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3CX - Software based PBX for Windows

Okay readers... here goes my first paid review and it couldn't have come for a more exciting service. The 3CX phone system for windows is a software-based IP PBX packed with a host of features. It has been created specifically with Microsoft Windows in mind, it's a great replacement for clunky hardware PBXs.

Advantages of the 3CX IP PBX include elimination of separate phone wiring, easy and quick installation, low cost, frees you from vendor lock-in, you can choose from any number of SIP-based hardware phones. Yes, and while you wait you can listen to some charming melodies, frills for some maybe but a thoughtful idea for me. The software installs fast, in less than two minutes. Automated call assistance enables programmable voice messages and call diverts are other features that are available.

Even the free service offers unlimited extensions and there is no degradation in call quality even id the server is occupied handling multiple calls. The 3CX system offers you a report on the calls made using their software, its  a neat service to keep track of who called who and the duration of the call.

These features and many more make the 3CX software an ideal choice for your organization if you are choosing to switch to VoIP.

The 3CX free edition is available for download.    Already, it has garnered rave reviews notching up an impressive 4.6 points out of 5 and in the process winning the Gold Award offered by WindowsNetworking. 

 

VoIP for next to nothing

Brett Arends, at TheStreet.com, opines that  the increasing ease with which software  VoIP can be installed  is  returning the power to the consumer after nearly a century of having to bear the diktats of the telecom giants.

Moreover, the early pioneers of VoIP like Skype and Vonage are finding it difficult to attract and keep customers.

Says Brett  "Skype isn't the cheapest service. You may not want to spend $150 buying a new "Skype" phone. And if you do, you're stuck using it with Skype -- to change to a new VoIP provider you'll need a new phone. So I explored the independent route. It was much easier than I expected."

 

What is Wifi VoIP Technology

Wifi or wireless fidelity is the cure for the messy wired world we see everyday in our office. Whatever we do, we always get tangled in the web of wires connecting one office equipment to another, such as computer desktops, printers, file drivers, DVD writers and burners. 

A typical Wifi network includes an Internet connection and a router device to manage and route access to this Internet connection. In this case, the router is Wifi-capable such that any Wifi device can wirelessly connect to the Internet within the area of about 200 feet or so of radius. This area is called a wireless hotspot. You could have heard of wireless hotspots in coffee shops or novelty stores. You pay for a Wifi access to be able to use your Wifi-enabled laptop or Wifi phone at any point within the establishment. Wifi technology has many applications, such as peer-to-peer network connection, Internet access, gaming, and Voice over the Internet Protocol or VoIP.

 

Wifi VoIP And Other Technologies 

VoIP technology or Voice over the Internet Protocol is the cost-saving routing of voice over the Internet. Conventional routing through landline circuits was possible using a router device and VoIP application installed in the computer. This VoIP connection is very slow and is prone to voice delay, jitters and interference. Because of this, the previous VoIP service was not that popular to subscribers. 

When wireless fidelity boomed, another option for VoIP connections appeared, which was called VoWifi or Voice over Wifi. As with other VoIP technologies, VoWifi uses virtual connections over licensed wireless frequencies. The Wifi standard operates from 2 to 5 MHz of frequency with data rates fast enough to make VoWifi competitive in the market. Modifications on the wireless standard also led to the wider range of Wifi reach resulting to wider coverage of Wifi VoIP services. 

Aside from this Wifi access, VoIP is also possible through the legacy 3G networks, such as UMTS and EV-DO technologies, since 3G is riding on General Packet Radio Service or GPRS. GPRS is the technology that connected the normal mobile phone to the Internet. It was the cause for mobile operators to start offering Value Added Services or VAS such as Multimedia Services or MMS and Internet browsing on top of the usual voice and text messaging services.

 

Getting High On Wifi VoIP 

Wifi VoIP uses the wireless frequency to complete VoIP calls. As with other VoIP technologies, Wifi VoIP is cheaper and it maximizes the use of the wireless frequency resource. Not only does it result to a wireless environment, but it also provides an alternative option to the subscriber that results in a further decrease in service charges. 

