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Tag: ip-pbx

  • eBay Bets on Skype's Entry Into SIP-based PBX To Boost Revenue


    Skype has launched Skype for SIP, a beta program that allows companies to make domestic and international VoIP calls from an office PBX rather than PC.

    The move comes the week after eBay announced that it expects Skype to more than double its revenue to over USD $1 billion by 2011 – with hopes high that the new business service will be a compelling proposition.

    Skype For SIP allows SIP PBX owners to make Skype calls to fixed phones and mobiles around the world, and to receive calls from Skype users directly into their PBX system.

    The service will also allow businesses to be contacted by Skype’s 405 million registered users through click-to-call from their Web sites.

    The calls will be received through their existing office system at no cost to the customer.

    At the same time, businesses can purchase online Skype numbers available in over 20 countries to receive calls from business contacts and customers who are using traditional fixed lines or mobile phones.

    Stefan Oberg, VP and general manager of Skype for Business, described the introduction of Skype for SIP as a significant move for Skype and for any communication intensive business around the world.

    "It effectively combines the obvious cost savings and reach of Skype with its large user base, with the call handling functionality, statistics and integration capabilities of traditional office PBX systems, providing great economical savings and increased productivity for the modern business," he said.

    The initial beta is available to a limited number of participants: SIP users, phone system administrators, developers and service partners are invited to apply.

    Applicants need to be businesses, have an installed SIP based IP-PBX system, as well as a level of technical competency to configure their own SIP-enabled PBX.

    The Skype for SIP beta program is open today to a limited number of participants; SIP users, phone system administrators, service partners, and developers can get in on the beta. Beta users will need to be businesses, have a SIP-based IP-PBX phone system, and in-house expertise to configure their SIP-enabled PBX.

    The SIP software will be available for free, but Skype plans to charge about 2.1 cents per minute for calls to landlines and cell phones. Calls from computers to phone systems using Skype will be free.

    Key Features of the Skype for SIP Beta include:

    • Receive and manage inbound calls from Skype users worldwide on SIP-enabled PBX systems; connecting the company Web site to the PBX system via click-to-call
    • Place calls with Skype to landlines and mobile phones worldwide from any connected SIP-enabled PBX; reducing costs with Skype’s low-cost global rates
    • Purchase Skype’s online numbers, to receive calls to the corporate PBX from landlines or mobile phones
    • Manage Skype calls using their existing hardware and system applications such as call routing, conferencing, phone menus and voicemail; no additional downloads or training are required

  • INTERVIEW: Ivar Plahte, CEO and Co-Founder of OnRelay

    "Mobile PBX is the future – and the era of everyone having corporate desktop handsets is coming to a close" – Ivar Plahte, winner of smartphone-biz.news’ Person of the Year Award 2008

    Cast your eyes over most office desks and something they have in common is a fixed-line telephone – at least for now.

    Ivar Plahte, CEO and co-founder of OnRelay, has no doubt that mobile PBX is the future – with smartphones increasingly replacing desktop phones to become the sole business phone.

    But then someone who runs a unified communications software company firmly focused on cellular Fixed Mobile Convergence (FMC) might be expected to say that.

    Founded in early 2000, OnRelay is a pioneer of mobile PBX and launched the first global private mobile branch exchange.

    In January, the company launched Unified MBX, a solution that delivers complete IP PBX functionality to the mobile phone.

    Essentially it turns users’ smartphones into full desk phone replacements, supports PBX functions such as caller ID and calling name and offers business vs personal call separation.

    Ivar Plahte, CEO  and Co-founder OnRelay

    Plahte told smartphone-biz.news that interest had already been huge – with inquiries from 100,000-employee enterprises right down to very small businesses.

    "It’s very cool in the sense that Unified MBX can be deployed in a plug-and-play manner," he said.

    Shift from IP PBX to mobile PBX

    While it may not yet be apparent, Plahte said there were "dramatic changes" currently taking place as enterprises shifted from IP PBXs to mobile PBXs.

    To underline that this isn’t some future-case scenario, he said OnRelay had just finalised an agreement with one of the top five global telecom service providers.

    The company was also deploying its solution in what he described as a "very large enterprise".

    "They said explicitly they do not want a single deskphone – they only want smartphones," he said.

    "This gives a very strong indication that this market we have been pushing for is really emerging."

    Mobile PBX is Fourth Generation

    Plahte said the best way to think of mobile PBX was in generations, with the progression from analog PBX to digital PBX and then on to the IP PBX.

