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Toshiba Releases UCedge!

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One of the hindrances of using a business phone system is the wide variety of end devices you may need to use. For example, you will use an IP or Digital phone to make a call. At the same time, if you want to access a data file, you may need to use a computer. But what if all these can be combined to a single end device, and at the same time, give you mobility and flexibility? That is exactly what UCedge does.

Designed to work with VIPedge, IPEdge, and Strata CIX, UCedge has an application that you can download and install on your Windows or Mac laptop, any tablet and your Apple or Android smartphone. Once the application is installed, UCedge can federate multiple networks and give you access to all the features on the server.

For more details on the product release, click here.

About Universal ComOne

Universal ComOne offers award winning business telephone systems that are right for any business. We can design a solution to fit your needs.

Call 337-205-9364 for all your communication needs.

 

Importance of VoIP Data Backup & Data Recovery

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Floods, fire, earthquakes and hurricanes are natural disasters that no one can control. The only thing we can control is the potential damages. Businesses have often lost fortunes due to natural disasters that wreaked havoc on their operations. Not only do companies suffer from monetary damages but also lost data. Thus, data backup and data recovery are two of the most important factors that every modern business needs to consider.

Data Digitization and Data Storage Systems

Digitization of data storage has led to a revolution wherein we recognize digital data storage to be the safest way to archive and protect our data. Businesses around the world use digital storage in the form of PC hard disks, CD ROMs, DVDs, Flash drives and even server storage. Cloud storage is the newest technology being used by companies because of the data security, backup, and recovery facilities offered.

Data Backup and Recovery System

Data Backup Centre

Disaster recovery

At the time of a natural disaster, offices might be affected wherein even PCs, laptops, and other electronic equipment used to store data might get damaged. Thus, conventional forms of data storage might take a hit even when we feel that a hard drive is the safest place to store all the digital files. Cloud-based systems have emerged as the savior in such situations. Both data storage and data backup are being provided in a very secure environment.

Cloud-based data storage

Disaster Recovery is a very important task in the aftermath of a crisis. A business can be up and running only when it is able to recover all its important business data. Cloud-based storage is a great new way for storing vital information, and it uses cloud computing technology. Not only does a business need to store digital files, they also have to store telephony data. The majority of businesses are using VoIP services, so they have a whole lot of valuable customer data, emails and other information stored on their VoIP server.

Data recovery

Now, as all the data for VoIP is stored in the cloud, data backup is pretty easy. Recovering the data is equally as simple. Natural disasters are not the only culprit of data loss problems; human error can also lead to accidental deletion of data. To restore the old data after a system failure, there must be backup system in place.

Cloud Computing

Cloud computing is the latest technology that uses cloud servers and is considered to be the safest. The data is spread over numerous locations, so whenever there is a failure in a particular location, data can be recovered from the other locations. Remote backup of data is possible when one uses cloud servers. The cloud-based servers are updated on a regular basis, so data security is confirmed from the service provider’s end.

VoIP service provider

The only thing that businesses have to keep in mind is to opt for the right VoIP service provider. When choosing a VoIP service provider, companies should never forget to ask for the storage and backup options. Always choose the one that suits the data storage needs of your company and its budget.

About Universal ComOne

Universal ComOne offers award winning business telephone systems that are right for any business. We can design a solution to fit your needs.

Call 337-205-9364 for all your communication needs.

5 Important VoIP System Features For Your Business

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As technology advances, so does the technology of VoIP over traditional PSTN. Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) has advantages over Public Switched Telephone Networks (PSTN) as it can be more cost efficient and offers many more features. It offers more advanced calling options and at a reasonable cost, less costly than PSTN. When a stable VoIP system is implemented, it enables users to move a step forward towards Unified Communication. Here are 5 important features of that are useful for any business.

1. Auto Attendant

With this feature the user is allowed to access a menu through which he can easily choose a desirable extension. Automated attendant is like a virtual assistant, which performs the job of a telephone operator. When someone calls, the auto attendant answers the call and guides the caller through a variety of options like business hours, directions, departments, extensions or any pre-recorded messages. With an auto attendant, small organizations can appear to be a large enterprise. An auto attendant is programmable and works 24/7.

2. Voicemail / Call Forwarding

Commonly known as ‘find-me follow-me’ in VoIP services, you can set a number of IP addresses to forward your incoming calls. Users are allowed to route several numbers so that their clients are able to reach them when they want. This is possible with Presence software which allows the important calls to reach the person whom they need, irrespective of the time and date. This is useful for users who have overseas workers too, as calls can be routed to them easily. A caller may also leave a voicemail if they are unable to reach you through call forwarding. Thus, important messages are always accessible to you and your colleagues.

