Long distance phone bills are expensive, and totally unnecessary! Voice over Internet Protocol or VoIP uses the same technology that has made snail-mail nearly obsolete ” the internet! Business Voip service functions in the same way as a traditional office phone system; it just utilizes your existing internet connection rather that phone lines. The result is that the majority of good VoIP providers include unlimited long distance at a flat rate, as opposed to the per minute charges from Ma Bell telecoms that hike up phone bills.

Essential business services, are just that, they are ESSENTIAL, and for the most part they are not interchangeable. Expedited shipping with Fedex or DHL can’t be replaced. Replacing the power company with solar panels or a wind farm would be nice, but it isnt a realistic option. Soaring phone bills on the other hand are the one place where you can get the same result for much less money!

Business class Hosted PBXs (short for Private Branch Exchange) offer all the features that businesses need to create a professional customer facing presence without the cost of equipment. In much the same way that a hosting company hosts your website, PBX companies host your phone system, and give you a login to manage all the functions from your computer. These functions are identical to the operators you see in old movies managing a switch board, except like everything else these days, software does the entire job. Thus you get Auto-attendants, Virtual Extensions, Voice Mail to Email, Call Forwarding, and Unlimited toll free numbers, all for a fraction of the cost.

HD voice will soon be as widespread as HD TV. Phone lines, similar to the bunny ears on old TVs, wont be able to use HD voice, similar to how HD TV is not available over the outdated airwaves. HD voice is only available over high-speed internet connections, like the T1 connection that so many businesses use in their offices.

If your business has a high volume of calls, there is absolutely no reason not to use Voice over IP. Most VoIP companies are waving set up fees. While there is an up front cost of purchasing IP phones, the month to month savings on phone bills will soon offset this initial expense, and from then on bills will be much much lower.

As the recession strikes down even more corporate victims & consumer spending hits an all time low, outlook looks bleak for British businesses, except that is for British Telecom the UK largest communications company who has increased its call setup fees, line rentals & call charges.

BT line rentals today vary from 12.23GBP per PSTN line to 15.92GBP per ISDN channel on a one year contract. VOIP service providers have increased the price gap with IP line rentals of 1.50 per month per trunk.

BT’s ISDN connection charge has gone up by 25% to 299GBP to the same time las year. BT is somewhat flexible on connection fees should the customer be willing to enter into a long term agreement. Many VOIP phone service providers don’t appear to charge connection fees at all.

Many telephone providers & LCR operators charge a minimum call fee, this varies from as little as 1.5p to 1 minute minimum charge. As from Sept 2008 BT is charging 7p to connect for customers who have not to entered into any call plan agreement – an increase of 14% to last year

UK office to mobile rates vary from 8p per minute to BT’s 19p standard rate. Minute rates to national numbers vary from 0.8p to BT’s 4p. ITSPs appear to be the most competitive again with rates of 9-11p to mobiles & 1.25-1.5p to landlines.

Call plans such as: BTOneplan offer 5p capped calls(1 hour) to landlines & 20p capped calls(1 hour) to mobiles. To qualify for the plan customers need 2 other BT services on a 2 year contract. This however may not represent the best value for money to most of us – as a recent Telecost survey of 2 million calls across various industries suggests that the average call length to mobile is 110 seconds and an average call length to landline is 112 seconds. If this is accurate then BT’s offer is only suitable for companies that make longer than average length calls.

For maximum telecoms savings companies should insure that their phone system is GSM ready. By incorporating GSM gateways UK companies can achieve free office to staff mobile calls & rates of 1.47p per minute to other mobile networks. These deals are more suited to companies with higher call volumes as some development & negotiation is required.

Companies that are thinking of switching to VOIP will need the following:

- IP compliant telephone system

- reliable internet service

- necessary upstream to cope with call requirement

- IP phones such as Cisco, Snom or Aastra

- consultation with a Voip Telecoms Consultant (usually free)

I can remember how large the first cell phones were; people thought they would not catch on especially because they were so costly and although functions have increased, it is still possible to find a cheap cellular phone if you look carefully. Cell phones have now become a very essential tool for everyone including parents who want to know where their kids are at any time.

