How to extend the functionality of SIP phones

In the previous blog article (Insight into the user endpoint) I listed user endpoints. This time I am going to characterize what advanced services can be implemented via SIP phones.

Feature Keys

On legacy systems and modern VoIP systems, feature keys can implement a large set of services:

  • BLF (Busy Lamp Field), which displays the status of colleagues
  • Parking slots
  • Speed dial
  • Send DTMF
  • Trunk / line monitoring and use

Verify how many of these keys your users will need. Also, consider the possibility of providing such advanced services via the UC Client. For example, the user can own a basic VoIP phone for calls but manage all other operations (presence, monitoring, etc.) via the UC client on the PC.

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How to prevent an internal attack toward your UC&C investment

Are you considering investing in UC&C to improve your company’s productivity?

Telephone calls bounce between internal employees, they have to handle millions of emails and exorbitant travel costs: at the dawn of 2018, it is clear that UC&C is the definitive remedy to inefficiencies in internal communication that cause loss of productivity. However, there is one aspect that you must carefully evaluate before moving toward UC&C – a fundamental factor on which the success of the company’s entire investment depends. Because even if you implement the most advanced technology available on the market, the risk of seeing all your efforts nullified is around the corner. And, as you could read from the title of this article, the attack you may come across is a real stab in the back… Continue reading “How to prevent an internal attack toward your UC&C investment”

Insight into the user endpoint

The user endpoint subject will be covered in this blog article. And I will also describe the importance of collaboration tools and desk phones.

Collaboration Utility / Softphone

In a modern UC solution, a single application should incorporate all services: audio calls, video calls, chat, and presence. The advantages of this arrangement include:

  • A unified user experience
  • Less investments in dedicated hardware such as VoIP phones, which are not necessary
  • Immediate sign-on after opening the application

At the same time, having just one application that incorporates all services poses the following problems :

  • It requires the computer and app to active (turned on)
  • It relies on the computer’s environment.
  • It might not be user-friendly for customers using older versions.

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Gartner IT Forecast: Projection for 2019 for system integrators. Will it be a year for growth or will it bring defeat?

A few days ago Gartner published the first data regarding the trends of the IT sector expected for 2019.

If you are a system integrator or an IT company, these forecasts affect you directly, and, as they say, there is good news and bad news.

The good news is that the forecasts for the sector over all, are comforting. Gartner predicts an overall growth in the technology sector.

The bad news, is that this growth could affect only a small part of IT professionals and companies.

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Deployment Planning

In this blog article I will provide some best practices for deployment planning that our UC platform will need, to work as expected.

When a new UC system is installed, users will need to spend a considerable amount of time and resources learning how it works. It is crucial to reduce the impact of adopting any new technologies by avoiding user problems.

The most common issues I have witnessed are “regressions” in how the system works, particularly when compared to the previous system. Some examples include:

  • Missing features (especially telephonic ones)
  • Poor audio quality
  • Fax machines not working reliably
  • PoS connections not working reliably

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