You may not have considered it but there are many benefits that businesses can achieve by utilising data networks to carry their voice traffic (VoIP). By marrying this voice traffic with data traffic (IP Telephony) it becomes even more powerful.

Here are a few examples;

Cheaper Phone Calls - as your utilising existing data networks
Simpler Infrastructure - one set of CAT5 cables
Scalable - simply extend the existing data network
Reduced Operating Costs - converged system is simpler to manage
Enhanced Customer Service - “Click to Talk” web services and easy role out application like call centres
Flexibility - Remote or home workers can work as if in the office

Its fair to say that most people focus on the costs savings but in most cases the business improvements far out way the costs savings.

For example if your business operated from multiple sites it would be possible to have a single centralised system located at one site, with optimal staffing resources to operate, manage and support. No need to have 3 receptionists when one will do!

Say you had staff that wanted to work from home or from a remote office. With this technology it would be easy to give them the look and feel of being in the office and the transparency that their co-workers and customers enjoy.

Rolling out a distributed business application such as a contact centre or call centre is much easier and more robust.

But….its not that simple to get right!

You must consider;

Quality of Service - across the data network
Reliability - Think when did your LAN / telephone system last fail?
Security - May increase exposure to data and voice
Support - Which department is now responsible - training?

With the latest handsets it is possible for them to act like a PC with their own IP address and with the right handsets they can even run XML applications cutting down the need for unnecessary PC’s etc.

To get it right requires the right planning and foresight to make sure that your systems will grow and deliver the maximum benefit with the minimum risk.

Copyright 2005 Nicholas Windley

About The Author

Nicholas Windley is a strategic ICT consultant with Comz4Biz and business owner.

Business Phone Systems : Comz4Biz Mercia
Telephone System Education Zone
Voice Over IP (VoIP) Education Zone

nic.windley@comz4biz.com

Telemetry, literally meaning “remote measurement” or remote collection of data is the study and measurement of the transmission of data over certain mediums. Despite the wealth of probable applications the primary purpose of telemetry is automated data collection at a place, which is inaccessible, inconvenient or dangerous, such as satellites in orbit, and relay the data to telemetry receivers on ground where the data is monitored, interpreted and recorded. Telemeter is the apparatus used for recording the readings of an instrument and transmitting them by radio. A telemetry handler, collects, formats and stores the data in a dedicated buffer, and then relays it to telemetry receivers.

Telemetry is expected to replace bar coding when the price point reaches an affordable level. Product information can be stored on specialized telemetry tags that will track the product along the supply chain and relay the information to telemetry receivers. Combined with local technology, the company assets can be located at any point in time. Thus, telemetry monitor will allow companies to wirelessly access information and monitor status levels at all times.

Telemetry also permits the tracking of endangered land and aquatic species tagged with telemetry devices, in order to get information on their patterns of movement, dispersal and migrations, and habitat use. Telemetry receivers are also used as an aid to understand and identify the natural causes that are linked to habitat conditions of these animals, which in turn alter their behavior, and how such conditions affect their mortality rates.

Since the early 1970s, the use of telemetry receivers to provide real time physiological monitoring in coronary care units has become widely recognized. These systems are used for monitoring of the electro-physiological state of patients who are at risk of abnormal heart activity. These patients are outfitted with customized telemetry devices without any other control, except an On/Off button. This device comprises a wireless receiver for the long-distance telemetry and a GSM module. If the patient is suffering from a critical condition, alert messages are relayed via the standard SMS (short messaging system) protocol to the central database, where they are allocated to the healthcare professional in charge of the patient. Back a few years when I thought I was having a heart attack, the hospital attached one of these devices to me to monitor me while I was a patient in my small town hospital.

The use of telemetry is wide spread and beyond the scope of this article. Science has advanced greatly in the last 30 years and continues to progress at at great rate.

