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September 2013

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Odyssey Telecommunications The Mecca of Used Telecom Equipment?

September 24, 2013

Odyssey Telecommunications is a relatively new company started up in Buffalo, New York. Odyssey Telecommunications helps telecommunications and VoIP manufacturers, resellers and service providers liquidate overstock, used and new equipment through its online and offline channels.

Odyssey Telecommunications was recently named to Inc Magazine’s annual list of the fastest growing companies in the United States. With three year sales revenue growth of 1,140%, Odyssey Telecommunications was ranked the #388 on the list and had $3.3 million in revenue in 2012. Ironically, VoIP Supply is also in Buffalo, NY, so I pondered to myself, since when/how/ and why did Buffalo, NY become the mecca of both used (Odyssey Telecommunications) and new (VoIP Supply) telecom equipment?

To find out more I interviewed Justin Wekenmann, Co-Founder and EVP of Odyssey Telecommunications.

1)      Tell me a little bit about your founding members, where they came from, and how Odyssey Telecommunications got started





FreePBX Acquiring Major Developer Talent

September 23, 2013

The FreePBX and Schmooze Communications team have been on a tear, acquiring some legendary FreePBX and Asterisk talent! Derek Peloquin, joined Schmooze in August taking with him his nearly 8 years of experience with the Asterisk Project and Community. In his previous role as Senior Technical Trainer at Digium Inc, Derek provided Instructor Led Training and seminars as well as developing classroom curriculum, certification exams and online training videos.

Also in August, Jason Parker joined the FreePBX/Schmooze team. Jason is a former Asterisk developer at Digium and was responsible for leading the creation and maintenance of the FreePBX-based distro AsteriskNOW. Jason also known as “Qwell” on IRC has given presentations at Asterisk events such as AstriCon where I even took some video of his 2011 AstriCon speaking engagement.

Now if these two big names in the Asterisk/FreePBX space weren't big enough, Rob Thomas, the former lead developer & project manager of FreePBX is a FreePBX legend and has returned!



How Skype Changed the World!

September 17, 2013


Want to hear the story of how an Estonian startup changed the communications landscape forever? With the 10 year anniversary this year, Microsoft has written an online history book on Skype with the following intro, "In one rather turbulent decade, Skype transformed itself from a rowdy Estonian startup to a multibillion-dollar Microsoft asset. Skype has significantly changed the way the world communicates, obliterating the notion of distance, whether it’s a soldier using Skype to experience the birth of his child, an explorer speaking to a classroom of children from beneath the ocean, or pair of young lovers who leave Skype running as they fall asleep hundreds of miles apart – but still together."

It's a fascinating read complete with pictures, infographics, slideshows, paginated chapters and more. If you are a Skype aficionado, go take a gander.


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