And when it comes to cloud services, InterCall is the cherry on top of the cloud-based services sundae. For over 20 years businesses have been safely and securely leveraging InterCall’s conferencing solutions over their reliable network.

Today marks the launch of Microsoft Office 365. Another leap into the cloud for InterCall, Microsoft Office 365 is a subscription-based service that blends the Office applications you are most likely already familiar with (such as Outlook Exchange, PowerPoint, Word, Excel, Office desktop suite, etc.) with cloud-based versions of collaboration services Lync Online and SharePoint Online.

This launch is special because of the unique value that InterCall brings to Office 365. If you are wondering why your business should partner with InterCall for Office 365, there are three main benefits to consider:

• Experience – as the world’s leading conferencing provider, InterCall offers everything from personalized training and adoption programs to more involved assistance such as professional migration services. In addition, along with the multiple certifications InterCall holds, they are also a Microsoft Silver Certified Partner and national systems integrator
• Support – InterCall provides worldwide 24/7 tier 1 and tier 2 customer support with skilled agents that are experienced in all aspects of Office 365, as well as consultations and technical pre-sales assistance. InterCall also offers recorded training sessions available online free of charge
• Features – InterCall’s robust list of features includes:
  • Support at the touch of a button on your telephone keypad
  • The ability to mute/un-mute lines
  • Customers can dial-in to your meeting, or you can dial-out to them
  • Connect to your meeting via multiple devices
  • Lock/un-lock your meeting to ensure complete privacy
  • Schedule your conferences simply and easily through Outlook
  • Public Switched Telephone Network (PSTN) and/or Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) integration, including mixed recording

Another benefit of SIP trunking is that they are often sold as concurrent calls, allowing you to purchase in increments of one – something very hard to do with a PRI, and definitely comes in handy for businesses that opt to grow incrementally.

Steven Johnson, the president of SIP traffic and firewall technology company, Ingate Systems, believes that like unified communications, SIP trunking has potential to become a gateway to more enhanced aspects of Voice over Internet Protocol. Johnson also states that there will be significant future growth from adjacent applications, “As people see the value of SIP trunking, and as they recognize the power of the other features included in their PBX, they will start to do more with the SIP they have installed.” He added that over time, worldwide SIP connectivity amid companies will equate to more peer-to-peer traffic, and no longer require a service provider for making calls.

Most companies have some kind of Internet Protocol communication need – whether its wireless IP phones that work off of a Wide Area Network, a mobile worker using a softphone connected to a PBX, or a telecommuter using an IP phone as an extension off of the PBX. According to Toshiba’s product marketing manager, Jon Nelson, “These are all really practical and usable solutions to most people, and once they discover these are things that are out there, and they’re already converging with an IP PBX and SIP trunks, there’s a lot of interest there.”

For more information on how SIP trunking can help your SMB, contact one of our professional account managers today!

Global Crossing Expands Enterprise Network Security Features
Last week, New Jersey-based Global Crossing instituted an enhanced portfolio of enterprise network-geared security capabilities. The new security features include web content filtering, intrusion prevention service, antivirus and anti-spam capabilities as well as a firewall.

Today’s businesses are facing an ever-evolving number of network security threats. Global Crossing’s chief marketing officer, Dave Carey, reported that “Global Crossing recognizes the need to address – in a holistic manner – the entire spectrum of these potentially revenue-impacting attacks.”

In addition, Global Crossing is also employing a new Event Management and Security information platform that generates and posts reports to the customer portal, and offers consulting services that include vulnerability evaluations, penetration testing, security assessments and audits.

TelePacific Expands Ethernet Network
Due to an increasing demand for additional bandwidth, TelePacific Communications is expanding its Ethernet network. The California-based Competitive Local Exchange Carrier (CLEC) plans to more than double its current 52 Ethernet-over-copper (EoC) wire centers to reach a total number of 120. TelePacific’s VP of marketing, David Zahn, believes that expanding TelePacific’s EoC services is “a great way for us to meet that demand.” In addition to EoC offerings, the expansion will make Ethernet over T1 and Ethernet over DS3 available in every market TelePacific serves.

TelePacific’s comprehensive portfolio of Ethernet transport provides enterprise customers service speeds ranging from 1 Mbps to 1 Gbps – and almost any increment in between. Depending upon the distance from the serving wire center, TelePacific EoC deployment offers data, voice and Internet access speeds that vary from 1 Mbps to 10 Mbps.

XO Expands World-wide Network Services
XO Communications is expanding its international network services capabilities to better address the needs of its growing domestic and international customer base. According to XO, this will include European IP/MPLS IP-VPN nodes, and access to 48 countries throughout Europe, North and South America, Asia/Pacific, and US territories of the Virgin Islands, Puerto Rico and Guam.

The expansion will enable XO to provide carrier and enterprise customers Dedicated Internet Access, MPLS IP-VPN, Private Line and Ethernet services to more locations worldwide. On an international level, it will allow XO to provide more comprehensive universal network coverage for an extensive array of WAN and connectivity solutions.

