Businesses Have Their Own Private Social Network!

Most people probably don't realize that long before the explosion of Social Networking sites like Facebook, MySpace, Twitter, and LinkedIn (for business networking) every business to some extent already had their OWN social network - their business phone system.

Indeed, the business phone system links together everyone in a business and allows for communication between all members of this "community" via intercom. Furthermore, every time a speed dial number to a client or supplier is added to the business phone system, this private and very much unique social network grows by extension. As with a Facebook type social network, each of these added contacts to a phone system directory has their own set of unique contacts (both internally and externally), that may or may not eventually impact your own phone system network.

When you think of your business phone system in these terms you really start to understand the true importance of this key component of business equipment. Whether it be an IP capable system such as the Avaya IP Office phone platform or a more basic line such as the Nortel Norstar phone system, As your "social" network grows so does your business!

Enjoy your day and take full advantage of YOUR private business social network. ;-)

Avaya IP Office IP500 Phone System

If there’s one thing a large company needs to keep in business, it’s a reputation for quality. With today’s global marketplace relying on telecommunication, quality is even more essential. Fortunately an Avaya IP Office 500 PABX specializes in quality, reliability and scalability for large businesses.

The challenges of running a business with 100 or more employees aren’t simply issues of size. Big business needs quality technology, but at a scale that’s both economical and functional. That’s where an Avaya IP Office 500 PABX can be an excellent telephone solution.

In addition, Avaya’s IP Office 500 PABX gives senior executives of large companies an effective method for managing the total cost of ownership (TOC) of a computer-integrated telephone system.

Perhaps this high level of administrative control offers a good reason why Avaya phone systems are found in some 90 percent of Fortune 500 companies.

Furthermore, the Avaya IP 500 PABX offers multiple options for integrating business functions through the telephone system.

{The IP 500’s ease of use and administration means that the company has control of its telephone system. This feature alone can save a business thousands of dollars through life of the phone system. The IP 500’s software also can be updated to incorporate new technology.}

The IP 500 can link a Customer Relationship Management (CRM) database into the VoIP (Voice over Internet Protocol) for easier customer calling. It can connect multiple work sites through a Virtual Phone Network (VPN) or provide remote computer access, sometimes known as “hotdesking” to staff that travel or telecommute.

{Sharp business executives recognize that a telephone system’s costs associated over its life cycle can easily get out of hand, given the speed of technology changes these days. Avaya’s system is designed to be easily and economically upgradable from the outset, giving the company total control of its telephone operations. With this level of administrative control, a large company can save thousands of dollars on maintenance and upgrade throughout the life of the telephone system.}

Among the Avaya IP 500 PABX’s other features are* Easy-to-use handsets. * A computer-telephone integration interface that’s considered one of the most user-friendly on the market.* A computer-telephone integration interface that’s considered one of the most user-friendly ones.

While the precise configuration need by a business will govern the cost of an Avaya IP 500 PABX installation, the short-term expense will quickly be recovered through the savings on administration, maintenance and upgrades.

Consider this list of customizable features:
* Call Accounting
* Multi-site IP networking
* Multiple options for voicemail
* Teleconferencing for up to 64 parties on line at once
* Teleconferencing for up to 64 parties on line at once
* IP Handsets and IP soft phones

The Avaya IP 500 PABX also guards a business against the added expense of having to toss out an old system in order to get improved technology. Avaya’s software can be easily updated to new improvements in telecommunications. The Avaya IP500 phone system, its data cards , and phones are covered by a 12-month warranty. Training and technical support are also available.

An Avaya IP500 PABX telephone system helps business be big and beautiful.

(edited reprint from True Tips and Facts)

Avaya's IP Office "Best Kept Secret"!

If your company is considering a new phone system or has already purchased and settled in on the Avaya IP Office phone system platform, you need to know about the best kept secret in the telecom industry - the "Avaya Knowledgebase". Actually, it's not a secret at all but the average Avaya IP Office customer does not know it even exists. We, on the other hand, actively encourage our clients to use the Avaya Knowledgebase for all it's worth.

The Avaya Knowledgebase is a truly phenomenal information source for all Avaya IP Office products. The detailed information available shows you the powerful capabilities of the IP Office platform, inclusive of the Avaya IP 500 and the previous Avaya IP 412 which will be discontinued with the new IP 500 5.0 firmware release.

All of the IP 500 expansion modules are described in amazing detail in the Knowledgebase, along with the various series of phones - both digital and VoIP Avaya IP Office phones.

If you are considering purchasing a new business phone system, are upgrading from an Avaya Partner ACS, or are already utilizing the Avaya IP Office phone system platform, I highly recommend that you bookmark the Avaya Knowledgebase as it is a one-stop source for anything related to the IP Office platform.

Hotel phones - why do we take them for granted?

It's funny how we check into a hotel or motel, go to our rooms, unpack our bags, take a shower, get dressed for dinner or a night on the town or just hunker down for the night, we make a few phone calls - home, for business, or simply to call for a cab - maybe even just to call the front desk to find out where the nearest ice machine is - and yet, despite the fact we recognize the distinctly different design of a hotel phone, we just kind of take the poor thing for granted!

When you want a pizza haven't you ever taken the time to notice how the hotel has already taken the time to label your room phone faceplate with a pizza button (or at least room service key)? Tsk, tsk!

The fact is that hotel/motel guest room phones are very different from your average business phone system extension - despite the fact the main system control unit of the phone system may be the same (i.e. Avaya IP Office, Avaya Definity, Nortel Norstar, Nortel Meridian 1 PBX for larger hospitality properties). The hotel room phone is very much it's own breed and major manufacturers include Teledex hotel phones, Scitec hotel phones, and Telematrix hotel phones.

HOTELtelecom specializes in offering hotel and motel chains and individual hotels and motels direct online hotel phones at wholesale prices. Today hotel phone stretch into the VoIP category and many lines are now far more stylish than the traditional looking phones that have always been very functional for it's designed purpose but packaged in a plain rectangle shape.

