Every now and again I’m afforded the opportunity to spend a lot of time using a service before writing a review.
For the past five months I’ve been using the hosted VoIP phone service from Nextiva, one of the fastest growing hosted VoIP providers in the US. What follows is my review of Nextiva’s service based on this usage.
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VoIP hardware sucks.
Well at least for many VoIP providers.
It’s often troublesome to standardize on. It’s costly to purchase in volume and warehouse. Plus there is that whole “logistics” thing (including returns).
As a result many VoIP providers have decided to simply stick with what they do best – sell service – and allow customers to bring their own device (Bring Your Own Device).
For these providers and many an onlooker it seems like a smart move. Focus on what you do best (sell service) while giving customers the “choice” of whatever device they want.
A win-win right?
Well not quite.
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Nextiva is an award winning hosted phone service for small medium businesses that want the benefits of VoIP without the hassle of maintenance. - Garrett Smith
Expert advice to let you make the right decisions.
Late last week while enjoying some fantastic Mexican food for pal Cory Andrews‘ birthday, a discussion about high definition (HD) calling broke out.
Likely spurned by the recent completion of VoIP Supply’s own internal HD voice implementation, the discussion centered on the current applications and future promise of the technology. You’re sure to bet that we’re high on the HD voice.
However it isn’t the promise of HD VoIP calling that is left ringing in my head days later. It’s a statement that Cory made in regards to quality versus reliability.
Given a choice most people would choose call reliability over call quality.
It’s still ringing in my head because if this is true - and personal experience tells it is – it means customers will choose the most reliable service over one that sounds the best. In other words,
Given a choice most people would choose the reliability of the PSTN over the great sound of HD VoIP (all other things constant)
Perhaps a bit extreme, but today VoIP service reliability is still an issue.Yet it’s the thing most people look for first in a service.
Which makes me wonder why there isn’t more enthusiasm from the industry at large around delivering more reliable VoIP service (and a missed opportunity to maximize wideband telephony’s potential).
After all doesn’t 100% reliability really sound the best?
There was a lot going on last week at IT Expo.From the interesting talks about smart grid technology to well trafficked expo floor it was evident that the industry at large is still alive, kicking and poised for more growth.There were also a five trends that I spotted after three days of meeting and conversing.
At the show and see something I missed? Let me know about it in the comments.
Aastra has been on a roll the last two weeks. Especially with the growing popularity of VoIP mobility solutions.
Fresh off announcing stateside availability of the 312w wireless VoIP phone last week, Aastra has announced that three new DECT VoIP phones will be hitting the streets soon.
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It’s been a year and a half since I first laid eyes on the Aastra 312W.
Once only available through Aastra channel partners in Europe, the 312W has finally made its way stateside. The Aastra 312W is the latest in a string of new WiFi VoIP phones to hit the streets in 2009.
Designed for consumers and prosumers alike (although it is a higher priced offering), the Aastra 312W supports 802.11 b/g wireless network connections, sports a high resolution color screen and utilizes a memory card to store contacts. The 312W, as expected, is SIP based.
Aastra has a strong track record for releasing popular mobility solutions. Their Aastra 57i CT (and legacy 480i CT) desktop/cordless VoIP phone combo is one of the most popular phones on the market today. Not to mention their popular SIP DECT solution.
With that strong track record expect the Aastra 312W to be a much talked about handset, despite the $349.99 USD retail price point. That number might fall with time, but it’s still on the pricey side.
Even so, if you’re in the market for a WiFi VoIP phone the Aastra 312W is a solution worth exploring.
For more information on the Aastra 312W, check out the 312W product page on VoIPSupply.com, an Aastra Certified supplier (and my employer).
Never one to be outdone, Cisco Systems has joined the bevy of VoIP equipment manufacturers to announce new VoIP phones.
First hinted at last week on the VoIP Insider, yesterday word broke that perennial VoIP powerhouse Cisco Systems will be releasing five new VoIP phones aimed at the small medium business sector. Part of the Cisco Small Business Series, these new SPA5XX models mark the next generation in desktop VoIP phone technology for the company.
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