It’s true, we have turned 10! This makes us one of the most experienced Hosted PBX service providers in the industry. We are proud to celebrate this accomplishment and with this milestone we also see ourselves as a leader providing premium Hosted PBX and VoIP services at very competitive rates. You can follow this link to read our press release to learn more about the news!
Archive for the ‘Hosted PBX’ Category
HostMyCalls Celebrates 10th Anniversary
Monday, January 24th, 2011HD Voice Will Revolutionize the Telephone Industry and Improve Mobile Phone Safety
Friday, January 21st, 2011Have you ever wondered why driving and talking to someone in the car seat next to you is not nearly as distracting as driving and talking to someone on your mobile phone? The answer is simply related to frequency range. Mobile phones, landlines and most Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) calls only transmit a narrow portion of the human voice sound spectrum. This puts our brains to work filling in the gaps, deciphering sounds and separating out background noise which distracts us from our current chore like driving. Enter wideband voice.
The current technology of the Public Switched Telephone Network or PSTN is approximately 100 years old. It takes 8,000 samples per second of sounds within the microphones range from 200Hz to 3,300Hz which is known as narrowband. By contrast, the human voice sound spectrum ranges from 80Hz to 14,000Hz. This leaves many gaps in what we hear from the caller on the other end of the phone. Throw in some background noise and it can become quite difficult to distinguish the nuances between several sounds in spoken language.
Wideband voice, commonly referred as HD Voice as trademarked by Polycom, attempts to solve the problem. Wideband voice is not exactly new technology as the International Telecommunications Union (ITU) standardized a version of wideband audio as G.722 in 1987. It takes 16,000 sound samples per second of the frequency range 50Hz to 7,000Hz. In other words, it doubles the sampling rate and more than doubles the frequency range.
Benefits of Wideband Voice
*Significantly improved voice quality. Have you heard the difference on the radio between a broadcaster at a remote location versus someone calling in from a plain telephone? The remote radio broadcaster uses the G.722 Codec to provide high quality audio transmissions from remote locations.
*Less Fatigue and increased productivity. Talking on the phone all day creates fatigue because of the increased brain function required to determine what people are saying. Wideband audio makes it easier to understand accented speakers, recognize voices and distinguish confusing sounds. It is also easier to understand people using speakerphones or that have noise in the background.
*Fewer Errors. Wideband voice makes it easier to decipher words that have close sounds such as ‘m’ and ‘n’ or ‘s’ and ‘f’ and others. An obvious example is giving an e-mail address over the phone and the difficulty in making sure that it has been transcribed correctly.
Availability of Wideband Voice
Wideband voice is not widely available at this time. All calls that go over the PSTN use narrowband. It is important to note that in order to conduct a wideband voice phone call both ends must support wideband voice all the way through the network.
G.722.2 Codec has been designated as the wideband for the 3rd generation of mobile phones (commonly known as 3G). It has been deployed by some mobile carriers in Europe with only a few phones available which use it.
In Europe, some Hosted VoIP Providers have successfully implemented a system of SIP enabled services checking for an available SIP address before placing calls over the PSTN. The FCC appears to have stymied any such efforts in the US.
In the US, it is available on some IP enabled business telephone systems and a select few Hosted PBX / Hosted VoIP Providers. The most available applications are for internal office use which benefits communications specifically with remote workers and between remote offices.
The quality of wideband voice or HD Voice is truly amazing. Once you experience it, you will see that it has the potential to revolutionize telephone communications.
HostMyCalls Hosted PBX Internet DSL Modem Help Guide
Friday, January 7th, 2011How to Troubleshoot the SNR and Attenuation of Your DSL Modem to Fix Your Broadband Internet Speed
DSL Internet circuits may experience problems due to a variety of reasons. Most are related to the individual end user’s connection. And most can be detected through a simple check of Sync speed, attenuation and Signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) statistics on the DSL modem. This article will explain why these parameters are important, how to check them and how to improve the values.