3. Call Recording

In a PSTN network, you need to install special devices for recording calls. Since VoIP uses a computer network, all calls can be easily recorded. These calls can be saved or forwarded as necessary. It is important to understand that recording calls without the permission of the other party may be illegal in some states. It is best practice, to request permission to record a phone conversation. However, some states (i.e. – Louisiana) are a one-party recording state which means that only one party in the conversation needs to know the call is being recorded. So, it’s perfectly fine to record a phone call you are on.

4. DND

Do Not Disturb or DND gives you privacy when needed. It leaves you undisturbed by any calls. Once you turn it on, you can easily stop incoming calls to your number. When you are attending any conferences, seminars or meetings you can easily stop unwanted calls from disturbing you. And not only that, it allows you to program the VoIP system in a way that, while you are ignoring the call, you can forward the caller to a voice mail or any other destination so that you may get the information once you are done with your meeting. It is always good idea to tell the caller why you are not able to answer the call. This can be programmed.

5. Conference Calling

When one is using PSTN, you may have to bear some extra charges for conference calls. In VoIP, conference calling is built into the system. You can start a call and simply rope in your colleagues and others into the call. Of course, the system can be programmed to allow conferencing for certain extensions, or even the number of participants that can attend a conference all. These are for security reasons.

These are just some basic features that VoIP provides its users. Apart from these, some other features available are Voicemail to email transcription, call screening, music on hold, and coaching tools like barge and whisper.

About Universal ComOne

Universal ComOne offers award winning business telephone systems that are right for any business. We can design a solution to fit your needs. Call 337-205-9364 for all your communication needs.

Why we use VoIP, and you should, too!

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From small businesses to large corporate houses, everyone seems to have come under the spell of VoIP or Voice over Internet Protocol. If you too have a strong urge to dump your PSTN phones and migrate to the latest VoIP system, it is time to learn about some of the features that it offers. This is just an attempt to make you feel more confident about your choice and at the same time outline the immense power of VoIP technology:

Voicemail to Email transcription

This is probably an extension of the digital PSTN phones that we got in the early 80s – voicemail became a part of the phones. Since then voicemail had become an important part of our lives. From business communication to personal messages – it has become a way of life. With the advancement in technology, now the voicemail can be attached to our email as audio files. This is a significant improvement as it allows all our important voicemails to be converted into email transcriptions that can be accessed at our convenience. We also get to enjoy another big advantage – no messages can now be missed as the storage of voicemails as audio files can be accessed at any point in time.

Music on Hold

Music on hold is another significant feature offered by the latest VoIP systems. This feature will help us to create a professional image in front of our clients. We get the opportunity to professionally keep our callers waiting till someone from the authorized department attends the call. Often callers tend to get restless when they are kept on hold but if the waiting time can be filled with some soothing music or some interesting information about the company then the wait might not be so boring. It is very important that the callers (rather the customers) are made to feel special and music on hold is just another way to achieve that goal.

Conferencing

Conferencing feature offered by VoIP has been taken to another level where the advanced technology is helping people located in the most remote location of the world to take part in virtual meetings. Small business owners are using this future to the fullest as they are able to log in from a variety of devices and take part in vital meetings of companies and government agencies. Some of the most advanced conferencing solutions have been integrated by the VoIP service providers to pep up their service bouquet.

Unified Communication

UC or Unified communication is the most intelligent way of integrating all the communication tools and channels on a single platform. Unified communication allows multiple communication devices to be linked to the same VoIP network. The single platform allows easy management of all the communication channels and keeps them all in sync with one another. The administrator or owner can keep a tab on the calls being made from the system and can even limit the number of calls for a user. Unified communication has given a complete new management style for a variety of devices using a common VoIP network.

Cost cutting

People are finding VoIP to be an economic alternative to their old PSTN telephone systems. VoIP systems allow the owners cut down their operating costs and maintain profitability for the company. VoIP calls are cheaper than the calls made from traditional calls and this is true for even the international or overseas calls. Thus cheaper alternatives allow the company owners choose the VoIP above others.

About Universal ComOne

Universal ComOne offers award winning business telephone systems that are right for any business. We can design a solution to fit your needs. Call 337-205-9364 for all your communication needs.

4 Simple Reasons To Choose IP-PBX

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PBXs have existed for many decades and were considered to be a luxury as they were not affordable to the small business concerns. The special PBX feature that is applied to the VoIP system is known as IP-PBX and it is the acronym for Internet Protocol Private Branch Exchange. PBX connects the telephone extensions of an organization to the outside mobile or public telephone network. It comprises of multiple telephone system branches and the connections are switched among them by linking the phone lines. Phones in a company are connected to the PBX, which in turn connected to the external line. Thus, one line can be leased and multiple users can use the phone line with individual phone numbers for every user. The format of the phone numbers does not follow the phone number format of the primary line. The PBX allows only a 3 or 4 digit number to be dialed for connecting to the users on the same network. The numbers are usually known as extension. A caller calling from outside the network asks for the extension for placing a call to the desired person.

