Vonage, which is in U.S. beta trials with handsets from VTech and UTStarcom, plans to bring to bring the handsets out in the U.S. at the end of the summer or early autumn, said Kerry Ritz, Vonage's U.K. managing director. Ritz also disclosed that the company is in alpha trials with business customers for video-over-IP conferencing services.Get the full story here.]]>
Austin, TX (PRWEB) February 25, 2005 -- HBF Group, Inc., North America’s E9-1-1 technology leader, today announced an agreement with PointOne, operator of the largest Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) network in North America, to provide 9-1-1 services to their StarPoint IP™ digital phone customers. HBF’s i-911™ VoIP Solution was chosen by PointOne because of its ability to deliver both the subscribers callback number and location information to the appropriate Public Safety Answering Point (PSAP) that serves their customer’s current location.
]]> HBF’s i-911™ VoIP Solution is the latest offering from HBF, which has been deploying 9-1-1 wireline and wireless solutions in the United States and Canada since 1985. A key feature of the i-911™ solution is that it can route emergency calls for both the fixed subscriber whose location is constant and the nomadic subscriber who moves the location of their VoIP device often. To date, 9-1-1 support for the nomadic VoIP user has been problematic. Many 9-1-1 selective routers are unable to support the needs of nomadic subscribers since they cannot deliver an out-of-area code number to a PSAP. With i-911™, a nomadic subscriber can update their new location information in real-time and have their 9-1-1 call delivered to the appropriate PSAP in their new area. “It is crucial that VoIP services enable subscribers to move their service into different area codes and be able to reach the appropriate PSAP for their current location,” said Mike Holloway, President and CEO of PointOne. “i-911’s™ advanced technology delivers the safety and security required during a VoIP 9-1-1 call.”As compared with other VoIP 9-1-1 solutions that rely on infrastructure which may be limited to major metropolitan areas, HBF’s i-911™ is being deployed throughout the United States and Canada. “Our i-911™ is the best solution for a progressive company like PointOne”, said Hank Johnson, CEO of HBF. “It meets the safety needs of their customers today and allows for a natural migration path to future solutions as VoIP standards and technologies progress.”
HBF will be demonstrating the i-911™ VoIP Solution at the 2005 Spring VON (Voice on the Net) Conference and Expo, Booth 1430, March 7-10, in San Jose, CA.
About HBF
HBF Group, Inc. is the 9-1-1 technology leader providing cutting edge solutions to the 9-1-1 industry. HBF deployed the first state-wide Enhanced 9-1-1 system in the United States as well as the first province-wide Enhanced 9-1-1 system in Canada. HBF participates actively in the standard-setting bodies of NENA and ESIF, particularly for VoIP and XML technologies. For more information, visit www.hbfgroup.com or call 512.481.0911.
About PointOne
PointOne operates the largest VoIP network in North America. The 100% enhanced services IP network incorporates industry-leading, next generation technology end-to-end, coupled with patented, proprietary IP applications and processes. PointOne’s class of service quality has earned the company industry-wide recognition. Additionally, the company is recognized as a 2002 and 2004 Pulver 100 company and was named Internet Telephony 2004 service provider of the year. PointOne, established in 1998, is a privately held company headquartered in Austin, Texas. For more information, please visit our website at www.pointone.com or contact us at 512-735-1200.
Media Contact:
HBF Group, Inc.
Phyllis Williams
512.481.0911
Skype now allows it's VoIP service users to send and receive SMS messages. SMS (stands for short message service) messages are short (<160 characters) text messages that can be sent to many mobile phones and instant messaging services.
]]> Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) services such as Skype are based on the same technological underpinnings as instant messages, which appear on PC desktops. Net phone operators are using text messaging to create a bridge between mobile phones and PC desktopGet the full story here.]]>Cable provider Adelphia is diving into the VoIP arena with technology and services from Nortel.
