Telecommunications News - Avaya, Nortel, Definity, IP Office, Norstar, Meridian 1, VoIP

On Hold Messages Made Easy for Your Business

2011-05-24T16:07:00.005-04:00

We get asked all the time for reliable digital hardware for our clients message on hold applications "Is there something out there that we can use and forget about in between message changes?" ~ In a nutshell, "Yes".

Message On Hold productions come in a wide variery of forms and quality ~ Telephone Magic offers professional scripting, announcing, and studio engineering.

When it comes to hardware, it has come a long way from the early days of cassette tape decks with continuous loop tapes. Once the hardware went digital a cassette simply downloaded itself to the memory of the hardware and "voila" your message was up and running. These units are still in use today with few, if any, issues.

Now the convenience factor and the latest technology has created a USB key version On Hold Message digital announcer. This system allows you to get your message productions emailed to you. From there it's a simple "drag and drop" of the file to your USB key and once you plug the key back into the unit at the phone system, everything is taken care of for you.

The USB 1100 is a digital message unit designed for continuous audio playback. Audio is stored on a removable USB Flash drive and plugged into the USB hub on the unit. The loading of the audio is easily done by "dragging and dropping" mp3 file(s) without the use of special software. Audio files can now be emailed to clients without the need to mail or ship physical media.

Features:
Standard MP3 Playback: MP3 audio is widely recognized as a popular audio compression format. You can use MP3 files with sampling rates from 32 to 256 kbps, depending on the quality you require. No additional software is required to load MP3 files to the USB flash drive. Select one of six tracks or "play all" by pressing the Play Mode button on the side of the unit.

Electronic Delivery - Very user friendly! - The process of receiving message on-hold updates is easy! Simply remove the USB flash drive from the unit, and plug into the USB port of a computer. Audio files are a "drag and drop" transfer from the computer into the USB flash drive. Plug the flash drive back into the USB 1100 for instant audio playback.

Your on hold message producer can simply e-mail you the files for your message-on-hold updates. Save the MP3 file to the USB flash drive and load it into the USB 1100 - quick and easy!

Commercial-Strenth Hardware: The USB 1100 is intended for use in business applications that include message-on-hold and in-store music / announcements.

The system has a constant power source and the solid-state memory will re-boot the audio playback automatically after a power outage. No more need to reset the unit when the power's been out!

The durable aluminum case can withstand rugged phone room conditions and reduces possible RF interference. The compact design and visible flanges ensure an easy installation on the phone room system's wall.

Volume & Tone Control: Two different outputs are designed to provide adequate volume for any phone system. You can also adjust desired bass and treble levels.

Technology and convenience in a compact easy to use format, all at a reasonable one-time price. Nothing could be easier... If you wish to gain some professional scripting and production assistance, don't hesitate to call Telephone Magic @ 905.356.9199.

Protect Your Nortel Investment By Migrating to Avaya IP Office Version 7.0 for IP500 V2

2011-05-06T00:57:00.013-04:00

Avaya's acquisition of Nortel in 2009 has resulted in the expected cancellation of BCM telephone systems in 2011, with migration into IP Office being the only stated way forward. As experienced IP Office dealers for over 5 years, Telephone Magic Inc. is in a unique position to help you transition to an Avaya IP Office IP500 phone system with the minimum of fuss.

How Your Nortel Upgrade Protects You: Security

Phone systems can and do go wrong; vendors may not like to admit this but issues do occur. As a company critically dependant on communication with the outside world through your phone system, the last situation that you want to be in is being out of support on an end of life telephone system, with no facility for spares, repairs, vendor issue support etc. This is why we recommend to users that you should be no more than 2 versions behind the latest software and absolutely not on end-of-life hardware.

How Your Nortel Upgrade Protects You: Handsets

With handsets being typically between 40 and 60% of the value of your existing handset, the ability to re-use these and gradually upgrade your BCM system at a steady pace avoids the rip and replace scenario which will inevitably ensue once it is end of life and spares/repairs become completely unavailable and critical issues start to occur.

How Your Nortel Upgrade Protects You: Training

All extensions will be converted with one click, including voicemails brought over, and your users will need no additional training. Your users will then start to become acquanted with the IP Office software at a gradual pace, giving you scope to enlarge or upgrade further to, for example, IP Office IP telephony, when the time suits you, rather than as a response to issues.

