Bao Mei Mei

Just where is the business community headed for VoIP technology and applications? The answer is not that simple as it can vary greatly by region of the world. The difference in scale and application between small business networks and enterprise VoIP for larger organizations is also a factor in the equation.

What seems to be the practice in the US is that businesses adopt VOIP because it is budget friendly. Most companies deploy VOIP in new offices because it is cheaper than a new digital phone system. Existing offices are migrated to VOIP as leases on digital equipment expired. Interoffice voice communication occurrs without long distance costs as VOIP traffic travels the corporate WAN (VPN/MPLS/etc.) alongside or parallel to data traffic. I see this trend continuing domestically until digital phone systems are phased out completely.

The next challenge is replacing small business (analog) phone systems because they generally keep pace with consumer technology instead of larger businesses. You currently see VOIP for small business and personal use independent of the ISP. A combined offering of Internet data and voice could easily induce universal acceptance of VOIP in even the smallest business (as well as households).

The only thing left behind is conference equipment in businesses of all sizes. Your desktop phone provider rarely provides your digital/analog tripod conference phone and associated equipment. I expect technology advances for VOIP to be in the conference room as opposed to the desktop. When I hear convergence, I think of the unification of voice and data. The conference room is where you can really take advantage of this union.

Today in India especially; many small, medium & large enterprises are looking forward to VoIP technology as companies become more conscious about spending money on PSTN. With recent changes taking place in VoIP technology, and as it becomes more and more affordable, most organisations are coming forward to adapt these newer technologies to fulfill there communication requirements. To tap the growing requirements and market potential, not only the small phone companies but even the PBX manufacturing giants like Nortel, Avaya, Alcatel and Panasonic are continuously working on providing more advanced features and facilities utilizing the maximum possible technical advancements of VoIP. The current trend of unified communication concept is an example for this.

Australia/New Zealand were early adopters of IP telephony particularly in large enterprise and Government sites. The most likely reason to deploy IP Telephony was office relocation, and large enterprise customers replacing their aging legacy PBX with IP Telephony on the basis of future proofing, Toll-Bypass, and lower maintence cost compared to legacy pbx.

Cisco has sold something like over 5 million IP Phones worldwide. Australia & New Zealand combined sold over 500,000 IP Phones.

VoIP Technology is no longer about making cheaper calls in Australia/New Zealand. Its about optimizing business processes with fully integrated communication options. IM, Video Conferencing, Presence, Unified Messaging, and Mobility. I anticpate Australia and New Zealand to be early adopters to Unified Communication in Asia Pac.

Malaysia is an interesting place because, despite the lack of large “enterprise” sale of IP Telephony compared to Australia, there appears to be a large acceptance of VoIP Technology from open source such as SIPX, Asterisk and OpenSER. In fact, a lot of VoIP innovation coming from Malaysia is based on Open Source (ie. Free to download but you have to put long man hours to get it working). A fascinating application is one where you use your 3G mobile phone’s camera to capture a video stream that sends automatically to your blogsite. This application is used also in Insurance companies where members are encouraged to record the “car accident” video clip as part of the process in submitting a claim. Also, the same VoIP technology is used in legal proceedings, in court, where lawyers can access the judge via 3G Mobile phone and IP Video Phone. These applications all use VoIP technology as the foundation.

On another note….the convenience of using the same cable infrastructure, manageability, cost involved maintaining Public Switching Telephone Lines, and quick and easy deployment are just a few parameters which attract most companies to buy the voice communication systems which support VoIP. That’s a cottage industry in itself which will only grow as acceptance and deployment of VoIP takes a firmer hold in the business world.

For example, several Soft PBX softwares can be found on the Internet which are freely available for download and usage. This develpoment implies that the requirement for Hardware PBX is decreasing day by day. This also is an early indication that most of the voice communication techniques and products emerging in the future will be based on VoIP……and software aspects.

