Close
  • Latest News
  • Artificial Intelligence
  • Big Data and Analytics
  • Cloud
  • Networking
  • Cybersecurity
  • Applications
  • IT Management
  • Storage
  • Sponsored
  • Mobile
  • Small Business
  • Development
  • Database
  • Servers
  • Android
  • Apple
  • Innovation
  • Blogs
  • PC Hardware
  • Reviews
  • Search Engines
  • Virtualization
Read Down
Sign in
Close
Welcome!Log into your account
Forgot your password?
Read Down
Password recovery
Recover your password
Close
Search
Logo
Logo
  • Latest News
  • Artificial Intelligence
  • Big Data and Analytics
  • Cloud
  • Networking
  • Cybersecurity
  • Applications
  • IT Management
  • Storage
  • Sponsored
  • Mobile
  • Small Business
  • Development
  • Database
  • Servers
  • Android
  • Apple
  • Innovation
  • Blogs
  • PC Hardware
  • Reviews
  • Search Engines
  • Virtualization
More
    Home Latest News
    • Networking
    • Small Business

    POTS Reaches Out and Touches VOIP

    By
    Andrew Garcia
    -
    February 15, 2007
    Share
    Facebook
    Twitter
    Linkedin

      The TalkSwitch line of PBX appliances provides small businesses with a simple and cost-effective way to bridge the divide between existing legacy phone equipment and VOIP. Although not as feature-laden as some of the other small-business-oriented VOIP offerings eWEEK Labs has tested, Centrepoint Technologies TalkSwitch appliances are nonetheless a solid value.

      We tested the $1,395 TalkSwitch 284vs, an IP PBX appliance that has two analog trunks, four VOIP (voice over IP) trunks, eight local extensions and 10 remote extensions (supporting a total of four concurrent calls). There are TalkSwitch appliances available that offer more analog trunks (the TalkSwitch 484vs, for example, provides four), or administrators can leverage an external trunk gateway with the 284vs or cluster multiple TalkSwitch appliances.

      We tested the 284vs running TalkSwitch Configuration Software Release 4.0—the first to include support for both analog and SIP (Session Initiation Protocol)-based clients. This support allows customers to use existing analog equipment or to adopt standards-based, software-based or hardware-based IP telephones. During tests, we used TalkSwitchs TS-600 analog phone (priced at $189), a pair of POTS (plain old telephone system) phones and CounterPaths X-Lite 3.0 SIP softphone.

      /zimages/4/28571.gifTalkSwitch and Covad team up on a communications package for small and midsize businesses. Click here to read more.

      We managed the 284vs via the TalkSwitch System Configuration software, which we installed on a Microsoft Windows XP-based workstation. TalkSwitch System Configuration can communicate with a TalkSwitch appliance over a USB connection, but we chose to connect over the network instead—the preferred method for configuring multiple TalkSwitch appliances.

      The TalkSwitch auto-attendant was easy to set up and allowed us to route calls to extensions (either local or remote), ring groups, voice mail boxes, nested auto-attendant menus or the company directory. We also could assign different action sequences depending on the trunk (either physical or VOIP) from which a call came in. However, the TalkSwitch system does not include any prerecorded message samples, so administrators will need to record their own or import professionally created samples.

      The TalkSwitch 284vs four VOIP trunks allowed us to link multiple TalkSwitch appliances in different locations. We also could utilize a SIP trunking service (such as BandTels) to link additional trunks to the PSTN.

      During tests, we were able to map an extension to a TalkSwitch demo server in Ontario, Canada. This allowed our users to engage the auto-attendant from our network over the Internet. This step did require some modifications to our external firewall policy to pass SIP and RTP (Real-Time Protocol) traffic from the demo TalkSwitch appliance to our network. Companies with routers that support universal Plug and Play can bypass this configuration step.

      We found that call control features such as park, forward, transfer, conference (for as many as three participants) and voice mail all worked well, although accessing the features could get complicated for those using ordinary analog phones. Our TS-600 had intuitive buttons and instructions for its LCD panel, but users with older phones will have to follow a sometimes bewildering series of keystrokes to access certain features. The TalkSwitch system does come with numerous handout cards that detail command sequences.

      The 284vs offers a limited number of group routing options. We configured ring groups, where a predefined number of extensions will ring simultaneously for an incoming call. We also created line hunt groups, which allowed us to create different dial codes for different analog or VOIP trunk combinations.