Although they can be an indispensable part of a business, even teenagers have high tech models rivaling anything a busy business executive may use. For a long time it was looked upon as a costly toy for adults and although they still have that element to them, they certainly aren’t a toy. Although the basic cell phone is not as common as it once was it is still possible to buy them.

Although it must be great to have an all singing – all dancing phone, not all of us need one and so it means that you may only in the market for a cheap cellular phone. Less costly versions will not be able to perform all those functions other phones can but that may be just right for you. There are many people that do not actually use or want special functions like cameras, mp3 players and a video call facility on their phones so a call only phone is just right for them.

Although it is unlikely, a basic cheap cellular phone may only give you the most basic of facilities. Then of course you need to check the reception of your cell phone, since this is the only thing it is good for, it has to at least be able to carry out this basic function.

You will probably find you will be able to send and receive text message but will not come equipped with all the new SMS functions. The text messaging function on the more modern, even if it is a bottom of the range phone, will be more than adequate for the average persons needs.

However, the likes of sending and receiving emails may not be possible and when you think about it how often would you use it anyway? If this is a function you need to have, it will probably be worth your while reconsidering as a cheap cellular phone will not be the type you require.

From time to time, you will see really good cell phone plan deal advertised, so why not wait for one of these and get a more expensive phone as part of the package. It is quite common for these special cell phone plan deals because many are getting ready for new launches so it could mean that you have a good quality cell phone for very little cost. A good deal like this means a poorer quality phone need not be an option you have to pursue.

Whatever you decide to do, never forget that the secret to almost anything you do is getting the research right as it can save you a fortune or mean that you can work within a budget that you set for yourself.

The trend that the Apple company set for their packages is redefined with every new appearance of a product. Actually, the permanent search in finding the right package and aesthetics and adapting the box to both the product and the customers` needs is focused on discovering a more compact way of packaging and, at the same time, with an expressive, yet subtle artistic touch. Due to the characteristics of the product, the packaging of the video iPod tries to be both practical and aesthetic, in order to symbolize somehow the visual characteristics and quality of the new product.

The box was supposed to be removed out of the sleeve, after which, it was unfolded as a flower. The first iPod package reflected the image that the company was trying to promote: exuberant style, expressive elements, brisk and intense colors and sounds. After the appearance of the next types of iPods, this image of the product changed into a more mature one, an image which was expressed through the campaigns.the

The main color of the iPod video is plain black, which is rather risky, yet original, considering the fact that the main aspect that the device has is the video, meaning colors, motion and diversion. Still, there are various silver accents on the box, which represent the Apple logo and text. Still, the color of the box fits with the colors of the actual iPods: black and white, just like the iPod nano. By choosing these colors and this style of packaging, Apple wanted to create a more sophisticated and stylish look of the new product; together with this, the ads for the product changed to a more series and mature tone.

The shape of the box differs, as well, from the first flower-like box of the first generation of iPods: this iPod`s video box is rather flat and square, more stylish and more serious looking. Actually, this box works as a sleeve, as well, with one open end, similar to a DVD box set, but it also contains another inner box, which is very well fixed inside. The inner box opens in 2 distinctive parts: one part contains the iPod device and the other contains a monolith.

The package lacks a manual guide (still, it has a small Quick Start Guide); instead, it has a CD which contains all the needed usage instructions of the iPod video. Besides these, the box contains a relevant and think copyright statement and a protective sleeve for the actual iPod. The CD which contains the instructions displays an appropriate PDF file that suits any computer, using the languages English, French, German, Japanese and Chinese.

The new product iPod video has, besides various improvements in the technical department (among which, the video feature is the most relevant one), another package, another image and way of presentation. The new package manages to remain practical, yet it becomes safer. Besides these, the new package offers a more sophisticated and elitist image of the product, concentrating on refined touches and neutral colors.

