I know many of the readers here are Mac users so I thought I’d share a good deal for you from Google Tutor – Get $5 off your purchase with this Spanning Sync discount.
Spanning Sync enables two way syncing between iCal and Google Calendar.
If you aren’t sure if it is for you check out Christine’s Spanning Sync review.
British Telecom is relatively new to the VOIP world but it seems that they are getting good results out of their endeavor. Based on a report published by the Edinburgh News online, BT has hit a million VOIP users – pretty impressive considering that the service has been around for a relatively short period of time. Here is the report:
AROUND one million BT customers are making calls over the internet, the company’s boss revealed today.
In an interview to mark five years in the job, BT chief executive Ben Verwaayen said the group had seen an “explosion” in Voice over Internet Protocol usage – and had hit its one million target six months ahead of schedule.
Mr Verwaayen said: “Six months ago we came to the market and said we expect a million active customers by the summer of 2007. We are very proud to announce now that by the end of 2006 we reached the one million already. We are really seeing a market that is taken by storm.”
Mr Verwaayen dismissed fears that growing internet calling traffic would hurt BT’s revenue, noting that only 15 to 20 per cent of its sales depended on conventional voice calls.
He also noted that the firm was always looking for new acquisitions to grow its global services division.
The former state telephone provider offers free VoIP calls within the UK during evenings and weekends as part of its deals alongside broadband and phone line rental.
If you think about things a little more, this kind of news should not be surprising at all. After all, the increase in VOIP usage has been the trend in other parts of the world – and why not? We all know the benefits of VOIP services as compared to the traditional telephony – especially when it comes to pricing. This is all the more significant for those individuals or groups who make a lot of overseas calls. Using VOIP in this manner can cut their costs by half – or even more, in some cases.
Another thing is that with the name and the reputation that British Telecom has, the fact that it offered VOIP service is a positive thing for the technology. Their name has somehow lent more credence to VOIP as a phone service. With this kind of success in BT’s books, I don’t think that we should be surprised to see more companies following suit in the near future.
Skype has become one of the premier platforms used by individuals for VOIP calls. And why not? It is easy to use, has several features aside from VOIP calls, and can be cheap – even free. With all these things going for Skype, you would think that they are raking in money from their activities, wouldn’t you?
Well, according to analysts, that is not exactly the case. Skype’s latest move, which is to introduce its newest line of products (packages with flat rates for unlimited calls), is a sign that they are not really making money off their VOIP sales. PCWorld’s Business Center’s report on the matter states:
Skype has announced a flat rate for international calls, further showing how difficult it is to make money from telephony, according to analysts. Skype has announced a number of different packages for unlimited fixed international calls — which if you read the fine print means 10,000 minutes per month — at a flat monthly fee. In the U.S. users will, for example, pay $9.95 (€6.95) for calls to 34 countries.
“It goes to show that there’s not really a market here,” said Gartner analyst Steve Blood. “Every few months they have to continue to reduce prices to compete — where’s the revenue to pay back the $2.6 billion?,” asks Blood. The $2.6 billion is a reference to eBay’s acquisition of Skype in 2005, putting more pressure on Skype to make money. Skype is using the spray gun approach, offering different consumer and enterprise packages to see what works,” said Bernt Ostergaard, research director at Current Analysis.
Flat monthly fees for international calls are nothing new. Other Internet providers, especially in Europe, have been offering this for some time. “Skype was having difficulty competing in France, where the market really is at rock-bottom prices. Nine dollars and ninety-five cents is good for the U.S. market, though,” Blood said.
This is good news for VOIP users, though. Skype’s packages are quite easy on the pocket. Of course, as the excerpt mentioned above, the unlimited calls are only unlimited in theory. The fine print will indicate 10,000 minutes a month. If you do a little calculation, that would translate to about 5.56 hours a day. If you are not going to use Skype for business, that is virtually unlimited calling!
For more detailed information, visit Skype’s page on the new packages.
VOIP services target both individual users and business entities. Though these two groups may have different needs and preferences, VOIP can be a solution to their telecommunication needs. As more and more people are seeing VOIP as a feasible alternative to traditional telephone lines, the industry continues to grow and prosper despite the plunging economic situations in different countries all over the world.
