VoIP Supply Builds a Culture Of Giving Back

January 19, 2016 by Ying-Hui Chen

As the first Certified B Corporation (B Corp) in Western New York, VoIP Supply has been devoting their time and money to the local charities at least once a month including the ongoing $1.98 meal donation program: one meal cost donated to Buffalo City Mission with every order placed. (Thanks to our customers being part of our charity effort!)

Giving Back Is Part of VoIP Supply’s Mission

Unlike other technology companies, VoIP Supply invests its resources in the local community, redefining what it means to be a successful business. Aside from providing remarkable VoIP solutions and customer services, VoIP Supply also devotes themselves to bounding with the community and making a change in the society.

“No one is too small to make a difference. We like to give all VoIP Supply employees the opportunity in giving back to the local community.” says Ben Sayers, CEO of VoIP Supply.

Putting Words Into Action

In October 2015, VoIP Supply posted employee pictures on Mix96 Facebook page, holding up signs of their “tata” names to support the Breast Cancer Awareness event for Susan G. Komen, who donated $1 per name.

In December 2015, VoIP Supply employees also donated 30 gift tags, total value $900, to the Giving Tree at the Eastern Hills Mall which was sponsored by the Family Help Center helping children in need.

Our charity work never ends and we have many more contributions planned for 2016!

2015 Charity Activities

Signature Sponsorship: VoIP Supply was the signature sponsor for the Passage House 25th Anniversary
Lunch Serving: Employees volunteered 6 hours serving lunch at Buffalo City Mission
Collect Donations: Two employees collected food donations for Food Bank of WNY at the Broadway Market
Fill the Backpack: Employee donations to feed kids during the summer 2015
Meals on Wheels: Teams of two employees deliver meals to North Buffalo residents in need
Pet Supplies Donation: Employees donated pet supplies and discs (to sell) for dogs in Erie County SPCA
Smoke Alarm Installation: Three employees installed smoke alarm in houses for Red Cross
Food Donation: Through 97Rock, VoIP Supply donated 5 large bags of groceries and 5 turkeys to Food Bank of WNY

2016 Planned Charity Activities

MLK Day: Help Broadway-Fillmore neighborhood disperse hats, gloves, and scarves and shovel sidewalks, walkways, and driveways
Electronics Donation: Donate all electronics/ printer ink and toner cartridges to Camp Good Days
Hospice Spring Bouquet Sale: Purchase mixed bouquet for $8 and a tribute bouquet for $30 goes to a Hospice patient
Earth Day: Plant another tree and participate in community Spring clean-up

Share Your Thoughts With Us!

Are you interested in giving back to the community? What are your reasons and goals? We will be excited to hear your ideas and would be happy to answer any questions you may have. Leave your comments below.

VoIP Supply is a B Corporation Committed to being a Sustainable Business

January 4, 2016 by Ying-Hui Chen

WHAT ARE B CORPS?

“Beneficial Corporations“(B Corps) are corporations certified by the non-profit B Lab with the goal of developing positive impact on society and the environment in addition to the legally defined shareholders.

Seeing B Corporation as our business guideline to make decisions and develop core value and culture, VoIP Supply has been certified as a B Corp for the second time to meet rigorous standards of social and environmental performance.

With seven points higher than the median score in Environment evaluation, VoIP Supply would like to highlight its extensive recycling program, specifically the Reclaim Equipment Buyback Program which not only gives customers more options to buy and sell VoIP equipment, but saves excess VoIP equipment from being wasted.

WHY WE BECAME a B CORP

VoIP Suppy has been offering a tremendous amount of education and real value to customers and helping employees enjoy coming to work in a delightful environment. Becoming a B Corp gives VoIP Supply a clear roadmap to continue doing good business and becoming the company that’s the best for the world.

HOW to BECOME a B CORP

To become a B Corp, a business needs to complete the B Impact Assessment and earn minimum score of 80 out of 200 points. The assessment covers the impact of a business on environment, workers, customers, community and governance.

Based on difficulty and impact, the Improvement Report helps businesses find the areas they want to focus their effort on. Helpful practices to improve B Impact score vary from different businesses including increasing employee satisfaction and engagement, establishing specific social and environmental targets, improving energy efficiency, etc.

