Video Conference - VOIP Info ... phone, service providers, discount, download, free calls,cheap,sip

Connecting VOIP to the PSTN and Cellular Networks

2008-08-02T11:03:00.000-07:00

Cheapest ATAs and Service - For Calling PSTN Numbers, or receiving phone calls from PSTN Numbers
Configuring GSM VoIP gateways with Cisco Call Manager - Step by step guide
ENUM - Translating E164 numbers to VoIP addresses
Failover Switches - Automatically or Manually Switch PSTN Interfaces on failure for reundancy
FXS-FXO Converters - Convert an FXS interface to an FXO interface
Phone Numbers - Dozens of test and information numbers you can call for free.
Routing calls using a free international calling service - How to use two-step dialing to save on costs.
PSTN Gateways - VOIP to PSTN gateways (also known as: Media Gateways)
VOIP GSM Gateways - VOIP to GSM gateways

Connecting Phones to VOIP

2008-07-19T08:03:00.000-07:00

IP Phones: VoIP phones both hardware and software
Analog Telephone Adapters: VoIP analog telephone adapters ATA - see Cheapest ATAs and Service
- See also VOIP Routers
- See also Asterisk hardware home analog: includes some comparison of external ATA and PCI card
Digital Telephone Adapters: VoIP Digital/TDM telephone adapters
Dial Pulse to Touchtone DTMF Converters - connect that old rotary phone to DTMF VOIP equipment
VOIP Paging and Intercom
VOIP Payphones
VOIP and TTY VOIP and hearing impaired TTY terminals
VOIP Paging Equipment - paging with VOIP
Free VoIP Networks - list of Free VoIP Providers
Wireless VOIP: Cut the wires! Roam free with wireless VOIP

Getting Started

2008-07-06T12:42:00.000-07:00

What is VOIP? The very basics.
Free VOIP Publications: Magazines and Newsletters free to qualified subscribers.
Training: Seminars, tutorials, on-line classes. Check here for recent.
VOIP Consultants: Finding help.
VOIP Service Providers - VOIP service providers.
DID Service Providers - VOIP call origination service providers.
VoIP Practical Guide - VoIP Resources for Your Home and Business.

Article : Maximize The Results Of Your Online Web Meetings

2008-04-01T11:46:00.000-07:00

By : Mostafa ElAwady

Before holding an online web meeting, you must be aware of the following:

1. Your online web meeting should be short and on track. The duration of the event should be no longer then one hour or maximum of one hour and thirty minutes.

2. What type of questions will you ask those attending the web meeting? Asking questions keeps everyone’s attention and allows you to effectively teach your guests.

3. As a courtesy to others in attendance, ask guests to hold their questions until the end of the meeting. Chances are that you will answer most questions during your presentation. Asking guests to hold their questions will reduce the overall meeting time for everyone.

4. Advise guests to preinstall the web meeting plugin before the live meeting. If guests will be speaking during a meeting, advise them to use the integrated audio setup and testing feature before the live meeting. Guests can perform this audio setup and test without logging in.

5. Prepare an optimized version of your PowerPoint® that is less than 2 MB. This will allow guests to see the presentation quickly and easily.

6. Always have a recording of your presentation available before a live meeting. Recorded presentations can be enjoyed by those unable to attend the live meeting. In the event a guest has a problem with their computer or internet connection, they can still enjoy the presentation. You may have invested thousands of dollars to promote your web meetings, and you lose time and money when someone can not attend the live meeting or has some problem that is beyond your control.

7. Practice your entire live presentation using the web meeting room program a minimum of 5 to 7 times from start to finish. This is the most important thing you need to know before holding an online web meeting.

8. Make sure the online web meeting service you are using offers free live training.

9. When it comes to web meetings, choosing the right service that meets your needs can be a daunting task. Make sure the program you choose meets the following important criteria:
• Login is fast and easy.
• Those with a dial-up connection can participate without problems.
• Web meeting program works with corporate firewalls.
• No Active-X control is required to run the program.
• You can easily create and manage live meeting polls and surveys.
• You can create and host your own custom registration pages.
• No scheduling is required, you can hold meetings anytime you decide.
• You can use any payment gateway to sell access to your meetings.
• The PowerPoint® presenter displays slides in dual format.
• Live video conferencing offers synchronized audio and video.
• Your guests can enjoy hands free meetings, you control everything they see.
• You can record and control your recorded presentations.

source : http://www.articleboy.com/Article/Maximize
-The-Results-Of-Your-Online-Web-Meetings/24716

Article : Video & Web Conferencing: How To Determine Which Features Will Benefit You The Most

2008-04-01T11:41:00.000-07:00

By Dan Richmond

Web and video conferencing technology is becoming more sophisticated with each passing day. A few years ago it was a novelty just to talk with someone online, and view his or her image at the same time. Today web conferences bring together entire companies in complex interaction that rivals live face-to-face meetings. How you might benefit from the latest developments in web conferencing depends on your particular needs. Here are a few points that you should consider.

1. Do you need to make a Powerpoint or other presentation during your conference?

If you answered “yes” to this question, then you will be glad to know that current web and video conferencing services allow the host of a conference to present a slide show or power point demonstration that will be visible on the screens of all the participants of a conference. Similarly, hosts can also open and show other document formats to their attendees. If you need this kind of capability, make sure that your conference provider can give this to you.

2. Do you require telephone conferencing integrated with your web/video conference?

Many organizations have found telephone conferencing to be an effective way to get work done. If you are already connecting with your members and staff via telephone conferences you can expand on this by choosing a web conferencing system that integrates telephone conferencing along with the online conference. The combined service will give you the ease of phone conferencing along with the enhanced visual and presentation features of online conferencing.

Some services allow the host to pay the long distance bill of all the participants (toll free conferencing), while others require each participant to cover their long distance fees.

3. Do all of your conference participants use the same type of computer?

If your participants are going to be using a variety of computers (PC, Mac, Linux) then you will benefit most by choosing a web conferencing system that works on any platform. While earlier conferencing systems required the downloading of complex software that would work only on specified operating systems, newer conferencing formats are delivered online and are browser based. They work on any operating system and if yours in an eclectic audience, then you will get best results with this type of conferencing.

4. Will it be necessary for one of your technicians to “take-over” and operate the computers of any of your participants?

If you wish to use conferencing as a service tool and want to avoid having to send out your service team on physical visits to clients, you can save a lot of travel time and cost by selecting a web and video conferencing system that allows the host of the conference to go online and actually take control of the computer of the client or conference participant. If you are looking at web conferencing as an after-sales service tool, then this particular feature will probably give you one of the most important benefits that you could wish for.

5. Do you want to conduct an online poll or survey during the conference?

If you have a large organization and want to make a quick and accurate poll of opinion or vote on a particular issue then the new polling capabilities of the most advanced web conferencing services will be an important feature for you.

Similarly, if you need to gather demographic information about your meeting participants, obtain valuable input, or quiz and test your participants, then the new online survey capabilities of current web conferencing systems will be an important feature to look for when choosing your conference format. Data from these types of online “surveys” can typically be saved and used for future use.

6. Do you want to brainstorm online, using a “whiteboard”?

Brainstorming is a great way to tap the ideas of a group and to come up with and select new ideas. If this is what you like to do when holding physical meetings, then you will probably want to be able to do the same thing in your virtual meetings as well. This is now possible in some of the more advanced web conferencing systems by using a “group notepad” that enables meeting participants to utilize a shared workspace. The results of these brainstorming sessions can typically be saved in a storage area.

Which of these features will benefit you the most? It all depends on your particular needs. However, one thing is sure: once you experience the convenience of online meetings, you will not want to go back to the era when every meeting required you to pack up your bags and get on an airplane.

source : http://ezinearticles.com/?Video-andamp;-Web-Conferencing:-How-To-Determine
-Which-Features-Will-Benefit-You-The-Most&id=229492

Article : Video Conferencing Will Help Your Business

2008-04-01T11:36:00.000-07:00

Submitted By: Robert Michael

Does your business have locations far and wide, with employees who must meet with each other in order for your business to run smoothly? If so, you know how expensive gathering all your employees together in one place can be. Video conferencing could help your business save time and money, as well as increase productivity and employee satisfaction.

If your business is one of the many that must pay employees’ travel time, transportation, hotel, and food expenses in order for them to attend meetings in person, you know how these expenses can add up. And when your employees are on the road or in the air, your business loses hours of productivity.

Video conferencing provides a better option for many of today’s business owners. Purchasing and maintaining video conferencing equipment is an investment on which you can expect to see immediate returns.

Video conferencing is a technology that integrates audio and video, allowing employees to see and talk to each other as effectively as if they were in the same room. The advantage is that they are actually miles, even continents, apart.

And with so many recent advances in video conferencing technology, your business can become video-conference ready at a reasonable price. Ten years ago video conferencing costs could run as high as $50,000 per site! Now, packages are available for less than half of that, and can often be paid for or rented monthly for payments of under $100!

Once your business starts taking advantage of video conferencing, travel time and all the cost associated with it are eliminated. Important decisions can be reached quickly, and meetings can be called spontaneously whenever opportunities arise. No longer do you have to wait for everyone to meet face to face. Video conferencing greatly accelerates the decision making process.

How many times have you arranged for all your employees to be present at a meeting, paying for many of them to travel great distances away from their regular job sites, only to realize all too late some key data or resource was forgotten back at home? Video conferencing eliminates the hassles and headaches that are associated with traditional meeting methods.

One of the biggest advantages of video conferencing is to the employees themselves. No longer is it necessary for employees to spend days, even weeks away from their families and their on-site responsibilities just to attend meetings? If your employees could meet face to face instantaneously, all the benefits of face to face communication could still exist, without any of the drawbacks of travel time and expense.

With advanced technology and reduced costs, your business does not have to be a Fortune 500 company to take advantage of video conferencing. Stop spending dollars needlessly – equip your business for video conferencing today.

source : http://www.isnare.com/?aid=62753&ca=Computers+and+Technology

VOIP News

2008-04-01T11:27:00.000-07:00

2008-03-31 - Redfone foneBRIDGE support now included in Trixbox CE 2.6.0.5
2008-03-31 - FreePBX Announces Sponsorship Program with Sangoma Technologies as first Sponsor
2008-03-27 - Telesis A.S. announces Automatic Conversation Recorder option for PX24S IP PBX
2008-03-27 - Nokia launches 6300i dualmode VoIP phone
2008-03-26 - ITS Telecom launched an office-in-a-box IP-PBX solution over cellular network
2008-03-25 - Xeepe project offers free SIP proxy scripting tools
2008-03-24 - Xorcom and Voiceroute Enter Partnership for Asterisk IP-PBX Products
2008-03-21 - OpenVox Released The Industry First Mini PCI Analog Card A400M!
2008-03-20 - FreeSWITCH RC1 "Phoenix" Officially Released
2008-03-18 - PaloSanto Solutions announced the availability of its Elastix Appliance ELX-025
2008-03-18 - RockBochs, Inc. releases its fax over IP solution for service providers, including satellite teleport operators.
2008-03-18 - ALLWIN Tech releases G220 Series for 2/4 ports, 1WAN+4LAN VoIP Router with wireless(802.11g) option.
2008-03-16 - Big Brother is watching FBI Electronic Surveillance Needs for Carrier-Grade Voice over Packet (CGVoP) Service.
2008-03-12 - Digium® and I6NET Announce Partnership to offer VoiceXML browser technology into Asterisk
2008-03-12 - Open Source Devolution: Mulitparking Goes Commercial
2008-03-10 - IndustryDynamics Announces VoiceGear Connect — Fully Integrated, Highly Scalable Skype Gateways for Business
2008-03-10 - Xorcom Announces XR3000 IP-PBX Supporting 1,000 Users and 640 Analog Extensions
2008-03-10 - Linux support added for Asterisk Visual Dialplan. Call for beta testers is opened.
2008-03-04 - SIP Forum Announces Ratification of Version 1.0 of the SIPconnect Technical Recommendation
2008-03-03 - Redfone Communications and Elastix PBX announce native foneBRIDGE2 support in Elastix
2008-03-02 - Intuitive Voice Technology Announces "Fast Pass" and "Proximity Detection" for their Asterisk Based Appliance.