Until recently, data prioritization and tagging with CoS (classes of service) was only available on pricey T1 lines with MPLS. New Edge Networks MPLS over DSL service permits the prioritizing and tagging of traffic over DSL with as many as 5 MPLS CoS – a first for any US telecommunications operator.

New Edge Networks VP of marketing, Greg Griffiths, has high hopes for MPLS over DSL, calling the service a breakthrough that “helps small and midsize businesses avoid network congestion problems due to the convergence of communications applications, such as VoIP phone calls and other latency-sensitive services, over DSL access.”

In addition, a recent press statement noted that New Edge Networks also provides an option for businesses that do not yet have the funds justify the expense of a T1 line (which typically starts at around $500 and goes up from there depending upon the location) and therefore chose to defer implementation of productivity applications as well.

New Edge Networks MPLS over DSL service closes the vast pricing difference between conventional enterprise-class DSL and a T1 line. According to Griffiths, it also permits companies with DSL-based networks to add supplementary applications without the possibility of “compromising performance.” Pricing for the new service consist of a $100 payment on top of the price of a fully managed DSL-based private network (roughly $140 per month depending upon the location). This includes as many as 5 CoS with bandwidth optimization over DSL access, a Cisco router upgrade, and improved service level guarantees.

To put it into perspective, the average cost for a full T1 line starts around $500 – depending upon the location and distance from the carrier. A number of carriers only provide T1 network management and MPLS classes of service as added options.

Why New Edge?
New Edge Networks offers a host of high-speed, business-class solutions with first-class customer care available 24/7 for businesses of all sizes – and a nationwide footprint capable of servicing almost any business address in the US. As a single-source provider of private managed networks, New Edge Networks eliminates the complexity and inconvenience of managing multiple carrier relationships – giving you one provider, one point of contact, and one bill.

• The type of circuit the ISP has connected to the backbone
• The number of transit providers the ISP connects to (3 is considered standard)
• Who the transit providers are and their Tier class (for example, Tier 1 or Tier-3 class)

Connection to ISP

The following are the most frequently employed circuit connections for home and small businesses:

• T1, Point-To-Point (Dedicated Leased Line), or Frame Relay
• ISDN
• Wireless
• Broadband: Cable Internet, DSL

Internet T1, point-to-point, frame relay, and ISDN are considered “top of the line” circuit connections. Standard Service Level Agreements (SLAs) provide customers with prompt, specified response times as well as other benefits not offered by most broadband connections. However, while they do provide a more reliable, trustworthy connection to the Internet and all the benefits of SLAs, these connection types often cost more than broadband service.

It is important to assess how vital your Internet and Internet applications are. If you require a consistent, dependable, 24/7 connection, one of the first two connection types would be ideal. If, on the other hand, you can endure occasional down times (meaning no Internet connection), then wireless or broadband connections could be the more cost-efficient.

Whether or not your wireless connection is equal to a T1 connection depends on your area. Line of Sight (LOS) and distance are significant in regards to your wireless solution. The clearer the LOS is between your location and your ISP, the more cost-effective and robust the solution.

AireSpring has been providing services equal to over one hundred million call records per month. Such massive service for a company held by a private entity, and the fact they have possessed a debt-free record for nearly three decades, is proof that AireSpring is a provider that knows what its doing.

Due in part to their large user base, AireSpring maintains contracts with large Tier-1 carrier networks in order to provide uniform quality service to all their customers. This gives you the power to opt for low-cost solutions that are always at the forefront of current technology.

Why work with AireSpring

One of the benefits of working with AireSpring is the low-cost solution provided by the carrier.  AireSpring knows that money isn’t easy to come by in this day and age, and therefore gives their customers a significant pricing leverage. That doesn’t mean they cut back on the quality of their service; AireSpring prides itself in the high capacity fiber networks it operates, and gives full high-capacity service and redundancy measures to every consumer.

That’s because their service is unique in the sense that they can provide a solution that is flexible and personalized for every customer’s specific needs. AireSpring’s technology uses a multiple carrier bas network that covers a wide national territory – which gives you, the consumer, the power to connect to whichever point you should choose throughout the country.

If you’re setting up a local service for local communications, AireSpring is able to provide you with unlimited free local voice connections. That, combined with their unbeatable long distance rates, makes AireSpring one of the best providers of voice services in the country.

AireSpring can tailor each of their local services to the needs of every customer. Should you need to adjust an aspect of the service you’re getting at any time, just alert AireSpring, and they will help you get the exact service specifications that you require. This helps you save significantly on the services that you’re getting, and ensuring that you are getting only the best in terms of quality for your money.

Quality Service Features

Some of the quality services that you can expect from AireSpring:

• Unlimited free local calls
• Low rates in intralata and interlata
• Dedicated long distance rates
• Service available in sixty-five national markets
• No minimum monthly charge
• No loop fees
• Free port charges

If you’re looking for unbeatable rates, AireSpring is the service you want. They have provided the nation with quality service for nearly thirty years, helping their clients achieve mission-critical operations without a hitch, and giving them a cost-effective edge in today’s fast-paced market lifestyle.

Additional Resources

Please contact your EasyT1.net client manager to learn more about how AireSpring can help your business!