VoIP & Gadgets Blog

FCC Now Requires VoIP Outage Reporting

By Tom Keating on Wednesday, Feb 15

The Federal Communications Commission today voted and passed a requirement that interconnected VoIP service providers report significant network outages that meet specific...

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Tagged 911, america, fcc, outage, reporting, skype, threshold, united states, voip, vonage

Grandstream Launches new ATAs at ITEXPO Miami 2012

By Rich Tehrani on Tuesday, Feb 14

Recently at ITEXPO East 2012 in Miami, Grandstream announced a new family of ATAs – an addition which shows the company...

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Tagged conference, grandstream, ip camera, ip communications, ip security, ip surveillance, itexpo, technology, voip

Will Nimble 2.0 take Social CRM Mainstream?

By Rich Tehrani on Tuesday, Feb 14

Recently consumer products manufacturer P&G – one of the largest advertising spenders at over $9B announced it will cut its marketing headcount...

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Tagged crm, goldmine, nimble, oracle, salesforce, siebel, social crm

Journey Releases New Video Featuring Michaele Salahi

By Tom Keating on Tuesday, Feb 14

I was scrolling through my Facebook Newsfeed when I came across a post by Journey saying they had a new music...

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Tagged journey, michaele salahi, music, neal schon, rock, valentines day

KEMP Load Balancer Certified for Microsoft Lync Server 2010

By Tom Keating on Tuesday, Feb 14

KEMP Technologies today announced that its LoadMaster hardware-based and virtual appliance load balancers are now approved for Microsoft Lync Server 2010. If...

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Tagged kemp, load balancer, loadmaster, lync, lync server 2010, microsoft

Watch out for Metallic Objects in IP Phones! You Could Get Hurt!

By Tom Keating on Monday, Feb 13

I've tested, used, and reviewed many Polycom phones over the years, but apparently I never noticed or received this warning letter with...

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Tagged australia, handset, ip phone, lawsuit, litigation, litigious, polycom, telecommunications act

So Can You Re-Use Those Cisco Phones?

By Peter on Monday, Feb 13

From a VAR:"At the risk of sounding like sour grapes, in my experience no one who has tried to use old Cisco...

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Tagged cisco, hosted pbx, phone system, sip, voip

Apple Planned the iPad BEFORE the iPhone. Who knew?

By Tom Keating on Friday, Feb 10

Everyone assumes that Apple was working on the iPhone before the iPad. However, the recent lawsuit by Proview Electronics suing Apple over...

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Tagged apple, china, cisco, ipad, iphone, proview, tablets, trademark

What Twitter Told Me This Week

By Peter on Friday, Feb 10

I get a lot of articles off twitter. Too many to write about all of them so I am just going to...

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Tagged clec, fcc, google, mpls, rural, UC, usf, voip

Dell Voice Launches in Canada - Will it Fail As Badly As Dell Video Chat?

By Tom Keating on Thursday, Feb 9

Dell has partnered with Ontario-based Fongo to offer Dell Voice, a VoIP app exclusively available exclusively in Canada that offers a Canadian...

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Tagged android, apple, dell video chat, dell voice, google, logitech, ontario, sightspeed, skype, voice

5 Tips for Speakers

By Peter on Wednesday, Feb 8

I'm not the best speaker. I'm still nervous and anxious before every talk, even when moderating. But I prepare for every talk...

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Tagged itexpo, radizeski

Vonage Attacks Skype with 30% Price Cut and Free App-to-App Calling & Texts

By Tom Keating on Wednesday, Feb 8

Vonage today launched new versions of their mobile app for both iOS and Android phones that feature free app-to-app calling and international...

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Tagged 3g, 4g, android, apple, free calling, ios, mobile app, mobile phone, skype, vonage, wi-fi, wireless

ITEXPO IP Communications Trade Show Continues Solid Growth

By Tom Keating on Wednesday, Feb 8

ITEXPO East 2012 in Miami was TMC's best show ever with over 200 booths and over 8,200 attendees. Conferee attendance for ITEXPO...

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Tagged austin, florida, ingate, ip communications, itexpo, miami, rich tehrani, texas

FCC is Busy!

By Peter on Tuesday, Feb 7

.The FCC is really busy!The FCC is still working on Inter-Carrier Compensation. It ordered Rural Call Completion.It approved TWC's $3B bid for...

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Tagged FCC, fcc, forbearance, inter-carrier compensation, spectrum, usf, white spaces

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FCC Now Requires VoIP Outage Reporting

February 15, 2012

The Federal Communications Commission today voted and passed a requirement that interconnected VoIP service providers report significant network outages that meet specific criteria and thresholds. The goal is to ensure 911 system reliability and perhaps customer awareness of fly-by-night VoIP operations that are just trying to make a buck. The FCC will use outage reports to "track and analyze information on interconnected VoIP outages affecting 9-1-1 service and determine if action is needed to prevent future outages." In other words you might be looking at fines if you don't have a reliable VoIP network.

