Updated VoIP Guides Available!

January 6, 2017 by Ying-Hui Chen

Are you a VoIP beginner who likes to learn at your own pace? Are you interested in learning VoIP with an easy-to-follow guide? Take advantage of our free VoIP Buyers Guides!

The educational guides offer you an understandable definition and examples of the VoIP hardware, system, or service being discussed. The guides also show you applicable situations for which the respective hardware can fit into.

What Updated VoIP Guides Are Available?

To make your learning experience even better, we have updated some of our VoIP guides. Follow the links below to find the four updated VoIP guides:

What Other VoIP Guides Do I Have?

As of today, our VoIP guides cover 10 main topics. Aside from the four topics above, we also provide:

If any of the guide content raises any questions, just raise your hand by calling 800-398-VoIP to talk to an Account Manager. We look forward to helping your VoIP learning!

New and Improved T4S Series from Yealink

January 5, 2017 by Youleidy Vega

Today, Yealink a leading manufacturer of VoIP Phones and Unified Communications equipment released the T4S Series of IP Phones, which are the enhanced version of the previous T4G/P models.

As you can see from the image below, the T4S Series have the same elegant look you’ve come to know and love. However, the hardware in the phone has been enhanced to handle faster response on the phone’s user interface and also to support future firmware upgrades. This way as Yealink continues to add more features to the phone’s firmware, the T4S Series are equipped to handle them.

The T4S Series share the same V81 firmware across all models so that managing and provisioning the phones is easier and convenient.

In addition, and a feature that many were asking for, the new T4S Series have Opus Support, a popular High Definition (HD) audio codec that is well known and highly used in the Carrier/ITSP market. With Opus, the T4S Series are a competitive phone that feature high-end speech quality.

But that is not all, the T4S also have the advantage of being Hearing Aid (HAC) Compatible. The handset makes it easy for a person who suffers from hearing loss to hear more clearly. And for users who prefer to use the speakerphone, the speaker components have been enhanced to optimize acoustic performance over the speakerphone. t42s-left

Unlike its predecessors, the new T41S and T42S have a USB port for added extension capabilities such as a Wi-Fi dongle (WF40) or a USB headset. Both of these models also feature Bluetooth connectivity through the Yealink BT40 dongle so that users can pair with a Bluetooth headset or smartphone in order to synchronize calling, contacts and call history. The T4S Series are compatible with the same accessories used with the T4 G/P models. The YHS32 Headset, the EHS36 Electronic Hookswitch, the BT40 Bluetooth dongle, the WF40 Wi-Fi dongle, and the same power adapters and wall mounts (corresponding to like models) can be used.

The best part of this new release is that the T4S models boast tons of enhancements, but at no extra cost since they have the same price point as the old T4 series.

Enhancements summarized:

Device performance enhancement/ faster response on the phone’s user interface.
Opus support
Enhanced speaker performance
Additional USB port for the T42S & T41S (USB functions available circa 1Q2017)
Unified Firmware
Hearing aid compatible (HAC) Handset

Although the T4S models are coming in hot, the previous versions are still available with no EOL (End of Life) plan in view. If the old models do become EOL’d, don’t worry, Yealink will continue to offer service, firmware upgrades and additional features for the T4G/P Series.

Check out the T4S Series here. And if you have any questions don’t hesitate to call us at 1-800-398-VoIP.

Skype Ready Phones – Best Phones for Skype

December 28, 2016 by Ying-Hui Chen

Whether you are a current Skype user or you are just about to step into the Skype world, you may have already experienced or heard a lot of complaints about not being about to get Skype to function smoothly during the calls.

In the blog: Improve Skype for Business Audio/Video Quality, we discussed the top factors that affect your Skype call quality. Choosing an ideal Skype-optimized phone is the first step to building a satisfactory Skype call experience.

Here we highlight the best Skype ready phones at VoIP Supply that will take your communication to the next level!

What are the Best Skype Ready Phones?

The Grandstream GXV 3240 is one of the most popular Skype phones that is designed for all size companies and Android smartphone users. It is a 6-line multimedia Gigabit VoIP video phone that comes with a 3-way video conferencing, a tiltable CMOS camera and HD audio/ voice.

Combined the functionality of a multimedia platform with a 6-line video phone for an all-in-one voice, video, data, and mobility solution, the Grandstream GXV 3240 is the most powerful solution for users connecting from different channels.