How Your Nortel Upgrade Protects You: Data Migration Manager Tool

Avaya have developed a special centralized migration tool which transfers your handsets and voicemail over to IP Office 7.0. "Data Migration Manager". Using a three step process namely Extract, Convert and Apply, all announcements, greetings and voicemail messages can easily be transferred, resulting in a significant reduction in installation times and cost. The tool supports Norstar v7, BCM200/400/1000 R4, BCM50 R3/R5/R6 and BCM450 R1/R5/R6 as source system, and it is expected that the tool will evolve to handle the extraction, conversion and transfer of Auto-Attendant customer announcements in the future.

How Your Nortel Upgrade Protects You: Wiring

If your business has traditional phone system wiring, you can continue using it with your Avaya IP Office solution. If you have a Local Area Network (LAN) to connect your PCs/servers, you can use that instead. Avaya IP Office works with either kind of wiring—the choice is yours and the savings of using existing wiring are significant. Common wiring interfaces available with Avaya IP Office reduce the re-wiring often associated with replacement of a communication system—making the upgrade fast and easy.

How Your Nortel Upgrade Protects You: Growing

As your business grows, Avaya IP Office easily grows with you. There won’t be a need for another upgrade anytime soon. Avaya IP Office can handle hundreds of extensions.

How Your Nortel Upgrade Protects You: Gradual Replacement of Your BCM

When you upgrade to Avaya IP Office, you can keep using your Nortel phones and replace them on an as needed basis. Or, make plans to equip select employees—executives, receptionists, sales and customer service reps, etc.—who can really benefit from the added features of the new Avaya IP phones or Avaya digital phones. Either way, by being smart and managing the use of your existing phones you can protect up to 60 percent of your initial investment and still gain the benefits of a new solution.

Nortel IP Phones for BCM, Nortel Communication Server, Meridian Telephone Systems in High Demand

2011-05-06T00:08:00.011-04:00

Telephone Magic Inc. has long been a leading on-line wholesaler of Nortel IP telephones (cordless and standard IP phone sets) and related headsets, expansion modules and cards for BCM 50/200/400, Communication Server 1000, 2000, 2100, etc. and IP-capable Meridian 1 and SL-100 releases. The leading web wholesale distributor reports strong demand for Nortel IP phones despite the venerable manufacturers telecom division sale.

Nortel IP phones continue to drive high sales volume, as reported by leading on-line wholesale business phone equipment distributor Telephone Magic Inc. Jeff Jackson, president and CEO of the company cites a newly expanded and updated selection of Nortel VoIP telephones, key expansion modules, and power supplies as a likely reason.

Mr. Jackson indicates "We are seeing a lot of companies maintaining and upgrading the IP investment they made in the past ten to twelve years. As Nortel was an early leader in this area of business telecom, it is not surprising Nortel IP telephones and accessories remain very popular". He continues "Given the economic conditions of the past six or seven years you are not seeing businesses toss out their initial IP platforms and start over just to gain a few more features. In recent years money just does not grow on trees, so adding to an existing reliable IP phone system makes more sense to most business owners".

Companies currently utilizing a Nortel BCM, Nortel Communication Server, or IP-enabled Meridian platform can view Telephone Magic's complete Nortel IP phone selection at Nortel IP phones. Canadian business clients can take advantage of their own telecom portal for Nortel IP phones in Canada.

Visitors can also request a quote for any Nortel IP phone model - from the newer 1100 series Nortel IP phones (1110e 1120e 1140e 1150e 1165e) and 1200 series Nortel IP phones (1210, 1220, 1230), to the original i2000 phase 1 Nortel IP phones (i2001, i2002, i2004) and newer phase 2 i2000 series Nortel IP phones (i2001, i2002, i2004, i2007, i2050 softphone).

As an initial leader in IP telephony VoIP telephone systems, Nortel Networks has always enjoyed a dominating market share of the IP field. Nortel BCM, Nortel Communication Servers, and IP-enabled Meridian business phone system platforms surged to the lead in many countries due largely to Nortel's strong IP portfolio and reliable cutting-edge VoIP switching technology.

The fact small businesses could simultaneously utilize Nortel Norstar and Nortel IP phones on the BCM 50 expanded on their dominance in the sector. The BCM series of business IP phone systems feature VoIP capability and an "all in the box" feature set that is activated by purchasing licenses.

Many large businesses in the US, Canada, UK, and beyond have long relied on the Meridian 1 PBX for their communication requirements. While some continue to operate with IP-enabled Meridian systems, most have long since upgraded to Nortel Communication Server versions. A variety of Nortel IP phones work with each of these individual platforms.

The latest on-line strategic developments undertaken by Telephone Magic Inc. further strengthen the company's leading position on the Internet as a direct source for information and business phone equipment at wholesale-direct prices. Other recent website expansion include additional IP phones from Mitel and Avaya, new Avaya digital phone series, along with a newly updated Nortel and Avaya phone manuals section to assist and enhance the website visitor experience.

