Monday, February 26, 2007

Browser Based Call Accounting Made Easy

Revolution Web Call Accounting can connect to virtually any telephone system, collect call detail records (CDR) and allocate cost. It includes many preset and ad hoc reports, support for account and pin codes, contact database for identifying business and personal calls, client billing and a built-in query builder.

It is 100% browser based with a built-in Web server and an embedded SQL database engine. It now offers full connectivity to MySQL DBMS. It can monitor emergency 911 calls, misuse, network traffic patterns and cost allocation. Third party applications can access priced call detail records through an XML interface. The program is designed to work in any country around the world. The tariff tables are user configurable. The software has a library of JavaScript drivers designed to work with virtually any telephone system from all major manufacturers including Avaya, Cisco, Nortel, Siemens, Mitel, Alcatel, NEC, Samsung, Panasonic and Asterisk.

Friday, February 23, 2007

Call Accounting Comes To The Rescue For Resolving Disputes

The business case for call accounting has generally revolved around the traditional benefits of cost recovery, network analysis and contact center management. Many customers are finding a broader array of uses for the reporting metrics available through call accounting applications to satisfy other business objectives.

In unionized environments, it is imperative that management adheres to negotiated contracts. This includes notifying staff of available unscheduled overtime hours and calling staff based on seniority. Disputes can arise when proper procedures are not followed.

Without call detail records (CDR) and call accounting software, management and unions can only rely on information that is not backed with firm statistics, resulting in straining relationships, and potentially loss of revenue through grievance procedures.

With call accounting software, union officials and managers can rely on concrete statistics to satisfy disputes and avoid grievances. Call accounting reports provide an unbiased mechanism that can determine if appropriate procedures were followed and the proper personnel were notified. Call records can be analyzed based on corporate priority sequence, date and time of the call and number of occurrences.

RSI is recognized as an industry leader in the field of communication management. The communication management product portfolio includes tailored integration to the most popular switching and network manufactures. RSI has been granted Nortel Developer Partner status with recognition for its core portfolio as Compatible Products. RSI is a Cisco Technology Partner, Siemens HiPath Ready Standard certified, Avaya DeveloperConnect Member, Mitel MiSN Member, Adtran Complementary Solutions Provider, NEC Univerge Partner and Alcatel Applications Partner.

For more information contact us at rsi@telecost.com or visit http://www.telecost.com/

Avaya Introduces New IP Office Enhancements

AVAYA ENHANCES IP OFFICE: Avaya this week added support for Session Initiation Protocol (SIP)-based trunking to its IP-based communications systems for small and mid-sized businesses. The company also introduced two new versions of its IP Office product: Standard for up to 32 users, and Professional for up to 270.

More info here http://ca.biz.yahoo.com/prnews/070212/nym009.html?.v=70

Thursday, February 22, 2007

Cisco and Apple Settle Copyright Infringement Lawsuit

Cisco Systems Inc. and Apple Inc. announced Wednesday they have settled the trademark-infringement lawsuit could derail Apple’s use of the “iPhone” name for its new iPod cellular phone.

The two companies agreed Apple will be allowed to use the name for its new multimedia device in exchange for exploring “interoperability” between their products in the areas of security, consumer and business communications.

No other details of the agreement were released, and representatives from both companies declined to comment beyond their short joint statement.

Tuesday, February 20, 2007

Selecting a Toll Free Number?

Toll Free numbers have gone a long way; nowadays there are hundreds of toll free companies and resellers out there that provide the same basic features. Enhancements on telephone applications enabled toll free service to acquire most if not, all of the telephone applications inherent in landline services.

Consumers now look for quality of service provided by telecommunication companies with respect to appropriate pricing. The advancement of T1 lines and their corresponding circuits, colocation and cooperation between competing companies now allowed to consumer to call different networks which was just a dream 10 years ago. Now wireless phones, VoIP phones, enhanced landline, drives voice communication to its peak.

Analysts believe that wireless communication is going to take over as the main medium of mass media in the near future as wireless bandwidth becomes faster and more secure. Businesses are now trying to integrate as much of their well-invested telecommunication products to wireless and web based applications. Toll Free numbers are a staple for a successful business venture, proven again and again by many different experts, white papers, feasibility studies and old fashion experience. Technology convergence remains fast but what will happen to toll free numbers?

