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VoIP news, trends, and opinions, VoIP reviews. Covering Asterisk, Cisco, Grandstream, Polycom, Microsoft, Vonage, Packet8, etc.

Mark Spencer AsteriCon 2012 Keynote! [VIDEO]

October 24, 2012

Yesterday, I posted a bunch of AstriCon photos, including panoramic photos and even a 360 degree panoramic. Well today I've got some video for ya! Here's Mark Spencer, Founder of Asterisk, giving the opening keynote address at AstriCon 2012 in Atlanta, Georgia. This took place about an hour ago. I would have had this up even quicker, but I'm struggling with sporadic Wi-Fi and even 4G coverage in the hotel. Too many Asterisk geeks with too many wireless gadgets overloading the wireless access points since the Wi-Fi in my hotel room works just fine using the same bandwidth connection. In any event, enjoy!

[It's HD, so click for full-screen]

Posted in Asterisk, Linux, TMCnet, Unified Communications, VoIP

AstriCon 2012 Exhibit Floor Panoramic Photos

October 23, 2012

Though I would share some AstriCon 2012 exhibit floor photos. The Digium booth was pretty mobbed the entire evening. I was able to meet with Vitelity's Kerry Garrison, Digium's Leslie Conway and Mark Amick, Schmooze Communications and too many other to list. Make sure to click the photos for a full-sized image, especially the panoramic images, which is all of them except for the first image below.

Posted in Asterisk, SIP, Unified Communications, VoIP

AstriCon 2012 360 Degree Panoramic

October 23, 2012

I know many of you Asterisk fans couldn't make AstriCon here in Atlanta, Georgia, so I've got the next best thing for you to be here virtually - a 360 degree panoramic of a packed Asterisk 123 session using Microsoft PhotoSynth. Don't say I never do nothing for ya!

Note: Use mouse to move around the panoramic image.

Posted in Asterisk, Unified Communications, VoIP

Skype for Windows 8 Launches Simultaneously with Windows 8 & Microsoft Surface

October 22, 2012

I predicted back in August, "I wouldn't be surprised though if this [Skype for Windows 8] simultaneously launches the same day as the Windows 8 Surface tablet - it certainly would be one of the first apps I'd try out on the new tablet. "

Well, looks like I was right. Microsoft is releasing Skype for Windows 8 on the same date that Windows 8 and the Microsoft Surface tablet launches. I gave an early preview of the Skype for Windows app, which you can check out.

Looking at Microsoft's promotional video (below) it appears to show a later, more refined version than the beta I checked out.

Posted in Gadgets, Microsoft, Skype, TMCnet, Tablets, Video Conferencing, VoIP

ringDNA iPad Softphone Integrates with Salesforce.com

October 4, 2012

ringDNA offers an interesting iPad softphone app that integrates with CRM, namely Salesforce.com. Very similar in some respects to Hookflash run by Erik Lagerway. They pitched this product during StartupCamp6 at ITEXPO. It's a pretty nifty product due to its ability to pull up customer data, what I'll call "smart screenpop" on your iPad. It can leverage a Bluetooth headset for the phone call audio. I said tablets would one day replace the desktop phone and here's a vendor looking to do just that! Here's a photo of their product pitch:

Posted in VoIP

Phonism Cloud-based IP phone provisioning services

October 4, 2012

Phonism pitches their cloud-based IP phone auto-provisioning service targeting service providers. It aims to make provisioning easier as well as monitor endpoints. However, RFC 6011 User Agent Configuration aims to make auto-provisioning of SIP endpoints easy as well. So easy in fact, that the goal would be you could buy a SIP phone from Amazon.com, take it home and then enter a number on the keypad to automatically provision the phone with the cloud-based provider of choice.

Posted in VoIP

Microsoft Lync Pavillion at ITEXPO Features PlayStation 3?

October 4, 2012

I was passing by the huge Microsoft Lync Pavillion at ITEXPO, when my eyes spotted two large screens with a racing game being played in the Microsoft Lync Pavillion. The woman told me it's a timed competition with prizes being given. I fully expected to see a Microsoft Xbox 360 under the TV monitors when what do my eyes see? Two Sony PlayStation 3s - one under each TV. Oh the sweet irony.

