The idea that Thirdlane is more cost effective or at least cheaper than PBXware is the single largest misconception that we have to deal with when customers are considering a choice between Thirdlane and PBXware MultiTenant PBX with its softswitch capability.

To be clear, this is an issue confined uniquely to VoIP Entrepreneurs starting new businesses and facing many unknowns of how much market they will obtain. For Old Hacks, who have a little more certainty of their markets, revenues & ROIs, the issue has long passed onto minimising the pain of managing a real business and getting the features that matter to customers.

Curiously the point at which this turn seems to take place – is so low. 100 extensions and the burden of managing the Thirdlane platform appears to have overwhelm Service Providers. Suddenly the original Investment that will never be recouped is gone. References available.

Here are some, well actually many, items to consider about costs. Combined we really do believe you will come to the agreement that notion that Thirdlane costs less, simply is not true:

• ASSUMPTION that because PBXware MultiTenant PBX has more features in a professionally orgnaised manner – “it simply must be a greater cost“- just because PBXware has more features and functions that does not mean it must be a more expensive product. Our business model is based around ‘Starting Partnerships’. We wish to work with those who have the local presence to take us further faster and will gladly work with you to get you started in your endeavour. Increasingly we have many more products that can be put through distribution channel to help us both build later business.
• The wish to get started at the lowest “base” becomes blinding. Almost as above but we have time again seen Start-ups so preoccupied with their status of ‘starting out’ that they seem almost compelled to try to ‘associate’ themselves with the most barebones infastructure they can possibly find. Even though options are available for no more cost and possibly less cost that would provide them a base to reach to the stars and have in place the necessary architecture and structure that their businesses might move forward.
• Bicom Systems simply has more : if you start to add up the options that Bicom Systems has : Telcoware Provisioning Platform, Integrated Telephony Billing, Desktop Applications, Call Center PBXs … then the total will increase. Like for like to ‘just the Thirdlane’ multitenant pbx product to PBXware … PBXware’s entry offer can be less upfront capital to get started !!!
• Future Proof 1: Once your first server is filled, how to then expand the network in a seamless manner so that it is clear where each customer registration group is being kept.
• Future Proof 2: The investments needed to stay in this market are not decreasing. Mobile Integration, Desktop Integration, CTI, Alarm Monitoring, Call Center, Video … each need dedicated teams and to sustain this requires large revenues that are only possible with the distribution of large systems.
• Marketing : Any new business needs marketing material and ideally support in generating business. Bicom System provides extensive marketing material at source to its partners as well as market research and suggestions of positioning. Through case studies and internet marketing we have also been able to promote partners.
• Support : Bicom Systems does not charge $175.00 / hour for support, it is a flat rate, unlimited support. $175.00 is of course no money at all to a startup ITSP – ‘if you assume you do not need support’. If however it is after your exisiting budget is eaten up and the customer is screaming at you and … that customer is paying you $20 per month, the problem takes six hours to solve, then … suddenly … you don’t even have a business model and all the investment to date is beginning to look like sunk costs.
• And then what … : it does not start and stop with getting a bit of software. The whole operation of running an ITSP raises questions. Not least ‘what the next customer wants’. Bicom Systems Account Managers exist to advise on that next customer and if necessary provide custom work.
• Telcoware : The customer comes to your web site, they choose their subscription, enter their details, the monies are taken, the account is provisioned, the order is sent to get the phones out in the post and you are still in bed. Not yet ready for this dream, possibly – but it would be good to know it is ready for you when you are.
• Making a Quick Decision does not mean Making a Bad Decision : as said above – Bicom Systems simply can give more either today or as your business grows. We are very used to getting you started. We implore you, take a breath and let us do what we do best and find you a way to have the best platform from which to move forward. It may just save you from putting all your savings down sunk, then spending the next two years trying to work back to the same start position through agony, before having the investment to start again.
  If the words seem harsh – the references are available.

So what is the answer ? No idea  :) until we talk to you and get to know your business fully and properly.

For those reading this looking for further reading, you may wish to try : How to Start an ITSP

Read the first part of this series here.

UPDATE 12/12: We reviewed the Thirdlane website again in hopes to update this post. Unfortunately the only update to their website is the removal of their prices.

Were you born a vampire or someone just bite you to become one? (A comparison of Bicom Systems and PortaOne)

Many customers interested in our Multi-Tenant platform come to me asking the difference between Bicom Systems PBXware Multi-Tenant edition and switches out there that one way or the other are advertising ‘multi-tenant’ capabilities such as PortaOne.

Well I believe the answer is as simple as the vampire fact : if you were not born as a vampire but rather turned into one you will never be as good as a born vampire. In brief, without digging more into science fiction, let’s discuss my explanation to terms we are all familiar with : if a system is not born as an IPPBX but rather adjusted to act like one the end user will never experience the real deal and the service provider will never accomplish complete satisfaction.

Several popular switches out there, like PortaOne, claim to include a Multi-Tenant IPPBX, but when all is done they are ‘Centrex’-like simulations or service providers landing in the middle of ongoing development on something that was not designed to be an IPPBX and/or a Multi-Tenant.

Bicom Systems PBXware was born as an IPPBX and comes in 3 editions: Multi-Tenant, Call Center and Business.

I suggest that customers test our product and experience a real Multi-Tenant IPPBX. To test, use the following login details:

http://mt.bicomsystems.com/
email: mt@bicomsystems.com
password: mtdemo

I recently compiled a comparison chart with PortaOne wholesale switch and Bicom Systems PBXware.

