Posts Tagged ‘Polycom’
Tuesday, March 23rd, 2010
This morning at VoiceCon Orlando, Polycom introduced a phone that I’ve had the pleasure of beta testing for the past few weeks, the SoundStation IP 5000 Conference Phone. After I was done with my analysis, I gave it to a good customer of mine to check it out and use on their Switchvox 4.5 Server. He was impressed. So impressed that his quote about the product even made the official press release. (Which can be read here.)
“We have been using Polycom SoundStation IP conference phones in our larger conference rooms, and their clarity and ease of use have delivered tangible benefits during our conference calls,” said Michael Smith of Maricopa Property Development. “The SoundStation IP 5000 is a great fit for our smaller meeting rooms and private offices. It offers the great voice quality I expect from Polycom at a price that is affordable, and being able to conduct high-quality conference calls from our offices and other smaller rooms is improving our productivity.”
Not too bad… So here are the details of the SoundStation IP 5000:
- 7 kHz Polycom HD Voice for remarkable clarity and intelligibility
- 7-foot (2.1-meter) microphone pickup range
- Resists interference from mobile phones and other wireless devices
- High resolution backlit display
- Multi-language support
- Integrated Power over Ethernet (PoE) connectivity
- Small footprint is ideal for executive offices and small conference tables
- Entry level price point, only $599 MSRP!
In my humble opinion, this new phone completes the Polycom SoundStation Conference phone lineup. There is now a small office or conference phone solution in the IP 5000, a small to medium size conference solution in the IP 6000, and a large conference room solution in the IP 7000. Click here to download a PDF of the Polycom SoundStation IP Conference Phones Product Reference Guide for a full comparison of the IP 5000, IP 6000, and IP 7000. Stay tuned to this site for a more detailed review of the new IP 5000 conference solution.
Tags: Polycom, Sound Station, SoundStation, SoundStation IP5000, SoundStation IP6000, SoundStation IP7000, Switchvox
Posted in HD Voice, Polycom, Soundstation IP, VoiceCon, chromis | No Comments »
Friday, February 19th, 2010
Is your phone system driving you crazy? Do you wish you had a more effective communications solution for your business? Digium and Polycom are looking for companies that have had it up to here with their key systems and PBXs! Tell them your story by clicking here and you could win an EXTREME PHONE MAKEOVER! Enter to win a Digium Switchvox system complete with Polycom telephones – and if you tell them Chromis Technology sent you, we’ll install it for FREE! But you must click the referral link here or enter “Chromis Technology” in the “Referred by Company” box at www.extremephonemakeover.com.
Don’t delay, enter today!
Contest entry deadline is March 12, 2010!
Sponsored by:
Tags: digium, Polycom, Switchvox
Posted in Polycom, Switchvox, digium | No Comments »
Monday, February 1st, 2010
Security is always a concern when installing any new devices on a network, and Switchvox certainly is no exception. We frequently get asked about what steps Digium has taken to ensure security on their Switchvox SMB appliances. Chromis Technology addresses four main concerns that our customers ask us about: 1) access to the web interface, 2) access to the manufacturer console and asterisk core, 3) SIP authentication security, and 4) RTP session security.
Following are descriptions of Switchvox security relating to each concern:
1. Switchvox uses the web standard Secure Socket Layer (SSL) to access the web configuration interface. SSL is the same technology that banks use to conduct online banking. Switchvox allows for the creation of multiple administrators, each with different service level access to the administration web interface. Thus administrators may create different administrators so that powerful controls are limited according to the requirements for specific administrators. Users also may be granted or denied access to the user web interface. Users also use SSL to access their individual settings and must use a password to log in.
2. Switchvox runs using the secure operating system Linux. The server is locked down by default so that only PBX and web interface functions are permitted. The administrator may optionally enable or disable remote console access so that the manufacturer can access the server for advanced diagnostics or repair. The protocol used is Secure SHell (SSH), a high-security system for console access to servers. SSH is disabled by default and the manufacturer (Digium) only has access to the backend if an administrator chooses to grant a technician access. This will then allow a Digium support engineer to access the asterisk core.