Article : Why VoIP And VoIP Video Phones Are The Next Ipod

2008-03-21T09:41:00.000-07:00

Submitted By: Jeff Cagan

In the 1970's it was the cassette tape crushing the 8 track. In the 1980's it was the VHS VCR putting an end to the BETA VCR. In the 1990's DVD's started the beginning of the end for Video Tapes. And in the 2000's, mp3 players and the iPod specifically are about to start throwing dirt on the grave of CD's. So, which product or service that's been the standard for years, will be the one that sees it's demise in the 2010's... it's one of the oldest technologies you have in your house. Your telephone.

To be able to replace an old product or service, and get in a majority of households, you have to have 3 things.

1. A need or want for a new product.
2. A new product that is better than the original.
3. A price that the majority of people can afford

Even though it's in it's infancy, Voip (Voice over internet protocol) technology passes all 3 of the above questions with flying colors.

1. How would you like to talk to and see a friend or relative, that lives in another State or Country, anytime you wanted to? No more sending pictures or having to wait to see someone every few years. Now you can see them on a video screen, in real time video, while talking to them on the phone. I'd want that.

2. What if you could not only talk to someone and see them, but you could also have caller id, call waiting id, call waiting, voice mail, call forwarding, conference calls, last call return, call blocking, do not disturb and more, all built right in to your phone, with no additional costs for these services. That's pretty darn good.

3. What if you got ALL of the above mentioned features from #1 and #2, for LESS than you pay now with your current local phone company? What if it was so much less, it saved you HUNDREDS of dollars per year? I can definitely afford that!

And that, my friends, is why VoIP and video phones are the iPod of the next decade. You're local phone company knows it's coming and they are preparing for it. The big internet companies (Yahoo, Google, AOL, etc) are all prepared to launch their versions. The Wall Street Journal predicts 70% of all houses will have voip by the year 2010... that's only 4 years from now! 70%!!!

So, unless you still have an 8 track in your vehicle or are still trying to keep those records from scratching when you play them on your record player, it might be time to look into something new for your home phone service.

source : http://www.isnare.com/?aid=23711&ca=Computers+and+Technology

Article : Video Conferencing - An Introduction

2008-03-03T00:41:00.000-08:00

By James Hunter
source : http://ezinearticles.com/?Video-Conferencing---An-Introduction&id=70930

With videoconferencing people can interact as if they were talking face to face with both images and sound relayed in real time. This article is designed to guide you through the various options to arrive at the system type best suited to your purpose.

There are various types of videoconferencing; which is suitable for your application will depend upon the IT structure available and what it is that you actually want to achieve. Video conferencing has in the past been relatively expensive, but prices are coming down and it is possible for anyone with a fast enough internet connection to operate a video conference.

Systems are available for hire, lease or sale.

Systems may be installed at all or any of the following: -

on the desktop PC
a dedicated videoconference suite
mobile - for use when and where the need arises.

Each has various advantages and limitations which may be critical to your purpose.

Paradoxically it is far more critical that audio connections are maintained than the video. You may loose a video signal or it may be intermittent but the conference will still proceed – if you lose audio, nothing can be achieved (unless both parties are versed in sign language!)

Video speed for equipment is often shown as frames per second abbreviated as FPS.

In the UK video from most sources runs under the PAL standard which 25 frames per second – e.g. domestic VHS players. In the USA the system is NTSC which runs at 30 frames per second. Videoconference equipment commonly is specified as 15 fps or 30 fps. In layman’s terms - 15 fps will be jerky, it shows every other frame, 30 fps is full motion video.

The higher the frame rate the greater the data load, so the faster the connection required.

A minimum requirement for full motion video and audio between two points is 768 Kbps.

This made up of:- an encoding rate of 384 Kbps (typically used) is selected. This is broken down into two parts –

64Kbps is for the audio
320 Kbps is for the video.

The resulting 384 Kbps stream is compressed and sent (from you – the source) to the remote point (the destination). Similarly a 384 Kbps stream is received from the remote point to you. Thus twice 384 Kbps in bandwidth is required.

If there is a lot of motion in the video, very little compression is achieved. If there is little or no motion in the video, the savings can approach 50%. It would, however, be foolish to design a system which relied on the participants being forced to remain static.

There are two types of video conferencing, each has sub-types.

Point to point - a live video / audio communication between any two locations.
Multipoint - links between a three or more locations

Point to Point (P2P)

Point to point - a live video and audio communication link between any two locations.

P2P - Application

Where the need is to communicate between two points only at any one time: -

Two offices of the same company
Yourself and a business partner company, e.g. Yourselves and a major supplier
Senior management/ teams from two divisions – e.g. research and manufacture.

P2P - Use

Virtual meetings on a one to one basis
Project workgroup co-ordination of effort, live adjustment of data, drawings, documents or prototypes
Virtual board meeting between two groups of people in specific locations - say 5 in one and 4 in another

P2P - Limitations

Bandwidth required increases in proportion to the amount of data being exchanged.
Audit trail of actions taken by whom with a timeline sequence often required.
Extra equipment is necessary to show physical objects, using a visulaiser for say engineering parts

Point-to-Point Videoconferencing

Consider two videoconference terminals (vct) that are connected to the Internet.

The vct and its associated peripherals allow the user to make a call to another client, send the local audio/video stream to the remote client, and hear/view the received audio/video stream on a local speaker/monitor that is connected to the vct. Assume one user (the local user) uses a vct to call a user at a remote vct by entering the IP address of the remote vct. The clients setup a call between the stations following the specifications of the H.323 protocol. Once the call is setup, the clients exchange audio/video streams over the Internet. The point-to-point videoconference continues until one of the users "hangs up" the call.

IP numbers are difficult to remember; some users have dynamically assigned (DHCP) IP numbers that can change every time they boot their system and problems in using IP addressing when different vendor systems are used.

The Gatekeeper

To alleviate the problem of IP dialing, the H.323 standard defines the use of a gatekeeper.

The gatekeeper is a system that connects to the Internet just like the client terminals. The IP address of the gatekeeper is configured into the client terminals and when the clients "power up", they communicate with the gatekeeper and transfer certain information to the gatekeeper that describes the vct.

When the clients register with the gatekeeper, they pass their IP numbers, H.323 alias, and H.323 extension to the gatekeeper where it is stored. This allows a local user to dial a remote user by entering the remote users H.323 extension in effect their video telephone number.

The local vct communicates the H.323 extension to the gatekeeper. The gatekeeper then checks to see if the remote client is registered with the gatekeeper, then sets up the call between the two clients.

Once the call has been setup, the audio/video streams flow directly between the clients over the Internet.

Multipoint

Live video and audio links between a three or more locations. To handle this situation, the H.323 standard introduces the concept of a Multipoint Control Unit (MCU). The MCU can be thought of as a "video bridge". The MCU connects to the Internet and registers with the gatekeeper.

A MCU, depending on its design capacity, can handle a certain number of simultaneous videoconferences each with each videoconference being logically separate from the others and with each having a specified number of users.

When users want to join a particular videoconferencing session, they dial the service number/password combination. The gatekeeper checks to see if that service has been registered by a MCU. The gatekeeper completes the call by connecting the client to the specified videoconference on the MCU.

Once the call has been connected, the client's audio/video stream is then sent over the Internet from the client to the MCU. Similarly, other clients connect to the session and send their audio/video streams to the MCU. The MCU selects one of the audio/video streams on the videoconference and returns that audio/video stream to all of the clients (that is all except the client whose stream was selected).

There are several methods for selecting an audio/video stream. Audio switching and chairman control are two alternatives. Typically, the method that is chosen is audio switching where the MCU selects the stream that currently has active audio (someone is talking or is talking the loudest).

As the user(s) at one site stop talking and the user(s) at another site start to talk, they capture the MCU. The process is repeated with the video from the newly selected site now being sent to all the other sites.

Streaming

To participate in a H.323 videoconference, users must have appropriate videoconferencing client terminals and have Internet connectivity with sufficient bandwidth to support the videoconference.

Some users may not have these capabilities but would still like to be able to participate even if that meant that they could only see and hear conference participants but not be able to interact with them. (Watch and Listen)

Users can receive the stream using a browser on a computer. They enter the URL of the server, and the server starts the encoded audio/video stream over the Internet to the computer. Plug-Ins for the browser exist that are capable of decoding both RealVideo and Windows media streams. The user can thus see and hear the participants in the streamed videoconference in near real-time.

Alternatively, a user can connect to the server at a latter date and view the archived version of the videoconference.

Article : Video & Web Conferencing: How To Determine Which Features Will Benefit You The Most

2008-03-03T00:40:00.000-08:00

By Dan Richmond
source : http://ezinearticles.com/?Video-andamp;-Web-Conferencing:-How-To-Determine-Which-Features-Will-Benefit-You-The-Most&id=229492

1. Do you need to make a Powerpoint or other presentation during your conference?

2. Do you require telephone conferencing integrated with your web/video conference?

Some services allow the host to pay the long distance bill of all the participants (toll free conferencing), while others require each participant to cover their long distance fees.

3. Do all of your conference participants use the same type of computer?

4. Will it be necessary for one of your technicians to “take-over” and operate the computers of any of your participants?

5. Do you want to conduct an online poll or survey during the conference?

6. Do you want to brainstorm online, using a “whiteboard”?

Article : Video Conferencing Solutions

2008-03-03T00:37:00.002-08:00

Submitted By: Saurya Ghosal
source : http://www.isnare.com/?aid=27168&ca=Computers+and+Technology

Video conferencing facilitates learning by allowing remote or distant learners to meet regardless of their location. Students can take classes at multiple universities. In essence classes that are not available at one location may be available at another through video conferencing. Video conferencing can also benefit non traditional students who are not able to attend classes during normal hours.

There are excellent quality video conferencing systems out there. Many of them are well worth the dollars that they cost. And, because technology continues to grow, you’ll find that prices for video conferencing will become more competitive. It is the way of the future. Is your company in the future? Using video conferencing can help to insure that it is there.

Most video conferencing terminals also require what is called a codec or Compressor/Decompressor interface. This piece of equipment helps compress information being passed from audio to video to make transmission of materials feasible over the Net. Without this piece of equipment most files would be too large to send from one computer to another. The process of compression data using a codec machine is often referred to as decoding and encoding information.

Finally, a computer and reliable internet connection are also necessary to facilitate video conferencing. A high speed connection is recommended to make the video conferencing experience not only endurable but also enjoyable. The actual computer you have is not as important as the size of your display. Remember that when using video conferencing equipment, the larger your display the better your picture and the more easily a time you will have ‘conferencing' with other people on the Web.

Article : The Value Of Video Conferencing

2008-03-03T00:37:00.001-08:00

Submitted By: Sandy Baker
http://www.isnare.com/?aid=14359&ca=Computers+and+Technology

Why should you have video conferencing? Is it worth the investment? There are many reasons why you should utilize video conferencing software. The simple fact is that it is quite reliable and quite handy. But, that is not usually enough to have you open your wallet. Yet, there are other reasons why this may be the next investment that you make for your business. Video conferencing is an excellent means of communication.

Besides being a very high quality way of communicating, it also opens the door to live, clear understandings of what is being said. There is little doubt that in a video conferencing situation that you will not know and understand just what the other person is saying. Your message is delivered with a full awareness of your means simply because seeing is believing. Yet, this too is only one reason to consider it.

Video conferencing is also very capable of connecting you with other establishments. If you can not manage your company in one place because you are managing it someplace else, video conferencing can keep you connected. By doing this, you can effectively be in two places at once.

We highly recommend bringing your company up to date and to use this pioneering technology. It doesn’t need to be expensive, or difficult to set up if you contact specialists in this area. There are many information portals now devoted to the subject and we reading about it at one of these. Try googling for “video conferencing info” and you will be surprised by the abundance of information on the subject.

Article : Reselling Web Conferencing Services: How To Profit From The Coming Boom In Web & Video Conferencing

2008-03-03T00:35:00.000-08:00

Submitted By: Dan Richmond
source : http://www.isnare.com/?aid=19569&ca=Business

If you want to make money in an online business, then you need to find a product or service that is fresh, up-to-date and that hasn’t been beaten to death with hundreds of copy-cat affiliates. Web and video conferencing are relatively new applications, and becoming a reseller of online conferencing services could be a good way to start up or add to an already existing online business. Let’s take a look at the prospects for this type of online enterprise.

