Cbeyond Ranks Seventh Among Georgia’s Top Public Companies

Atlanta – Tuesday, June 10, 2008
Cbeyond Ranks Seventh Among Georgia’s Top Public Companies

Cbeyond®, Inc. a leading IP-based managed services provider, ranked seventh on the Atlanta Journal-Constitution’s list of Georgia’s top 100 public companies. Cbeyond improved by nine positions from the 2007 list, which ranked the company sixteenth.

PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP ranked the list of the top 100 public companies based on five weighted variables: annual revenue, year-over-year revenue change, annual change in profit margin in fiscal 2007, return on equity and total return on investment for calendar 2007. The ranking is determined by totaling the five variable rankings for each company and dividing by five.

Featuring a growing portfolio of more than 30 productivity-enhancing applications, Cbeyond is the last communications company a small business will ever need. From landline phone and email access, to BlackBerry® and Hosted Microsoft Exchange, Cbeyond tailors an appropriate solution for its small business customers.
The company also offers a SIP trunking solution, which enables direct IP peering with SIP enabled IP PBX phone systems. Called BeyondVoice® with SIPconnect, this service eliminates the need for a VoIP gateway on the premise, improves voice quality and creates a strong foundation for personalized applications and rich media services. Cbeyond currently interoperates with more than 20 IP PBX phone systems.

Cbeyond saw significant growth in 2007 propelling it into the top 10 of the Georgia 100. In 2007 the company opened offices in San Diego, Detroit and San Francisco. The company is poised to continue its growth in 2008 with new offices slated to open in Miami, Minneapolis and a third, yet to be announced market. Cbeyond currently serves more than 36,000 small businesses and offers its services in 11 cities throughout the United States.

Focused on measured growth, Cbeyond’s strategy is to leverage its sale-driven distribution model to deeply penetrate the small business community in each city it serves. The company also works closely with each small business customer to design a communications solution to meet their needs.

“Cbeyond experienced great success in 2007 due to our consistent, predictable business model,” said Jim Geiger, chairman and CEO of Cbeyond. “The continued growth and profitability of the company highlights the need small businesses have for big business communication tools that are affordable, reliable, and easy-to-use.”

For more information about Cbeyond and its portfolio of small business communication services, visit www.cbeyond.net.

About Cbeyond

Cbeyond, Inc. is a leading IP-based managed services provider that delivers integrated packages of communications and IT services to more than 36,000 small businesses throughout the United States. Cbeyond offers more than 30 productivity- enhancing applications including local and long- distance voice, broadband Internet, mobile, BlackBerry®, broadband laptop access, voicemail, email, web hosting, fax-to-email, data backup, file- sharing and virtual private networking. Cbeyond manages these services over a private, 100-percent Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) facilities-based network. For more information on Cbeyond, visit www.cbeyond.net.

Zultys Technologies Names New CEO

Zultys Technologies Names New CEO

Zultys Technologies, the premier developer and manufacturer of pure SIP communication solutions for businesses and enterprises, today announces that Steve Rothenberg has been appointed as the Chief Executive Officer. Rothenberg will also serve as a member of the board of directors.

Rothenberg is a seasoned executive with significant global experience. The majority of his career was spent building his own company, Rothenberg Systems International (RSI), from a start-up offering integrated hardware/software office systems for small- and mid-size businesses to the world’s leading supplier of enterprise collection software for the financial services industry. RSI was acquired in 1999 by LBSS plc, which in turn was acquired by Fair Isaac Corporation in 2003. He has been an angel investor and advisor to numerous early stage companies in Silicon Valley.
Most recently he was interim-CEO for Alter-G, Inc., which offers an “anti-gravity” treadmill that enables people to improve mobility and health; recover from injury and surgery more rapidly; overcome medical challenges that limit movement; and enhance physical performance. He took that company from garage operations to its major rollout on budget and on time.

“The board feels fortunate and excited that Steve has agreed to join the company,” said Vladimir Movshovich, Vice President of Technology at Zultys. “He has successfully managed small and medium companies through rapid growth, secured private financing, and has developed sustainable customer relationships.”
“I’m thrilled to join Zultys and want to thank Vladimir Movshovich for his significant achievements as the acting CEO during the search process,” said Rothenberg. “I believe Zultys’ technology offers significant market potential in small- and mid-sized businesses. I look forward to making Zultys the leading brand in this sector.”

