What is the difference between Hosted PBX, Managed PBX and Virtual PBX?

This is a short and sweet answer to the question. Feel free to expound as a comment if you'd like.

Hosted PBX: You hire a service and don't have to worry about a thing other than paying.

Managed PBX: You have the actual equipment at your location but someone else mantains it for you.

Virtual PBX: Similar to hosted but you don't need any hardware. The service is managed through a web interface.

If you're looking for any of the above 3 services for your business .... you can get free assistance here -

Business VoIP Solution

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What Is Unified Communications?

Wikipedia gives good definition .....


"Unified communications (UC) is the integration of real-time communication services such as instant messaging (chat), presence information, telephony (including IP telephony), video conferencing, data sharing (including web connected electronic whiteboards aka IWB's or Interactive White Boards), call control and speech recognition with non-real-time communication services such as unified messaging (integrated voicemail, e-mail, SMS and fax). UC is not a single product, but a set of products that provides a consistent unified user interface and user experience across multiple devices and media types".

UC goes beyond integrating real-time communications with non-real-time communications to integrating business processes and applications, such as databases.

For example, customer data or the kind of things the likes of SAP offers - or it should - such that businesses gets a fundamental benefit from all aspects of communications being "joined up". It's about being able to communicate with pertinent information at your fingertips, when and where you need it.

Unified Communications is a set of infrastructure and application technology components that work in a connected eco-system - to enable people to give and receive messages and information in a manner of their choosing .... on a platform of their choosing.

It's people centric! All we're doing is helping people have conversations and exchange information in different ways.

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Advice For Managing Remote And Offsite Employees

For remote workers (control, communications, reporting), you would probably need ....

1. Data connectivity for applications:

- Go for remote login for your corporate network and applications

- Make some relevent part of your application web enabled

- Get them GPRS/DCMA1X/3G wireless data plan

2. Voice Connectivity:

- CUG for corporate mobile connections

- In corporate voice plan and pbx, look for features like remote extensions, mobile extensions and find/follow me

- VoIP support is helpful

3. UC features like unified directory, messenger, net meeting will be helful

4. Applications:

- Subscribe/ put remote users on applications like Webex or gotomeetings.com for conducting meetings; otherwise make use of tele audioconferencing/video conferencing

- Give them balckberry/nokia/samsung smartphones with constant email connectivity

- choose clients apps. which can sync. with central apps/database at the end of the day incase remote employee do not have regular internet connectivity

5. Banking:

- choose bank with max. no. of ATM

- Get them to subscribe to mobile banking and ticketing

You'll find options for some of the technology based solutions here ...

Technology For Offsite Employees

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Telecom Provider News For December

Here's the news for December from the Telecommunications industry. Get the latest from vendors such as AboveNet, Comcast, Level 3, Telx, Time Warner Cable, and Windstream.

AboveNet - announced that its Core Wave services are now available to enterprise customers in the San Francisco Bay Area and Silicon Valley.

Comcast - is on the verge of selling wireless phone service thanks to a partnership with the nation's largest mobile operator (Verizon).

Level 3 - announced it has expanded its network capacity and suite of services in Mexico.

Telx ....

* Telx announced a major expansion in Silicon Valley, where the company has leased 32,000 square feet of in a new data center being built by Vantage Data Centers in Santa Clara, Calif.

* Telx announced plans for its first "greenfield" data center project, a 215,000 square foot facility it is building in Clifton, New Jersey adjacent to its existing site at the Mountain Technology Center at 100 Delawanna Avenue.

Time Warner Cable Business Class - has been awarded a multi-year services contract from the State of Texas Department of Information Resources (DIR), for providing advanced network and internet services to all state agencies.

Windstream - The Federal Communications Commission has approved Windstream Corp.'s acquisition of PAETEC.

To learn more and take advantage of any of the services mentioned above, simply request a free quote here ....

DS3 Bandwidth, Business Ethernet, Cloud Computing, and More

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Cloud Solution Providers Matrix

With more than 35 carriers in our stable, it's hard to keep track of who does what, which is why we have created a cloud product matrix below. Expect to see this grow as more and more carriers build/purchase new cloud solutions.

* AireSpring ....

SasS - Hosted PBX

* Broadview Networks ....

SasS - Hosted PBX, Security, Antivirus, Firewall, Hosted Exchange, MS Office, SharePoint

IaaS - Virtual & Dedicated Servers, Backup & Recovery, Enterprise Cloud Security

* Century Link ....

SasS - Security, Antivirus, CRM, e-Learning, Healthcare, Firewall, Antivirus, HR, Web Conferencing

IaaS - Storage, Virtual Private Data Center, Virtual & Dedicated Servers, Symphony Database (Oracle or MS SQL), Private/Public Cloud, Backup & Recovery, Enterprise Cloud Security

* Comcast Business Class ....