First of all, web and video conferencing is an up-and-coming field of activity. Business is becoming increasingly globalized and many companies now have staff or clients located in distant locations, sometimes in other countries or on other continents. Online meetings are being used by some of the leading enterprises, but there are many more organizations that have not even begun to take advantage of web or video conferencing.

This is a huge market waiting to be tapped, and with the increasing penetration of broadband use both in the workplace and at home, the market grows larger with each passing month.

Just as there are relatively few companies using web and video conferencing, there are comparatively few resellers or affiliate sellers of these services to compete with. If you would like to get into this business then you should do an online search for web conferencing resellers or affiliates, and choose a program that you can effectively handle.

Typically, affiliate programs for these kinds of services are easy to enter. In many cases all you have to do is sign up and get an affiliate code or url and paste it onto your website and you are in business. However, if you want to be an effective affiliate for web and video conferencing, or for that matter, any other product or service, the best way to sell it is by using it yourself and really knowing what it is all about. Only then can you truly recommend the product in a convincing way.

A step above an affiliate is to become a reseller. Usually this requires a comprehensive training in the web and video conferencing system and there may also be an entry fee attached to becoming a reseller. Whereas affiliates simply refer potential clients to the conferencing service, Resellers are responsible for signing up the clients themselves. The advantage though, is that a reseller is likely to get a higher percentage of the signup and monthly subscription fees paid to the conferencing service by his or her referred clients.

If you are successful as a reseller then you will earn a residual income for as long as the people signed-up by you subscribe to the conferencing service.

Whether you decide to become an affiliate or a reseller, the key to cashing in on the coming boom in online conferencing is to study the market, know the product thoroughly and then place it before your web visitors or mailing list audience in a compelling and convincing manner. Another key factor to success is to make a timely move, a product or service that is “new” today will be commonplace tomorrow.

Article : Video Conferencing Guide- Learn About Video Conferencing

2008-03-03T00:32:00.000-08:00

Submitted By: Gagandeep Dhaliwal
source : http://www.isnare.com/?aid=29988&ca=Computers+and+Technology

Video conferencing allows people at two or more locations to interact through two-way transmission at the same time. Video conferencing is also known as video teleconferencing or visual collaboration. Users require a computer, web cam, microphone, and a broadband connection to participate in videoconference. They can generate natural conversations by seeing and hearing each other. Videoconference of two persons is known as point-to-point while the conference of more than two people is called multipoint conference.

Videoconferencing is very useful way of communication because it saves money as well as time. People can do several business activities or meetings with two or more persons while sitting at office table. They don’t need to go anywhere to meet someone. Basic requirements for video conferencing are guaranteed latency, synchronization and broadcast. It enables people to have face-to-face meetings from a wide distance. Prices of teleconferencing are generally less than costs of travel. It’s an easy way to hold meetings, conduct interviews, give lectures and address employees.

Video conferencing is the best way of communication in medical, legal and educational fields. Normally there are three ways such as computer-based system, desktop system and studio-based system to set up a videoconference. There is a limited field of vision in Computer-based system that is why it is the cheapest way of video conferencing. Desktop system improves the quality of audio and video transmission due to dedicated hardware installed on the computer. Most expensive method of video conferencing is studio-based system that offers best quality conferencing. It is mostly used in large-scale companies and universities. Studio-based system is just like a room that is fully equipped with control systems, document viewers, overhead cameras, vision switchers and slide viewers.

An organization, company, educational facility or individual requires some basic components to take complete advantages of video conferencing. Necessary equipment for videoconferencing is camera that lets user to capture video information at his or her site and transmit to someone on the other site. Video display is used to display video at their site and a microphone to hear the audio material.

Videoconferencing terminals require a compressor/decompressor interface that helps in compressing the information while passing from audio to video to make transmission of materials sufficient over net. It is useful in sending the large files from one computer to another. Codec machine also works for decoding and encoding the useful information. A computer and high-speed Internet connection are essential for a successful video conferencing. High-speed Internet connection makes your video conferencing effective and interesting.

Video conferencing is reliable and an excellent method of communication. Videoconference can easily connect you with other companies. You can generate your business from one place and give instructions to your subordinates. It makes bright future for your business and institution. This pioneering technology keeps your company up to date.

Video conferencing is currently an affordable way of communication. A large range of videoconference units is available in the market. Buyers should check company expansion and system compatibility while choosing the best video conferencing unit.

VoIP News

2008-02-14T07:17:00.000-08:00

2008-02-13 - Deciso releases AskoziaPBX appliance based on its 19" rackmountable ADK - embedded low power Asterisk available with ISDN or IP-Only.
2008-02-11 - GreenfieldTech presents a proof-of-concept for the worlds fastest Asterisk based dialer (35 calls per sec. on PIII 550Mhz)
2008-02-07 - RockBochs, Inc. is now shipping their new 1u Asterisk appliance, called PhoneBochs®
2008-02-07 - Myvoipprovider.com publishes list of Top 80 VoIP services based on Alexa traffic data
2008-02-06 - Eurodesign BG Ltd release new 4 GSM Module for Asterisk
2008-02-02 - SPA9000 Script Change SPA9000 users running version 5.1.9 firmware may no longer receive incoming calls
2008-02-08 - Voip Users Conference - Allison Smith, the Voice of Asterisk
2008-01-31 - SatFax Networks launches new alternative to T.38 faxing
2008-01-31 - an article about how to use asterisk as a predictive dialer
2008-01-30 - snom M3 quick review
2008-01-29 - Microsoft Response Point PBX, Asterisk and Beyond
2008-01-23 - Pika for Asterisk boards now trixbox CE compatible

VoIP Articles

2008-02-14T07:10:00.000-08:00

A Third Best of Show Award for Aheeva Technology in Three Consecutive Years
Published 02/14/2008

BlueNote Networks Teams with RSA to Bring a Two-Factor User Authentication to Enterprise Internet Telephony
Published 02/14/2008

TelcoBridges Awarded 'Best of Show' Honors at Internet Telephony Conference & Expo
Published 02/8/2008

New Service from 800PBX Bridges Internet and Telephony Free of Cost through 800 Number
Published 02/5/2008

Shadow Technology Announces Support for Avaya and Generic SIP for Call-Shadow, Call Recording Software
Published 01/31/2008

VoIP News

2008-02-14T07:04:00.000-08:00

Wednesday Round-Up: Cisco Updates, Trouble at VoIP Inc., Manifone
February 13th, 2008 by S. Caron

Reeling in the Social Networks
February 13th, 2008 by S. Caron

Hello, Big Brother
February 13th, 2008 by S. Caron

VoIP Softphone Solution Suite Wins Award
February 12th, 2008 by S. Caron

VoIP Sues
February 12th, 2008 by S. Caron

The link between VoIP and CRM
February 12th, 2008 by Owen

New VoIP Service in Connecticut
February 12th, 2008 by S. Caron

Conferencing News

2008-02-14T06:58:00.000-08:00

IOCOM Rolls Out Hi-Def Telepresence Rooms for Under $60,000 - Submitted to CN
iLinc Enables Web Collaboration Among International Space Station ... - PR Web
Cisco and Apple About to Enter Your Living Room? - Seeking Alpha
Novell collaborates with SiteScape buy - IT Week
Premiere Global Services Standardizes on NetSuite Global CRM Software - CNNMoney.com
BCS Global appoints three executives to management team - Telecompaper
Tandberg hooks up telepresence for Microsoft users - Ovum
Today's headlines brought to you in part by ConferencePlus

News : 171 VoIP services worldwide shut down in 2007

2008-01-03T16:44:00.000-08:00

12/12/2007

2007 has been a devastating year for many hopefull VoIP services. In a follow up of our market research carried out 12 months ago in 2006 (85 VoIP services shut down), this year saw a substantial escalation of retail VoIP services shutting down resulting in the death of 171 VoIP providers in the period November 2006 to October 2007.

The exponential growth of the VoIP industry in the past 3-4 years is now leading to an exponential growth in fatalities within the industry. The barriers of entry are very low and any tech savvy internet user can get a "VoIP business" up and running within a few days as a reseller. Although many of these now bankrupt VoIP services may have been fly by nights some of the biggest players in the industry were forced to shut their doors in 2007. The largest VoIP service (with over 200000 users) to shut down overnight was the second largest provider in the USA - www.sunrocket.com. The capital loss for each user individually is relatiively low, however the inconvinience and hassles of loosing one's telephone is exceptionally aggrevating, especially for small businesses.

Within the same time frame around 150-200 new VoIP services launched around the world bringing the total to over 1100 VoIP services worldwide offering cheaper calls to retail customers.

International call rates are at an all time low and will drop even further. Without a clever business and especially an on- and offline marketing and sales plan and without a key differentiator many of these startups will disappear again within the next 12-24 months.

It will be difficult to create a second Skype service, however nobody seems to be developing a VoIP application for Facebook. With Facebook's 40 - 50 million users this could be a worthwhile excercise - food for thought!

For all those interested in the list of "dead" VoIP services - see below or refer to the following page for the 2005 - 2007 VoIP Graveyard.

Domain		Country
www.degrifcall.com		Algeria
www.contenidosonline.com.ar		Argentina
www.iponline.com.ar		Argentina
www.iponlinephone.com		Argentina
www.sistemasyenlaces.com.ar		Argentina
www.netcall.am		Armenia
www.spantalk.com.au		Australia
www.callgate.com.au		Australia
www.fonebox.com.au		Australia
www.kangatalk.com		Australia
www.talkfan.com		Australia
www.vtalkvoip.com.au		Australia
www.ipphone.at		Austria
www.alveetel.com		Bangladesh
www.enetbd.net		Bangladesh
www.nextwavetel.net		Bangladesh
www.teleland.be		Belgium
www.belphin.com		Belgium
www.okscm.com.br		Brazil
www.voipitelefonia.com.br		Brazil
www.phonelowcost.com		Brazil
www.voipitelefonia.com.br		Brazil
www.virttel.com		Canada
www.allo.com		Canada
www.talafone.com		Canada
www.broadtel.ca		Canada
www.evolvetoday.ca		Canada
www.voctel.com		Canada
www.airstarcommunications.com		Canada
www.dialzone.net		Canada
www.friendlytelecom.com		Canada
www.massivetel.com		Canada
www.mxwv.com		Canada
www.czech-talkpro.cz		Czech Republic
wwwold.softphone.cz		Czech Republic
www.altistel.com		Czech Republic
www.avatel.dk		Denmark
www.tulipm.dk		Denmark
www.worldcall.dk		Denmark
www.teleout.dk		Denmark
www.speednetwork.ec		Ecuador
www.ip2phone.com		Ecuador
www.myvox.fr		France
www.advancecall.de		Germany
www.visavi-phone.de		Germany
www.flyfone.de		Germany
www.betamax.de		Germany
www.cocosys.de		Germany
www.evisionteam.de		Germany
www.monduno.de		Germany
www.mv2.de		Germany
www.planet-hosting.de		Germany
www.voip-phones.de		Germany
www.wodatel.com		Germany
www.clearkall.com		India
www.voiceireland.ie		Ireland
www.ngtlecom.ie		Ireland
www.vipnetphone.com		Italy
www.savetoll.com		Jordan
www.helloservices.com		Kuwait
www.parlino.com		Luxembourg
www.call2sip.com		Malaysia
www.linkvoice.net		Mexico
www.internetphoneconnect.net		Netherlands
www.veezcom.nl		Netherlands
www.yourcall.co.nz		New Zealand
www.phonet.co.nz		New Zealand
www.trunkcall.com		Pakistan
www.internetinair.com		Pakistan
www.pronobis.info		Peru
voip.polandstore.com		Poland
www.votecom.ro		Romania
www.etherealtalk.com		Russia
www.albavoip.com		Serbia
www.ubifone.com		Singapore
www.net4talk.com		Singapore
www.madaphone.sk		Slowak Republic
www.zero27.net		South Africa
www.embizo.co.za		South Africa
www.voipe.es		Spain
www.wi-call.com		Spain
www.tcat-telefonia.com		Spain
www.dynamic-net.ch		Switzerland
www.phonetophones.com		Switzerland
www.callclubtt.com		Trinidad and Tobago
www.rocktel.com.tr		Turkey
www.net4phonecalls.com		UAE
www.call2phone.com		UK
www.astartelecom.com		UK
www.glophone.co.uk		UK
www.ifband.co.uk		UK
www.intervivo.net		Uk
www.quazzle.co.uk		UK
www.bactel.com		UK
www.eco-phone.co.uk		UK
www.fodatel.com		UK
www.foneonline.com		UK
www.gemtelecom.net		UK
www.interchangeconnexions.com		UK
www.lincall.com		UK
www.manchestervoip.com		UK
www.photontelecoms.com		UK
www.ipcom.com		Unknown
www.newskyvoip.com		Unknown
www.dialanet.com		Unknown
www.great2call.com		Unknown
www.galaxietalk.com		USA
www.megatechservices.com		USA
www.elegance-com.net		USA
www.taquinetworks.com		USA
www.uspconnect.com		USA
www.fabrosphone.com		USA
www.eastfone.com		USA
www.fivestartel.com		USA
www.earthshinetel.com		USA
www.voipxp.com		USA
www.tomatovine.com		USA
www.sunrocket.com		USA
www.dingotel.com		USA
www.stanaphone.com		USA
www.fonixtelecom.com		USA
www.technicallusa.com		USA
www.advantagevoice.net		USA
www.dialdigit.com		USA
www.von2fone.com		USA
www.ekring.com		USA
www.glophone.com		USA
www.grouphone.biz		USA
www.ifreedomcom.com		USA
www.kazil.com		USA
www.linefire.com		USA
www.neovoz.com		USA
www.netzerovoice.com		USA
www.nexboom.com		USA
voip.ryantechinc.com		USA
www.sonicdigitalvoice.com		USA
www.talkdaddy.com		USA
www.globaltel.com		USA
www.telepacket.com		USA
www.terracall.com		USA
www.totalcallip.com		USA
www.triangulus.com		USA
www.veraphone.com		USA
www.voiponwireless.com		USA
www.zivva.com		USA
www.stalliondata.net		USA
www.aa-link.com		USA
www.accxxvoip.com		USA
www.actica.net		USA
www.alpha-serv.com		USA
www.asylumtel.com		USA
www.avalanchecomm.com		USA
www.avopdirect.com		USA
www.binasec.com		USA
www.bizimtel.com		USA
www.broadbandvoiceusa.com		USA
www.cntechnologies.com		USA
www.crystalvoicelive.com		USA
www.globaltalknetwork.net		USA
www.globalgatewaycom.com		USA
www.goiax.com		USA
www.infotel-us.com		USA
www.jadetelecom.com		USA
www.majosa.net		USA
www.vocalring.com		USA
www.voipescrow.net		USA
www.voipone.net		USA
www.voipplus.net		USA
www.voyz.net		USA
www.zentality.com		USA
www.blueskyphone.com		USA