The new iPhone A line from Teledex is a very good example of the new euro styling being employed by hotel phone manufacturers. While traditional hotel phones were usually beige (cream) color, the iPhone A line base color is charcoal (black) color. Personally I think this is a huge improvement over the older stying of guest room phones. In case you didn't know (as we all chose to simply ignore the phones in all the hotel or motel rooms we have stayed in - lol) Teledex is considered the world's leading manufacturer of hospitality phones.

Another major development over the past 10-12 years are short range cordless phones that are specifically made for hotel rooms. The short range feature of these phones means no interference or cross-talk between the cordless phones between each of the rooms in a property. These phones also have come a long way in styling as evident with the new Telematrix cordless hotel phones which feature single line and 2-line versions.

One thing is for sure the technology behind guest room phones has come a long way and even those most brand lines remain analog phones, the digital improvements to set features are vastly improved. Improvements in the cordless versions of these phones include DECT 6.0 technology and use of the newer 1.9 GHz bandwidth.

Has the time come where we will now revere hotel/motel room phones instead of simply taking them for granted? Probably not. But it does occur to me that me may finally take more notice of them and understand that they have very unique qualities when compared to the average business phone. Maybe we will even come to appreciate these phones as the really marvelous sector of the telephony industry they represent - even if only because the "Pizza" button saved you an ill-fated trip through the local phone book in a city you know nothing about. Cheers all!

New phone for Small Office / Home Office (SOHO)

Well I must say it's about time someone filled the void left by the Nortel Venture 3 phone system for small or home office applications. Enter the NSQ412 Landmark 4-line phone, which can be expanded up to 4 lines and 12 handsets.

While the Venture 3 phones remain available, many of these have been refurbished numerous times as new Venture 3 phones have long since been unavailable. The NSQ412 phone is a true replacement for the needs of most small office and home office requirements that were previously satisfied by the Nortel Venture 3 platform.

The NSQ412 4-line phone boasts a long list of features usually found only on expensive business telephone systems. Things like caller ID with a 200 number log, a 200 name & number directory (150 private / 50 public), wireless headset capability, a great 2-way speakerphone, one station / all station page, and much more.

NSQ412 Landmark Phone Features:

• Allows up to 12 phones on a system
• Caller ID w/ 200 number log
• 50 Record public directory
• 150 Record private directory
• Message waiting LED
• Backlit LCD
• Line status indicator
• Individual/ All-Page
• Call timer
• 4 Different ringer sounds so each line has its own
• Auto line select
• Intercom
• 2-Way Speakerphone
• Call transfer
• Headset jack - works specifically with the Plantronics CS50R Headset* for hands-free calling.
• Mute key for handset
• Hold
• Programmable flash
• Redial
• Pause
• Clock
• View Larger NSQ412 Image

It's great to see that someone has finally addressed this void in the telecom market. So many small businesses do not require a full blown phone system with a Key Service Unit (KSU) and costly additional modules like voicemail systems and the NSQ412 phone clearly offers enough expansion for just about any small office application. Better still, these are NEW phones - not an old retread as so many phones are now for small office requirements. Cheers everyone!

On Hold Message Adapter for Small / Home Offices

Finally! Now your small business can sound like "the big boys!"

We recently found a great little item that allows small and home offices with single-line and two-line phones to add a professional Message On Hold. This MOH adaptor gives you the ability to place people on hold directly by pressing the "1" and "2" buttons (for lines 1 and 2 respectively).

Virtually all Small Office / Home Office Phones have no ability to add a MOH (music on hold) input. They have what is known as "electronic hold". This means when the Hold button is pressed on the phone, people are placed on hold but hear... absolutely NOTHING. That can prove to be deadly as people tend to hang up after a very short while in these situations, either believing they may have been hung up on or just feel they can spend their time more wisely and re-connect with you again later. Later may never come as they might find someone that will deal with them immediately at another supplier!

The Message On Hold adapter is placed between the wall jack and your 1-2 line phone and all you need to do is add a Message On Hold system player with a custom message production and "voila" your callers will be listening to useful information about your business instead of silence.

Telephone Magic offers a great start-up package which includes a USB Message On Hold unit and a fully customized message production about your company. The best part is there is currently introductory offer with a "recession buster" discount to get you up and running as easily and einexpensively as possible. This offer applies to all businesses, and small office / home office clients need only add the Message On Hold adapter to complete the package.

On Hold Adapter Features:

• RCA input for MOH device
• Modular connections
• Place up to 2 callers on-hold
• Large easy-to-push buttons
• Blue LED status indicators
• Durable high-impact plastic case
• All cables included
• Designed and manufactured in the USA
• 5-year parts and labor warranty
• View large MOH Adapter Image

Installation of the Message On Hold adapter is a snap - instructions are on the product page of the Telephone Magic website - and don't worry about figuring out what to say on your message as the production team at Telephone Magic has been assisting it's customers with scripting for over 20 years.

Telephone Magic goes Facebook...

For everyone following our Social Networking experiment, here is our company Facebook listing:
http://www.facebook.com/pages/Niagara-Falls-ON/Telephone-Magic-Inc/101953135681

My personal listing, including some photos of my son, dog, boat, oh yes and even me:
http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100000070211007&ref=profile

As per my profile:
"The grasp of social networking has taken a turn for the worse... it dragged me in too!"

Telephone Magic is now "LinkedIn"

Both our company profile and my personal profile are now up and running on the business social networking site "LinkedIn".

Our company profile can be found at:
http://www.linkedin.com/in/norstarphonesavayaphonesystem

My personal profile is located here:
http://www.linkedin.com/in/businessphones

My personal profile home page name matches my Twitter home page. Follow me on Twitter here:
http://twitter.com/Business_Phones

Have a great 4th of July weekend everyone!

New Telephone Magic Press Release is now "LIVE"

Well it took 2 days but our 20th Anniversary press announcement is active:

http://www.prweb.com/releases/2009/07/prweb2604644.htm

We will have numerous news releases related to new product lauches coming in the next few weeks so stay tuned!

