SIP

Google Voice + Gizmo5 = Free Inbound & Outbound Calls

July 27, 2009

Google Voice just added SIP connectivity through Gizmo5 which basically enables FREE inbound and outbound calling! With the Gizmo5-to-Google Voice connectivity not only can you can connect any SIP device (softphone, IP phone), but you can even use regular telephones for free calls in the entire United States. Google Voice already offers DID numbers in nearly every area code, which means businesses, especially SMBs can take advantage of this without resorting to some obscure out-of-state area code.

As you already know, Google Voice already gives you FREE outbound calling in the U.S., but the missing piece of the puzzle is free INBOUND calling. Well, Gizmo5's beta service called Gizmo Voice is the final piece to the puzzle.

Posted in SIP, TMCnet, VoIP, Vonage

Grandstream GXE5024 Review

July 27, 2009

In today's increasing cost-conscious economy, SMBs are looking for feature-rich IP-PBXs at the lowest cost. Many SMBs are willing to sacrifice some advanced telephony features to just get the basics, including call transfer, three-way conferencing, auto-attendant, and voicemail. Advanced features such as call queues or call recording are nice features to have, but many SMBs aren't willing to pay for higher-end IP-PBXs with this functionality. Fortunately, Grandstream's GXE5024 and GXE5028 products not only have the "basics", they also have some advanced functionality such as call queues -- and at a reasonable price of just $899 for the GXE5024 and $1399 for the GXE5028. Grandstream sent me a GXE5024 for a test drive review.

First, the only difference between the GXE5024 and the GXE5028 is the number of analog PSTN FXO ports - 4 ports vs.

Posted in Polycom, SIP, TMCnet, VoIP

Microsoft Communicator Mobile 2007 R2 Update

July 24, 2009

Microsoft Office Communicator Mobile is a versatile Java-based unified communications client for Microsoft Office Communications Server 2007 R2. Communicator Mobile runs on Microsoft Windows Mobile 6.0 or higher which includes Pocket PC and smartphone devices.

It also supports:

Motorola Razr V3xx
Nokia S40 series: Nokia 3120 Classic, Nokia 3600 slide, Nokia 5220/5310/5610 XpressMusic, Nokia 6212 classic, Nokia 6300i, Nokia 6301, Nokia 6500 classic, Nokia 6500 slide, Nokia 6600 fold, Nokia 6600 slide, Nokia 7210/7310/7510/7610 Super Nova, Nokia 7900 Prism, Nokia 8800 Arte.
Nokia S60 series: Nokia E 51/63/66/71, Nokia N95

This month they released an important hotfix update for Communicator Mobile 2007 R2.

What's cool about Communicator Mobile 2007 R2 is that it enables users running the app on their mobile phone to make work calls using their corporate phone system leveraging "Single Number Reach" functionality. This allows you to use a single telephone number on your business card.

Posted in Gadgets, Microsoft, Mobile Phones, SIP, TMCnet, Unified Communications, VoIP, Wireless

Microsoft Office Communications Server 2007 R2 Site Resiliency White Paper

July 24, 2009

With Microsoft making increasing inroads with their Office Communications Server 2007 R2 platform, many integrators, VARs, and end-user customers are looking to find out more information on bringing the famed "five nines" (99.999%) of reliability to OCS 2007 R2.

Well, Microsoft has just released a white paper detailing how to ensure high reliability. According to Microsoft:

Using backup and restoration procedures for site disaster recovery as described in the Microsoft Office Communications Server 2007 R2 documentation library topic Backup and Restoration, can entail some downtime for users."

This white paper describes a site resiliency solution for Office Communications Server 2007 R2. The solution includes an Enterprise pool that spans two geographically separate sites.

Posted in Microsoft, SIP, TMCnet, Unified Communications, Video Conferencing

Microsoft OCS 2007 R2 XMPP Gateway?