Take, for example, the action that is being taken by the Federation of Small Businesses in the UK. The FSB is considered to be Britain’s largest business organization. Here’s a bit of background information on the FSB and the depth of its operations:
The FSB is the largest campaigning pressure group promoting and protecting the interests of the self-employed and owners of small firms. Formed in 1974, it now has over 210,000 members across 33 regions and 230 branches. On the member benefits side, it offers assistance and support 24 hours a day, while its lobbying arm – led by the Westminster Press and Parliamentary office – applies pressure on MPs, Government and Whitehall, lobbies politicians in their constituencies and puts the FSB viewpoint over to the media.
One of the major benefits is the FSB’s legal helpline which operates 24 hours a day. Last year, the helpline received over 100,000 calls, the majority of calls on employment matters but also dealing with issues such as commercial contract, landlord and tenant and consumer affairs.
Recently, the FSB released an announcement that they are providing free VOIP services to their members. Here is the press release:
The Federation of Small Businesses (FSB) is making free access to VoIP services available to its 210,000 members.
The FSB has teamed up with VoIP provider Coms PLC to offer members a free high-quality telephony service.
Members will be given a unique telephone number that will be added to the FSB contacts directory.
Sandy Harris, the Federation’s director of member services, said: “FSB VoIP will be a valuable addition to the business networking opportunities available to our members through our online directory.”
Terry Martin, chief executive of Coms PLC, added: “This is further evidence that hosted VoIP has come of age.”
Members can declare their interest in the service by visiting the members section of the FSB website.
They will also be able to upgrade to a full VoIP account, which will give them a free additional line. The only costs incurred will be for calls made outside the FSB members’ directory.
Sometimes, we become too focused on the United States and what is going on here. We can’t really be blamed – after all, this country is one of the leading countries in the world (if not the leading). Many developments and innovations start in the U.S. and the news covers a lot of happenings in the nation and disseminates the information to the rest of the world.
If you want to expand your horizons, though, it would be better to monitor the goings on in countries outside of the U.S. – it is for your personal and professional development, trust me. So what does this have to do with VOIP?
Well, VOIP is big in the U.S. – there is no doubt about that. What about its status in other parts of the world? I ran across a news article on ITWire today detailing some VOIP developments in Australia.
Apparently, their main agency that deals with communications, Australian Communications and Media Authority (ACMA), are conducting a campaign to ensure that VOIP service providers in the country are complying with the standards that they have set. Just like in the U.S. and in other countries, VOIP regulations in Australia have been quite unclear – at least in enforcement.
With this new campaign by the ACMA, they aim to solidify the regulations and make the enforcement stricter. One good example of a specific point is the fact that the rules require VOIP service providers in Australia which are able to receive calls from and make calls to public telephone numbers should also be able to make emergency calls. In Australia, the emergency number is 000 and 106 is the number for those who are hearing or speech impaired. Skype, which is able to receive calls from and make calls to public telephone numbers, clearly states that it cannot be used to make emergency calls.
There are more details as to what the ACMA is trying to achieve with this campaign and the ITWire article presents a very clear picture. I think that this is a good step towards the standardization of VOIP services. In fact, I personally believe that certain standards should be set for all countries of the world. Of course, this might not be easy to do, what with the differences in governance. However, the idea that us consumers would know what to expect from the industry is certainly something to look forward to, isn’t it?
In the recent months, VOIP services have gotten more and more attention – both for individual and business purposes. Sometimes, though, we get all caught up in the hype that we may not really see the details. Is VOIP really all that it is made out to be? Does it really bring about advantages? If so, what are they? On the other hand, does VOIP have disadvantages? And if so, what are they?
Let’s look at the positive side first. What are the benefits that VOIP offers? Of course, the benefits vary depending on the specific VOIP service provider. More so, these will depend on the specific features of the VOIP provider.
Unlimited calls for a very low price.
This benefit is actually quite dependent on the plan that you take on. For certain plans, VOIP users can make unlimited phone calls for a very low fee. This could mean that a flat fee is charged for a certain period of time, with no limits as to how many calls can be made. For other plans, it could be that the charges are made per call – for a very low fee still. In any case, the bottom line is that more calls can be made – long distance especially – for much cheaper.
Charging is done per second.