Nortel Companion Batteries in High Demand

Boy do we ever sell a ton of Nortel Companion handset batteries! I really think we should give this item it's own page on the Telephone Magic website as they sell like hot cakes.

I guess on one hand it IS understandable - Nortel sold an incredible volume of the Companion Cordless Phone System in Canada. In fact, at one point Canadian companies didn't have any real choice - if they wanted wireless/cordless phones as an add-on to the Norstar phone system platform, they had to purchase the Companion system.

The great thing is our Companion handset battery fits both the 3050 and 3060 Companion handset models so it is a universal solution. For Canadian businesses with the Companion wireless system we offer quick turn-around of your orders and, more importantly, we also ship directly from Ontario, Canada, so there are no exchange or customs brokerage fees to pay.

Telephone Magic also ships Companion batteries directly within the US for any Nortel clients
trying to maintain this wireless business phone system platform.

Fans of the Companion wireless system are able to buy replacement 3050 and 3060 handsets and batteries wholesale-direct from Telephone Magic. In these tough ecenomic times that means this previously installed technology remains in play, saving a huge investment in a replacement system.

The Social Networking Phenomenon

Well I must admit to being somewhat taken aback here. This whole social networking thing is an Internet explosion of often highly interesting and/or voyeuristic content from millions (billions?) of everyday people like you and I. I thought the Facebook craze was amazing but in my opinion Twitter has taken everything to the next level with "What are you doing?" - LOL!

I never thought the day would come when you could literally jump into someone's back pocket (virtually ANYONE's) but it has come to pass. Is it scary? Hmmmm.... maybe a little, but it is also AMAZING by it's nature, offering updates of people's thoughts and activities though a web GUI or even more importantly (from a telecommunications standpoint) via your mobile phone.

People are literally offering up their thoughts on a myriad of topics (literally anything qualifies as content here!) and others around the world are connecting to and following that content on an on-going basis. Now you CAN control WHO follows your Twitter feed (if you wanted to create a private network) but what's the fun in that? Don't we all want to feel like we matter? Well at Twitter, you have a forum to become important (or at lease interesting) to as many people as you can attract via your "content".

It's a crazy world we live in... (and now I have to go buy a BlackBerry!) ;-)

Telephone Magic now on Twitter

We have entered a new era in Social Networking, and this Twitter thing cannot be ignored any longer... LOL. You can follow us on Twitter here on the blog (see the side panel to the right for updates), or directly @ our new Twitter home page for Nortel Norstar Meridian and Avaya IP Office and Definity business phones among many other interesting daily observations. The world just keeps on getting smaller and smaller... ;-)

Canadian businesses have their own Telecom Portal

Just a quick note to make sure all of our Canadian friends realize that when they need Nortel Norstar phones, Norstar phone headsets, or any other Norstar phone system hardware, module, or part, we have a site right here in Canada for you. While we have been serving the Canadian market for 20 years with Norstar and Meridian phone equipment, our web site for these business clients was incepted less than two years ago.

We carry many of the most popular business phone system lines and now specialize in the Avaya phone platform. If you need a call recording system - we have it. If you require an On Hold
Message system - we carry the latest digital players. We have just about every necessary business telecom product - right here in Canada - so be sure to visit our direct Canadian telecom portal.

Back with a Vengeance!

OK I must admit it's just a snappy 'movie' title - lmao.

All kidding aside, we are glad to be blogging again here at Telephone Magic - so much has happened in the past couple of years and we are thrilled to be able to start writing about it again.

Let's start with AVAYA - we have really expanded our Avaya offerings - from the new IP500 IP Office platform (along with all the digital Avaya phones, VoIP IP phones, and wireless phones) to a complete selection of Avaya Definity PBX circuit packs / cards and Definity phones, we are now a leader in wholesale Internet Avaya telecom products.

We are now celebrating over 20 years in business and things have never been more exciting in the telecom field. Convergence is here and we seem to find new products to talk about every day. In the coming weeks and months I will do my best to bring you the latest telecom products that can make your business run smoother or solve issues within your structure.

My thanks go out to Mark Kawabe for incepting this blog and making it an interesting going concern. I will do my best to bring you the same interesting product information with a smile or two mixed in for good measure.

Cheers!

Changes to Voyager's Alpha Wireless Phones

Following with our theme of "discontinuation", the Voyager Alpha long range cordless phone has been replaced by the Voyager CL-2200XP AS. The newest generation of phone from Voyager has a new RF module providing more stability and the same range (or greater) than the Alpha series.

The handset is more rugged than the Alpha and is sure to become a favourite in factories, farms, oil rigs and everywhere long range cordless phones are required.

So, welcome to the world, Voyager's CL-2200XP AS!

Plantronics CS50, RIP

We all knew it was coming, but it's done. The Plantronics CS50 wireless headset has been discontinued by Plantronics to make way for the new 1.9 GHz Plantronics CS55 wireless headset.

Thank you, CS50, for all the great years of service you provided and still provide thousands of happy customers.

Welcome, CS55. We're going to introduce you to as many people as we possibly can.

Have a great day.

Happy New Year!

I and the folks at Telephone Magic Inc. wish you a happy, healthy and prosperous 2007!

Best Regards,

Mark Kawabe

Small Business Phone Systems

The problem I'm about to describe is probably partly my fault, but I'll ponder it anyway.

Why is it that people are still purchasing Nortel 3x8 phone systems?

I mean, they are good systems and all, and I'm sure there are people who genuinely need them, but there are so many other options out there that are frankly speaking, pretty damn good options that are less expensive than Nortel's offerings that, well, I'm a little amazed.

Now, to be fair to my boss, he's built his business on Nortel products. So, that's what you'll see on the homepage of the site. However, we also offer Avaya - which has made the leap to the front page as well.

Some of the smaller systems are pretty good though, so I'd like to shed a little light on them.

