May 05, 2008 | Comments: (0)
So I'm back in the office and thinking about what I saw and heard at Interop. What do I think you should be thinking about?
1. Splunk
I've just begun really looking at this data-center correlation, indexing, and search tool, but I'm already excited about the possibilities. If you're trying to figure out how to get a handle on the data your IT processes generate, you should check out the free version of Splunk. It's a great tool, and the company has built a strong community to help you figure out how to use Splunk in your operations. I think I'm going to be blogging about this again in the future...
2. Ruckus
Watch the Test Center for a full review of Ruckus Wireless ZoneFlex products, but do check out this system. You'll see details when you read the review, but...dang. They do an awful lot right, especially for the SMB looking for a good wireless networking system.
3. NAC 2.0
I know why vendor companies are big on proprietary technologies, but good standards (note the word "good" in that last phrase -- it's critical) can make life so much easier for IT professionals trying to build a working system. NAC 2.0, from the Trusted Computing Group, promises to make life dramatically better for IT professionals who want to create a security system, as opposed to those who are stuck just trying to make an unrelated collection of components work in the same room. Several vendors have already begun building NAC 2.0 into their products, and I strongly suspect that the open source projects will be getting up to speed with this in the next couple of quarters. You may be a small company IT professional, but you can have some pull with vendors -- so use that pull to start asking when NAC 2.0 is going to show up in their software. You'll really like the results when it appears.
4. Unified Communications
A lot of the unified communication products I saw were aimed at the larger enterprise, but not all...I saw systems from companies like Cisco, Netgear, and D-Link that are aimed squarely at the SMB market. Further, I'm convinced that unified communications will have a much greater impact on the small business than on the huge enterprise, because they can completely change the way you deal with customers and partners. When you don't have to choose between working on-site and talking to prospects, your sales can truly skyrocket, and the impression that you give can change dramatically for the better. Watch this space, and don't be afraid to experiment -- things are going to move quickly, but the direction overall is great for SMBs.
There will be more this week -- there was a lot to see in Las Vegas, and a feeling at the conference that made me very optimistic about the state of the IT world right now.
Posted by Curt Franklin on May 5, 2008 12:37 PM
November 29, 2007 | Comments: (0)
Mike Heck has another review of a small-business-ready service, Google's GrandCentral, in the Test Center Daily blog. I've heard nothing but good things about GrandCentral -- maybe it's time to check out this Google central-number service.
Are you using GrandCentral? What do you think of it as a business tool? Let me know in the comments...
Posted by Curt Franklin on November 29, 2007 10:57 PM
November 28, 2007 | Comments: (0)
There's no question that advances in telephone capabilities have helped small businesses compete successfully with larger enterprises. RingCentral is a service that can help the image of even the smallest organization, and Mike Heck has a hand's on look over in the Test Center Daily. Check it out -- and keep checking back here as things get back up to speed after post-Thanksgiving.
Posted by Curt Franklin on November 28, 2007 12:03 PM
May 29, 2007 | Comments: (0)
Sometimes I really hate golf. I mean, just hate it. Ruins a perfectly good three-day weekend.
* The Penguin People fire back at Microsoft. In response to Microsoft hinting that it will be looking at patent litigation against Linux users soon (and Novell suddenly clamming up on the subject), BusinessWeek just pubbed an op-ed piece by Linux Foundation Executive Director Jim Zemlin firing back at Microsoft. Zemlin reminds Redmond that Linux isn't with out huge patent pile of its own--and an enthusiastic community to stand behind it. We could wind up watching a real nerd war this year. Just make sure your SMB apps don't get caught in the middle. (Source: BusinessWeek)
* NY thinks Google-DoubleClick merger is hinky. Sure it's worth $3.1 billion, but before he clears it, Spitzer wants Google to come clean on exactly how it runs the usage-tracking part of its advert business. Now that's going to make the Googlers cranky. (Source: ZDNet)
* Avaya on the block? According to the NYT, Avaya has engaged Credit Suisse to manage the sale of part or all of the company. Possible buyers would be both Cisco and Nortel--which could really bite for customers of its SMB product lines. (Source: CNet)
* Toshiba snuggles up to AMD. Toshiba announced it was entering into a purchasing agreement with AMD for mobile CPUs. Looks like one or more lines of Toshiba notebooks will be running these CPUs, which means we might be looking at a new line of value machines for the SMB set...? (Source: PC Mag)
Posted by Oliver Rist on May 29, 2007 05:00 AM
May 24, 2007 | Comments: (0)
SMB Tech News Today; INTEROP Day 4
I'm out of here in a few hours, and I'm one of the few press nerds who stayed this long. As a result, they're aren't many brand-spanking-new today press announcements this late in the show. So here are a few more SMB news bits from earlier this week.