Businesses Have Their Own Private Social Network!

2009-07-13T10:49:00.007-04:00

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

2009-07-11T13:32:00.005-04:00

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"!

2009-07-10T15:19:00.009-04:00

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?

2009-07-10T01:09:00.020-04:00

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)

2009-07-08T13:15:00.018-04:00

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

2009-07-07T11:26:00.007-04:00

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...

2009-07-06T17:47:00.006-04:00

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"

2009-07-04T15:07:00.003-04:00

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"

2009-07-04T15:02:00.004-04:00

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

2009-07-03T23:32:00.008-04:00

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

2009-07-03T17:45:00.004-04:00

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

2009-07-03T12:37:00.005-04:00

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

2009-07-02T12:00:00.007-04:00

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!

2009-07-02T11:31:00.004-04:00

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

2007-02-22T15:40:00.000-05:00

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

2007-02-22T15:37:00.000-05:00

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!

2007-01-02T09:30:00.000-05:00

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

Best Regards,

Mark Kawabe

Small Business Phone Systems

2006-12-28T11:53:00.000-05:00

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

2006-12-22T10:40:00.000-05:00

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

2006-12-22T10:06:00.000-05:00

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

2006-12-22T10:03:00.000-05:00

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

2006-11-14T09:37:00.000-05:00

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

2006-11-09T10:29:00.000-05:00

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

2006-11-07T15:08:00.000-05:00

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)

2006-11-07T14:58:00.000-05:00

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!

2006-11-07T14:39:00.000-05:00

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

2006-10-31T13:43:00.000-05:00

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

2006-10-20T10:26:00.001-04:00

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

2006-09-29T10:13:00.000-04:00

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

2006-08-17T10:19:00.000-04:00

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

2006-08-08T11:39:00.000-04:00

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

2006-07-21T16:03:00.000-04:00

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

2006-07-21T14:57:00.000-04:00

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

2006-04-04T13:08:00.000-04:00

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...

2006-03-09T14:35:00.000-05:00

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

2006-03-09T13:14:00.000-05:00

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

2006-02-28T15:50:00.000-05:00

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

2006-02-28T15:18:00.000-05:00

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!

2006-02-13T15:34:00.000-05:00

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

2006-02-03T09:44:00.000-05:00

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!

2005-12-15T14:07:00.000-05:00

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

2005-12-15T13:59:00.000-05:00

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

2005-12-15T13:55:00.000-05:00

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...)

2005-10-04T15:48:00.000-04:00

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

2005-10-04T13:28:00.000-04:00

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

2005-10-04T13:24:00.000-04:00

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

2005-08-18T15:45:00.000-04:00

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.

Mitel Phone System Equipment Online

2005-06-23T11:16:00.000-04:00

Well, as promised, Mitel SX-50 and SX-200 phone system equipment is now online.

We also have the Mitel 4000-series Supersets available at wholesale prices.

I was going to make some witty comment about how Mitel's stock price probably increased as a result of these additions, but since Mitel's a private company (nice to be a billionaire eh, Sir Terence?), no witticisms of that nature are forthcoming today.

Regardless, I hope you all enjoy your respective Thursdays.

Happy Monday!

2005-06-20T16:26:00.000-04:00

Happy Monday!

We've been selling Mitel phones for years through our dedicated hospitality division Hotel Telecom. While we dominate the search engines when people are looking for hotel phones, we've been focusing on making our main Telephone Magic Inc. website work as effectively as possible.

We'll be adding Mitel's SX-200, SX-100, SX-50 and SX-20 information to our websites shortly.

As Rafiki said in the Lion King - "It is time."

I'll keep you up to date as it happens...

As a side note...

2005-06-16T15:54:00.000-04:00

The customer mentioned in the previous post had 6 analog ports available on his PBX.

If he didn't, he wouldn't have been able to use the analog long range cordless phones as they would have been incompatible with the digital PBX.

Solution: digital-analog adapters. There are a couple of options.

Most phone systems have Analog Terminal Adapters (like Nortel's ATA2). These are a good option, but another option is the EnGenius digital to analog adapter.

Just another idea for everyone who needs to add analog equipment to a digital phone system. This will work for fax machines, answering machines etc.

Interesting long range phone application

2005-06-16T15:38:00.000-04:00

An interesting application we came up with today.

Customer has two factory buildings about 1000 feet apart. Main building has a phone system, second building doesn't - and there is no phone service to the second building at all. Customer wants to have 8 phones installed in the second building that are extensions of his existing phone system.