The first is anything by TalkSwitch. This is a great analog phone system with everything you can think of built in. Voicemail. Auto-attendant. The amazing "track-you-down-at-any-number-you-can-be-reached-at" feature (one of my favourites) plus a whole bunch more. It works with any analog phone, or you can buy TalkSwitch phones to go with the system.

Oh - and if you purchase the optional VoIP module, suddenly you have a VoIP phone system at a very low price compared to anything from Nortel.

TalkSwitch phone systems - ideal for small business owners.

For those who are planning their data network to do data AND voice, there's the really simple Venture IP phone system. Really straightforward - buy ONE Venture IP Gateway (supports up to four incoming lines). ADD Venture 480i IP phones anywhere on the LAN. The phones automatically find the gateway and configure themselves with an extension AND they find all the other phones on the LAN and configure themselves together. Add up to 200 phones on the LAN and you're all set.

This system also comes with voicemail, auto-attendant etc., which are EXTRA features on most mainstream phone systems.

I personally think these phone systems are really great values for small business owners. Both are produced by well-established companies so there's really nothing to worry about from a "fly-by-night" perspective. Just something for everyone to think of in the new year, especially if you're just starting a business.

Chameleon 2001 Phone Headset Road Test

I've been using a Chameleon 2001 headset for the past month or so.

Overall, it's done pretty well. I'm using it for a cellphone and my home cordless phones.

The cellphone (Motorola V635) has a built-in headset 2.5 mm headset jack. The 2001 headset works fine with it, but the phone's not so good for the headset. You can't adjust the transmission volume, which means you sound REALLY LOUD when using the phone. Also, because the transmit is so high, while the noise canceling microphone tunes out a lot of stuff, even the stuff that's muted gets sent through quite audibly. Not great. In addition, I found the cord of the headset acted as an antenna for the phone, so there was an audible hum on the line until I removed the antenna from the phone.

I'm told by others in the know that this is a problem with corded headsets and digital phones. If you have an analog cellphone (a rarity in these days), you won't likely have that problem. I suppose this is why most digital phones are bluetooth enabled...

Anyway, I attribute the problems more to the phone than the headset.

I also use the headset on a couple of cordless phones I have at home and there, it performs flawlessly. The microphone's better than what's on the phones. One of my callers noted that my voice sounded clearer and had more bass to it when I put the headset on compared to when I was using the handset alone.

I suggest though if you're going to use a headset on a cordless phone that you get a cordless phone with a good range of volume adjustment. The VTech cordless phone I has the low volume setting rather high, even at the lowest setting. Sometimes it's necessary to move the headset a little bit off the ear when speaking to a loud caller. On my GE cordless phone, I just lower the volume and no headset adjustments are necessary.

In short, the headset works fine. The locking quick disconnect on the cord stays put as it should, even when my daughter's pulling on it with all of her might, so that's a neat feature. It's durable, having gone from the car dashboard to the floor several times as well as being stepped on my my daughter a couple of times (the microphone boom only, fortunately - not the speaker).

I use a cordless headset at work, so I don't use the Chameleon there, but in the home environment, which is sometimes more hectic than work, it's performing very well.

So well in fact that my wife wants one too.

Get your Chameleon 2001 headset by clicking here.

The Nortel IP 2007 VoIP Phone

Not sure what happend here, but the Nortel IP 2007 VoIP phone was missing in action from our site.

If you haven't seen one of these before, here's what they look like:

Not just cute, but practical too!

The biggest thing about them is the colour touchscreen and the added functionality that feature brings to the phone.

Essentially, the IP 2007 combines the functionality of the Nortel IP 2004 VoIP phone and with the touch screen, gives you a ton more options.

Many of the options depend on what version of Nortel's communication servers you're running, but if you have the support for it, you can get maps & directions from websites directly on your phone, see footage from your security cameras, give your staff information on guests in hospitality environments or send out company-wide bulletins over the phone.

There are a lot of possibilities that can dramatically improve your organization's efficiency by distributing information quickly to all staff with access to these phones.

The Nortel IP 2007 VoIP phone - no longer MIA from the Telephone Magic website.

It's been a while

Working on a bunch of projects here has left me blogless for a bit.

However, one new thing I can report on is we've added a sitemap to the site to make things easier to find.

It's online at http://www.telephonemagic.com/sitemap.htm.

Nothing fancy, but I hope it helps.

Meridian Phones

Sometimes it's hard to see the forest for the trees.

Having been charged with the upkeep of the website, I've been trying to fix inconsistencies with the navigation. Sometimes it works. Sometimes not.

Take for example, Meridian Phones. There were pages to help one navigate through the T and M series of Norstar phones but there wasn't one master page to send people to so they could easily get to the Meridian M2000 and M3000 phone pages.

Well, that's changed. Here's the updated link to Meridian Phones:

http://www.telephonemagic.com/meridian-1-phone-system.htm

You can find Meridian M3000 and M2000 phone as well as cards for the Meridian 1 PBX systems that these phones run on.

Oh, all at wholesale prices too, I might add.

I hope you enjoy the update.

Chameleon 3007 Universal Phone Headset Amplifier

One thing I've noticed as a newcomer to the telecom industry is that lots of companies like to make their stuff proprietary - only working with other products that they make.

Headsets are a prime example of this.

First of all, headsets have to adapt to the phone. Plantronics gets around this by creating two different lines of headsets - Polaris and H-series - to connect to different types of phones either directly, or through an amplifier.

Of course, you can't use a Plantronics amplifier with a GN Netcom headset - and the opposite is true as well.

Then you get a subversive product like the Chameleon 3007 universal phone headset amplifier.

Yeah - subversive. You read correctly.

This product is truly universal - accepting headsets from Plantronics and GN Netcom - and pretty much any other major headset manufacturer. It also connects to virtually any business phone.

Compare that to the "universal" headset amplifiers from Plantronics, which connect to virtually any business phone but only accept headsets within the Plantronics universe. I guess that's how they can call it "universal" - referring only to the phones it can connect to.