]]> Adelphia Communications Corporation, the fifth largest cable television corporation in the United States, has selected voice over IP (VoIP) solutions and Global Services from Nortel to extend a suite of telephone services to residential customers in selected Adelphia markets. Get the full story here.]]>Voice over Internet Protocol, though used in call centers since 1997, is just now reaching a point where it can save a large amount of call center operating costs, Yankee Group senior analyst Art Schoeller says. “VoIP is reaching a tipping point for call centers,” he says.Get the full story here.]]>
Verso has purchased VoIP assets from Jacksonville Technology Associates.
The deal includes $50,000 in cash, 950,000 shares of Verso stock and assumption of liabilities totaling some $625,000. Verso also granted some additional shares linked to performance.Get the full story here.]]>Verso stock (Nasdaq: VRSO) closed Thursday at 42 cents.
Is AOL entering the VoIP fray? According to ZDNet Australia they are.
AOL has been testing a U.S.-based phone service with volunteers since last summer, and it launched a similar service in Canada in December. The online giant plans to introduce its VoIP, or voice over Internet Protocol, product to U.S. subscribers in mid-March and then offer it to nonmembers later this year, according to sources familiar with the plan.]]> Sources say that the service will be competitively priced, but nothing more specific is available at time of this article. We'll post further details as they become available. Get the full story here.]]>
(PRWEB) February 25, 2005 -- The Vonage® VoIP Forum (www.vonage-forum.com) recently added a new forum to it’s website; Vonage® Canada en Français(www.vonage-forum.com/forum7.html). With the addition of the new forum, the Vonage® VoIP Forums 6600 registered members and non-members alike will be able to discuss the Vonage® Canada product in French. The Vonage® VoIP Forum, which contains more than 120,000 pages of Vonage® related content including over 1700 news articles, added the new forum in an effort to support the overwhelming popularity of the Vonage® broadband phone service in Canada.
]]> The Vonage® VoIP Forum is used by potential and existing customers alike and is an excellent resource for anyone who needs help installing the Vonage® VoIP phone service on their broadband Internet connection, particularly those choosing not to do a normal Vonage® plug-n-play setup, such as on a shared connection in a hotel or in a campus environment. For experienced VoIP users there are many technical discussions to draw from.The Vonage® VoIP Forum is lightly moderated and all questions are normally replied to within minutes. With over 6600 registered users there is always someone to help or give advice. The Vonage® VoIP Forum is operated independent from Vonage Holdings Corp.
About Vonage®
Vonage is redefining communications by offering consumers and small businesses an affordable alternative to traditional telephone service. The fastest growing telephony company in North America, Vonage's service area encompasses more than 2000 active rate centers in over 150 global markets. Vonage is sold directly through vonage.com and retail partners such as SAM's Club, Amazon.com, RadioShack, Best Buy, Circuit City, Staples, Fry’s Electronics, Office Depot and CompUSA. Wholesale partners such as EarthLink, Armstrong®, Advanced Cable Communications and the Coldwater Board of Public Utilities resell the Vonage broadband phone service under their own unique brands. With more than 400,000 lines in service, Vonage continues to add more than 30,000 lines per month to its network. Over 10 million calls per week are made using Vonage, the easy-to-use, feature-rich, flat rate phone service. Vonage is headquartered in Edison, New Jersey.
For more information about Vonage's products and services, please visit vonage.com or call 1-VONAGE-HELP. Vonage®, Vonage Digital VoiceTM, Toll Free PlusSM and Virtual Phone NumberSM are trademarks of Vonage Holdings Corp.
]]>Today, in an effort to give back to the VOIP community, Junction Networks, a leading VOIP application provider, announced the release of a free conference bridge, LinX Conference, to all IAX and SIP customers.