Keith Londrie II is a well known author. For more information on Telemetry information, please visit Telemetry Information for a wealth of information. You may also want to visit keith’s own web site at http://keithlondrie.com/

The recession has not spared anyone and the UK government is no exception. Even though it is trying its best to stick to its commitment to the Digital Britain project, it now looks like there is a slight change of plans in order to ensure economic feasibility of the project.

It has now been revealed that certain areas in the UK are not economically viable for high-speed fixed line broadband. Lord Carter, the communications minister, has confirmed this himself. He told The Telegraph that about a quarter or more of the country is not conducive for a fixed line network due to various economic reasons.

With the fixed line option gone, everyone has turned towards the other two available alternatives - satellite and mobile broadband. However, mobile broadband has the same issues with remote areas as the fixed line networks, that is, there is no viable business case. T-Mobile had made this clear in March when it said that such a venture would not be profitable for mobile broadband operators either.

This has made a lot of people angry at the situation. Commenting on the problems, Henry Aubrey-Fletcher, who is the president of the Country Land and Business Association, said that the lack of broadband in some areas is actually dividing people. People are migrating to areas with broadband and students at school have to be given separate offline homework if they do not have an internet connection. He added that the local businesses are also suffering because of the lack of broadband, as they find it hard to compete with their well-connected urban competitors.

Before many of us came to rely on cell phones to make long distance phone calls, our only option was to commit to a long distance phone company. Long distance carriers charged what were at times exorbitant by-the-minute fees to make calls to friends and loved ones often living only a few hours away. When cell phones came into prominence, they brought with them service plans that gave us such luxuries as free night and weekend calling anywhere domestically. Alas, even cell phones had their drawbacks, in that their reception was often broken up, and calls could be dropped unceremoniously. When along came VOIP, a new choice in long distance phone calling was on the horizon. VOIP has many different options, and now it seems that we have the choice of combining VOIP technology with cell phones. The prospect of VOIP cell phone service brings with it the potential for even more freedom and convenience, along with lower prices. Or does it?

Normally, VOIP service is available in three modes: ATA, IP phone, and computer-to-computer. All of these services are common and available for use at your home computer. ATA, or analog telephone adapter, lets you connect your regular home telephone to your computer and use it for VOIP service by converting analog sound bits into digital data. IP, or Internet protocol, phones are telephones that are specially designed for use with VOPI service. These phones look just like a standard home phone, but are wired differently to be VOIP capable. You can have a cordless IP phone that allows you to move freely through your home or office as you talk. Computer-to-computer VOIP is achieved by installing software that you can get through a provider. You make long distance calls from your computer, and talk through a microphone that is hooked up to your machine. All of these services are convenient in their own ways, but do not have quite the portability that cell phones offer. That is why the idea of VOIP cell phones is so appealing. Potentially, it is the best of both worlds: portability and low cost phone service.

Cost savings is by far the most attractive aspect of VOIP. With typical VOIP, you can expect to pay anywhere from $19.95 to $34.99 per month for a service that consists of many features, including free domestic calls, dirt cheap International calling rates, Caller ID, Call Waiting, 3-way Calling, among others. This, of course, is in addition to your current monthly ISP charge, which for broadband is usually around $40 per month. The combined cost for your ISP and VOIP services is likely to still be less expensive than if you were to remain in service with a traditional telephone company. However, this is not necessarily the case if you were to switch your cell phone over to VOIP as well.

Providers that offer VOIP cell phone services usually charge a monthly fee in addition to a per-minute fee. If you don’t use your cell phone often enough to meet or exceed your current allotted plan minutes, then it is simply not cost effective for you to subscribe to VOIP cell phone service. VOIP and cell phones go well together for those customers that regularly exceed their plan minutes or make International calls on their cell phone on a regular basis. And, if your Internet connection if prone to outages, you could experience the same dropped call occurrences that you might often get with a standard cell phone service.