One of the neat features about the Chameleon is a "magic switch" as they call it, which eliminates the "speaking into a tin can sound" that can sometimes happen when used with high transmit application. One flick of the switch and the call clarity is boosted tremendously. It's amazing nobody else has thought of this before.

So, if you have a Plantronics of GN Netcom headset and need a new amplifier, I strongly suggest you look into the Chameleon 3007. It works great and will probably make your existing headset work even better than with its former amplifier. It's also the best looking of the bunch, in my opinion.

Impedance in headets

Do you know what makes a Polaris-series Plantronics headset different from an H-series headset?

They look the same.

They feel the same.

They smell the same.

The difference is . . . impedance.

????

Impedance is "resistance to alternating current" and is measured in ohms.

A Polaris headset has different impedance than an H-series headset.

This is why a Polaris headset can be plugged directly into a telephone that has an amplifier, but an H-series headset requires an external amplifier to work.

This is also why Polaris headsets cost more.

Interestingly, Chameleon call center headsets can be plugged directly into a telephone with a built-in amplifier (like the Norstar T-series of phone) AND it can also be used with an external amplifier.

I learn something new every day.

A Telecom Promo in the Greater Toronto Area (GTA)

If you're in the GTA (Greater Toronto Area, Canada, eh?), Telephone Magic's running a special promotion for phone systems.

If you purchase or lease a new Norstar CICS Digital Phone System with voicemail and 4 T7316e phones, you'll receive a free USB digital message on-hold announcer and a professional generic message production!

The cost of this on a lease is $66 / month (O.A.C., plus taxes, first and last in advance, buy-out at end of term - installation extra).

This is a limited time offer, so call Jim Mucciarone at 905-356-9199 x 3006 for more details.

Casper - the Friendly Call Recorder!

My boss took a look at this product and started humming the theme to the original Casper cartoons. "Casper - the Friendly Ghost, the Friendly Ghost..."

This is a friendly product - both for use and on the bank account.

The Casper USB call recorder is a full line-tap device that records all conversations on the line to computer through a USB connection. It can be installed before the phone system on each line to capture all calls made on that line, thus eliminating the need to have one unit per PHONE, which is how a lot of other systems work. Because of this, it can be a less expensive way to record all the calls in your call center or business.

For more information on the Casper and other USB call recording devices, click here.

Yet another friendly product available wholesale through Telephone Magic.

Call Center Headsets from Chameleon now online

Well, as promised, Chameleon call center headsets are now online.

http://www.telephonemagic.com/call-center-headsets/ is the URL.

These headsets stand out because they blend in. They can be made to work with Plantronics M12 adapters as well as GN Netcom amplifiers because they use special compatibility cords below the quick disconnect that pretty much every corded headset has these days.

They also feature enhanced noise canceling microphones for exceptional call clarity.

Check them out today!

Call Center Headsets

So I keep learning things here that I like to pass along, in the hopes some of you will find it useful.

I was talking with the manufacturer of the Chameleon phone headset about their products, which have been designed to provide call center managers with the best possible headset for the dollar.

Of all the headset manufacturers, I think Chameleon might have the smallest product line. That's because their philosophy is simple - there are only three main styles of headset people are going to wear, so we'll only offer them in those styles. Furthermore, the only kind of microphone that's any good is an enhanced noise canceling microphone, so that's all we're going to put on our headsets.

That means Chameleon currently offers three headsets for the call center market - a monaural headset, a binaural headset and a convertible monaural headset - all with enhanced noise canceling microphones.

Why the focus on the noise canceling mics? As they put it, the "voice tubes" found on competing models transmit sound from approximately a 10~15 foot radius. If you're using a voice tube, you're possibly going to transmit conversations from the agent next to you, or in an office environment, from somebody walking past your office or cubicle.

With a voice tube, there's no such thing as a "private" phone conversation due to the transmit of outside noise. Only a noise canceling microphone will do - and the more noise canceling available, the better.

Our Chameleon rep said that the competition's noise canceling microphones take out about 60% of background noise. The competition also offers "enhanced" or "ultra" noise canceling microphones on selected models - at a price premium of approximately $20. Chameleon builds in enhanced noise canceling microphones in all of their headsets, with no price premium. To me, that sounds like a good deal, especially in a call center where picking up other conversations is distracting and reduces the clarity of the agent's voice.

Another point about noise canceling microphones I noticed. Chameleon's mics are all on flexible booms to ensure proper positioning of the microphone. Many noise canceling microphones on competing headsets from Plantronics and GN Netcom have booms that can swivel, but don't get into an optimal position to capture your voice and nothing but your voice. If you have a fixed boom that's beside your mouth or in some cases, is short enough to be sort of beside your cheek, the noise canceling function can't be too good or it would hardly pick up your voice. That won't happen with Chameleon's mics which can be properly positioned just to the side of your mouth.

So, noise canceling is a big part of the Chameleon story. However, that's not all they've got going for them. Their warranty is pretty good as well - a 2 year warranty covering everything except abuse and intentional damage. If you return a product under warranty, you get a brand new headset with a FULL 2 year warranty on it as well. That's impressive. I'm also told their return rate of headsets for damage is under 2.5% over a 2 year period, so quality and durability are built in.

I've left out why these things are called Chameleon in the first place. If you're working with Plantronics or GN Netcom equipment in your call center and you want to replace headsets or amplifiers, you're stuck with the same manufacturer. Chameleon headsets blend into any phone system environment and any other headset. In other words, if you need to replace a headset, just order the Chameleon headset you want and an adapter cord, and it will work with a Plantronics or GN Netcom amplifier - or plug directly into your phone if you have a "direct connect" telephone. Same thing applies with amplifiers - use your Plantronics or GN Netcom headset with a Chameleon amplifier no problem.

So, you have a durable, quality headset with an enhanced noise canceling microphone that's great in call centers. Now, here's the biggest feature of them all - these headsets pay for themselves several times over in a call center environment. Here's how.