]]> As long as the user connects to the Junction Networks conference bridge via IAX or SIP from their Asterisk or other VOIP PBX, the conference bridge service is free. Users can reserve their conference bridge via a Web-based interface that is accessed from the company home page, http://www.junctionnetworks.com."We recognize that there is an underserved community of companies deploying VOIP PBXs," said CEO Michael Oeth. "Thousands of companies have taken a leap into the future by deploying next-generation VOIP PBXs. But as soon as they go to join a conference bridge, they have to revert back to the old-fashioned toll system with per minute charges. LinX Conference is the first in a line of applications from Junction Networks that will allow enterprises to fully leverage VOIP as a communications standard.”
"As VOIP standards evolve, there are many types of call protocols and platforms out there. This is the first product we have seen that enables SIP, IAX, toll and toll-free callers to all be on the same conference call simultaneously.” said CIO John Riordan. Additionally, the LinX Conference Service is listed on both DUNDi™ (Distributed Universal Number Discovery) and ENUM directories.
This is the first of many VOIP applications to come from the developers at Junction Networks.
During the initial beta test, even calls using traditional toll numbers are free.
About Junction Networks
Junction Networks is a leading voice and data network services company with over 25 years of leadership and experience in the telecommunications and e-business industries. Leading the convergence of voice and data communications, Junction Networks helps customers leverage existing and new networks to achieve superior business results. For more information visit the Junction Networks Web site at http://www.junctionnetworks.com.
For more information contact:
Robert Wolpov
Rob@junctionnetworks.com
(646) 459-0757 x 7002
LAKE BUENA VISTA, Fla., Feb. 7 - In response to the soaring demand for services that leverage the benefits of VoIP while complementing existing infrastructure, BroadSoft(R) today announced a significant opportunity for enterprises. Using the company's BroadWorks(R) platform, businesses can now access a full slate of enhanced VoIP features while keeping their PBX or IP PBX equipment. It is the first opportunity for enterprises to complement and integrate on-site PBX functions with advanced VoIP and multimedia applications hosted by a service provider.
]]> Some of the additional hosted features that enterprises can now leverage range from voice VPN, auto attendant, call center and unified messaging to videoconferencing, instant messaging and Microsoft Outlook integration. BroadSoft, the world's premier provider of VoIP application software, is the first to make these new services available through SIP (Session Initiation Protocol) interworking on its BroadWorks platform.This innovative new SIP interworking brings multidimensional benefits to the enterprise. Other competitive applications require a costly gateway device for companies to connect premises-based equipment and the public switched telephone network (PSTN) to VoIP infrastructure (also known as business trunking). However, through SIP, BroadWorks provides wide-area connectivity to the enterprise without this economic burden. Additionally, it enables enterprises to unify IP voice and multimedia features across sites employing PBX, key systems or IP PBX equipment. With SIP interworking, enterprises are also extended the benefit of integrating largely proprietary systems with network services.
Cbeyond, a 100% VoIP-based local exchange carrier serving more than 120,000 subscribers, is among the first service providers to deploy the new BroadWorks SIP interworking application (see today's related release: Cbeyond Selects BroadSoft to Provide Advanced VoIP and Multimedia Features of SIPConnect Trunking Service).
"Unifying communications platforms from different vendors, if it could be done at all, has always meant surrendering enhanced functionality to a least-common-denominator set of features," says Joe McGarvey, senior analyst at Current Analysis. "BroadSoft's SIP interworking application, however, enables enterprises to unite disparate platforms while still using sophisticated network features."
Competitive local exchange carriers (CLECs), including McLeod USA and USLEC, are also using the BroadWorks platform to offer the benefits of advanced VoIP applications to their extensive base of enterprise customers using premises-based PBXs or IP PBXs.
"Businesses with a combination of equipment from multiple vendors across geographically dispersed sites can now deploy the same next-generation features across all locations and users," said Michael Tessler, president and CEO of BroadSoft.
"With BroadSoft, enterprises can now integrate the most advanced business productivity applications and experience significant telecommunications cost-savings with existing and traditional telephone services, without waiting to amortize the cost of installed on-site equipment."