Solution: Six Voyager long range cordless phones (Alpha CL-2200XP with Caller ID), two 11dB directional Yagi roof antennae and two 3-way antenna combiners.

Here's how this works:

The customer has a PBX system already with six analog ports available. The six Voyager Alpha base units plug into the analog ports, so there is one digital extension per long range phone system. Three base units are plugged into the 3-way antenna combiner and attached to one of the 11dB Yagi antenna. Each Yagi antenna is pointed in the direction of the second building.

The Voyager long range cordless phone handsets and chargers are located in the second building. The signal strength of the Voyager base units combined with the Yagi antenna is sufficient to reach each of the handsets in the second building, providing complete cordless mobility in the second building, while keeping each handset an extension of the main PBX.

This solution saves the customer money in the long run, because there is no need for a second PBX or monthly phone service in the second building.

Why did we select a Voyager solution instead of an EnGenius system? Primarily because of the Yagi antenna available with the Voyager system, as well as the option to add a signal booster to each antenna if the signal wasn't sufficient for some reason. However, since the second building's only 1000 feet away, the directional signal provided by the Yagi antenna should be just fine.

Wireless Headset Functions

2005-02-18T14:52:00.000-05:00

Just a quick note - some people ask us whether they can use phone functions from their wireless headset (like a Plantronics CS10, CS50 or GN Netcom 9120).

The short answer? No.

If you're using a cordless headset, you can answer remotely (using an optional Handset Lifter like the Plantronics HL10 or GN 1000), but that's about it. You can't transfer calls to another extension or make a call because those are functions of the telephone, not of the headset.

If you're in a home office situation and only have a single line, you might consider getting a complete headset phone system like the Plantronics CT12, CT11 or CT10 . The CT12 provides call display and 2.4 GHz DSS (Digital Spread Spectrum) technology. The CT11 is a 2.4 GHz model and the CT10 is a 900 MHz model.

More on frequencies in a later post . . .

Panasonic phones and wireless headsets

2005-02-18T14:34:00.000-05:00

We get asked every now and then if a particular wireless headset will work with their phone system. Simple answer: yes. However, it gets more complicated than that (of course).

You see, wireless headsets are often used with Handset Lifters. These devices pick up the handset for you when you press a button on your headset, allowing you to answer a call when you're away from your phone.

NOTE: you can not make a phone call, or transfer a call that you've answered from your cordless headset. That's a function of the phone. If you want to make a phone call or transfer a call, you have to go back to your phone to do so. That's true with ALL wireless headsets.

Now, interesting thing I learned today. Norstar phones work seamlessly with your wireless headset, but other phones, such as Panasonic, may require you to program the phone so that the wireless headset will work properly.

A Norstar phone rings "hot" (according to one of our technicians), which means that when a phone rings, no matter what line it rings on, when you pick up the handset, you pick up the line that's ringing.

A Panasonic phone doesn't automatically ring "hot". If the phone requires you to press a button as well as pick up the handset to answer a call, it's not ringing "hot" and will need to be reprogrammed if you want to use it with a wireless headset /handset lifter combination.

Just an interesting note I thought I'd pass along.

No, I don't know how to reprogram your Panasonic phone. Remember, I'm just a newbie!

Digital vs. Analog and Conference Phones

2005-02-18T10:45:00.000-05:00

What can I say. I'm a newbie.

I got a request yesterday from a fellow who had a Nortel phone system who wanted to be able to use the Polycom SoundStation 2.

So I think - yeah - that's easy. Just unplug the meridian phone in the conference room and replace it with the SoundStation. Easy as pie, right?

Wrong!

PBX systems send a digital signal to the phones that connect to them. Most audio conferencing units are analog, and therefore incompatible with the PBX system.

So, whaddya do about it?

Easy - for Nortel and other digital PBXs, you can order the SoundStation Premier and get a great sounding conference phone that will actually work on your system.

Apparently there is another option where you can purchase a digital to analog phone line converter. Polycom makes what they call the SoundStation Intelligent Terminal Adapter which will allow you to connect your SoundStation to any digital PBX.

Of course, whenever possible, the better option is to purchase the right product which is designed to seamlessly integrate into your PBX system.

Just in case anyone was interested.

Long Range Wireless Phone Antenna

2005-02-11T15:58:00.000-05:00

Interesting thing I learned today as a result of my little note about long range wireless phones and how the numbers stack up.