VoIP long distance companies are able to provide toll free service, which is nothing, more than a collect call forwarding service at a much cheaper price than most stand alone toll free providers. Consumers are still wary of using VoIP phone, which have major disadvantages such as calling emergency numbers like 911. Consumers believe that the lack of access to such important government service is not worth the price of reduced long distance cost.

Toll free numbers however, which are dependent on incoming rather than out going minutes are less affected by this and is able to fight and win on a service price war.

The minute cost of toll free numbers has been drastically reduced for the past few years but are they really cheaper? Toll free providers have found myriads of ways to increase profit by adding additional monthly service fees on top of your phone subscription, minimum monthly minutes, expiring pre paid minutes, and the biggest scam of all to win the price war is the multiple leg pricing scheme.

Toll Free numbers as explained before are call forwarding service, which effectively makes it 2 phone calls. The first call from the original caller to the toll free service provider, then another call from the toll free service provider to the service subscriber. This is a great opportunity to charge for more while legally advertising a cheaper price. This annoys consumers but found it difficult to change service provider or acquiring a new number. Vanity numbers are hard to find and takes a week to register. For most businesses the cost of changing service providers is very expensive on wasted time and opportunities

A lot of consumers don’t know that their numbers are “portable” and can be used on any service provider assuming proper legal procedures have been done; this normally takes just as long as registering a new vanity number. There are people who also thought that Telco’s such as AT&T have more numbers in their database for them to choose from, what they don’t realize is that all toll free companies get their number availability from the same place.

Today even experienced toll free service subscriber still fall for tricks made by service provider to make money. The best advice for a good deal is the same as any other consumer advice, shop around, be thorough, and find great toll free service providers out there.

** Carlo Caparras is currently a marketing consultant for several ISP’s, webhosting, web development, outsourcing and telecommunication companies including toll free express (www.tollfreeexpress.com)

RSI Partners with Comtrol to Provide Hospitality Call Accounting Solutions

Resource Software International Ltd. (RSI) has been developing award-winning call accounting software & communications management solutions for businesses of all sizes since 1990. Communication services are essential to the majority of hospitality guests. Many business executives and travelers demand efficient facilities that can keep them in touch with home base. It is imperative for a sophisticated communications management system to account for telephone charges, internet usage, equipment fees, surcharges and taxes in real time.

SHADOW CMS for Hospitality logs transactions from telephone systems, hotel internet providers and carrier services. SHADOW interfaces directly with your IP switch, PBX or business telephone system for realtime processing. The information is processed, assigned a cost and immediately delivered to property management room folios for true billing integration.

SHADOW CMS for Hospitality integrates with Comtrol equipment for seamless integrated posting of billable records. Comtrol is the product leader in data communications products for office, industrial, hospitality, and retail automation markets. Comtrol products include in-server multiport cards and modems, Ethernet-attached hubs, and programmable device and application servers. These are sold through more than 50 regional, national, and international distributors and thousands of resellers and integrators worldwide.

Monday, February 19, 2007

What is IPTV?

According to Wikipedia (Read Full Content)

IPTV (Internet Protocol Television) is a system where a digital television service is delivered using the Internet Protocol over a network infrastructure, which may include delivery by a broadband connection. For residential users, IPTV is often provided in conjunction with Video on Demand and may be bundled with Internet services such as Web access and VoIP. The commercial bundling of IPTV, VoIP and Internet access is referred to as a Triple Play. Adding the mobile voice service leads to the Quadruple Play denomination. IPTV is typically supplied by a broadband operator using a closed network infrastructure. This closed network approach is in competition with the delivery of TV content over the public Internet. This type of delivery is widely called TV over Internet or Internet Television. In businesses, IPTV may be used to deliver television content over corporate LANs and business networks. Perhaps a simpler definition of IPTV would be television content that, instead of being delivered through traditional formats and cabling, is received by the viewer through the technologies used for computer networks.

Friday, February 16, 2007

VoIP 101

Internet Protocol (IP), the packet technology used on the Internet, has proven its ability to efficiently integrate voice traffic into the flow of data on IP networks, enabling voice and data services to be delivered to users from a single multiservice network. Voice over IP supports two-way transmission of voice traffic over a packet-switched IP (Internet protocol) network. This network could be a public carrier network, the Internet, or a private enterprise intranet. The term "Internet telephony" generally refers to Voice over IP services transported over a public Internet backbone, but the terms are often used interchangeably.