Lots of improvements are still needed in VoIP no matter where you are in the world…..but they are in the pipeline. For example, SMEs require simple to setup aid rather then technically rich products. An example of an improvement here would be products like the iSpeedBump from Interworking Labs. This goes outside your firewall and looks at your traffic. If it sees VoIP, it prioritizes that traffic over things that can go slower like e-mail. The device has four main settings to match 99% of cases and you just plug it in, set the switch and go. No more. Cleans up garbled VoIP yielding a better quality voice exchange.

Personally I think VoIP still has a long way to go to really compete with the landlines for business customers….particularly for small businesses. Not so much for large enterprises. For most VOIP installations, especially in a small company, though it is significantly cheaper VoIP doesn’t work anywhere near as well as a landline. Nor are all the security concerns alleviated. At least yet.

The trick, and VoIP companies seem to have done a pretty good job of this, is to convince people that phone service doesn’t always have to be perfect. Sounding like a cell phone is fine, and probably the other end of the conversation will think it is their end anyway. So don’t waste your money on a landline. However, as VoIP quality and reliability catches up…no one will really notice a difference (or really care about what little difference there may be). Then the answer will be narrowed down simply to cost….and the most cost effective communication will win out.

By: Michael Lemm

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Different technological advances have always boggled the minds of men. But one thing is for sure, technology has always been there to help us in our everyday situations. Just think of how you would get food to stay fresh without the refrigerator. Indeed, technology has given us the power to sustain our rapidly increasing needs in order to survive.

Still not convinced? Here are some specific instances of how technology supports our everyday lives:

Work. In these days, who wouldn’t see a computer in the office? Other fields, such as in construction work, require the use of bulldozers and other equipment to help build those skyscrapers we see today. Different robots are being designed today to help with rescue and military missions to help us have secure lives. Truly, the wonders of technology continue to help in our working activities.

Transportation. Technology helps us if we want to go to different places. Nowadays, it is rare NOT to see cars on the road. Also, there are the new trains powered by electricity, which could travel long distances over a short period of time. Planes help us reach places we could get by on foot. Truly, technology marked its significance in this field.

Communication. There are different means to communicate with our friends and relatives nowadays. From the telephone to our state-of-the-art video call cell phones, technology is always there to help us be in touch with our loved ones. Even the deaf can hear with earpieces. Technology has paved its way through our hearts by letting us communicate with the persons we treasure.

Medical purposes. Medical science is one of the fields that really benefits from technology. It is easier to diagnose internal diseases through the help of certain machines such as the CT scan. It is also possible now to help persons with a failing heart live by attaching pacemakers to the body.

At home. Surely, household appliances are marvels of technology. You wouldn’t want to be wasting time handwashing your clothes when you have your washing machine to do that. You also wouldn’t want to sit in a hot room when an electric fan or air conditioner can cool you down.

Entertainment. Almost every household owns a television or even a radio now. They offer us entertainment in our homes while we relax. Also, there are many computer game consoles out there. Think of the fun and enjoyment you could have with these machines. Not only do we have to enjoy it by ourselves, but it could also turn into a bonding time with your friends and families.

Technology has always been a gift to our lives. It’s only up to us to use it well. If we can get things done faster and better, then it must be a present from the gods, right? But as always, we should never get too dependent on technology, because if ever these gifts fail us, we should always help ourselves strive to live on.

By: Chuck Kosmider

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In today’s business environment, we rely more and more on technology to communicate with one another. Our ability to communicate has been greatly enhanced, and our choices for communication media are ever expanding. From cellular telephones, to Email, fax machines to Palm Pilots, communication devices are linked to the way we do business now more than ever before. This new technology has had many positive benefits for the business world. Unfortunately, since the range of options has expanded at such a quick rate, many people seem to be unaware of how best to use the devices they now have. It is essential to develop an awareness of how technology should best be used to avoid negative outcomes for employees and the workplace in general.

In the last two decades, communications technology in the United States has developed at an extremely rapid rate. Twenty years ago, people did not even know what “Email” was. Now, phrases like “IM me” or “Google it” are commonplace, household terms that seem inseparable from our personal or business lives. But most people don’t know how to properly use these new advances. Take Email for example, misuse of this medium has led to the demise of executives such as Credit Suisse First Boston tech banker Frank Quattrone, Merrill Lynch & Co. analyst Henry M. Blodgett, as well as senior executives from Enron.