Also see PortaOne broke up a phone company over PBXware MT

It is always with caution that one should speak of competitors and their products when clearly they are better able to do so themselves. All the more so with IPSMARX, given how IPSMARX has positioned itself ‘as’ Bicom Systems. I have though wondered more and more why they do so up against PBXware MultiTenant PBX. Here are some reasons that might help with understandings:

I am demanded to reply to this question orally on a weekly basis and it seems only right to write. Curious about this question too is the clear circumstances in which it is asked. These can be described in three categories: i) Existing users of IPSMARX’s Multi-Tenant PBX who have had reason to look further ii) New Providers looking to start a business line with little resource iii) Well established businesses either ITSPs, VARs or Long Established Sellers of Phone Systems.

For the first group, customers have dial tone. However the Service Provider’s hands are now so filled with the running of their business that the cost of keeping the system becomes all consuming. Very noticeable is with how few extensions on the system and the pain threshold seems to bite. So often, fewer than 100 subscribers – a pocketful of customers. A customer wants a Queue, a Conference, an IVR… then “surely this should need no more effort than a check-box selection to solve everything from the feature’s creation to the monthly invoice going out ?” Surely it should not need custom programming from the switch provider for each small tweak? There also are issues of support. Again the sheer stress that happens once ‘real customers’ come on board and previously naive dreams are exposed. Answers need to be found immediately both to ‘how do I do x,y,z ?’ questions and less often bugs or critical failings. Increasingly the need for integration to the desktop is a make or break to getting End User businesses.

Whether in the form of onsite systems from the Traditional Vendors or the large Internet Telephony Service Providers often using Broadsoft platforms the market at large expects standard offerings to have presence, chat and more at the finger tips. Mobility is next. Not just a breeze blowing softly but rushing winds. A simple SIP client is not where the world will be. Mobility means the user should be an integral part of the local switch.

What has also been learned through the school of hard knocks is problems that the next customer wants something unique. You never quite know what and unless the system is inherently flexible you will be left just listening to the screams. For some though there is the matter of scalability. To simply ‘add another server’ and ‘stick on another few hundred customers’ is not enough. All the customers need to be brought together in a single interface to be found easily and redundancy needs to be in clusters often with the options of dual location.

If you found this useful or can add please feel free to post, Parts II (Cost of Entry) & III (It has to work and it has to do more) are to follow and of course our whitepaper on How to Start an ITSP.

Other Articles on IPSMARX:

• IPSMARX vs. PBXware and How to Upgrade
• IPSMARX as Bicom Systems
• IPSMARX’s Deception Seems to Have No Limits
• Softswitch Modules that can’t accomplish a thing without pricey addons
• IPsmarx Technology, VoIP Software
• Bret Fisher and IPSMARX

While choosing a software platform may not be an emotional decision for some, for others it’s enough to break up over, like in the case of PortaOne.

One prospective customer began the search for a software platform and found both Bicom Systems PBXware and PortaOne. The company quickly split into two “teams” – the Bicom supporters and the PortaOne supporters. They became so divided that a third party had to be called in to evaluate both options and make a non-biased decision.

Consequently, the third party chose Bicom Systems PBXware.

We began moving forward with the implementation, happy to see the company progressing.

Meanwhile, ‘Team PortaOne’ was behind the scenes attempting to influence the third party and make them retract their decision. Sadly, they succeeded.

Progress came to a halt as ‘Team Bicom Systems’ was outnumbered by the allegedly non-biased third party.

After a long and painful 6 to 9 months of this back-and-forth struggle, one of the owners made the decision to split up. He sold his portion of the company to the other owners and broke off on his own to create a new company.

I’m not sure this can be seen as a matter of software but rather ideology. For sure PortaOne comes from Calling Cards and really deserves its accolades of mastery in this area if the price is affordable in such a cut-throat market.

If though, you wish to build a sustainable monthly value revenue with truly integrated communications there are other options.

Ready to get started? Contact us at sales@bicomsystems.com today!

For a comparison of PortaOne and Bicom Systems, see PortaOne vs Bicom Systems

UPDATE : One customer emailed us the following :

Started messing around with the Multi Tenant PBXware and it looks quite nice and excellent features for the tenant side – as I said, our current PortaOne does not come near this with client features.

This latest advert claims “Contact the Only Total, One-Stop, Global VoIP Solution Provider Now!” Given that they seek to pass off as Bicom Systems they know well there is at least one other provider of similar qualification yet who could really be sure there are none other in this wide world?

Maybe it is just themselves they are trying to deceive?

We shall see.

Other Articles on IPSMARX:

• IPSMARX vs. PBXware and How to Upgrade
• Why should we choose PBXware MultiTenant PBX vs IPSMARX Multi Tenant PBX?
• IPSMARX as Bicom Systems
• Softswitch Modules that can’t accomplish a thing without pricey addons
• IPsmarx Technology, VoIP Software
• Bret Fisher and IPSMARX

Elegir una plataforma de software no es una decisión emocional para algunos, pero para otros es suficiente para dividir una empresa, como en el caso de PortaOne.

Un cliente potencial inició la búsqueda de una plataforma de software y encontró Bicom Systems PBXware y PortaOne. La compañía rápidamente se dividió en dos “equipos” – los partidarios Bicom y los partidarios PortaOne. Llegaron a ser tan dividida que un tercero tuvo que venir para evaluar ambas opciones y tomar una decisión no sesgada.