source : http://www.myvoipprovider.com/option,com_myblog/show,171-voip-services-worldwide-shut-down-in-2007.html/Itemid,130/

What is VOIP(Voice Over Internet Protocol)?

2008-01-03T16:38:00.000-08:00

Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) is a protocol optimized for the transmission of voice through the Internet or other packet switched networks. VoIP is often used abstractly to refer to the actual transmission of voice (rather than the protocol implementing it). VoIP is also known as IP Telephony, Internet telephony, Broadband telephony, Broadband Phone and Voice over Broadband. "VoIP" is pronounced voyp.

Companies providing VoIP service are commonly referred to as providers, and protocols which are used to carry voice signals over the IP network are commonly referred to as Voice over IP or VoIP protocols. They may be viewed as commercial realizations of the experimental Network Voice Protocol (1973) invented for the ARPANET providers. Some cost savings are due to utilizing a single network to carry voice and data, especially where users have existing underutilised network capacity that can carry VoIP at no additional cost. VoIP to VoIP phone calls are sometimes free, while VoIP to public switched telephone networks, PSTN, may have a cost that is borne by the VoIP user.

Voice over IP protocols carry telephony signals as digital audio, typically reduced in data rate using speech data compression techniques, encapsulated in a data packet stream over IP.

There are two types of PSTN to VoIP services: Direct Inward Dialing (DID) and access numbers. DID will connect the caller directly to the VoIP user while access numbers require the caller to input the extension number of the VoIP user.

Link to a forum : Need microphone advice for capturing audio from students

2007-12-24T09:56:00.000-08:00

06-01-2005 (20 posts)
First comment from this forum :

"The environment is a classroom. I purchased a Shure wireless receiver with a PGX4 body pack and lavalier mic which works great but only picks up audio from the teacher but not the students. I contacted Tandberg to ask about the Audio science ceiling mount microphone but the sales person laughed as he rattled off the price and told me to just buy a regular microphone and put it at the front of the class. I think I need a mixer in order to continue to hear the teacher's mic, and I know I want minimal wiring on the ground to avoid any accidents. I would really appreciate some tips on how best to approach this.

Thanks!"

see this forum at : http://www.vtctalk.com/showthread.php?t=25186

Link to a forum : Projectors in the classroom

2007-12-11T14:46:00.000-08:00

First comment from this forum :

"I am trying to investigate using projectors in our distance learning labs rather than the TV monitors that we currently have. The problem is, when I look at the specs I have no reference point to go by (knowing nothing of projectors). So, if I look at the lumens I don't know what is bright enough for a lighted classroom, etc.
I can figure out how large the area projected from a given distance is, and that kind of "room specific" parameter. What I need to know is minimum resolution, brightness, and possibly the more robust brands to look at for a classroom environment.

Another angle may be cost of maintenance. We have a $10k HD projector in our student center for "movie night" and other activities, and I just found out they go through about 2 $300 bulbs per year. That times the 13 or so rooms I intend to convert gets a little pricey.

BTW, these rooms will prob be going to the Vtel Vista codecs, so compatability with that is a must.

Thanks"

see this forum at : http://www.vtctalk.com/showthread.php?t=25086

Link to a forum : Public Videoconference Rooms

2007-12-06T04:29:00.000-08:00

First comment from this forum :

05-03-2004 (14 posts)
"For more than 9 years there has been an effort to promote the use of available time slots in ISDN videoconference facilities on a rental basis.

The evolution of the public room broker has helped to create a 35 million dollar alternative to compulsory travel that is really still in it's infancy.

As H.323 evolves, and international switched 64K minutes become less and less expensive, the day of the true public travel alternative may be approaching.

Our approach is to fashion Reservation and booking tools for Corporate Travel Agents allowing a convenient alternative through a familiar mechanism.

I would open up a discussion on the importance and or relevance of Public Rooms to the future of business videoconferencing."

see this forum at : http://www.vtctalk.com/showthread.php?t=41

Link to a forum : How do you deal with Network/Network Engineers?

2007-12-06T04:21:00.001-08:00

First comment from this forum :

06-15-2004 (26 posts)
"Inorder to do successful VTC over IP, your network should be reliable. Firewall, nat, pat - they are not friendly when it comes to VTC. My experience tells me you need to have both technical knoweldge in networking as well as interpersonal skill to work out with Network Engineers.

I want to hear \ share both pain and pleasure of working with Network folks. For networking folks, as long if you could ping , network is good. For us we need more than being able to ping and trace.

What tools do you guys use to convince networking guys to tailor networking to VTC need?

Please share both technical and non-technical tricks.

Thank you."

see this forum at : http://www.vtctalk.com/showthread.php?t=221&page=1&pp=10

Below are the most searched keywords,about 'video conferencing',in the internet (datas of October 2007)

2007-11-25T06:47:00.000-08:00

Search

Word

26608

video conferencing

5846

web video conferencing

2021

video conferencing equipment

924

video conferencing software

863

video conferencing services

822

internet video conferencing

784

video conferencing system

593

video conferencing rooms

388

free video conferencing

357

video conferencing facility

345

audio video conferencing

334

online video conferencing

329

desktop video conferencing

326

video conferencing service

323

video conferencing camera

284

video conferencing solution

260

polycom video conferencing

238

video conferencing uk

211

video conferencing company

208

free video conferencing software

203

ip video conferencing

source : http://www.zirve100.net/incele.php

Link to a forum : How To Build A Voip Network - Jan 06, 2007

2007-11-17T02:47:00.000-08:00

First comment from this forum:

"We see a lot of threads on VoIP User from people who want to be the next Niklas Zennstrom (and fair enough, we hope you succeed) asking what is required to build a VoIP network.

Often these questions are from users who have a basic technical understanding of how it all works, but no real experience of building networks, or telcoms experience with the good old PSTN.

And that's fine. As John will no doubt drill into you if I don't, the current VoIP space, in a business sense, is fundamentally about marketing. In fact if you really don't understand the basic elements of networking or telcoms, don't let it stop a brilliant idea if you have one. The technical expertise can be hired in. A number of our own moderators here do exactly that - build networks to your specifications. And thus we discover our first rule.

Rule 1 :

if you're a marketing genius, you have a greater chance of success with your new VoIP company than if you are a technical genius.

A technical genius can still make a success but will require a marketing genius to make it happen (example : how many of you have heard of Iotum, or understand exactly what their software does?).

Made it past that rule and still reading? OK, now we need to take a look at what equipment you need and what it's likely to cost.

Hardware Requirements

The backbone of any network is in its hardware infrastructure. Hardware, essentially, has to do two things:-

It must run the software that you need to run.
It must be reliable.

The first point is straightforward, but it does require some attention. Historically, a lot of developers in the Telco space favoured one architecture over others. There are some systems (TransNexus NexSRS server for example) which are fundamentally designed to run on SUN SPARC servers, not Intel/AMD servers. I say fundamentally because many of these software houses are actually porting to *nix on the Intel (or compatible) platform at the moment. But when you've got a decades old pedigree piece of software for a SUN server which has proved to be stable, that's probably your first choice over a port which was built 12 months ago.

So my advice in that instance would be to bite the bullet and buy the SUN server for that particular application.

Herein lies rule 2:-

Rule 2 :

Using the internet to route calls does not mean that everything in the VoIP world runs on Intel *nix.

In respect of reliability, truly nothing is "bombproof". Personally I believe that Google, the absolute benchmark example of how to build a scalable network, got it right. Lots and lots of very cheap and disposable servers. Don't buy single super-computers - buy lots of low spec ones. Servers will fail. Power supplies pack up, fans break. The best model of reliability is to understand failure and legislate/program for as near instantaneous recovery as you possibly can.

In general, this means running everything as a load-balanced redundant pair. So the heart of your network, a server of some kind, has just become two servers. Bearing in mind that your network will not require Layer 3 routing of any kind, those two servers do not necessarily have to be in the same geographic location or on the same switch. There is an advantage to be had in geographic distribution and you need to consider that. If a router fails in your datacentre, what is going to happen? If the nameservers fail just outside your datacentre, what is going to happen? Two servers in different datacentres (even different countries) offer a lot of flexibility when creating your failsafe systems.

If legislation changes in your country and you suddenly need to provide emergency services routing (999/911), is your network likely to pass the required standards of uptime and redundancy? Are your customers going to require Service Level Agreements? Would any of your business customers be happy knowing that you have a single point of failure?

At this point another rule can be drafted:-

Rule 3 :

It is going to break at some point. Ensure you have redundancy.

Registration Duties

Let's obliterate the first myth right here and now. No, you cannot use Asterisk at the hub of your VoIP network. It amazes me that people still think they can do this. Asterisk is a PBX, and for that it's fabulous. But it is not a VoIP network server. It does not scale. Think about it, let's say you become the next Vonage and within a couple of years you have 1 million subscribers. Asterisk will not load-balance, so you're stuck to one machine. One million subscribers logged in, making calls and you're proxying all of the audio streams. On one server, with no redundancy. It doesn't work.

The good news is that the best registration server out there is open-source and therefore free. openSER on a reasonably specified server should be good for many tens of thousands of users.

Given the low cost of server hardware these days there's not a lot of point in skimping below that, so buckle up ladies and gentlemen, credit cards out for your first purchase:-

Code:

2 x Intel PIV 2.8ghz, 2gb RAM 1u Servers : £1,400 plus VAT

Two for redundancy, remember?

Session Border Control and NAT Traversal

I believe this is the most misunderstood aspect of VoIP networks and really deserves a thread of it's own, but I'll do my best on the basics at this stage for the purpose of this article.

