Eight Great Reasons to Swap your Old PBX for a VOIP Hosted PBX

1. Lower CAPEX Costs: Buying a traditional phone system is like buying a new car, it significantly depreciates the day you place it in service. Plus, you own a piece of equipment that you'll have to one day replace. You can put that money to better use by spending less up-front by intstalling a VoIP Hosted PBX system. 2. A VoIP Hosted PBX is Dynamically Scalable: Up-size and Down-size on the fly....

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USB Phones, Skype Phones and VoIP Routers: Who Controls the VoIP Hardware Market?

Jan Jesman

The world of VoIP is moving swiftly away from the early days of microphones, geeky headsets and dubious looking softphone applications. These relics have gradually been replaced with much more sophisticated applications and USB phones which are a match for many of the most sophisticated landline phones available. These familiar and functional devices have begun to present a way into VoIP for those people who would rather pay more expensive phone bills than don a call-centre style headset to make calls. When one also considers the increasing availability and developing functionality of RJ11 adaptors and broadband routers incorporating VoIP and SIP compliant telephone lines and it becomes clear that the consumer is left with a bewildering choice of VoIP hardware.

Hardware manufacturers have been quick to note and react to this rapidly growing market however the service providers have been lagging very far behind. The key issue is compatibility between the USB phone device or adapter and the VoIP service provider and their softphone software. Compatible devices offer better call quality, easy access to advanced softphone and account features and increased confidence in VoIP service as a whole.

Skype has led the way, in sourcing developing, testing and branding their own USB Phones and other hardware. Keen to safeguard the reputation of their service Skype has long been vetting products for use in their service and tying in appropriate products to their brand. Skype alone currently offers truly and instantly recognisable Skype Phones to the public. This approach has great potential, by working closely with hardware developers Skype has opened up an entire new market place for itself and ensured the enduring quality of its service. It is clear that to better develop and market their services other VoIP service providers would be wise to follow Skype's example working with hardware developers and manufacturers to ensure that their new and existing users have access to a range of well designed and branded hardware that is clearly compatible with their service.

About the author:
Jan Jesman is a director of I-VoIP.co.uk a U.K. based retailer of USB Phones and Skype Phones. The site also aims to keep VoIP simple for home users.


Aboard The Broadband-Wagon

Broadband is the general term used to refer to high-speed information transmission over networks, and nowadays is used increasingly to mean a fast Internet connection. The term has more to do with the electrical waveform ('signal') being transmitted. The signal can come to you through a variety of physical arrangements: a DSL line, a T1 line, a TV cable, a wireless link and even your utility power line. Which physical arrangement is best for you depends a great deal on what is available in your geographical area and the price of each arrangement. You should do a comparison of speeds and costs...

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The History of Voice over Internet Protocol

The History of Voice over Internet Protocol By the end of 2006, Voice over Internet Protocol (VOIP) may account for as much as 25 - 40% of international voice traffic. This prediction is impressive, but it is even more amazing when you consider the relatively short history of voice over internet protocol. It began as a hobby for some people in Israel who were only able to communicate by computer. Later that year, in 1995, the first company in the history of voice over internet protocol to put a product on the market was Vocaltec. They released Internet Phone Software, which in combination with...

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