SasS - Hosted Exchange, SharePoint

* Earthlink Business ....

IasS - Security, Virtual & Dedicated Servers, Private/Public Cloud (Windows and Linux OS), Backup & Recovery

* Integra Telecom ....

SasS - Firewall, Hosted PBX, Managed PBX

* Megapath ....

SasS - Hosted PBX, Security, Antivirus, Firewall

* Paetec ....

SasS - Hosted PBX, Hosted Exchange

IaaS - Storage, Virtual & Dedicated Servers, Disaster Recovery (SAN), Enterprise Cloud Security

* Smoothsone IP Communications ....

SasS - Hosted PBX, Unified Communications (Cloud)

* TelePacific Communications ....

SasS - Security, Firewall

IaaS - Virtual & Dedicated Servers, Backup & Recovery

* Telx ....

IasS - Cloud Connection Centers

* Time Warner Cable Business Class ....

Note: TWCBC Cloud solutions will be available soon via their latest acquisition of Navisite

SasS - Oracle E-Business, PeopleSoft, Siebel, Hyperion, Microsoft Dynamics, Hosted Exchange, SharePoint, IBM Lotus Notes

IaaS - Storage, Virtual & Dedicated Servers, Private/Public Cloud, Backup & Recovery, Enterprise Cloud Security

* Vocal IP Networx ....

SasS - Hosted PBX, Hosted Exchange, SharePoint, Spam Filtering, Content Filtering, Network Monitoring & Management

IaaS - Storage, Virtual & Dedicated Servers, Private/Public Cloud, Backup & Recovery, Enterprise Cloud Security

* Windstream ....

SasS - Hosted PBX, Firewall

IaaS - Storage, Virtual & Dedicated Servers, Private/Public Cloud, Backup & Recovery, Enterprise Cloud Security

* XO ....

SasS - Security, Hosted PBX, Spam Filtering, Unified Communications (Cloud)

IaaS - Backup & Recovery, Enterprise Cloud Security

If you'd like to take advantage of any of the services from the providers above ... simply ask for a free quote here:

Cloud Services Quotes

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More On Cloud Computing ... Cloud Service Advantages

Cloud computing describes a new supplement, consumption, and delivery model for IT services based on Internet protocols, and it typically involves provisioning of dynamically scalable and often virtualised resources. It is a byproduct and consequence of the ease-of-access to remote computing sites provided by the Internet. This may take the form of web-based tools or applications that users can access and use through a web browser as if the programs were installed locally on their own computers.

Cloud computing providers deliver applications via the internet, which are accessed from web browsers and desktop and mobile apps, while the business software and data are stored on servers at a remote location. In some cases, legacy applications (line of business applications that until now have been prevalent in thin client Windows computing) are delivered via a screen-sharing technology, while the computing resources are consolidated at a remote data center location; in other cases, entire business applications have been coded using web-based technologies such as AJAX.

The advantages of Cloud Service include .....

* Reduced Cost: Cloud technology is paid incrementally, saving organizations money.
Increased Storage: Organizations can store more data than on private computer systems.

* Highly Automated: No longer do IT personnel need to worry about keeping software up to date.

* Flexibility: Cloud computing offers much more flexibility than past computing methods.

* More Mobility: Employees can access information wherever they are, rather than having to remain at their desks.

* Allows IT to Shift Focus: Organizations no longer have to worry about constant server updates and other computing issues; they are free to concentrate on innovation.

For more on the advantages of cloud computing, including Pros and Cons, read this article from the Cloud Computing Journal ....

The Advantages Of Using Cloud Computing

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DataCenter Demand in New Jersey is Growing

According to the panelists at the Greater New York Data Center Summit held on November 29th in NYC, northern New Jersey and suburban industrial spaces are expected to see new development in the next 5-10 years as the need for data centers continues to grow. There is a blatant demand for secure, customized data center facilities to meet the needs of information technology businesses The telecom industry is expanding beyond traditional borders.

“We need space!”

This message was very clear throughout the event. Needs for reliable and secure data storage continue to climb for businesses of all sizes, and New Jersey is a place business can flourish. Furthermore, flexible, expandable space were hot topics indeed.

It is the state of NJ that is setting the trend for national data center development. As inventory of space remains an issue throughout the US, there is an estimated 800,000 square feet of industrial space in the state of New Jersey, with more than 16 different data center providers.

But there are solutions.