* Netgear into SMB hardware spewage, too. I blogged on how D-Link was spewing out new SMB hardware, but they're not the only ones. Netgear is pumping out new products, too. They've got a new ProSafe Wireless Switch (OEM partner is rumored to be Trapeze who do this REALLY well), they hyper-COOL ReadyNAS that Negear got off its Infrant acquisition (this thing is fast, does 1-3TB and can be setup by almost anyone, tho probably not Sasquatch Venezia) and they announced a partnership with Avaya to provide a custom end-to-end VoIP bundle to SMB customers via their reseller channel. Not to mention some new stackable gigabit switches, updated WiFi access points and some other goodies.
* Samsung does SMB voice comm appliance. The family is the OfficeServ line and has both 7100 & 7200 model numbers. Basic specs for both are complete voice-in-a-box. VoIP and/or POTS, wired or wireless handsets, voicemail, PBX functions and even some unified messaging features like syncing vmail with users' Outlook inboxes. To be available near the end of Summer 2007. Price is apparently TBD.
* Raritan shows off new KVM super-box. These guys make some of the best keyboard/video/mouse (KVM) controllers in the biz. The new Dominion KX II does KVM over IP, has a new browser config/mgmt UI, a slick new virtual KVM desktop and supports things like remote USB on managed end points. Way cool, and they're even offering a trade-in discount program for existing Raritan customers.
* Wedge does SMB security appliance. It's called the BeSecure NDP-2040NX. Does gigabit-level networking, scans for AV and AM, does deep packet inspection, handles mucho protocols, etc. Real sweet little box with a price that's nice, tho most likely more for the MB set.
Posted by Oliver Rist on May 24, 2007 09:46 AM
May 02, 2007 | Comments: (0)
* More SMB declarations from IBM. IBM's CEO, Sam Palmisano, said in a keynote speech that he expects Big Blue's SMB business to become its biggest industry focus in the next few years. 'Course IBM defines SMB as "1000 employees and down" so I don't think SOHO businesses will see to much action off this for a while. (Source: InfoWorld)
* T.J. Maxx SNAFU to top out at $4.5 billion. Security expert IPLocks says T.J. Maxx's problems will amount to $100 per compromised record. Sucks for T.J., but hopefully a message to beef up security. (Source: InformationWeek)
* Verizon offers VoIP assessment service. So it's for their MPLS customers (mostly larger bizzes, but some SMBers there) and it allows them to better quantify their voice quality. For the prices they charge, Verizon ought to do that themselves. (Source: NetworkWorld)
* Next big bets for VCs. The business school mind set is that venture capitalists are bouncing back from the post-bubble depression. With the Googlers and similar companies dropping a couple of billion every few months, they seem to feel better about their ability to cash out--at least for certain segments like SaaS. Gotta love greed. (Source: Knowledge@Wharton)
Posted by Oliver Rist on May 2, 2007 10:32 AM
April 18, 2007 | Comments: (0)
* IBM announces new Web 2.0 portal. IBM is announcing a WebSphere Portal redesign with new tools designed to let businesses do quick mashups with disparate software, including both Web-based and enterprise silo-type software. Testing to follow. (Source: IBM)
* Ray of hope for Vonage? Vonage is in trouble with Verizon over patents. But now, third-party telecomm experts (who admittedly still have ties to Vonage) are questioning the validity of Verizon's patent claims. Maybe Vonage won't need to find a workaround. (Source: InfoWorld)
* Porn on 1 in 4 corporate PCs. Rather surprising in this day and age of desktop audits and content filtering, but a new study shows nudie pix on 25% of corporate PCs. Definitely a case for corporate big brother. Then again, the study was commissioned by a software firm that specializes in keeping desktops clean. And 25% seems more than a little high. Grain-of-salt alert. (Source: InformationWeek)
* Adobe releases Creative Suite 3. It's out and about and rewritten for Intel Macs. Do it all from conception to final rich media presentation. (Source: IT Wire)
Posted by Oliver Rist on April 18, 2007 08:16 AM
April 17, 2007 | Comments: (0)
First, our sincere condolences to the victims' families of yesterday's senseless violence at Virginia Tech.
