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Digium's new AEX410 model has been announced. The new device sports a PCIe edge connect and support for Digium's latest echo cancellation module, the VPMADT032. This new model fills thier void with modular four port capacity as the little sister to the popular AEX800 line-up.

The Digium AEX410

With all of the recent news surrounding DECT and its place in the wireless enterprise. Polycom announced today the first DECT phone to support Bluetooth headsets. In expanding their current portfolio, Polycom has officially made the statement that the Kirk 5040 was designed along with their Kirk Wireless Server 300 as a solution for any sized network, SOHO to enterprise.

Polycom's latest DECT Solutions:

The KIRK Wireless Server 300, a SIP-based wireless telephony system, is ideal for smaller sized businesses, by scaling support from one to 12 handsets The KIRK Wireless Server 300 is a single-cell solution that can support up to four simultaneously calls and up to six KIRK repeaters in order to extend the coverage area. Each KIRK repeater increases the coverage area by approximately 50 percent.

The KWS 6000 is a SIP-based enterprise wireless telephony solution that scales from just a handful up to more than 4,000 users. Up to 256 radio units are supported, which when combined with the KIRK Media Resource, can support more than 1,000 simultaneous calls. Each KIRK base station handles 12 simultaneous calls, and customers can scale up based on their individual needs. Additionally, KIRK repeaters can be added to increase the coverage area by approximately 50 percent.

ITEXPO is a conference that I should have attended. From what I can see there have been many announcements that will surely help drive productivity in the SMB market. Most notably, the Aastra MBU 400 DECT system... This mobility solution is designed to fill the void between there Aastra CT lineup and their enterprise class SIP dect solutions.

The MBU 400 will find its besy fit in the SMB market and will ship with as Access Point that has support for up to 8 SIP trunks and an FXO for a phone line just in case.

Each MBU package will consist of the DECT 6.0 gateway and a single Aastra 420D handset. customers can add up to 8 420ds in to the equation to create a fully mobile small office.

Features:
-Three SIP Calls
-One call over POTS
-Color Display
-Vibrate
-Polyphonic Ringtones

Current estimated street value us $299 for the Combo and $189 for the handset and is set to be delivered in Novermber 08.

Switchvox is everything that you don’t expect from a PBX. It’s truly affordable, easy to set up, simple to configure, and a breeze to maintain.

It has features that let your business run more effectively and with fewer hassles. And it does all of this for a fraction of the cost of the PBX dinosaurs of the past.

Switchvox is so much more than just an office phone system. Its a revolution in business communications, putting you in control of your most important asset in business, your voice.

With this incredible leap in technology comes astounding cost-savings for your business, integration capability that you never thought possible, and the flexibility to meet the needs of whatever industry that you’re in.

Plantronics is pleased to announce the availability of an Electronic Hook Switch (EHS) for Polycom phones – the APP-5. The EHS works with Plantronics wireless headset and Polycom’s SoundPoint series of phones, and enables users to receive notifications of incoming calls and answer or end calls whilst roaming through their virtual workplace.


The APP-5 works with the following Polycom phones:
SoundPoint IP 320*
SoundPoint IP 330*
SoundPoint IP 430
SoundPoint IP 501
SoundPoint IP 550
SoundPoint IP 650


*These phones will require either the 2.5mm to RJ11 adapter from Polycom or the Plantronics
2.5mm to RJ11 plug part number 78333-01 to connect the audio.


The APP-5 works with the following Plantronics Headsets:
CS60
CS70N
CS351N & CS361N
V510S

IMPORTANT: You must set the headset mode on your SoundPoint® IP phone to select
Plantronics Mode before connecting your Plantronics headset system to your phone.

Another poorly written result of boredom and my website's need for content- Definitely regurgitated for your viewing pleasure.

I'll ask again... What is VoIP?

VoIP and IP telephony are quickly becoming popular with large companies and home users. For many IP or Internet Protocol is so much more than just a way to move data, it's also a useful transport medium that can streamlines a wide variety of business apps. Telephony is the most obvious example. VoIP or Voice over IP is being widely adopted as users are quickly seeing a return on their investment while being afforded with the ability to cut cost and increase both mobility and productivity.

VoIP, IP Telephony, and Unified Communications:

•VoIP refers to a phone call that is transmitted over an IP data network, whether on the public Internet or your internal personal network. VoIP is attractive to users for its ability to help reduce reduce telecommunications costs as their telephone calls will travel over the data network vs. lines connected to phone company's network.

•IP Telephony encompasses the full spectrum of VoIP as well as enabled services including the interconnection of phones for communications; related services such as billing and dialing plans; and basic features such as conferencing, transfer, forward, and hold. These services might previously have been provided by a traditional PBX or Key System.

•Unified Communications takes IP communications to the next by utilizing such technologies as Session Initiation Protocol (SIP) and presence along with mobility solutions to leverage time savings and location irrelevance to connect a fast paced environment.

VoIP Users Conference

Plantronics has introduced a new EHS cable for their wireless headset line... Soon users of the Plantronics CS55, CS70, and other wireless models will be able to answer phones without using the HL10 lifter available from the manufacturer.