Popular Features:

6 lines with up to 6 SIP accounts including FREE IPVideoTalk account with video mail
Phonebook with up to 1000 contacts and call history with up to 1000 records
Up to 6-way audio conference and 3-way video conference
Dual switched auto-sensing 10/100/1000 Mbps network ports
Wi-Fi (802.11b/g/n), PoE+, Bluetooth, USB, SD, HDMI, EHS with Plantronics headsets support

The Konftel 300 Conference Phone

If you are looking for a solution that allows you to set up multi-party calls easily and quality, the Konftel 300 Conference Phone will fit in just right. With the Konftel 300, you can easily combine or switch between connections to analog lines, mobile phones, or PCs at the drop of a hat.

Covering an area of up to 323 feet (or 10 people), the Konftel 300 also enables wireless headsets and external loudspeakers/ microphones connection to ensure that you hear and are being heard loud and clear.

Popular Features:

A new generation of OmniSound audio technology
USB connection for VoIP calls
The line mode makes it easy for you to combine and switch between connectivity technologies (analog, USB, GSM)
The conference guide makes it easy to set up multiparty calls
Record and listen to your meetings with an SD memory card.

The Polycom VVX 500 MS Skype for Business Edition is another great choice for people who are searching for a dependable, multi-tasking business media phone that can keep you up with your busy work schedule.

The Polycom VVX 500 is a Lync-licensed 12 SIP line IP phone with HD Voice featuring a 3.5 inch TFT color touchscreen, 2 USB 2.0 ports for multiple media uses and storage applications. Users benefit from useful functionalities such as managing exchange calendars and contacts on the phone, meeting reminders and extend PC desktop to include the VVX 500’s phone screen to increase work efficiency.

Popular Features:

Gesture-based, multitouch-capable, capacitive touchscreen
3.5-in TFT LCD display at QVGA (320×240 pixel) resolution, 4:3 aspect ratio
Streaming media video playback
Screensaver and digital picture frame mode
On-screen virtual keyboard
Voicemail and video mail support
Dual USB ports (2.0 compliant) for media and storage applications

Grandstream PBX UCM6102 Shows Account is not Registered. What Can I do?

by Ying-Hui Chen

Our tech support team at VoIP Supply offers great pre- and post-sales support plus provisioning, consultations, configuration, and installation help. We get a lot of VoIP hardware and software questions and would like to share the solutions with everyone.

In previous Mom’s calling Q&A series, we have discussed: Jabra UC Voice 550 MS: How to Increase the Speaking Volume? Today, we have more new real questions and answers from VoIP users just like you.

Grandstream PBX UCM6102 Shows Account is not Registered. What Can I do?

Q: I am using a Grandstream PBX (UCM6102 in the demo kit) for the first time. My phone is showing up under zero config but I get “Account is not registered”. What am I overlooking?

A: You must create the extension first and then assign the extension in Zero config by clicking on the edit (“pencil icon”) and then drop down to the Account, you will see the extension there and this will associate with the IP address of the phone. Click on the “update icon” and this will send a NOTIFY to the phone to SIP register the phone.

Stay Tuned

Come back for more VoIP questions and answers next time! If you have VoIP questions to ask us, please submit a technical support ticket or contact our VoIP experts today at (866) 582-8591.

RIP Elastix – Hello Renegade and FreePBX

December 21, 2016 by Marc Spehalski

If you haven’t heard, Elastix, which was once considered a permanent and trusted fixture in open source VoIP, is no longer a thing.

At least, not in the way it traditionally existed. It is now a product of 3CX, which is a good serviceable platform, but it is not the Elastix we all knew and loved. It now joins Trixbox, as the dearly departed.

What’s going on with Elastix?

Elastix was one of the first platforms I tinkered with when I first discovered the strangely interesting world of VoIP, and I really liked what it offered. It has a built-in mail server, instant messaging, calendar, CRM, fax server, and of course an Asterisk phone system. It was built on top of FreePBX, which had been a supporter of Elastix for many years. With that said, it never really stood on its own legs. It sported its own user interface, but under the hood sat a somewhat dated version of FreePBX, and of course Asterisk.

Elastix entered a rapid decline after FreePBX version 13 was released almost a year ago, which was a true re-definition of FreePBX and raised the bar for open source telephony. The lack of updated to Elastix (other than cosmetic), left those interested in deploying an open source phone system seeking alternative solutions. While the Elastix software remained functional, Sangoma proved its ability to commercially support its software, and release timely updates and patches.

