The Importance of Calculating Bandwidth for SIP Trunking

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It happens to every business.  A customer tries out your product only to inform you it doesn’t work right and they are no longer interested in your product.  Fortunately, you don’t like taking no for an answer easily so you press them to find out why they think it doesn’t work.   After a little digging you discover it has nothing to do with your product or service but rather something on their end which you have no control over.

When I worked for a small software company it was inevitable that we got blamed if anything went wrong with the computer where our software was installed. We would spend hours of our time troubleshooting only to discover that either they didn’t install the software properly, had an incorrect router setting preventing links from working, or as in many cases, they had a computer virus.

It’s no different in the telecommunications world.  While in software, it was often a virus which was the culprit, in our case it can often be the bandwidth of the client’s internet connection which affects the quality of voice over the internet.

Therefore, we thought it would be a good idea to put out there in this article some details on the basic principles of bandwidth allocation as it relates to SIP trunking and its implications.

One of the preliminary steps which you should consider before pursing SIP trunking is to take analysis of your existing bandwidth availability.   To do this, you will need to do the following:

Test your internet speed

Go to www.speakeasy.net  and use their speed test tool to determine your internet speed. It will test both download and upload speeds and display them on the screen.  You can choose a city near you to test through or one farther away.  The farther away the slower the speed.

Consider your bandwidth allocation

If your business already uses the existing internet connection for heavy data use and plans on using the same connection for heavy call volume, you might run into a problem if the connection you have is not broad enough to handle the load.

This doesn’t mean that you will not be able to handle SIP trunking however.   There are other options such as getting a dedicated T1 for your voice (or data), and in some circumstances securing an MPLS (Multi-Protocol Label Switching) which might be the best option depending on the needs and requirements of your organization.

Determine how many call paths you would need

This is important because by recognizing the number of call paths needed, you can determine the amount of bandwidth needed.   The question becomes will you have enough bandwidth when all call paths are being used in addition to your regular internet data usage?

To help you determine what you need to look for, we have created a graph which shows how much bandwidth in MB you will need for the allotted call paths.   If you don’t meet the recommendations and still proceed with a voice over IP solution like SIP you will most likely experience a degradation in call quality as a result of dropped call packets.

The two charts below show the required bandwidth in MG (Megabytes) as well as the number of T1s which would be required to provide the necessary bandwidth.

The first graph is if you are using a G.711 Codec which uses 80-85k of bandwidth per call path.   So for one call path you would only need about 80+k to make your calls without any quality issues.   The greater the bandwidth allowed such as in the G.711 vs. the G.729, the better your voice quality will sound.

In our graph we broke it down with our bundles for the sake of simplicity and practical application.   Starting with our 50 call path bundle, you would need approximately 4MG (50 paths x 80k = 4000k).  This would require three T1s (one T1 = 1.5MG).   Since you need 4 MG, you would need three T1s to provide adequate bandwidth.

The second graph shares the same scenario, but using the G.729 codec which uses less bandwidth.  Remember, the less bandwidth allocated for each path the lesser the quality of voice the user will experience.  However, for EtherSpeak, the G.711 is the default used, but if a user has bandwidth constraints, then we will go ahead and change it to the G.729 codec.

If you are able to provide the appropriate internet bandwidth which will cover “both” voice and data, you then should move forward with testing out some SIP trunks.    If not, then you have just spared yourself from having to use up your time trying to troubleshoot quality control issues with your carrier when all along it was a result of your own lack of bandwidth.

Bandwidth of course is not the only factor when factoring SIP trunking quality.   Issues such as latency, jitter and packet loss can also cause quality issues.   These types of issues result in echos or when you find yourself and the other caller consistently interrupting each other.

Without going into further detail (save that for another post), it’s always good to be aware that there are many issues which can affect voice quality over the internet.  If you have a strong connection to start with you are at least off to a great start.   Make sure when looking for a SIP provider, that they provide you with a trial and are able to discuss these types of issues with you.

If you are ready to look into SIP trunking as an option for your telecommunication needs for your business, feel free to give us a call at (866) 384-3747 or contact us online and we’ll be glad to answer any questions.