WANT TO LEARN MORE?

If you are interested in learning more about B corp certification or Reclaim Equipment Buyback Program, please contact us at 1-800-398-VoIP or [email protected] or visit the links below for more information. We would be thrilled to hear from you and be happy to answer any questions you may have!

Patton Releases New Products to Bridge Multiple Sites Together

December 31, 2015 by Ying-Hui Chen

Patton Electronics SmartNode 4170 Gateway & SmartNode 5570 ESBR

For over 30 years, Patton SmartNode™ has been known for its high quality VoIP products and outstanding customer support. From VoIP Gateways to Session Border Controllers, they offer comprehensive VoIP products, as well as FREE technical support and upgrades for both pre and post-sales.

To better address a variety of applications, Patton has recently released two new models: SmartNode 4170 PRI VoIP Gateway and SmartNode 5570 Enterprise Session Border Router – targeting enterprise businesses that are searching for cost-effective VoIP solutions to bridge PBX systems on multiple sites, or even to connect to a public Internet telephony service.

Comparing the SN1470 and the SN5570

Patton has a wide range of VoIP gateways/ routers to meet customer’s specific requirements. The SN4170 provides seamless network integration that matches up to ISDN standards for features and quality, and also offers an option for one T1/E1, and one Gigabit Ethernet port that can process up to 15 concurrent SIP calls.

Process up to 512 Simultaneous Calls

SN5770 can be used as an Enterprise Session Border Router or as a VoIP gateway/router that bridges IP-PBX products to their SIP Trunk service providers. It also comes with built-in security systems such as SIP TLS, SRTP, and also Stateful Firewall and Secure provisioning, which will ensure the protection of any LAN network. In addition to the two T1/E1 ports, the SN5570 can process up to 512 simultaneous SIP calls.

Ease of set up with an online wizard

Both models are equipped with full telephony features and VoIP protocol support, such as flexible call routing, hold, transfer, and also 3-way conferencing. Also, like other SmartNode products, these products provide a high-precision clock for delivering first-line IP telephony service in ISDN and DECT environments, an easy to use Web Wizard that enables convenient installation, and a customized web interface.

The table below gives you a side by side comparison of the two Patton units.

Patton SmartNode

Contact Us Today

For more information or questions, please call our experts today at 1-800-398-VoIP. We are here to help you create the best VoIP solution for your business, and would love to hear from you! Please utilize the comment box below and drop us a note! We are excited to hear what YOU have to say about this product.

Grandstream Releases Two New Products

December 21, 2015 by Youleidy Vega

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A well-known name in the VoIP industry, Grandstream Networks has been on it’s “A” game manufacturing award-winning IP Phones, IP PBX Appliances, and Surveillance Products since 2002. After recently unveiling their very first conference phone, the GAC2500, which utilizes the power of Android 4.4 and also offers a complete conference solution for any size business, Grandstream is at it again. This time around-following its trend of innovation, high quality and reliability- Grandstream hits the market with two new products releasing in the same week.

Grandstream released theGVC3202 Video Conferencing solution, a noteworthy business-class camera that not only supports Grandstream’s vigorous IPVideoTalk Pro cloud platform, but has the ability to power multiple popular video conferencing protocols and platforms right out of the box. Based on Android 4.4, the GVC3202 provides full access to all video conferencing apps in the Google Play Store-such as Skype®, Skype for Business®, Google Hangouts™ and more.

WHAT ELSE DOES THE GVC3202 OFFER?

Flaunting a clean, modern design, the GVC 3202 also sports an inventive embedded Multi-Point Control Unit (MCU) that supports up to 3-way conferencing with local mixing between SIP and other protocols. Other high performance features include:

Built-in Bluetooth for use with Bluetooth speakers/ microphones, keyboards, data exchange, etc
Support for 2 screens thanks to 2 HDMI outputs
Local & far-end controllable PTZ camera with wide-angle lens
Can bridge calls from Android apps into SIP conference
Ability to share a presentation with conference attendees or review a document
Can remind attendees 10 minutes before start-time and automatically call all participants
Ability to easily record all video conferences to document meetings
Fast connections speeds to maximize video quality
Video resolutions up to 1080p
Powerful 9x optical zoom

Interoperable with any 3rd party platform and with full, transcending features and abilities, the GVC3202 is a great video conferencing solution for any small business.