BroadSoft's BroadWorks provides a comprehensive range of VoIP applications, including hosted PBX, business trunking, residential broadband, hosted key system and IP multimedia services fully integrated into a single hosted communications platform. BroadWorks is uniquely capable of providing these applications with the reliability, redundancy, scalability and regulatory capabilities required to deliver carrier-class service.
About BroadSoft
BroadSoft's VoIP application software is revolutionizing the delivery of hosted telephony and multimedia services. Its flagship BroadWorks(R) technology empowers wireless and wireline carriers to deliver next-generation voice and multimedia applications and advanced features that increase revenue, enhance competitive differentiation and elevate customer satisfaction. BroadSoft's family of carrier-class software products delivers the scale, open architecture, and reliability that the world's leading telecommunications companies demand to serve mission-critical enterprise and residential broadband customers. BroadSoft's customer base of more than 90 network operators, including BellSouth, MCI, SingTel, Telstra and XO Communications, leads the industry with more than 750,000 lines deployed. Additional information is available at http://www.broadsoft.com/
BroadSoft and BroadWorks are registered trademarks of BroadSoft, Inc. All other names are trademarks of their respective companies.
CONTACT: Hilary Tomasson of BroadSoft, +1-240-364-5147, htomasson@broadsoft.com
Contacts:
Public Relations:
Calysto Communications
Cameron Smith
USA
Phone: 404-266-2060 ext 19
General Information:
Hilary Tomasson
USA
Phone: 240-364-5147
CHICAGO--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Feb. 2, 2005--PCTEL, Inc., a global leader in simplifying mobility, announced today that it had completed development on a VoIP-Enabled Roaming Client (Roaming Client-VE). The Roaming Client-VE, when deployed with a compatible server, permits users to initiate and receive calls using a single number on cellular and IP networks. The initial release operates over GSM and Wi-Fi networks. Later releases will incorporate CDMA standards.
]]> The Roaming Client VE provides industry-leading features, including connection management, profile management, Wi-Fi HotSpot authentication and 802.1x / WPA security, on wireless networks. Additionally, the Roaming Client-VE includes a Voice Dialer that operates on both cellular and IP networks. The Roaming Client-VE utilizes SIM-EAP for authentication. Using a single user interface, a user can share contacts, call histories, and other common phone features. Utilizing the latest converged devices (e.g., a 3G/WiFi Smart Phone), consumers will be able to initiate a VoIP call from a Wi-Fi HotSpot and then maintain that call while roaming onto a cellular network, when supported by the appropriate infrastructure. The initial release will roam in standby mode."PCTEL continues to set the standard in connection management utilities," said Marty Singer, PCTEL's Chairman and CEO. "Voice will be the killer app for some time to come and VoIP has already changed the industry. Meaningful connection management applications must enable VoIP roaming across networks," added Singer.
PCTEL developed its Roaming Client-VE in cooperation with a leading MobileVoIP infrastructure vendor. The commercial relationship will be announced at the 3GSM World Congress, scheduled for February 14-17 in Cannes, France. The system will be demonstrated at that time. PCTEL will be exhibiting its scanning and test tools as well as its Roaming Client products at the Congress (Hall 2, Booth E25).
PCTEL currently supplies its Roaming Client products to T-Mobile (U.S.), Cingular, SBC, NTT DoCoMo, NTT Communications, GoRemote and others. The product includes a powerful back-end server (Central Configuration Server) that enables complete carrier control over the contents and use of the client.
About PCTEL
PCTEL, founded in March 1994, is a global leader in simplifying mobility. PCTEL's Mobility Solutions' (http://mobilitysolutions.pctel.com) software tools provide secure, access independent, remote connectivity. PCTEL's RF Solutions' (http://rfsolutions.pctel.com) portfolio of OEM receivers and receiver-based products are used to measure and monitor cellular networks. PCTEL's Antenna Products Group (http://maxrad.pctel.com) designs, distributes, and supports innovative antenna solutions that facilitate and simplify wireless communications. PCTEL protects its leadership position with a portfolio of more than 130 analog and broadband communications and wireless patents, issued or pending, including key and essential patents for modem technology. The company's products are sold or licensed to wireless carriers, wireless ISPs, distributors, wireless test and measurement companies, system integrators, PC manufacturers and PC card and board manufacturers. PCTEL headquarters are located at 8725 West Higgins Road, Suite 400, Chicago, IL 60631. Telephone: 773-243-3000. For more information, please visit our web site at: http://www.pctel.com.