July 24, 2009

I came across a Microsoft page that lists "OCS R2 XMPP Gateway" with a General Availability date of 9/28/09. Very interesting. This would enable for example Google Talk (XMPP) users to instant message (IM) OCS users. Jabber XCP has a "SIP/SIMPLE gateway" as well, but I would assume a Microsoft OCS 2007 R2 XMPP gateway might feature tighter integration.

For instance, it might automatically sync the XMPP users with the OCS 2007 contact list, so any users added to the XMPP server are automatically added to the OCS 2007 contact database, which then gets pushed out to all the OCS 2007 Communicator clients.

Posted in Google, Microsoft, SIP, TMCnet, Unified Communications, VoIP

Next-gen iPod touch Features Mic, Video, and VoIP?

July 21, 2009

Wired
is reporting rumors about Apple preparing a new version of the iPod touch that includes a camera and microphone, which when combined with Skype for the iPod touch would negate the need for a home phone line. VoIP on an iPod touch? That's just heresy! Essentially, the iPod touch becomes an iPhone without the need for an AT&T contract.

The article then points out you can add a portable Verizon MiFi 3G wireless access point, which shares your 3G connection using WiFi to finally bring the iPhone experience to Verizon's 3G network.

Posted in Apple, Gadgets, Home Entertainment, Internet, SIP, TMCnet, VoIP, Wireless

Nimbuzz VoIP/IM App Has huge Apple App Store Marketshare

July 16, 2009

With yesterday's news about the new Nimbuzz for iPhone app and the launch of a Nimbuzz Mac client, I contacted Tobias Kemper, Head of Communications for Nimbuzz and asked him a question about DTMF/touch-tone support in any pending release.

Any plans for DTMF support?

Noticed when I tested it by calling my Skype for SIP account matched up to my corporate PBX that I couldn't reach my extension since there is no dialpad once the call is initiated.

I know touchtones are tricky when sent over an IP connection, which is what RFC 2833 is for. However, RFC 2833 is probably impossible for you guys to support.

However, I've found if you simulate the exact frequency tones and send that as a long tone - say 0.5s long, 99% of the time it gets transmitted just fine. Can often get away with ¼ of a second as well.

Posted in Asterisk, Gadgets, Mobile Phones, SIP, Skype, TMCnet, Unified Communications, VoIP, Wireless

Military Suspension Plan from VoIP Providers - Who's Going to Step Up?

June 24, 2009

I received an email from a U.S. military service person asking me if I was aware of any VoIP service providers offering a "military suspension plan" which allows U.S. military members to "suspend" your contract without paying monthly fees.

Mr. Tom Keating,

I'm a current customer of Vonage, but have recently been disappointed by them. You see, being in the military, deployments do not allow us to use our regular phones, for obvious reasons.

Posted in SIP, Skype, TMCnet, VoIP

flaphone, the Flash Web-based SIP-to-SIP & SIP-to-Skype VoIP App, Adds New Features

June 18, 2009

Flaphone has done some updates to their Flash-based VoIP application. Back in 2007 I broke the story about the first Adobe Flash-based SIP VoIP app called Flashphone, later renamed Flaphone. Flaphone is a web-based SIP softphone that uses ubiquitous Flash (Mac, PC, Linux), to enable you to make or receive calls to/from all SIP phones and SIP services, including Yahoo! Messenger, MSN Messenger, and Google Talk. You can make free web-based Flash calls to Yahoo! Messenger, MSN Messenger, and Google Talk (gtalk) users.

Posted in SIP, Skype, TMCnet, Unified Communications, VoIP

sipgate enters U.S VoIP Broadband Market offering free calls

June 2, 2009

Today, sipgate is launching a new free VoIP broadband phone service called sipgate one. sipgate one is similar to Vonage, Packet8, and other broadband VoIP providers, but with some additional cool features and a fairly unique pricing plan. For instance, you get a free telephone number, no set-up costs and no monthly charges or minimums.

I spoke with sipgate CEO Thilo Salmon to find out more about sipgate one.

Posted in Mobile Phones, Packet8, Reviews, SIP, Skype, Unified Communications, VoIP, Vonage, Wireless

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