THERE IS MORE FROM GRANDSTREAM

If the GVC 3202 Video Conferencing Solution is not enough new technology for you, Grandstream has released the GXP2170 IP Phone for High-Volume Users, a robust enterprise-grade IP phone meant to fit the needs of businesses that are dependent on phone calls. The Grandstream GXP2170 allows for up to 12 line keys and six SIP accounts with programmable context-sensitive soft keys, and supports the fastest possible connection speeds with dual Gigabit network ports, making it a reliable IP Phone solution to help pay the bills-many phone calls at a time.

WHAT’S THE GXP2170 ALL ABOUT?

Boasting a 4.3 inch color display LCD and full HD audio, the GXP2170 has 48 digital, on-screen speed dial keys, and Power over the Ethernet (PoE), allowing for efficiency and productivity. This top-notch, executive-level IP Phone also includes the following functionalities:

Built-in Bluetooth for syncing headsets and mobile devices for contact books, calendars & call transferring Full duplex-speakerphone
Supports EHS compatible Plantronics headsets
Automated provisioning options include TR-069 and XML config files
Built-in USB port for importing and exporting data
TLS and SRTP security encryption technology to protect calls and accounts
Use with Grandstream’s UCM6100 series IP PBX appliance for Zero-Config provisioning, 1-touch call recording & more
The 48 digitally programmable & customizable BLF/fast-dial keys can be optimized when used with up to four cascaded GXP2200EXT Modules

WHERE CAN I FIND THE GVC3202 AND THE GXP2170?

VoIP Supply is excited to offer both of these Grandstream Networks products as reliable and innovative solutions for your video conferencing and/or VoIP Phone needs. We would be thrilled if you shared with us what you think about these products as well! Go ahead and leave a comment or ask us a question in the below comment area. You can also contact us directly at 1-800-398-8647 or at [email protected] and we would be happy to chat with you about both of these VoIP solutions.

First Look: Yealink T49G VoIP Video Phone

December 17, 2015 by Jeff Quinn

With the introduction of the Yealink T49G 16 line VoIP Video Phone, Yealink is able to say it covers all features from basic to advanced within a VoIP phone. Yealink was able to capture simplicity and sophistication for their flagship VoIP phone, enabling business executives and professionals with high quality telecommunications.

High Definition Video Calling

If an 8 inch full-HD 1080p touchscreen isn’t enough for you, Yealink has incorporated an HDMI port to allow the connection to an external monitor. On top of the high quality screen the Yealink T49G comes equipped with built-in bluetooth and WiFi among other features.

Up to 16 SIP accounts
Three-way video conferencing
Five-way audio/video mixed conferencing
USB ports (2.0 compliant) for media and storage applications
HD voice: HD handset, HD speaker
Gigabit Ethernet ports
Screenshot transfer via USB flash drive/li>

The Yealink T49G offers basic IP PBX features such as; Busy Lamp Field (BLF), remote office (hot desking), intercom, paging and music on hold. The 8 inch touchscreen offers 8 feature keys 3 illuminated keys and also 29 one-touch DSS keys.

US-Based Tech Support

With all these features and attributes you may need to talk to an expert regarding Yealink VoIP phones. Yealink has recently launched real-time technical support service for North America.

This service allows our North American customers to rely on Yealink’s prompt and professional tech support services by submitting a ticket here: https://ticket.yealink.com/ The Yealink team is available Monday through Friday from 8:30am to 6:30pm EST.

Yealink Unified Communications Solution

With the addition of the T49G, Yealink now has a complete audio and video collaborative communication solution. For more information or if you have any questions please contact our VoIP Solutions Specialists at 1-800-398-8647 or [email protected].

5 FREE SIP Softphones and affordable deskphone options – Updated March 2020

December 10, 2015 by Ying-Hui Chen

SIP Softphones

Note: This post was originally written by Jeff Quinn.

There are advantages between choosing a softphone or deskphone option when implementing a new VoIP phone system office. I wanted to first give you some FREE options of softphones and also an affordable deskphone option that you may want to take a look at.

