VOIP and SIP News

Slow internet caused by a lack of bandwidth is increasingly turning customers towards scalable Wide Area Networks (WAN) to implement their VoIP Solutions.

Andy Gottlieb, the CEO of Talahari Networks said: "Current organsiational VoIP demands are not being completely satisfied within some companies which have insufficient bandwidth.

"For VoIP to work pretty well most of the time is simply not good enough. Scalable WAN could be a solution to this problem and bring about much needed consistency."

The problem is thought to be on the increase as more and more comapnies look to use VoIP to save money with cheap internet calls.

But WAN Virtualisation could make VoIP more reliable by increasing bandwidth yet lowering costs at the same time.

Simultaneously they can take advantage of the various features and benefits including call forward and auto-attendant, cloud computing and videoconferencing.

Talari Networks has in fact developed a WAN virtualization appliance so that solution providers in can combine multiple public networks into one virtual network.

It looks like Google is in the spotlight this time after a VoIP technology company has accused the search giant of stealing trade secrets.

While Google recently claimed that rival Bing has tried to rip off their search algorithm, VoIP Inc has taken Google to the New York Supreme Court for similar reasons.

The issue dates back to 2005 when a VoIP Inc subsidiary based in LA agreed
to provide Google with its patented "Click to Call" technology.

The technology allowed customers to call a merchant instantly with any queries they have about purchasing a product.

The complainant says that under the agreement the subsidiary VoiceOne Communications was the designated carrier of Google website click to calls, but Google terminated their contract in 2007, claiming a nondisclosure agreement had been broken.

Voiceone claims that Google did so in order to benefit from the VoIP technology, having acquired the necessary source code and data.

Voiceone is asking for compensation and punitive damages for a number of breaches such as unjust enrichment and unfair competition.

VoIP Inc had to file for bankruptcy after a similar suit in 2009 was dismissed due to jurisdiction issues.

Google is also being sued for its Google Voice product by Frontier Communications which is claiming in a Delaware district court that Google ‘one number’ product was created with the help of a patent infringement.

Google was not immediately available for comment to Reuters.

The Voice over Internet Protocol industry prides itself on offering secure communications but like any technology it is open to infiltrations.

Denial of Service attacks are on the up according to FBI reports and hackers can paralyse a VoIP system and use the confusion to steal valuable data.

Hackers just flood the VoIP network with calls so that the SIP trunk can no longer function properly.

The VIPDesk senior VP of technology Dan Fontaine admitted: "We have not come up with a plan to address Denial of Service attacks yet, but it is on the roadmap.

"The trick is making sure that the VoIP tunnels are encrypted and not left exposed to the internet."

However it is thought that increasing number of these infiltrations are actually inside jobs caused by disgruntled employees rather than hackers.

As long as you are aware of the problem there are a number pf steps which can be taken to solve it.

Recommended products include the Acme Packet, a session border controller
which can identify and intercept potential Denial of Service attacks. It does so by trying to pick up anything unusual on the line like white noise.

You could also make use of the VoiceSentry Analyzer which monitors call detail records in real time and looks for anomalies. Simple tests similar to the use of CAPTCHA text can then work out the difference between humans and robots.

Howevere most VoIP product manufacturers will be aware of such safety issues and provide built-in support, but it is up to the consumer or business to utilise it.

Voicemail Transcription is one of the fastest growing trends in Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) and Unified Communications and Broadcore is one of the latest companies to jump on the bandwagon.

The company offers client support for this business communications service which caters to the busiest executives.

Broadcore Product Manger Dawn Goodnight said: "Our Voicemail Transcription service is provided as standard with voicemail. It enhances productivity in any organization.”

Voicemail Transcription allows you to receive your voicemails in written text form which is ideal for various situations. Customers who want to access their mail in crowded places such as train stations can read the dispatch rather than having to listen to it. This can be a time-saving device no matter where you are.

Users can choose which inbox they want to receive the transcription into and they will also get the original audio file sent too. The service is designed to be easy to manage and provision with no third party assistance needed.

The Broadcore EVP of Marketing Strategy, Dean Manzoori, said: “Voicemail Transcription is an integrated service for busy customers, whether they are in the office or using a mobile device such as a smartphone."

He added: “At a glance they can see who called and what was said thanks to our reliable caller ID function. As a result they can respond quicker.”

The Broadcore machine-based Voicemail Transcription is part of their Unified Messaging solutions.

Voice over Internet Protocol is very much the future means of communication as far as businesses of all sizes are concerned. In fact one of the advantages of VoIP is that it is a sophisticated system which can make a small business seem much larger and more organised than it actually is.

Furthermore businesses are aware that VoIP can save them anywhere between 20-80% of their operational costs after the initial outlay. But here are five of the lesser known reasons to adopt VoIP solutions.

1)Find-me-follow-me - Rather than just being content with a simple call forwarding service, VoIP can work much harder to track you down with Find-me-follow-me. The system will try various contact numbers until it gets the right one.

2) Extension dialling - Using quick dial extension numbers to reach your colleagues no matter where they are saves time and money.

3) Free Upgrades - VoIP providers offer free upgrades of their system or software so that your new PBX replacement always functions optimally.

4) Self Service Management Support - VoIP is designed to be easy-to-use as a large and scalable phone system which does not require costly maintenance. Indeed there is often a phone number or online portal which gives all the management support.

5) VoIP Packages - The more competition there is, increasingly companies offer packages where you can get bundles for free international and domestic VoIP calls with great bargains.

With more than $1 billion of VoIP Solutions being outsourced over the next four years, countries like Bangladesh could certainly benefit from the industry explosion of demand.

VoIP allows customers to make cheap phone calls domestically and internationally between computers and mobile devices or via computer or smartphones to landlines.

Therefore speaking at BASIS Softexpo’2011, Sanjit Chatterjee of REVE Systems said that entrepreneurs in Bangladesh should look to invest in the communications technology.

He was just one of a number of speakers including panelists from the Indian Telecom industry who have had great success with outsourcing.

Habibullah Karim, the Chief Executive Offier of Technohaven, said: “Bangladesh has been listed as one of the top 30 global outsourcing destinations. That is because it has right skilled manpower in the IT/ Telecom domains and is very well placed to tap this opportunity."

REVE systems is introducing number of products into the mobile VoIP market this year including iTel and VoIP Switch. They are also offering a product which saves on VoIP bandwidth consumption from mobile phones.

The legality of Voice Over Internet Protocol (VoIP) in the United Arab Emirates is still a complicated matter according to the UAE Telecommunications Regulatory Authority (TRA).

The TRA supposedly gave a grace period to the main state providers to allow UAE customers to make cheap phone calls over VoIP.

However the two biggest networks - du and Etisalat - have postponed their VoIP launch which was supposed to debut at the beginning of 2011.

Furthermore there are not even any signs of the technology becoming available in the near future.

An Etisalat spokesman explained: "There is no directive to start VoIP service soon and it was premature to set a date."

VoIP experts have estimated that introducing the technology to the UAE could at least halve the price of international phone calls.

Yet it is thought that this cost-saving would be a threat to the revenues of local telecomms companies in the UAE, hence the resistance to VoIP there.

Apparently the TRA has determined its price policies for starting the VoIP service, but none of the other operational criteria.