Al final el tercer grupo eligió Bicom Systems PBXware.

Comenzamos a seguir adelante con la ejecución, feliz de ver a la compañía progresar.

Mientras tanto, el ‘Equipo PortaOne’ estaba detrás de las escenas tratando de influir el tercer partido y hacer que se retracten de su decisión. Lamentablemente tuvieron éxito.

El progreso se detuvo como ‘Equipo Bicom Systems’ fue superado en número por el tercero supuestamente no sesgada.

Después de un largo y doloroso 6 a 9 meses de esta lucha de ida y vuelta, uno de los propietarios tomó la decisión de separarse. Él vendió su parte de la empresa a los otros propietarios y se rompió por su cuenta para crear una nueva empresa.

No estoy seguro de que esto puede ser visto como una cuestión de software, sino más bien la ideología. Para asegurarse PortaOne viene de tarjetas de llamadas y realmente se merece todos los elogios de la maestría en esta área si el precio es asequible en un mercado tan feroz.

Pero si usted desea construir un ingreso mensual de valor sostenible en las comunicaciones verdaderamente integrados, hay otras opciones.

Listo para empezar? Contacte con nosotros en sales@bicomsystems.com ahora!

Para una comparación de PortaOne y Bicom Systems, vea PortaOne vs Bicom Systems

ACTUALIZACIÓN: Un cliente nos envió lo siguiente por correo electrónico:

Probé Multi Tenant PBXware y se ve bastante bien y con excelentes características para inquilino – como ya he dicho, nuestro producto actual, PortaOne, no se compara con PBXware con las características del cliente.

I’ve been with Bicom for almost two months now and have spoken with a few companies who use FREEPBX and regret it. Granted, it’s “free” at first, but then when you run into the problem of who will help you..

Support is $150 / hour and who knows how long it will take to get your issue fixed.

One thing a good friend of mine who is an HVAC tech says: “Pay me now or pay me later (plus whatever you invested in your first purchase)”.

The costs that people have sunk into set-up / training and 1 year of support issues with FREEPBX is almost as much as our PBXware solution for a small company. Not so free after all, is it?

I would be more than happy to talk with you and show you how PBXware is that much better for your company in terms of both features and support.

Oh yeah, did I mention that our support contracts give you UNLIMITED support tickets?

Do it right the first time! You get what you pay for.

Probably the question that is not asked but always answered when making an introduction of Bicom Systems’ Products is the one in this title.

With so many pieces it is rather understandable why confusion may arise and yet having explained this many times now, recipients reply unanimously with confirmation that it all makes sense. For this reason it seemed only appropriate to write it down and make some other supporting diagrams and videos that really demonstrate the turnkey nature of all these pieces.

Quite simply, Bicom Systems can deliver the most turnkey telephony company with the most features and functions on the market.

We start with our platform, SERVERware. SERVERware comes in two editions, SERVER Edition and NETWORK Edition. See links for supporting diagrams.

SERVERware provides virtualisation and redundancy. In the SERVER Edition the virtualisation means that many application services can be set on the same server, The Primary Controller. These may include : PBXware MultiTenant or Call Center PBX Editions, TELCOware or other items such as Email Server, Web Site a vanilla Asterisk or Trixbox or FreePBX even. Each is contained within its own Virtual Private Server (VPS) and as such

The Server Edition can then in turn be set to mirrored redundancy, using a Secondary Server, so that should the Primary Controller Server fail the Secondary takes over.
Although similar options exist with VMware, Serverware uses Virtual Servers and so the voice quality is best served by keeping the voice traffic on the CPU rather than in a virtualised manner. Serverware also has added security features such as being set in the CHROOT and ………………..

In the Network Edition, the roles of the original two servers change. Firstly all application services are now present on dedicated hosts. The Controller is then freed to perform two functions: duplicating data from the hosts to its own hard disks and monitoring the hosts that in the event of failure of a host that the services on the lost host will be reallocated to the next available host. As the cluster expands the duplication of data may be performed to a SAN.

The Primary Controller is mirrored to a Secondary Controller so that should the Primary fail the above two functions will continue.

Typically in an ITSP scenario one of the application services in its own VPS will be the Multi Tenant Edition of PBXware. It is here that the core telephony takes place from registrations to enhanced services and telephony billing that rates CDRs.

Then on another VPS may be a Call Centre PBX Edition of PBXware if a customer has a dedicate requirement. Often with Call Centers there is a need to access the MySQL database, run detailed reports and thrash CPU with Call Recordings, as such resource needs to be identifiably dedicated. This way a heavy usage call center can latter be moved to its own resource or indeed even for its component part be split to dedicated servers.

If a provisioning platform such as TELCOware be used then it too will have its own VPS on either the server or network edition of SERVERware. The provisioning starts with the CMS (Content Management Systems) creating a web site where visitor can peruse hard and subscirptions products created in the Shopping Cart Products & Services with a view to ordering. To place orders visitors must sign up and create an Account.

TELCOware does not have any real telephony, everything is virtual. After receiving an order it uses API to send instructions to PBXware to provision the service, registrations, DIDs, IVRs or similar. There are wizards in place to assist with this.

According to the subscription bought it will then generate an invoice at the end of the period which will reflect the subscription and any extra call spend made, drawing CDRs from the switch it is associated with. This could be one or many PBXware or even another system, Asterisk based or not.