3CX Softphone

With the ability to be used on Windows, MAC, Android and iOS operating systems the 3CX softphone is a easy to use and helps to reduce your phone system costs.

Open standards to be used with many different platforms
Simple to understand interface
Along with basic call features presence and instant chat are included

Learn more about 3CX mobile app and remote working features here!

Affordable Deskphone Option:
Yealink T23G Gigabit VoIP Phone

3 line appearances
Yealink Optima HD Voice
Scalable from small to large office settings

Grandstream Wave

Android users with 4.0 or higher are able to make and receive SIP based calls over WiFi. The Grandstream Wave app offers the most popular telephony features and supports up to 6 SIP accounts.

Compatible with most 3 parties’ SIP based communication platforms and IP PBX systems
Currently only available for Android 4.0 or higher
Available via the Google play store or from Grandstream.com

Affordable Deskphone Option:
Grandstream GXP1620

Up to 2 lines
Dual Gigabit Ethernet Ports
HD Wideband Audio

Switchvox Softphone for Mobile

With a user friendly configuration and the ability to make and receive phone calls from any mobile device, the Switchvox Softphone app is scalable for any office situation.

Enterprise mobility for any Switchvox Solution
Connectivity on any WiFi, 4G, or LTE network
Advanced call controls

Learn more about Sangoma Switchvox here.

Affordable Deskphone Option:
Sangoma D60 VoIP Phone

4.3 inch, 480 x 272-pixel backlit color LCD display
2 line appearance keys
4 feature keys

ZoiPer

Features support for both SIP and IAX, and includes free and paid versions of their software.

Low memory and CPU usage increases call quality
Audio, Video, Fax, Presence and instant messaging
Compatible with most voip service providers and PBX’s

Affordable Deskphone Option:
Yealink T21P E2 VoIP Phone

2 Line Appearances
Wall Mountable
Easy and simple set up and configuration options

X-Lite CounterPath

A very popular SIP softphone supporting a range of codecs and also offering great support for desktop business video conferencing

Instant messaging and presence available with basic call features
Open standards and SIP compatibility to work with a large number of platforms
Combines voice and video

Affordable Deskphone Option:
Polycom VVX 150 Single Line VoIP Phone

2.5” 132 x 64 monochrome backlit display
2 line keys
4 soft keys

Whether you decide to use a soft phone or a desk phone you will still be receiving the main benefits of a small business VoIP phone system. Please feel free to call in to our VoIP Solutions Specialists and discuss whether of desk phone or SIP soft phone is the right choice for you at 1-800-398-VoIP or email us at [email protected].

Build your Business Phone System with the VoIP Solution Specialists

December 8, 2015 by Jeff Quinn

The CloudSpan Marketplace by VoIP Supply is here to provide you with a single place to shop various cloud service offerings, in order to help you find the perfect match for your business’s size and needs.

We have trained our VoIP Solution Specialists inside and out about everything there is to offer for your business phone system.

We understand the process can be difficult and frustrating at points. We wanted to give you an idea of what the process will look like for you when you work with us.

Step One:

Access the CloudSpan Marketplace

You’re shopping for your VoIP Service Solution and come upon the CloudSpan Marketplace by VoIP Supply. You can either fill out the form on the page to be contacted by a Solutions Specialist or you can call directly in at 1.800.398.VoIP.

Step Two:

Consultation

Our VoIP Solutions Specialist will offer you a consultation about your home or business. Some of the typical questions are:

How many employees do you have in your office?
Would you consider your business to have a heavy call volume? Maybe we can take a look at one of your old phone bills to get an idea.
What type of call features are must-haves for you?
Do you have the staff on hand to maintain a phone system?

It’s very okay to not have all the answers that is what we are here for. We have trained our Solutions Specialists to be able to handle all inquiries.

Step Three:

Choose the type of service

We will help you decide between a Hosted VoIP Service or an On-Site Phone System. We take you through different questions about your business and staff that will help us to determine which service is best for you.

Step Four:

Select the best fitting plan

Once we have the proper service now it is time to choose the right plan for you. We want to make sure that you are not overpaying for features that you don’t need or would never use.