It is always advisable to run a packet loss test on any Internet connection before an improvement project starts. The packet loss test should confirm that there is trouble at the end user’s connection and that the Internet Service Provider’s (ISPs) network is not the source of the trouble. In addition, the packet loss test will provide baseline statistics to compare future results against.
Assuming a packet loss test has revealed trouble at the end user’s IP address, it is time to look at the DSL modem and examine it for trouble:
Signal-to-Noise Ratio
According to Wikipedia.org, “signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) is a measure used in science and engineering to quantify how much a signal has been corrupted by noise. It is defined as the ratio of signal power to the noise power corrupting the signal. A ratio higher than 1:1 indicates more signal than noise.”
An everyday example of SNR is listening to music in your car over road noise or other people talking. The louder the radio compared to the other noise in the car, the more clearly you hear the music. The same is true for the DSL modem “hearing” the signal transporting the Internet traffic. When the signal is loud compared to the noise, Internet communication happens at a faster speed with less packet loss. When the signal is not loud enough compared to the noise, speeds slow down causing latency. Packets may be lost or discarded, creating retransmissions of data packets and trouble with real-time applications such as Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) used by Vonage, Skype and Hosted PBX providers. In fact, any real-time application will suffer including video streaming from Netflix, Blockbuster and others or any type of online gaming.
DSL Parameter Values
The values to check in a DSL modem are Sync, Attenuation and Signal-to-Noise Ratio.
Sync is described in downstream and upstream and is the connection speed in each direction. Downstream is from the ISP to the modem. Upstream is from the modem to the ISP.
Attenuation is the loss of signal over distance. The db loss is not just dependent on distance. It also depends on cable type and gauge (which can differ over the length of the cable), the number and location of other connection points on the cable. Attenuation is listed with both downstream and upstream values.
20db and below = Outstanding
20db-30db = Excellent
30db-40db = Very Good
40db-50db = Good
50db-60db = Poor and may experience connectivity issues
60db and above = Bad and will experience connectivity issues
Like Sync and Attenuation, SNR has downstream and upstream measurements.
6db or below = Bad and will experience no line synchronization and frequent disconnections 7db-10db = Fair but does not leave much room for variances in conditions.
11db-20db = Good with little or no disconnection problems
20db-28db = Excellent
29db or above = Outstanding
SNR will sometimes be displayed in margin or SNRM. This is the difference between the current SNR value and the SNR that is required to keep a reliable circuit at the connection speed. If the SNRM is minimal, the circuit is more likely to suffer intermittent connection faults and slowdowns. High margins are required to prevent bursts of interference from causing connection losses. The target SNRM is usually 6db but could be as high as 12db.
Determining the Values of a DSL Modem
Many DSL modem configuration pages can be viewed at the internal address of 192.168.1.254. Refer to http://broadband.modemhelp.net/dsl_modem_info/index.shtml and look up the specific make and model of the DSL modem or the manufacturer’s manual. The website or the manufacturer’s manual will give the modem configuration page address. Simply plug the address in a web browser of a PC connected to the modem and the page should load. Remember, these values can fluctuate. If intermittent problems are experienced, the values should be checked when all is well and compared to the values when trouble is experienced.
Improving the DSL Modem’s Values
Cabling and connectors are the most common cause of DSL problems. Internal wiring can easily be eliminated by simply plugging the modem into the Network Interface Device (NID) and unplugging everything else. The NID is usually located outside on a house or in an equipment room for a business. If the values do not improve to acceptable levels then the problem is with the modem or the ISPs infrastructure. Here are some things to try and look for:
1. Replace the modem.
2. Have the ISP verify that there are no load taps or bridge coils in their cabling.
3. Have the ISP verify that there are no T1 circuits grouped in the cable bundle serving the DSL (not likely to apply to residential).