About Zultys Technologies
Zultys Technologies, headquartered in Sunnyvale, California, with operations in Europe, Asia and Australia, delivers smart communication solutions that are easy to use, deploy and manage. The Zultys family of award-winning SIP-based products and software provides an ‘All-in-One’ unified communication solution that delivers increased worker productivity, scalability for future growth and investment protection, and interoperability with industry standard SIP devices. For more information on Zultys as well as our products and solutions, please visit: http://www.zultys.com.

Polycom Desktop IP Phone Combines Color Display, HD Voice and 1Gbps Ethernet

Polycom Desktop IP Phone Combines Color Display, HD Voice and 1Gbps Ethernet

By Tim Gray
TMCnet Web Editor
Unified collaborative communications solutions player Polycom (News – Alert) today announced the latest addition to its SoundPoint IP desktop phone line, the SoundPoint IP 670.

The SoundPoint IP 670 is an application-enabled desktop SIP phone with a high-performance color display, Polycom’s revolutionary HD Voice technology, and Gigabit Ethernet (GigE) connectivity. It provides professionals with an intuitive color interface for easier viewing and navigation of phone functions and productivity-enhancing applications, according to Sunil Bhalla, senior vice president and general manager of Polycom’s Voice Communications Solutions division.

“We’re always seeking ways to improve the customer experience and offer productivity-enhancing features that drive the speed of business,” said Bhalla. “The SoundPoint IP 670 combines a rich color display with Polycom HD Voice to offer our customers a visually pleasing user interface, an incredible sounding voice experience and a future-proof platform with Gigabit Ethernet.”

The new phone also features the industry’s first color expansion module and when equipped with up to three color expansion modules, it delivers the industry’s first color attendant console solution for call attendants and administrative assistants.

Matthias Machowinski, directing analyst with Infonetics Research (News – Alert), called the phone “noteworthy’ for both its power – which operates at 1 Gbps – and in turn, its ability to leave unscathed a new congestion point on the network.

“Polycom’s new SoundPoint IP 670 phone is a good choice for organizations that are pursuing a standards-based communication strategy and are planning to embed applications on the phone,” said Machowinski.

This solution significantly increases the call handling capability of the phone and enables attendants to better manage incoming calls by being able to view presence status without having to be in front of a PC.

The SoundPoint IP 670 supports six-lines and includes advanced SIP features and capabilities, such as support for shared lines, text messaging, and buddy presence monitoring. It features 14 default color background displays for phone personalization. Additional customized backgrounds, such as a company logo, can be added to deliver a rich desktop branding experience, the company said.

The phone also includes an integrated XHTML micro-browser that enables users to take advantage of productivity-enhancing Web-based applications and also provides the ideal platform for Polycom’s recently announced Polycom Productivity Suite for SoundPoint IP phones.

“The SoundPoint IP 670 provides a full-color user interface to deliver a significantly augmented and visually pleasing user experience when running productivity-enhancing applications, such as the Polycom Productivity Suite,” said Victor Yue, Director, Fujitsu Asia Pte Ltd. “We applaud Polycom for enabling us to continue to offer our customers the most comprehensive, best-sounding, most interoperable, high-quality IP telephony solutions for small and medium–sized businesses and enterprises.”

The SoundPoint IP phone is being certified to deliver comprehensive interoperability and extensive feature support with Polycom’s growing list of more than 24 SIP-based call control platform partners including 3Com, BroadSoft, Digium (News – Alert), Interactive Intelligence, Sylantro, and other Polycom VoIP Interoperability Partners (VIP). For more information on the Polycom VIP Program, visit www.polycom.com/vip.

The Power over Ethernet (PoE) version of the Polycom SoundPoint IP 670 is available in North America, most of Central and Latin America, Europe and most of Asia-Pac today through Polycom certified channel partners for an MSRP of U.S. $599. The SoundPoint IP Color Expansion Modules are available for an MSRP of $319 each. To learn more about the SoundPoint IP 670 and its Color Expansion Modules, please visit the Polycom web site at www.polycom.com/voip.

Tim Gray is a Web Editor for TMCnet, covering news in the IP communications, call center and customer relationship management industries. To see more of his articles, please visit Tim Gray’s columnist page.

Don’t forget to check out TMCnet’s White Paper Library, which provides a selection of in-depth information on relevant topics affecting the IP Communications industry. The library offers white papers, case studies and other documents which are free to registered users.