A Session Border Controller ("SBC") controls what goes into, and out of, your VoIP "cloud". I use the word "cloud" rather than "network" deliberately. A network border controller is a firewall (packet level inspection), and an SBC is not a firewall because, in OSI terms, it is a Layer 5 device and not a Layer 3 device. If I lost you there, you need to read up on networking and I suggest you read this and come back.

A Session Border Controller therefore represents the very edge of your VoIP cloud and in 2007 this will actually be the most critical part of your network. Why? Well, let's get the marketing director back into the room.

Ask any Vonage customer what would make him switch service to Comcast? He'll tell you immediately - "price". Yes, sorry to say this, but it's still the case that VoIP, from the consumer point of view, is 100% about price. 100%. A lot of people are shaking their heads about that statement. They think that it shouldn't be the case (and they're right) and they wish it wasn't but just at the moment that's exactly what it's about. The mass market has not yet adopted concepts of voice 2.0 - we're still at voice 1.0. Average Joe wants to be able to phone his girlfriend in Australia for the cheapest possible rate from his handset.

So that's your current mass market right there. Yes, it is transitioning, and yes the result of that transition will be away from a per-minute billing model to flat-fee and towards an application driven system; that is to say it's inevitable that voice networks will be chosen by feature-set and not price.

But we're not there yet. And you want to build a network now and establish your brand and reputation so you're going to have to manage that transition.

Rule 4 :

The transition from voice 1.0 to voice 2.0 will be managed at the cloud edge.

To explain this one futher, let's have a look at some basic concepts that will make VoIP so important in the future, both in terms of things that need to happen, and feature set:-

Peering
Presence
WiFi Roaming
Hard Roaming (user plugs phone into hotel room socket)
Intelligent call routing (eg Iotum)
Codec transcoding/decision making

All of the control mechanisms for the above reside on the cloud edge and it will be up to your Session Border Controller to determine what to do.

Not only that, but just imagine how important NAT traversal is going to become. If you have a customer roaming with his WiFi handset you can't really ask him to tell Starbucks to forward port 5060 to his phone while he has his Latte. He just needs to be able to power up his phone, sit down and make calls. It needs to be plug and play.

SBC's make networks plug and play. Their importance now and for the future (we don't have IPv6 yet) is completely misunderstood by the majority of people who want to build a VoIP network.

Yes, there is another option for NAT traversal - you can proxy everything. In fact this is exactly what TruPhone do with their WiFi network. But you're still going to require an SBC for all other duties. And if you do decide to proxy everything you need to consider scalability - the location of the proxy becomes important. If your customer is in Australia calling a "local" Australian number and the proxy is in London, think about the length of audio path (Australia - London - Australia) and how that affects Quality of Service. With an SBC in place, over 90% of all calls will go directly peer to peer. In this example, the audio will not leave Australia.

SBC's are important.

Now the bad news. There is no open source "intelligent" SBC that I know of (if I'm wrong, please please let me know - I'd love to see an open-source SBC project - if I had time I'd build one myself) and they are therefore expensive devices.

So that's two more things to add to your shopping list:-

Code:

2 x Ditech C100's : £11,000 plus VAT

... and rule #5

Rule 5 :

Network considerations made at design stage must include Quality of Service, audio path length and NAT traversal

Billing Server

Yes, you could run this on the openSER server machines, so they don't represent an additional hardware requirement. However, that said, it's advisable that you build your network with a view to moving the billing engine/CDR generator to a dedicated machine(s) at some point. Purely for scalability reasons.

Call timing, assuming, at least for the moment, that you're stuck with a per-minute model, will be done at the session edge by your SBC. Your billing engine will communicate directly with the SBC.

You are almost certainly going to be writing your own billing engine, and there are plenty of open source systems out there to chose from as a base starting point.

Miscellaneous Services

For now you're only going to be concerned with basic testing features (echo test), possibly a speaking clock and such other features traditionally found on voice 1.0 networks. People are used to having them and your network should have them.

This is where an Asterisk box can become a valued element in a VoIP network. It's not likely to be pushed very hard (unless you want to offer conferencing facilities, but that's out of scope here).

And I guess you'll be wanting some kind of a website, although that's up to the marketing folks really.

So there are a number of little services that need to run on something. You don't need high specification servers here.

Code:

2 x PIV 2ghz 1gb RAM 1u servers : £1,000 plus VAT

PSTN Breakout

This used to be such an easy one to answer a year or two ago : buy a couple of TDM switches, two E1/T1 lines, shove it into a rack in Telehouse. Join Linx, get a licence from Ofcom, get some range allocations from Ofcom, load them into the switches and hey presto we have a PSTN gateway (for those that do wish to go this route, budget on about £30k).

It's a trickier decision process now because (a) there are existing PSTN suppliers out there who will route to/from your SIP/IAX based systems for you and (b) you would normally amortise that £30k expenditure over 5 years, but it's hard to know exactly where the PSTN will be in 5 years time and how much will be routed through it.

Further difficulties arise with a third party supplier because you're stuck with their pricing plan, making it harder to undercut your competitors without subsidising call costs.

Owning your own TDM equipment makes pricing structures easier to control and increasess your ability to be more competitive in the per minute billing model. The downside is the initial capital outlay.

I'd suggest the third party option. After all, primarily you need to have your marketing hat on and your business is going to be built on top of the secret sauce that you've invented and patented. That is what is going to make your network better than anyone elses in the long term. In the short term you may need to compete on price by subsidising and that'll just have to come out of the marketing budget.

Hosting

So far you've collected 4 servers and 2 Session Border Controllers and have a total of 6u that needs to be allocated in racks somewhere.

It's important to remember that you're building a layer 5 network and you can therefore distribute servers geographically.

Your openSER based SIP servers are simply dealing with registration and lookup duties. They respond with messages when a user wants to do something like pick up the phone and dial a number. No audio passes through them. So quality of service from a bandwidth point of view is not all that important - these servers can be stuck on a 2mb backwater network somewhere. That kind of hosting is usually pretty cheap - you can pick a couple of cheap datacentres and put one server in each.

Code:

2 x 1u hosting on a fixed 2mb pipe : £100 plus VAT per month

Your SBC's must be on top quality backbones as RTP media traffic may be going through these. I'd recommend at this stage getting some space with a little room to spare in a carrier grade datacentre (Telehouse/Redbus/Level3). Get 6u of rack space. That allows you to house your SBC's, two servers running Asterisk and your website, with a couple of units spare for expansion.

Code:

6u hosting at Telehouse + networking & bandwidth : £1,400 per month plus VAT

I have introduced a single point of failure right there and breached rule #3 - if Telehouse goes down, you're a dead network. You will have to take a view with your redundancy and disaster recovery. It is not financially viable to build a competitive network capable of dealing with all eventualities. One has to take a view at some point and draw a line. What you can do is split that 6u over 2 lots of 3u on different floors, networked through 2 different ISP's. That requires some further thought on your part.

Rule 6 :

Choose your hosting according to needs of each individual server, not the entire network. A Layer 5 network, such as a SIP network, can be distributed geographically.

DNS

DNS can (and should) be handled by a third party. VoIP User has had pretty good experience with DNSMadeEasy. They have a good redundant network and operate 7 nameservers in different datacentres. If you're not processing more than 10 million transactions per month, their service only runs at a few dollars a year so I'm not even going to include that in the budget, but it is something that needs to be arranged and purchased. It's the DNS servers that ultimately will be front-ending your dual server redundancy. When one server fails, the DNS resolution must be to the operating server only.

Software

We've managed to cover most of the bases with open source software. In the VoIP world we are definitely spoiled for choice - open source is everywhere.

That said, you are going to have to custom write a lot of the "glue" that holds your network together in terms of billing and management. A lot of that development is in the creation and management of configuration files (which I define as being just as much about application programming as coding something in C is). It takes expertise and experience and the top guys at this job are not cheap. Accordingly you need a 5 figure budget for it and I'm being conservative with the following estimate.

Code:

Software development and Network Configuration : £10,000

Let's have a tally up:-

Capital Outlay

Code:

2 x Intel PIV 2.8ghz, 2gb RAM 1u Servers : £ 1,400
2 x Ditech C100's : £11,000
2 x PIV 2ghz 1gb RAM 1u servers : £ 1,000
Software development and Network Configuration : £10,000

Capital Total : £23,400 plus VAT

Monthly Running Costs

Code:

2 x 1u hosting on a fixed 2mb pipe : £ 100
6u hosting at Telehouse + networking & b/w : £ 1,400

Monthly Total : £ 1,500 plus VAT

So there you have it. Let's amortise the capital outlay over 3 years and add it into the monthly costings:-

Code:

23,400 / 36 = £ 650.00

Monthly with VAT £1,762.50

____________
£2,412.50

£2,500 per month.

At a marketing price point of, say, £4.99 per customer per month (ignoring per minute charges for the moment) means your VoIP network would break even with about 500 paying customers.

Of course, this doesn't include customer support and support staff answering the phone or hiring a call centre and that's where your costs start escalating rapidly (and you will need support staff).

And then there's the marketing budget. And that moment of inspiration that produces the idea for your VoIP network in the first place - your Unique Selling Point. The patent-pending bit of technology that says "I'm different, I'm not another Vonage, look at me!".

This is a really tricky business. What I've done my best to describe above is the practical side of building a scalable network, and this is the really easy part.

It's a moment of creative genius that makes the next Niklas Zennstrom. The final piece of the puzzle lies in that Unique Selling Point. If you have that, then I wish you the best of luck in your venture and I hope that you've found this post useful in organising what you need to do next. I'll leave you with my final rule #7.

This rule is not meant to put you off, but it serves as a reminder of reality - the majority of people that build VoIP networks as a business fail because they either do not have a Unique Selling Point, or they over-value the one that they do have. Don't let it be you.

Rule 7 :

Don't bet the house on it.

"

see this forum at : http://www.voipuser.org/forum_topic_8289.html

Article : High Tech Talking with VoIP Microphones

2007-11-17T02:40:00.000-08:00

By: Frank Harris

The evolution of communication technology created great attention for a pc peripheral that was once not thought to be a necessary part of computers – the microphone. With the emergence of Voice over Internet Protocol telephones, microphones have become a commodity that is now a necessary component of information technology. Several microphones became available to the general market in the recent years for the main purpose of using them in IP telephony. There are many kinds of microphones that can be used with VoIP phones, here are the popular ones:

Desktop Microphones – Also known as omni directional microphones, these ones are situated on a positional boom and are usually installed on top of the desk or the monitor. A great feature they provide is that they can be used hands free because of their great sensitivity. Being omni directional such microphones allow several people to speak at the same time, which can be handy for conferences among groups of people in different places. The downside is that it may pick up background noises and other unwanted voices, or get feedbacks with the PC speakers.

Integrated Microphones – These are usually omni directional microphones that came together with the computer and are incorporated into the monitor or the keyboard. This is a popular feature with laptop computers. Compact and conveniently positioned, these microphones can be used hands free, and can pick up several people’s voices, useful for conferences. Like other omni directional microphones, built-in microphones can pick up unwanted background sounds. Moreover, such microphones are inflexible and cannot be positioned without moving the entire pc.

Handset Mics. – these are quite popular for VoIP applications. These are unidirectional (pick up sounds from one direction) and look very much like a common phone handset with an earpiece and a mouthpiece. Such microphones give the familiar and comfortable feel of traditional phones. Audio quality is usually good for speech, allowing the most consistent feel with Voice over IP calls. However, like the phone handset, this can be problematic for long conversations. Being unidirectional, only one person can speak at a time, though it is easy to pass it to another person should the need arise.

Wireless Mics.– these are microphones that lack the need for cables, operating regularly through Bluetooth or infra-red ports. Such microphones can be incorporated with headsets and can either be unidirectional or omni directional. These are definitely hands free since there are no wires used and they can be attached to the head or the ear of the person using them. The sound quality is excellent for speech especially when coupled with noise canceling features. However, compatibility is not always a guarantee as not all computers are equipped with specialized ports.

Handheld Mics. – these are very similar to those used by singers. These may come either as unidirectional or omni directional. One may have the option to use a microphone stand to make this one hands free. But without the stand, it could be quite inconvenient to use.

Lapel microphones – normally omni directional, these microphones can be attached onto the speakers clothes or clipped on the computer. These microphones work just like desktop microphones with the added option of being near the speaker.