There is no doubt that VOIP is a reasonably priced and convenient way to bundle all of you communications together. VOIP service is improving all the time as technologies moves forward, which will allow providers to offer more reliable and even more affordable service down the line. Currently, VOIP cell phone service is in its infancy, and the kinks are being worked out. If you do the math, and feel that your monthly cell phone bill would benefit from a reasonable VOIP service plan, then it is worth the switch. If you do not make International calls on your cell phone, and you rarely or never go over your plan’s allotted monthly minutes, then you are probably better off sticking with your traditional cell phone service for now than putting out more money for VOIP cell phone service.

Gas costs are climbing and this causes corporate budgets are spread short worse than ever before. Considering our global economy lumbers along slowly and capital remains hard to come by, intelligent businesses acknowledge extraneous budgets should slashed. Executives throughout the nation need to make some calculated choices to shrink costs. But theyll find that the easier option to slash business expenses is to make slashes in unnecessary travel expenses, and the solution is online conferencing.

Internet conference calling grant executives to communicate with stakeholders electronically in a appointment in a distant city, in another time zone or especially in another continent. Your every day web conference calling utilize state of the art web video technology. Due to the fact that they done through standard high-speed Internet connections, they merely better utilize no additional organizational resources. Only by going to web video conferencing, can anyone have a overseas conference from literally anywhere with web access. Its not just easy as a computer and an Internet connection, it can slash travel expenses by more than five digits.

Leaps in digital technology make online conferencing so easy for people to exchange briefings and proposals at the same time. Internet conference members feel as though they were in the same room, even if they are thousands of miles across the planet. The accuracy of the presentations audio and video should be very accurate due to the highest standards in streaming video.

Its hard to miss how just about any business should save money by using web conference calling as opposed to wasting thousands dispatching a team on a long-distance trip. Your company doesnt have to throw away money on transportation costs, hotels and meals. These trimmings matter over a year. Any cost savings is higher flexibility for your business. Most everyone knows that the smart businesses are deciding on Internet conferencing to slash money on low-priority business trips.

The most foremost thing among internet decisions is that your able to choose the exact one for yourself. What’s uncomplicated and marvellous regarding Compare Wireless Broadband that the company only supply impartial home internet broadband & mobile Wireless Broadband suggestions. Unlike all the other websites the company provide individual suggestions in a collection of types of contractors, Compare Broadband help to get the finest propose for you, consequently you might often pay out the least sum of funds likely and still be given a wonderful agreement from your operator. Save money with Compare Broadband UK and Orange Broadband.

Mobile Internet Broadband the up to date brand applied to portray many types of gadgets that provide you with the most up-to-date faze located in technology, this is wireless mobile high speed broadband access without the wires & without a fixed line connection. Wireless internet broadband gives you the ease to use your I book where ever you are staying. All you are required to do is put in your universal serial bus modem and off your able to go, effortless wireless Mobile Broadband everywhere you are. There are lots of wonderful various deals to go for amoung many different dealers. The providers are O2, Vodaphone, and Orange. These companies have all taken the lead in supplying wireless broadband internet, although these mobile phone networks have at first focused on marketing both service to I book users.

Wireless has converted into being astonishingly popular and roughly 3 million UK Mobile Broadband customers nowdays connect wirelessly to the internet broadband at the office. All this is a number that is continuously rising as further customers get clued up to both benefits of wireless mobile internet. Mobile and Wireless Broadband uses high speed Wireless Internet access this is because it typically has a high rate of information transmission. Not only is it ten to 100 times faster than a dial up account it doesn’t tie up the telephone line so you can make and obtain calls as usual while you use the Wireless Broadband You will be charged a flat monthly price for all the time on connection and so there is no need to dial one hundred to get online, simply turn on the laptop and your are connected.

We have heard of VoIP. We know what it is. But why should we switch from our Public Switched Telephone Network (PSTN) to VoIP? Why should we join the many major corporations clamouring to transform their business needs to VoIP? Why should we jump on the bandwagon of the many households who are confidently switching to VoIP?

The answers all come down to the many benefits that VoIP offers. The advantages of VoIP have been proven time and time again. The most appealing of all the benefits is that it is cost efficient. VoIP transfers voice into digital data over the Internet. As the data is smaller compared to a standard electric unit, users save on valuable bandwidth. Ever wondered how you could be hooked up to a computer sending messages all across the globe, but yet not having to pay long distance charges? That’s how VoIP works. Just think, you will never have to pay for long distance calls ever again!