    "Looking at the previous change between digital and IP, the desk phone was very similar – it was still a proprietary type of desk phone," he said.

    "We are talking about two very similar systems, both vertically integrated, coming from the same vendor, hardware-based models.

    "Even if the technology is different, the markets are quite similar."

    That isn’t the case with the move from IP PBX to mobile PBX, according to Plahte.

    The CEO said this was especially apparent in the back office with the change from hardware to software platforms.

    He said that while companies might still want to have fixed phones – such as for call centre switchboards – most users would have mobiles as their desktop phones.

    "A PBX where the backdrop is software, the network is the public mobile network and the predominant device is the mobile phone," he said.

    What has made this type of scenario possible are factors such as the improvements made to smartphone reliability in the last couple of years and the fall in mobile call prices.

    Even so, Plahte said the only way to convince companies to ditch deskphones was to demonstrate the reliability of the solution to them.

    He said businesses already made a sizeable proportion of their calls on mobiles – the novelty was that a mobile PBX meant the handsets could become the only mode of business communication.

    While OnRelay is very aggressively anti-deskphone, Plahte said it was important to assure customers they can "mix-and-match" in whatever way they like.

    "If they only want to use a mobile, then that’s fine," he said.

    "If they are a little sceptical – perhaps because of coverage – then they can have a deskphone that pairs with a mobile and rings at the same time."

    Not making this clear was where a lot of fixed/mobile substitution has been misdirected, according to Plahte.

    "They were telling companies: ‘You have to throw out every everything and only have mobile phones’," he said. "Our proposition is more balanced."

    Competitors Lagging Behind

    While competitors in the form of PBX vendors have been threatening to copy OnRelay since 2003, Plahte said he was confident they had a significant lead over them.

    He said OnRelay also differed from the largely voice-over-WiFi technology being touted by competitors.

    After initially offering large enterprises managed MBX projects, the UK-headquartered company has now launched Unified MBX.

    While OnRelay’s main markets are in Europe and the Far East it is also targeting the US.

    Plahte said the US market was different in terms of:

    – the network: "2/3 years behind Europe in quality of coverage but catching up"

    – smartphone brands: "RIM’s Blackberry and Apple’s iPhone strong, while Nokia is very small in the US

    – contracts: "In Europe a lot of companies pay for their employees’ contracts. That is getting there now in the US."

    – Europe more aggressive in getting rid of deskphone completely: "In the US, the combination of mobile and deskphone will linger for longer."

    OS Diversity is "Disappointing"

    Plahte said the diversity of operating systems on smartphones has been a major headache.

    OnRelay has to port a significant amount of software for every platform and user experience is very important.

    "I hoped operating systems would converge but they are doing the opposite," he said. "For us, that’s disappointing."

    While having to work across four or five platforms has slowed development, Plahte said he never doubted the solution would be launched.
    "I have always had the firm belief that this market is inevitable," he said.

    "It is just a question of time in relation to when this generation of PBX will happen."

    We are interested in hearing your views on mobile PBX – can you see your enterprise becoming mobile-only?

  • Digium Adds New US Features To Latest Version of Switchvox IP PBX


    Digium has introduced a new version of Switchvox SMB, its IP PBX designed for small- to mid-sized businesses (SMBs). 

    Switchvox’s web-aware capabilities allow its integration with web and back-office applications, effectively turning the phone system into a unified communications (UC) platform. 

    Switchvox SMB 4.0 adds various UC capabilities, including support for fax, chat and video calling, which the company says improve users’ productivity and efficiency. 

    Josh Stephens, general manager of Digium’s San Diego operations and a co-creator of Switchvox, said the IP PBX has always leveraged web technologies more than other competing products. 

    He said they had integrated Switchvox with Google maps and web-based CRM software such as Salesforce and SugarCRM. 

    "We’ve also provided easy-to-use APIs that enable businesses to quickly tie together their back-office software that they rely on day to day with their Switchvox IP PBX," he said. 

    "Now, support for instant messaging, fax and video calling, plus additional IVR functionality and a range of new benefits for administrators and users alike make Switchvox SMB 4.0 a truly web-aware UC solution." 

    To add to the appeal of the latest version of Switchvox SMB 4.0, it is available free of charge to customers with a current Switchvox SMB software subscription. 

    For new customers, Switchvox SMB USD $3,390 for a 10 user system, including hardware, software, a one-year subscription and warranty. 

    The entire line of Switchvox SMB appliances, the largest of which scales to serve 400 users, will be available from Digium and partners world-wide beginning on 3 March, 2009. 