Request a free quote and trial here.

Liz
EtherSpeak, Inc.
www.ietherspeak.com

A Look at How Virtual Numbers Work

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To the average person a virtual number looks and behaves no differently than a regular number. It dials just like any other number and appears on caller ID just like any other number.

Virtual Numbers – Different based on Service Carrier

Not all providers work the same way anymore. Twenty years ago everything was analog or POTS (Plain Old Telephone Service), but now with the growth of internet based phone service such as VOIP or SIP, things have gotten a lot easier. Let’s compare the two.

Regular POTS
In this case, the carrier or provider will need to actually get two numbers for you. One is where you are located because this is your land-line, the second is the number with the out of town area code. For example, if you live in MD and want a CA number, no POTS carrier can assign a CA area code to a MD physical location.

To remedy this, the carrier must get another number with a CA area code and forward it to your MD number which is tied to your physical line. Bottom line – you’ll need two phone numbers but both numbers must have physical locations, one where the CA area code and prefix is, and one where the MD area code and prefix is.

Voice over IP
If you have internet phone service, your provider will not require you to have two numbers. They have the ability to assign you any number with any area code and tie it to your location. Instead of ringing through the land line, the number will be tied to your phone’s IP address.

Hybrid Solution
If you do not have internet service for phone connectivity, but are still in love with your old analog land line phone (there are various reasons this may occur) and don’t want to migrate over to a full-fledged IP based phone system, then you can contact a provider that specializes in IP phone service and they can acquire an outside phone number and forward it to your POTS.

In this case, you still need two numbers, but do not require two physical locations and this solution will save you money.  You can keep your POTS carrier for the physical location, but the IP based provider will take care of your CA phone number by acquiring the number and forwarding it to your MD POTS number.

Who uses Virtual Numbers and Why?

Virtual numbers are typically used by businesses rather than residential entities as a way to establish a presence in targeted markets.

Marketing
Companies might want to do this for a few reasons. First it might be because they are reaching out to clients or potential clients in a geographical location where they are not physically located. Perhaps they are doing some print advertising and want to feature local contact numbers rather than out of town or long distance numbers.

Local Presence
Another reason might be that some people/businesses will feel more comfortable dealing with a company or representative that has a local number.

For example, perhaps there is a sales rep whose territory covers more than one state or any area that spans multiple area codes. Let’s use DC as an example because there are a few area codes used in and around DC – such as 204, 301, 703 and 202. If you were a sales rep, you might want to offer a 703 code for all your Northern Virginia contacts, or a 202 for DC contacts.

Even though your office might only be a 35 minute drive from a client, a different area code may give the impression that you are outside of their market area.

Remote Workers
Another reason for using a virtual is if a company employs an employee or representative which is out of state or area and yet already has their own business line. Instead of installing a new line, the employing company might choose to just give a virtual number and tie it to the representative’s existing line with area codes and prefixes matching the company headquarters. If that employee leaves, the company can easily forward the virtual number to another phone.

Can a Virtual Number be a Vanity Number?

Vanity numbers are phone numbers which are specifically requested by the user. For example, (703) 321-4663 can also be advertised as (703) 321-HOME. Or perhaps the client wants a new number that is easier to remember and decides to use (703) 321-1212 but needs to keep their old number as well.

Instead of requiring a new line, they can start using their new vanity number.

Is a Toll Free Number a Virtual Number?

Since a virtual number is simply a number which is forwarded to a standard phone number, and a toll free number operates the same way, then technically yes a toll free number can be a virtual number. You would not want to tie a toll free number however to a virtual number – it would need to be forwarded to a non-virtual number.

Will the Virtual Number appear on Caller ID?

One question which is asked frequently is if the virtual number will appear on caller ID or will the non-virtual number appear? The answer is, it depends. It depends if you enable the Caller ID feature, without this feature enabled the regular phone number will appear. Some companies may or may not charge for this caller ID feature.

Are Virtual Numbers Difficult to Order?

Virtual numbers do not need to be ordered by the carrier or provider with whom you have your non-virtual number registered with. For example, if you have a need to get 5 virtual numbers forwarded to your regular number, EtherSpeak can secure those numbers for you and forward them to the numbers with your other carrier.