Upon the invoice being settled by manual payment or automated with a supported gateway such as worldpay, authorize.net, linkpoint, paypal, skrill … funds will be attributed first to the subscription and then if available to the call spend fund on the telephony account on the associated softswitch.

In addition to these products, Bicom Systems also has a wide variety of supporting Desktop Applications which continue the turnkey theme through to the End User and allowing your ITSP effort to simply have what others do not and stand out from the competition.

Please feel free to look through the supporting material, however nothing quite compares to an online demo and please do ask for Account Manager, the linking piece, to contact you in your language of preference (English, Spanish, French or Portuguese). As well as the architecture there is a whole lot of other advice to be provided and Marketing Materials and Support.

MUM, or the MikroTik User Meeting, is a conference held several times a year across the world. It is a gathering of all users of MikroTrik, an Internet Connectivity Hardware and Software provider based in Latvia.

David Attias of PennyTone LLC did a presentation at MUM in the United States last month. PennyTone has been working with PBXware for many years and supports many small and medium businesses. In his presentation, he discussed “Common VoIP Problems: How to Detect, Correct, and Avoid Them”. His presentation identified factors that contribute to VoIP call quality and how to detect, correct, and avoid them. You can watch the full presentation below.

But you do not have to be a MikroTik user to benefit from this kind of software and capabilities. Bicom Systems offers sipMON, a SIP monitoring application designed to analyze and improve VoIP call quality.

Our software monitors and troubleshoots call quality in real time, ensuring consistent quality when on an important call. Learn more about sipMON on our website: http://www.bicomsystems.com/products/sipmonitoring/

David Attias’ VoIP Call Quality Presentation:

A variation on the non-fairy tale we wrote about last week, we recently spoke with a business-owner that struggled with FreePBX for a year before throwing in the towel. Costs were through the roof, far too much of the work and configuration was falling on his shoulders, and support was all but non-existent.

In the process of shutting down his business, he was about to give up entirely when he realized that maybe a different PBX system would make all the difference. Perhaps an effective GUI and supportive provider would free him up to continue taking his business forward.

Research led him to Bicom Systems and PBXware.

Multi-Tenant PBX was designed specifically for entrepreneurs like him. With a simple yet comprehensive interface and vast features, our PBX system enhances business rather than restricting it. Best of all, our platform is scalable and flexible – it grows with you.

To upgrade from FreePBX or any other PBX system, contact us today or visit the PBXware page to learn more.

More posts like this one:

• Bicom Systems Works WITH You
• Thirdlane vs PBXware, Part 1 : Limitations

Last month we learned what exactly “PBX System” means and some of the different deployment options. The two most common options – and hardest to choose between – are on-premise IP PBX and hosted or cloud IP PBX.

On-premise solutions are owned and managed by the user. The physical IP PBX is stored on-site and all of the technology is set-up and maintained in-house.

Hosted or cloud solutions are rented out by a service provider for a monthly fee that covers service, maintenance, and upgrades. The user needs only IP Phones that connect to the cloud PBX system via Internet.

Both are good options depending on the size and type of your business.

Let’s look at the benefits of each system:

On-Premise IP PBX System

• No monthly fee
• More control over the solution
• Long-term investment
• No reliance on a service provider
• Can integrate with other solutions
• May have more features

Hosted or Cloud IP PBX System

• Low or no up-front costs
• No additional maintenance or upgrade costs
• More flexible and scalable
• No need for IT expertise or personnel
• Less employee training needed
• Advances in technology will come in automatic upgrades

Clearly both systems have benefits and drawbacks. In general, hosted deployments are better for SMBs, organizations limited by budget, or companies expecting to grow in the future. On-premise systems make sense for very large companies that are prepared to own and support their own PBX.

PBXware is an example of a hosted IP PBX solution. Learn more on our website.

More posts like this one:

• On-Site and Hosted IP PBX Systems whitepaper
• 10 Ways to Protect Your IP PBX From Hackers

A softswitch is the modern convergence of software and switchboards. In the past, calls were manually “switched” by an operator using a switchboard, but this is now done automatically but softswitches.

So what is the difference between a Class 4 softswitch and a Class 5 softswitch?

Class 5 softswitches are used within small geographic areas or businesses and organizations. They can route calls within cities, organizations, states, or even small countries. Class 5 softswitches connect phones and devices, operating on the end-user level.

Class 4 softswitches operate on a larger scale for long-distance calls over large areas or between countries. They route calls between Class 5 switches. Class 4 softswitches connect suppliers, operating on a provider level.

The following diagram illustrates the place of class 5 and class 4 softswitches.

Bicom Systems PBXware is available as both a Class 5 and Class 4 softswitch.

More posts like this one:

• What is a Softswitch?
• SWITCHware

Headline News! Washington D.C. (11 January 2017) – The true status of recent electoral polls suggested a failure in the accuracy of information routing.

Why remains of mystery, though some speculate that dropped packets on inferior phone systems are the culprit.

We recently obtained some evidence from what appears to be Bicom Systems investigating the White House’s telephone system followed by arms crossed and lips tight.

Nobody knows!

We tried to poll opinion. Would PBXware be installed before the New Administration of Donald J. Trump takes office?

At this point, not Bicom Systems, Donald J. Trump nor the White House would comment…..perhaps their phone lines are down as well or maybe they’re just waxing lyrical?

