So you have heard talk about VoIP, but what exactly does it mean? Well, the answer is that VoIP means different things to different people; it all depends on who you ask. Since the term VOIP can be applied in many unique ways, there is usually another word in front of VoIP to accurately explain the service. Usually the term VoIP is applied in one of the following ways: peer-to-peer VoIP, Virtual PBX VoIP, hosted VoIP, managed business VoIP, etc. Below is a short run down of these services providing you with a quick look at each niche market to help you better understand this service.

Peer-to-Peer. All this means is that two people, who have downloaded the same software, can talk directly to each other at no cost. The most popular example of this type of VoIP is Skype. Some important things to keep in mind with this service is that although it is free, it works best for individuals. This service is quite popular with students when they study abroad because it allows for easy communication with friends and family back at home in America. This service should not be used for businesses.

Residential What it is: You use your analog phone to chat with other people. The only difference is the call is going over the Internet instead of a phone line. Example: Vonage What you should know: You get what you pay for. The price is better than a regular phone but service is often spotty.

Virtual PBX is a service that it makes a small company look bigger. If you have a one-person firm, this is a great option. You can set up a virtual PBX and have callers press one for sales, two for marketing and three for technology. Then you can have all calls routed to your cell phone. An example is GotVMail. Keep in mind however that while this is inexpensive, its functionality is limited.

Hosted. This simply means that there are phones but no central piece of equipment (i.e. server) at your office. This central technology is hosted by the provider. Example: Packet 8 What you should know: You get more functionality than with a virtual PBX, yet you don’t have to spend as much as you would on a managed business VoIP.

Managed Business. Why this makes sense: it is nearly identical to hosted VoIP, except everything runs on private lines, instead of the public Internet. This makes it ideal for a very large company that will be in trouble if its phone system goes down, even on a very rare occasion and even if only for a few minutes. Some examples for this type of service are: M5, CBeyond, Cisco. Keep in mind though that better quality control here is going to cost extra. This is the most expensive of all the VoIP options.

So you decided to go voip? Congratulations. Now there are five key steps for choosing the right provider and getting started. The first question you should ask is, ‘what provider has the best service and rates for my company’? To find this answer simply estimate how many phones you’ll need and the extent to which your employees will be talking on them. Certain providers charge a flat fee for each seat no matter how many calls are placed or received. Some voip providers charge a lower flat fee for a specific number of minutes, then charge extra for each minute over the flat rate. While this might work for firms with extremely low call volume, generally we recommend the unlimited plans. After all, you have better things to do with your time than comb over every charge on your phone bill. Similarly, for a toll-free number, some providers charge a low monthly fee, then charge an additional per-minute rate for all calls. Other companies charge a flat fee for unlimited calls to the toll-free number. Take away message: If you have over than 1,000 minutes of toll-free usage a month, or more than 30 minutes a day, an unlimited number is more economical. Also, unlimited plans are just easier, why make your life hard?

Your next step–evaluate your equipment. With voip, the most important piece of equipment is the actual phone. So decide what kind of phone you desire before choosing a provider. (Some providers limit customers to using their phones, while some work with a wide array of phones.) Some important points to consider: How often do you use speaker phone? If the answer is a lot, then pay for a phone with high-quality speaker sound. Phones with a full duplex speaker have solid quality, and example is Polycom phones. You probably want a secondary Ethernet port in your phones. Most offices have a single Internet connection per desk. If that is the case at your office, youll want phones with a dual Ethernet port, so that you can plug your phone into your computer. The cordless/wireless options. Cordless phones are available and frequently appeal to people who work from home because people are used to talking on cordless around the house. Cordless phones cost roughly $180 more than regular phones. While there are wireless (or wi-fi) phones available, we dont recommend them, because they are not reliable especially for business use. You probably dont want power-over-Ethernet. These phones get their power from the Internet, so you dont have to plug a separate cord into an electrical outlet. While the benefit is that it reduces clutter and to keep the phones going during a power outage, we dont think the added cost is worth it.

Now for step three it’s time to investigate a providers customer service capabilities. Some key questions to keep in mind are: Ask about average customer service wait times, the shorter they are the better off you are. Ask if the customer service is in-house or if it is outsourced to a third party in another country. You will fare better with in-house customer service workers who understand the product and speak fluent English. Check out how much information is online. You can easily access information, and find your own solutions, especially if hold times are long.