Polycom Desktop IP Phone Combines Color Display, HD Voice, Gigabit Ethernet, and Industry’s First Color Attendant Console

Polycom Desktop IP Phone Combines Color Display, HD Voice, Gigabit Ethernet, and Industry’s First Color Attendant Console

SoundPoint IP 670 Delivers a Rich Voice and Visual Experience to Increase the Speed of Business
June 18, 2008: 08:30 AM EST

INFOCOMM — Polycom, Inc. (NASDAQ: PLCM), the leader in unified collaborative communications solutions, today announced the newest addition to its SoundPoint® IP desktop phone line, the SoundPoint IP 670. The SoundPoint IP 670 is an application-enabled desktop SIP phone with a high-performance color display, Polycom’s revolutionary HD Voice technology, and Gigabit Ethernet (GigE) connectivity. It provides professionals with an intuitive color interface for easier viewing and navigation of phone functions and productivity-enhancing applications.

The SoundPoint IP 670 also features the industry’s first color expansion module. When equipped with up to three color expansion modules, the SoundPoint IP 670 delivers the industry’s first color attendant console solution for call attendants and administrative assistants. This solution significantly increases the call handling capability of the phone and enables attendants to better manage incoming calls by being able to view presence status without having to be in front of a PC.

“Polycom’s new SoundPoint IP 670 phone is a good choice for organizations that are pursuing a standards-based communication strategy and are planning to embed applications on the phone,” said Matthias Machowinski, directing analyst with Infonetics Research. “And what’s noteworthy for power users is that it operates at 1 Gbps, so it doesn’t introduce a new congestion point on the network.”

“The SoundPoint IP 670 provides a full-color user interface to deliver a significantly augmented and visually pleasing user experience when running productivity-enhancing applications, such as the Polycom Productivity Suite,” said Victor Yue, Director, Fujitsu Asia Pte Ltd. “We applaud Polycom for enabling us to continue to offer our customers the most comprehensive, best-sounding, most interoperable, high-quality IP telephony solutions for small and medium-sized businesses and enterprises.”

The SoundPoint IP 670 supports six-lines and includes advanced SIP features and capabilities, such as support for shared lines, text messaging, and buddy presence monitoring. It features 14 default color background displays for phone personalization. Additional customized backgrounds, such as a company logo, can be added to deliver a rich desktop branding experience. The phone also includes an integrated XHTML micro-browser that enables users to take advantage of productivity-enhancing Web-based applications and also provides the ideal platform for Polycom’s recently announced Polycom Productivity Suite for SoundPoint IP phones.

As the industry’s first color expansion module, the SoundPoint IP Color Expansion Module augments the color user interface of the SoundPoint IP 670 phone. It features 14 multifunctional line keys that can be set up as line registration, call appearance, speed-dial, or a direct station select (DSS)/busy lamp field (BLF) keys. Up to three Color Expansion Modules can be snapped onto the SoundPoint IP 670 to form a full-featured color call attendant console solution. The solution supports up to 34 line registrations, 47 BLF monitored lines, and 24 concurrent calls. This enables the telephone attendant to promptly accept, screen, dispatch and effortlessly monitor incoming calls.

“We’re always seeking ways to improve the customer experience and offer productivity-enhancing features that drive the speed of business,” said Sunil Bhalla, senior vice president and general manager of Polycom’s Voice Communications Solutions division. “The SoundPoint IP 670 combines a rich color display with Polycom HD Voice to offer our customers a visually pleasing user interface, an incredible sounding voice experience and a future-proof platform with Gigabit Ethernet.”

The SoundPoint IP phone is being certified to deliver comprehensive interoperability and extensive feature support with Polycom’s growing list of more than 24 SIP-based call control platform partners including 3Com, BroadSoft, Digium, Interactive Intelligence, Sylantro, and other Polycom VoIP Interoperability Partners (VIP). For more information on the Polycom VIP Program, visit www.polycom.com/vip.

Pricing and Availability

The Power over Ethernet (PoE) version of the Polycom SoundPoint IP 670 is available in North America, most of Central and Latin America, Europe and most of Asia-Pac today through Polycom certified channel partners for an MSRP of U.S. $599. The SoundPoint IP Color Expansion Modules are available for an MSRP of $319 each. To learn more about the SoundPoint IP 670 and its Color Expansion Modules, please visit the Polycom web site at www.polycom.com/voip.