FiberMedia provides superior cloud networking solutions for your growing business with 5 data centers throughout NY/NJ Tri-state area. Furthermore, FiberMedia is a key player helping to bolster New Jersey’s emerging economic rise in this technology space. While many companies are just discovering the opportunities here, FiberMedia is firmly rooted as a provider of choice offering enterprise class resources on-demand.

To learn more about FiberMedia’s New Jersey data centers you can checkout their Jersey City (http://www.fibermedia.net/locations/jersey-city-nj/) facility or visit their marquee site in Secaucus, NJ (http://www.fibermedia.net/locations/secaucus-nj/)

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Who Is Broadview Networks?

Broadview Networks provides advanced communications services and support for businesses of all sizes in the northeast, New England and mid-Atlantic regions.

What You Should Know About Broadview Networks

Broadview Networks is a network-based electronically integrated communications provider (e-ICP) serving small and medium-sized businesses in the Northeastern and Mid-Atlantic United States. The Company offers integrated communications solutions, including local, long-distance and international voice services; data services that encompass VPN and MPLS enabled offerings; hosted and premises-based VOIP systems; traditional telephone systems; and high-speed Internet services using DSL, T1 and T3 technologies.

Broadview Networks is a total solutions provider serving over 70,000 businesses customers throughout the Mid-Atlantic and Northeast United States. Broadview makes it easy for organizations to implement technologies that solve their infrastructure, security, and productivity challenges. Broadview customers benefit from award-winning customer service including a web-based account management tool and a primary point-of-contact for real-time, personal customer care.

For Broadview Networks the biggest advantage of its Metaswitch platform is more efficient use of the T1 bandwidth that is a mainstay of small business services. It allows Broadview to sell voice over IP without requiring major changes in customer behavior while improving the customer experience.

Broadview Networks Business Products:

* Business DSL
* Data T1
* Bonded T1
* Ethernet over Copper
* Integrated (SIP Handoff)
* Integrated (PRI Handoff)
* Integrated (Analog Handoff)
* Hosted PBX (SMB)
* IP-PBX Equipment (SMB)
* Local Voice
* Dedicated LD (In/Out)
* SIP (Local/LD Trunks)
* SIP (LD Buckets)
* Point to Point
* MPLS
* Colocation
* Managed Firewall
* POTS
* Metro Fiber Ethernet
* Gigabit Ethernet

For more information on any of the above services from Broadview Networks simply request a free quote here:

DS3 Bandwidth, Business Ethernet, And Much More

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Who Is Windstream Communications?

Windstream Communications, formerly known as NuVox, delivers customized managed communications services, information technology, data, security, and voice solutions designed specifically for business customers. NuVox serves approximately 90,000 customers in the Southeast and Midwest, and provides select services throughout the United States. NuVox delivers services via its industry-leading MPLS-based wide area private IP network.

What You Should Know About Windstream Communications

Windstream Communications, formerly known as NuVox, headquartered in Greenville, SC, delivers voice, data, business apps, and IT security designed specifically for business customers in the Southeast and Midwest. Today, NuVox is one of the largest Competitive Local Exchange Carriers (CLEC) in the United States.

Windstream Products:

* Business DSL
* Data T1
* Bonded T1
* Frac/Full DS3
* Frac/Full OC3/12/48
* Ethernet over Copper
* Ethernet over DS1/DS3
* Metro Fiber Ethernet
* Integrated (SIP Handoff)
* Integrated (PRI Handoff)
* Integrated (Analog Handoff)
* POTS Lines
* Local Voice
* MPLS
* Ethernet WAN
* Google Apps for Business
* Colocation

If you are interested in any of the services from Windstream listed above, simply request a free quote here:

DS3 Bandwdith, Business Ethernet, And Much More

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Cloud Computing Overview

Cloud computing enables you to access remote files and applications over the Internet.

Cloud services are divided into two main categories:

* Infrastructure-as-a-Service (IaaS)

* Software-as-a-Service (SaaS)

Cloud services are different from traditional hosting in three ways:

* It is sold incrementally on-demand, typically by the minute, hour, or CPU cycles

* It is elastic -- a user can have as much or as little of a service as they want at any given time

* The service is fully managed by the provider (the consumer needs nothing but a personal computer and Internet access)

Cloud solutions can be private or public. Public clouds share a single resource (such as a server) among multiple users where a private cloud is used by a single user.

SaaS provides the capability for the for the consumer to access applications running on a cloud infrastructure. Applications can be accessed through a thin client interface such as a web browser, hand set, etc.

IaaS is the "computing" of "cloud computing" and the engine behind Saas. IaaS gives customers access to computer processing, storage, networks, and other computing resources that are hosted by the IaaS service provider.

For more information watch this video "What Is Cloud Computing" ....

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