PCTEL Safe Harbor Statement
This press release contains forward-looking statements as defined in the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Specifically, these forward looking statements include, but are not limited to, statements regarding the potential benefits from the distribution and use of a newly developed VoIP-Enabled Roaming Client that permits users to initiate and receive calls using a single number on cellular and IP networks. These statements are based on PCTEL's current expectations and anticipated customer benefits and product capabilities may differ materially from those projected as a result of certain risks and uncertainties. These risks and uncertainties include, but are not limited to, PCTEL's success at marketing, selling and supporting these products; potential delays or errors in product development; whether such products achieve market acceptance; PCTEL's ability to forecast customer requirements; competition from other providers of wireless technology, and pricing uncertainties with respect to these products. The risks and uncertainties in PCTEL's business, including but not limited to those detailed from time to time in PCTEL's Securities and Exchange Commission filings, can affect results. These forward-looking statements are made only as of the date hereof, and PCTEL disclaims any obligation to update or revise the information contained in any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise.
Contact:
PCTEL, Inc.
John Schoen, 773-243-3000
or
Jack Seller (Public Relations), 773-243-3016
jack.seller@pctel.com
Source: PCTEL, Inc.
]]>DSP Group's new chipset is integrated on a single platform and enables advanced cordless voice communication abilities. This unique solution enables new communication devices to work with traditional fixed-line telephony, as well as VoIP telephony.
"DSP Group's new innovative chipset provides consumers with home communication technologies on a single platform, thus simplifying product design and operation, and drastically reducing time to market," said Victor Koretsky, Vice President of Sales and Marketing for DSP Group. "Such a unique platform takes advantage of advanced communication services while combining many popular applications as voice and instant messaging without any PC connection. We are delighted to be aligned with such a pioneering broadband company as Westell," Mr. Koretsky added.
This latest technology agreement is evidence of Westell's strategy of broadening beyond its traditional modem, router and gateway portfolio. A new communication device based on the new integrated chipsets provided by DSP Group was recently announced by Westell for general availability mid year 2005.
About DSPG
DSP Group, Inc. is a fabless semiconductor company, offering advanced chipsets solutions for a variety of applications. DSP Group is a world leader in the short-range wireless communication market, enabling home networking convergence for voice, video & data. By combining its in-house technologies of Digital Signal Processors (DSP's), portfolio of wireless communication protocols, including DECT, Bluetooth and WiFi, most advanced Radio Frequency CMOS and SiGe, as well as VoIP ICs, DSP Group is a world leader and a one-stop-shop for a wide range of applications. These applications include, but are not limited to: ISM band digital 900MHz, 2.4GHz, 5.8GHz telephony, European DECT (1.9GHz) telephony, Bluetooth systems for voice, data and video communication and are deployed in residential, SOHO, SME, enterprise and automotive applications. DSP Group ICs provide solutions for MP3 players, VoIP Phones, Gateways, and Integrated Access Devices (IAD's) and are widely used in Digital Voice Recorders (DVR's). More information about DSP Group is available at www.dspg.com.
For more information contact:
DSP Group Inc.:
Yaniv Arieli
President of US Operations
Investor Relations
408-986-4423
yarieli@dspg.com
Source: DSP Group, Inc.
