Unified Communications » Features »

  • Video chatting for newbies

    Video chat is all the rage these days, thanks to new services such as Google+ Hangouts and Skype/Facebook integrated video chat. Video chatting is a great way to stay in touch with family and friends--seeing loved ones' faces on a computer screen is almost like actually being there.

    Written by Sarah Jacobsson Purewal • 07 Aug. 11 10:45
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    5 open source VoIP softphones to watch

    The steady rise in people using IP telephony to communicate -- for personal and business reasons -- has led to the development of a number of different VoIP "softphones" that can be used on a PC or notebook.

    Written by Rodney Gedda • 20 Nov. 09 14:16

  • So you think you know Skype?

    With Skype's legal troubles now cleared up, it's a good time to learn more about the company than just what features it offers. Here 10 questions designed to give you a better understanding of the peer-to-peer VoIP vendor.

    Written by Tim Greene • 24 Nov. 09 08:49

  • Direction, strategy with Cisco's data centre guru

    As a 13 year Cisco veteran, John McCool, senior vice president and general manager of Cisco's Data Centre Switching and Services Group, has seen a boatload of change. He is responsible for the strategy, engineering and marketing of Cisco's family of enterprise Ethernet switching solutions, including the Catalyst series, the Nexus data center switches and the MDS storage area network line.

    Written by John Dix • 02 Nov. 09 19:01

  • Five open source IP telephony projects to watch

    In addition to the well-known Asterisk, there is a vibrant community of open source software PBX systems that can be used for internal and service provider IP telephony. Here are five exciting open source VoIP and UC projects to keep an eye on.

    Written by Rodney Gedda • 21 Oct. 09 10:53
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    Steganography meets VoIP in hacker world

    Researchers and hackers are developing tools to execute a new data-leak threat: sneaking proprietary information out of networks by hiding it within VoIP traffic.

    Written by Tim Greene • 14 Sept. 09 07:08
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    The battle over voice, the war of UC

    Last week, I wrote about the possible implications of the new lineup of FCC commissioners. They certainly haven't wasted any time: On Aug. 3, the FCC launched a full-scale investigation into the decision by Apple and AT&T to reject Google's voice application for the iPhone. As Sanford Bernstein telecom analyst Craig Moffatt notes, "The issue of application suppression affords the Administration a back door route to Wireless Net Neutrality, something that has been openly espoused by new FCC Chairman Julius Genachowski."

    Written by Johna Till Johnson • 06 Aug. 09 09:09
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    Telstra stifling broadband growth for the last 15 years: Austar CEO

    Telstra’s stake in the Foxtel pay television network has been a major inhibitor to the growth of broadband in Australia according to John Porter, CEO at pay television provider Austar.

    Written by Tim Lohman • 03 Aug. 09 12:13

  • NBNCo board, chair working under market rates: Conroy

    The Federal Governemnt is expected to announced the full management team of the National Broadband Network Company (NBNCo) shortly, according to Communications minister Stephen Conroy.

    Written by Tim Lohman • 20 July 09 10:59

  • Cisco TelePresence 500: Full collaboration

    More affordable midrange telepresence systems, such as offerings from Polycom and LifeSize systems, offer fine picture and audio quality, along with usability. But in the overall product continuum, Cisco TelePresence System 500 is the most economical system that gives you the full experience of telepresence rooms.

    Written by Mike Heck • 11 June 09 08:53

  • Federal government begins promoting telco consumer advocacy body

    The federal government has begun spruiking its Australian Communications Consumer Action Network (ACCAN), a communications advocacy body due to begin operations on 1 July.

    Written by Tim Lohman • 21 May 09 10:24

  • DIY tips: How to cut costs and get more from your IT gear

    With project budgets shrinking, network professionals are spending less time planning new purchases and more time trying to cut costs and squeeze more value out of existing IT resources.

    Written by Denise Dubie • 03 April 09 08:35

  • Can Cisco sell 'unified' vision to a tough server crowd?

    Cisco's biggest challenge in gaining market acceptance for its new Unified Computing System is to convince data center managers to buy blade servers from the router giant instead of from traditional, incumbent suppliers.

    Written by Jim Duffy • 23 March 09 08:19

  • The why and how of voice portals

    For years, IT and business have heard the sexy promise of "IP convergence," which would allow all sorts of voice- and video-enabled applications to appear in business. However, for most organizations, this Jetsons-like vision has yet to occur.

    Written by Leon Erlanger • 05 March 09 08:38

  • IP contact centers pose significant challenges

    IP contact centers are proliferating, but they still pose a set of potential gotchas that businesses need to beware of as they consider upgrading from the TDM world, experts say.

    Written by Tim Greene • 08 Dec. 08 09:18

  • Beware of UC security threats

    Unified communications opens up your VoIP network to new avenues of collaboration, including instant messaging, video, business applications and e-mail. And that opens up your network to new avenues of attack.

    Written by Tim Greene • 27 Oct. 08 10:03

  • Cisco issues 11 security alerts for IOS, plus one for Cisco Unified Communications Manager

    In its second Patch Wednesday under its new six-monthly patch schedule for IOS Cisco yesterday plugged 11 security holes in its network operating system, as well as addressing a vulnerability in Cisco Unified Communications Manager. The IOS vulnerabilities affect IOS running protocol-independent multicast, SIP, MPLS, SSL, and more.

    Written by Network World staff • 25 Sept. 08 11:20

  • IP PBXs could be kink in unified communications plans

    Buyers of IP PBXs need to look beyond simple voice capabilities to unified communications and make sure the gear they buy will be compatible with applications they will want in the future, experts say.

    Written by Tim Greene • 18 Sept. 08 10:20

  • Five ways to bulk up your network for telecommuters

    Whether they're in branch offices or home offices, workers are increasingly telecommuting instead of working in a traditional centralized office environment.

    Written by Brad Reed • 23 Oct. 08 08:41

  • Telecom planning in a time of turmoil

    It's gotten pretty hard to miss the financial news lately: September was the worst month for stocks in years, and October looks to surpass it. Despite the US government's massive US$800-billion bailout, the US economy is still roiling, and Europe's is doing even worse.

    Written by Johna Till Johnson • 10 Oct. 08 14:11
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