3. Session Initiation Protocol (SIP) is the VoIP protocol that Switchvox uses to connect to telephones. SIP uses a password in a method that is analogous to the way that an email account uses a password to access an email server. Switchvox automatically configures Polycom and snom telephones with secure SIP passwords. This ensures that if a SIP device attempts to connect to Switchvox it will be prevented access unless it has the correct secure SIP password for that individual extension it is trying to register. This password is hidden and cannot be discovered. If a user or administrator forgets their password, they must reset with a new pasword. Switchvox employs complicated, secure passwords for SIP devices and informs the administrator if he or she attempts to create an insecure password.
4. Real Time Transfer (RTP) is the VoIP protocol that Switchvox uses to transport the audio calls between telephones and the server. RTP by itself does not prevent someone from collecting the data from the Switchvox network and listening to pieces of a call. Enhancements to RTP in the future will allow the audio data to be encrypted so that the data captured will not be audible. It is difficult to intercept RTP traffic and requires direct access to the telephone system network. However, until Digium incorporates a secure RTP technology, Chromis recommends that administrators not allow public access to the Local Area Network if they can help it. In other words, standard security procedures such as firewalls, building access control to network equipment, WiFi passwords, etc. should be employed for your network. If VoIP calls are placed over public Internet they may optionally be made through a VPN connection to secure the conversation.
So we want to know, what are your concerns with Switchvox VoIP security? Drop us a line in the comments section or email us at the address in the header above. We love hearing from you and I’m sure you have your own opinions on what I’ve left out…
Tags: Asterisk, digium, Polycom, Security, Snom, Switchvox, Switchvox SMB, VoIP, VoIP Security
Posted in Asterisk, Polycom, Switchvox, chromis, digium | 1 Comment »
Wednesday, January 20th, 2010
Switchvox SMB 4.5 (Release number 21669) has been announced today by Digium at IT Expo East in Miami. The new version is available for immediate download. Go to ‘Machine Admin > Upgrades‘ to upgrade your SMB server.
The new version contains the following enhancements:
Phone Feature Packs – In this release, ‘Phone Provisioning Tokens’ are updated to ‘Phone Feature Packs.’ You must reboot each of your Configured phones if you want to take advantage of the new features:
- Phone Setup
Now you can set an Alternate Host and up to 3 extensions on each phone, and set several new administration options across all phones. (See ‘System Setup > Phone Setup‘)
- Distinctive Ringtones: Administration
Admins can upload system-wide ringtones for use by Configured Polycom phones. Also, two new IVR actions let admins set and remove a ‘hint’ so that extension-owners can set a distinctive ring based on a caller’s IVR selections. (See ‘PBX Features > Distinctive Ringtones‘ and ‘PBX Features > IVR Editor‘)
- Distinctive Ringtones for Extensions (Polycom Only)
Extensions can use system-wide ringtones, or upload their own. They can also create ‘Ring Rules’ that cause their phone to ring differently based on the caller or call-type. (See ‘Settings > Phone Features‘)
- Phone Features (Polycom Only)
Extension-owners can show Extension Profiles on their phone, set the number of line keys that the extension uses, and interact with PBX applications right on the handset. (See ‘Settings > Phone Features‘)
- Phone Features (Polycom and snom)
Extension-owners can customize line labels, auto-answer Switchboard-initiated calls, and disable the missed calls notification. (See ‘Settings > Phone Features‘)
Extension Profiles with Pictures – Phone-type extensions now include a picture, title, and location. This can be edited by the extension-owner (with permission). Profiles are shown in a new Switchboard Panel, and on Polycom phones that have a Phone Feature Pack. (See ‘Extensions > Manage Extensions‘ or ‘Settings > Modify Account‘)
Language Support – The ‘admin’ user, sub-admin users, and extension-owners can each select a language for the PBX’s User Interface. Related sound packs are available. (See ‘Machine Admin > Manage Admins‘ or ‘Settings > Modify Account‘)
PBX Monitoring – A set of SNMP OIDs is now published to monitor the PBX server, phone status, current calls, VOIP providers, and more. (See ‘Machine Admin > Network Settings‘)
Updated Polycom firmware – Most models: SIP 3.2.2 and bootrom 4.2.1 – Discontinued phones (301,501,600,601,4000) do not receive new firmware
Updated snom firmware – 3xx phones: 7.3.30, 820 phone: 8.2.11, 870 phone: 8.3.6
Video Calling - As a result of changes that Polycom, Inc. has made to their VVX 1500 phone, video calling is now available on that phone.