Time frames can vary when ordering virtual numbers anywhere from less than a week to sometimes over a month. It also depends if the number is toll free which can take longer, but most importantly is if the carrier has those numbers in stock for the area requested. If not, the length of time will be extended.

What is MPLS and its Benefits?

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MPLS stands for Multi-Protocol Label Switching. Now that we know what the acronym stands for, but what does it mean?

Protocols are an important part of sending and receiving information across the internet and different protocols exist for different telephony technologies.

The term multi-protocol means this type of service uses any kind of protocol – it’s not restricted to any particular type of protocol – hence, multi-protocol.

The uniqueness of MPLS vs. a regular VPN or other IP connection is its use of labeling. Voice and data get sent in packets so when those packets are received at the MPLS network, each packet is assigned a label. That packet actually gets assigned multiple labels – but one at a time as it progresses through the MPLS network from one end to the other.

As each packet travels from one “hop” to another (think of hops as stations), it checks in and drops off any needed information for processing and gets tagged with another label to replace the previously affixed one. Then it goes to the next station and repeats the process until the end.

Although extremely simplified above, that’s the basic gist. There are benefits to using an MPLS network, but not necessarily everyone needs it, and a regular SIP trunk with a VPN would suffice.

Here are some benefits that come with MPLS, many have to do with the way it is designed as explained above.

MPLS Benefits

Faster Speed: Due to the labeling technology, the speed of performing lookups for destinations and routing is much faster than the standard IP table lookups non-MPLS routers have to perform.

QoS: This is a big one. MPLS networks achieve greater Quality of Service for their customers. Quality of Service (QoS) means exactly that – you can expect a higher standard of service such as reliability, speed, and voice quality. This is for a few reasons, one already mentioned above.

In addition, MPLS networks are able to assign priorities to the different packets based on what the labels say about that packet. Packets with greater priority, voice over data for example, are given more bandwidth allocation. A packet that which is not deemed as high priority is given less. Obviously sending documents online don’t need to be assured of the same bandwidth required for someone who is wanting to have a conversation.

Faster Restoration: MPLS networks are also able to restore interrupted connections at a faster speed than typical networks. Obviously, this is a benefit.

Security: MPLS offers greater security and are often required for companies which need enhanced privacy and security for their network needs. Some industries like the Health Care and Financial industries are examples of industries mandated by Federal law to comply to specific requirements for network security.

If you are in one of these industries and need SIP, MPLS is a good option unless the provider can offer the proper forms of encryption.

24/7 Monitoring: Another benefit of MPLS is that the network is pro-actively monitored and managed at all times ensuring the extreme reliability and security.

Where to Find MPLS Providers

You can find MPLS providers by looking directly at carriers like Level 3, however the problem with these is that they usually only deal with very large accounts, and their rates are generally higher than Service Providers like EtherSpeak.  EtherSpeak for example, can connect to an MPLS network allowing smaller business entities that larger carriers may not take on as a customer to tap into the network via EtherSpeak – and at a lesser price.

MPLS is described many ways by many people. It’s fairly easy to understand the concept but depending on what level of understanding you want to attain can make it more difficult to explain. MPLS is fairly new, starting in the late 90’s as a solution to the growing problem of internet unreliability and with the increasing number of companies demanding better connectivity and quality.

While one of our tech support guys describe MPLS as follows, “a Frame Relay but with much faster speeds and QoS control” someone else explains it as a way as a private network not passing over the internet – but through its own connectivity in the cloud. Other people just say the acronym and think that this explains it all.

In the end consider the advantages of what an MPLS network provides, and if it’s what you need or simply looking for more details like pricing, set up, etc., feel free to contact us and you’ll get a free quote and can talk with our knowledgeable staff about what kind of environment would work for your type of business.

EtherSpeak, Inc.
www.ietherspeak.com
(866) 384-3747

Are you considering SIP for your voice needs?

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Is SIP for Voice For You?