With a big speaker and an enhanced noise canceling microphone, you will significantly decrease the "noise" in the conversation so the agent and the caller can hear each other clearly. This has been demonstrated to increase call throughput - a super-huge important measure of efficiency in call centers. How does this make you money? Simple.

Let's assume you have a call center with 100 seats. With salaries, benefits, infrastructure costs etc., it probably costs around $28,000 to fill that seat with an agent. An increase in call throughput of 1% means you could theoretically do the job of 100 agents with only 99. OR, your 100 agents are doing the job of 101 agents. Either way, there's a $28,000 benefit to your call center's bottom line.

Chameleon headsets represent the best value you're going to find in a call center headset in my opinion. Frankly, they're a good addition to any phone you're going to use a headset on. They fit virtually all business phones (including AVAYA) and they have adapters for your cell phone. Because of their use of compatibility cables, you can have one headset do double or triple duty on your desk phone, cell phone and home phone or computer.

Chameleon headsets - coming soon to the Telephone Magic website. http://www.telephonemagic.com.

Multi-Line Long Range Cordless Phones

We get a lot of people asking about multi-line long range cordless phones. The Nortel T7406 is commonly used on Nortel Norstar systems, but its range is sometimes limited by environmental factors (like concrete walls and the like). The Avaya TransTalk 9040 is a good model, but it is increasingly hard to find and is only available refurbished. So what's left?

There are long range cordless phones specially designed for use in office buildings. EnGenius and Voyager long range phones will both cover up to 12 stories in an office building and up to 6 miles in open areas. Again, keep in mind that environmental factors will affect the range you get. Expect to use an external antenna if you want the longest range from these models.

The EnGenius Durafon 4X system is the only multi-line long range cordless phone system. It does have its limitations though.

First of all, there is no way we know to have the Durafon 4X pick up MULTIPLE lines in a PBX environment. I spoke to EnGenius support about this issue today and they didn't have an answer as to how it could work. They said it MIGHT work in a Nortel environment, but it's not something they've tested.

If you're in a NON-PBX environment, you'll have more luck. Your lines would go directly into the base of the Durafon 4X (up to 4 lines). Then, if you're on the phone and a call comes in on another line, the Durafon 4X base will send a signal to the handset causing it to beep twice and print a message on the LCD display. Unfortunately, you can't take three calls at once on a single handset.

There are other business cordless phone options available, but the ones we've seen so far are quite expensive and require repeaters throughout the area you want to cover. As updates come in, I'll try to keep things posted.

Ocean's 13 Movie "Supporting Role" played by Telephone Magic Scitec Hotel Phones

One of the fun things around the office is hearing who sold what to who.

Recently, Dorothy was contacted by the set people for the new Ocean's 13 movie who wanted Scitec hotel phones to dress their sets. The phones were shipped and are hopefully in filming now. I hope they remember their lines...

That's cool, for us anyway!

Telephone Magic has sold to all kinds of companies - governments, military agencies, police, fire, ambulance services, Fortune 500 and thousands of other companies but it's neat to hear that phones we sell might wind up in what to us is a high-profile role. Hey - if one of our phones is pressed against George Clooney's ear for a few moments in the film, that'll be great. Okay, it wouldn't be so bad to be seen being used by Brad Pitt or Matt Damon either. Do they have enough star-power in this film?

Unfortunately, Julia Roberts or Catherine Zeta-Jones won't be gracing the screen this time. Oh to be a phone pressed against one of those ladies' ears...

...ahem...

Anyway, if you're looking for wholesale hotel phones, keep Telephone Magic on your mind!

Unbundling the Bundled CS70

The new Plantronics CS70 wireless headset is the newest wireless headset to hit the market. I was really happy when this came out because it was ONLY offered as a bundle with the HL10 handset lifter. Frankly, if you're going to buy a cordless headset, you're missing the best part of having one if you don't get the lifter to go with it. What's the point of having a cordless headset if you can't answer the phone when you're away from your desk?

But then again, what if you're upgrading and already have a handset lifter?

Fear not - Plantronics has announced that the CS70 will now be offered UNBUNDLED. So you can feel free to upgrade from your old CS10 wireless headset to the new CS70 without having to purchase an additional handset lifter.

So, what are you waiting for? Upgrade today!

Plantronics wireless headsets

In case anyone was wondering, the new Plantronics CS70 wireless headset is out. This is a great little model that surpasses the CS50 in style, if not in function.

If you're going to get the CS70 or any other wireless headset, get the HL10 handset lifter. Frankly, if you're going to buy a cordless headset, you're missing the best part of having one if you don't get the lifter to go with it. What's the point of having a cordless headset if you can't answer the phone when you're away from your desk?

The CS70 uses DECT 6.0 wireless technology (1.9 GHz) to improve clarity and reduce the risk of interference with other wireless devices.

Telephone Magic is selling the CS70 for the incredibly low price of $289 US, including the HL10 handset lifter. Check it out today!

Teledex Cordless Phones moving to DECT

Teledex has discontinued their line of analog cordless hotel phones, making way for a their new DECT wireless models.

DECT is a "new" wireless standard. New to North America - it's been around in Europe for a while. However, it promises to have less interference with other wireless devices so it's a good thing to have in a high density hotel.

The new phones operate at either 1.9 GHz (North America) or 1.8 GHz (Most European Countries) and will be available starting in September or October 2006.

Stay tuned for more updates!

More conference phone battery woes

On the heels of Polycom's problems with the SoundStation 2W battery comes a similar issue with ClearOne.

Here's the link:

http://www.clearone.com/docs/press_releases/PR_020206_Battery_Packs.pdf

Here's the problem:

Rechargeable Battery Packs Sold with MAX Wireless Conference Phones Recalled for Burn Hazard

These battery packs can short circuit, causing them to overheat and melt the protective plastic covering, posing a burn hazard to consumers.