    Danny Windham, CEO of Digium, said Switchvox is the first time that advanced unified communications features have been made available to SMBs that might not have big-company budgets. 

    He said these organisations are as reliant as anyone on their phones, e-mail, fax, chat and video and on the web to improve employee communications and efficiency. 

    "With Switchvox SMB 4.0, Digium brings all of these elements together and significantly integrates the business phone system with web applications in a way that we believe is unique today."

  • Snom Favors Italy Over UK For Expansion


    The VoIP phone maker and developer Snom Technology is making a push into Italy and opening an office in Milan.

    In what could be a barometer of the current state of Europe’s economies, the German company ruled out a move to the UK.

    Heike Cantzler, marketing manager for Snom Technology, said both the UK and Italy were considered for the expansion.

    She told voip.biz-news that both Italy and the UK had very active Web markets – which had made the decision about where to expand difficult.

    Ultimately, concerns over the UK’s economic situation and the perception that the Italian market was more receptive to new technology, tipped the balance in Italy’s favor.

    "The financial problems in the UK are worse than in Italy," said Cantzler.

    "The UK and US economies have big problems. With the rest of Europe, we are still waiting to see what will happen.

    "Maybe next year will be hard but at the moment we do not feel any difference."

    Snom develops and manufacturers VoIP telephones based on an open standard for enterprise communications.

    It employs 50 people worldwide, with offices in Germany, Italy, the US and China.

    In common with other VoIP industry businesses, Cantzler said a recession was likely to benefit Snom as companies sought ways to reduce costs.

    She said that as Snom phones can be operated with a large number of compatible IP-PBX that support SIP (Session Initiation Protocol), they offer customers a wider choice for enterprise communication systems.

    In October, the Berlin-based company launched the Snom 820, a VoIP business telephone with a high-resolution TFT color display.

    Cantzler said the 820 typified Snom’s philosophy of adding as many features to products while keeping prices down.

    "The 820 is the only phone worldwide – aside from Microsoft’s phones – that integrates with Microsoft Outlook," she said.

    "This is really interesting because the Microsoft phone is one that is very expensive and very difficult to handle. Even Microsoft developers tell us that they use a Snom phone because it’s easier."

    Praise indeed.

  • Fortify Warns Of VoIP Hacking Risk Over Holidays


    It’s not exactly a message of festive goodwill but Fortify Software’s warning about the threat of fraudulent international VoIP calls is no doubt well intended.

    Citing a recent case where a hacker ran up a USD $52,000 phone bill, the application vulnerability specialist said it was a timely warning to all organisations to protect their PBX IT resources.

    According to Robert Rachwald, Fortify’s director of product marketing, this time of year is one of the busiest periods for phone companies on the
    international call front, with the result that international call resale fraud is also at its highest.

    The fact that HUB Computer Systems in the US was hit by a phone bill for USD $52,359.59 in calls to Bulgaria, he said, illustrates the demand for
    fraudulent international calls.

    Once a hacker has reprogrammed a company PBX to allow free dial-through international calls, one or more people act as human operators, accepting payments – always in cash – and then allow callers to place international calls at a heavy discount to their chosen destination.

    "The advent of IP-enabled PBXs, and the facility of remotely- programmable conventional PBX systems, means that hackers can – with sufficient time and access – rack up large phone bills on the unfortunate victim’s account," said Rachwald.

    "And with the holiday shutdown looming, this is the perfect time for hackers with time on their hands, to crack a firm’s PBX and engage in more than a little phone call resale fraud."

    Rachwald said the modus operandi was always the same – the hackers stand at known meeting and gathering points for international visitors in a given city and then announce they are offering calls home, typically via prepay mobile phones, for a fraction of the normal costs.

    "After that, they simply rake the money in – probably around USD $5,000 to $10,000 in the case of the HUB Computer Systems telephone hack," he said.

    Rachwald warned IT staff to take extra care over the holiday shutdown to protect their company PBXs, as well as their firm’s IT resources, shutting down systems that are unlikely to be used.

    He said locking down the ability to reprogram the system remotely has to be high on the list of holiday period checklists.

    Merry Christmas.

  • VoIP Business Phone Systems Made Simple


    As VoIP increasingly shifts into the mainstream more businesses are going through the process of selecting the best phone systems for their needs.


    VoIP.biz-news asked Terry Martin, CEO of Coms PLC, to explain some of the options surrounding business VoIP and offer some basic guidelines for SMEs.

    Voice over IP (VoIP) telephony uses the internet to make and receive phone calls using a broadband connection instead of standard phone lines.