About Polycom

Polycom, Inc. is the worldwide leader in unified collaborative communications (UCC) that maximize the efficiency and productivity of people and organizations. Polycom delivers the broadest array of high definition telepresence video, wired and wireless voice, and content solutions so people can enjoy the best communications, whether from a real-time collaborative interaction or on-demand streamed video experience. Spanning from the desktop to the industry’s only immersive telepresence suite, Polycom’s high quality collaboration and communications solutions are easy to deploy and manage, as well as intuitive to use. Based on open standards, they integrate seamlessly with leading telephony and presence-based networks. With innovative market-driving technologies, a compelling vision for next generation visual communications, best-in-class products, alliance partnerships, and world-class service, Polycom is the smart choice for organizations to gain a competitive advantage with proven and trusted communication solutions. For additional information, call 800-POLYCOM or visit the Polycom web site at www.polycom.com.

Polycom reserves the right to modify future product plans at any time. Products and/or related specifications referenced in this press release are not guaranteed, and will be delivered on a when and if available basis.

Polycom, the Polycom logo, and SoundPoint are registered trademarks, and Polycom HD Voice technology is a trademark of Polycom in the U.S. and various countries. All other trademarks are the property of their respective owners. ©2008, Polycom, Inc. All rights reserved.

Image Available: http://www2.marketwire.com/mw/frame_mw?attachid=782130

Add to Digg Bookmark with del.icio.us Add to Newsvine

Contact:
Robin Raulf-Sager
Polycom, Inc.
303.583.5342
Email Contact

A Microsoft® Response Point™ Phone System

A Microsoft® Response Point™ Phone System

Available July 2008

AastraLink RP is a powerful, easy to use communications solution for Small Business

Aastra has leveraged many years of experience in the analog, digital and IP terminal business to develop the AastraLink RP communications solution for Small Business. Powered by Microsoft Response Point phone system software, the AastraLink RP system is specifically designed to provide the Small Business market with a simple, complete telephone solution in a compelling and affordable package.

Targeted for 50 users and under, the system is comprised of three components; an Aastra designed Base Unit, Gateway and new Aastra Response Point IP phones. With features such as auto-discovery and auto-configuration, setting up or changing the system can be done easily by an average PC user in minutes. For users, a voice-enabled user interface, advanced call routing, built-in voice mail, Automated Receptionist and contact integration with Microsoft Office Outlook® offer simplified access to advanced large scale PBX features.

The AastraLink RP solution offers:

- Sleek and stylish enterprise-grade, carrier quality phone system
- A choice of three different telephones, including a cordless model and optional expansion modules
- Voice-enabled user interface simplifying call management
- Support for voice calls using both traditional phone service and VoIP
- An easy way to reduce phone system management costs

See what a telephone system specifically designed for Small Business can do for your customers.

AastraLink RP Solution Components

AastraLink RP 500 Base Unit

– Stand alone Windows Embedded Server

AastraLink RP 540 Gateway

- 4 FXO ports
- Stackable for scalability

Aastra Response Point IP Phones

6751i RP

- 3 Line LCD display
- Programmable Speed dial keys
- Response Point button support
- Response Point Auto-Discovery and Auto-Configuration integration
- Full Duplex Speaker phone
- Supports Response Point phone system software

6753i RP

- 3 Line LCD display
- 6 Programmable keys
- Response Point button support
- Response Point Auto-Discovery and Auto-Configuration integration
- Full Duplex Speaker phone
- Supports Response Point phone system software
- Supports optional expansion modules

6757i CT RP

- Full 144×128 pixel display
- 12 Programmable keys
- Response Point button support
- Response Point Auto-Discovery and Auto-Configuration integration
- Full Duplex Speaker phone
- Cordless mobility with included handset unit
- Supports Response Point phone system software
- Supports optional expansion modules

Telrex Announces Expansion of “Pay-as-You-Grow” Licensing for CallRex Call Recording and Call Center Optimization Suite

Telrex Announces Expansion of “Pay-as-You-Grow” Licensing for CallRex Call Recording and Call Center Optimization Suite

Affordable Subscription-Based Licensing Option Lowers Barrier of Entry to IP Call Monitoring Technology

KIRKLAND, WA – April 14, 2008 – Telrex, provider of the award-winning CallRex™ suite of IP call recording and call center optimization solutions, today announced the availability of a subscription-based pricing model for all CallRex solutions. The subscription-based licensing model allows companies to simply pay a monthly fee for the number of users being recorded.

