on the Clearwire network is in testing, according to news reports. The service is being tested in Portland, Oregon, and is expected to launch next year.
According to MultiChannel News:
Clearwire will look at adding mobile voice to its [...]

A Few Ideas About Home Sound Systems

Mar 24, 2009 in Technology and Gadgets

A good home theater and surround sound system for your movie enjoying pleasure is a rather large investment for the common movie buff-at least if you are purchasing a really high quality system for your home theater or media room. This isn’t to say that you cannot find decent surround sound systems for small spaces that come with much lower price tags than you will ordinarily find on the market. In fact, there are many ways in which you can buy a decent surround sound system for a small room even if you are limited by budget constraints. So forget about small business voip and go get some good sound!

Second Hand Systems

Buying second hand from Ebay carries some degree of risk but a reputable seller is often a good place to start. There are some people who simply can’t stand to have technology that is 6 months or even 6 days for some matters, old. Their loss is your gain as you can score a really nice surround sound system, speakers included at amazingly low prices if the bidding works in your favor and you know a little about brands and quality. Pawnshops and electronics consignment stores are other good places to find bargains on this particular sort of equipment.

Buy Boxed Sets

I’m typically opposed to box sets when it comes to electronics as there have been many instances in the past where these were merely a method of pawning off inferior goods on an unsuspecting public. However, big names such as Bose have gone over to the dark side so to speak and are beginning to offer box sets of surround sound speakers at surprisingly and amazingly reasonable price tags. There are cheaper brands than Bose, don’t get me wrong, I use them as an indication of the wide variety and standards you will find in surround sound speaker systems that come in box sets today. The good news is that you can get really good prices on speaker systems such as this if you are willing to shop around.

Compare Prices

It really does pay in this day and age to do just that. Even if you have a favorite retailer chances are that you could get a better price through them by doing a simple search online and looking for a lower advertised price. If not, it might be worth your while to go with the Internet provider this time and save your money for DVDs and music with which to enjoy your new surround sound system. I also recommend seeing what local competition has to offer; you’ll be amazed at some of the wonderful bargains you can find by walking into a store on any given day. I know that stores like Circuit City have great bargains on featured items during the week in order to boost sales. You never know when one of those items might be an outstanding surround sound systems or a phenomenal set of speakers.

Wait it out

If you have your heart set on one surround sound system and nothing else will do, then it may be in your best interest to wait until the price drops. In electronics terms that often means waiting about 6 months or until the next consumer expo event (this is when all the new technology is introduced, which makes all the existing technology drop its prices in order to seem more appealing). Both of these options may seem unappealing but can mean very real and very significant savings on your part if you are willing to wait in order to get what you really want. Not only does this give you time for the prices to decrease but also for the size of your savings to increase.

While shopping on a budget isn’t always the preferred method it is very possible to get a decent home theater or surround sound system for your home even if you are working within the limits of a seriously impaired budget.

Learning About Voip Solutions – Top Questions And Answers

Mar 23, 2009 in Technology and Gadgets

Technology is increasing daily and plenty of consumers are facing new challenges about learning new forms of communication using computer hardware or software. The changes in our world raise many questions, and these common questions and answers focus on one growing area of communication, IP Telephony or Voice over Internet Protocol. These questions that people often ask are heard all over these days, but our answers will help explain much about this new phase of keeping in touch with others. Go to voip for more information.

What exactly is IP telephony?

IP telephony is a term that refers to VOIP technology or Voice over Internet Protocol. It is essentially the routing of voice conversations over a network, such as the internet, or any IP based interface. IP telephony, Internet telephony, Voice over Internet Protocol, VOIP, Broadband telephony, Broadband phone, and Voice over Broadband are all terms that relatively refer to this in the same way. If someone mentions any of those terms, they are likely referring to the notion of IP telephony. It is a growing aspect to communications, too, and many people are starting to use it in their homes to help with their communications aspects.