It does not matter if you plan to use VoIP for your business or for your personal use at home, it is just plain cheaper. Costs for both local and long distance calls can be minimised through VoIP. Many VoIP service providers offer plans that enable you to make unlimited local as well as long distance calls. Check with your provider to ascertain the extent of the coverage of calling areas. With VoIP in your homes, there will be no need for additional phone jacks and wires, just add on to your system, thus saving you money.

Not only will VoIP save you telephone costs, it also integrates all your telephone needs with your computer applications like e-mail, fax, video-phone, and web conferencing. By combining all these into one basic application, you will save on energy and money. Not only that, allowing you to access all the other programs at the same time will provide for greater freedom. This way, even a homeowner will find it simple to utilise all these different products.

Imagine being able to use your own telephone number anywhere that you can access an Internet connection, even overseas. Yes, with VoIP that is now possible. A perfect solution for those always on the move and for those who travel frequently. With VoIP you can cut down on your cell phone expenses. All you need to do is to take your telephone adapter with you anywhere you go. As long as there is a high Internet speed, you can take phone calls on your regular telephone number. This means that you can even take calls while staying overseas or even while going camping. Talk about tremendous flexibility!

Another benefit that comes from using VoIP is the option that allows you to pick your own area code. This is especially good news for those who have family and friends living in a particular area out of state. If you choose your friends’ area code, you are giving them the fantastic opportunity of being able to call you whenever they want to without having to pay for long distance charges. All their calls will be charged as local calls. Again, check with your VoIP providers. Some might even extend this service to other countries. Now wouldn’t this be a blessing if you have friends and family all around the globe?

Remember all the extra features that you have to pay for with PSTN phone services? Voice Mail, Caller ID, Call Waiting, Call Forwarding, Call Return, Call Block, Do Not Disturb - all these features now come under one package with VoIP. As all the features between VoIP and the Internet are incorporated, you have greater access and control over all your VoIP phone features through the Internet. No more paying for extras.

VoIP is the answer to all our telecommunication needs. The world is making the switch to VoIP. The question is, when will you join this revolution?

About the Author

Juzaily Ramli is the co-owner of http://www.voip-revolution-info-site.com site, a site dedicated to everything regarding VoIP. Find out how VoIP has represented the most significant paradigm shift since the invention of the telephone in the whole history of modern communications.

When it comes to VoIP Broadband Telephone service, there are many benefits. Unlimited local and long distance calling, included features such as CallerID, Call Waiting, Find Me/Follow Me, etc., and reduced costs. Many people overlook one thing when they are comparing the price of a VoIP provider and their Traditional Telephone service, and that is “What taxes are associated with VoIP telephone service vs. what taxes are associated with traditional telephone services?”

In my opinion, this is a huge factor in making the decision to go with a VoIP Broadband Telephone solution. The only VoIP Tax (as of the writing Feb. 2005) associated with a VoIP service is a Federal Excise Tax of only 3% of the bill. For example, if you signed up for a VoIP unlimited calling plan for only $19.95 per month your monthly total would equal $20.55. This $20.55 per month would cover all of your calls to the U.S. and Canada, all of the included features, and quality customer service. (Noted exception: Vonage customers located in N.J. are required to pay sales tax on their Vonage VoIP service.)

Conversely, a Traditional telephone bill includes numerous taxes and surcharges. For example, I had a discount telephone company that only charged me $9.99 per month for a basic Traditional Telephone service in California. Please look at the breakdown of all of the taxes and charges.