SIP stands for Session Initiation Protocol and it is the method of transporting (sending and receiving) video and/or voice through the internet. There are different protocols that can be used for sending and receiving video or voice, and SIP has its own set of protocols.
SIP can be used for either voice or video, or both. But this post is mainly about using SIP for voice.

Here are some things to consider when looking at switching from a non-SIP communications to SIP based.

Phone systems

The first component to consider is that SIP will not work unless you have a phone system that works along with it. Not every phone system does this, but many do. Most IP PBX systems will work natively, and a legacy PBX will accept SIP via a Gateway.
Phone systems can range in price and as with most technology, price depends on the features included. The more features included the greater the price.

In addition, not only will you need the actual handsets (phones) you will need the “system” itself either hosted on your own network or hosted by a provider. The system is the heart of everything, it is what takes the incoming calls and passes them onto the right person. It takes the outgoing calls and sends them to the right place. The system is stored in a gateway/firewall and sometimes requires licenses based on various factors.When using a native configuration, you will not need this additional hardware – more on this later.

If you are already using a system and are looking to move over to SIP, make sure your new provider actually works with your existing system. Here at EtherSpeak, we work with a variety of systems: Microsoft Lync, ShoreTel, Zultys, Asterisk, Cisco, AllWorx and lwatsu systems.

Are there equipment requirements?

This goes along with the point above because some phone systems require additional equipment while others do not. Some systems are native, which means no extra equipment like gateways are required. Instead the connection comes into the office and goes right to the switch or server – no special routing boxes which can run a few grand are needed. This is a big plus for those looking to save money and cut some overhead expenses.

However, if you already have equipment that you are using then it’s up to you, however, why bear the added expense of upgrades and maintenance if you don’t have to?

Keep in mind some systems may have their own pros and cons regarding native or non-native connectivity. For example, with ShoreTel, one of the voip systems we integrate with forfeits the ability to hear the ringtone when a user transfers a caller to another extension when the system is configured for native connectivity. Keep in mind, this “con” to native was as of the date of this post. Visit the site http://www.shoretelforums.com which is a great community resource or contact ShoreTel directly.

How many lines are you looking at?

Consider how many call paths you are looking for. A call path is similar to a phone line, but unlike regular phone lines where one line is tied to one number, a call path can have multiple numbers, but only one number can use that call path at a time. Check out various pricing structures for your SIP requirements.

For example, if you only have needs for two lines, you won’t need a large bundled package of minutes. Instead, you might settle on a plan that charges per call path. By the way, EtherSpeak offers both these options in order to accommodate both small and large organizations.

What’s your current available bandwidth/network usage?

Another consideration which can be easily overlooked is bandwidth/network usage. SIP may be great, but if your current bandwidth is low or you have a constantly high load on your network, there may not be enough available bandwidth left to deliver a high quality voice connection.

We once had a potential client who contacted us for our SIP service. They dealt heavily with online data files, so our sales staff took analysis of their bandwidth and determined they did not have the proper bandwidth available to be allocated to voice. In order to use voice for SIP, they would have to purchase a separate T1 dedicated to voice only.

Is your industry governed by Federal privacy and security regulations?

A final consideration is if your company is involved in a regulated industry. Some industries such as Health Care, Financial, and Banking are required by Federal law to keep their voice and data lines separated for privacy and security reasons. Just do a search on HIPAA or Sarbanes-Oxley to learn more. Make sure to find a provider which is compliant with these laws since there are requirements such as encrypted connectivity as set forth by the government.

If you have questions about moving over SIP, feel free to give us a call at (866) 384-3747 or fill out our contact form and we’ll be happy to provide a free quote and trial. Our sales team can answer any questions or concerns you might have with your set up, time frames and even budgets.

Interview about Microsoft Lync and EtherSpeak SIP

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One of the upcoming UC platforms which has been getting more attention lately is Microsoft Lync.  To be accurate Lync has been around for some time, but was called OCS before it was rebranded and turned into Lync.

Lync integrates into various Microsoft Office tools such as SharePoint, Outlook, etc.  Lync offers tools for voice and video communications.