In the current economic environment, companies are striving to cut costs while also improving their service levels, operating efficiencies, and meeting compliance and legal obligations. Robert Kapela, president of Telrex, said, “We believe that our subscription-based offering lowers the cost of entry and makes call recording technology accessible to businesses of every size.”

As a market leader, Telrex is the first to offer ALL of its solutions under subscription-based licensing. Software as a Service (SaaS) licensing gives companies the opportunity to turn what may have once been a large capital expenditure into a monthly, predictable operating expense. Now, CallRex solutions can be implemented without sacrificing expenditures on training, staffing, and infrastructure. Businesses utilize call recording and monitoring for dispute resolution, employee training, customer service, regulatory compliance and to address security concerns.

The CallRex suite includes IP call recording and monitoring, agent evaluation, training and eLearning, speech analytics, workforce management, and hosted IP recording solution designed for service providers using softswitches. To learn more about how your business can benefit from CallRex solutions, call 425.827.6156 x2 or visit www.telrex.com to request a free evaluation.

About Telrex
Telrex provides IP call recording and call center optimization software. CallRex supports IP telephony systems, VoIP softswitches and unified communications solutions from Cisco, Avaya, Nortel, Microsoft OCS, 3Com, Mitel, ShoreTel, BroadSoft, Sylantro, Genband, NEC, Siemens, Vertical, Zultys, Asterisk, Pingtel, Fonality, TalkSwitch, Digium, Switchvox and more.

CallRex API enables custom integration of the CallRex platform with business and communications applications. Telrex offers its award-winning CallRex suite of software through value added resellers worldwide. Learn more at www.telrex.com.

Telrex Receives 2007 Product of the Year Award from Communications Solutions

Telrex Receives 2007 Product of the Year Award from Communications Solutions
CallRex IP Call Recording and Monitoring Solution Honored for Outstanding Innovation

KIRKLAND, WA – June 5, 2008 – Telrex, provider of the award-winning CallRex™ suite of IP call recording and call center optimization solutions, announced today that Technology Marketing Corporation’s (TMC) Communications Solutions (www.tmcnet.com/comsol) has named CallRex Professional as a recipient of a 2007 Product of the Year Award.

The CallRex suite includes IP call recording and monitoring, agent evaluation, training and eLearning, speech analytics, workforce management, and hosted IP recording solution designed for service providers using softswitches. “We are pleased to be honored with this industry recognition,” said Robert Kapela, president of Telrex. “Telrex works to consistently deliver high-quality IP telephony and call center solutions for small to medium sized businesses. With our Software as a Service licensing, we are continuing to offer affordable solutions in innovative ways without sacrificing expenditures on staffing, training, and infrastructure.”

“Telrex has been recognized with a 2007 Product of the Year Award for their excellence in the advancement of voice, data and/or video communications,” said Rich Tehrani, TMC President and Group Editor-in-Chief of Communications Solutions. “Telrex has proven they are committed to quality and excellence in solutions that benefit the customer experience as well as ROI for the companies that use them. I am pleased to honor their hard work and accomplishments and look forward to more innovative solutions from them in the future.”

The eighth annual Communications Solutions Product of the Year Award recognizes the vision, leadership and attention to detail that are the hallmarks of the prestigious award. The most innovative products and services brought to market in 2007 were selected as recipients of this year’s Communications Solutions Product of the Year Award for their groundbreaking achievement.

The 2007 Product of the Year Award winners can be found on the Communications Solutions Web site.

About Telrex
Telrex provides IP call recording and call center optimization software. CallRex supports IP telephony systems, VoIP softswitches and unified communications solutions from Cisco, Avaya, Nortel, Microsoft OCS, 3Com, Mitel, ShoreTel, BroadSoft, Sylantro, Genband, NEC, Siemens, Vertical, Zultys, Asterisk, Pingtel, Fonality, TalkSwitch, Digium, Switchvox and more.

CallRex API enables custom integration of the CallRex platform with business and communications applications. Telrex offers its award-winning CallRex suite of software through value added resellers worldwide. Learn more at www.telrex.com.