Where did IP telephony come from?

IP telephony is a commercial evolution of the 1973 project called “Network Voice Protocol”. Network Voice Protocol was a computer networking project that was used to transport human speech patterns over communications networks. It was developed by internet researcher Danny Cohen of the Information Sciences Institute and was created to demonstrate that it was possible to develop a feasible blueprint for two-way voice communications over a digital network. The Network Voice Protocol project was used to send speech between sites on the Advanced Research Projects Agency Network or ARPANET. ARPANET is a United States Department of Defense project designed to produce a global network. It also became an ancestor of the internet.

Isn’t a VOIP user “handcuffed” to an internet connection if they want to use the phone?

Certainly a drawback to the VOIP system is its reliance on internet connection. This reliance on an entirely separate service can make using VOIP telephony equipment seem to be quite complicated, at times. The quality of the connection through the VOIP system is also very reliant on the quality of the internet connection, lending to a distinct relationship between the internet connection and the phone connection that many users regret. VOIP systems can, however, use conventional phone connections for connectivity and can use other business grade network systems like a T1 connection in some cases. Many business providers, in fact, only hook the system up to a T1 connection to enable permanent connection to their network. Refer to voip for more information.

Just how reliable is IP telephony, anyway?

As conventional landline phones are connected to telephone company phone lines, they may actually be kept going in the event of power outages or other occurrences that may interrupt the service. Most household VOIP broadband services, however, rely on a modem connection or other powered services to make the phone work. In these cases, a VOIP phone may not be the most reliable service you can have. On the other hand, there are many options you can take to create a more reliable service for your phone so that it will not be interrupted by power outage or other issues.

What are some major VOIP or IP telephony providers?

There are many providers that are hopping aboard the VOIP bandwagon. Commercial use VOIP providers include Broadvoice, Primus Canada, AT&T CallVantage, Skype, SunRocket, Lingo, VoicePulse, http://VOIP.com, Vonage, and even Yahoo Messenger. Many of these services also have a phone package for home users that enable the same great service to take place within a home setting for Voice over Internet Protocol telephony. Visit voip for further information.

How About Speaker Quality?

Mar 20, 2009 in Technology and Gadgets

There are many pieces, parts, and components to a home theater system. One of the most important when it comes to achieving the overall ‘movie going’ experience is surround sound. While there are many pieces of equipment for the average home theater that can be purchased over time, surround sound is typically one component that needs to be purchased together if possible, at the very least it is wise to purchase the speakers as a set rather than mixing and matching quality and sounds.

Just as the surround sound system is one of, if not the most important components in a good home theater system, the speakers are the most integral and important component of any decent surround sound system. You can skimp on some aspects of quality in amplifiers, receivers, and even tuners but if you skimp on the quality of your speakers it will not matter how much of an investment you’ve made in everything else because the sound will be inferior.

People define their movie going experiences differently. For some, it is the smell of freshly popped popcorn that defines the experience and others find that the dark colors and the sweet smell of the syrup from the soda fountains is part of the experience (some things simply can’t be imitated easily at home). There are many however, who find that sound is what sets the theater apart from home movie viewing and the one thing that keeps them coming back despite the interruptions provided by other patrons with cell phones, hungry children, or frequent trips to the restrooms.

The one thing that sets a theater apart for many people is one thing that we now have the technology to bring into our homes. Even better is the fact that the price tag on this particular technology is decreasing as competition, supply, demand, and technological advances increase. There is never too much to be said about how quickly the newness of electronics expires in order to be replaced by something newer and better next year. I remember a time when DVD players were priced well over $300 for the most basic of models. You can purchase them now for a mere $30 if you can find a decent sale and those models have more features than the originals. Can you imagine how little surround sound systems will be selling for an a few short years?

We are already seeing significant price drops in the box systems that are being sold on the market today. Gone are the days when these systems were merely the off brands trying to generate some sells by offering a low price and questionable quality. The boxed surround sound systems of today are carrying well-known names as their brands and providing some pretty stiff competition to those who aren’t willing to offer the box sets when it comes to price.