We also employ a money back guarantee at the CloudSpan Marketplace. If the plan that we decide on doesn’t fit you we will refund you fully and get you set up with the proper plan.

A brief overview of the CloudSpan Marketplace

alt=”CloudSpan Marketplace Video

Step Five:

We also have the VoIP hardware you need

We understand your time is valuable and you may not have the time to go research someone else to work with. We can offer you all the hardware you may need; VoIP Phones, VoIP Headsets, etc.. Depending on the service you choose we will get you set up with the appropriate affordable hardware for your office situation.

Step Six:

Switching from the old to the new phone system

We have chosen your service, set up the appropriate monthly plan, selected the necessary hardware and now it is time for the switch over. This can be painful, but that is why we are here. We will be with you every step of the way to make sure phone numbers are switch properly and all your services and plans are in place when you’re ready to flip the switch.

Step Seven:

We aren’t going anywhere

After the installation of your new phone system we understand issues pop up and questions arise. We are still here for you. Your VoIP Solutions Specialist is always just one phone call away to help you with any needs you may have.

Grandstream GAC2500 Conference Phone Takes the UC Spotlight

December 7, 2015 by Elizabeth Krohn

Now Available From Grandstream Networks

Grandstream Networks, since 2002, has been successfully deploying VoIP solutions to customers across the globe. Ranging from Corded IP Phones to PBX Appliances, there has been almost no VoIP stone that has been unturned by Grandstream in its endeavor to provide the best and most cost effective VoIP solution on the market – that is, until today.

This morning Grandstream released the GAC2500 Conference Phone, the first conference unit ever to be produced by the company. Utilizing the power of Android 4.4 , as well as the many other high-end functions associated with today’s modern VoIP solutions, the GAC2500 easily delivers a full and robust conference solution for any size business.

What It’s All About

This circular-shaped conference phone features both a modern design, and also many high performance functionalities such as:

Auto-sensing Gigabit Ethernet with PoE
Integrated Bluetooth 4.0
Android 4.4 – allowing for full access to Google Play Store and the potential for custom app creation
Supports 6 lines with up to 6 SIP accounts
Features a 4.3″ color touch screen for each navigation and utilization
Complimentary solution for the GVC3200 Video Conference System, allowing for full utilization of apps such as Skype for Business and Google Hangouts

This product also delivers HD quality audio via 3 cardioid microphone that allow for a pickup range of up to 12 feet. The GAC2500 not only delivers high-quality audio, but also features auto provisioning to ensure an easy deployment, as well as a firmware upgrades via TFTP, HTTP, and HTTPS or via local HTTP upload. The GAC2500 also contains advanced security protection to ensure privacy, as well as broad interoperability with many 3rd party SIP devices.

The GAC2500, at every angle, delivers a very powerful conference solution. Included with the unit is the GAC2500 phone, a universal power supply, a network cable, a USB cable, a RJ48 cascade cable (for daisy-chaining), as well as a Quick Installation Guide.

Where To Find It

VoIP Supply is thrilled to offer this product as the latest and greatest solution from Grandstream Networks, and would love to hear what you think about this product as well! Please leave a comment or question for us in the below comment area, or contact us directly at 1-800-398-8647 and we’d be happy to tell you more about this solution from Grandstream.

VoIP Supply also thanks Ying-Hui Chen for her assistance with posting this article.

The Differences Between Primary Rate Interface (PRI) and Session Initiation Protocol (SIP) Explained

December 3, 2015 by Nathan Miloszewski

The advantages of Primary Rate Interface (PRI) service and Session Initiation Protocol (SIP) can be debated.

Both protocols use digital signals but the latter provides an advantage that allows you to customize the phone system according to your business needs.

However, it helps to educate yourself on both options before making a decision on which one is best for you.

Primary Rate Interface

What Is PRI?

PRI (Primary Rate Interface) is a interface standard associated with transmission of voice data over a dedicated line.

PRI uses a circuit switched model for voice call among people located in different locations.

How Does It Work?

PRI provides 23 voice channels that a business can use simultaneously at any given time.

Multiple users can access these 23 channels within a specified network and the hardware requirement includes a PBX (Private Branch Exchange) or IP PBXs.