The battery is included as a power source for the MAX Wireless Conference Phone Models 910-158-001 and 910-158-070. The model number can be located on the product ID label placed on the underside of the MAX Wireless Conference Phone Pod. The phone is black, six-sided and has a domed speaker in the center. “ClearOne Max” is written on the top of the phone. The recalled battery pack is green. The battery pack is located in the battery compartment on the underside of the MAX phone pod. The recall involves the TWD rechargeable nickel metal hydride battery pack with model number TH-AA2200. The battery pack’s model number “TH-AA2200,” “TWD NI-MH Battery,” and “7.2v AA2200mAH” are printed on the side of the battery. The battery pack is also sold separately.


Consumers should stop using these phones with recalled battery packs immediately and contact ClearOne Communications for a free replacement battery pack.

For additional information, contact ClearOne Communications at (800) 283-5936 select Option# 5 between 7 a.m. and 6 p.m. MST or visit the firm’s web site at www.clearone.com.

So, when this happened with Polycom's SoundStation 2W, we recommended the ClearOne Max Wireless. I suppose now that Clearone's having these problems with the MAX, we can always recommend the Konftel 60W wireless conference unit...

This just heard from the folks at Skype...

Plantronics today announced its Internet-optimized Voyager 510 Bluetooth headset solution featuring a plug-and-play USB Bluetooth voice adapter. “Skype for Business coupled with our new Bluetooth headset is the ultimate tool for small businesses,” commented Philip Vanhoutte, EMEA Managing Director, Plantronics. “You no longer need to carry a multitude of devices. Our Voyager 510 Bluetooth headset solution is multipoint, allowing customers to switch seamlessly between mobile phone and Internet calls.”

I checked the Plantronics website and didn't see anything about this Internet-Optimized headset, although I did find this:

"Plantronics today announced two new Bluetooth® headsets, the Plantronics Discovery™ 645 and Voyager 510 with WindSmart®, that incorporate new technologies for excellent audio clarity during conversations. The Voyager 510 is the first Bluetooth headset on the market to include both a noise-canceling microphone and wind-reduction technology for brilliant sound in windy environments. The Discovery 645 includes a digital signal processing (DSP) chip to actively reduce background noise when talking."

Very interesting. Two companies, talking about the same product, but in different ways.

I'll await clarification from Plantronics on these products. No information is available on their website as of yet.

For information on the Plantronics Voyager 510, you can always visit the Telephone Magic website.

GN Netcom makes a similar product - the GN 6210 wireless headset. It too features the ability to go between your mobile headset and your desk phone.

Gotta love all this convergence...

A Military Misconception Cleared Up

A buddy of mine who works with the military told me that no wireless telecom devices are allowed to be used by military personnel.

I found this a little hard to believe, so when Yves Dupuis from GN Netcom dropped in for a chat, I asked him about this. He said they sell lots of GN 9120 wireless headsets to the military.

He also mentioned that government workers (and others interested in privacy) usually opt for the GN 9120 because the 2.4 GHz frequency that the GN 9120 operates is inherently more secure than the 900 MHz frequency range. The GN 9120 also uses digital encryption to further protect the transmission between the base and headset.

I got to put the 9120 through its paces today. Installation was a snap - even without Yves helping. If you have installation problems, you can also call the 1-888-GNN-9120 support line for live assistance - quite handy.

Range was pretty good - I walked to the corner store which is about 200 feet from our office. It was a little windy and I had the SoundTube model, so the noise from the wind was picked up, but I'm sure that wouldn't have happened with the noise-canceling microphone model.

Sound quality on the receiving end was good, according to my office-mate who was helping me test the unit.

All things considered, the GN 9120 is a pretty slick little unit. No headset wires, cool looking base unit, built-in headset-in-use indicator on the base AND headset. Nice.

I guess another bonus - they're a little less expensive than the CS50 as well.

GN Netcom's also got some really cool stuff on the horizon, so you'll be hearing more about it soon.

Polycom SoundStation 2W Battery Recall

Following up from my post earlier this month, Polycom's SoundStation 2W batteries are being recalled.

You can remove the battery and continue using the conference phone with the AC adapter.

For details on how to do this, and for other information on the recall, here's the URL:

http://www.polycom.com/resource_center/1,,pw-13752,FF.html

Here's the link to the FAQ:

http://www.polycom.com/resource_center/0,,pw-13753,FF.html?trackID=13753

Here's the link to the US Consumer Safety Protection Commission's document (PDF):

http://eknowledge.polycom.com/media/SoundStation2W/polycom%20phone%20battery2-14-06.pdf

Polycom VTX 1000 - Full Spectrum Conference Phone

Trying to keep up with the myriad of products available for the telecom consumer is challenging at best. I'm trying to figure out how I missed out on this product though.

I've been party to the occasional conference call and haven't been really impressed with the hardware used. The voice quality wasn't always what I expected. Sometimes it was tinny, sometimes distorted, sometimes far away depending on where the speaker was positioned on the other end of the call.

Makes me wish we were using Polycom VTX 1000 Conference Phones back then. These models are designed to be able to pick up speakers up to 20 feet away from the microphones and offer full-spectrum sound. This is kind of neat - because full-spectrum sound refers to the hearing frequency range of us humans. The Polycom VTX 1000 can reproduce frequencies from the bottom to the top of the human hearing range, resulting in fuller, richer sound reproduction. Polycom says it's like having the other person in the room with you.I can't vouch for that, but it sounds like a really great idea. I can't wait to get my hands on one. I know we've sold a bunch of them lately. That's probably because there's a $100 rebate on them from Polycom. So, buy one from us and you'll get a cheque from Polycom for $100. The special lasts until March 31 and applies to the Polycom VTX 1000 and the SoundStation 2 EX.

For the first time - pricing!

Well, this is a huge development in the history of Telephone Magic's website.

You see, because our prices fluctuate often - sometimes daily - and depend on the volume of product purchased, management felt that it wouldn't be in our customers' best interest to post a single fixed price on the website.