That being said, you will want to take the effort to listen to any system you are considering before you buy it. It takes no small investment of time and energy in order to set up a surround sound system and while there are no guarantees that a system will sound the same in your home or apartment as it sounds in the store having a clue as to any problems before getting it home and setting it up will save both time and money in the long run. If the speakers you buy aren’t adequate quality for the system you have purchased the sound will disappointing to say the least. My favorite scene for testing the sound quality of surround sound systems is the first 10 minutes of the movie Top Gun. Buy the DVD and take it with you whenever you try out systems for your home. If you find one set or system that blows you away with the quality of sound you should seriously consider that for your home theater and surround sound system.
Get great info on small business VOIP at our site blog.

The Blogosphere on Google Voice

Mar 19, 2009 in VOIP News

With Google Voice in beta (for previous GrandCentral users, that is), there is a lot of buzz around about the new service. Wondering what everyone is saying?
Here’s a roundup:

Lifehacker does a screenshot tour
App Scout evaluates the transcript function
BeBizzy gave it a run through
NCS Tech had to give it two tries to get it to work
CNET [...]

QueueMetrics Now Supports OrecX TR Voice Recording

Mar 17, 2009 in VOIP News

OrecX LLC’s OrecX TR is now supported in QueueMetrics 1.5.1, the call center monitoring application from Loway that is used for large scale Asterick PBX operations. That can reduce operating costs of recording voice calls by moving them from the Asterisk server to a dedicated server.
“OrecX TR is a very popular solution used in thousands [...]

What You Should Know About Voip Technology

Mar 12, 2009 in Technology and Gadgets

You have heard it all-everyone is talking about the VOIP technology and how it is outpacing the telephones companies and even the cellular companies. So what is all the talk about? Refer to VOIP for more information.

VOIP allows you to make your entire local, long distance and international telephone calls over your high-speed internet connection. All of this for just one low price that can be rolled up into your monthly internet cable invoice. The technology is changing rapidly and there are a lot of new features available to people savvy enough to get in on the ground floor for this new technology.

So, what should you do? How different will your VOIP technology be over your regular telephone company? If you listen to the advertisements, you will realize that they are a lot alike, but there are also some benefits that VOIP technology now offers.

For your VOIP telephone phone, you can have voice mail, 3-way calling, speed dialing, call forwarding, simultaneous ring, call waiting, caller ID, call return, caller ID block, anonymous call rejection, do not disturb feature, and last number redial. If changing to the VOIP system you can take your existing telephone number, get great international rates, make it possible for people overseas to call you with it being a local call for them (gone are the long distance rates), you get free in-calling network and can manage your account online. Go to VOIP for more information.

Well, this sounds a lot like the other phone companies, so what really makes the VOIP technology better? It is debatable as to whether or not this is better. It is definitely different, however; recently, there was a press release on http://News.com that “A technical review conducted by the British government has found several security flaws in products that use VOIP and text messaging, including those from Microsoft and Cisco Systems.” So, there can be a problem with the VOIP technology.

There is also concern that the VOIP does not full support their own encryptions yet. This means that it is easy to eavesdrop on VOIP telephones and to even change what is being said. Experts are working on security options, but have not yet found one that is completely reliable to take care of this problem.

If you look at it only one way, you would say, this is a major problem and I can not deal with that. However, consider the cyper terrorists. They can and will disrupt any communications system-all it takes is the time and patience to find a single flaw and everything can come crashing down.

The choice is yours to decided whether or not the VOIP technology is advanced enough for you to use this as your primary means of communicating on the telephone. Take your time and really think about whether or not this new VOIP technology will do everything you need it to do. If not, you might want to wait a few years until the technology has advanced more before changing over to the new VOIP technology. You know that technology will only change and be improved for the better. Visit VOIP for further information.