Now the fun part–features. Here are some that we value, and some we don’t. The features we like: Auto Attendant Extension-to-extension dialing so you can forward a call to a colleague. Voicemail to e-mail which allows you to receive voicemails as email attachments. Call forwarding. Simultaneous ring. Allows your cell phone and desk phone ring at the same time. Outlook integration Fax solution. A feature that allows fax to e-mail and e-mail to fax, so that you dont have to keep a separate fax provider.

A few features that are probably not worth paying for: Instant Messaging. Video Conferencing. You can get this through Skype for free. Unlimited calls to Europe or parts of Asia; not needed for the volume of global calls you will make.

Finally figure out how much bandwidth you need”and test it. A good rule of thumb is that you need 100Kbps of bandwidth per user. This allows you to talk on the phone and be online at the same time. 1 Mbps equals 1,000 Kbps, which is enough for 10 users. Although decreasing to 30Kbps per person might work, we dont recommend anything below that. Make sure you have a T1 line as a residential cable or DSL line is not high-powered enough for a business using voip. Also, we recommend testing the bandwidth, instead of relying on your ISPs word.

Different accessories are compatible with iPod video, fact that increases the importance and great success of the new video device. There are cases for all tastes, requirements and preferences. You may not worry about the age or special preferences of the persons you may bring as a gift the iPod and the case for it.

Other accessories are the chargers, the earphones, headphones of different models. There is also a speaker especially created for the new iPod video. You may also find different types of skins, sticker decals, carrying cases, pouches, remote control, iPlug 3.5 splitter, backpack w/ speakers and, of course, various connection cables and adapter very useful for the new iPod video.

There are also different available adapters ? iPod video 3.5 mm to RCA audio cable adapter, iPod video car charger cigarette lighter adapter for Apple iPod, iPod video USB black car charger cigarette lighter adapter, iPod video USB travel/home charger adapter, iPod video car charger adapter, iPod video wall-car charger 12V-AC adapter. You may also find different transmitters for the iPod video and this is the case of the iPod video tune-free audio FM transmitter and the iPod video WALL-II audio FM transmitter.

Various cables are also of great use and are needed while having the iPod video – iPod video firewire 1394 data dync dable for Apple iPod & iPod mini, iPod video retractable USB 2.0 data sync telegram for Apple iPod, iPod video USB 2.0 extension cable, iPod video USB 2.0 data sync telegram for Apple iPod. You may also need iPod video USB data transfer key fob, extended battery pack w/ carrying case for the iPod video, walet carrying cases, metal cases of different colors, protector shields of various colors.

There are also some other useful accessories for the new iPod video and you may choose from different types of cases – Kroo G5 belt clip leather cases, Kroo Melrose belt clip carrying cases, iPod video Optimum Armband carrying cases. You may also buy an iPod video Cellet universal PDA holder and a special holder for the iPod especially designed for the car. Other accessories are also useful and have an interesting design ? iPod video Cellet Rhinestones 100.

Some other accessories point out the new generation style technology ? iPod video Naztech boom station N20 speaker and docking station, iPod video fold-up amplified portable speakers for MP3 and music players. Other accessories are iPod video desktop dock cradle, iPod video idock desktop dock cradle for Apple iPod w/ USB and FireWire. All these accessories denote the fact that a simple portable audio device is of a great importance taking into account all different designs for the carrying cases and skins. The iPod video has many accessories, some of them are designed for suiting the lifestyle, the preferences and the tastes of the customers. Others are needed for transferring the information, for adapting or other useful activities in the technologic domain.

Another important aspect to mention is the fact that all the accessories are especially designed for the thinner models of the iPod video with a larger screen and smaller dimensions. The cases, skins and sticker decals have the role of pointing out the beauty, simplicity or vivid colors. On the other hand, they have a conserving role and a decorative one, pointing out the personality, the lifestyle of the user. These aspects are extremely important for the younger users of the iPod video ? the teenagers. The other accessories are more or less needed taking into statement how much into the fever of the iPods the individual is and how much he uses all the other activities related with the iPod video. Anyway, in a world in continuous movement, almost all the accessories and special devices may be of great need for a modern mortal with a modern lifestyle.