* Vonage customers better have a backup. They'll most likely figure something out, but for now, SMB Vonage customers are working without a net. The company has admitted it has no workaround on continuing operations without continuing to infringe on Verizon patents. Means a shutdown unless they come up with something fairly fast. (Source: InfoWorld)
* Google CRM out and about. CRM for Google was built by Etelos and attempts to combine CRM features with Google Apps and Google Desktop. It's got 1500 beta customers, but is going commercial as of today. Should be an enterprise version in the works, too. (Source: PC World)
* Windows Live Hotmail going live in US next month. The new mail client that's supposed to put Microsoft back on top of the Web 2.0 cool list. It's going to be leaking in a few features at a time, starting in Europe and India. But it should be fully available in the US by mid-May. (Source: BetaNews)
* Talk again about Internet sales tax. In case your SMB is a Web e-tailer, this is for you. Senatorial legislators and the National Governors Association have formed a powerful alliance arguing that out-of-state Web retailers shouldn't be immune to state sales taxes. Gonna be a fun fight. (Source: CNET)
Posted by Oliver Rist on April 17, 2007 08:58 AM
April 04, 2007 | Comments: (0)
InfoWorld LIVE! #9: The Evolution of Cell Phones
Again, we had a rerun this past week because my jet setting co-host, Scott Draughon, had to hob-knob with the stars in California. We're back this week, however, and our topic is the future of cell phones.
We're talking with Stephane Marceau, CEO of up-and-comer MobiVOX; Vivek Khuller, founder and CEO of DiVitas (look for a Test Center review on their technology real soon) and InfoWorld's own chief technologist, Tom Yager, who just got back from CTIA with wireless stars in his eyes.
MobiVOX, by the way, is a tres cool Canadian company that's in open beta right now. The software allows any cell phone (and they emphasize 'any') to run a Skype client. It's also supposed to enable other forms of VoIP, but that Skype thing is immediate and sexy. I'm going to give it a shot later today. If you'd like to give it a try, the nice folks at MobiVOX have opened a special place for InfoWorld readers to give them a whirl. Just head over here and follow the instructions.
Meantime, if you want to hear us wax rhapsodic on the future of cell phones to consumers and business users, you can download this week's episode by clicking on this link: 
Listen!
Posted by Oliver Rist on April 4, 2007 09:41 AM
September 13, 2006 | Comments: (0)
New SMB VoIP Products from Covad
Covad just introed their new ClearEdge Office voice-over-IP service. Think of it as Vonage for businesses with 20 people or fewer. All you need is business class broadband and you're in good to go.
According to Covad, the voice quality is the same as standard voice service (which our recent VoIP service tests would tend to bear out, though some folks are starting to question that), but at Vonage-style pricing. Also comes with Vonage-style features, including not just the usual voicemail, call forwarding, caller ID, etc. stuff, but also business-specific features like the ability to create "hunt groups" of forwarded phones so your calls can find you across multiple different lines and handsets and also IP faxing support, which is very cool as long as they make it easy.
Posted by Oliver Rist on September 13, 2006 12:37 PM
July 10, 2006 | Comments: (0)
Should SMBs Really Consider VoIP?