About BICOM SYSTEMS

Bicom Systems is the world’s first and most mature Professional Open Standards Turnkey Telephony Platform. Since 2003, Bicom Systems has deployed flexible, reliable, and scalable New Generation Communication Systems to SMBs, enterprises, and governments worldwide by unifying the most advanced of latest technologies. For more information, please visit our website or contact us today.

www.bicomsystems.com | sales@bicomsystems.com

We are pleased to announce our new VMware PBX image that allows you to test PBXware in a VM workstation or ESXi host.

Our developers created this by installing a VMware Workstation on a separate PC which ran Windows 10. We made a virtual machine that had 1 Vcpu, 1 GB of RM, 30 HDD (which was thin provisioned, meaning as the need for storage arises the HDD will expand) and open-VMware tools were added to this image for it to work properly. 

This was tested on the Windows machine first with up to 20 concurrent calls and 100 extensions. After that test was a success, we moved to testing ESXi hosts. ESXi hosts were tested with the same image with up to 30 concurrent calls and we did not encounter any problems. The test included Vmotion too, which was done while 30 concurrent calls were active. No calls dropped, the only thing we noticed was that 3 seconds before the virtual machine services started on the other ESXi host, we had 3 seconds of silence. Other than that, everything worked fine. 

The second test was VMware’s HA (High Availability) which worked as well. After the host that was running VM goes down, the other host takes over and keeps VM up with no downtime. 

After these tests were a success, we created a VMware marketplace account (as developers) and set it up with our company’s logo, information, and our PBX solution. The image was uploaded and sent for approval. It was approved 24 hours later. Check it out here: solutionexchange.vmware.com/store/products/pbxware–2 

Just click the “Try” button to download this image for usage with a VMware Workstation or VMware Player PRO and Vsphere client.

More posts like this one:

• VMware
• Voice on VMware

Official Press Release

This is part four of our ‘How our Hosted Solutions Can Support Telecom Industry Verticals like…’ blog series. To learn about the previous posts in this series, visit our blog. We talk about industry verticals like government, healthcare, and education. But today we are dedicating this post to the hospitality industry.

This is another broad category because the hospitality industry includes many different businesses that have to do with tourism and traveling. The three biggest industries are food/beverage, transportation, and lodging. If you think about traveling, you need to know how you are getting there (transportation), where you are staying (lodging) and where are you eating (food and beverage).

In terms of traveling, good communication is extremely important. Whether you are a small company or large corporation, staff and guests need to stay connected.

Organization
It is extremely important that important guests can always be connected to an agent when they are booking a flight, car or hotel. To ensure they are connected, it is important that companies use CRM Routing for their high priority customers. Bicom Systems PBXware 5.2 has CRM Routing that allows calls to be routed to a specific queue, person or voicemail message based on the information fetched from CRM. PBXware integrates with some of the most popular CRMs on the market. Having your PBX system integrate with a CRM solution will allow you to keep track of new and returning customers. You can see the last time they booked, any specific requests they have and all of their information from the last time they called.

Flexibility
Sometimes staff members in the hospitality industry are away from their desks to better serve their existing guests. However, this can be a problem for new or potential customers trying to book a reservation. Unified Communication solutions like gloCOM and gloCOM GO make it so staff can be free from their desks. They can serve guests, answer phones and complete tasks all on the go. gloCOM GO enables staff to communicate no matter where they are on the property. Staff can send files and message with other employees from their computers instead of trying to physically locate them.

Cost Effective 
Think of how large hotels can be and their many floors. Now, think of how many rooms are on those many floors. Each of those rooms has a phone and each of those phones has its own number. Aside from using the room phone to call the front desk, they are rarely used now that almost everyone has a mobile device. Hotel companies can utilize the IP network and use VoIP phones that do not require individual phone lines. They can pay per extension, making adding and removing extensions easier.

Not only will the companies save money on their phone lines, they can also cut equipment and maintenance costs. The company can opt for a hosted option and it will rid them of the responsibility of maintaining the infrastructure.

Reliability 
Everyone loves a beautiful resort at a warm climate location. Unfortunately, some of these resorts also are where natural disasters hit. A true unified communications solution is hosted and cloud-based. In case an event like that was to happen and if the resort or hotel loses power, the hotel’s information will be safe in the cloud. Hosted protects your data in the case of an emergency where a physical server could get damaged and potentially lose everything.

Even if the resort or hotel loses power, they will never lose a call. The calls can be routed to another number at another location. This way future reservations will not be missed and business can run as usual.

Call Center Editions
Aside from booking online, many reservations are taken over the phone. Large companies often use call centers to book guests reservations and answer any questions/concerns they have. Whether they are large or small call centers, they should be using a proper PBX system that is dedicated to call centers. Bicom Systems PBXware offers a Call Center Edition that has features that are needed for an organization to manage inbound call queues effectively.

If you are a reseller, consider looking for your next customer in the hospitality sector! Hosted solutions will change the way employees in the hospitality industry work. Unified communication applications like gloCOM and gloCOM GO will boost collaboration and efficiency. There are PBX solutions that are dedicated to call centers and remember, hosted is often a cheaper and more reliable option.

Don’t forget to catch the final part of this blog series where we talk about how our hosted solutions can support telecom industry verticals like… The Legal Industry! Meanwhile, take a look at our website to learn more about our products. If you would rather a one-on-one conversation, send out sales team an email at sales@bicomsystems.com.