Read More

What Is VoIP Technology?

By: Sandra Stammberger

You may have heard the term Voip used a lot in the media, but are not sure what everyone is so excited about. Here you will find the answers to your most sought after Voip technology questions.

What is Voip technology?

Technically, VOIP is Voice Over Internet Protocol, or voices traveling over internet lines and wires like other information would. So, what does this mean to you? A lot. Even if you don’t have a clue what Voip technology is, you may still be utilizing it everyday if you have a digital phone line or if you use a microphone hooked into your computer to speck to others while you are connected to the internet.

What is Voip technology going to do for me?

Digital phone and services like it keep costs down for the company, which is passed on to the
consumer. It is usually much cheaper then a traditional land phone line, especially if you want extras such as caller ID and call forwarding.

What is Voip technology going to lack?

As great as Voip technology may be, there are some drawbacks that one using it for your phone service should realize. First, most digital phone companies do not provide access to emergency assistance numbers, such as 911 for those in the US. This may leave your household vulnerable if you use digital phone. Some consumers overcome this by keeping a basic plan with there traditional phone company provider or have a cell phone available in case of an emergency.

Another drawback to Voip technology in the form of digital phone is that if your power goes out, so does your phone. When you have a service through a traditional phone company, you can still access your line even during power outages as long as you do not need a second power source to run it (ex: cordless phones need a second power source to run, so when the power goes out so does your phone). This is not so with digital phone. However, once again having a basic plan with your traditional phone company or having a cell phone on hand may remedy this problem.

What is Voip technology overall?

Voip technology can be an asset to anyone. It keeps the cost of having a land phone line cheap while still allowing us to communicate verbally without having to rely solely on cell phones. The next time you are taking a look at your high-price phone bill from your phone company, take another look at digital phone and Voip technology in general. You may rack up savings that you never even knew existed.

Thursday, February 15, 2007

A Case for RSI Call Accounting Solutions

Communication facilities are the lifeline of most successful businesses and often the most taxing expenditure. SHADOW CMS call accounting software allows customers to manage their communication facilities, reconcile cost, allocate expenses, improve productivity, and increase revenue.

Communications managers know that their personal success is often dependent on their ability to make clear and concise decisions about the lifeline of the organization. The following are a few good reasons for using SHADOW CMS.

Corporate Cost Allocation
Many enterprises find it difficult to manage communication expenses from multiple sites. SHADOW CMS provides a scalable, centralized solution for gathering, processing, and allocating charges to various locations, divisions, or departments.

Cost Comparisons
For many years, long-distance traffic was monopolized by the major telephone companies. Today, the complex and competitive sphere of alternate services, long-distance carriers, and countless discount strategies leaves most customers baffled about best available savings. SHADOW CMS will provide a concise, unbiased picture of comparative rate structures using concrete historical data.

Network Management
Network performance is critical in a call center, emergency dispatch service, hospitality, government, or even a small business. SHADOW CMS produces statistics for trunk usage, grade of service, all trunks busy, and peak or busy hour analysis. SHADOW CMS locates over-capacity and under-capacity environments and assists in determining best available services.

Employee Productivity
Many organizations struggle with workforce management and productivity. SHADOW CMS provides exception management reports that highlight long duration, excessive cost, and misdialed calls. Each call can be linked to a particular password, account code, extension, or authorization number. SHADOW CMS provides detailed telephone charge reports, which highlight usage practices.

Customer Billing
Professional services firms often face the tedious task of allocating communications expenses to customer account
files. SHADOW CMS can deliver expense, account code, project, and authorization code reports. These results can be automatically directed to accounting systems, spreadsheets, HTML, e-mail, and a variety of other formats.

Hotel Billing
In hospitality environments, SHADOW CMS interfaces directly with any IP or legacy PBX and retrieves data in real time. The information is processed, assigned a cost, and immediately delivered to property management room folios for true billing integration.

Planning and Marketing
Customer relationship management is fundamental to the success of many organizations. SHADOW CMS utilizes calling line information delivered by the telephone system for comprehensive inbound traffic analysis. These reports assist in designing regional campaigns, network planning, and call center staffing.