So I'm happy with the Linksys WIP330 and Vonage has great commercials of folks crushing their cars with tree trunks or blowing their noses with sandpaper. VoIP's here and it's no longer a bleeding edge curiosity.
But Vonage is in big financial trouble. And the large telco conglomerates are not only eating each other to create behemoth telcos, they're also spending millions on lobbying the FCC and the Senate into letting them charge whatever they want for high-speed data services--including content and service control that might invalidate the business models that companies like Vonage were built on. So the question has to be asked: Should SMB take VoIP seriously.
Hell, yes!!!
Even if Darth Verizon gets its way and kills all competing services on the Internet, it won't do it for at least another year and most probably two. Plus, once the world sees a telco-only Internet service model it won't be long before even US Senators figure out that they screwed up and start taking steps to correct things.
Meantime, the business calling plans being offered by independent SIP providers, like BroadVoice for instance, are fantastic. Small and branch offices can be configured with phones like my lil Linksys or the ZeXEL that Paul Sasquatch Venezia loves so much. Now you're down to less than $20/mo/user with all the usual PBX trimmings and more.
And it doesn't stop with little offices. Larger companies face bigger expenditures, but when you tally it up, it's still a darn sight cheaper than sticking with existing voice. Buying a new IP-capable Centrex PBX can run over $20K, $40K, even $80K depending on what you're buying and who you're buying it from.
A straight SIP call center, by contrast, costs between $2000-$5000. Add another couple of thousand in there for a consultant to install the thing and you're happy. You can buy VoIP handsets for $250 a pop from companies like Polycom and thus do an all VoIP system for well under what it costs to buy a standard PBX alone.
Now let's say you do that and Darth Verizon gets its way. SIP becomes band under penalty of death and flesh flaying. Most SIP call centers/PBXes have the ability to interact with your old digital PBX--even to the point of supporting those handsets as long as you get some additional conversion boxes.
So do the math. Add up what it would cost to SIP-ifying your phone system today. Or just get a quote from a consultant type. Then add up what a SIP-based calling plan would cost you for a year vs. what you're paying the Telecom Lords of the Sith today. If the difference is substantial, moving forward is a no-brainer. Don't toss your existing system and you can always switch back if things don't go VoIP's way.
It's a little tricky in some situations, but worth considering? Definitely.
Posted by Oliver Rist on July 10, 2006 02:11 PM
March 06, 2006 | Comments: (0)
Cisco's Could Hit SMB VoIP Using SIP
Cisco just announced the Cisco Unified Communications System (UCS). If any of you have been talking to their sales people, then you've undoubtedly heard that they were developing software to run on top of all these VoIP hardware acquisitions they've been making.
Well, this is it. And the surprise is the Skinny isn't the main protocol...SIP is. SIP means compatibility and the capability to do lower-cost implementations. And that means fresh SMB meat--if Cisco decides to go that way.
This isn't just an end-to-end soft PBX, either. Cisco is separating Unified Communications into a separate software layer that runs on top of those solutions. They're breaking UCS up into three core platforms, Customer Interaction Analyzer, Personal Communicator, and Unified Presence Server.
Presence Server and Personal Communicator are client-side tools that (according to Cisco) should be able to interact with users via the stuff they may already use like MS Live Communications Server. Customer Interaction Analyzer is meant to do just that: monitor and analyze calls between your call staff and your customers.
UCS will be demoed at the upcoming VoiceCon show in Florida, which I won't be able to get to. So anyone out there, take a gander and let me know how this stuff actually runs.
I really hope they didn't screw this up by trying to force users onto their own client platform for unified messaging and such. If this doesn't integrate into Outlook and MS Communicator, it's dead.
Posted by Oliver Rist on March 6, 2006 12:12 PM
March 03, 2006 | Comments: (0)
Whaleback SMB VoIP for $50 a month
Yesterday, I had a short interview with Ken Stess, who's the Vice President of Corporate and Business Development for Whaleback Systems, which just released its new managed SMB 1500 VoIP service.