According to Chairman Julius Genachowski, "With today’s action, the FCC is helping ensure that our communications infrastructure is more resilient. We are helping ensure that consumers will have access to reliable phone service, particularly when calling 9-1-1, whether they are using a traditional telephone or one that operates by interconnected VoIP service."

Posted in TMCnet, VoIP, Vonage

Tagged: 911, america, fcc, outage, reporting, skype, threshold, united states, voip, vonage : Related Tags: helping ensure, service, outages, interconnected, ensure

Journey Releases New Video Featuring Michaele Salahi

February 14, 2012

I was scrolling through my Facebook Newsfeed when I came across a post by Journey saying they had a new music video. It read:

Sweet vibrations! Our new video for "Resonate" from our latest album Eclipse, is here as a special Valentine's Day gift to you. Filmed in San Francisco and Los Angeles, the video captures some of our favorite live moments during the Eclipse Tour. Enjoy:

Screenshot:

This was followed by an embedded YouTube video.

Posted in Home Entertainment, TMCnet

Tagged: journey, michaele salahi, music, neal schon, rock, valentines day : Related Tags: music video, michaele salahi, video, schon, salahi, journey

KEMP Load Balancer Certified for Microsoft Lync Server 2010

February 14, 2012

KEMP Technologies today announced that its LoadMaster hardware-based and virtual appliance load balancers are now approved for Microsoft Lync Server 2010. If you recall, I spoke with Kemp last year about their Exchange 2010 load balancer, so adding Lync load balancing certainly rounds out their Microsoft portfolio. KEMP’s LoadMaster products offer server load balancing, optimized application delivery and built-in SSL acceleration. These features enable the LoadMasters to seamlessly integrate with Microsoft's Lync server pools.

By adding load balancing, traffic can be scaled wide across Lync 2010 Front End, Director, and Edge server pools. With Layer 7 health checking, the LoadMaster ensures that should a server become inaccessible, the load balancer will take that server off-line and automatically re-route and reconnect users to other functioning servers keeping application uptime guaranteed.

“Having our entire product portfolio approved for Microsoft Lync Server further strengthens the LoadMaster’s ability to deliver highly available, reliable and secure solutions to our business customers utilizing Microsoft applications,” said Peter Melerud, executive vice president of product management at KEMP Technologies. “The Microsoft -approved LoadMaster solutions for Lync Server 2010 continue to reduce the price barrier for any-sized business while ensuring high availability across all applications.”

The entire portfolio of LoadMaster products -- hardware-based, Virtual LoadMaster (VLM) for Hyper-V and Virtual LoadMaster (VLM) for VMware is approved for Lync Server 2010. Pricing starts at only $1,490.

Posted in Microsoft, TMCnet, Unified Communications, VoIP

Tagged: kemp, load balancer, loadmaster, lync, lync server 2010, microsoft : Related Tags: server pools, approved microsoft, loadmaster products, based virtual, virtual loadmaster, server

Watch out for Metallic Objects in IP Phones! You Could Get Hurt!

February 13, 2012

I've tested, used, and reviewed many Polycom phones over the years, but apparently I never noticed or received this warning letter with these phones. Check out this ridiculousness:

WARNING ALL SOUNDPOINT IP PHONES
With respect to section 5.4.3.10 of the Australian Communications Authority as Telecommunications Technical Standard AS/ACIF S004 2004 under the s376 of the Telecommunications Act 1997:

You should be aware that, under certain operating conditions, the handset earpiece may retain small metallic objects. If this occurs, these objects should be removed before using the handset.

Really? Seriously? You have to warn users that the handset earpiece may contain small metallic objects (metal shavings?) and should be removed before using it?

a) The handset is made of smooth plastic, so any metallic shavings or objects should slide right off.
b) If loose metallic objects are internal to the handset, then won't they likely stay there?
c) Even if loose objects fall out through the ear piece's opening, who the heck grinds the handset into their ear that would cause an injury and merit a warning?
d) If you're idiotic enough to pick up something and stick it on your ear without noticing metal objects on the earpiece... well, perhaps you deserve sharp metal pricks to your ear - a little smack to the head too I might add.

Posted in Personal and Humor, Polycom, SIP, TMCnet, VoIP

Tagged: australia, handset, ip phone, lawsuit, litigation, litigious, polycom, telecommunications act : Related Tags: metallic objects, objects should, handset earpiece, removed using, objects, metallic

Windows on ARM - New Tablet Operating System With Some Limitations

February 10, 2012

Microsoft Windows President Steven Sinoksky OR is this Bruce Willis?

The next version of Windows will run full-sized desktop applications on low-power ARM-based tablets. However, the only desktop applications approved to appear on ARM devices will be those designed by Microsoft such as Internet Explorer 10, Office, and the Windows file explorer. Affectionately known as WOA (Windows On Arm), it includes desktop versions of Microsoft Word, Excel, PowerPoint, and OneNote.