About TMC
Technology Marketing Corporation (TMC) is an integrated global media company helping our clients build communities in print, in-person and online. TMC publishes Customer Interaction Solutions, INTERNET TELEPHONY, Unified Communications, and IMS Magazine. TMC is also the first publisher to test new products in its own on-site laboratories, TMC Labs. TMCnet, TMC’s Web site, is the leading source of news and articles for the communications and technology industries. TMCnet is read by nearly one million US visitors according to Quantcast* and by over three million unique visitors each month worldwide, according to Webtrends In addition, TMC produces INTERNET TELEPHONY Conference & EXPO, Call Center 2.0 Conference and Communications Developer Conference.

WIMAX.TMCnet.com – Now live!

Cable.tmcnet.com – Now live!

For more information about TMC, visit www.tmcnet.com.

Microsoft’s small-office VoIP system, buoyed by speech recognition, combines extraordinary ease and a restricted feature set

Microsoft’s small-office VoIP system, buoyed by speech recognition, combines extraordinary ease and a restricted feature set

By Mike Heck

April 29, 2008

Microsoft’s Response Point is PBX software that runs on Embedded XP inside of hardware sold by three Microsoft partners — Aastra, D-Link, and Quanta — with more partners to come later in 2008, according to Microsoft. You can engage a VAR to install the system or do it yourself without much effort.

Response Point setup is remarkably straightforward, and so is day-to-day use. Thanks to an automated assistant that responds to voice commands, callers can do most anything with the push of a single button. The trade-off in keeping the system simple is a minimum of telephony features, and collaboration features such as presence awareness and instant messaging are absent.

Response Point requires Windows XP or Vista running on one PC; this functions as the management console. Additionally, each user may use an XP or Vista PC to take advantage of telephone functions and Outlook integration, but this isn’t a must because call routing and other configuration tasks may be done by your administrator. Also good: You don’t have to install separate servers, such as Exchange.

[ Read the review of Allworx 24x, Critical Links EdgeBox Office, Fonality PBXtra, or Sutus Business Central. Return to "VoIP phone systems walk the talk." ]

The Quanta Syspine DOS A50-8G base unit used for this review, like the Sutus Business Central unit, is a diminutive, attractive tabletop box that will fit into most any office décor. Installing a small system should take less than 30 minutes; just connect the base unit and phones to a network hub, and plug in your analog lines. The Syspine unit includes eight analog ports, and it supports PoE (Power over Ethernet), so phones don’t need to be placed near an outlet.

Next, using Response Point Administrator software, you configure the base unit, add users, and assign them to phones. But I was slowed by a similar problem I faced with Allworx: Administrator, 32-bit software, refused to run on my 64-bit Vista laptop. After finding a 32-bit XP system and loading the Administrator program, finalizing my setup proceeded quickly.

First, the phones on my network were automatically discovered. Next, I stepped through Administrator’s menus to assign handsets to specific users, groups, or locations (such as a conference room). There’s basic call routing for each user, such as forwarding to an outside line if the employee doesn’t pick up the call after a preset number of rings – but no options to have different greetings by time or day of the week.

Like other systems, Response Point has an auto-attendant and directory of users that I easily configured. For instance, I recorded custom greetings from a phone and designated an employee as the operator. Lastly, Response Point let me configure an outgoing SMTP e-mail server so that users would receive e-mail notification and an attached audio file of voice messages.

Surprisingly, there’s only minimal integration with Microsoft Outlook – and this requires each user to install Response Point Assistant (another 32-bit-only utility). Assistant correlates a caller ID with your Outlook contacts list and pops up their information. It also allows users to change voice mail, notifications, and call forwarding settings.

Besides voice mail, Response Point telephony features include call park/retrieval, three-way conferencing, and ringing all phones in a group. However, Response Point doesn’t support softphones.

During testing, Response Point performed without any issue. Up to eight concurrent calls were processed by the auto-attendant. The Syspine IP 310 phones provide a nice balance of usability and functions – with informative messages on the LCD, clear voice quality, and dedicated buttons for essential functions.

Response Point software lets users perform typical tasks from a phone, such as recording personal greetings. Moreover, the system stores about 100 hours of voice mail on the internal 500GB hard disk – messages that are accessed from a simple playback menu. I also appreciated the ability to bypass the auto-attendant when calling from an outside phone number to retrieve my voice mail.

If Response Point’s minimalist feature set might leave some unsatisfied, the built-in speech recognition will surely be a hit with others. Using technology from Microsoft Speech Server, Response Point is turned into a highly accurate voice recognition engine – without any additional setup or training.