Many manufacturers offer different types of microphones and now most of such microphones used for VoIP telephony purposes are sold at very affordable prices.

source : http://www.articleboy.com/Article/High-Tech-Talking-with-VoIP-Microphones/16856

Article : The Best VoIP Service For Small Businesses

2007-11-17T02:37:00.000-08:00

By: Kelly Renaul

What is Internet phone service? Unlike your landline telephone, internet phone service, also more commonly known as Broadband phone service or VOIP voice over IP phone service telephony, operates via the internet. Your telephone service becomes wireless, more reliable and more affordable thanks to competitive VOIP telephone service plan rates.

You want to switch over to VOIP phone service, because you know that it is more affordable, more reliable, and offers more free calling features than your current landline phone service plan. You might be hesitating, though, if your business is very small and you don’t feel that a VOIP hosted PBX is necessary, particularly if you have less than twenty employees. At BVCom, we understand that while your business may be small, you dreams and goals are big, and that you need a phone service plan that can grow along with your company. That’s why BVCom, in addition to our VOIP PBX Business phone service plans, offers Standard Business Lines as well. In addition to reliable, reasonably-priced VOIP phone service from BVCOM, you (and your growing business) will also have access to the following features: Unlimited inbound and outbound local calls, Long Distance billed your way-choose from several different billing and rate options, 20 Free Calling Features Including: Caller ID with Name, Caller ID BlockCall Forwarding, Call History, Call Return, Call Transfer, Call Waiting, 3-Way Conference Calling, Do Not Disturb, Find Me/Follow Me, Voicemail.

In addition, Standard Business Line Internet phone service from BVCom allows you to take control of your account online with our online web account feature. With so many features, and with Standard Business Line Internet phone service plans starting as low as $19.99 per month, you can’t afford to wait any longer.

VOIP Internet phone service providers are now required to comply with the FCC’s Disability Access rules. Since 1999, the FCC has required all land-based (traditional) phone service providers to adhere to the requirements for disability access outlined in Section 255. These access requirements include, but are not limited to, the following: That telecommunications service providers ensure that their service is accessible to individuals with disabilities, if readily achievable. That manufacturers of telecommunications equipment or Customer Premises Equipment (CPE) ensure that their equipment is designed, developed, and fabricated to be accessible to individuals with disabilities, if readily achievable. That manufacturers and service providers regularly evaluate the accessibility, usability, and compatibility of covered services and equipment. That manufacturers and service providers ensure that information and documentation provided in connection with equipment or services are accessible to people with disabilities. That employee training, when such training is provided at all, account for accessibility requirements. That service providers are subject to all of the requirements of Section 255, including contributing to the Telecommunications Relay Services (TRS)and offering 711 abbreviated dialing for access to relay services.

This ruling by the FCC means that VOIP broadband Internet phone service will soon be available to all individuals, regardless of disability status, which is a wonderful thing, especially when you consider how quickly the popularity of VOIP phone service from reliable companies like BVCom Inc is growing. VOIP is quickly becoming standard technology, both for the home, and in the business world, as the ability to communicate with clients internationally in real time becomes more of a necessity. If you haven’t experienced the BVCom difference for yourself, be sure to visit our site: www.bvcom-phone-service.com to view our full line of products and plans, and to find out how to get a free service quote from BVCom Inc.

source : http://www.articleboy.com/Article/The-Best-VoIP-Service-For-Small-Businesses/23457

Article : Communication becomes easier with VOIP

2007-11-10T13:25:00.000-08:00

Do you want to utilize your Internet network more efficiently at no extra cost? Think VOIP! The Internet has proved to be a boon in many ways since its emergence and Voice over Internet Protocol (VOIP) can be counted among the advantages it offers. It involves using a single network for voice and data.

VOIP is also known as Internet telephony, Voice over Broadband, and Broadband telephony. It is a system that involves routing conversations over the Internet. Any other IP-based network may also be used for the purpose. The benefits and the drawbacks of VOIP are as follows:

Advantages

- You can receive calls on your VOIP phone even when you are on a trip. Just carry the phone; whenever you connect to the Internet you can receive calls

- VOIP to VOIP calls under most packages are free; VOIP to PSTN calls are, however, charged on the VOIP user

- Calls are treated as local calls. For example, if a call centre agent based in India calls a customer in New York, the call will be local.

- Some service providers offer free phone numbers that can be used with VOIP

- Value added services like caller ID, call forwarding, and automatic redial are included in many VOIP packages

- VOIP can integrate with audio and video conferencing as well as enable data transfer in parallel with the conversation

- Pre-paid cards can be availed

Shortcomings

- It is difficult to send faxes

- VOIP is entirely dependent on the quality and the reliability of the Internet connection; poor Internet connections can lead to low call quality and echoing

- On VOIP phones, you cannot make calls during a power cut, but you can receive calls

- It is difficult to identify the geographical location of the users and, therefore, to route emergency calls to the appropriate local call center

- It is possible to eavesdrop on VOIP conversations because most services providers do not offer encryption

- Caller ID information can be modified or spoofed and this can make it difficult to trace the caller

VOIP shortcomings are not insurmountable, for example, you can buy VOIP phones with a battery backup to ensure connectivity even during power outage. Similarly, business-grade VOIP services do not always rely on the Internet. They offer T1 connections, so you don't need to worry about Internet speed and reliability.

VOIP phones are increasingly being used by migrant workers and travelers who do not have a fixed phone and do not want to use their mobile because of high roaming charges.
However, it is also true that mobile phones are gaining increasing popularity among people in general, and many people use only mobiles and have no landline connection.

A fast and stable Internet connect is the primary prerequisite in this case

Article Source: http://www.articleboy.com/Article/VOIP---Communication-becomes-easier-with-VOIP/8865

Article : Virtual Classrooms

2007-11-06T14:43:00.000-08:00

By: Rajesh Rastogi

A virtual classroom or VCR is a learning environment that exists exclusively in the form of digital content that is stored, and accessed through network of computers and information systems like PDAs, notebooks, mobiles etc.

Physical or Virtual Classrooms?

The main difference between the physical classroom and the virtual classroom is those of location, time and spaces required by students and teachers to access and partake in classroom activities. In the physical classroom a physical location must be visited at a fixed time in order to participate, while a virtual classroom is not physically accessed and has no real fixed time or location which is a great boon.

The manner in which a teacher delivers educational material remains an important factor in the success of both classrooms. Though both the classrooms employ similar learning theory, curriculum design and pedagogy, live face-to-face interaction is missing in the VCR method, which may have a negative influence.

May be the solution is the blended method where physical classroom training is combined with the virtual classroom training, thus accommodating a wider range of student needs.

As teaching in both the physical and virtual classroom is learner-centered, students learn by engaging in group work, projects, discussions, and other content relating to real-world contexts. The VCR is used to provide additional communication and material, along with the learning that occurs in the physical classroom.

VCR Tools
The important communication/participation VCR tools are
• E-mail
• Discussion boards
• Chat rooms
• Whiteboards
• Video/audio conferencing
• Instant messaging
• Podcasting/vodcasting
• Teleconferencing
• Weblogs
• Wikis
These tools can be further divided into two methods of learning Synchronous and Asynchronous learning.
Synchronous VCR Learning
Synchronous learning is communication or exchange of information at the same time between two or more people i.e. in real time. In virtual classrooms, synchronous communication is used by students to communicate with fellow class members and their teachers. This provides real time interaction and encourages group discussions. Chats, Video/audio conferencing, Podcasting/vodcasting, Teleconferencing are all Synchronous learning tools.
Asynchronous VCR learning
Asynchronous learning or communication does not occur in real-time, students or teachers are not present in the same space and time as each other. The instructions are delivered at one time and the work is done at a different time. Asynchronous learning allows the student to study at their own space and in their own time, plus both the teacher and the student benefit from because the entire discussion is recorded and can be repeated continuously. E-mail, discussion groups, whiteboards, wikis, weblogs, and forums are all Asynchronous learning tools.

Conclusion

The virtual classroom transcends the boundaries of location, time and space providing a flexible learning environment for all. Schools, universities and corporate organizations benefit form Virtual classrooms because it provides an excellent way for experts to teach a geographically dispersed group of students without hassle.

source : http://www.articleboy.com/Article/Virtual-Classrooms/24003

Article : Maximize The Results Of Your Online Web Meetings

2007-11-06T14:41:00.000-08:00

By: Mostafa ElAwady

8. Make sure the online web meeting service you are using offers free live training.

9. When it comes to web meetings, choosing the right service that meets your needs can be a daunting task. Make sure the program you choose meets the following important criteria:

• Login is fast and easy.
• Those with a dial-up connection can participate without problems.
• Web meeting program works with corporate firewalls.
• No Active-X control is required to run the program.
• You can easily create and manage live meeting polls and surveys.
• You can create and host your own custom registration pages.
• No scheduling is required, you can hold meetings anytime you decide.
• You can use any payment gateway to sell access to your meetings.
• The PowerPoint® presenter displays slides in dual format.
• Live video conferencing offers synchronized audio and video.
• Your guests can enjoy hands free meetings, you control everything they see.
• You can record and control your recorded presentations.

source : http://www.articleboy.com/Article/Maximize-The-Results-Of-Your-Online-Web-Meetings/24716

Video Conferencing

2007-11-01T17:09:00.000-07:00

Introduction

In this article we will consider hard software for video conference communication. Among great variety of programs for video conference organization there are some the most famous which we are going to consider today - Microsoft NetMeeting, CU-SeeMe and Internet Phone 5. In the end you will be given results of the test made with a definite equipment. Here we won't touch upon such issues as coding of audio-video information and network aspects. In the appendix you can find explanations to some terms connected with a conception of video conferencing.

Equipment

The tests were carried out in a laboratory of network technologies with the following equipment in use.

Computer 1

Processor: Celeron-300 MHz
Memory: 64 MBytes
Video card: 3D Rage Pro AGP2X, 8 MBytes
Sound card: ESS 1938 PCI
Netcard: 3COM EtherLink 10/100 PCI TX NIC

Computer 2 (Compaq DeskPro XL5133)

Processor: Intel Pentium – 133 MHz
Memory: 32 MBytes
Bideo card: Matrox Millennium PCI, 2 MBytes
Sound card: Sound Blaster
Netcard: AMD PCNET Family Ethernet

Computer 3

Processor: Intel Pentium – 166MMX MHz
Memory: 32 MBytes
Video card: S3Virge, 2 MBytes
Sound card: ESS 1868
Netcard: Realtek 8029 PCI

Video camera Alaris QuickVideo DVC1

Connection to computer via parallel port;
Wide range of supported resolutions at high frame rate (up to 30 fps);
Advanced software;
OS – Windows 3.1x, 95 or NT;
Manufacturer - Alaris

Video camera Creative WebCam 3

Connects to USB port for easy Plug-and-Play installation – video capture card or external power supply are not required;
Color video writes at 30 fps at 320x240 in 16 million colors, at 640X480 – up to 15 fps;
OS – Windows 98;
manufacturer - Creative

Card for video image capture VideoCap C210

32-Bit PCI Local Bus PnP 2.1 Compliant;
32K/64K/16.7M Color Mode Support;
Plug and Play Compatible;
OS – Windows 3.1, Windows 95;
manufacturer - Tekram

The complete set for the first two video cameras includes software that allows to use all provided possibilities thoroughly. With these programs you can record a clip, make photos, postcards etc.

CU-SeeMe

CU-SeeMe packet is a program complex of video conferencing developed at Cornell University and promoted now by White Pine Software company. It's targeted at organization of video conferences on the Internet or on a corporate net with TCP/IP protocols support.

Its functional possibilities are quite typical:

Realization of audio and video contacts between participants;
Possibility of team-work with a document;
File sending;
Possibility to communicate during a conference by textual form (Chat Window);
Possibility of organization of multy-point (group) conferences.

For group conferences you need a dedicated server, that is a reflector. One of the reflectors can be found here: http://www.dimensional.com/~bgodette/. This reflector works under OS Linux and allows up to 12 people communication. The program provides a convenient search of accessible servers for communication. As a rule, many of them belong to universities of different countries. There are both commercial and free versions of the product.