The post How our Hosted Solutions Can Support Telecom Industry Verticals like… The Hospitality Industry appeared first on Bicom Systems - Official Blog.

Finally, we have reached the end of our ‘How our Hosted Solutions Can Support Telecom Industry Verticals like…’ blog series! If you want to read the first four parts of this series, head over to our blog here. Today we are wrapping up this series by talking about the legal industry.

There are so many professions in the legal sector. One of the most popular occupations in this industry is lawyers. However, at a law firm, you have lawyers specializing in different areas, solicitors, legal assistants, administrative assistants etc. No matter what position you are in, it is extremely important that you are easily available.

Convenience
It is rare today to find lawyers who are tethered to their desks. They are usually out commuting to the courthouse, meeting clients or having out of office meetings at their opponent’s offices. Bicom Systems gloCOM GO allows lawyers to be available on their personal mobile even when their office number is dialed. This way, they won’t miss any important office calls or have their personal phone number released. Their phone number can also be linked to their assistants, in the event that they are unable to answer their phone.

Bicom Systems’ latest version of gloCOM now integrates with Skype for Business. This way lawyers can have meetings virtually. This module allows lawyers to expand their target audience and doesn’t limit them to practice law in designated areas. Meetings can now be held at a time that is convenient for the lawyer or client no matter where they are in the world.

Confidentiality
Confidentiality is very important when you are trying to win a trial. If private information was revealed to the opponent team, it could cost the entire case. Lawyers may have to collaborate with other lawyers but they must ensure their information is concealed. Bicom Systems gloCOM allows users to send and receive confidential documents safely. Coworkers can chat on gloCOM with confidence that their conversations are private.

Security
No matter the size of a law firm there is a lot of information that needs to be stored. When you have a lot of clients, this can mean a lot of storage space. Bicom Systems PBXware stores important data, like call recordings, into the cloud! Our system allows you to use Google Drive, Dropbox, and Amazon S3 to archive your storage. Not only is your data safe in the event of a natural disaster or fire, but it is remarkably easier to search and retrieve information on a hosted solution.

Collaborate/Multitask
Unified communication applications are one of the easiest ways to collaborate. Bicom Systems gloCOM is a software that simplifies and accelerates daily tasks.

It has:

• IP Phone Integration
• Softphone
• Messaging
• Conferencing
• Faxing
• Screen Share
• Video Conference
• File Transfer
• And more!

All of these features and more are displayed on a user-friendly interface. gloCOM integrates seamlessly with PBXware, the world’s first IP PBX telephony platform. PBXware features include:

• A call recordings player that allows users to listen to call recordings right from their browser
• Voicemails that can be sent to your email in an mp3 file and transcription so you can check them on the go
• Archiving storage to secure third-party locations
• CRM call routing for when clients call the law firm they will be directed to the proper extension
• The ability to send a fax through email

Organization
Today, a lot of firms in the legal industry are going paperless. PBXware allows you to store all your call recordings on a safe and simple interface. You will no longer have to save phone call conversations on USB devices or recording tapes.

Lawyers work on many different cases at a time. This means they are receiving numerous calls from different clients in the run of a day. Bicom Systems PBXware integrates with some of the most popular CRMs on the market. This integration will allow you to keep track of new and existing clients. You can see the last time they called, what you talked about, any notes on the client and all of their personal information. CRM solutions make it easier for law firms to keep track of their many clients.

Employees in the legal industry must be able to count on reliable communication. Hosted solutions will improve the way coworkers operate, boost collaboration and increase efficiency. Remember, everyone is innocent until proven guilty, make sure you are not guilty of poor communications.

That’s a wrap! If you are a reseller, consider looking for your next customer in any of the sectors we talked about in this blog series.

Want more information on our hosted solutions? Visit our website or send our sales team an email at sales@bicomsystem.com.  

The post How our Hosted Solutions Can Support Telecom Industry Verticals like… The Legal Industry appeared first on Bicom Systems - Official Blog.

Guess who’s back. Back again. Bicom’s back, go tell your friends! At Bicom Systems, we provide the Communications World with some of the best Turnkey Communication Solutions available. We do so by creating, unifying and supporting the most advanced versions of some of today’s technology.

We recently just released PBXware 5.3 and the new features check off all the boxes.

Efficiency ✓
Control ✓
Convenience ✓
Simplicity ✓

Keep reading to learn more about them!

Email to Fax
The title of this feature speaks for itself, this service will allow users to send faxes via their e-mail. Although there are many benefits to owning a physical fax machine, there are just as many reasons to get rid of one and start sending faxes through your email. Not only is it more convenient and efficient, but think of all the available space you will gain?

As long as the fax you want to send is in PDF format, your email can have multiple files attached! We even went the extra step for you and set up ‘Notification E-mail’ templates. You can customize your notifications to let you know if your fax sent successfully or not.

CDR Partitioning
Call Detail Record Partitioning. CDRs can be filled with valuable (or not so valuable) information. Depending on what kind of reports you are looking for, like:

• When did the call take place?
• How long did the call last?
• What kind of call was made? Inbound? Outbound? Toll-free?

You can become more efficient with your data by dividing the tables into small and more manageable pieces. This is an extremely useful feature that we are dedicating a whole blog post strictly on this topic. Check it out here. 