Flexible Call Costing
SHADOW CMS employs a robust rating engine to accommodate virtually any tariff plan or custom billing requirements. Call rating may also be configured to incorporate discounts, markups, and flat charges. SHADOW CMS accommodates hospitality environments with very complex rating plans that include maximum charges, minimum charges, and various taxation levels. Charges can be assigned to individuals, lines, dialing patterns, regions, or groups.

RSI gives you the advice, guidance, and expertise you need to protect your data, keep your applications running, and help ensure uninterrupted performance. The ever-changing nature of communications, tariffs, services, and applications makes it imperative that solutions are backed by a strong maintenance protection plan. We take pride in providing professional customer care that gives you worryfree assurance. RSI provides superior support services that help ensure your issues are resolved and your questions are answered in a timely fashion.

RSI is recognized as an industry leader in the field of communication management. The communication management product portfolio includes tailored integration to the most popular switching and network manufactures. RSI has been granted Nortel Developer Partner status with recognition for its core portfolio as Compatible Products. RSI is a Cisco Technology Partner, Siemens HiPath Ready Standard certified, Avaya DeveloperConnect Member, Mitel MiSN Member, Adtran Complementary Solutions Provider, NEC Univerge Partner and Alcatel Applications Partner.

For more information contact us at rsi@telecost.com or visit http://www.telecost.com/

RezStream Professional simplifies online and in-house reservations!

RezStream Professional is flexible, powerful, property management software specifically designed for hotels, inns, resorts, condos, spas, vacation rentals, or any business with similar reservation needs. Easily create and manage daily and hourly reservations, point of sale charges, packages, and guest history for direct marketing offers and specials.

Combine RezStream Professional with the RezStream Booking Engine to significantly increase online reservations and connect to the Global Distribution System (GDS) which places your property on major travel portals that may include Expedia®, Travelocity®, Orbitz® and many more.

For more information visit: www.rezstream.com

Call Accounting Integration Solution Compatible With RezStream
> Shadow CMS
> Revolution Web Call Accounting

Call Accounting for Cisco Call Manager Express

SINGAPORE - February 1. 2007 - callaccounting.ws announced today that it has developed integration for the popular Cisco Call Manager Express into its Call Accounting Mate software. The communication protocol uses standard SysLog and will allow compatibility with other switches, routers and gateways.

Call Accounting Mate now offers a tailored set of call logging components exclusively for the Cisco product family. This new mechanism of interoperability provides seamless and dynamic IP integration for real time data collection and monitoring of call detail records (CDR).

For more information about Call Accounting Mate integration with Cisco,
please visit our forum at: http://www.callaccounting.ws/forum

About Call Accounting Mate

This low cost, easy to install application has taken the traditional market by storm. Call Accounting Mate is the most inexpensive solution given its robust features. The software boasts a built-in web server, complete browser management and reporting, a task scheduler and an embedded SQL database engine.

About callaccounting.ws

callaccounting.ws is an online communications management company specializing in compact web browser call accounting solutions. callaccounting.ws is the world leader in comprehensive, cost effective call accounting with its flagship product Call Accounting Mate. We have regional offices and representation in United States, Canada, United Kingdom, Singapore and Malaysia. Our products are distributed by a network of distributors world wide.

Information about callaccounting.ws, its products and the company's support policies can be found on the World Wide Web at www.callaccounting.ws.

Wednesday, February 14, 2007

Revolution Web Call Accounting Adds Probooker To Growing List Of Property Management Software Interfaces

Revolution Web Call Accounting is a completely browser based telephone expense tracking solution deployable in virtually any environment. The product provides an XML real time interface for property management systems to extract calling information. This method of integration is popular among up and coming property management systems (PMS) because of its simplicity, portability and platform independence.

The latest property management software to integrate with Revolution Web Call Accounting is ProBooker.

Visit their website at: http://www.probooker.com

Tuesday, February 13, 2007

A Case for Call Accounting As A Toll Fraud Prevention Weapon

Toll fraud, misuse and long distance abuse are the unauthorized use of telephone services. and deliberate or improper use of the corporate communication facilities for toll calls.