Wifi VoIP has number portability while VoIP over 3G networks has currently none. Number portability is the capability of subscribers to retain their contact numbers at any point in the world. Using Wifi VoIP, subscribers can do this. For example, the VoIP provider, Skype, assigns an Internet number to its subscribers and since the Internet is in virtual space, a subscriber can access Skype anywhere in the world and can still make the calls. 

Wifi VoIP is also faster in connection than VoIP over 3G networks. This is because Wifi technology is directly connected to the Internet while in a 3G network, a subscriber making a VoIP call must pass through the mobile network elements, such as the mobile base stations and subsystems, before finally connecting to the Internet.

There have been efforts to bring unity to both the Wifi and 3G networks. Mobile phone manufacturers have introduced dual-mode mobile handsets that aim to provide the subscriber with the maximum convenience. The subscriber can automatically transfer from one network to the other, an effective handover from Wifi to 3G and vice versa. Mobile phones such as the Nokia E60 and NEC N900iL were one of the first dual-mode phones.

 

The Need to Spot A Wireless Hotspot 

Making a Wifi VoIP call is simple; just go within radar of a wireless hotspot. Hotspots are found within coffee shops, restaurants, train and bus stations, fuel stations and even libraries. In fact, in places where people are usually present, you will be able to find hotspots there. Wifi access for an Internet connection can be purchased using cash, credit or debit card. There are many providers of this service such as MyHotZone, Nomadix, SurfAndSip and other such providers. For every Wifi VoIP call, the subscriber is charged accordingly by a VoIP provider, such as Skype, which means that access charge for voice is different from the access charge for Internet access. In fact, there are Wifi phones in the market that are locked with Skype. 

Is there a free Wifi access? Yes, there are some hotels that actually provide free Wifi services to their guests. There are other means to have free Wifi, but doing so will open the Wifi access to unauthorized users. There is a management system for hotspots in closed public systems wherein Wifi operators can provide free access in replace of paid advertisements.

   

Wifi VoIP In The Future 

Wifi is a booming technology alongside with the current 3G technologies being implemented worldwide. Initially, Wifi was implemented with the laptop users in mind. However, improvements and advancements in the technology are transforming it into a tough competitor to beat by 3G technologies in carrying out voice services. Technology wise, the Wifi phone is more advanced in VoIP, but the legacy 3G networks offer more than just voice service. However, the fact that mobile phone manufacturers are making dual-mode phones means that 3G VoIP is lagging behind Wifi VoIP. The need of the market for VoIP influences the entry of dual-mode phones.

Presently, there are plans underway to convert a number of cities such as Philadelphiainto a large mesh of wireless network using Wifi technology. In this case, charging for Wifi access will be in the form of subscription. At any point within the city you can readily use your Wifi-enabled laptop or Wifi phone without much of a problem. If the project pushes through, the subscriber will be able to make effective VoIP calls via Wifi on every turn at a street corner.

Wifi VoIP Phones: Wireless VoIP at Your Fingertips

A Wifi VoIP phone can be used to make VoIP or Voice over Internet Protocol calls. In this case, it is called VoWifi or VoIP over Wifi technology. Wifi technology is the popular name for the 802.11 standard released in 1997 that lays out the grand plan of a wireless environment, which is more manageable and cost-effective as compared to traditional voice circuits. Over the years, several modifications on the original standard were issued. The 802.11 a operates in a 5 GHz band but it has shorter range as compared to 802.11 b and 802.11 g. These two latest standards both operate at a lower 2 GHz. The advantage of the 802.11 g standard is that it operates like an 802.11 a standard but with a longer reach like the 802.11 b. In short, the best of both worlds.

Previously, VoWifi services lagged behind in quality from the conventional circuits because of its vulnerability to delay and other problems. This is a big blow to its Quality of Service or QoS. Fortunately, there are new standards for the QoS of Wifi technology called Wireless Multimedia Extensions or WME. These standards prioritize wireless VoIP traffic over other applications. Likewise, wireless VoIP is now more secure than ever with new encryption methods called Wifi Protected Access, WPA and WPA2, which is an improvement on the previous method, Wired Equivalent Privacy or WEP. The latest Wifi voip phones out in the markets employ these technologies today to the convenience of the Wifi users.