Lightyear’s partnership with Verizon is the first of its kind. It’s NOT an MVNO deal. The original MVNO’s contracted directly with Verizon Wireless. Lightyear Network Solutions, LLC, provides voice, data, and video telecommunications services to small and medium sized businesses and residential customers through a network of 3,300 independent agents and representatives throughout the United States. CEO Sherman Henderson has been named one of the top 25 Most Influential People in Telecommunications and has been elected for six consecutive terms as Chairman of COMPTEL, the leading industry association representing communication service providers.In delivering its services, Lightyear partners with major carriers and telecommunications companies such as Verizon.

Learn how to have your own online wireless and cellular business, completely stocked with the latest Blackberry and Motorola phones. More importantly learn how you will earn residual income off of the wireless phone bills of what could be thousands and thousands of customers using the largest and most recognized wireless network in the world, and you gave them the phone for free.

In today’s economic climate with unemployment closing on 10%, LightYear wireless is exploding with opportunity. LightYear Wireless a $100,000,000 company has partnered with Verizon Wireless an $84,000,000,000 Company to Change the way cell phones and plans are sold throughout the USA and soon the world. What side of the equation are you on? Are you paying the wireless companies or are they paying you??? It may be time to be on the revenue side

Verizon is rolling out wholesale wireless services to its wireline resellers. Lightyear Network Solutions LLC has signed on as the first reseller for the Verizon Wholesale Mobility Solutions suite, which includes both voice and broadband services

Lightyear Wireless proves to be a legitimate opportunity in which anyone who is motivated and a true hard working individual can reach a level of success that no normal person would ever reach. Lightyear Partnering with No. 2 Verizon who currently has 67 million subscribers according to USA today

Let’s take the blinders off and stop looking at just the cellphone wireless. There could be more wireless opportunity’s in the future. When those come around, Lightyear is where you want to be. They have a solid foundation and all of the knowledge. Verizon Wholesale Mobile Broadband is high-speed wireless Internet access for laptop computers and can be sold stand-alone or as an addition to a voice calling plan. Each plan includes call waiting, call forwarding, three-way calling, no answer/busy transfer, caller ID and basic voice mail at no additional monthly fee.

So it’s 2009, recession is here & voip is still gaining ground over conventional systems. Here are a few reasons why you should consider moving your business telecoms to VOIP:

1. Low Cost Landline Calls – VOIP call carriers offer low call rates or inclusive national calls.

2. Low Mobile Rates – Many UK VOIP call carriers offer mobile reates between 8 – 10p/min and rates as low as 3p/min using GSM gateways.

3. Cheaper International Calls – most VOIP providers offer very low or inclusive international calls.

4. Reduced Line Rental Fees – many VOIP providers offer unlimited outbound trunks deals which means big savings in comparison to convetional operators.

5. Free Calls to Offices & Remote Workers – calls between remote workers & offices will be free when using VOIP.

6. Longer Call Recording – no need for seperate PC to handle call recordings. Recordings use little storage – a terabyte drive can store millions of calls.

7. Keep Your Phone Number – by porting your numbers to VOIP you may keep your numbers regardless of where you move to – as far as your clients are concerned – nothing has changes.

8. Automatic Call Divertion on any failure – your calls will automatically re-route should your phone system/broadband/phonelines fail.

9. Shorter Contracts – many VOIP call carriers offer shorter contract lengths – typically 1-3 months – hence you can switch without penalties.

10. Improved Comms Control – change your systems, backup your PBX & create diverts remotely.

It’s not always plain sailing to migrate to voiop as Companies like BT drag their heels with number porting & broadband quality varies with location. As with all telecom installations – success or failure is usually down to initial provisioning and the experience or incompetence of your installer.

The new iPod video was one of the most surprising products of 2006, due to the fact that iPod didn’t include the video feature, since the launching of the 5th generation of iPod in 2005.

Still, a healthy some-more aged a business (and not only) done was a single in between a fool around hire portable, additionally well known as a PSP as well as a brand new indication of a iPod series. PSP is fundamentally a handheld diversion console which was constructed by an association Sony Computer Entertainment, behind in 2004.

Comparing the batteries of these 2 devices or, better said, the life of the batteries, it is a fact that the PSP device lasted much longer than the iPod. While playing a movie, the battery of the iPod dies after almost 2 hours and a half, while the PSP battery lasts up to more than 7 hours, which is a big plus.