To evaluate this feature, I simply pressed the blue button on the handset (which is part of the hardware specifications) and said something like “Dial Bob.” Every time I tried this with different names, the system dialed correctly. I liked the way you can park a call, go to another phone, and then retrieve it by saying, “Retrieve call,” or “Retrieve call two.” Call transfer works the same way, by simply speaking, “Transfer my call to Bob.”

Further, administrators can configure responses to three specific questions callers might ask, such as: “What is your location?”

Beyond cool, voice recognition comes of age with Response Point. That said, Microsoft’s solution will be most at home in small businesses already invested in Windows PCs and that need only a basic phone system. Specific to the Quanta hardware, you may need to purchase the optional Security Gateway for firewall protection, VPN, DHCP server, and QoS bandwidth management.

There’s talk of integrating Response Point with Microsoft Small Business Server. Microsoft wouldn’t discuss this, but I think it makes tremendous sense. After all, many potential Response Point customers are already running Microsoft servers, and this could bring collaboration capabilities to Response Point.

Microsoft has said that it will release Service Pack 1 for Response Point this summer. The free update will let you use Response Point to make outbound calls through an Internet telephony service provider, and will support Direct Inward Dialing to automatically route inbound callers to a specific extension. Plus, the admin client software will run on 64-bit Windows Vista and XP.

Cheap PC gadget for Internet calls selling well

Cheap PC gadget for Internet calls selling well By PETER SVENSSON, AP Technology

Writer
2 hours, 44 minutes ago

What’s the fastest-growing fixed-line phone company in the United States?

It’s not Verizon Communications Inc. or AT&T Inc. — they’re losing lines. What about cable company Comcast Corp., which is raking in subscribers for its phone service? Even that company is being beaten by a small Palm Beach, Fla., company called YMax Corp., judging by its own figures.

You may never have heard of YMax, but you may have noticed the TV ads for its product, the MagicJack, which works with a broadband connection.

It’s about the size of a matchbox and plugs into a PC. After plugging a regular phone into the MagicJack, the user can make and receive calls much like using a regular landline.

In January, just after the broad advertising campaign started, YMax was selling a few hundred MagicJacks per day, said Jim Donlon, its chief marketing officer. Now, it’s selling 8,000 to 9,000 per day, and the company is on track to have half a million subscribers by the end of June.

That’s a meteoric trajectory in the phone business, propelled by the pricing: The MagicJack costs $39.95, including one year of free calls to the U.S. and Canada. Another year of service costs $19.95.

“It’s extremely low-risk. Most people I know are willing to gamble on 40 bucks,” said TeleGeography analyst Stephan Beckert, who follows voice-over-Internet providers.

Unlike most voice-over-Internet Protocol — or VoIP — providers, YMax is licensed as a phone company in the continental U.S. and operates a wide network of servers to carry its calls. VoIP providers generally outsource that side of the business.

Comcast, the fastest-growing cable voice provider, signed up a net average of 7,100 customers per day in the first quarter, ending with 5.1 million on March 31. Vonage Corp., the leading independent provider of VoIP that works with regular phones was averaging 334 per day, for a total of 2.6 million.

YMax’s subscriber numbers are “significant,” Beckert said, but he noted that its revenue is much lower than that of competing providers because it charges about as much for a year of service as its rivals do for a month. Even eBay Inc.’s Skype, which uses computers for calling, charges significantly more.

It’s unclear what effect the MagicJack is having on competitors.

YMax Chief Executive Don Burns said many customers buy a MagicJack as a complement to a cell phone, compensating for poor cell coverage at home. When the computer is off, the service can be set to forward incoming calls to a cell phone.

Burns and inventor Dan Borislow founded the company, financing it largely themselves. They’re telecom industry veterans — Borislow pioneered selling long-distance service to AOL subscribers in the 90s and Burns was the CEO of Telco Communications Group, which provided discount long-distance calls.

Burns says YMax’s structure helps keeps cost low and call quality high. In the future, the company plans to sell advertising that shows up on the PC screen while calls are being placed. It would use its knowledge of the customer’s location to display relevant ads.

Even so, Beckert is skeptical of the business model. Like YMax, Vonage has recruited customers by TV advertising for years. But Vonage has consistently lost money.

“I’m still not sure how you make money at $20 a year,” Beckert.

MagicJack’s next moves are to get on the shopping channel QVC and possibly expand sales beyond the Web and call centers.