EtherSpeak, Inc. integrates with Lync as a sip provider, much the same way they provide connectivity with other platforms such as ShoreTel through their SureTrunk product.    EtherSpeak provides the SIP connectivity and does so natively making it easy to set up and get running.

To better explain, here is a video where Bill and I discuss EtherSpeak SIP trunking and talk about how it works with Microsoft’s Lync.

Learn the benefits of Lync and the benefits of SIP Trunking and what this means for your business!

Here’s the video:

For more information, contact us online here or call (866) 384-3747.

A look inside EtherSpeak’s Pricing Structure for SIP Trunking

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We have recently posted online a new video in our Interview series where Bill and I discuss the pricing structure of EtherSpeak’s SIP Trunking services.

EtherSpeak provides users with a few choices when it comes to purchasing our sip trunks and I think it is worth it’s very own post…. and video as seen below.

The problem with having only one way of pricing is that that particular way may not always in the best interest for customers.  To give some examples let’s start by talking about our “bundled minutes” packages.

Bundled Minutes

These are available in 4 levels:  Bronze, Silver, Gold and Platinum.   Each level progressively offers more usable minutes and call paths.   Similar to a cell phone, the monthly cost is a flat rate and if a customer goes over the allotted minutes then they pay a per minute overage.

Per Call Path

But what about the company that is only looking for a handful of call paths – or lines?   So if they know they will never need up to 50 as is included with the Bronze package, and they just need 1 or 2 lines, they can order our Freedom trunks which are sold on a per call path basis.

BurstaTrunk

Then you have another group of businesses that are seasonal in nature.  What this means is that for the majority of the year these companies experience a low to moderate call volume, however for just a short period of time (perhaps 2 months) their call volume needs skyrocket.

A perfect example (and timely too) are business which specialize in holiday products such as Christmas cards or some other holiday product which spikes between November and December.

If we only offered our bundled minutes, they would need to potentially purchase a higher rate plan for 12 months out of the year to accommodate the peaks in usage of minutes and call paths.   But just like a PRI scenario, who wants to pay for more than what they need – especially when it’s for the majority of the year?!

So EtherSpeak has a service called BurstaTrunk which automatically expands to the required number of call paths when needed.   When the call volume goes down, so do the number of call paths and when the volume goes up – so do the number of call paths.

In other words with BurstaTrunk – you only have to pay for what you use.  You don’t get charged overage rates.  Instead you pay for the number of trunks needed (a min. of 6 is required) and then just add the BurstaTrunk service charge (call for pricing – I can’t give away all our secrets) onto the plan.

If you don’t know which structure or service is best for your business, we can help you determine the best choice.

If you want to learn more about our plans and pricing, please contact us and we’ll be glad to answer any questions you may have.

Make sure to watch the video!

Liz

What is a DID number?

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The straight forward answer is: DID is a term used by the telecommunications industry and stands for Direct Inward Dial.

But DID’s are more than just an acronym, so please read on…

A little over a year ago I was an outsider to the telecommunications world.  The closest I got was installing my own phone jack for an additional line.   Once I truly got involved in the telecom world (specifically SIP), one of the first terms I began hearing was DID.

“How many DID’s do they need?”  “What’s their DID?”  “What DID are they asking for?”

When I learned what it meant, I asked myself why not just say phone number?    It’s the same thing right?

A DID is a phone number yes – but not all phone numbers are DID.

Example:

To paint a conceptual picture, imagine a 10 person legal firm.   1 receptionist who answers the main toll free phone line and 9 other employees have their own personal lines.   If a client calls the receptionist and asks for Mr. Jones, the receptionist transfers the caller to Mr. Jones’ phone.

Here, the receptionist did not use the DID to get the caller in touch with Mr. Jones.   Therefore, the DID was not a part in this scenario.

Had the client looked at Mr. Jones business card and saw his “direct phone number” and dialed it – he would have bypassed the receptionist and instead reached Mr. Jones directly.    In this scenario, the DID was used.

So how many DID’s are needed for this office?   10?   No, 9 are needed.   A toll free number is not considered a DID therefore only 9 DID’s are required.

Can you have a large business with just a few DID’s?

The answer is yes.  Consider a calling center where the majority of their calls are outbound.