Summing up Whaleback is pretty easy: turnkey Voice over IP system built specifically for SMBs, with an emphasis on SBs. And 'turnkey' really does mean 'turnkey'--as in, Whaleback supplies everything, including the SIP PBX, the hand sets and the phone service. All you need is $49.95/month per seat and a DSL or cable connection.
The catch? None really, at least not from Whaleback's side. I haven't tested the system, but they're not offering anything that's radically new, including voice, fax, voicemail-to-email and call forwarding. And even extension mirroring, where the handset at your house and the handset at the office are exact mirrors of each other. Great for telecommuters. Plus, they're monitoring every SIP PBX from a central NOC location.
The catch is in whether you want to rely on DSL/cable for something as critical as voice. The New York Metro area, for instance, has been hit with a spike in DSL problems recently, due mainly to Verizon dropping its DSL pricing in a bid to grab customers without doing anything on the back end to prep for the new load.
Cable has better reliability, but both the DSL and cable guys are also trying to legislate that new Internet where they get to charge us more and block any kind of traffic they don't like. What happens then?
Stess actually had an answer for that, though, as it seems that Whaleback has made deals with guys like Comcast to provide VoIP service, and these deals should transcend any evil future legislation. You DSL users are out of luck; but you've probably got a multi-year window as the legislation battles peter out. And for $49.95/seat, you're still getting a good deal.
Posted by Oliver Rist on March 3, 2006 12:58 PM
October 26, 2005 | Comments: (0)
Despite attempted scare tactics by the FCC to force broadband VoIP providers to inform us that certain services, notably 911, aren't standard, the overall VoIP market is booming.
Infonetics just released a new study of the VoIP market that shows business in data voice is doing very well indeed. Certain providers, like Vonage, seem to have hit a plateau, but other sectors are still growing.
The study also has a number of forecasts, which all sound good. The only thing missing seems to be any reference to the growing trend among large broadband providers to block independent VoIP traffic in favor of their own higher-cost VoIP services. SBC's into this and Verizon's looking to do the same. Rumor has it that Optimum is pulling similar shenanigans covertly on their cable network.
See this is where I'd get into predatory market practices, but it'll probably be several years before the lawyers catch on.
Posted by Oliver Rist on October 26, 2005 06:22 AM
September 20, 2005 | Comments: (0)
Microsoft Courting Multiple Partners for VoIP
Some of this is suspect as only this morning, Microsoft was supposed to be courting AOL about offering VoIP services. Now the scuttlebutt is that Redmond is also dancing with Qwest about offering SMB VoIP services.
I suppose the two deals aren't mutually exclusive -- Qwest is regional and AOL is primarly consumer. Hell, there could even be more announcements coming. Blog on!
Posted by Oliver Rist on September 20, 2005 03:34 PM
August 25, 2005 | Comments: (0)
Just as we started loving VoIP
I love it when government agencies decide to 'help' us. Seems most of the Internet VoIP providers we've been talking about here (Broadvoice, Vonage, etc.) can't automatically provide 911 service. Users need to register separately for this feature and that's caused some unfortunate incidents.
So to "safeguard" us, the FCC has set a deadline for VoIP providers to inform us hapless customers of this flaw. If the VoIP vendors can't provide proof of knowledge on our part...their services get taken offline and all of us lose phone service--including the ability to dial 911.
So if the VoIP vendors don't pony up proof by this coming Tuesday, and your house catches fire Tuesday afternoon, you'd best have a cell phone backup.
Naturally, this is a real knee in the groin for vendors of SMB-oriented VoIP equipment, and especially its early adopters. Nice to know the FCC is looking out for all the reliability my VoIP customers need. Nothing like a government-sponsored outage to put the shine of reliability on a new technology.
Then again, the FCC isn't alone. The VoIP vendors were informed of the deadline in May, and while I've known about the 911 problem for much longer than that, I'm a geek. Meantime, I can't recall much of an extra effort by those folks to let me know of my 911 void in the interim.