Before going any further, I’d like to address any confusion on IP PBX appliances since some of my posts encourage cloud based hosting versus on-premise appliances. There are several factors that some use to dictate whether or not you should host your phone system in the cloud or use an appliance. The usual two are CapX and OpX, and which best fits with organizations. The dirty truth about modern IP phone systems is that they are incredibly inexpensive when compared to systems 10 to 15 years ago. With that said, it’s fairly cheap to use an appliance on-premise which saves you recurring costs and also Internet bandwidth, which might be a game changer for those with limited options when connecting to the Internet (assuming using SIP trunking). There is, of course, another device to maintain, power, and keep cool, but since the CapX is very low, it may be worth it for you.

Conversely, the advantages of a cloud hosted system are apparent, with convenience being a top benefit, but you will always have that monthly expense. You can, of course, migrate from one platform to another (with software like FreePBX) if you find that a particular solution works better for you. Truthfully, I like both solutions for different situations, but for this posting, we’ll be talking about appliances.

Renegade PBX Mini and FreePBX

For those of you looking to migrate from Elastix, or even start fresh, I’d like to introduce to you the Renegade PBX Mini from VoIP Supply. The Renegade Mini is a purpose-built appliance with the small to medium size businesses in mind. It can support up to 100 SIP extensions and 75 concurrent calls. It’s also paired well with Sangoma’s FreePBX, which can ship on the Renegade Mini directly from VoIP Supply.

Inside the Renegade Mini, there’s a dual-core Atom processor, 2 Gigs of memory and SSD storage. It also includes one Gigabit Ethernet port, HDMI out, VGA out, and four USB ports, and one PCI-E port fo telephony cards.

The Renegade Mini can be ordered with various telephony cards with FXS, FXO, and T1 interfaces, so it can use your existing telco connection (FXO, T1) while also fully supporting SIP trunking. A major benefit to the Renegade Mini is that there is a very low total cost of ownership. Essentially, the software is free (utilizing FreePBX), which does not require any licensing, and does not impose any limitations on things like the number of extensions that can exist, or concurrent calls. The only limitations are hardware resource based. FreePBX does offer commercial modules, which you pay for, but none of them are required to have a fully functional system.

As of last week, Sangoma has released a Conversion Tool to help with migration from Elastix (with FreePBX 2.9 or newer) which can save you a lot of time and effort, especially if you were not the one who originally configured the system.

VoIP Supply can also help you migrate from one system to another (even if you are not coming from Elastix), or even provision a brand new deployment for you for an additional charge. If you’re new to VoIP and want to hit the ground running with an appliance-based solution, reach out to VoIP Supply and they’ll be happy to take care of you.

In the Conferencing World, IPVideoTalk is a Unicorn

by Phil Bowers

Because of its traditional cost and complexity, video conferencing has always been more or less unattainable for most businesses.

Traditional video conferencing systems cost tens to hundreds of thousands of dollars to implement required entire IT teams to manage and were too complicated for most people to use. However, over the past few years, a plethora of affordable and easy-to-use web meeting platforms and video conferencing hardware devices have begun to drive the cost of conferencing down. The problem now has become that there are so many conferencing options and so many different types of platforms that each provide a different combination of services, which leaves many businesses wondering “what platform is best for me?”

With Grandstream, they are not only driving the video conferencing marketplace forward with powerful, flexible yet cost-effective hardware solutions like their GVC3200 series, but they are making the decision easier for businesses looking for a video or web conferencing platform as well. In March of 2016, they released IPVideoTalk – their in-house developed cloud-based video conferencing platform. IPVideoTalk may have started as just a platform for their GVC3200 series hardware devices, but it has evolved to become truly one fo the most innovative and most comprehensive platforms on the market – and one of the only platforms that combines all different types of conferencing and meetings. Most current conferencing platforms offer either web conferencing & webinars or room-based video conferencing – very few offer all three types of functionality. Especially not a platform that combines all three of those functionalities with mobile integration and PSTN support.

IPVideoTalk might be the only conferencing platform on the market that offers room-based video conferencing, web conferencing, a webinar platform, PSTN and mobile integration. It allows you to almost literally hold any type of meeting and any type of webinar that can be attended by nearly any device.

You can hold room-based video conferencing meetings with their GVC3200 series which can be joined by web users, mobile users with the IPVideoTalk app and PSTN callers.
You can hold web conferences that can be attended by other web users, GVC series devices, mobile users and PSTN Callers.
You can turn any of those meetings or conferences into a webinar to allow for registration and meeting reports. These webinars can be hosted on the web or one GVC series device and can be attended by any web user, any GVC series device, any mobile user and anyone who can call in using a PSTN number.