Comparing an audio quality, it contingency be pronounced an actuality which both an inclination yield a great audio quality; still, an iPod video incited out to yield a somewhat clearer receptive to advice than a fool around hire portable. This is due to an action which an audio in an iPod video record is encoded in to AAC audio. Upon an alternative hand, a PSP seemed to have some-more drum in a little cases, yet overall, a disproportion was not which applicable as well as significant. A video peculiarity of a 2 inclination is an additional theme estimable to plead as well as discuss upon. It is well known an actuality which a PSP has a most incomparable screen.

Comparing the 2 devices, it is obvious that they both have advantages and some flaws. Even though the video calibre seems better on the iPod video device, the PSP presents a longer life of the battery and faster ways to encode videos. Still, the iPod is a smaller device, so it is natural that some features are not that optimized as in the case of the PSP. Even more, due to the fact that it is smaller, the iPod is much easier to transport and to use in various occasions. The studies even showed the fact that both items are sold mostly in pass periods, meaning the fact that the customers use them as an entertainment item in their both summer and winter holidays.

The 2 devices, even yet they have been identical in most ways of their unsentimental usage, benefaction pros as well as cons or advantages as well as disadvantages.

A strong wireless network can have a very positive effect on virtually any community which has one in place. The benefits go way beyond just simple entertainment, a strong wireless network ensures that even residents on a tight budget can remain in contact with friends and loved ones and it can provide an incredible resource for the education of students of all ages; from entering school all the way through graduate school.

Staying Safe Communities that have a municipal wireless network in place can have all emergency service personnel online from right inside their vehicles. Laptops on board in police cruisers, ambulances and fire trucks give emergency personnel access to detailed maps of the city and will allow transmission of photos of suspected criminals and detailed layouts of buildings and houses. The laptops will also allow for silent communication between officers and other emergency personnel via e-mail and instant messaging. Wireless cameras will also allow real time footage to be transmitted from emergency vehicles directly back to the station.

Education Community wireless networks will often allow for wireless internet connection, free of charge to schools, colleges and libraries opening up the world’s largest resource ” the internet ” to classrooms and students. This will allow younger students to experience activities and get knowledge that may not have been available to them for years to come, all while keeping the expense for hard copy resources down. Books, streaming videos, educational games and activities all become available to teachers and students with little more than the click of a few buttons. What would have taken hundreds of dollars worth of books to teach can now be imparted to young students on a few cents worth of copy paper.

High school and college age students also get big benefits from the ability to log onto the internet. Research papers and doctoral thesis’s can know be researched in much less time with direct access to literature that would have only been available through a University library otherwise. Students won’t have to worry about hunting down volumes that may be needed by other students and competing for time with the materials that they need, regardless of day or time, even if every single student needs the same resource it will be available via the internet.

Some municipal Wireless network installation are even offering a wireless internet connection for students to access at home after school hours. This means that the education can be continued beyond the school walls. Students won’t be limited to learning from this tremendous resource just during school hours ” even if their family couldn’t otherwise afford a wireless connection these students would be able to continue their education at home after school hours.

Keeping in Contact E-mail and instant messaging are incredible ways to stay in touch, even if you have to pay for a monthly wireless service to access the internet, there are many free e-mail and instant messaging services available for you to stay in contact with your loved ones from around the world; send personal messages, greeting cards, pictures and videos, for free, and it doesn’t end there. VoIP or voice over internet protocol is becoming a more and more popular way of staying in touch. All VoIP takes is some simple software, a microphone and some speakers and with it you can eliminate your standard phone service. The initial investment for VoIP is very minimal, many computer users already have microphones and speakers, and using it is just a simple as using your regular telephone. VoIP lets you talk to people anywhere in the world for free by transmitting your voice over the internet connection.

The benefits of a strong wireless network to communities can certainly change our lives for the better ” a strong network can help educate our children, keep our streets safe and keep us in constant contact with all of our friends and loved ones

These days, most people are familiar with VOIP even if they don’t recognize the word. Voice over Internet Protocol is something that many of us use from time to time or even on a daily basis. Services like Skype are a good example of a VOIP system.

Just What is a PBX? PBX refers to Private Branch Exchange, which sounds a little confusing, but is basically a method of switching phone lines back and forth to connect them in the world of offline communication. When referring to VOIP, the system is essentially the same in concept, only it works over a LAN or WAN network. These are data-oriented rather than circuit switched networks which we use in the real world phone systems.