Theft of authorization codes to use or sell to others has become a major concern with universities, health care and major corporations. Toll fraud ranges from people who think they can make a few free calls, to sophisticated call-sell operations that rack up thousands of dollars of long distance. Once stolen, codes can be rapidly distributed across the Internet to other hackers.

Some hackers have even programmed PBXs, voice mail systems, ACDs and other communication equipment remotely. They find tunnels into your system, access secret passwords, reconfigure personal mail boxes and manipulate sensitive data. Hackers can rework long distance routing tables for convenient access from even a pay phone. Thousands of calls may be made on a compromised system long before a customer receives a bill highlighting the abuse. In the United States, it is estimated that five billion dollars per year is lost to toll fraud.

Call accounting software is often employed to track excessive toll fraud and can act as the system watchdog. Reports from the software can highlight the fingerprints of abuse. These reports can be presented in court when pursuing felony charges.

VoIP applications are especially vulnerable to toll fraud because they form an integral part of the IP network unlike regularly monitored PBX systems managed by separate groups. The most effective way of combatting such fraud is having strong encryption policies in place. The communication logs should also be constantly monitored using VoIP-ready call accounting software that alerts administrators of suspicious calling activity.

Recent events have placed a spotlight on corporate espionage, terrorism and hightened security. My corporations now realize the importance of detecting toll fraud, misuse and abuse for their survival. Most CEOs are demanding tools to twart negligence and theft while tightening network security.

There are many warning signs of possible breach in a communication network. The obvious impact to the bottom line is the excessive cost of long distance calls. This type of abuse is often discovered and traced to individuals using a good call accounting system. Calling to specific international destinations, specialty service numbers (e.g. 900, 976 adult services), chat lines and entertainment services can be highlighted with frequently called number reports.

Internal call tracking can be crucial in large organizations that experience harassment calls. Often calls of this nature can be attributed to disgruntal employees or jealous former partners. Many telephone systems have the ability to track extension to extension or internal calls. Bomb threats or calls to emergency services can bring an institution to its knees. Many PBXs have a call trace feature that can identify the source and alert authorities.

Misuse calling can often be corrected by diligently highlighting inaccurate facility usage and better personnel training. These types of calls are not malicious in intent but do carry a costly price tag (e.g. directory assistance).

Unusual activity can be difficult to pinpoint but proactive telecom managers will employ techniques to trap peculiar patterns. Periods of unusual call surges, after hours calling, long calls to local numbers and repeated incoming calls can fall under the radar. These calls do not necessarily appear on a telephone invoice but can greatly impact productivity.

RSI is recognized as an industry leader in the field of communication management. The communication management product portfolio includes tailored integration to the most popular switching and network manufactures. RSI has been granted Nortel Developer Partner status with recognition for its core portfolio as Compatible Products. RSI is a Cisco Technology Partner, Siemens HiPath Ready Standard certified, Avaya DeveloperConnect Member, Mitel MiSN Member, Adtran Complementary Solutions Provider, NEC Univerge Partner and Alcatel Applications Partner.

For more information contact us at rsi@telecost.com or visit http://www.telecost.com/

Monday, February 12, 2007

Daylight Saving Time

The Energy Policy Act of 2005 extended Daylight Saving Time in the U.S. beginning in 2007, though Congress retained the right to revert to the 1986 law should the change prove unpopular or if energy savings are not significant. Going from 2007 forward, Daylight Saving Time in the U.S. (and most of Canada) begins at 2:00 a.m. on the second Sunday of March and ends at 2:00 a.m. on the first Sunday of November.

In most of the countries of Western Europe, including the countries that are
members of the EU, Daylight Saving Time: begins at 1:00 a.m. GMT on the last Sunday of March and ends at 1:00 a.m. GMT on the last Sunday of October

To view a list of countries that observe daylight saving time please go here
http://webexhibits.org/daylightsaving/g.html

Resource Software International Ltd. (RSI)

Resource Software International Ltd. (RSI) has been developing award-winning call accounting software & communications management solutions for businesses of all sizes since 1990.

RSI strives to provide the best scalable solutions for every communication managers needs. RSI is a leading provider of call accounting, hotel billing, computer-telephony integration, web browser call accounting, telephone reporting, internet usage, email tracking and telemanagement solutions around the globe.

We pride ourselves in providing the very best dynamic cost-effective, user-friendly solutions that can be offered to all businesses. We provide robust interoperable solutions to Avaya customers.