Stay tuned to Chromis.com for a detailed review once we’ve tested this new version on our demo server.
Tags: Asterisk, Auto provision, digium, IT Expo, pbx, Polycom, Snom, Switchvox, Switchvox SMB, Voice over IP, VoIP, VVX 1500
Posted in IT Expo, Polycom, Snom, Switchvox, digium | No Comments »
Thursday, January 14th, 2010
Chromis Technology has partnered with Polycom and Jabra to offer a FREE Polycom EHS cable with every GN 9330E headset purchased. Buy one for everyone in the office, get a FREE EHS cable with each headset! There is no limit to how many you can get, and no rebate forms to fill out, it’s really that simple! This is a $30.00 value! The more you buy, the more you save! This promotion is valid from January 5th to March 31, 2010. Click here to buy from the Chromis.com store or call 602.357.8070 to speak with a Chromis sales representative.
Equipped with new DECT 6.0 technology, this stylish, ultra light headset delivers exceptional sound up to 330 feet from your phone. Plus, it’s Wi-Fi friendly and secure, letting you talk without interference. With Up to 9 hours of talk time and 43 hours of standby time ensures your GN 9330E is always ready for action. The Noise-canceling microphone transmits your voice clearly, even in the noisiest environments. Two wearing styles let you choose from over-the-head or over-the-ear to suit your particular preference.
Polycom Electronic Hook Switch (EHS) enables remote operation of compatible Jabra wireless headsets with Polycom SoundPoint IP phones. The EHS adapter allows you to hear ring tones, answer and end calls, adjust the volume or even mute the call from the controls integrated into the headset. All quite convenient, when you are 300 ft. or more away from your desk.
The following Polycom Soundpoint IP telephones have been tested and support Electronic Hook Switch: 320/321/330/331 (These phones require a 2.5mm to RJ-9 adapter), 335, 430, 450, 550, 560, 650 and 670 desktop phones. Check the Jabra-Polycom compatibility matrix to make sure your phone and headset are compatible with each other.
Click here for detailed instructions on how to setup your Polycom phone with your Jabra headset.
Tags: EHS, Electronic Hook Switch, GN Netcom, Headset, How to, Jabra, Polycom, telephone
Posted in Headsets, Jabra, Polycom | No Comments »
Monday, November 2nd, 2009
Polycom introduced another phone to round out their entry-level line up this past weekend: The SoundPoint IP 335. I’ve been beta testing this phone for the past 6 weeks and have put it through the paces. And now that it’s been formally introduced, I can tell you my thoughts. (Spoiler Alert: This phone is spot on… They took the IP330/331, and made it right.)
The IP 335 contains all the features of the Polycom SoundPoint IP family that we’ve come to know and love: Polycom quality and looks, Integrated Power over Ethernet (PoE) support, interoperability with leading IP PBX (i.e. Switchvox) and Softswitch platforms, etc, all in an easy to configure package. But wait there’s more…
The IP 335 looks identical to the IP 330/331 but there are some very distinct differences. The first very noticeable difference is the high-resolution backlit display. It’s still not very big (102 x 33 pixels) but for the price (est. $199 MSRP) it’s respectable. The back lighting makes for a display that is much easier to read.
The second thing you’ll notice is the headset port. I have always had a huge hangup about the 2.5mm jacks that come on the IP 320/321/330/331. It really annoyed me that I could outfit an organization with IP450’s, 550’s, and 650’s and if we paired them with a headset, we would have to sell a completely different headset for the low end phones. IT managers hated it as well. Problem solved with the IP 335, it comes with a dedicated RJ-9 headset port with Electronic Hook Switch (EHS) support. To accommodate the smaller form factor the headset and EHS connections are made towards the top of the chassis as seen in the image below.
And lastly, Polycom has made the barrier of entry into the HD Voice arena very low. At the $199 estimated MSRP, there is very little reason not to future proof your telephones on the low end with the IP 335’s support of the G.722 wideband codec commonly known as High Definition Voice.