      Administrators can set up virtual extensions that map local extensions to external numbers, and we could create find-me policies that cycled through several numbers to track down users. Most small-business VOIP implementations weve tested give users the ability to set up find-me rules, but administrators must maintain this feature on the TalkSwitch. Also, the TalkSwitchs voice mails are not accessible by the user from a Web interface, although administrators can configure the 284vs to send .wav files via e-mail.

      Technical Analyst Andrew Garcia can be reached at andrew_garcia@ziffdavis.com.

      EVALUATION SHORTLIST

      Fonalitys PBXtra Standard An Asterisk-based system for small businesses; the more technically adventurous could go the do-it-yourself route with Fonalitys Trixbox distribution

      ShoreTels Voice Switches Offer excellent administrator and end-user experiences, but SIP is not traditionally ShoreTels strong suit

      Four Loop Technologies Switchvox SMB Also based on Asterisk, Switchvox SMB is easy to use and inexpensive to acquire

      Zultys Technologies MX30 A solid product from Zultys, a company thats recovering from near collapse in 2006

      /zimages/4/28571.gifCheck out eWEEK.coms for the latest news, views and analysis on servers, switches and networking protocols for the enterprise and small businesses.

      Andrew Garcia
      Andrew cut his teeth as a systems administrator at the University of California, learning the ins and outs of server migration, Windows desktop management, Unix and Novell administration. After a tour of duty as a team leader for PC Magazine's Labs, Andrew turned to system integration - providing network, server, and desktop consulting services for small businesses throughout the Bay Area. With eWEEK Labs since 2003, Andrew concentrates on wireless networking technologies while moonlighting with Microsoft Windows, mobile devices and management, and unified communications. He produces product reviews, technology analysis and opinion pieces for eWEEK.com, eWEEK magazine, and the Labs' Release Notes blog. Follow Andrew on Twitter at andrewrgarcia, or reach him by email at agarcia@eweek.com.
      Get the Free Newsletter!
      Subscribe to Daily Tech Insider for top news, trends & analysis
      This email address is invalid.
      Get the Free Newsletter!
      Subscribe to Daily Tech Insider for top news, trends & analysis
      This email address is invalid.

      MOST POPULAR ARTICLES

      Latest News

      Zeus Kerravala on Networking: Multicloud, 5G, and...

      James Maguire - December 16, 2022 0
      I spoke with Zeus Kerravala, industry analyst at ZK Research, about the rapid changes in enterprise networking, as tech advances and digital transformation prompt...
      Read more
      Applications

      Datadog President Amit Agarwal on Trends in...

      James Maguire - November 11, 2022 0
      I spoke with Amit Agarwal, President of Datadog, about infrastructure observability, from current trends to key challenges to the future of this rapidly growing...
      Read more
      Cloud

      IGEL CEO Jed Ayres on Edge and...

      James Maguire - June 14, 2022 0
      I spoke with Jed Ayres, CEO of IGEL, about the endpoint sector, and an open source OS for the cloud; we also spoke about...
      Read more
      IT Management

      Intuit’s Nhung Ho on AI for the...

      James Maguire - May 13, 2022 0
      I spoke with Nhung Ho, Vice President of AI at Intuit, about adoption of AI in the small and medium-sized business market, and how...
      Read more
      Applications

      Kyndryl’s Nicolas Sekkaki on Handling AI and...

      James Maguire - November 9, 2022 0
      I spoke with Nicolas Sekkaki, Group Practice Leader for Applications, Data and AI at Kyndryl, about how companies can boost both their AI and...
      Read more
      Logo

      eWeek has the latest technology news and analysis, buying guides, and product reviews for IT professionals and technology buyers. The site’s focus is on innovative solutions and covering in-depth technical content. eWeek stays on the cutting edge of technology news and IT trends through interviews and expert analysis. Gain insight from top innovators and thought leaders in the fields of IT, business, enterprise software, startups, and more.

      Facebook
      Linkedin
      RSS
      Twitter
      Youtube

      Advertisers

      Advertise with TechnologyAdvice on eWeek and our other IT-focused platforms.

      Advertise with Us

      Menu

      • About eWeek
      • Subscribe to our Newsletter
      • Latest News

      Our Brands

      • Privacy Policy
      • Terms
      • About
      • Contact
      • Advertise
      • Sitemap
      • California – Do Not Sell My Information

      Property of TechnologyAdvice.
      © 2022 TechnologyAdvice. All Rights Reserved

      Advertiser Disclosure: Some of the products that appear on this site are from companies from which TechnologyAdvice receives compensation. This compensation may impact how and where products appear on this site including, for example, the order in which they appear. TechnologyAdvice does not include all companies or all types of products available in the marketplace.

      ×