Our call management portfolio spans a broad range of industry sectors including retail, government, education, tourism, brokerage, professional, hospitality and general business environments. In vertical markets, we provide unique integration to hotel property management systems and professional accounting packages.

Partner Relationships

RSI is recognized as an industry leader in the field of communication management. The communication management product portfolio includes tailored integration to the most popular switching and network manufactures. RSI has been granted Nortel Developer Partner status with recognition for its core portfolio as Compatible Products. RSI is a Cisco Technology Partner, Siemens HiPath Ready Standard certified, Avaya DeveloperConnect Member, Mitel MiSN Member, Adtran Complementary Solutions Provider, NEC Univerge Partner and Alcatel Applications Partner.

For more information contact us at rsi@telecost.com or visit http://www.telecost.com/

Friday, February 9, 2007

Daylight Savings Time Change May Cause Problems With Your Telephone Expense Management Software

Call accounting, Move, Add and Change (MAC), traffic analysis, call center, auto attendant, voice mail and many other communication management software tools may all be impacted by the upcoming earlier spring forward time change. Any software that utilizes a date and time variable to compute billing records, process date sensitive statistics or trigger tasks at a specific time will be impacted.

Telecom managers should ensure that their communication facilities have the proper patches or can manually be adjusted to report the right time. Failure to establish a proper strategy before March 11 could mean disruption and/or chaos depending on the critical nature of the system.

Telephone switches and computers should be synchronized in order for call detail records to be assigned the right date stamp. This will ensure that call records are reported accurately and tariff information is properly applied. Companies that use call accounting for cost allocation, rebilling and real time billing will be most affected.

Microsoft is warning that older operating systems including Windows XP SP1 and Windows NT4 will require manual setting. The company website provides detailed instruction on their various products and patches are furiously being created and distributed. Microsoft recommends that customers should not assume that everyone has made the proper updates. On their website they state "users should view any appointments that fall into these date ranges as suspect until they communicate with all meeting invitees to make sure that the item shows up correctly on everyone's calendar both internally and externally."

"If they're running systems that are not auto-updated, they'll have to be cognizant to make those changes themselves," said Mike Wendy, a representative for the Computing Technology Industry Association. "That will involve a modicum of some sort of education to the community to ensure that that occurs."

Resource Software International Ltd. (RSI) spokesman Steve Cummings explains "our software solutions utilize the date and time provided by the hardware manufacturers. Our applications will continue to function without the adjustment but could report erroneous tariffs. Customers are advised to contact their equipment vendors to ensure that the daylight savings time is accurately configured."

For more information, please visit http://www.telecost.com/

Clocks' Early Spring Forward May Bring About a Few Falls

By Charles Babington, Washington Post

It seemed so simple and familiar: Spring forward, fall back. For 20 years, that's what Americans -- and their technology -- have done with their clocks on the first Sunday in April and the last Sunday in October.

Read Article

Call Accounting Software Exclusively for Nortel Business Communications Manager (BCM)

Communication facilities are the lifeline of most successful businesses and often the most taxing expenditures. Successful enterprises constantly evolve and adopt the latest technology to enhance their customers’ experience.

SHADOW CMS provides the necessary tools to allow administrators to forecast, monitor andallocate communications management expenses. Never before has there been a truly consolidate mechanism to analyze CDR, CCR, Voice Mail, Hunt Groups and IVR under one roof!

Find out where customer calls are routed, what prompts are being selected in your auto attendant tree or how many calls went to voice mail? SHADOW cms w/Enhanced BCM Reporting does it all.

Gage the performance of all your facilities for better workforce management, customer service and network performance. Utilize statistics from CDR, CCR, Voice Mail, Hunt Groups and IVR for network planning and troubleshooting. Find out how your communications facilities are performing and respond quickly.

To find out more, visit http://www.telecost.com/nortel

Thursday, February 8, 2007

Use Call Accounting Software As A Punch Clock

Call accounting is a software solution traditionally used primarily for tracking and analyzing telephone activity for budgeting, cost comparisons, toll fraud and telephone expense management. There are many call accounting vendors that specialize in various vertical markets such as hospitality, retail or professional.