Have you ever had a situation where you were on the phone with a customer service rep and you asked if you could get their number so if you had to call back you could reach them?   Odds are they answered no, because they were only able to make out bound calls.   Perhaps they gave you the main toll free customer service number, or even their extension, but they most likely did not give you a direct number.

That’s because they don’t have an actual direct number tied to their phone which would allow direct inbound calls.    So in this case the customer service rep does not have a DID.

Are DID’s used in VOIP?
The answer is yes.  It doesn’t matter if the telephone service being used runs over the internet as is the case with businesses which invest in SIP trunking, or if it is a regular analog telephone lines.   The number operates the same regardless.   In other words, whether you use an IP service provider for your phone service or regular old phone service – if you need new DID’s just call them – they’ll know what to do.

Where can you order DID’s? 

In general, you would order a new DID through your telephone service provider.   You would simply call them and let them know you need to order a new number and they should be able to help you.

How long does it take to get a new DID?

I can’t speak for every phone service provider out there, but at EtherSpeak here are two scenarios we deal with:

1. Adding a brand new DID:   If a customer orders a new DID and that number is available, it can take 5 minutes to set it up.  However, there are other factors involved, such as how long it takes to activate the actual service.   In general for SIP providers you can get phone service within a day or even within an hour, but for a regular phone company – it can take weeks or even months just to get the service set up!

2. Porting:  Porting is another way of saying transferring a number.   Just as you can keep your cell number when you change from Sprint to Verizon, you can do the same for business.  This is called porting.

When porting, it can take longer to get started because we are now dealing with multiple carriers – the “losing carrier” and the “gaining carrier”.   The losing carrier is the one who is transferring the number to the carrier who is gaining the number.

For this process, it takes longer to check all the details and paperwork and therefore the approval process just simply takes longer.  Sometimes it can be shorter than 2 weeks but this is a fairly good estimate.

For larger numbers that are being ported – such as over 50 it can be expected to take between 3 to 4 weeks.

What if you need a number transferred immediately?

We had a situation where one of our customers absolutely could not wait.  It was an emergency.   So what do to?    We created a new DID for them which was able to get setup in 5 minutes, and then we forwarded the number they wanted to transfer over to the new DID we just setup.   Once everything was transferred and confirmed, we removed the forward.

To learn more about phone service over the internet for your business, we’ll be glad to help.  Just give us a call at (866) 384-3747 or contact us using our contact form.

Written by Liz Krause

EtherSpeak, Inc.
www.ietherspeak.com

Interview about EtherSpeak SIP Trunking for ShoreTel

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Over the course of the next few weeks, we will be releasing various short interviews on video showcasing our various products and services.

Some may be about our SIP Trunking, while others may be about other services we offer such as how to setup your fax to email account, or how an ATA box works, or the benefits of MPLS.

Each video will be approximately 3 minutes in length and you are free to use the embed link off of YouTube.

Here is our first video with Bill Alessi, Sales Manager at EtherSpeak discussing who EtherSpeak is, what we do and what our relationship is with ShoreTel.    Interested?   Just click the play button below!

To learn more about our SureTrunk solution which provides SIP Trunking for the ShoreTel UC platform , call (866) 384-3747 or contact us online.

 

What is the point of SIP encryption?

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Encryption is easy to understand in terms of concept.   You have an encrypted connection then you feel safe and secure.  Most people tend to think of encryption in terms of surfing the web and wireless networks or when paying for an online purchase or submitting an online form.

But what about when it comes to voice?  When people refer to “voice” they are referring to the telephone.  In our case with EtherSpeak, we provide phone service over the Internet so we fall into the category of VoIP (voice of IP).

How are we different than other VoIP companies? 

Good question and glad you asked.  There are quite a few VoIP companies out there from Skype to Vonage,Comcast, etc.   But where EtherSpeak is different is that we use SIP – (session initiation protocol) to send voice “packets” across the Internet in forms of trunks.  We don’t use a plain generic Internet connection – like what you use for regular Skype or even MajicJack.

Is SIP encryption new?