4. If problems seem to be weather related especially during rain, have the ISP inspect and bypass any weather worn cabling or find better cabling pairs.
5. If none of the above is successful, have the ISP change the ports on the DSLAM.
If plugging the modem into the NID improved the values, then the problem is in the internal wiring. Check for the following:
1. Cabling from NID to modem is in good condition without any cable splices.
2. All telephone devices pass through a DSL filter.
3. Telephone jacks are in good condition and connectors behind the wall plates are solidly connected.
4. If the modem is plugged into a DSL filter, replace the filter.
5. If none of above is successful, unplug all telephone devices from the wall except the modem and check its values. If the values are acceptable, start plugging the other telephone devices back into the wall one at a time. Check the values as each device is plugged into the jack. When the modem values change back to an unacceptable range, the culprit has been found.
In most cases, the problem has been corrected by one of the items above. If the ISP has been involved, persistence may be required until a technician is found with the knowledge or customer care to fix the issue. Keep in mind, almost all Internet problems can be solved with determination and perseverance.
How to Use Mobile PBX to Keep Mobile Employees in Touch with Callers
Wednesday, December 15th, 2010Mobile Personnel Problem
The company has mobile personnel that need to maintain telephone contact with customers and other outside callers. Customers and callers can have difficulty contacting those that are away from their desk. When someone moves around a lot, it may be some time before they retrieve their messages and return calls. Frequently, drive and travel time could be used to follow-up or make business calls. Receptionists and assistants have to handle more calls, take care of callers with problems or issues and locate the mobile employee.
Mobile personnel can be away from their desk but within the office, on appointments around town or traveling. Examples of mobile personnel include:
* Outside salespeople
* Mobile plant managers
* Doctors
* Realtors
* Business owners/managers
* Warehouse managers
* Customer service personnel who need to leave desk or travel in the field
* Field technicians
* Healthcare workers who visit homes including nurses and physical therapists
* Construction site managers
* Inspectors and estimators
How the Problem Should NOT Be Solved
Giving out personal mobile phone numbers is usually not a good solution. If personal mobile numbers are given out, they can become the customers’ and callers’ primary means of contacting the company. The company is now exposed to the employee leaving employment and possibly going to work for a competitor. Now customers are calling ex-employees and sometimes competitors. If the employee does not leave employment but continues to receive calls on their mobile phone, the company may not get a good record of service calls.
Employees lose their privacy and can be contacted at any time when customers and callers have employee’s personal mobile numbers. Employee’s current activity can also be disrupted as they get the calls. Many times, these calls are best handled by other co-workers. However, the mobile worker is stuck with the call because they have no means of transferring.
Another poor solution is furnishing employees mobile phones by the company. Although the company controls the telephone number and the employees retain their privacy, their current activities can still be disrupted by calls best handled by others and they will still be stuck with the call. Providing mobile phones for employees can also be expensive.
Mobile PBX Delivered by a Hosted VoIP Provider is the Solution
The Mobile PBX feature, delivered by select Hosted VoIP providers, integrates the employee’s mobile phone with their desk phone. When activated, both phones will ring when the office desk telephone number is called. The phone that answers the call gets the call. If the call is received on the mobile phone, the call can be transferred back to the desk phone, another extension on the Hosted VoIP service or any telephone number in the world. The call can go to either phone’s voicemail depending on the wishes of the user, if neither phone answers the call.
Some Mobile PBX services will allow the mobile phone to place calls through the Hosted VoIP service. This hides the mobile phone’s caller ID protecting the privacy of the employee and preventing private mobile numbers that the company does not control from becoming known. Also, the Hosted VoIP service can be used for international calls instead of paying expensive mobile phone international call charges.
Other advantages and features of most Mobile PBX services include:
* All calls including those that end up on mobile phones can go through the switchboard.
* Only company owned and controlled numbers are given out or sent out on Caller ID.
* Calls can be easily transferred to and from mobile phones. Employees never need to get stuck with calls best handled by others.