NetMeeting

Microsoft NetMeeting for Windows 9x and Windows NT serves as convenient means for holding conferences on the Internet and corporate networks. This program gives the same possibilities as the CU-SeeMe packet, plus it provides joint usage of applications. So, any Windows applications can be used by participants jointly what increases efficiency of work considerably. This is realized regardless of whether other participants possess an application provided by one of them for joint work.

The program ensures good video quality and offers minimum number of settings as compared to other programs. NetMeeting supports the standard of audio- and videoconferences H.323 which includes H.263 video codec. H.323 standard provides interaction of NetMeeting with other compatible programs of videotelephony clients such as Intel Internet Video Phone.

The master NetMeeting Resourse Kit allows to configure any program at option and create an installation file. This tool is quite useful if you need to set NetMeeting in a corporate network with uniform program settings.

Setup of Internet Locator Server allows to see other users and hold a videoconference if necessary.

InternetPhone 5

Internet Phone 5 program was developed by Vocaltec company.

The program supports transmission of images, voice mail functions, joint work on documents, file transmission and other possibilities. It will help you to find an interlocutor according to a communication language, interests and other features with an integrated VocalTec Community Browser.

Test results of hard software for video conferences

Our tests revealed serious differences among the products. The best of them were remarkable for simplicity in usage and worked flawlessly with different communication channels, even at "modem" data rates. The others appeared largely exacting, complicated in setup and worked bad via narrow-band communication channels.

While testing we used really existent communication channels (including the Internet), and we tried to enable all codecs of each packets. Data rate varied in the range between LAN speeds 100 Mbit/s and modem speeds 56,6 Kbit/s. As an image we used a standard background, first immovable the head started moving with the speed going up. All quality image changes were registerred. In the article we give average frame refresh rates received on the base of statistics gathered with the help of corresponding tools and confirmed with our visual observations.

The tests were carried out on the equipment mentioned above. Once again we should remind you of the configuration. The following testbed served for our tests:

processor: Celeron 300 MHz;
64 MBytes RAM;
Video card: ATI 3D Rage Pro AGP 8 MBytes;
Sound card: ESS 1938 PCI;
Netcard: 3COM EtherLink 10/100 PCI TX NIC.

The computer was connected to LAN 100 MBytes/s in order to be on the Internet. The other computers were used to test the products on the local network (10/100 MBytes/s). On each computer we installed OS Windows 98.

This basic platform was equipped with video cameras Alaris, Creative and Philips (with an image capture board VideoCap C210). The Alaris and Creative devices are the cheapest and the most popular for data transmission via the Internet. They don't require an image fixing board. The Alaris and Creative video cameras absorb a definite part of CPU resources, what can be a limiting factor for video codec performance.

For measuring memory size and processor load we used TaskInfo 2000 Version 2.2 Release program.

Camera	Fps	LT CPU, %	In Mem, KBytes	Total Mem, KBytes
Alaris	10	31	6576	18748
Creative	7	12	5740	18744
VideoCap	29	40	3844	18752

Table 1. Measurement results (CU-SeeMe program, White Pine H.263 codec).

Camera	Fps	LT CPU, %	In Mem, KBytes	Total Mem, KBytes
Alaris	13	90	5492	14188
Creative	15	26	5480	14188
VideoCap	15	77	1808	14268

Table 2. Measurement results (IP5 program, VVC1codec).

Camera	Fps	LT CPU, %	In Mem, KBytes	Total Mem, KBytes
Alaris	10	30	3732	10096

Table 3. Measurement results (Videogram Creator program, VGPX codec).

Camera	Fps	LT CPU, %	In Mem, KBytes	Total Mem, KBytes
Creative	30	40	1380	11172

Table 4. Measurement results (Video Blaster WebCam Control program, Vocaltec 263 Video Codec). As you can see each factor (codec, software, equipment) influences communication somehow.

The video camera with video capture card VideoCap C210 showed the best results (15-29 fps at 320X200, 16bit color). This results are demonstrated in the tables 1 and 2. Note that the results remained the same even on a weaker computer (2). At the same time, it's less exacting to memory.

The camera Alaris gave out images at the maximum of 10-13. This camera is limited by a parallel port via which it connects to the computer. Another downside is high load of the processor and the memory. Besides, the camera was tested with Videogram Creator, a program included in the complete set (see Table 3). This camera is not the best choice for video conference organization. It's good only for home use.

The Creative camera was capable to give 10-15 fps. The higher result was reached (30 fps) only with the software included in the complete set (Video Blaster WebCam Control) (Table 4). So, possibilities of the camera greatly depends on the power of the computer and the usable codecs in the programs of video conferencing. This camera was used only on the first computer because of an IR-port.

And concluding I'd like to make some recommendations concerning a choice of the video camera for conference communication. The specs of your computer would define exactly the required video equipment. The camera with video image capture board should be recommended for weak computers with a processor of Pentium class, though it may be used successfully on more powerful computers. If you have Pentium II or higher and USB-port at your disposal, we'd advise to buy a camera with USB-interface as the simplest in installation and ideal in "price/quality" ratio.

Once again we should remind you that the tests were carried out on local computers. How programs work on the net will be considered further.

Network	Program	Image	Sound
10 Mbit/s	CU-SeeMe	8-10 fps	satisfactory
10 Mbit/s	NetMeeting	satisfactory	good
100 Mbit/s	CU-SeeMe	10-14 fps	good
	CU-SeeMe + Reflector	10-14 fps	good
	NetMeeting	good	good

Table 5. Testing of hardware at different network bandwidth.

Note that NetMeeting can't determine fps quite exactly, so the data provided were achieved according to our visual observations.

This diagram demonstrates memory load of each program considered in this article.

Conclusion

The test results show that when working at the speeds of usual modems in analog telephone lines a user gets quite low quality of video image and audio signal. For such systems it's considered admissible if in narrow-band lines the frequency amounts 1-2 fps at 160x120 pixels. In wide-band communication lines, i.e. in the Ethernet (10 Mbit/s), the frequency rises up to 5-12 fps at the same resolution.

Usage of such medium as Ethernet 100 Mbit/s doesn't cause strong changes. Audio and video quality get improved slightly, however video conference system efficiency gets stronger in the presence of other applications on the net. Besides, such net usually doesn't feature any problems with joint usage of application programs and audit board.

What to choose? In case you are to organize video conferencing in a small office, you'd better take CU-SeeMe packet with an installed server-reflector and 100Mbit/s net bandwidth. Such combination is optimal as far as "price/quality" is concerned.

NetMeeting is more suitable for communication of separate clients using "faCe-to-faCe" dialogue. Possibility of integration of this program in Web-pages allows creating sites of certain direction, i.e. for distance studying.

Internet Phone 5 is a program aimed at home use allowing to find an interlocutor according to a communication language, interests, age, hobbies and other features. It's hardly useful for business work.

Appendix

Codec is hard software that converts analog signal into digital with the following converting of digital signal in order it can be transferred via more narrow-band communication channels (coding). At the receiving end a similar codec restores initial digital form and converts the signal into its analog form (decoding). Usage of such devices in equipment for video conference communication allows narrow-band lines.

H.261 is ITU-T recommendation "Video codec for audio/video data transfer in the channel P x 64 Kbit/s". P can change in the range of 1 to 30. Coding is based on transition prediction and usage of a code with variable length. The recommendation regulates coding algorithms for video transmission in CIF (352X288 pixels) and QCIF(176X144 pixels) formats at up to 30fps.

H.263 is ITU-T recommendation "Coding of video for low-speed communications"; it's a coding method developed for H.324 that uses H.261 technology with additional improvements.

H.323 is ITU-T recommendation "Videotelephone systems and terminal equipment for local networks with unwarranted service quality" (version 2 - "Multimedia communication systems for networks with commutation of packets"); it defines standards for video conference communication on local, corporate and global networks with packet commutation.

H.324 is ITU-T recommendation "Terminal for low-speed multimedia communication"; it defines standards for video conference communication with usage of plain old telephone service (POTS).

Videoconferencing is exchange of digital videoimages and sound among two or more distance parties. Transferred images can include video streams, immovable images of objects, data from graphics, files or applications. It allows participants to hear, to see and to collaborate in the real time mode with all their interlocutors.

source : digit-life http://www.digit-life.com/articles/videoconference/index.html

Article : Conferencing To Reach Out Globally

2007-10-29T05:03:00.000-07:00

Author: Ajeet Khurana | Posted: 23-08-2007

The Information Age has dawned. With it have arrived the technological advances that are changing business and life dramatically. All one needs to do is click on a mouse or hit "send" on a mobile device to send information virtually anywhere in the world. The world of business has changed and technology and computers are bringing the world face to face with technology such as web and audio conferencing, all through the power of a little computer screen.

Technology is no longer simply a novelty. Today, the Internet is not just a means of entertainment or fun, but it has become a critical element of every business model. The larger the business or corporation, the more necessary is this tool. However, even small businesses can and should take advantage of the tools the Internet offers towards business expansion.

If your company has affiliates, partners, employees, or clients located away from your home base, you should make use of web and audio conferencing to meet your communication needs. Eliminate the need to fly in bigwigs from the overseas branch, or waste time in traffic moving from one meeting to the next. By using audio and web conferencing, you can meet whoever you want to meet, when you want to meet them, all without leaving your office or setting up the board room.

Web conferencing brings all new meaning to the old phrase: "time is money". You can conduct your meetings in half the time that it would take for you or your clients to commute to them. You can process documents faster, and make decisions in real time on a face-to-face basis with your communication partners. You not only save valuable costs by decreasing transportation expenses, but you also increase your productivity by performing several actions in a single conference call. Even though your meetings are virtual, they still take place immediately and you have the benefits of personal touch.

Besides the advantages at the administrative level of saving time and money for your business, web and audio conferencing will also enable you to expand your business by tapping into markets that may have been unattainable in the past. The global market is literally at your fingertips when you incorporate web and audio conferencing into your daily business agenda. Advertising web events on your business web site is a brand new way to increase not only your client list but also your profit margin. If you have not yet included audio or web conferencing in your business plan, now is the time to do it.

source : http://www.articlesbase.com/video-conferencing-articles/conferencing-to-reach-out-globally-203265.html

Article : Doing Business in the World Arena

2007-10-29T05:01:00.000-07:00

Author: Ajeet Khurana | Posted: 29-08-2007

If you find yourself at the top of an organization and wondering about taking your marketplace global, it may just need a little push to get you off of that fence. Today global marketing and international business is something that is not quite too hard to manage as compared to past years. And you don't need an embarrassing amount of wealth to pull this off. The business sector today is one with a climate that changes on a daily basis. Clients and prospective clients require change like the wind, and the marketplace both locally and globally has a field for testing one's supremacy. Today it is even more difficult to rise to the top of the crop if you are not using the advantages and appeal of technology to make your business have a global presence.

The technology that you might need to give your organization a facelift is audio conferencing. With some simple changes in the ways in which you use your phones, you can be connecting to clients and partners all over the world, without wasting any time. The evolution that has combined both the use of internet technology and retro mediums such as the landline telephone has most definitely made it simpler for you to conduct global business according to your own needs.

Audio conferencing will improve the speed and productivity of your employees. You will no longer have the added transportation expenses of physically moving from one meeting to the next. Further, when you conduct business with many of your associates at the same time, saving time becomes easier and work quality improves. This can be used to increase the profits for your business. Audio conferencing also offers many features that allow increased interaction between many of the participants. This will ultimately enhance the information standards your company is giving and receiving. In addition, because you are exchanging information at a much faster rate, you and your company will be able to reach better and quicker decisions if you need to.

Audio conferencing has quickly become one of the most effective options for conducting business activities. This means that you not only save money, but also improve your quality of work, which in turn increases your profitability. You can train your employees, conduct business, schedule department meetings, and find resolutions far quicker with audio conferencing. If you have been searching for the ideal method to take your company to the next level and to the global marketplace, you would benefit by using audio conferencing.

source : http://www.articlesbase.com/video-conferencing-articles/doing-business-in-the-world-arena-205695.html

Article : Web Conference and Teleconference Tips for Excellence

2007-10-29T04:59:00.000-07:00

By Sunny Mock

Learning about this subject will help you more in the long run than you may realize, until the time comes when you really need it.