Posted by Oliver Rist on August 25, 2005 09:58 PM
August 24, 2005 | Comments: (0)
Since VoIP is such a cost hot button for most any SMB, you can bet I'll be flogging that horse mercilessly. In that vein, a product that I reviewed about a year ago now, the Epygi Quadro4x, just had its firmware upgraded.
That review actually helped me out quite a bit as not only did I review it for Infoworld, I also used a couple of Quadros to do a VoIP proof-of-concept for a New York client who shall remain nameless lest I get sued into oblivion. The whole POC took about an hour with 30 minutes of that being travel time between the Wall St. site where we deployed one Epygi and the mid-town site where we dropped the other.
These things are marvelously easy to setup, and contain all the necessary features you'd expect out of SIP gateway/PBX, including a voicemail operator, individual voice mailboxes, call forwarding, call conferencing and more. It's so easy we were call forwarding from our Epygi extensions all the way to our cell phones with only a mouse click or two.
The new Epygi 3.0 software upgrade adds all kinds of new goodies, including:
1. More support for IP phones
2. Support for remote IP extensions
3. A wizard to configure third-party VoIP service providers like Vonage (though epygi provides an Internet-facing SIP gateway service of its own)
4. DSL and ISDN media support (FINALLY!)
5. Enhanced call statistics, useful for those telecom audits I mentioned in an earlier post...
...and a whole pile of other stuff--even an IVR system, though I'll need to test that before recommending it. Best part is that a 4x only costs a little over $1500 and that's subject to negotiation if you buy more than a couple.
They're great for branch offices, telecommuters and the like. Epygi also makes larger versions that can handle larger call volumes, though you'll be in daisy chaining mode if you get much above 20 phones. But since they're based on SIP, you should have no trouble using an Epygi in a remote site and tying that into a larger SIP-based solution from another vendor at the behemoth HQ office.
Another thing I liked about these guys is the ease with which they support non-IP phones by providing FXS ports on the box. Unfortunately, many of us are still using digital desk handsets, and the Epygi we tested only supported analog phones, but there are workarounds for that.
Another real big plus is that the Quadros can also be made to fail-over onto an existing PBX and its POTS trunk line--this is a huge selling point for us consultant types as most potential VoIP clients are spooked by relying on Internet connectivity for something as critical as voice. Having fail-over to something they know will deliver a dial-tone definitely eases much of the mental burden.
Epygi isn't the only one making products in the SMB VoIP gateway space, and we'll be looking at more as time goes on. But for those looking right now, we can definitely recommend it as something to consider since we've had our grubby little hands on one before.
Posted by Oliver Rist on August 24, 2005 04:56 PM
August 23, 2005 | Comments: (0)
Auditing's No Fun, but You Can't Save Without It
The übercool ZyXEL Prestige 2000W reviewed below certainly scores high on Oliver's Favorite Gadgets of Today list. And the associated VoIP calling plans are pretty neato cool keen, too, not to mention cheap enough to make any accountant grin.
But it's easy for the crazy IT blogger to say "use Vonage", but quite a bit harder for most SMBs to actually do it. Especially those with more than a SOHO-sized office to consider. What about all the investment in existing hardware? Say Nortel or Toshiba PBXes. Pricey PRI cards, a few trunk lines, dozens of extension lines and so on. The average CFO can't justify dropping all those capital expenditures just because Vonage is offering nearly-acceptable call quality and a rock bottom price. At least not without a thorough investigation.
And that's where the average SMB CIO, senior network administrator or maybe just the office geek can really make a difference. Put away the gadget toys for a minute, grab a Starbucks ultra-venti something or other and do a telecom audit.
Sure, telecom audits are most often practiced by large enterprises and they usually hire dedicated consultants who have a talent for surviving mind-crushing boredom. But frankly, any SMB can benefit from cost analysis just as much as the behemoth companies. Here's a few tips to get you started:
1. CHECK YOUR SLA. If you've got an SLA (service level agreement) with a voice or data telecom provider, dig it out and pore over it in detail. Find out what you're entitled to and make sure you understand it. If you don't, call the company and have a sales rep explain it to you. Most telecom service providers have dedicated pros that do nothing but help customers with telecom audits. They'll know why you're calling.