- Wifi VoIP Phones Out In the Market

1. D-Link V-Click Wifi/ GSM Phone  - D-Link joined the bandwagon to create dual-mode phones that can be used either in GSM or Wifi environment. Transfer in different modes is a breeze because of a V-Click button in the phone. Subscribers can make wireless VoIP calls, and send and receive text messages, while at the same time browsing the Internet with an Opera Mobile browser. This phone is built with a 176 x 220 pixel display that will sure capture the web on its screen. The Wifi/ GSM phone costs about $600.

2. Zyxel Prestige P-2000W Version 2 Wifi Phone - The Prestige P-2000W version 2 from ZyXel handles both Wifi and VoIP connections very well. Its wireless VoIP service is top of the line since the phone supports the latest VoIP standard; Session Initiated Protocol or SIP. It can be interconnected with major SIP-based call servers, and other VoIP client devices. It also has T-Glo pre-installed, a VoIP provider, wireless VoIP account for testing purposes. When making VoIP calls anywhere, the phone automatically looks for nearby Wifi access points to connect while also enabling you to keep your own Wifi number wherever you go. All these phone features for only $ 200 make it an easy buy.

3. UT Starcom F3000 Wifi Phone - This clamshell wireless VoIP phone supports two wireless standards; the 802.11 b and g standards while costing only about $ 210. Though made with only a 128 x 160 LCD display, the color resolution of this phone is 320 x 200 resulting in a crisper screen. The phone is fully SIP compliant and VoIP calling is protected by encryption methods. Its initial WEP encryption method has been supported by the latest encryption method of WPA/MD5. These encryption methods ensures the security of VoIP calling features such as call waiting, call conference, call rejecting, redial and mute options, and call holding.

4. LinkSys WIP300 Wifi IP Phone Hitachi IP-5000 Wifi SIP Phone  - This phone costs about $310 and supports the 802.11 b standard. The phone also offers basic functions to wireless VoIP calling. You do not have to worry about savi ng the number of your friends because it supports up to 200 contacts. It automatically searches for available Wifi access points and it can quantify the strength of the area's radio signal. Aside from being able to display text messages, this wireless VoIP can also be set-up as a wireless LAN terminal equipment since it was built with functions necessary to integrate it with a LAN.

5. UT Starcom F1000G Wifi IP Phone - This wireless VoIP phone supports IP-PBX and IP-Centrex systems. Complying with the 802.11 b and 802.11 g standards, the F1000G IP phone supports a wide range of user environments. Weighing only 111 g, the phone sure packs a lot of features for VoIP calling such as call transfer, call forwarding, call hold and resume, call conferencing and call transfer. It also has a Voice Activity Detection or VAD function wherein it can automatically prep-up once it detects your voice. Likewise it can manage the background noise with its Comfort Noise Generation or CNG feature. It has four hours of talk time with about 30 to 50 hours of stand-by time.

6. D-Link DPH-540 802.11 b/g Wifi SIP Phone - This very sleek flip-type wireless VoIP phone comes in a service subscription plan and like other wireless VoIP phone, will greatly reduce your local and long distance charges. It has a large colored display with a user-friendly texting display. It employs the latest encryption methods available such as WPA and WPA2 to keep unauthorized persons from using the Wifi service. Its Voip quality is compliant with SIP standards and the phone has features such as compensation for packet delays, recovery of lost packets and the cancellation of echos, which makes the VoIP conversation continuously clear and crisp. Its wireless VoIP is also top of the line because it supports PsipTN, the Next Generation VoIP platform. Fortunately, it does not only provide VoIP services and features, but also supports text messaging as well. All these features in a phone that costs only from $200 to $250 is very rare.

7. Netgear SPH101 Skype Wifi phone - This wireless VoIP phone from Skype costs from $150 to $200. It will let you talk to or receive calls from Skype users without the need for a computer connection. As with any Skype connection, the call to a Skype subscriber is always free. The phone display readily shows your Skype buddies who are active. When making calls outside of the Skype network, a low cost charge per minute will be implemented but without the usual monthly fee. Adding flexibility, the Wifi phone can also forward calls to a landline or mobile phone if necessary. The phone, however, has no web browser, making it impossible to use under a Wifi hotspot since these access hotspots require a web log-on and authentication.