I heard from our Voyager long range wireless phone rep who had chanced to go through the article. He said that if you're looking to increase inside range, it's usually better to mount the base unit as high as possible. Or if you're going to use an external antenna indoors, you should still try to mount it in the proper orientation instead of upside down. He said that since the signal radiates out and down, you want to have the signal coming from as high as possible to maximize its strength. He also estimated that using an outdoor antenna can increase the range of a Voyager phone by 30~200%, depending on your specific applications.

Very important note - radio / wireless telecommunications products (including wireless Internet) are always affected by the environment they're installed in as well as HOW they're installed.

Anyway, interesting stuff to know. Thanks Ken! (He's probably cringing that I've paraphrased him here. . .)

I also learned a few things about 900 MHz vs 2.4 GHz DSS frequencies. Interesting stuff - for a later post.

The Amazing Avaya IP Office

2005-02-11T15:51:00.000-05:00

I can't begin to believe the presentation we just had on Avaya's IP Office VoIP / Hybrid phone systems. Talk about convergence.

Yes - the "C" word. Some people argue that convergence never works. Take the combination VCR/TV units that represented "convergence" in that industry. Never really took off, did they? But the things Avaya's IP Office can do are simply amazing, considering how much the systems cost.

I can't even begin to go into it here, but what I learned today sent my head spinning from the possibilities. Really - it makes systems from Norstar and Mitel look like yesterday's products. It's THAT powerful. No matter whether you are using it even AT HOME, for a SOHO, small or medium enterprise or 500+ users, the hardware and software combined give you amazing abilities to manage how you communicate, improve your customer service and give you the flexibility to use VoIP services to truly provide convergence in your telecommunications requirements.

All that being said, now it's my job to sort it all out and start putting information onto the Telephone Magic website.

Now my head's really spinning . . .

Numbers Numbers - what do they really mean?

2005-02-08T13:00:00.000-05:00

I'm not a numbers guy. (Just ask my bookkeeper.) Oh sure, I understand 2-for-1, 50% off and all that stuff, but when it comes to figuring out how far I can go with a cordless phone, that's another story.

Telephone Magic sells long range wireless phones from EnGenius and Voyager. With the Voyager long range wireless phones, they give you an idea how far you can go (i.e. 1 to 6 miles, up to 25 miles or up to 50 miles). Cool. That's easy - even for a kid who was brought up on the metric system in Canada and never had to work with miles, pounds etc.

But the EnGenius numbers were more confusing because they didn't spell things out in what I consider "plain English".

What do these numbers mean to you?

Up to 250,000 sq. ft. coverage in factories and buildings
Up to 12 floors penetration in office buildings
Up to 3,000 acres of coverage on ranches and farms

I don't know what that really means, because frankly, I have no idea how big 250,000 sq. ft. really is. I don't work in a place that's 250,000 sq. ft. in area. I get the 12 floors of penetration in office buildings, but since I don't work in a huge office building, that statistic isn't particularly helpful. How big is an acre, anyway?

Well, I got thinking about those numbers, so I thought I'd figure them out, because it was bothering me.

First of all, you have to think about this particular long range wireless phone - or any other long range wireless phone, for that matter.

Long range wireless phones can be hooked up to your office's PBX OR work on a regular analog line, making them suitable for home or office use. They have a base station and a handset and it's the distance away from the handset you can go that's important, in my opinion.

250,000 square feet is a square with sides 500 ft long. However, the signal from the base unit from a long range cordless phone is going to radiate outward, so a circle is a more representative way to think about the area of coverage. So, how far away from the base unit does 250,000 square feet represent?

Well, the area of a circle is calculated by pi r square (sorry, I haven't figured out how to do complex mathematical formulas in this format yet). Pi is usually represented by 3.14 and r is the radius - which is the number we're looking for.

So, the radius of the circle is equivalent to the square root of the area divided by pi.

With an area of 250,000 square feet, the radius works out to 282 ft.

So, in a factory or office building, you should be able to go 282 ft away from the base unit with an EnGenius long range cordless phone.

Now, this is confusing, because I've seen places online that report up to 1/2 mile range with the same phone in a city environment (2640 ft)...so which figure are we supposed to use? Maybe it's the farm figure.

Okay - second figure - up to 3,000 acres coverage on ranches or farms.

An acre is 43,560 sq. ft., so 3,000 acres is 130,680,000 sq. ft.

Doing the same math as above, the radius of a circle with an area of 3,000 acres is 6600 ft, or 1.25 miles.

Okay, so I got the numbers figured out, but I just wanted to make sure, so I called up EnGenius and spoke to a sales rep about the numbers, and learned a few interesting things.