2. DIG OUT YOUR BILLS. And go back at least three years--or to the beginning of the SLA, whichever comes first. Start matching your total costs with what the service provider was quoting you during the sales pitch. Don't be surprised if it's higher--telecom companies routinely overcharge. No, really; it's true.
3. DON'T SCREAM YET. But don't puff out your chest and start a screaming fit with Customer Service right away. Get your ducks in a row. Break out costs by branch office, trunk line, and even specific extensions. If you've got a PBX already, call the manufacturer and see if it's got a call tracking option. Enabling this feature will provide a software audit log of every phone call, who made it and how long it lasted. Yeah, you're thinking it sounds like your brain is going to start leaking out of your nose with ennui, but you'll be surprised at how easy this is once you get into it.
4. POUND THAT DETAIL DEVIL. Now see if any branch office or extension is routinely responible for overly expensive calling habits. If so, you can probably improve your phone bill simply by having the responsible party shot. More than likely, though, you'll see that your overly high phone bills are caused by hidden charges, like local loop or long distance charges the service provider never fully explained. Find these charges in your bills and highlight them.
5. START YELLING. Now call your service provider. If you don't have an SLA, just the details of some calling plan, an audit is an excellent tool for negotiating an SLA. And while you're at it, call a few other service providers. Having a detailed audit in your hand, gives the competition a real sweet blueprint on how to win your business. By all means let them try.
Here in New York, Verizon may seem to own the whole voice/data telecom universe. But there are competitors. Some are having trouble, like the experience we recently had with MCI--'nuff said about that or I'll have to break out the Advils again. But others, like Broadview Networks, have saved some of my SMB network consulting clients thousands of bucks--think like 35%-50% savings over their regular voice charges depending on the plan. And the quality is indistinguishable from Verizon. It may be difficult finding quality alternatives to the big telecom companies in your area, but they do exist.
You can find lists at various web locations, like hte Business.com directory. Or you can opt for one of the independent links. I like Nigel Allen's link list, even though he's Canadian he has plenty of USA resources listed as well. And for those interested in more detailed knowledge of telecom auditing, check out Jack Bogle's e-book Cut the Cost, which is specifically aimed at IT and telecom pros.
Having a phone audit summary in your hand when you speak to any telecom vnedor is one of the surest ways I know to get what you want with the least amount of hassle. And saving the CFO 35% or so on his annual phone bills is also a great way to cement a little job security.
Posted by Oliver Rist on August 23, 2005 01:03 PM
August 22, 2005 | Comments: (0)
Slick VoIP with an SMB Price Tag
I admit it: cool gadgets tend to captivate me. But cool gadgets that also save you money, now that's just irresistible.
Whilst testing Identity Management solutions at the Advanced Network Computing Lab (ANCL) at the University of Hawaii (yeah, you're reading right), I'm also running around campus making low-cost long-distance calls on ZyXEL's new Prestige 2000W wireless VoIP phone. This thing is truly cool, but bolsters that by actually being useful as well, espcially for SMBs looking to put a serious dent in their long distance voice bills.
What's really sexy about the ZyXEL is that you don't need to be a VoIP guru to set it up. Just charge it, then bring it in range of a WiFi network with an Internet broadband pipe on the other side. Now tell it the SSID and security information it needs to access the WiFi network and the Prestige does the rest. Once it's on the network, just give it the right SIP registration information, either the location of your SIP-compliant local PBX or an out-of-house SIP VoIP provider where you've got an account (think Broadvoice or Vonage) and you're making calls.
One of the nice things about ZyXEL's Prestige is that it doesn't require a special VoIP modem box, just a straight WiFi link out to the Internet. That means you can get cordless phone convenience with cutting edge VoIP technology and savings. Mahalo!