You see, when you make a call on a VOIP system to a phone, a VOIP PBX or IP PBX, is responsible for making the connection between the virtual and the real life version. This is also in effect when you are calling from one computer to another, but there is no translation necessary between data and traditional phone lines.

With VOIP PBX, it’s a very simple matter to create a conference call and have several people in on a call. The technology has made it extremely easy to add new people to a call and without any additional preparation, you’ll be able to turn an ordinary phone call into one between several people. This is particularly useful for business calls where several people need to be in on a discussion or for long distance meetings. Families can also use this to connect on one call, no matter where they are in the world. It’s an amazing technology that still isn’t being used as much as it should.

What Should I Know? VOIP PBX is essential to making your calls online, but in most cases you don’t need to know anything about this. In fact, your VOIP provider is going to be responsible for this area. However, it does help to understand what they are talking about and to realize what some of the potential issues are with this type of setup.

The reason some people still refuse to use VOIP is that they worry about the quality and reliability of this form of communication. While this was once a major issue, the technology has progressed to the point that these problems are far less frequent. Before we look at the issues that can arise, it’s important to know that when you communicate online, your voice data is divided into smaller pieces, called packets, for sending.

Possible problems include the following: – Too much information being received by the VOIP PBX Consulting at once. – Packet delay, when a packet gets sent through the wrong relays. – Packets getting jumbled up in the sending and reaching the receiver in the wrong order. – Packets arriving at different times at the receiver, causing ‘jitter’.

The result of having packets get lost or misdirected is a pause and possible loss of data while speaking. This is part of the reason why there is often a delay when using VOIP. This means you’ll need to speak slower when this happens. However, for the most part, the technology works well enough for even business calls and is far more cost effective.

Even though you may not need to know exactly how VOIP PBX works, it’s a good idea to familiarize yourself with the concept. VOIP is a very valuable addition to our communications systems and it is estimated that by 2010, 90% of communications sales will involve VOIP as it is rapidly growing in popularity.

So you decided to go voip? Congratulations. Now there are five key steps for choosing the right provider and getting started. The first question you should ask is, ‘what provider has the best service and rates for my company’? To find this answer simply estimate how many phones you’ll need and the extent to which your employees will be talking on them. Certain providers charge a flat fee for each seat no matter how many calls are placed or received. Some voip providers charge a lower flat fee for a specific number of minutes, then charge extra for each minute over the flat rate. While this might work for firms with extremely low call volume, generally we recommend the unlimited plans. After all, you have better things to do with your time than comb over every charge on your phone bill. Similarly, for a toll-free number, some providers charge a low monthly fee, then charge an additional per-minute rate for all calls. Other companies charge a flat fee for unlimited calls to the toll-free number. Take away message: If you have over than 1,000 minutes of toll-free usage a month, or more than 30 minutes a day, an unlimited number is more economical. Also, unlimited plans are just easier, why make your life hard?

Your next step–evaluate your equipment. With voip, the most important piece of equipment is the actual phone. So decide what kind of phone you desire before choosing a provider. (Some providers limit customers to using their phones, while some work with a wide array of phones.) Some important points to consider: How often do you use speaker phone? If the answer is a lot, then pay for a phone with high-quality speaker sound. Phones with a full duplex speaker have solid quality, and example is Polycom phones. You probably want a secondary Ethernet port in your phones. Most offices have a single Internet connection per desk. If that is the case at your office, youll want phones with a dual Ethernet port, so that you can plug your phone into your computer. The cordless/wireless options. Cordless phones are available and frequently appeal to people who work from home because people are used to talking on cordless around the house. Cordless phones cost roughly $180 more than regular phones. While there are wireless (or wi-fi) phones available, we dont recommend them, because they are not reliable especially for business use. You probably dont want power-over-Ethernet. These phones get their power from the Internet, so you dont have to plug a separate cord into an electrical outlet. While the benefit is that it reduces clutter and to keep the phones going during a power outage, we dont think the added cost is worth it.

Your next step? It’s time to investigate a providers customer service capabilities. What should you ask? First, inquire about typical customer service wait times; shorter is better. Ask if the customer service is outsourced to a third party in another country or if it is in-house. You want in-house customer service workers who understand the product and speak fluent English. Check out how much information is online. You can easily access information, and find your own solutions, especially if hold times are long.