If you think VoIP sounds like a highly-technical term, then there’s nothing more helpful than an overview of just how VoIP works. This is, after all, one of the recent developments in modern communication. Now, VoIP could be used instead of phone lines. So how does this technology work? How can you benefit from it?

Technology – The first step to understanding VoIP is to understand present technology. Our phone lines make use of what is known as circuit switching. Your call is passed through a series of switches until it reaches your recipient and the circuit is opened. In the span of time that you are on the line, the circuit remains open even at times when there is dead air. Even if you are just listening or not talking, the dedicated line is open. Since you are using this particular line, you have to pay for the number of minutes that you have been on it. The dead air is therefore considered a waste that you have to pay for.

Functioning – VoIP functions differently. There is no circuit switching and no dedicated line. What is present is packet switching. With packet switching, your analog audio data is converted to digital packets. These packets have their own addresses so they know where they have to go. These packets then proceed to the nearest router to the next until it reaches the recipient. Once the recipient gets the packets, it is converted back to audio form.

The Difference – There is a big difference about how VoIP works. There is obviously no dedicated line. The packets also take different routes depending in which is most accessible. Other routes remain open for the exit or entry of other data packets. There is thus no need to pay for the dead air in which no data is sent. The lack of a dedicated line is what makes VoIP primarily cheaper than traditional phone lines.

Connection and Accessibility – Aside from the lesser cost of VoIP, its accessibility is also a major attraction. You can use VoIP whenever and wherever there is internet connection. In our world today, the internet is accessible in almost any place where people are expected to use them. This piece of technology is therefore a big bonus for people who need to travel a lot. You no longer have to spend for long distance calls that can take a big chunk off your budget. VoIP offers the chance to save a lot on the cots of calls.

The Catch – The problem with VoIP though is that it still has a lot of kinks to be worked out. There are still many services that rely on the typical audio communications set-up. One important service for example is 911. When a 911 call is received, there is instant recognition of a caller’s exact location. This is still something that isn’t possible through VoIP. The packets that are sent simply have IP addresses on them but no physical addresses.

The Limits in Technology – Aside from this downside, VoIP is also prone to the weaknesses of computer technology. Your computer could crash or you could lose packets in the process of transmission. This is a big problem if you are transmitting very important information. Your packet data could also fall victim to viruses and hackers.

On the whole, there are more benefits to be gained by how VoIP works though compared to its disadvantages. There is still a need however, to further improve the technology to ensure that users are satisfied and kept safe.

Although the dimensions of the new iPod video are smaller, the display thinner, the screen dimensions are bigger and the image quality is better. These advantages are not the only ones as the new iPod video keeps more surprises regarding the image and the screen display. The large color screen and reduced dimensions of the video and audio device is the attractive point of the new iPod video.

The screen calibre of the new iPod video may be compared to the screen calibre of any TV set and it may even become the winner of such a contest. Both the design of the new iPod and the video features are very well thought out and the most important aspect is that the resolution is up to 320?240. The resolution calibre is comparable to the calibre of VHS video tape, being less than half that of a DVD. That is why the sunny weather, the too bright rooms are not a problem for watching the videos on the iPod video. These obstacles are great enemies of the previous handheld video devices of reduced dimensions and these do not matter anymore, especially when it is the case of the new iPod video.

The possibility of watching the favorite music video and Disney or Pixar video, the TV shows of films on the road, away from home was a matter of dreams not long time ago. And this dream is possible now due to the next step in video technology. Besides, the new iPod video has also some amazing options with the photo album because of great quality of the images. You may also rate your photos or create slideshows with your favorite ones so that your past empty moments may be filled with great memories. This fact is also due to the eliminated common obstacles (sunshine, bright indoors or outdoors) of watching videos on other different mini video devices. Another important aspect concerning the options of the iPod video is that it provides full-size thumbnails for photos.