8. SMC WSKP100 Wifi Phone - At roughly $ 132, having a prepaid 500 Skype minutes and 1 year Voicemail card for free is not bad. This Wifi phone is built to maximize all Skype functions. It also has an enhanced power-saving mechanism which lengthens the stand-by and talk time. It also supports 802.11 b and 802.11 g wireless standards. The phone also includes features to show the remaining Skype credits as well as profiles of your Skype contacts.

9. Belkin F1PP000GN Wifi Phone - The Belkin Wifi Phone works with Skype and over a Wifi environment. Though it has a stylish look that gives most mobile phones a run for their money, it actually looks more like the Sony Ericsson T610i. It has two face menu keys on either side, a 4-way joystick and a standard phone keypad. It offers the usual phone menus such as call history, voicemail, contact lists and other similar features. Wireless VoIP calling is no problem since the phone is pretty much focused on keeping voice calls to top quality.

 

10. Hitachi

IP-5000 Wifi SIP Phone - This phone costs about $310 and supports the 802.11 b standard. The phone also offers basic functions to wireless VoIP calling. You do not have to worry about saving the number of your friends because it supports up to 200 contacts. It automatically searches for available Wifi access points and it can quantify the strength of the area's radio signal. Aside from being able to display text messages, this wireless VoIP can also be set-up as a wireless LAN terminal equipment since it was built with functions necessary to integrate it with a LAN.

Today, consumers have a wide array of Wifi voip phones to choose from. Not only this, mobile phone manufacturers are also starting to deploy mobile phones with dual-mode capabilities such that it can be used with either a Wifi or a 3G network. These mobile phones are available in the market as Wifi voip phones or smart phones but as long as Wifi voip phones continue to improve on its features and capabilities, it can still maintain a fair share of the market without a problem.

Yoomba is good; too good, perhaps

You’ve got to admit it’s a compelling promise: Phone calls through your email address.

The interesting idea comes from start-up Yoomba, a company jointly headquartered in Tel Aviv and Silicon Valley, and the company is (perhaps) audaciously billing itself as “the world’s first peer-to-peer open communications experience.”

The Yoomba blog is equally as ecstatic: “We understood [that] we need to create something from scratch - a new open experience. This experience should look, act, and feel like something you already know. So we created the Yoomba experience!”

Yoomba has reportedly developed technology which “turns any email address into a phone or instant messenger.” This means, essentially, that phone calls could become free. In theory. The technology that has the blogosphere abuzz is an open peer-to-peer application that “sits on top of every email network,” thereby turning any email address into a phone or messenger.

Yoomba promises to integrates into email applications, adding buttons next to contact details in all of the major webmail programs, Outlook and Outlook Express. Said buttons provide one-click access to contacts using voice or instant messaging.

The strangely-named co-founder/CEO of the strangely-named company, Elad Hemar, declared that “Yoomba has created email calling and email chat in the simplest way possible,” claiming that “At Yoomba we are changing the way people communicate by providing the first open p2p network, putting consumers back in control.”

(Though this snarky My VoIP Newswriter could ask, “‘Back in control?’ When have consumers ever had control over telecom services?”)

You can activate an account at the Yoomba homepage; before you too, however, you may want to take a look at a handful of cautionary tales reported on a piece over at Network World by Cara Garretson; the title self-explanatorily declares “Early Yoomba users say the service spams contact lists” and is a bit of a downer for something that kind of sounded too good to be true.

(Of course, you know what they say about things that sound too good to be true.)

Some grievances – aptly demonstrating the 21st-century infatuation with the exclamation point, incidentally – posted at Network World and collected from other sources go like this:

• “It spammed my entire contact list…. I call that a virus.”

• “…not in fact my closest friends ‘on’ Yoomba, but rather my entire contact list, [Yoomba] proceeded to spam. How embarrassing. Needless to say, I uninstalled.”

• “These guys put in this cute little feature where after install, it brings up a screen to add contacts. If you don’t read carefully (or maybe even if you do ... I can’t seem to get back to the screen) it spams all of your freaking contacts!!!”

Wellllll, My VoIP News is willing to give Yoomba the benefit of the doubt for the time being; perhaps this is just a security issue…? Or maybe i’m just salivating at the possibility of free phone calls with a hard technology upgrade…If any users have comments, please send them to My VoIP News before i “embarrass” myself with spamming. This thing really sounds too good to be true!!!!