In an lengthy blog post, Microsoft's Steven Sinofsky, president of the Windows division explained how WOA will work. In a nutshell, you can think of WOA as a specialized version of Windows 8 designed for ARM processors.

Posted in Computer Software, Microsoft, Tablets, Technology and Science

Tagged: arm, bruce willis, intel, microsoft, processors, steve sinofsky, tablet, windows on arm, woa : Related Tags: bruce willis, version windows, sinofsky explained, longer battery, internet explorer, windows

Apple Planned the iPad BEFORE the iPhone. Who knew?

February 10, 2012

Everyone assumes that Apple was working on the iPhone before the iPad. However, the recent lawsuit by Proview Electronics suing Apple over the name 'iPad' says others wise. The iPhone was launched in 2007 and the iPad in 2010. However, in 2006 Apple purchased the iPad trademark from display manufacturer Proview Electronics (Taiwan) for $55,000 by way of a front company called IP Application Development.

Posted in Apple, Gadgets, Mobile Phones, PDAs & Handhelds, TMCnet, Tablets, Wireless

Tagged: apple, china, cisco, ipad, iphone, proview, tablets, trademark : Related Tags: apple cisco, internet telephony, proview electronics, peter bernstein, cordless internet, apple

Dell Voice Launches in Canada - Will it Fail As Badly As Dell Video Chat?

February 9, 2012

Dell has partnered with Ontario-based Fongo to offer Dell Voice, a VoIP app exclusively available exclusively in Canada that offers a Canadian phone number and free calls to most of Canada. Also, incoming calls and Dell Voice-to-Dell Voice calls are free of charge. This reminds me of how Dell partnered with Sightspeed, now a part of Logitech to offer a multi-party video conferencing service called Dell Video Chat. I reviewed the software and it works well, but with free alternatives like Skype, having the ability to do 9-way (3x3) Brady Bunch video is a very niche application.

Posted in Android, Apple, Skype, TMCnet, VoIP, Wireless

Tagged: android, apple, dell video chat, dell voice, google, logitech, ontario, sightspeed, skype, voice : Related Tags: video, voice, canada, calls, available

Vonage Attacks Skype with 30% Price Cut and Free App-to-App Calling & Texts

February 8, 2012

Vonage today launched new versions of their mobile app for both iOS and Android phones that feature free app-to-app calling and international calling rates that on average are 70 percent less than major mobile carriers and 30 percent less than Skype according to their release notes on iTunes. What's nice about their mobile app is it lets you talk and text worldwide for FREE with anyone else who has the app. It's also wideband HD audio for better audio quality.

Another nice feature is that you simply use your existing address book and there is no need to leave the app. It works on both Wi-Fi and 3G/4G.

Posted in SIP, Skype, VoIP, Vonage, Wireless

Tagged: 3g, 4g, android, apple, free calling, ios, mobile app, mobile phone, skype, vonage, wi-fi, wireless : Related Tags: calling rates, mobile, calling, vonage, number, another

ITEXPO IP Communications Trade Show Continues Solid Growth

February 8, 2012

ITEXPO East 2012 in Miami was TMC's best show ever with over 200 booths and over 8,200 attendees. Conferee attendance for ITEXPO East increased more than 50% from 2011, resulting in dozens of standing room only sessions at ITEXPO and collocated conferences such as HTML5 Summit, M2M Evolution, Business Video Expo, Super WiFi Summit, and 4GWE. As an example, here's a photo I took at the jam-packed Ingate SIP trunking conference session:

Even with the additional third day of exhibit hall hours, foot traffic was pretty good - on a Friday no less. I heard from several exhibitors saying it was their best ITEXPO ever.

TMC's next show, ITEXPO West 2012, is scheduled to take place on October 1-4, 2012, in Austin, Texas, (the 'new' Telecom Corridor) which will be the second time in Austin after moving from Los Angeles.

Posted in ITEXPO, SIP, TMCnet, Unified Communications, VoIP, Wireless

Tagged: austin, florida, ingate, ip communications, itexpo, miami, rich tehrani, texas : Related Tags: itexpo, austin

Verizon and BT Announce Cross-Network Video Calling & Telepresence

February 8, 2012

Verizon and BT announced a deal enabling each of their respective customers initiate high-quality video conferences and telepresence sessions. I spoke with representatives from BT and Verizon to learn more about their collaboration.

Marc Hambley, Sr. Product Manager at BT explained, "We are connecting our respective telepresence exchanges together - that will allow BT clients to have meetings with Verizon clients, either hosted on BT service or Verizon service. It goes both ways equally.

Posted in Polycom, TMCnet, Unified Communications, Video Conferencing

Tagged: at&t, b2b, bt, business, cisco, interconnect, interoperability, polycom, telepresence, verizon : Related Tags: video communications, product manager, cisco telepresence, interconnect agreements, telepresence, verizon

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