Again, this depends on the VOIP provider and the specific plan. For some VOIP plans that charge per call, however, the calls are charged per second and not by the minute. This makes for a lot of savings as you only really pay what you use.
Mobility and flexibility.
There are many VOIP platforms today which can be used anywhere in the world – as long as the user has a computer and a fast Internet connection. This makes for a lot of convenience as we all know that almost anywhere you go, you can connect to the Internet. This is particulary efficient and cost effective for business people who travel all the time.
Now how about the downside? VOIP surely has some disadvantages as well.
Security.
Like it or not, there are some security threats to VOIP. Generally, though, service providers are handling these issues the best way they can. This is not to say that security threats will not come up in the future, though.
Dependency on Internet speed.
The main thing that makes VOIP great can also be its downfall. Call quality is highly dependent on the speed of the Internet connection. If the Internet speed is not enough, then VOIP calls just might not be possible.
 
Are you an IT professional looking for more growth in your chosen career? Are you a fresh graduate looking for a start in your corporate life? Or maybe you just want to make a career change. If you are any of the above, you might want to look into a career in the VOIP industry. A recent study conducted by IBIS World reveals that the VOIP industry is going to be big this year. Actually, the VOIP industry has already been gaining strength in the past year but based on the study, this growth is yet to become even more explosive in 2008.
So what is IBIS World anyway? Who are they that we should believe their forecast? Here is a description of the company – straight from the horse’s mouth:
IBISWorld’s Industry Intelligence can assist in making better business decisions about strategies and revenue generation by gaining an instant understanding of an unfamiliar or familiar industry faster & more conveniently than previously possible. IBISWorld is a powerful business tool to learn about existing clients or potential clients’ core industries of involvement & how changes to those industries can have an impact on you or your organization.
For over 35-years, IBISWorld have been providing business information to the large corporate and government sector but these days we offer dozens of membership packages to suit organizations in all shapes, sizes and budgets that enable individuals and organizations to access parts or all of our information. IBISWorld enjoys a client list of the who’s who of corporate and government America along with an exciting mix of start-up and middle market organizations.
It is nice to know that there is a company out there that has industry information on the ‘hard-to-know’ industries as much as the popular ones.
There – they’re pretty reliable when it comes to industry information. So what exactly did they have to say about the VOIP industry? Here is an excerpt from their recently released report:
The industry leading the way in terms of employment growth over the next few years will be Voice Over Internet Protocol providers (VoIP), according to IBISWorld, with average annualized jobs growth of around 19.4 percent through 2012.
“This is the result of significant revenue growth forecast for the same period, driving more organizations to enter the industry, which in turn will boost employment. And as an emerging telecommunications service,” said Mr. Van Horn.
“There still is a reasonable way for the sector to go as it gains greater consumer and business acceptance. The outlook is good as household broad- band penetration is still rising, facilitating greater use of digital services and helping improve the call quality of industry services.”
So there, if you want to ride the wave, I suggest you learn more about VOIP.
 
Are you based in South Africa? Are you in IT? Is your work focused on VOIP and related areas? If your answer is yes to all of these questions, then you would be delighted to know that Connection Telecom is conducting a training course on Asterisk this month. The idea is to inform and train individuals on how to install, configure, and maintain a complete Asterisk system. I heard of this event from Tectonic. The entry joyfully announces the training course:
Want to be an Asterisk guru? Then sign up for the first bootcamp to be run by Asterisk gurus Connection Telecom. The five-day course costs a whopping R23 400 but if you can get your company to cover the fees the course will be well worth attending. Connection Telecom has been involved with Asterisk since it first broke onto the IT scene.
Rob Lith, director of Connection Telecom, says this training course will assist participants with gaining a high-level knowledge of Asterisk and its potential, with particular focus on the SIP network. The course will focus on a combination of theory and practical labs, and participants will learn how to setup and configure Asterisk in a scalable enterprise or service provider network. Participants will also be able to achieve a dCAP-certification (Digium-Certified Asterisk Professional), a globally recognised programme that will be offered at the end of the Asterisk Bootcamp training course or can be taken separately, bringing a new skill set to their career or company. Various kinds of setups will be covered, giving participants insight into the design of real SIP networks using Asterisk, providing participants with a real competitive advantage in today’s demanding software environment.