The fellow's name (which sorry, I didn't catch), said that they get clients who can't get 50 feet out of their phones, and others who can get 14 km on them. Quite a variation.

The causes of variation are many. There could be a lot of electrical interference from other electronics in the area near the base unit. Trees, lots of metal in building frames and other factors work to decrease long range wireless phone range.

The EnGenius sales rep talked about how one client in Western Canada in the mountains gets around 14 km range (that's about 8.7 miles) with his SN-920 phone because he's in the middle of nowhere and he stays pretty much within line of sight of his base unit (or at least the building the antenna's located on).

So, in short, expect a lot of variation in range with a long range wireless phone.

Oh - speaking of antennas - the external EnGenius antenna increases range between 5~10% according to this rep. Some people even take the outdoor antenna, flip it over and mount it upside-down from the ceiling to increase the signal strength indoors. Interesting concept that I hadn't heard of before.

Now, Voyager phones (remember them from the beginning?) are marketed strictly in terms of range. 1~6 miles for their base model and up from there. You have to keep in mind though, that some of their models are not approved for use in North America.

So, there's my effort to educate myself about how far you can go with a long range wireless phone.

If you want, click here to learn more about the long range wireless phones we carry.

Adding to BlogWise as well!

2004-11-29T11:30:00.000-05:00

Kinda neat, all this stuff...

And another one!

2004-11-29T11:27:00.000-05:00

Here's being added to Blogstreet.com

We just submitted to a Blog search engine!

2004-11-29T11:05:00.000-05:00

I'm learning more about this stuff every day...

Blog Search Engine -Search Engine and Directory of blogs. Looking for blogs? Find them on BlogSearchEngine.com

Whatever.

I still find it interesting that people search through blogs to find things of interest. Then again, I do the same.

A month of reflections

2004-11-29T10:33:00.000-05:00

As usual, I continue to be amazed at the products and services sold by our company. I've been looking around and observing how people use these products and I've come to a simple conclusion: most people have no idea what technology is available and if they do, they often don't use it effectively.

I was stuck on hold the other day with a local ISP and was listening to the radio station while waiting. I've recently updated our message on hold offerings on our website and frankly, I'm amazed at what can be done to promote to people while they're waiting on hold. Anyway, as I was on hold listening to the radio, I heard an ad for another local ISP! I couldn't believe it - in the minute or so that I was on the phone, I heard an ad for a competitor to the company I was calling!

Now, I have no particular loyalty to the ISP I was calling (I was helping out a friend with a technical issue), but if I was in the marketing department at that ISP, I certainly wouldn't want to sing the virtues of a competitor by handing out their flyers in the lobby. Yet that's what they were doing by playing the radio station while people were on hold!

Imagine how many people get placed on hold there every day. Some of them are going to be having some technical issue that they're not happy about. Imagine having those people hear a message from a competitor right at that time. What do you think the effect would be? One more customer likely to leave. Not good. My advice - get a good on hold message player and engage customers with messages about your great service or new product offerings. It's much less expensive to do that than to advertise your competition.

My brother passed away recently and I took some time off to help my elderly parents with making his arrangements. I've been on the phone a lot with the cemetary because they provide funeral home services as well as final resting places. On Sundays, they have an answering service taking the calls. Now maybe it's appropriate for a live person to answer the phone at a cemetary, but I was thinking that sending messages directly to voice mail would have been a better option. I had to leave a message about my brother's arrangements with someone I didn't know. I would rather have left a voice message with the representative I've been dealing with. Voice mail systems are so widely used that I was surprised and a little taken aback that I had to deal with an answering service.

Odd, isn't it? The answering service was helpful, but at that time, I would have preferred the impersonal "leave a voice message" approach.

Every business has a different need to take information or inform based on its market and clients. The technology is available to serve your clients well. If you're so inclined, have a look at the Telephone Magic website for inspiration on how you can better serve your customers.

Headsets and life savers

2004-10-25T09:21:00.000-04:00

First of all, I don't recommend using a headset while eating Life Savers candy. They make you salivate, which makes you spit and that can clog up your microphone...

I was driving to work this morning and saw a "jerk" driving along. How did I know he was a jerk? Because he was driving fast, then slow, then making sudden lane changes only to change back a minute later. My first thought was that he was drunk, but when I passed him as he exited the highway, I saw he was talking on a cellphone. In other words, he was driving like a lot of us do - not paying attention and causing dangerous situations for other drivers around him.