Operation Times
Although this was a feature that was available in PBXware 5.2, it has been redesigned with the user’s needs in mind! You can now set:

• Custom Destinations
  • This will redirect all calls that were received during a specific time frame to a new destination
• Open Days
  • You can now set the working hours of your business! If any calls come in outside of normal operation time, you can direct them to a certain destination. This destination could be a ‘We’re closed now’ voicemail or an extension that is dedicated to after hour calls.
• Closed Days
  • If your company is closed for holidays or vacation, you can set a specific destination for calls to be sent too.

In version 5.3, we changed the ‘Midnight Reset’ option. The default was to always reset the operation times at midnight, however in the case of an emergency that would not be the ideal option. You can now set this option to ‘No’ and the midnight reset will be skipped.

Voicemail Features
You may be thinking, how can you improve voicemail? Well, we can’t help the annoying voicemails your Aunt keeps leaving you, but we did improve its features! To start, the speech-to-text ability is now available in more languages and we added a “Voicemail Group” destination. So you can now leave the same voicemail for many people and they can read it in their preferred language.

PBXware 5.3 also gives you back control of voicemail. Administrators can set the min/max PIN length, view any voicemail on the system, create custom logins and more! Take a look at ‘Getting More out of Voicemail’. 

There is so much more to PBXware 5.3 that you need to check it out for yourself! Take a look at the official release notes here. If you want to upgrade your PBX to the latest version, visit our website or contact your account manager.  

The post What’s New in PBXware 5.3? appeared first on Bicom Systems - Official Blog.

Whether you’re a trivia pro or have taken a test in school, I am sure you have heard of ‘True or False’. Don’t worry this is not a test and for our competitive readers, I am sorry to say, this is not a competition. However, this is an opportunity to tackle some of the myths or rumors within the telecommunications industry.

To better organize these misconceptions, we thought it would be better to address them a few at a time. Be sure to check out our blog for more parts to this series but for now, I give you part one!

1.“VoIP is Only Beneficial for Large Corporations”

  VoIP can be used for any size or type of company. One of the great things about VoIP is how scalable it is. Companies can start off small with 1-2 extensions and quickly shift to handling a 100+. VoIP grows with your company whether that is scaling up or down.

2. “VoIP Has Poor Audio Call Quality”

VoIP stands for Voice over Internet Protocol. Meaning, your voice is being transferred over the internet. The voice packet is converted into data and sent through the internet and is delivered to your IP Phone or softphone. We can all agree that this is a little more complicated than two cans and a string. But technology and the internet have come along way. Data is traveling faster, there are virtual servers dedicated to voice and features like Opus Codec that dynamically adjusts packets to account for the fluctuating bandwidth availability.

Bicom Systems SERVERware is the only virtual server that is dedicated to communications. We understand that when it comes to voice, you cannot wait for a word to catch up to a sentence. Although it may be okay to get an email a few seconds later, it is not ok to hear a syllable a few seconds late. Opus Codec is still relatively new to the telecommunication industry, but it is a feature found in Bicom Systems PBXware and gloCOM. It is capable of handling a wide range of audio applications like VoIP and video conferencing.

3.“VoIP Can NOT be used Wirelessly”

It is 2019, everything else is wireless so why can’t your VoIP phone be? With Bicom Systems desktop application, gloCOM, users can make calls wirelessly from their laptops. Popular apps like Facebook Messenger and Snapchat allow you to make calls over Wi-Fi or your mobile network. The mobile application of gloCOM, gloCOM GO, lets you do the same! To obtain a holistic work environment, employees should never be tethered to their desk.

4. “You do NOT Need a Physical Phone to Place VoIP calls”

This is true. You do not need a physical phone to place VoIP calls. With gloCOM, users can use any device with a microphone to place VoIP calls. All they have to do is connect the device to their laptops (manually or wirelessly) and they are good to go! As mentioned above, users can also use gloCOM’s mobile application, gloCOM GO to place VoIP calls directly from their mobile device. Although it is nice to get rid of all the extra hardware, do you ever think, ‘do I still need a desk phone?’

5. “Telecommunications is a Hard Industry to Enter” What many people do not realize, is that you do not have to enter the industry alone. You can partner with an experienced telephony provider who will support you through the whole transition! These providers want you to join them and want you to succeed because your success is their success. A partnership is a ‘safe’ way for you to enter the market.

If you want to learn more about how you can partner with an established provider, take a look at this article. Bicom Systems Account Manager, Eric Johnson dives into this topic with office equipment vendors in mind.

Check our blog regularly for another round of ‘True or False’! If you want to learn more about our products visit our website or send our sales team an email at sales@bicomsystems.com.

The post True or False? appeared first on Bicom Systems - Official Blog.

A hosted solution is like your first aid kit for emergency readiness in the telecommunications industry. Utilizing a hosted unified communications solution in your workplace can be one of the most important things to do that will protect your company in an emergency.

To start, proper unified communications solutions are hosted and cloud-based. Meaning, in the event of an emergency like a fire or natural disaster, all your information will be secure in the cloud. Hosted protects your data where an on-premise version, like a physical server, would be damaged and most likely unsalvageable.

Not only will your hosted server be protected during the disaster, but it will be monitored 24/7, 365 days a year. (At least our partners’ servers are). Bicom Systems has five different monitoring centers worldwide and receives notifications on any detections. We offer two solutions sipPROT, that is used to protect against SIP attacks and sipMON, which constantly monitors the SIP packets that are received. The pair protect and ensure the quality of the calls that are being placed and received.