The IP-PBX is an affordable technology which can be availed by even the smallest companies. The users will be able to avail the wide range of features at a fraction of the price. The installation of IP-PBX requires a little investment for the hardware as well as the software but the benefits and return on investment does complete justice to the expenditure.

The primary benefits offered by an IP-PBX are numerous features, scalability and manageability. Adding as well as removing a user from the telephone system can be a cumbersome task but with the IP PBX, it is breeze. The cost of adding or removing a user is negligible compared with the old PBX system.

1. Easy to Manage GUI based Configuration

Managing the latest IP-PBX is extremely easy as the GUI interface provides easy access to all the controls. You will be able to customize some of the features without too much technical understanding about the underlying technologies. It is also impressive to note the easy availability of all the management features on a single platform. Adding or deleting a user to and from the network is an easy task.

2. Cost saving using VoIP Provider

Since the IP-PBX uses the existing VoIP connection so the users are not required to buy additional hardware or software. All the essential hardware and software will be provided, maintained and upgraded by the VoIP service provider. Thus, users will be able to experience huge cost savings on the PBX system. This is really attractive for the small business owners who cannot afford the expensive PBX equipments. The smaller companies will be able to maintain a sophisticated and professional VoIP service.

3. Scalable

Small businesses and start-ups always prefer to work with systems that can be flexible enough to accommodate the growing demands of business communication. It is imperative that the PBX system too complies with this policy followed by the companies. The latest PBX systems are highly scalable and the number of communication lines being handled by the PBX can be easily increased or decreased depending on the growth rate of the company.

4. Better Customer Service & Productivity

Equipped with an efficient and effective PBX system, it will be easier for the companies to provide better customer service and register higher productivity. The employees of a company will be able to cater to the needs of the customers in an efficient manner, thus solving the customer issues without delay. Hence, a higher productivity can be easily registered by the company.

About Universal ComOne

Universal ComOne offers award winning business telephone systems that are right for any business. We can design a solution to fit your needs. Call 337-205-9364 for all your communication needs.

 

How VoIP Helps You Focus on What Matters: Your Business

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Being a business owner can be very stressful. There are so many factors involved in owning a business that must be attended to and communication issues should not be one of them. A company that provides their employees with top quality business communications can focus on other aspects of the business. VoIP is a must have communication option in today’s business world that continues to grow and expand.

VoIP , or Voice over Internet Protocol, provides businesses with a variety of customizable features to help employees communicate better in-house as well as with customers and potential clients. With VoIP, business owners can forget about the daily communication operations and focus on the bottom line, building a successful business.

With VoIP, business owners can focus on their company. There are several ways that VoIP allows an owner to do just that – focus on what matters. Below are a few examples of how VoIP can help you focus solely on your business.

VoIP helps you cut costs

With VoIP, your business will not only be able to cut costs with communications but you will also be able to have more power, features, and control added to the communication infrastructure. With VoIP systems, full PBX functionality is available as well as additional features that are very flexible to your specific needs. Unified Communications, for example, enables you to have use on medium to provide voice services, text, data, and video.
New VoIP systems are compact and easily integrated into an existing local area network. Set up is at very low costs, and monthly rates continue to be affordable for even small business owners. Each package is tailored specific with certain features so any type of business can easily integrate VoIP for communication.

VoIP helps you improve communication with customers and employees

Customer Service is an important aspect to any business. Consumers have expectations when it comes to contacting a company for a service or product and every business must meet these expectations if they want to survive in their given industry. With VoIP, the customer experience is enhanced drastically when compared to traditional telephone systems. A positive experience is essential with any business as customers will not come back after poor customer service.

With VoIP technology, a customer is immediately directed to the area in which they need. With auto call forwarding, customers can reach the right agent who can assist with any questions or concerns. Monitoring tools are included so companies can determine how to improve the overall customer service experience. Recorded calls are used to provide feedback to the company and help with training agents of the company. Voicemail is another great option that helps the customer receive an answer as quickly as possible. VoIP allows each employee to stay connected to help customers as they contact the company.

VoIP lets you have many features without paying extra fees

The type of features associated with a VoIP package will be determined with installation. With many different packages available, businesses can easily choose the right option for their daily needs. Most packages offer free features with service, making it easy to enjoy additional communication options. Below are the basic features of a VoIP plan:

  • Caller ID
  • Fax
  • Voicemail
  • Call Blocking
  • 3 Way Calling
  • Call Waiting
  • Caller ID with name
  • Call Forwarding
  • 411 Directory
  • 911 service
  • Local number portability

Advanced Package Features:

  • E911 Services
  • Anonymous Call Block
  • Change Phone Number
  • Keep Number for Life
  • Telemarketer blocking
  • PC to Phone
  • Call Transfer
  • Do Not Disturb
  • Speed Dialing
  • SMS
  • Toll Free Numbers

These are just a few ways that VoIP can help you focus on your business. By installing this option, a business owner will be able to worry about other aspects of the business rather than communication issues and needs.