So if you are looking for a fully comprehensive video, web and webinar platform that combines every type of meeting and conferencing that can be joined from essentially any piece of technology, IPVideoTalk is for you. You would be hard pressed to find any platform that does all of that – especially one that doesn’t require a back-breaking cost. I know what you are wondering – yes, it really does all of that.

To make it even better, we are offering all of this functionality at a price that most web-only conferencing platforms cannot match. The price that we offer IPVideoTalk plans at is nearly unmatched on the conferencing marketplace. We offer plans at $25/ $39/ $55 a month and we also offer a customizable plan. Again, these prices are for a platform that combines room-based video conferencing, web conferencing, webinars, mobile and PSTN users – and gives you the ability to mix any of those together. Yes, IPVideoTalk really is that cheap and really does that much.

To take a step further, IPVideoTalk not only allows businesses to be more productive and hold better meetings – but it also allows businesses to save a ton of money. According to Business Travel News, the average cost of a 3-day business trip within the US costs an average of $1,343. That is $1,343 spent to send one person on one trip. Multiple that one trip by the number of trips that a business takes throughout the year and the cost becomes enormous. International trips further increase that cost. In addition to just high costs, these trips make employees out of the office and limit their productivity. For less than half of what it costs to send one employee on a 3 day trip within the US, you can purchase a year subscription of IPVideoTalk to support 50 people. You can use this to hold more meetings, conferences, and webinars that not only allow your employees to be in the office and get more done on a regular basis, but that actually saves you a ton of money at the end of the day.

In conclusion, IPVideoTalk is one of the only conferencing platforms on the market that combines web conferencing, room-based video conferencing and webinars. It allows businesses to meet anytime, anywhere, give a great impression of their business and increase productivity while actually saving money.

Polycom Picks Worth a Second Chance This Christmas

by Youleidy Vega

This month for our Refresh series we would like to spotlight two Polycom phones that would make a great gift for any business owner or even residential VoIP users that appreciates a good bargain and are not necessarily looking for new VoIP equipment.

The Polycom IP 6000 is a great phone to have during conferences or voice meetings. If features HD Voice technology and high-fidelity audio for clear, lifelike conversations. The microphone pick-up extends to up to 12-feet making a great phone for small to medium size business roundtable-style-like calls.

If you are gifting desk phones this holiday season, we recommend the Polycom VVX201 and/or the Polycom IP560. The VVX201 has 2-line keys and dual ethernet ports. It is a great pick for entry-level employees or front-desk use where minimal phone call handling takes place. Also it makes for a great house phone.

The IP 560 is a stylish 4-line phone that can benefit any office user from entry-level to manager level. It has tons of features to help facilitate the workday like busy lamp fields and presence and buddy lists. It features HD Voice and wideband audio as well as Gigabit Ethernet based network.

Our Refresh equipment includes professionally reconditioned VoIP equipment. Refresh equipment has been inspected and updated and would make a great gift because it can be trusted to work as new and it is backed by our 6-month guarantee. So wether you are buying for a friend this holiday season or could use an upgrade on your own VoIP equipment, Refresh is the way to go!

Our Favorite Things In VoIP! Part 5

by Angela Burgin-Logan

The final installment in VoIP Supply’s five part series Our Favorite Things in VoIP is loaded with some of the most requested VoIP items by businesses of all sizes! Spoiler Alert! You’re going to want everything on VoIP Supply’s Favorite Things List!

VoIP Supply Consultant Jon Garbin’s Favorite Things!

What is your favorite VoIP thing?

RenegadePBX

Why is RenegadePBX your favorite VoIP Thing?

The RenegadePBX by VoIP Supply was created with every size business in mind. It comes in three unique PBX solutions; the RenegadePBX mini, RenegadePBX 1U, and RenegadePBX Pro that can accommodate the needs of small to medium sized businesses along with large enterprises. An open-source PBX series it has the ability to host a variety of platforms making it ideal.

Must-Have VoIP Item.

Plantronics CS540 VoIP Wireless Headset

Why Plantronics CS540 VoIP Wireless Headset is a Must-Have VoIP item?

Having a wireless headset is essential in the work environment. The Plantronics CS540 Wireless Headset frees you of cords and gives you the mobility to use your computer, source materials in your office while on the phone, move around while talking and to generally multi-task which is what most businesses charge their teams with doing and what residential customers love.

WHAT is the VoIP item that you or your customers can’t live without?

Polycom VVX 500 VoIP Phone

WHY can’t you or your customers live without Polycom VVX 500 VoIP Phone?

The Polycom VVX 500 are feature rich enterprise level phones.