BASIC MONTHY CHARGE $9.99

CALL WAITING $3.20

FCC ACCESS CHARGE $4.49

DIRECTORY LISTING/ NON-PUBLISHED $0.79

FEDERAL TAX $0.54

CA RELAT SVC AND COMM DEVICE FUND $0.04

E911 TAX $0.09

UNIVERSAL LIFELINE SERVICE CHARGE $0.16

CA HIGH COST FUND SURCHARGE A $0.02

STATE REGULATORY FEE $0.01

UNIVERAL SERVICE FUND $0.39

CA HIGH COST FUND SURCHARGE B $0.30

TOTAL TAXES, FEES AND SURCHARGES $10.03

So, my bill total was $20.02 for the month and that was before I ever picked up the telephone to make a telephone call. Also the only feature that I opted for was Call Waiting.

You can draw your own conclusions on whether or not VoIP is right for you. If you don’t make any outgoing calls then you may want to stick to your traditional telephone company. But from an economical stand point, VoIP is clearly the less expensive option if you make any long distance telephone calls.

Economics is only one part of the equation. Be sure to read my other article on “Things You Should Consider When Selecting a VoIP Provider” found at http://www.voipchoices.com/voip-considerations.html.

For a listing of popular VoIP providers and to do a side by side comparison of VoIP providers and services please visit www.VoIPChoices.com.

Chris Landry is the foremost authority on residential and small business VoIP providers. Chris is the founder of http://www.VoIPChoices.com. He has prequalified several high-quality VoIP providers and compares them by price and features at http://www.VoIPChoices.com. Chris can be reach via email at Chris@VoIPChoices.com.

Black glasses with masking tape holding them together and a pocket protector are no longer a required part of the uniform for GPS owners. GPS has gone mainstream. But if you’re still not up to date on what it is and how it works, and if you’d like some advice on what to buy, this article will bring you up to speed.

A GPS device is like a map on steroids. First of all, it always gives you that little “You Are Here” dot - you no longer need to figure that out for yourself. And all you need to do is tell it where you want to go and it will plot the course for you. It doesn’t end there, however. New GPS units will provide you with voice guided directions for the entire trip, tell you where the nearest gas station is, and will even put you back on course if you take a wrong turn.

GPS stands for Global Positioning System, a system of 28 satellites orbiting earth. It was originally developed for military use, but its uses have spread far beyond just military applications. Your GPS unit can receive signals from these satellites, and by using these signals, calculates your position (within 3-10 meters), direction, altitude, and velocity. Once your GPS unit knows where you are, it can help you get to where you’re going as long as it has mapping software installed. All but the most basic GPS devices currently have mapping software.

Now that you know a little bit about what a GPS device is and how it works, it’s time to educate yourself on the features available and decide which unit will best suit your needs. There is certainly no shortage of GPS devices available, so doing a little research can save you a lot of time and hassle.

Step 1 - Which type of GPS do you need?

There are four main types of GPS units; the car navigation system, the portable outdoors unit, the marine system, and the PDA/GPS hybrid.

If you’re mainly planning on using your GPS to get you from point A to B in your car and don’t think you’d use it for much else, your best bet is the in-car navigation system. These systems can be built in to your car or you can purchase a device that mounts onto your dashboard. Desirable features for the in-car systems are: voice guided directions; detailed built in maps; touch screens; rerouting in case you get off course; and a database with points of interest to help you find the nearest gas station, restaurant, and many more places along your route.

If you’re going to want a GPS device that isn’t limited to the car, then you may want to consider a handheld GPS (http://www.gpsmaestro.com/handheld). These devices are ideal for anyone who loves to hike or bike. Features to look for in a handheld unit are: lightweight, rugged, waterproofing, long battery life, color screens, and mapping features. The handheld GPS units are geared towards people who spend a significant amount of time outside. For example, if you’re out hiking you can easily track where you’ve been; mark your own points of interest; and even find out how far you’ve gone and at what speed. Many new handheld devices offer some navigation features while driving. You can even purchase handheld units that offer built in radios that will not only allow you to communicate with other members of your party, but will also display everyone’s location on your screen.