    As broadband bandwidth increases, call quality and reliability has also greatly improved, making VoIP a realistic option for every business.

    However, as with all technologies, the options and choices can be just as confusing as the technology itself. There are four primary types of internet telephone system:

    • Free IP-PBX: Download free software and setup your own VoIP IP-PBX server
    • Managed IP-PBX: A vendor will install and manage an IP-PBX server on your premises
    • Hosted IP-PBX: A supplier delivers a VoIP service without a server on your premises
    • Add a VoIP Gateway or Card to your existing, traditional PBX.

    By far, the simplest, and most flexible options is the Hosted IP-PBX service which is centrally monitored, updated and managed.

    This means that the customer pays a monthly bill and the day to day management of the service is taken care of by the service provider.

    A hosted service provides all the benefits that might be expected in a VoIP solution but takes away the stress and confusion.

    Terry Martin, CEO ComsPLC

    But how can small and medium sized businesses benefit from a hosted VoIP service?

    Firstly, customers are immediately updated when new features are available. This means there is no expensive equipment upgrade a few years down the road.

    Scalability is an important point for ambitious, growing companies as customers only pay for the seats they need on a monthly basis. With a hosted service, extra network members can be added to a system at the click of a button without the cost of a new line.

    With a hosted VoIP service, the customer can integrate teleworkers and customer service lines through their own broadband connections. In addition, features such as an automated switchboard, voicemail to email, and conference calling for example, come as standard with most business packages.

    A hosted VoIP service is very mobile and lends itself well to remote working. Using a dual mode mobile, such as the new Nokia e Series range, the customer can access their network via a Wi-Fi connection and continue to make VoIP calls at the same minimal cost as they would in the office.

    Companies can choose which number they want to use wherever they are in the world. Businesses can take an ‘020’ number and adopt a virtual London presence. This means that companies have the freedom to move premises or even countries and keep the same contact number.

    The most notable advantage, however, is the dramatic financial savings available. Calls to other network members, for instance other regional offices, teleworkers, stockists or special clients, are free of charge. Also customers save substantial amounts on maintenance, line rental and upgrades as it is all centrally managed.

    What should SMEs consider when implementing a VoIP service?

    There are a number of questions that companies should consider before implementing a service:

    • Does the provider offer the whole range of geographic, non-geographic and International numbers?
    • Does the provider have any technology to compress more calls down a standard DSL line? Most SMEs use a standard ADSL broadband line and VoIP calls take up a lot of bandwidth. If the service uses technology to cut down the amount of bandwidth used on each call, then more calls can be made at the same time.
    • What are the disaster recovery systems in place if your IP connection is down? Should disaster strike and the broadband connection fail, what emergency processes are in place as back up.
    • What does the service provider offer in terms of quality, reliability and scalability?
    • Does the provider offer number portability to ensure you keep your existing numbers?
    • What support services are offered?
    • How competitive are the rates?
    • Can the provider support mobile devices and provision them over the air?

    About Coms Plc

    Coms Plc was founded by Jason Drummond in 2000. Coms.Net is the core service of Coms Plc, which provides a VoIP business telephony service.
    The Coms.Net solution is based upon the industry standard SIP protocol, which enables the widest possible connection of customers, devices and integrated Web 2.0 applications.
    Coms Plc is an OFCOM authorised Public Electronic Communications Network (PECN) and a member of the Internet Telephony Service Providers Association (ITSPA). Coms Plc is also listed on the London Stock Exchange AIM market (LSE:COMS).

  • Business World May Be Rocked By IP PBX – But Not Yet


    Industry hype surrounding unified communications (UC) may cause seismic shifts across the business world – but the changes could take up to a generation to impact.

    That’s the findings of a study by In-Stat into UC such as IP PBX and how they will make fundamental differences to how people work.

    David Lemelin, an analyst at the company, said: "Real transformational changes will take more time, perhaps even a generation, to accomplish.

    "But it’s possible that a new generation, dubbed ‘Millennials’, bringing to the workplace communications habits formed in their early years, portends more rapid adoption."

    The sorts of changes likely to be adopted at work include personal habits, like text messaging and social networking.

    The study also dealt with suggestions that around 50 per cent of enterprises are either evaluating, installing or already running UC applications.

    In-Stat said the claims about UC uptake could prove accurate because definitions of UC are so wide-ranging, including both instant messaging and IP PBX.

    A survey in June by Interactive Intelligence found that 87 per cent of businesses were planning on investing in UC, with VoIP and SIP driving the move.