What's more important? A phone call or your safety? Most people assume they can talk and drive at the same time because they haven't had any accidents so far. This head in the sand approach ignores the reality that we are very seldom aware of how our driving affects others in general. I had a stint as a driving instructor in a past life (I like to call it my time teaching "Early Childhood Education") and most students (and experienced drivers I had to road test) were clueless about their bad habits.

The reality is our attention is mostly occupied by our phone conversation and we have little attention left to focus on our driving. As long as you're on the highway on cruise control in light traffic, this probably isn't a problem. In heavy traffic, rush hour or in city traffic, talking on a phone is just asking for trouble.

The cost of an accident can be measured in financial and personal terms. Financial - your car repair costs and insurance rate increases and possibly the time you have to take off work to recover. Personal - injuries, both physical and psychological can take a long time to heal. Especially if you cause injury to someone else. Even worse, your unfocused driving could cause the death of a stranger or someone you love.

In short, get a freakin' headset if you're going to talk on the phone!!!!

There. Rant's done for now...

Man, that was a CRAPPY way to start a Monday morning. Hope you're all having a better day.

Phone system programming 101

2004-10-18T10:23:00.000-04:00

I get the title of today's post from Ryan, one of our techies, who used it when explaining something about my desktop phone.

I've been using a Panasonic phone on my desk since I started working here. I think it was called a "Digital Hybrid Phone" according to the Panasonic literature. Anyway, we went through a little upgrade here and I got a "Super Hybrid IP Phone" instead. Gotta love these names. They sound so "technical" yet are generally meaningless. I mean, if you leave out "Super", the units are "Digital Hybrid" or "Hybrid IP" phones. What's the difference?

As I learned today, the "Digital Hybrid" systems are the first generation of digital phones that allowed you to get enhanced digital functions while still being able to integrate analog devices like fax machines etc.

"Hybrid IP" phone systems allow the same integration of analog devices, but offer even more digital functionality and give you full Voice over IP ability. I'll have to do another post about Voice over IP because I think it's a great technology with a lot of untapped potential.

Anyway, getting back to the original topic of the post, I learned from my tech that phone systems store all the information about a phone centrally. So, this phone switch didn't affect my voice mail or any of the other custom settings I had programmed (or at least TRIED to program) into the phone. (When it comes to phones, I've learned that just following the prompts is usually the best bet. Reading the owner's manual helps too...)

I've gotta say though, this new phone's not as "snazzy" as the last one I had. There were more buttons, lights etc. on the other one. But, it's got all the functions I need (and then some) and it's a clean looking phone - not too cluttered, which I suppose I ought to appreciate more.

Isn't it strange that in our modern world, the more complicated something looks the better we think it is while things that are simple and functional are seen as being somehow lesser? Is it conditioning or are we hard-wired that way? I remember my first office phone. It had the standard key buttons and that was it. No hold. No transfer. No fancy lights. Just a keypad and handset. Just one step away from being rotary. But, it worked. Someone called, the phone rang, I picked it up and talked to them, then hung up. No muss. No fuss.

Nowadays, I think of the things I need to be able to do with my phone. It's more than what I had to do when I started off in the business world. Voice messaging is essential. Headset compatability is almost a necessity. Being able to transfer calls or have a three-way conversation is handy too. The intercom saves me a bunch of walking and call-waiting has been a very convenient option.

I never used to think about how phone systems worked, but every day, I'm learning something new about what features there are with various phone systems and I'm always impressed.

Oh yeah - gotta impress the boss...

http://www.telephonemagic.com/panasonic_phone_systems.htm

Hybrid IP systems are Panasonic's latest systems and they've replaced the Digital Hybrid product line. Just in case you were interested.

The boss, headaches and headsets

2004-10-14T13:34:00.000-04:00

Interesting how a little writing has the power to change a life. Well, it hasn't happened yet in this blog, but it's got potential.

I was talking to one of my coworkers here and showed them the headset piece I wrote a couple of days ago. Next thing I know, she's saying how much her neck hurts from spending so much time on the phone and yeah, a headset WOULD be a good idea. Will a headset change her life? Well, if she didn't have a sore neck and/or a headache, her quality of life would change for the better. After that, I'd only be speculating...but maybe she'd be driving home and because she didn't have any neck pain, she could check her blind spot before changing lanes to to see the Mini Cooper there, thus preventing an accident and possible injury or even DEATH.

See? Headsets could change a life!

Imagine if there was a wholesale awakening of the idea of wearing a phone headset at work. GN Netcom's last newsletter said there are 70 million potential headset wearers in North America. 70 million. That's a lot. Imagine the impact of that change. Headaches and stress would decline. Sales of painkillers would drop. Chiropractors and massage therapists would be cast out into the streets...