However, if a business has 50 operational DID (Direct Inward Dialing) numbers, then only 23 will be available any point of time. To make all the numbers available more PRI circuits are required (which will increase your overhead).

Support Framework for PRI

Integrated Services Digital Network (ISDN) assigns the PRI service.

ISDN enables the digital transmission of voice and data service over Public Switched Telephone Network (PSTN). The PSTN is where all the global telecommunication devices are connected.

You can call to any part of the world, regardless of the receiver’s device, through the PSTN. Initially, the PSTN provided analog transmission but eventually it was digitized after the advent of ISDN to provide a faster, better quality, and lower cost service.

Session Initiation Protocol

What is SIP?

Session Initiation Protocol or SIP Trunking is a system where transmission of voice data is performed over an existing network data line by creating a virtual network between the PBX and the SIP network of the carrier.

In other words, it goes over an IP Network. It uses a Packet switched model for voice calling.

How Does It Work?

The system uses an IP PBX system rather than the normal PBX (unless it’s compatible with SIP framework). The primary reason for this is the use of VoIP rather than PSTN. The public internet and LAN is connected with an IP PBX.

The voice call in a SIP framework uses the same path allotted for non-voice transmission.

Similarly, when receiving voice data, the equipment at the service provider’s end transmits it to the designated IP PBX. Re-routing of data packets to another pre-determined number takes place when the primary number is not responding.

Support Framework for SIP

SIP uses your existing data transmission set-up. Unlike PRI, SIP does not come in a pre-determined connection bundle.

Depending on your requirements, a business can buy call paths or increase bandwidth of the existing data line.

With SIP, businesses are not dependent upon on a bundle service such as PRI. If the number of calls is less than the actual capacity, the unused bandwidth is distributed across the network for other use. This ensures a more efficient network with no wasted resources.

How To Choose Conference Phones for Remote Learning

November 20, 2015 by Nathan Miloszewski

Note: This is a guest post by Victoria Zona, Senior Channel Sales Manager, Revolabs

Distance learning has become increasingly pervasive in both corporate America and at educational institutions.

Academic institutions are all adding programs to accommodate remote students and are now offering on-line degrees.

To save money, many corporations are remotely training branch office employees on the policies and procedures bringing distance learning to corporate workplaces.

Clear Audio Maintains Focus, Increases Comprehension, Reduces Fatigue

Many times the voice quality in remote learning environments is unintelligible. Poor sound quality makes it difficult for the student to understand the material presented, and reduces their active participation.

Our industry has made great strides to improve video quality during distance learning sessions, but crystal-clear audio is even more important to keep students’ focus, increase comprehension, and prevent classroom fatigue.

Typically, there’s no technical person on hand to monitor and support the remote learning session. Therefore, having an audio solution that is simple to use and easy to setup is key.

Poor sound quality makes it difficult for the student to understand the material presented, and reduces their active participation.

How to Choose Audio Devices for Distance Learning

Here are some tips to consider when choosing an audio product for distant learning:

Seek out an audio solution that provides superior audio pickup and speaker quality so users on both the near and far end of the room can hear every word.

360° Coverage

Deploy a device that has full 360° coverage of audio capture, incorporates integrated acoustic echo cancellation, and supports full duplex audio to enhance comprehension and conversational flow.

Strong Speaker, External Connections

The speaker output on the device needs to be loud enough for the participants in the room to hear, or allows connections to external speakers to amplify the sound level in the room.

BYOD Compatible

If bring your own device (BYOD) program is supported, make sure the audio conferencing device is software-agnostic and connects via standard PC, tablet or mobile communications channels.

Cloud Compatibility

For cloud based conferencing solutions, verify that the audio conferencing device supports multiple communication applications.

Ask a VoIP Supply Representative about Revolabs audio conferencing solutions for distance learning.

We have a range of products to fit every environment, offering unmatched audio quality that allows users to hear every word.

Author Bio

Victoria Zona
Senior Channel Sales Manager, North America, Revolabs
Victoria Zona has more than 20 years of experience in channel sales. In addition, she was also recognized as a CRN Channel Chief for 2014. At Revolabs she is responsible for directing and managing the North America DMR channel. Connect with Victoria on LinkedIn and Twitter