The course will run from 14 to 18 April 2008 in Johannesburg.
Indeed, the course fee is a bit steep for an individual. However, I think that if your company is even remotely interested in Asterisk and the potential that it offers your business, then I am pretty sure that you can convince your bosses to set you up for the course. More so, compared to the potential savings that your company can make with Asterisk, the fee would become negligible. Also, considering that this is the first ever training of its kind to be offered in South Africa, it is a very big thing to be able to complete this course. It would definitely give an edge to the individual and to the company.
So what are you waiting for? Visit Connection Telecom’s page for more information.
Everything seems to be going mobile these days – and why not? With the fast pace of life that most of us are living, it is just right to have the proper tools to continue with our daily tasks wherever we may be. I was just thinking about the people I see on my way to work everyday. Every where I look, I see people fiddling with their mobile phones, their PDAs, their notebooks, etc. Our society has indeed become a mobile one – so what does this have to do with VOIP?
Well, VOIP has gone mobile, that’s why. What is mobile VOIP? According to Mobile VOIP Review:
Mobile VoIP is a term used to describe the delivery of Voice over IP via a mobile handset. Mobile VoIP is delivered by a third party service provider over a WiFi or 3G network cellular network that a mobile device is connected to. Mobile VoIP service providers typically require a user to download software onto their mobile device in order to gain access to their service.
Simple enough, isn’t it? So, for example, you have the latest mobile phone in the market. It has Internet capabilities so you can connect to the Web anytime you want to – as long as your network provider has that feature. Now, why would you want to have VOIP access if you have your mobile phone that you can use to call anyway? Simply because VOIP calls – especially to overseas destinations – is so much cheaper! If you can call through VOIP on your mobile phone, you will make considerable savings on your voice calls!
How can you have VOIP access on your mobile phone? As I mentioned earlier, your network provider and your mobile phone should have Web connectivity features. Once you have this, you only need to download software from the mobile web site of a VOIP provider. Once the software is downloaded and installed, you can make VOIP calls.
There are a lot of mobile VOIP providers existing today. How to know which is the best? Visit this new review web site that I quoted above – Mobile VOIP Review. They provide basic information about the various mobile VOIP providers. In addition, they are trying to get real users from all over the Web to share their opinions and experiences regarding these providers. Though the site seems fairly new, I suppose that it will have more content in the near future – why not add your voice now?
If you are an Asterisk fan boy (or girl, for that matter), then chances are that you have a particular affinity for various kinds of gadgets as well. If so, here is another toy that you can add to your ever growing collection of techie stuff – an Asterisk USB hub. You may already have an Asterisk shirt (or two), you may even have a couple of Digium shirts. I am sure you have at least one Asterisk book or even a mug, but I think this toy will beat them all!
I, for one, cannot seem to have enough USB ports. My desktop PC has 2 in front and 2 at the back. Naturally, I mainly use the 2 USB ports in front as they make for easy access. Sometimes, though, when I have all my gadgets in use, the 2 are not enough. My notebook computer is gifted with more – I have 4 in all. Believe it or not, sometimes, I still need more. What with all the gadgets that can be connected to the computer these days, this is not really surprising. A mobile phone, a iPod, a flash disk, a digital camera, and so on – the list can be quite long! I cannot imagine how people with only one USB port can manage!
Thank God for USB hubs – they can really come in handy. The Asterisk USB hub, I think, is a big plus. It not only provides you with the functionality you need but it also gives you that extra something when it comes to style and making a statement. The Asterisk is colored a bright red (talk about making a statement!) and is shaped like – surprise! – an asterisk. It also comes in a cool light blue shade, which I actually like as well but the red seems to have more “bang†in it. It has four ports – greatly extending your USB capacity.
The Asterisk USB hub is the brainchild of industrial designer Joel Escalona. I have not had the chance to get one for myself as of yet but based on the pictures that I have seen, it seems that this particular toy has a big edge over more conventional USB hubs. How so? It is because of the fact that the design of the USB hub makes for more space in between the four ports. Compare this with some conventional USB hubs which do not leave much space in between the ports, making things a little cramped and tight at times, especially if you have 4 gadgets connected at a single time. With the Asterisk USB hub, the spacing has been well thought of and does away with that complication.
What are you waiting for?