Besides, the new iPod video can import digital photos directly from any type of camera or card reader. During this transfer, the thumbnails of the imported images are showed on the screen of the iPod. After the mentioned transfer, you may browse the imported pictures. Unfortunately, you cannot display the transferred pictures on the TV set.

The video image of the new iPod video is surprisingly clear, bright and sharp taking into account the size of the screen. Excellent music and video on the same handheld device is more than joyful news, having great advantages and well thought features. Although the battery longevity for watching the videos are only of 2 hours, the new video device has a great success and may be of great need for those who are very busy. This solution is ideal for spending the time on the train, bus or airplane, maybe waiting for them or simply having a break at the office. In the end, the new iPod video is a great music player with some features for playing video a little bit so that the time would pass more quickly.

The combination of excellent image and sound is a very good achievement and a tempting offer for lovers of pocket devices to be in touch with music and other aspects of the contemporary life. These aspects of the new iPod video are especially preferred by the teenagers with their crazy lifestyle. Nevertheless, some adults may also like the high calibre of the image, the options for the photo album and the slideshow. These aspects make the images, favorite videos and photos being cushy to share with other people. The best combination of high calibre image and high calibre sound is to be found in the new iPod video. Still, the novelty is represented by the video features on a handheld device that represent a step in the video technology.

The UK telecoms giant BT is selling of capped calls as a part of its business strategy- but are ‘capped calls’ really offering good value to the customer? I made it my task to find out:

Call rates are unusually tricky to find on websites, BT’s own website proved awkward to say the least with over 50 long lists to look through I wouldn’t be surprised if many new customers give up the search – or maybe thats the intention? Calling telecoms companies proved a bit more fruitfull athough overwhelming with the variety of products that seemed to offer good rates on one hand and take away with long contract obligations with the other.

Armed with call rates call rates for BT & a few other telecoms prividers, I had to to establish the average call length – BT were not forthcomming with this information. Luckily for me Telecost performed this task in 2002 – they studied the phone records of 100 companies around the UK in various industry sectors. In total some 2 million records were analysed – of course some time has gone by and without a bigger study it is difficult to be certain – but here are the results:

Average length of call to a mobile (07 numbers) – 110 seconds.

Average duration of national call (01 number) – 112 seconds.

Average length of landline call (02 numbers) – 121 seconds.

Assuming that the average call length therefore is 2 minutes:

A 2 Minute call at BT standard rate to mobile would cost 45p and to landline would cost 15p (inc call setup fee).

A 2 Minute call with BT’s ‘Business Plan’ to mobile would cost 25p (capped) and to landline would cost 8p on a 1 year contract.

A 2 minute call on BT’s ‘Oneplan’ to mobile is 20p(capped) and to landline is 5p(capped) on a 2 year contract with 2 extra BT services required.

A 2 minute mobile call using Westlake LCR is 18p and a 2 minute landline call is 2.5p on a one year contract.

A 2 minute call using Midland LCR to mobile is 16p and 1.8p to landline on a 1 year contract with minimum spend requirement.

A 2 minute call using Gradwell VOIP to mobile would cost 20p and a 2 minute call to landline would be free(subject to acceptable usage otherwise would cost 2.5p) on a 3 month contract.

Based on the above information above being correct the conclusion therefore is:- if your business makes average length calls then LCR or VOIP providers offer the best call savings. If your bunsiness makes long phone calls on a regular basis then BT will be the better choice, but then…

The most efficient way to route business calls is to use a telephone system such as Asterisk which is able to route calls via the most efficient methods: ie. route all national calls through VOIP hence take advantage of free calls and unlimited outbound trunks. Route mobile calls through GSM gateways to take advantage of free calls to staff mobiles & lowest possible mobile call rates(1.45 -4.5p/min). It is also a good idea to have a few BT lines on Oneplan to route long calls. This method also allows gives the user the benefit of mutiple failovers.

This is guide to help UK companies make a more informed decision about their comms – the information above was obtained on Sept 08 hence e&oe.

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.