See, now when you come to ITEXPO it's not all work and no play. Ok, now back to walking the show floor after I attempt to beat the best racing time!

Posted in ITEXPO, Lync, Microsoft, Unified Communications, VoIP

E911 on Mobile VoIP is Seriously Broken - Here's How to Fix It

October 3, 2012

I moderated an interesting session at ITEXPO on E911 with a focus on cloud-based hosted IP-PBXs. Hosted PBX providers offer their customers significant cost savings and an advanced telephony features while eliminating the need for customers to procure and manage their own communications network infrastructures. However, the need – and regulatory mandate – for emergency services brings with it a host of challenges for these providers, including servicing nomadic users within and beyond the service provider coverage footprint, meeting FCC/CRTC, state and local E911 regulations, and efficiently provisioning and maintaining customer records in 911 databases.

One of the more fascinating discussions revolved around PBX vendors offering their own SIP softphones for mobile devices (iOS, Android, etc.) and it's impact on 911 emergency dialing.

Posted in Android, Apple, ITEXPO, Mobile Phones, SIP, Tablets, VoIP, Wireless

DIGITALK, the One-Stop Shop for Wholesale Carriers & Service Providers

October 3, 2012

AT ITEXPO Paul Bassa, VP Product Marketing gave me an overview of U.K.-based DIGITALK, which offers platform and application products backed by full services support, that offers provisioning, prepaid charging, payments, and carrier routing to minimize operations overheads and maximize service margins. They offer pre-sales consultancy, through installation and commissioning, to worldwide 24x7 SLAs.

They offer a mobile VoIP app on consumer side and allow service providers to white label the app and they help with the Apple iTunes app submission process. The mobile VoIP app has prepaid capabilities built-in, allowing you to simply enter a PIN to activate.

They build all their own products, including their own session border controller (SBC) and can do carrier to carrier routing, management, SIP trunking, wholesale billing, and reporting. They also have a Web API to allow you to build your own portals.

Posted in ITEXPO, SIP, Video Conferencing, VoIP, Wireless

Novus Distributes First Enhanced Media Gateway for Microsoft Lync Server 2013

October 2, 2012

Novus, a boutique telecommunications and IP distributor serving value-added resellers throughout North America, announced today the distribution of Ferrari electronic’s OfficeMaster Gate media gateway featuring recently released firmware that supports the new features of the next generation Microsoft Lync Server 2013, including the IPv6 protocol. Novus is the official distributor of Ferrari electronic products for the North American market.

Ferrari electronic worked in close collaboration with the Microsoft Lync product team in Redmond, Washington to develop the new firmware for the OfficeMaster Gate media gateway and it has been rigorously tested at Microsoft over the last few months. The new firmware from Ferrari electronic was released to coincide with the availability of the Lync 2013 Preview on July 16, 2012.

“Ferrari electronic is currently the only European manufacturer of an enhanced gateway certified for Microsoft Lync Server 2010, and it’s the first manufacturer to integrate its gateway with Lync Server 2013,” said Novus Managing Partner Chris Meehan. “This creates a compelling value proposition for resellers because they can install software-based OfficeMaster Gate gateway cards now as proof of concepts and deliver a highly scalable gateway solution with a tremendous ROI to small and medium-sized businesses looking for Lync migration solutions.”

Novus offers the Ferrari electronic OfficeMaster Gate media gateway and OfficeMaster SBA survivable branch appliance to resellers in flexible configurations as either appliances or PCI boards.

“Resellers will find the licensing options particularly appealing, since they can optionally configure gateway and survivable branch appliance functionality on a single card to reduce power consumption, minimize rack space and further reduce costs while benefitting from ongoing improvements through firmware upgrades that are free of charge within the current revision,” added Meehan.

To further incentivize resellers to deploy the Lync Server 2013-ready OfficeMaster Gate media gateway, Novus is announcing a free comprehensive private training program for resellers who sign up to carry the Ferrari electronic products.

Posted in ITEXPO, Lync, Microsoft, SIP, TMCnet, Unified Communications, VoIP

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