The problem with some individuals is that they don’t realize that electronic communications can be and often are permanent. Even text messages can be stored and retrieved by the server processing them. But for most people, it’s not a matter of not realizing that sensitive, potentially career ruining information should not be sent willy-nilly, it’s just that they don’t know how to use electronic communication in a polite way. Just because we have these devices, does not grant us license to substitute rudeness for manners. There is a new code of electronic manners in using telephones, PDAs, laptop computers, faxes, and so on.

Here are 8 guidelines for communicating in an effective, respectful manner:

1. Don’t use your cell phone at inappropriate times, in inappropriate places, or in an inappropriate way. This invades others’ privacy and disrupts their ability to concentrate.

2. Don’t encroach on others’ personal space when using your laptop computer. There are appropriate times/places to connect and use your laptop and there are times when it is not appropriate.

3. Turn off your beeper and/or cell phone whenever you are in a situation where it could be distracting.

4. Don’t send lengthy faxes unless you first call the individual or business to ensure that it’s a good time

5. Only use the speaker phone when necessary, and always make sure the person you are talking to does not mind.

6. Never send e-mail that contains inappropriate or sensitive material (as some executives have learned the hard way).

7. Consider calling a person who you usually communicate with by e-mail from time to time to establish a more personal contact.

8. Avoid calling, paging, or faxing people at home or after hours, unless it is vital that you do so.

In today’s business world, we use technology to communicate with one another like never before. Communication has been greatly enhanced, and so have our options of how and when to communicate. This new technology has primarily been a good thing for the business world. However, many people seem unaware of how best to communicate in this modern age. Active awareness and following some type of guide to communication etiquette is essential for all people in today’s business world.

By: Justin Elza

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Developments related to information technology involved major advances in communication, such as the telegraph – which was really an electronic improvement on ancient methods such as drums and smoke signals, and later semaphore communication.

The first telegraph was actually built in 1809, but the technology matured during the mid-nineteenth century with the development of methods whereby actual images could be transmitted electronically (1843). With the laying of the Transatlantic Cable in 1866, communication that once took weeks or months could be accomplished in minutes.

Further advances included the development of wireless communication in the 1890′s, and the combination of this technology with the typewriter to create the teletype machine in the early 20th century.

Thomas Edison was the first to come up with a way to store sound information with the invention of the phonograph in 1877, but it was really the development of audio magnetic recording tape in 1926 by German inventor Fritz Pfleumer that would become a method of storing information electronically.

Magnetic tape was initially used for recording sound. The technology finally arrived in the U.S. after the Second World War, and early computer engineers soon found uses for it. Magnetic audio tape was used to store data by the UNIVAC I computer of 1951.

What is interesting is how the information was stored – which differs little from the basic way information is stored today. If you were to listen to a magnetic tape on which computer data was stored, you would hear a series of beeps of varying lengths – but consisting of only two pitches. These are basically “ones” and “zeros” – the building blocks of all computer data.

Today, we are able to store, process and transmit more information than ever before in history, using nothing more than two symbols! 1 0

Information Technology Since 1980

The development during the 1970′s of integrated circuits and the microprocessor were the advances that began the real revolution in computing. Before the 1970′s, computers were huge, extremely expensive, and relatively slow.

Integrated circuits and microprocessors made possible the development of smaller, faster machines that were priced within the reach of more people. “Personal computers” had actually been around since the early 1950′s (computing pioneer Edmund Berkeley published plans for a PC which he called “Simon” in Radio Electronics magazine in 1950 and ’51).

However, the Apple II, released in April of 1977 (price: about $1300) was the first modern desktop computer featuring an interactive, graphical interface made widely available and affordable to the general public.1

The other significant development came in the early 1990′s when a system of little-known academic and military networks dating from the late 1960′s and early 1980′s suddenly exploded into popularity. The World Wide Web, or Internet, has changed the way people access information, communicate and even entertainment itself.