To really beta test a new piece of hardware like this, I knew I needed to go all the way, so I temporarily retired my IP 650 and replaced it with the IP 335. At first I was a little nervous to lose all my “buttons”. But that quickly subsided once I really started making and receiving calls on the smaller phone. I have a Jabra GN9350e with EHS which I also used to connect to the IP 335. It worked like a gem. EHS connectivity was Polycom/Jabra flawless. HD Voice calls were crisp and clear on our Switchvox server. The only thing I missed was my real time buddy status that I get with my IP 650. But bottom line here is this: I could use this phone everyday. And with a low price tag, a lot of people will do just that.
Here are the highlights of the Polycom SoundPoint IP 335:
- High-resolution backlit, graphical display
- Two-line entry-level phone
- Easy to configure and use
- Integrated Power over Ethernet (PoE) support
- Interoperability with leading IP PBX and Softswitch platforms
- HD Voice support
- XML microbrowser
- Backlit 102 x 33-pixel, grayscale graphical LCD
- Two port 10/100 Ethernet Switch
- Dedicated RJ-9 headset port
Tags: Polycom, Soundpoint, Switchvox, telephone, VoIP
Posted in HD Voice, Polycom, Product Review, Soundpoint IP | 3 Comments »
Tuesday, October 27th, 2009
Grand Canyon Resort Corp (GCR) is the company that oversees Grand Canyon West. Grand Canyon West comprises the Western part of the Grand Canyon in Arizona and is contained within the Hualapai Nation. GCR chose Chromis Technology to install Digium’s Turnkey Asterisk PBX, Switchvox SMB, to create a VoIP solution to connect to remote locations that do not have traditional telephone facilities.
Grand Canyon West is an amazing canyon land that is very close to Laughlin, NV; Kingman, AZ; and Flagstaff, AZ. It is also a reasonably short drive from Las Vegas, NV; Sedona, AZ; and Phoenix, AZ. GCR has multiple attractions in Grand Canyon West including the increasingly famous Skywalk that takes you 70 feet from the rim of the Canyon and suspends you 4,000 feet above the Canyon floor! (Click on any of the images below for the high resolution version in a new window.)
GCR has one Digium AA350 server at their headquarters in Peach Springs, AZ and three AA60 servers at three remote locations. The AA350 has a TE122 card that connects to a local PRI circuit. A satellite connection to each of the remote locations connects each site back to headquarters via IAX trunks and provides a connection to the public telephone network. The G.729 compression codec is used for calls between the servers and G.722 (HD Voice) and G.711 is used for calls internal to each server. In addition to the Digium Switchvox servers, GCR chose Polycom SoundPoint IP telephones.
A big challenge for GCR was connecting those remote facilities. A recently installed a satellite data network from HughesNet is serving up data and voice services to the remote locations. As is common with Satellite data links, excessive latency can wreak havoc on VoIP and make it difficult to have a normal, duplex conversation. GCR appreciates this fact and primarily focuses on providing telephone service to the edge of the Grand Canyon where there is no terrestrial connection to the rest of the world.
Indeed, latency proved to be high, but was often as low as 600ms. Unfortunately the latency results still cause over-talking (when one caller talks before the other caller is finished). The greater problem with the satellite link is jitter, or variation in the delay. During one test the latency varied from 600ms to 1100ms. GCR installed accelerators from Expand Networks to improve the performance over the satellite links.
The latency and jitter fall just outside the range of acceptable, and the delivery of calls is certainly not what we’re used to back in civilization, but by using Digium’s VoIP technology, calls are now being made in and out of Grand Canyon West like they never have before. For more information on how Chromis Technology can help your business leap canyons, give us a call at 602.357.8070 or email us at info@chromis.com.