You can learn more about these items and order all of Jon’s Favorite Things at VoIP Supply.com!

Our Favorite Things in VoIP! Part 4

December 20, 2016 by Angela Burgin-Logan

Part 4 of Our Favorite Things In VoIP is a list curated by someone who knows the ins and outs of VoIP! But, what’s equally important is this value driven VoIP Supply Channel Manager puts customers first. So, this VoIP list is filled with items that will greatly benefit residential customers and businesses of all sizes. Spoiler Alert! You’re going to want everything on VoIP Supply’s Favorite Things List!

VoIP Supply Channel Manager Don Stephanie’s Favorite Things!

What is your favorite VoIP thing?

KX-TGP600 and related add on handsets and a desk phone.

Why is KX-TGP600 your favorite VoIP Thing?

The cordless space is often the go to way to add small office and warehouse flexibility freedom. By Increasing the number of simultaneous calls(8) from its predecessor(3) and adding multiple end point options (including ruggedized and even a desk phone), this was a nice upgrade and easy transition for customers used to the older 500/550 models.

Must-Have VoIP Item.

For most SMB clients I feel like a quality Hosted Cloud Service provider with mobility option via a mobile app is the “Must-Have” VoIP service these days.

Why Hosted Cloud Service provider is a Must-Have VoIP item?

There’s no better way for your growing company to increase efficiency and customer interaction. It demonstrates that even your SMB is an enterprise-class business when your workforce shows extreme responsiveness- handling calls from anywhere.

WHAT is the VoIP item that you or your customers can’t live without?

Plantronics CS520 and APC-41 Hook Switch Control Adapter

WHY can’t you or your customers live without Plantronics CS520 and APC-41 Hook Switch Control Adapter?

This wireless headset allows you to stay mobile while you work and is the ultimate way to multi-task while working with your customers or team on your VoIP phone.

You can learn more about these items and order Don’s Favorite Things at VoIP Supply.com!

Our Favorite Things In VoIP! Part 3

by Angela Burgin-Logan

Our Favorite Things in VoIP Part 3 is from a trusted VoIP Supply Consultant who has been with VoIP Supply for a decade and is routinely applauded by our customers for his expertise in all things VoIP. Spoiler Alert! You’re going to want everything on VoIP Supply’s Favorite Things List!

VoIP Supply Consultant Brian Hyrek’s Favorite Things!

What is your favorite VoIP thing?

PBXact Cloud Service

Why is PBXact Cloud Service your favorite VoIP Thing?

PBXact Cloud Service is one of my favorite things because of industry breaking disruptive features and value. You can get it from the CloudSpan Marketplace.

Must-Have VoIP Item.

Grandstream GXV3240

Why Grandstream GXV3240 is a Must-Have VoIP item?

I believe it is the most feature rich VoIP phone for the cost.

WHAT is the VoIP item that you or your customers can’t live without?

The new Sangoma phones!

WHY can’t you or your customers live without Sangoma phones?

Customers love the new Sangoma phones especially if they are using Sangoma FreePBX or PBXact, these units are simply a must due to their interoperability and feature set.

You can learn more about these items and order Brian’s Favorite Things at VoIP Supply.com!

What Updated VoIP Guides Are Available?

What Other VoIP Guides Do I Have?

What are the Best Skype Ready Phones?

Grandstream PBX UCM6102 Shows Account is not Registered. What Can I do?

Stay Tuned

What’s going on with Elastix?

Renegade PBX Mini and FreePBX

What is your favorite VoIP thing?

Why is RenegadePBX your favorite VoIP Thing?

Must-Have VoIP Item.

Why Plantronics CS540 VoIP Wireless Headset is a Must-Have VoIP item?

WHAT is the VoIP item that you or your customers can’t live without?

WHY can’t you or your customers live without Polycom VVX 500 VoIP Phone?

What is your favorite VoIP thing?

Why is KX-TGP600 your favorite VoIP Thing?

Must-Have VoIP Item.

Why Hosted Cloud Service provider is a Must-Have VoIP item?

WHAT is the VoIP item that you or your customers can’t live without?

WHY can’t you or your customers live without Plantronics CS520 and APC-41 Hook Switch Control Adapter?

What is your favorite VoIP thing?

Why is PBXact Cloud Service your favorite VoIP Thing?

Must-Have VoIP Item.

Why Grandstream GXV3240 is a Must-Have VoIP item?

WHAT is the VoIP item that you or your customers can’t live without?

WHY can’t you or your customers live without Sangoma phones?

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