“We have big-box retailers jumping at this,” Donlon said.

___

On the Net:

http://www.magicjack.com

Zultys: New Partnerships, Products, Point to Turnaround

Zultys: New Partnerships, Products, Point to Turnaround
——————————————————————————–

Copyright 2008 by Virgo Publishing.
http://www.phoneplusmag.com/
By: Kelly M. Teal
Posted on: 06/12/2008

——————————————————————————–

Nearly two years after going bankrupt, laying off employees, and losing partners left and right, Zultys Technologies is back and going strong. The Silicon Valley-based IP equipment maker has spent the intervening months regrouping with new management and investors, and new products and partnerships. The efforts, it appears, are paying off.

Still, it was somewhat of a shock when Zultys said May 2 it was getting new leadership. Again. Zultys trumpeted the receipt of another, undisclosed amount of financing and, buried in the press release, thanked Avi Weinrib for helping turn around Zultys. Weinrib had served as president and CEO for only 18 months. His telecom equipment manufacturing company, Israel’s Telrad Connegy, had taken over Zultys in January 2007. His quick departure seemed to signal more troubles, but the two executives heading Zultys while the search goes on for a new leader, said that isn’t the case.

Weinrib runs several businesses and constantly is traveling the globe, said Vladimir Movshovich, vice president of technology for Zultys. “It was all too much for one person,” he said.

Zultys aimed to have Weinrib’s successor in place by July 1, said Jonna Paquette, Zultys’ vice president of sales and marketing. In the meantime, she noted, employee morale is “spectacular. Everybody is truly involved in the business and everybody makes a difference every single day.”

That sounds like company hype until you consider partner feedback, gathered independently of Zultys.

“We’re very happy campers,” said Greg Still, managing partner for Xiologix Corp., a reseller that, in 2006, vowed to stick with Zultys through the bad times. The Oregon company did just that and has no regrets.

“Zultys is extremely innovative, the technology is bulletproof and customers are really enjoying the stability of the technology that they’ve experienced over the last year. Plus, since the new group took [Zultys] over, the features are working as promised,” said Still.

Zultys also landed a major coup when, in March, it resurrected its partnership with Technology Assurance Group (TAG National), a training organization and buying consortium for telecom dealers. Dale Stein, co-founder of TAG National, said his company had worked with Zultys before, but distanced itself as management and money matters consumed the equipment maker. Now, he said, is a good time for TAG National to align itself with Zultys, especially as SIP outpaces TDM year after year.

Dale Johnson, president and CEO of TAG National, agreed. TAG National’s relationship with Zultys is “really, really positive,” he said. He said he’s hearing little hesitancy from members about Zultys, given its past problems. Overall, he said, Zultys’ “SIP communication solutions are in the realm of those we believe will most benefit the communities we serve.”

Paquette concurred, noting, “Just because we’re part of TAG doesn’t mean that their dealers have to carry us, but it’s a nice shot in the arm.” The deal, she said, “gave us entrée to a lot of quality resellers.”

TAG National isn’t the only relationship Zultys has been able to start anew. Last year, it salvaged its broken ties with BandTel LLC and nexVortex Inc., a SIP trunking and audio conferencing wholesaler.

To top it all off, Zultys continues to sign new deals, such as its recent contract with distributor NETXUSA and OEM pact with Aastra Telecom. Indeed, that relationship is soaring with the release of the ZIP 5xi phones and expansion modules, which Aastra designed and engineered. ZIP 5xi debuted alongside the fourth version of Zultys’ Media eXchange server software on May 14.

Being able to private-label the Aastra phone “has just lit up our channel like crazy,” said Paquette. “Everybody said our phone was ugly and it held back sales.” That has changed, she said, and features such as custom caller ID are giving resellers even more talking points. The system includes improved interactivity among users, even those who are remote, and works better with Intel-powered Macintosh computers, Zultys said.

Much of Zultys’ momentum seems to be coming from its mystery financier and owner, whom executives only will refer to as an angel investor. That entity pumped more money into Zultys in May; the amount remains unknown but Movshovich said it’s enough to cover operations through the end of the year.

On the whole, the outlook for Zultys looks good, said Sandra Gustavsen, an analyst for Access Intelligence LLC. “They have a lot going on, which to me is a good sign. I see a lot of companies that there’s just no news for a whole year and something’s just not right there. But this company, I think they’re going to do well. That’s my prediction.”