SIP itself is fairly new over the last decade and is growing in popularity as more and more businesses turn to using SIP as it provides better call quality and can integrate with many phone systems from ShoreTel, Zultys, Microsoft Lync and Asterisk to name a few.

The problem however, is SIP has had its limitations in the past.  For example, businesses or organizations which are in the Health Care, Financial Banking, or even Insurance or Real Estate industries, have been unable to take advantage of SIP because there are Government regulated requirements that must be met when it comes to dealing with personal data from clients, governments, and banks.

Without some advanced form of security, such transmissions can be hacked – yes people actually hack voice and not just data.

So there are strict compliance rules which must be met by those organizations when it comes to communication – especially over the Internet.

EtherSpeak recognizes that.

Does SIP meet those requirements?

It can.  Some service providers say that SIP isn’t “there” yet, but for EtherSpeak, we chose not to wait around.    We have an encryption option for our SIP phone service - and it meets government compliance perfectly.

Hospitals and doctors offices which were previously tied to hardwired phone lines that cost a ton of money, can now actually use an internet connection which is much easier to maintain and adjust to organizational changes (new extensions, phone numbers, routing, etc.) – with the same level of secure encryption.

Is it just a flip of the switch?

We aimed to make it as easy as possible for people to upgrade to an encrypted option.  That’s why we offer encryption for all our phone systems we support, and have worked hard to be able to provide this encryption for companies like yours.

For example, to provide an encrypted SIP connection to users of Microsoft Lync might be different than for ShoreTel users.    Not that the end result is any different – as both methods meet government standards.

However, not all SIP providers choose to put themselves into the encrypted SIP market.   EtherSpeak does as we feel very strongly about making this option available for those who need it.  We feel strong about SIP technology and want to make sure that we can meet the needs of businesses which require that extra security and privacy.

If you’re interested in learning more about our encrypted SIP services for your business, give us a call at (866) 384-3747 or fill out our contact form.

Case study: Flexible SIP Solution Helps PED Ride Wave of Record Sales

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While most businesses were preparing for the worst as Hurricane Irene began to approach, one company was already in a position of making record sales.  No, this is not a story about ill gotten gains in the face of disaster – this is about one company who was able to meet the demands of those who were expected to be in the path of the terrible and monstrous Hurricane Irene.

Power Equipment Direct, is an online retailer, started by John Hock in 2003.  Mr. Hock started as a small business by selling pressure washers and then branched out into other power supplies such as lawn mowers, log splitters, snow blowers and even electric generators.

When Hurricane Irene was making big news in August of this year, many people didn’t mess around with preparing for the worst.  Besides flashlights and batteries, many people began to shop around for generators to help run their homes and businesses during the expected power outages.   Since PED sells generators, and at lower than retail prices, they were soon flooded with orders.

In order to accommodate the increase in calls, PED needed to increase their call capacity – and do it quickly.   Fortunately, PED was already set up on EtherSpeak SIP trunks.   Now it was just a matter of PED working with Converged Technologies Professionals, an EtherSpeak Partner, to do whatever needed to be done in order to make the change – and fast.

The story is amazing, because not only is it about the financial and operational success, but it is a testament to the responsiveness, diligence and professional team work that took place between all parties involved to make sure a solution was put into place.

You just don’t always get that kind of service from your telephone service provider.  You are simply an account name and an invoice number – but not here.   EtherSpeak is proud to be partners with Converged Technologies Professionals and ShoreTel and it shows in this shining example of what it means to put the customer first.

Read the official story here.

The end of the story doesn’t stop there because due to Hurricane Irene, a new plan by EtherSpeak was birthed (announced in this blog post) to help out businesses who were hurt by Irene by offering a month to month internet based phone plan until Dec. 31, 2011 for businesses who lost phone service, but still have an internet connection.

While many phone lines were severely damaged, many internet connections where still intact.  EtherSpeak is already positioned to provide phone service over the internet, sometimes called VoIP or for business applications – SIP Trunking.

To learn more about EtherSpeak and our services – please call us at (866) 384-3747 or fill out our online contact form.  We will be glad to talk with you about your needs and find a way to help you and your business.