* Calls will still process to mobile phones even during power outages and other sources of failure at the main office because Mobile PBX is delivered by a Hosted VoIP service.
* Private or personal mobile numbers remain private and personal.
* Employee can control when they receive calls on their mobile phone.
With Mobile PBX, mobile employees can stay productive and easily process calls when they are away from their desk. Mobile PBX allows a company to take better care of their customers and callers, reduce most “phone tag” issues, save staff time from covering calls for mobile employees and control the numbers callers use to contact them.
HostMyCalls Hosted PBX Internet Cable Modem Help Guide
Tuesday, November 23rd, 2010Is the Signal to Noise Ratio (SNR) of Your Cable Modem Slowing Down Your Internet Speed?
If you are having trouble with your cable provided Internet circuit, your first step is to determine whether the problem is in the Internet Service Provider’s (ISP) network or specific to your location. The best tool for determining the location of Internet trouble is an IP Packet Loss and Delay Test Tool.
Let’s assume that you have used an IP Packet Loss Tool and found either significant latency or packet loss happening at your site. In other words, the problem is specific to your location. What should you do next? Check the signal-to-noise ratio (SNR or S/N) on the cable modem.
Signal-to-Noise Ratio
According to Wikipedia.org, “signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) is a measure used in science and engineering to quantify how much a signal has been corrupted by noise. It is defined as the ratio of signal power to the noise power corrupting the signal. A ratio higher than 1:1 indicates more signal than noise.”
An everyday example of SNR is listening to music in your car over road noise or other people talking. The louder the radio compared to the other noise in the car, the more clearly you hear the music. The same is true for your cable modem “hearing” the signal transporting your Internet traffic on your cable system. When the signal is loud compared to the noise, Internet communication happens at a faster speed with less packet loss. When the signal is not loud enough compared to the noise, speeds slow down causing latency. Packets may be lost, creating retransmissions of data packets and trouble with realtime applications such as Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) used by Vonage, Skype and Hosted PBX providers. In fact, any realtime application will suffer including video streaming from Netflix, Blockbust and others or any type of online gaming.
Good SNR Values for Cable Modems
SNR values for cable modems are measured separately for downstream and upstream signals. Downstream is the signal transmitting from the cable provider or ISP to the cable modem. Upstream is the signal from the cable modem back to the provider.
Each cable modem is a little different but typical good values are:
Downstream SNR – 30:1 or more
Downstream Power – -8 to 8db (decibels)
Upstream SNR – 29:1 or more
Upstream Power – less than 55db
Determining the Values for Your Cable Modem
Many cable modem configuration pages can be viewed at the internal address of 192.168.100.1. Refer to http://broadband.modemhelp.net/cable_modem_info/index.shtml and look up the specific make and model of your cable modem. This website will give the modem configuration page address of the cable modem and the SNR values for optimal performance. Just plug the address in your web browser and the page should come up. As you check your cable modem’s SNR values, remember that these values can fluctuate. If you are experiencing intermittent problems, check the values when experiencing trouble and compare to the values when all is well.
Improving the Cable Modem’s SNR Values
Cabling and connectors are the most common cause of poor SNR values. Inspect all cabling and connectors in line with the cable modem. There should not be any cable splices and the modem should be connected to the primary splitter entering your facility. In addition, the coax cable should not have any sharp bends. Repair any obvious problems and check the SNR values again.
If no obvious problems exist or repairs have not improved the SNR values, try moving the cable modem to the most immediate entry point in the facility. Attach it to the main feed, if possible. If the SNR values are good, then the problem is cabling in the facility. If the SNR values are still unacceptable, the problem is in the cable modem, outside cabling or equipment of the cable provider. You can try changing the cable modem, if you feel comfortable with that task. Otherwise, it is time to get the ISP/cable provider involved. You can report your findings of the SNR values.