Just because your server is being monitored 24/7, 365 days a year, doesn’t mean you are open for business during all of those times. If that is the case, you may need to start implementing operation times. Setting specific operation times allows you to redirect calls based on when your business is open or closed. In PBXware 5.3, there is an option for a ‘midnight reset’. If there was an emergency that caused your business to abruptly close, you can set operation times to “closed”. It will stay like that until you manually change it and all calls will be redirected to the number assigned. Learn more about why setting operation times matter here.

Another feature your UC first aid kit should have is a feature found in gloCOM called ‘Personal Dialer’. After loading a .csv file of names and phone numbers into the application, the system will automatically dial the next number until the list is done. An example of where this feature would be most useful in emergencies is at a school. If an emergency was to happen at a school, the administration would need to contact all the parents or guardians of the students. If they did not have this feature, they would have to dial the phone numbers manually. Personal Dialer will help make this process quicker and more efficient. If you’re interested in learning more about Personal Dialer, check out this post.

Now, what happens if there is an emergency and the power goes out? No problem! Back in February, the FCC made it a requirement that all providers of facilities-based and fixed residential voice services offer their customers the option to purchase a 24hr backup solution. They are required to promote continued access to 911 services in the chance of a power outage. To learn more about this new rule and requirement, take a look at this blog post.

Band-Aids? Check. SIP Monitoring? Also, check.

Always make sure you’re covered!

The post Your UC First Aid Kit appeared first on Bicom Systems - Official Blog.

You are all thinking it, so I am just going to say it. Starting a new job in an unfamiliar industry is scary and intimidating. There are challenges that not only new employees have to overcome, but also the employers who are hiring them.

How many new grads can confidently say they understood what a PBX was, or the benefits of using VoIP before they got a job at a telecommunication’s company. We can’t sugarcoat it any longer; it can be complicated to understand the telecommunications industry. There is so much information to learn and process that even employers can get overwhelmed.

As a relatively new grad and new employee in the telco industry, I can testify I felt overwhelmed with everything I needed to learn. But your new employees do not need to feel like that! Keep reading to hear some tips to overcome the challenges your new employees may face.

Implement an Onboarding Kit
After the I’s are dotted and the T’s are crossed on the contract, but before your new employee starts, present them with an onboarding kit. Think of it as a bit of homework for them to read over before their official big day. The kit should include materials like:

• An overview of the company
• An overview of your products
• Common words and definitions they may come across
• Common industry knowledge

Obtaining this information before a new employee’s first day will make it easier and more comforting for them. Implementing a proper onboarding kit for new employees will also make the training process easier and will decrease the rate of employee turnover.

Training Tips
Training is obviously a given, but it is important to stress. There is so much information to digest and understand in the telecommunications industry. It can be difficult because you are not dealing with tangible products, and employees will have no personal attachment to them. For example, even if you are not a car guru, you know its basic functions. It is easy to sell and market the features because you can physically touch and see how they work. Even though everyone knows what a phone is, not everyone understands how VoIP or PBX works. It is also harder to explain because they are intangible and you can’t hold the features like you could in a vehicle.

1. 1. Go Slow
      Having to remember everyone’s names, where the lunchroom is, plus the process of placing phone calls over the internet is a lot to take in on your first day. Many times, employers will say the famous line “don’t worry, you do not need to remember this all now”. But isn’t it counterintuitive to explain it now, knowing they won’t retain the information to only later re-explain it?
      Instead of repeating the same information repeatedly, deliver it in waves. Some topics will require more time to understand, but it is important to go slow and avoid overwhelming new employees.

1. 2. Keep them Engaged
      I think we can all agree that telco isn’t the most thrilling industry. Therefore, when training employees, you must keep them engaged in what they are learning. Companies should use videos, infographics and explain the topics in layman terms. By doing this, new employees can relate better to the topics. The more they are engaged, the more information they will retain.

1. 3. Use Real Life Examples
      For a new hire to better relate to a topic, you should use real-life examples. An example that we use at Bicom Systems is called ‘The Bicom Burger’. PBX is a standard burger with two buns and a patty. Our product, PBXware, is the same burger, but with added toppings (features). The PBXware burger has toppings like cheese (archiving storage), lettuce (CRM integration) and tomato (CDR partitioning). Other companies sell burgers too (PBX software) and they could offer different toppings.
      It may sound silly comparing telephone software to burgers, but it makes sense! Someone new to the industry can use this example and add to it when further explaining other topics.

1. 4. Ask Other Employees for Help
      Everyone learns differently and although one employee enjoys reading and memorizing manuals, others do not. Employers should ask their seasoned employees what challenges they faced and what they wish they would have known when starting with the company. Businesses can use this information to their advantage and improve the training process for future candidates.

1. 5. Offer User-friendly Technology/Software
      Imagine starting a new job, in an industry you do not understand, and you must use software and/or devices you are unfamiliar with. That is a huge turn off for new employees. Offering employees the option to BYOD (bring your own device) will make them feel more confident in the system they are using. If the company cannot allocate this option, it is important to offer user-friendly software, so employees can learn more easily and efficiently.

We would love to hear from you!

What kind of challenges have you faced as a new employee or employer? Do you have any other tips to make learning the industry easier? Let us know in the comments below!

The post Tips for Employers in the Telco Industry appeared first on Bicom Systems - Official Blog.