So far there is no word as to when Polycom plans to release the new firmware version that will support the new cable. However, I have to believe that it will be soon and will coincide with the release of an exciting new product that is TOP SECRET.

The Plantronics APP-5 EHS Cable

Plantronics Headsets

BRISTOL, England--(BUSINESS WIRE)--U4EA Technologies, a leading provider of integrated access technology for converged communications, today announced it has appointed Jeff Dixon as chief strategy officer (CSO). A recognized communications industry leader, Dixon’s responsibilities will include directing the global strategy and strategic partnering of U4EA’s various operating units for SMB, service provider and enterprise markets. He has also been appointed to the Group Board of Directors of U4EA, Limited.

“Jeff is a proven executive who has deep experience and industry contacts in the VoIP and Unified Communications market place,” said Columb Harrington, Group CEO of U4EA Limited. “U4EA’s goal is to establish a leadership position in the rapidly evolving Unified Communications market and Jeff’s experience and leadership will be a key ingredient that will help us solidify our position with service provider customers and Tier 1 channel and technology partners.”

Mr. Dixon has spent the last eight years at Polycom as a key member of the leadership team. Most recently, he served as worldwide Vice President of VoIP, Microsoft and strategic alliances. As part of the early team shaping the strategy and direction for Polycom, he participated in the creation of a world class family of IP phones establishing the company as the leader in its category. In 2007, Frost & Sullivan recognized Polycom as the worldwide market share leader in SIP IP telephony endpoints.

Over the last three years, Mr. Dixon has lead Polycom’s VoIP and UC sales and market development activities and was instrumental in establishing a world class ecosystem working with both Tier 1 service providers, distribution partners and other complementary softswitch and application technology vendors like Broadsoft, Digium and Microsoft. Jeff began his career in 1988 at VMX, a marquee voice messaging company that was acquired by Octel, where he held various roles in sales management, global strategic accounts and channel development.

“U4EA’s clear focus on the SMB and SME market, combined with the company’s innovative QoS and WAN bandwidth optimization technology, are fundamental to addressing the biggest challenge I see for these customers -- optimizing last mile access to the IP network for all of their converged communications,” said Dixon. “Hosted service providers and IP telephony resellers unanimously recognize that the SMB/SME WAN edge is the biggest bottleneck to the effective deployment of multiple real time applications and services. Simply put, U4EA’s solution set will change this mindset forever. I believe my industry experience and successful track record can help U4EA to become a market leader in the Unified Communications access market.”

“U4EA stands to gain three essential assets in hiring Jeff: an innovative imagination, an expansive rolodex, and, most importantly, a professional capable of combining those into an executable strategy to grow the business,” said Justin McLain, CEO of Endeavor Telecom, Inc. “As CEO of the company who performs installations for nearly every major North American service provider, I can say with both experience and confidence that Jeff has a reputation in the industry as someone who can bring people and ideas together to produce significant financial results.”

“Jeff is an amazing guy when it comes to knowledge and success in the VoIP, SIP and UC marketplace,” said Tom Boone, CEO of NETXUSA, Inc. “I have seen Polycom become a worldwide leader in the SIP arena due in large part to his efforts. We have worked together over the last three years and I believe that Jeff will bring the expertise and strategic vision to the benefit of U4EA Technologies.”

“Jeff is one of the best strategic thinkers that I've come across. With his blend of industry knowledge and knowing the folks that make things happen, I expect that we'll see great things from U4EA for years to come,” said Henry Kaestner, CEO at Bandwidth.com, one of North America's leading providers of SIP Trunking, hosted VoIP and IP PBX integration.

About U4EA Technologies

U4EA Technologies is a leading supplier of multi-service business gateways (MSBG) that enable service providers and resellers to provide highly integrated and easy-to-manage IP communications solutions to SMB, SME and SOHO customers. U4EA’s all-in-one customer premises devices, supported by the company’s revolutionary QoS (GoS) mechanisms, ensure the secure, reliable and cost-effective delivery of converged VoIP, data and video services. In addition, U4EA Wireless provides software for mobility applications. U4EA also offers next generation network signaling gateways, which enable carriers to interconnect legacy networks and equipment with Next Generation Networks. For more information about U4EA, see http://www.u4eatech.com

The Single Port Failover features these unique specifications above and beyond the expected!

Asterisk soft PBX tested. Also compatible with most soft-PBX's and mission-critical hardware through our high-reliability communications API
Two parallel USB connectors: one internal to motherboard, or external using type B USB female connector
One input (port 1) - RJ11, RJ45 or RJ48 (all 8 wires passed to all ports) switched to either the A (normal, port 3) or B (failover, port 4) position
One T1/E1 digital passive monitor port (port 2) that connects pins 1-2 and 3-4 from the input port (port 1), to port 2 through four series 470 ohm resistors
For FXO-FXS channels, one, two, three (or four using a RJ45) lines can be switched using all 6 wires in a RJ11
Software programmable watchdog timer allows for setting the max time between watchdog pings from the server
Fits into a single PCI slot at the chassis, no PCI electrical bus connection needed
User selectable switch that overrides the microcontroller and operates as a USB power monitor only