EATONTOWN, N.J., Feb. 1 /PRNewswire/ -- Quintum Technologies, a leading innovator in VoIP technology, announced today that the US Navy has operationally demonstrated its Tenor VoIP switching platform as an effective solution for implementing highly efficient secure ship-to-shore voice communications. During the Navy's Trident Warrior '04 (TW04) exercise in October 2004, the Automated Digital Network System (ADNS) demonstrated the Navy's ability to use Quintum's Tenor switches to eliminate outmoded, inefficient time division multiplexing (TDM) voice network connections in favor of the converged transport of both voice and data communications over a more economical common IP-based satellite link.
]]> With the Tenor switching platform, unencrypted ship-to-shore VoIP calls required approximately 8.5 kbps of network bandwidth, versus the 8 kbps to 64 kbps per channel required under TDM. Use of a common network link for voice and data traffic also allowed the Navy to dynamically allocate additional available network bandwidth for data since voice utilization is typically less than 20%, so that data applications can benefit from increased bandwidth over 80% of the time. In addition, the Tenor-enabled VoIP connectivity can be used for secure telephone calls and fax transmission. Quintum provided the Navy with customized software to support its requirements for secure VoIP calls. The Tenor switches successfully supported encrypted STU-III calls over IP at 24 kbps gross bandwidth.Other benefits of the Tenor platform include the capability to use multiple paths for IP traffic, which improved service availability from 53% to 90%, and consistently high call quality.
Just as important, the implementation did not require the Navy to replace or modify any of its existing phones, PBXs or IP network infrastructure. Quintum Tenor VoIP MultiPath Switches have a unique MultiPath architecture and intelligent call routing capabilities which make them particularly well-suited for integration with existing telephony environments and for simplified implementation on existing IP data networks.
"This pilot project validates VoIP as a transport for ship-to-shore voice and fax communications in general and the Quintum Tenor platform in particular," said Callis Goodrich of SPAWAR Systems Center San Diego, Chief Engineer of the US Navy Automated Digital Network System (ADNS). "Quintum's robust technology and responsive technical support services enabled ADNS to demonstrate how our next-generation network architecture can create the more robust communication environment required to support increasingly complex military operations - while at the same time reducing infrastructure costs."
One of the primary objectives of ADNS is to move the Navy to a fully IP-based transport architecture with differentiated Quality of Service (QoS) for various applications. The demonstration of the Tenors during the TW04 exercises specifically focused on the use of VoIP on a small ship.
"The Navy's testing of Quintum's Tenor solution during its TW04 exercises demonstrates once again the adaptability of our VoIP switching architecture in supporting a full range of communication environments and how easy we make it for organizations of all types to reap the full potential benefits of VoIP," said Chuck Rutledge, Vice President of Marketing for Quintum Technologies. "It is particularly rewarding to see our technology deployed in a way that could substantially benefit US military forces as they perform duties of such a vital nature to our nation and the world."
About Quintum
Headquartered in Eatontown, NJ, Quintum specializes in voice-over-IP technologies that bring reliability and voice clarity of public telephone networks to Internet telephony. Its Tenor VoIP MultiPath switch product lines are designed to help businesses of all sizes achieve a risk-free migration to a converged network. Quintum's Tenor product line offers a wide range of unique features that differentiate it from other VoIP solutions. These features include real time PSTN failover that eliminates risk from poor IP Quality of Service, MultiPath call routing allowing easy installation into existing data and telecom environments, and transparent communication across NAT (network address translation) firewalls. Quintum Technologies sells its MultiPath switches worldwide through its direct sales force and a network of resellers and distributors. For more information call 1-877-SPEAK IP (1-877-773-2547), 732-460-9000 outside the US, or visit http://www.quintum.com .
Contact: Joanne Lowy
Quintum Technologies, Inc.
71 James Way
Eatontown, NJ 07724
732-460-9000 ext. 238
joanne_lowy@quintum.com
Source: Quintum Technologies
(PRWEB) January 27, 2005 -- The Vonage® VoIP Forum ( www.vonage-forum.com ) recently added two new forums to it’s website; Vonage® Canada ( www.vonage-forum.com/forum5.html ) and Vonage® UK ( www.vonage-forum.com/forum6.html ). With the addition of the two new forums, the Vonage® VoIP Forums 5300 registered members and non-members alike will be able to discuss the Vonage® product in a more organized setting. The Vonage® VoIP Forum, which contains more than 87,000 pages of Vonage® related content including over 1650 news articles, added the new forums in an effort to support the overwhelming popularity of the Vonage® broadband phone service in both Canada and the UK.