And ZyXEL is no VoIPy-come-lately either (okay, that was bad, but they can't all be gems). This company has been in the telecommunications business for going on 10 years now, and the Prestige 2000W is ample evidence. Not only does it support the latest VoIP protocols, it's also small and sleek with an easily navigated menu system that had me up and talking in 10 minutes--15 if you count my registering with Broadvoice for an account.
The phone will auto-find the nearest WiFi signal once you prompt it. Enter the SSID/security info and you're on the network. It's even smart enough to roam to the best access point signal for those that like to pace. Really cool if you've got a bunch of access points. Especially cool as during our last WiFi test a year or so ago, this was a big problem for WiFi data connections.
But if you really like to walk, like say down to the corner Starbucks, then hang onto your hat. Just order your favorite mocha-choca-espresso heartstopper, and then inform the ZyXEL of your T-Mobile account information. The little twerp just finds the T-Mobile network and connects straight to Broadvoice (or whomever you might be using) just like it would over any other WiFi network. You're sipping your sweet, future heart attack and making or taking calls with abandon. Now that's cool!
According to ZyXEL, a small office should be able to handle up to 10 of these things running their VoIP pie holes simultaneously without degrading "network performance". That's probably true, but network performance really isn't the issue. Call quality is the issue, and unfortunately that can vary.
On our ANCL 802.11b network, call quality was great. Inbound, outbound and between two ZyXEL Prestige's calling each other, always better than cell quality. That's because we were the only ones in the lab at the time and so the network was largely unused. Once we wandered outside, we were using the University of Hawaii's public WiFi network, and that's congestion with a capital C. Voice quality took a notable nose dive, often well below cell phone quality.
But even if you need to channelize a separate WiFi network just for your ZyXEL collection, that's really not so bad. After all, el cheapo Linksys access points are down to $30 and that's really all the ZyXEL needs. Add one of those low-cost VoIP voice plans, and you can get that money back real quick.
A few more minor complaints: First, the phone tends to audibly break wind whenever it initializes a call. No, I'm not kidding. Try it and you'll see what I mean. It sure makes the wahinis giggle, but if you forget and hold it up to your ear too soon, you'll regret it. The phone's keys are a little too small as well. It's not meant to be a cell phone, but a cordless phone replacement, yet for those of us with fatty fingers it's still just slightly on the awkward side.
Last, while the roaming ability is great, those with only one or two access points in their offices may have troubles. When we had the ZyXEL in an area with sparse access point coverage, it quickly lost its connection if we strayed too far away. Seems the Prestige still needs a little work in the range department. For those with adequate WiFi coverage, however, this isn't an issue.
And if the Prestige doesn't appeal, know that there are several other SIP-compatible WiFi phones available. Strangely, though, several of them bear a striking resemblance to the Prestige--like clones. Teletronics sells it under the name AblaEZVoIP Wireless Phone, and you can also get it as the Net-2Com SIP-WI660. Cisco, of course, has its own phone, but I've yet to actually prove out their SIP compatibility and the price is literally a multiple of the ZyXEL's. UTStarCom makes the F1000 WiFi VoIP phone, but an especially cool one is the $319 (street) Hitachi IP-5000. This puppy has a much bigger screen than the ZyXEL, better battery life and sports a few advanced features such as PING capability and a bundled USB cable for easy PC connectivity. For a fairly complete list of VoIP products and prices, check out www.voipsupply.com.
And once you get past the sexy hardware, it's time to look at the even sexier VoIP calling plans. Vonage offers the Small Business Plan for $49.99/mo with unlimited nationwide calling and a host of advanced features, including individual voice mail, re-use of your existing office number, a free fax line and more. Broadvoice offers the Unlimited Business Plan with a few less advanced features than Vonage but a super price tag of only $29.95/mo.
Now that's saving money on voice! Just remember that VoIP over the Internet is still in its early stages. Reliability is there for the most part (you'll always get a dial tone as long as you've got Internet connectivity), but call quality can still be erratic. Then again, if your business can stand a little off-color voice now and again, then annual voice savings can be dramatic.
Posted by Oliver Rist on August 22, 2005 08:08 PM
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