Finding the Source of Internet Problems
Remember, to solve your Internet problems, you must systematically eliminate sources until you find the trouble. Randomly changing settings and replacing hardware will usually take more time and cause lots of frustration. The most logical first step is to determine whether the problem is inside or outside your facility. In other words, cable modem out versus cable modem inward. Before examining SNR values, use an IP Packet Loss and Delay Test Tool to quickly determine whether the problem is happening at your location or within the ISP. If it finds packet loss and/or latency at your site, it is now time to check the SNR.
Understanding 911 Calling with VoIP Providers
Monday, November 22nd, 2010Accessing emergency services by dialing 911 is a critical component of public safety. The general public is accustomed to the functionality of calls to 911 over traditional telephone service. Consumer customers of Vonage, Skype and Google Voice as well as business customers of Hosted PBX, Hosted VoIP and Virtual PBX from VoIP providers use Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP), which is a completely different technology. VoIP technology brings unique challenges and different functionality in 911 call processing.
Do not expect VoIP 911 calls to function the same as traditional telephone 911 calls.
Key Differences Between VoIP and Traditional 911 Calls
1. Traditional telephone calls to 911 are sent to the Public Safety Answering Point (PSAP) that is responsible for a particular area. Usually the local PSAP can automatically identify the location and telephone number of the caller. Some VoIP providers may not connect to the local PSAP or they may inappropriately ring to the administrative line of the PSAP which may not be staffed after hours or answered by trained 911 operators.
2. VoIP calls to 911 may connect to the appropriate PSAP but not automatically transmit telephone number and location.
3. Many VoIP providers allow their customers to self move their telephones to any location that has broadband Internet access. The customer must take the responsibility to update the location information of the telephone as the VoIP providers will not be aware of the move.
4. Traditional home telephones may get their power from the telephone company. Business telephone systems may get their power from centralized equipment which may have power back up. 911 and other calls may fail on VoIP service during a power outage if each piece of equipment required to connect the IP telephone to the Internet does not have power back up.
5. VoIP calls, including 911 calls, may fail when the Internet connection becomes overloaded.
6. VoIP 911 calls may go through a VoIP 911 center who verifies telephone number and address before forwarding the call to the local PSAP.
7. VoIP telephones which cannot call Public Switched Telephone Network (PSTN) numbers may have no 911 call capabilities at all.
Although the differences between traditional and VoIP 911 calls may seem scary, it is not with the following tips.
Tips for VoIP 911 Calls
1. Select a VoIP or Hosted VoIP provider that routes their 911 calls to a 911 center or the local PSAP for your area.
2. Provide an accurate physical address to the VoIP provider for each telephone.
3. Know the procedures for updating the physical address and promptly update in the event of a change.
4. Install power back up units to keep the Internet, router(s) and VoIP telephones working during a power outage.
5. Place a test 911 call after a new VoIP telephone installation or after a change of physical address.
6. Clearly mark any telephone that does not connect to the PSTN and cannot make 911 calls.
The FCC imposed 911 obligations on all Interconnected VoIP providers in 2005. An Interconnected VoIP is VoIP over a broadband Internet service that connects with the PSTN or traditional telephone network. By FCC rules, the VoIP provider must provide 911 as a standard feature, obtain customer physical address before service activation and offer an easy means to update information. With the FCCs rules and by following the tips above, 911 service will be available on VoIP telephones when an emergency arises.
How to Solve VoIP Voice Quality Problems
Tuesday, November 16th, 2010Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) has brought sweeping changes to the telecommunications industry. Consumers have used services such as Vonage and Skype to lower telephone bills and connect with loved ones around the world. Businesses have reaped far greater benefits from VoIP when they have installed IP enabled telephone systems and Hosted PBX services. Many have redesigned their operations around the use of VoIP reducing personnel, office space and overhead while improving customer service. (more…)
Connect our VoIP phones to your existing Internet enabled Local Area Network (LAN) and you're in business!