Just kidding about that last bit, but to me, this is a striking example of how we go through our daily lives just following the routine, not thinking whether things could be better, but just accepting things the way they are. Imagine the difference a little change can make.

Of course, that's how the people at charities work. If everyone donated a little pocket change every day, charities would be able to make a big change in the world. What have you done to change your life today? Buying a headset would be nice : )

http://www.telephonemagic.com, for those of you who are interested, sells telecommunications products, including headsets, at wholesale prices. (There. The boss is mollified again.)

Speaking of the boss, he called in today from his home office and we chatted for about 1/2 hour about some website updates he'd like done. Me on my headset and him with the phone stuck between his ear and his shoulder. Guess who had a bigger headache after we were done?

Me, of course... (just kidding). Seriously though, I didn't have any neck pain when I was done. I can't vouch for him though.

Headset wearers - are they geeks?

2004-10-12T13:31:00.000-04:00

Despite the number of beautiful people wearing headsets in the promotional literature, what do you think of headset wearers? Are they geeks? Working in a telecommunications company, I would expect most every desk to be equipped with a headset. To my surprise, people here prefer to use their handsets. Even the sales reps who have headsets at their desks use their handsets most of the time. What gives?

I don't use the phone that much, but when I do, I have a Plantronics CS10 wireless headset so I can get up and wander around if I need to while I'm on the phone with a supplier or something like that. I like headsets. I use one at my home office although it's nowhere near as nice as the CS10.

Funny thing - just looking at the headset that came with the CS10 unit - there's no model number on it. Have they heard of branding? Also, just got off the phone with Plantronics tech support - you can use any Plantronics H-model headset with the CS10 as long as you purchase a little adapter cable. Pretty cool.

While I like what I'm using, I think the 9210 wireless headset from GN Netcom is pretty cool as well. Just so you have a point of reference, here's links to the different headsets I've mentioned.

http://www.telephonemagic.com/phone-headset/plantronics-cs10-wireless-headset.htm
http://www.telephonemagic.com/phone-headset/gn-netcom-9120-headset.htm

(Those links oughta keep the boss happy...)

Anyway, headset wearers. Geeks or enlightened telephone users? I'm on the enlightened bandwagon (mainly because I'm wearing one right now) but I'm curious to know what other people think. I don't see many people with their headsets on in business settings (or even HAVING headsets) and certainly I haven't seen anyone around here using a headset with their wireless phone. Maybe I need to live in a larger urban centre to see the beautiful people wearing headsets...

An Introduction

2004-10-12T12:54:00.000-04:00

Hello World!

Funny - talking about telecommunications stuff and despite being a "non-programmer", I start the posts with the most basic program name ever...

Anyway, Hi. My name's Mark Kawabe and I am working at Telephone Magic Inc. in Niagara Falls, Ontario, Canada. My job? Probably not to be blogging ; )

Actually, my job here is internet marketing which includes search engine optimization and of course, keeping the website updated with new products. I don't have a telecom background or any particular training, which means that every day, I'm learning something new about something telecom related. Whether it's a new wireless handset, Bluetooth headset, voice over IP or some other neat technology, I'm discovering more cool things that are available to the business and general public. That's why I named this blog "Telecommunications Discoveries". Because I'm making discoveries every day. Frankly, I'm really impressed by what's available. So many different manufacturers doing so many neat things with technology that's supposed to make our lives easier.

Okay - I don't believe for a moment about technology making our lives easier in the bigger sense (i.e. I'm only working 4 hours a week but getting paid for 40 and having a wonderful life because of technology). But, I do think that the potential is there for technology to make a difference. Things like wireless headsets for mobile phones. I like those, mainly because I hate holding a headset while driving (yes, I know, I should pull over but hey, it's not like you've NEVER talked on the phone while driving). I like headsets in general (mainly because sitting at a computer most of the time, I have enough neck strain thank-you-very-much). I think VoIP is cool. Maybe it's just a guy thing - more high-tech toys. Who knows.

There's nowhere on the Telephone Magic website to just put my observations about these products now, and at present, the owner doesn't even know I'm doing this...though he will shortly. So, I thought I'd start a blog talking about the things I've learned while working here.

I'm a telecommunications newbie and I figure a lot of other people are as well. So, I'll be trying to talk about things in telecom that I don't think enough people use. My opinions only, of course. Just because I have to tell the boss about this thing doesn't mean I want it to become a complete corporate manifesto.

So there you have it. The first entry in what will hopefully be a fun blog for people to read. Any feedback or questions are welcome.

Thanks for visiting!

Best Regards,

Mark Kawabe