Separate devices such as telephones, televisions and cameras are now becoming single devices that encompass all of these functions. Meanwhile, the power and capability of computers continues to go up while the cost of the technology continues to drop. Still, waiting to take advantage of technology will be a mistake.

By: Dwayne Garrett

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Wireless communications schools offer courses of study for certificates and degrees in telecommunications technology. As communications technologies continue to grow and expand, there will be a continuing need for well-prepared technicians who have attained an education in wireless communications. Good training can teach you to design, install, and maintain equipment for mobile and digital telephones, and other media.

Schools for wireless communications train technicians in multimedia applications of this technology, including low-power analog, digital, and radio frequency circuitry. Courses will cover advanced topics such as smart antennas; speech, video, and image compression communication theory; and management and control policies of communication networks.

Training in wireless communications prepares students for entry into many fields of communications, while employment opportunities continue to grow the world over at an astonishingly rapid rate. Technicians can enjoy long and varied careers. State-of-the-art training is essential for keeping abreast of the discipline for a long time to come.

Graduates will find work in local broadcast stations, multinational media conglomerates, and utility companies. Another source of employment is with all branches of the armed forces, where communications technologies are vital to defense and survival.

If you are interested in learning more about this fascinating field, you can find some good schools for wireless communications on our website today and submit a request for more information to help you get started.

DISCLAIMER: Above is a GENERAL OVERVIEW and may or may not reflect specific practices, courses and/or services associated with ANY ONE particular school(s) that is or is not advertised on our website.

Copyright 2008 – All rights reserved by Media Positive Communications, Inc.

Notice: Publishers are free to use this article on an ezine or website, provided the article is reprinted in its entirety, including copyright and disclaimer, and ALL links remain intact and active.

By: Michael Bustamante

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The advent of recent local and state legislations requiring the use of hands-free devices only while driving has increased the market of Bluetooth headsets among cellular phone users. Bluetooth interface can now be found in a wide range of cellular phone models.

But for more than just hands-free mobile phone convenience, Bluetooth technology is becoming a popular way to stay connected wirelessly. This enables you to connect to the internet, share or transfer files, stream music and a lot more.

Bluetooth technology allows two devices to communicate and interact with each other over a 2.4 GHz low-frequency waves range. A standard Bluetooth headset’s range is 10 meters but this can actually be extended to over a mile with the appropriate device.

Unlike infrared, devices connected via Bluetooth do not have to be in direct line or too close to each other. This allows for a wider distance between the interacting devices. You can snap a photo on your mobile phone and print it out directly on a regular Bluetooth printer.

Use wireless keyboards on multiple devices. Listen to your favorite music on a Bluetooth headset straight from your mobile phone’s mp3 player. Now, even vehicles are equipped with this technology to allow you to interact with other devices via your vehicle’s audio system.

Bluetooth headsets work well with various accessories like Bluetooth adapters, antenna, car kit, card drive and dongle.

Bluetooth adapters turn your desktop or wired notebooks into wireless devices by plugging in a adapter onto your PC or laptop’s USB port. This enhances whatever existing hardware you use with wireless connectivity and enables it to communicate or interact with other Bluetooth products like mobile phones and PDAs.

The Bluetooth antenna increases the range of Bluetooth devices to over a mile, depending on the make and model.

Some Bluetooth car kits include a speaker phone with TTS (text to speech) capabilities. Supporting both handset and hands-free profiles, these can be paired with multiple devices. With built-in microphones and speakers, these Bluetooth car phones have an integrated echo cancellation and noise suppression systems.

The Bluetooth card drive is designed for both Bluetooth functionality and card reader or flash memory drive. This device accessory deploys this capabilities into your laptops, desktops, or Tablet PCs.

The Bluetooth Dongle operates in a range of up to 100 meters. This accessory sometimes comes with a built-in antenna. Handy and stores easily, this accessory improves communication between your devices.

There are other devices and accessories you might find useful and the list continues to grow as manufacturers seek to improve the quality of current Bluetooth technology.

By: David Urmann

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