]]> The Vonage® Forum is used by potential and existing customers alike and is an excellent resource for anyone who needs help installing the Vonage® VoIP phone service on their broadband Internet connection, particularly those choosing not to do a normal Vonage® plug-n-play setup, such as on a shared connection in a hotel or in a campus environment. For experienced VoIP users there are many technical discussions to draw from.The Vonage® VoIP Forum is lightly moderated and all questions are normally replied to within minutes. With over 5300 registered users there is always someone to help or give advice. The Vonage® VoIP Forum is operated independent from Vonage Holdings Corp.
About Vonage®
Vonage is redefining communications by offering consumers and small businesses an affordable alternative to traditional telephone service. The fastest growing telephony company in North America, Vonage's service area encompasses more than 2000 active rate centers in over 150 global markets. Vonage is sold directly through vonage.com and retail partners such as Amazon.com, RadioShack, Best Buy, Circuit City, Staples, Fry’s Electronics, Office Depot and CompUSA. Wholesale partners such as EarthLink, ARMSTRONG®, Advanced Cable Communications and the Coldwater Board of Public Utilities resell the Vonage broadband phone service under their own unique brands. With more than 350,000 lines in service, Vonage continues to add more than 30,000 lines per month to its network. Over 10 million calls per week are made using Vonage, the easy-to-use, feature-rich, flat rate phone service. Vonage is headquartered in Edison, New Jersey. For more information about Vonage's products and services, please visit vonage.com or call 1-VONAGE-HELP. Vonage®, Vonage Digital VoiceTM, Toll Free PlusSM and Virtual Phone NumberSM are trademarks of Vonage Holdings Corp.
When PR agency Bender/Helper Impact, located in Los Angeles and New York, recently embarked on upgrading their Los Angeles offices due to the growth of the company, they decided to install a new business phone system to streamline their administrative procedures.
The main priority with the new business phone system was to seamlessly integrate and centralize all the functions and have accurate call reporting capabilities. They chose BTI Communications Group, Limited to install their new business phone system because they responded with a simple business case that was easy to understand. The BTI ProfitSolution ™ package met all their needs.
According to a new report released by AT&T in association with the Economist Intelligence Unit (EIU), 87 percent of respondents cited cost savings as an important factor in their choice of a new Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) business phone system, but an equally impressive 71 percent were motivated by the ability to deploy advanced telephony features.
"For us the main issue was the features," says Joni Snowden, assistant administrative manager in the Bender/Helper Los Angeles office. "It has been an easy transition and even new people learn the system fast. Being on one integrated system with New York has increased efficiencies across the enterprise."
Power PR, a business-to-business product publicity and PR firm made the jump to using VOIP technology for their business phone system although they had only one location.
What they did have were multiple vendors. And as their business is based on making media calls, when the phone system went down and vendors were pointing fingers at each other, they were unable to make calls until it was fixed.
"What I wanted most was one vendor who would be responsible for my system - one company that would accept full responsibility and fix it fast," said Heather Metcalfe, administrative director of Power PR.
"Although we do not bill the phone calls and faxes to the clients, we do track them as an activity on behalf of a client," explains Metcalfe. "We need to know how many media calls were made to place articles, so the call reporting capability was a big time saver."
"As a creative agency, the staff in the media call area use many more of the features than I am," she says. "My main concern is keeping the business operating smoothly. To have a business phone system on VOIP technology, and a vendor like BTI Communications that I can rely on, means I can do my job knowing they will do theirs."
###
BTI Communications Group
Speleos Dravillas
1 800 435 7284
E-mail Information