If being on the water and fishing is your thing then you should probably consider a marine GPS. These units are specifically designed to be on and around water. All of these units will feature waterproofing and should have screens that are easy to read even in bright sunlight. Some other good features to look for are: color chart plotters, onshore and offshore maps, fish hotspots, and sonar capability. You may also want to consider a unit that will function as your car navigator, eliminating the need for two devices.

The final category of GPS device is the PDA/GPS hybrid. This device offers a good combination of the car navigation systems and handheld devices. You’ll get the large screen that you’d find in the car system and the portability of a handheld unit. Also, you get a PDA to help you keep organized. One drawback is the limited selection of these units. Only a few companies have attempted to make an integrated unit, and all have some serious limitations.

If you are considering a PDA/GPS hybrid, I’d recommend you purchase the PDA separately from the GPS. Find a PDA that offers all the features you want in your PDA, then look for a GPS receiver that will attach to your PDA via Bluetooth. The features to watch for are the same as listed for the in car systems. All of the current PDA/GPS devices are better suited towards driving than hiking, although they do offer the portability for outdoor activities if needed. This category probably offers the most potential of the four, but it is also the newest, so watch for significant improvements in this category in the future.

Step 2 - Budget Considerations

If you’re on a budget, then it’s important to decide which features are most important to you. If you want a full featured car navigation system, it can easily run over $1000 (and over $2000 if you want one that’s built in). If, however, it would be more of a toy to play with, then a handheld device could be a better choice as they can be as low as $100 and are rarely more than $500. Marine GPS devices vary widely in prices, but a very good device can usually be purchased for no more than $1000. If the PDA/GPS devices interest you, they typically range from $400-$900.

Step 3 - Where to Buy

Finding the right store to purchase your GPS device can be difficult. Most stores only carry one or two kinds of GPS. For example, if you go to a sporting goods store you’re likely to find the handheld GPS units and marine GPS units but not the car navigation or the PDA/GPS hybrids. I actually prefer shopping online for GPS units as the prices will likely be lower, and you’ll be able to read user reviews of the items before you buy. Just make sure that if you have a problem with your GPS you are able to return it.

Owning a GPS can be extremely helpful, especially if you tend to get lost a lot or if your glove compartment is overflowing with outdated maps. They can also make planning a long trip to an unfamiliar area a breeze. Deciding which GPS to purchase can be difficult, but as long as you make a list of the features you absolutely must have then all you have to do is find the units that match your budget. Read reviews from other owners and you should have no trouble at all. Once you purchase your own GPS unit, you’ll wonder how you ever lived without one.

Compared to some of the other products by LG the KF700 is boring. Compared to some of the more well known models for the price the KF700 is quite basic but functional. Like other similarly priced models from LG the design is quite cutting edge and would appeal to a wide range of customers.

Regarding the the display the handset is equipped with a 3 inch screen, which is a nice big display for the cost of this phone. The display is a TFT touchscreen, 256K colors. The LG KF700 is that is fitted to a Li-Ion battery cell. The LG KF700 supports 2G GSM 900 / 1800 / 1900 and 3G HSDPA 2100. A 3.15 MP, 2048×1536 pixels, autofocus, image stabilizer video; secondary videocall is integrated into this mobile handset camera. A WAP 2.0/xHTML, HTML browser allows this mobile handset to be used for mobile Internet access. The available ring-tones enabled on the KF700 are Polyphonic, MP3 as well as a vibrating alert. The LG KF700 is has bluetooth, which means it can be used with with the majority of mobile devices for example hands free sets. If the visual appearance handset is important, you should be aware that the KF700 only comes in Black. This handset is small and easy to carry. The following additional features are also present on the LG KF700, Organiser, Voice memo, Built-in handsfree, Java MIDP 2.0, FM radio and MP3/WMA/AAC/AAC+/MPEG4 player.

The KF700 is one of the latest handsets currently available, however it remains possible to find yourself some fantastic bargains on this handset. The most cost effective place to purchase a mobile phone in today’s market is on the Internet. Ordering online can deliver some significant cost savings, amazingly it is possible to get a LG KF700 on a 12 month free deal , which, in theory, will not cost you anything.