I consume a large part of my work living web conferencing with panel members around the world and many sundown's I conference call with colleague's complex in Internet marketing and other online interest ventures. My chief corporate job is a produce developer for a high-tech circle and my special time is useless developing web sites and symbols articles. while I consume so greatly time conference business and have been liability so for at slightest ten days now, I know what machinery, what doesn't work, what wishes improvement and how somebody can be an brilliant mass or guest anchor with most any conference call benefit.

First I'll address how best to consume the audio or influence module when with teleconferencing benefits. Think landline with a piece earphones as the answer when chatting on the phone. Entertain do not under any circumstances use a Bluetooth earphones when on a conference call. The gear worn by a conference call bringer is well exact to the frequencies worn by Bluetooth gear and language and sentences will be chopped off abruptly and is validly grating to the interview on the call. This is especially important for the call mass or guest anchor while this character will be the dominant spokesman during the call.

The next nastiest offender is a unit phone in interrupting the conference call gear. If you've ever been on a conference call and examined high slanting squeals and squawking advent over the line you can be certain that there are people on the call with unit phones. Unit phones are entirely fair to use on a conference call if you're not departing to be tongue and the unit phone has a taciturn gathering. If you're the mass or a anchor, wish revert to a landline with a earphones together quickly to the telephone.

As you continue to read this article, pay special attention to how parts 1 and 2 relate to one another.

Enunciate over IP (Void) or digital phone benefit machinery fair, as that's what I use in my home agency. If you use Wife or Apples Airport gear wherever in close proximity to your boundless style telephone gear, be certain to upgrade your boundless style phones to a method 5.8 GHz paradigm. The preceding generation of 2.4 GHz boundless style phones will interfere with the Wife or Airport frequencies and crack your Wife gear off the air. The greatly elder 900 MHz gear still machinery and won't interfere with Wife, it just doesn't have the extend of coldness from the support place that's open with the 5.8 GHz gear.

Hosting and running the teleconference or web conference call is of the chief importance. I've massed calls for up to 50-people and I've participated on calls that had close to 3000-people on the conference conduit. When the call is in open method, somebody can verbalize and each on the call can examine each moreover on the call. Think manifold conversations departing on at once, each character tongue over every other character tongue at the same time, kids shouting or babies crying in the background, television clamor advent through the line, dogs barking, doors slamming, husbands or wives chatting to the character who's on the phone, unit phones squealing and you have a cacophonous border of clamor advent through to each that's on the conference call. I've even examined the sounds of superstar in a bathroom with flushing clamor on an open conference call. Not what somebody moreover on the call particularly desires to examine. The answer is visibly to keep the call in mass method so that only the mass and any anchors are on the line that connects to the mass gathering of the conference call. This isn't greatly of a catch in a daytime interest environment, yet it's a valid big catch when a large portion of the participants are dialing into the call from home.

A tenet of thumb I use whether to keep the conference call in mass or open method is the number of people dialing in and whether it's a daytime or sundown call. Daytime and less than about 25-callers I keep the call open. Daytime and more than 25, I keep it in mass method. Sundown calls with more than about 12-callers, mass method only.

A tactic that's worn on marketing factor calls is to keep the call open while people are signing on and announcing where they're from to spawn excitement and enthusiasm. As more and more people enlist the call, the clamor catch described above fast escalates and the call starts out with almost each on the call upset and stressed by the clamor aspect. Here's a austere answer: when the call is advertised, launch a fling-away forward address along with the call and ask people to launch an forward when they've enlisted the call. This way the mass can keep the call in mass method and reveal and greet people as they enlist the conference. The mass can alter to open method for a few seconds just before the call agenda starts and let each say "Hi" to impart that beloved affection of excitement, kinship and participation, and this should last no longer than about 5-seconds. Something longer and the clamor protest aspect comes back into play.

This same method should be worn for fielding examines from the call participants for the mass or guest anchor. If the conference call is opened up for examines, typically more than one character attempts to ask a examine at the same time ensuing in intersect address and uncomfortable silences when each waits for each moreover to ask their examine first. Also the border clamor aspect comes into play and the examines are generally powerless to be examined openly by the interview. Again, the austere answer is to have examines submitted via forward. They can be sent to the mass and if the examines are for a guest anchor in another position, the mass can panel the examines and only launch those that are relatable to the subject being discussed on the call. If the examines are sent to the guest as they appear while they're tongue, the guest spokesman or mass will have an opportunity to see the examines that requisite to be answered and a bit of mental preparation can be done in the back of their thinker before answering. This avoids superstar being blind-sided by an off-subject or inappropriate examine.

All of these suggestions smear evenly to a web conferencing call. The apparent caveat for a web supported conference call is that each wishes to be on a high-hurry DSL or cable method, especially if there's a web supported visual presentation charming place during the call. Someone on dial-up even for a austere audio only conference call is at an great disadvantage and will be sure frustrated by the feeble outcome they experience.

An brilliant piece that could impart an information produce to whichever give away or plug is to capture a tape of the call. This is very important if the mass or guest anchor is well known or is a rising skilled in the subject of the call. There are software answers that will capture audio from whichever a teleconference or a web conference and the audio line can be reduced for clarity and made open for download. Another selection is to make the call open as a pod cast whichever in entire or ruined up into a cycle.

Once an mp3 line of the call is captured, then another selection is to have a transcription of the call made and available as an Adobe Acrobat e-Book. There are benefits that will transcribe from mp3 lines or alternatively, route the line through influence recognition software to establish a word deed or passage line that can then be available in Acrobat. This can then be made open for boundless or for deal via a download linkage or distributed by a line transmission answer such as Yosemite.

There are various web conferencing answers and teleconferencing benefits open ranging in charge from boundless to miserly and affordable. Keep in thinker the suggestions I've made here and smear them to your next conference call and you'll be wished with the outcome and the call participants will be obliged and exultant. Any you may just have the beginnings of a web supported interest with these suggestions as well.

Try searching for a particular keyword from the title of this article on your search engine and you are sure to find a wealth of knowledge.

source : http://www.ezinearticles.com/?Web-Conference-and-Teleconference-Tips-for-Excellence&id=792146

Article : Saving With Official Conference Calls

2007-10-29T04:55:00.000-07:00

Author: Ajeet Khurana | Posted: 22-08-2007

If your business has not begun to use the conference call for your communication needs, it may be missing out on a very cost-effective manner of communicating with your business partners. Conference calling today has become such an affordable means of communication that it is changing the face of the business world today. Utilizing conference calls can effectively eliminate or reduce your need to conduct one-on-one business meetings with your colleagues and business partners. This method will ultimately save you both time and money in both the short and long-term aspects of your business.

The primary benefit of conference calling is that it allows your business to be in communication with your partners and workforce at the global level. You can use conference calling to communicate with both your workforce and your business associates literally anywhere in the world. Arrange and conduct meetings with department or regional heads through a telephone land line for maximum efficiency and affordability. Decisions can be made on the spot with multi-level users to ensure that no important business aspect goes unnoticed. You or your secretary will no longer have to track people down for authorizations, signatures, or approval on critical documantation if you take full advantage of the conference call for your business meetings.

Transportation costs between meetings, or expenses to set up in-person conferences will be a thing of the past when you begin to use conference calling in your business. You will no longer have to use the members of your workforce to prepare a conference room, or incur expenses on refreshments for your business meetings. Arrange your conferences and your meetings yourself and conduct them from the comfort of your corner office.

By setting up an account with a conference call service provider, you are taking the first step towards saving your company a host of expenses. Many providers are willing to create plans for your business that are both customized and affordable. If you know in advance what the requirements of your business are, your conference call provider will have an affordable solution to meet your needs.

Using conference calling services ultimately means increased productivity and saved costs for you and your business. When more work is being accomplished in less time, you have more time available to you to conduct the business you need to conduct. With more time, you make more money. After all, increased productivity and enhanced profit margins are your ultimate goal. Conferencing helps you achieve just that.

source : http://www.articlesbase.com/video-conferencing-articles/saving-with-official-conference-calls-202766.html

Video Conference - VOIP Info ... phone, service providers, discount, download, free calls,cheap,sip

Connecting VOIP to the PSTN and Cellular Networks

Connecting Phones to VOIP

Getting Started

Article : Maximize The Results Of Your Online Web Meetings

Article : Video & Web Conferencing: How To Determine Which Features Will Benefit You The Most

Article : Video Conferencing Will Help Your Business

VOIP News

Article : Why VoIP And VoIP Video Phones Are The Next Ipod

Article : Video Conferencing - An Introduction

Article : Video & Web Conferencing: How To Determine Which Features Will Benefit You The Most

Article : Video Conferencing Solutions

Article : The Value Of Video Conferencing

Article : Reselling Web Conferencing Services: How To Profit From The Coming Boom In Web & Video Conferencing

Article : Video Conferencing Guide- Learn About Video Conferencing

VoIP News

VoIP Articles

A Third Best of Show Award for Aheeva Technology in Three Consecutive YearsPublished 02/14/2008

BlueNote Networks Teams with RSA to Bring a Two-Factor User Authentication to Enterprise Internet TelephonyPublished 02/14/2008

TelcoBridges Awarded 'Best of Show' Honors at Internet Telephony Conference & ExpoPublished 02/8/2008

New Service from 800PBX Bridges Internet and Telephony Free of Cost through 800 NumberPublished 02/5/2008

Shadow Technology Announces Support for Avaya and Generic SIP for Call-Shadow, Call Recording SoftwarePublished 01/31/2008

VoIP News

Wednesday Round-Up: Cisco Updates, Trouble at VoIP Inc., ManifoneFebruary 13th, 2008 by S. Caron

Reeling in the Social NetworksFebruary 13th, 2008 by S. Caron

Hello, Big BrotherFebruary 13th, 2008 by S. Caron

VoIP Softphone Solution Suite Wins AwardFebruary 12th, 2008 by S. Caron

VoIP SuesFebruary 12th, 2008 by S. Caron

The link between VoIP and CRMFebruary 12th, 2008 by Owen

New VoIP Service in ConnecticutFebruary 12th, 2008 by S. Caron

Conferencing News

News : 171 VoIP services worldwide shut down in 2007

What is VOIP(Voice Over Internet Protocol)?

Link to a forum : Need microphone advice for capturing audio from students

Link to a forum : Projectors in the classroom

Link to a forum : Public Videoconference Rooms

Link to a forum : How do you deal with Network/Network Engineers?

Below are the most searched keywords,about 'video conferencing',in the internet (datas of October 2007)

Link to a forum : How To Build A Voip Network - Jan 06, 2007

Article : High Tech Talking with VoIP Microphones

Article : The Best VoIP Service For Small Businesses

Article : Communication becomes easier with VOIP

Article : Virtual Classrooms

Article : Maximize The Results Of Your Online Web Meetings

Video Conferencing

Introduction

Equipment

Computer 1

Computer 2 (Compaq DeskPro XL5133)

Computer 3

Video camera Alaris QuickVideo DVC1

Video camera Creative WebCam 3

Card for video image capture VideoCap C210

CU-SeeMe

NetMeeting

InternetPhone 5

Test results of hard software for video conferences

Conclusion

Appendix

Article : Conferencing To Reach Out Globally

Article : Doing Business in the World Arena

Article : Web Conference and Teleconference Tips for Excellence

Article : Saving With Official Conference Calls

A Third Best of Show Award for Aheeva Technology in Three Consecutive Years
Published 02/14/2008

BlueNote Networks Teams with RSA to Bring a Two-Factor User Authentication to Enterprise Internet Telephony
Published 02/14/2008

TelcoBridges Awarded 'Best of Show' Honors at Internet Telephony Conference & Expo
Published 02/8/2008

New Service from 800PBX Bridges Internet and Telephony Free of Cost through 800 Number
Published 02/5/2008

Shadow Technology Announces Support for Avaya and Generic SIP for Call-Shadow, Call Recording Software
Published 01/31/2008

Wednesday Round-Up: Cisco Updates, Trouble at VoIP Inc., Manifone
February 13th, 2008 by S. Caron

Reeling in the Social Networks
February 13th, 2008 by S. Caron

Hello, Big Brother
February 13th, 2008 by S. Caron

VoIP Softphone Solution Suite Wins Award
February 12th, 2008 by S. Caron

VoIP Sues
February 12th, 2008 by S. Caron

The link between VoIP and CRM
February 12th, 2008 by Owen

New VoIP Service in Connecticut
February 12th, 2008 by S. Caron