Tags: AA350, AA60, Asterisk, digium, HD Voice, IAX, pbx, Polycom, PRI, Satellite, SMB 4.0, Soundpoint, Switchvox, Switchvox 4.0, Switchvox SMB, telephone, Voice over IP, VoIP
Posted in Asterisk, HD Voice, Polycom, Switchvox, chromis, digium | 1 Comment »
Thursday, August 13th, 2009
I must apologize for the lack of blog posts lately. We’ve been super busy with Digium Switchvox installs this summer. Let me give you the 10,000 foot overview of some of them and show you how our customers across the spectrum have been using Switchvox SMB… I can’t give you the customer’s names but I think the solution and why they chose Switchvox is really what’s important here…
The flurry of activity started in June with an install outside of Los Angeles with over 200 users on mostly Polycom IP450’s. Quite a fun install and an interesting case study. The customer is in the insurance industry and this is their Corporate HQ. They have a small call center, but is made up of mostly average, everyday users. We replaced an old Nortel system and the customer is happy to have the additional features that their old system couldn’t do. Their plans for the future include trunking their offices together via IAX trunking. We have already replaced several of their other facilities with Switchvox earlier this year in Missouri, Arizona, Colorado, and Texas.
Another interesting install was right in our backyard, in Paradise Valley, AZ. We replaced an almost 2 year old Avaya IP Office system in their corporate facility as well as their distribution center in the Scottsdale Airpark a few miles away. That’s right, you read that correctly, the Avaya system was put in a little over two years ago! The reason they abandoned the Avaya solution is that it was not as tightly integrated with their current back end systems, and Asterisk based Switchvox on the other hand was a perfect fit. The customer is in the medical field and has a small call center with answer SLA’s in under 30 seconds. They have about 50 users at the HQ and 10 at their distribution plant. Their Point to point T1 is carrying the traffic beautifully between the two sites. Again they’re using Polycom IP450’s at both sites.
On the smaller end of the SMB market, we have an up and coming Real Estate developer who is moving in this weekend to their new building in the Ahwatukee Foothills section of Phoenix. They have half a dozen users but plan to expand the system as more tenants move into their building on their Switchvox AA300 with SMB. They have never had a phone system before but like the idea of having remote users and tight integration of messaging with voicemail to email. We were up against Mitel and Avaya and pricing weighed heavily on their decision. The lower priced Switchvox solution won out in the end.
So those are just a few examples of the installs we’ve done this summer. And we’ve got more lined up in the coming weeks, so stay tuned and I promise I’ll keep it up. If you’d like to learn more about how Chromis Technology can help you do more in your business with Switchvox, give us a call at 602.357.8070 or drop us a line using our Contact Us page.
Tags: Asterisk, digium, Polycom, Soundpoint, Switchvox, Switchvox SMB
Posted in Polycom, Switchvox, digium | 1 Comment »
Tuesday, June 23rd, 2009
Polycom is introducing an upgrade to their entry level IP320 / IP330 telephones. The new models, dubbed the Soundpoint IP321 and IP331, will replace and are virtually identical the old. However they will feature more memory and processing power under the hood to accommodate the ever growing Polycom SIP stack. Ship date for the new phones should be sometime in late July. Rumors of an HD version being released in the near future have also been heard.
Tags: Polycom
Posted in Polycom | No Comments »
Tuesday, May 26th, 2009
Introducing the newest member of Polycom’s KIRK wireless handset portfolio, the KIRK 2010 is a sleek, lightweight, easy-to-use, handset that offers 12 hours of talk time and 150 hours of standby time. Enable your users to move about the office while always remaining in touch with customers and colleagues. It offers hands-free speakerphone, caller ID, call timer, a 40-name phonebook, as well as a headset jack and a choice of 13 menu languages.
The KIRK Wireless Server 300 is a single cell solution that can support up to 12 mobile handsets and four simultaneous calls. The infrastructure of the KIRK Wireless Server 300 consists only of the server itself and the KIRK Handsets, making it very simple and secure to get the business wireless. Businesses with large geographical areas and multiple floors can extend radio coverage by adding one or more KIRK repeaters to the KIRK Wireless Server 300. The KIRK Wireless Server 300 not only eliminates the need for non–standard cabling, getting its power from a single PoE supply, it also simplifies administration and maintenance, reduces costs and improves employee mobility and remote connectivity.
From now until September 30th, 2009 you can get the KWS-300 base station with 3 KIRK 2010 handsets for only $525.00 at the Chromis.com store! Click here for more details.
Tags: KIRK, Polycom, Spectralink, Wireless
Posted in KIRK, Polycom, Spectralink | No Comments »