Now the fun part–features. Here are some that we value, and some we don’t. The features we like: Auto Attendant Extension-to-extension dialing so you can forward a call to a colleague. Voicemail to e-mail which allows you to receive voicemails as email attachments. Call forwarding. Simultaneous ring. Allows your cell phone and desk phone ring at the same time. Outlook integration Fax solution. A feature that allows fax to e-mail and e-mail to fax, so that you dont have to keep a separate fax provider.

A few features that are probably not worth paying for: Instant Messaging. Video Conferencing. You can get this through Skype for free. Unlimited calls to Europe or parts of Asia; not needed for the volume of global calls you will make.

Step Five: Figure out how much bandwidth you need”and test it. As a general rule, you need 100Kbps of bandwidth per user. That way, everyone can be talking on the phone and be online simultaneously. 1 Mbps equals 1,000 Kbps, which is enough for 10 users. Going down to 30Kbps per person may work (depending on what your company does), but we dont recommend anything below that. Also, make sure you have a T1 line. A residential cable or DSL line is not high-powered enough for a business using voip. Also, we recommend testing the bandwidth, instead of relying on your ISPs word.

The improvements of the new iPod video concern not only the dimensions, but also the battery life, the calibre sound and, above all, the possibility of watching the favorite music videos and TV shows.

As per an extraneous aspect, a single might contend which this might be a many large indication of an iPod even done ? a bigger display, thinner, as well as about 45 percent reduction space than a strange iPod. A categorical thought is reduction space as well as some-more facilities as well as if it wasn’t a box of a tellurian done object, we might have pronounced which a sorcery is called evolution. A dual models of a video iPod ? thirty as well as 60 GB ? have been thinner as well as demeanour really fashionable, carrying a tasteful extraneous aspect.

The brand new iPod has alternative improvements, generally in a box of a battery hold up so which a delight as well as compensation would be complete, carrying 5 hours hold up some-more than before. This equates to which a brand new iPod has twenty hours of battery hold up as well as receiving in to comment a value of examination song videos, TV shows, cartoons, photos as well as alternative videos, this aspect is some-more than welcomed.

The improvements also concern the memory of the new iPod and the good news is that you may have 15,000 songs on it and even a full-color album up to 25,000 photos. The 2.5-inch color display is also of great help while watching either the photos or the videos. In this way, you may take all your favorite music with you and you may still have room for your favorite music videos, TV shows or cartoons. If you are a fan of the latest ABC hits like “Lost” and “Desperate Housewives”, you may also take them with you, as even this thing is doable with the new iPod video. There are also Pixar shorts and some Disney acquirable for the new iPod for your children or for your childish tastes.

Some alternative improvements courtesy a peculiarity of becoming different an options as well as a touch-sensitive aspect is a good feat for a brand new iPod video. In this way, we might entrance a music, video as well as print mental recall simply as well as we might additionally emanate a rating for your favourites. Options of fool around as well as pause, fast-forward as well as rewind have been not a complaint anymore. We might even launch slideshows with your a single preferred photos.

You may also benefit from the iTunes Music Store with over 2 million songs available for all tastes and ages, 2,000 videos, ABC or Disney TV shows. You may downlowd them and then sync them into your iPod. Besides, with the help of special cables you may see the photos or the videos on your TV set. There is another option for all these activities – you may use the universal dock and the remote control.

These extraordinary improvements might be a source of unconstrained joys as well as compensation for us upon a highway or in alternative situations when we need company. Besides, we might additionally demeanour up an e-mail address, we might check a monthly calendar of your activities, find out a time in an additional partial of a nation or sold city. These possibilities might knock out a heart of any chairman in this universe as well as which is because a brand new iPod video might be a good preference for a present for a dear ones.

Moreover, this special toy may fit any age and any tastes and may be the perfect gift for any member of your family. The handy options, the nice design and great improvements may be the source of endless joys for any mortal who doesn’t like to spend time with no activity. The wide and bright screen, the touch-sensitive surface, the longer battery life, the great amount of options and possibilities make the new iPod video the best iPod ever made. And there is still room for other important and interesting changes, and that is why the designers are open to any useful suggestions.