However, I've bugged them for a while and am pleased to announce the introduction of pricing on the website. It's a first - and I'm pretty proud of it.

We're doing a test in the phone headset section as a trial to see how it goes. In other words, does adding pricing make it easier for people to make a decision about buying from us? Does it reduce the friction in the purchasing process? Or does it encourage tire-kicking?

I don't know the results yet, but prices are here at least.

The biggest difference though is we have stated a maximum price. In other words, the price shown on the website is the most you would pay if you ordered a single unit. If you were to order more than one headset, or combine it with a telephone purchase, the price would likely drop a bit. That's why it's only a maximum price.

That way, we can still offer the best prices possible to our customers while making sure we don't overcharge for items that we get special manufacturer pricing on.

What a deal! I hope you visit what we consider one of the Internet's leading telecommunications product websites today. Thanks!

Visit www.TelephoneMagic.com for all your business telecom requirements.

Polycom SoundStation 2W Shipments on Hold

Polycom has announced that for the present time, shipments of the popular SoundStation 2W wireless conference phone are on hold due to a potential issue with battery safety.

This situation only affects the SoundStation 2W as other Polycom products use a different battery pack.

If you HAVE a SoundStation 2W, you can still use it safely if you remove the battery and use the AC adapter instead.

Keep the battery and store it in a safe place. Polycom will be issuing further instructions soon. They say their next information update on this situation will be no later than February 10, 2006.

Telephone Magic carries other wireless conference phone options from ClearOne (ClearOne Max & ClearOne MaxAttach).

Konftel Conference Phones - SoundStation Replacement!

Konftel is a European manufacturer of conference phones. They've got a very innovative line of quality conference phones and Telephone Magic is pleased to be featuring them now.

The Konftel KT100 model is a model designed to fill the void left when Polycom discontinued the SoundStation conference phone. Good looking and reasonably priced, this is a solid performer that you should consider when looking to acquire a new or replacement conference phone.

Other Konftel models feature Bluetooth connectivity to computers, cellphones etc. giving them unparalleled flexibility in connection options. Check out the Konftel line of conference phones on TelephoneMagic.com today!

TalkSwitch Unveils New Phone

The TalkSwitch VoIP-capable PBX is a great unit for small businesses as well as companies with multiple locations looking to cut down on long distance costs.

TalkSwitch has just released their much-awaited TS600 business phone - a great model which will look great on any executive's desk. Even "the Donald's".

Have a look today at the innovative TalkSwitch system. It's packed with features and very reasonably priced.

EnGenius Updates

For those of who've been considering an EnGenius long range cordless phone, just wanted to let you know the SN-920 and EP-490 long range phones have been discontinued and replaced by the DuraFon 1X and DuraFon 4X models, respectively.

Yes, somewhat old news, but we get a lot of requests for the SN-920 and EP-490 so obviously people are still looking for them.

Have a look at our revised long range cordless phone page for information on these new EnGenius models.

Nortel Re-Brands the CallPilot 100 & 150 (yawn...)

In case you missed it (like 99% of the rest of the world), Nortel Networks re-branded their popular CallPilot Voicemail systems. This re-branding took place on May 1, 2005 and was widely missed by pretty much everyone.

There have been no changes to the product, its functionality, looks or anything else like that. Just the name.

Are you ready for the big change? Here it is:

CallPilot 100 is now Nortel Messaging 100

CallPilot 150 is now Nortel Messaging 150

Very exciting changes that we thought we'd mention.

Of course, to keep things interesting, Nortel Networks has another CallPilot product, which is a unified messaging solution for large enterprise systems and has NOTHING TO DO with the Nortel Integrated Communications System platforms.

In case you're wondering, we still call these products by the "CallPilot" moniker as it's still the way the rest of the world knows them.

Mitel Ensemble Voice Mail Replacement

For those of you who have been using Mitel phone systems, this might apply to you.

The Mitel SX-50, SX-200 and SX-2000 phone systems often use the Mitel Ensemble Voicemail system. However, the Ensemble hasn't been produced for quite a while and is virutally impossible to find, despite the fact that it's very good voicemail system. Actually, that's probably why it's so hard to find - everyone's still using it!

The Ensemble has been replaced by the DuVoice DV4 or DV2000 series unified messaging solution which has the power to consolidate your voicemail, fax and e-mail communications and send them all to e-mail.

The DV4 is scalable to 8 ports and the DV2000 is scalable to 48 ports for enterprise applications. These systems build on the strengths of the Ensemble voicemail system and are worth a serious look if you're in the market for voicemail solutions.

The DV4 and DV2000 can integrate with most any phone system, including those from Avaya, Nortel, Mitel and Vodavi.

For more information, call us or visit the website. Thanks!

Nortel M7310 BLF Issues

The M7310 Busy Lamp Field (BLF) module is a great tool. However, Nortel M7310 users need to be aware that the BLF module doesn't work on all generations of ICS software.

The BLF module only works on KSU software versions 6.0 and LOWER. It will NOT work on versions 6.1 or 7.0.

This problem is also evident on older M7310 phones (1st generation), where adjusting the contrast on the BLF will only show 4 levels of adjustment versus the NINE levels of adjustment that are available on newer phones.

If your Nortel ICS phone system uses software revision 6.1 or 7.0, you'll need a T7316 phone and a KIM CAP module instead of the M7310 and a BLF module.

Thought you'd all like to know.

Important Avaya IP Office Tip

I'm back from a month away from the office, so thought I'd start this up again.

VERY important tip for those of you who have Avaya IP Office modules.

The power adapters must be attached in a very specific order, as follows:

First, with the power adapter disconnected from the power cord, plug the power adapter into the back of the module.

THEN, plug the power cord into the power adapter.

THEN, plug the power cord into your 120V power receptacle.

It is important because doing this in the wrong order can possibly blow the power connection in the module which Avaya does not warranty. In case you're wondering, Avaya technicians can tell that you didn't power it up properly, thanks to a little trip ciruit that's inside the machine.

Consider yourself warned.