The instantaneous nature of telephone transactions has increasingly fostered clever new inventions from fixed or wireless devices. Hand held devices now allow real time communication via voice, email, SMS or internet for business and personal communication. It is natural that call accounting can be adopted for tracking of more than just long distance calling activity.

Nortel Business Communication Manager (BCM) or Norstar customer can now track employee attendance and punctuality using the latest RSI tools CTI Pack. This new function called "Punch Clock" can be activated from any telephone set by pressing a simple Feature code. The data is then recorded and processed using the RSI Shadow CMS or Revolution Web Call Accounting software. This enhancement allows small business owners the ability to monitor and control their staff resulting in less lost time, greater accountability and increased productivity.

tools CTI Pack is a comprehensive value added middleware telephony control and management solution for Nortel Networks Norstar and BCM. tools CTI Pack offers forced/verified account codes, toll restriction, 911 notification, CLID logging, SMDR, hospitality wake up calls, message notification and wake up calls.

RSI is recognized as an industry leader in the field of communication management. The communication management product portfolio includes tailored integration to the most popular switching and network manufactures. RSI has been granted Nortel Developer Partner status with recognition for its core portfolio as Nortel Compatible Products.

For more information contact us at rsi@telecost.com or visit http://www.telecost.com/!

Service Delivery Platforms Bringing SOA to Phone Companies, Says Insight Research

BOONTON, NJ.

Telecommunications companies will be investing billions of dollars over the next five years on service delivery platforms (SDPs) in order to bring the benefits of on-demand services to their wireline and mobility enterprise customers, says a new report from Insight Research. SDPs are computing platforms and software that support emerging standards such as IMS and SIP while continuing to inter-work with legacy protocols.

According to the study, "IMS, SIP and Service Delivery Platforms: Telecom Adoption of SOA and Enterprise Applications 2007-2011," SDP adoption by carriers will facilitate the delivery of on-demand telecommunications services by integrating network element performance with critical business processes. Functionally, these SDPs will enable the adoption of a service-oriented architecture (SOA), making it possible to reuse individual service components in order to quickly build a new enterprise service, as well as to separate the creation and execution of new service applications from the underlying network.

"These platforms will loosen the knot that ties network elements to business processes, thus increasing carrier flexibility when it comes to BSSes and service creation, which should translate to quicker time to market for new services," says Robert Rosenberg, President of Insight Research. "This loose coupling of business processes means that carriers will also be able to work more efficiently with their business chain partners," Rosenberg concludes.

A free report excerpt, table of contents, and ordering information are available online at http://www.insight-corp.com/reports/SDP07.asp. This 97-page report is available immediately for $3,995 (hard copy). Adobe Acrobat (PDF) report licenses are also available. Visit Insight's website, or call 973-541-9600 for details..

For more information please contact:
Ms. PJ Conger, Marketing Director
973-541-9600
pj@insight-corp.com

Monday, February 5, 2007

Is There Something Sinister About Caller ID Spoofing?

Spoofing refers to the ability to disguise the originating caller identification number when placing a telephone call. The calling party may select an alias or dummy number to appear on the called party telephone display.

Proponents of this technology laud its uses for law enforcement and private investigators. They claim the technology protects agents from being discovered in undercover operations. Agents can freely make pretext calls to criminal elements by using caller ID spoofing. A pretext call is one that allows law enforcement to solicit information over the telephone by representing themselves as someone else.

Caller ID spoofing is now marketed by a number of websites to any business or individual who wishes to subscribe to the service. Individuals can hide or mask the call origin with whatever number they desire. This guarantees anonymity. Collection agencies or government tax agencies often find it difficult to reach defaulters. This service could help these companies contact an individual using call screening.

Critics of the caller ID spoofing claim that using this VoIP phone service makes it easy for scam artists to make it appear that they are calling from another phone number.

Jokesters could masquerade their caller ID as The Oval Office, Ed McMahon or Paris Hilton. Hackers and con artists could utilize spoofing to break into unsecured voice mail boxes that rely on caller identification for authentication. For example, Secure Science Corporation discovered that hackers could use caller ID spoofing to break into the voice mailboxes of over 15 million subscribers of wireless service provider T-Mobile. The company scrambled to add an optional pin code authentication to thwart tampering.

Criminal elements could utilize caller ID spoofing to reverse the tables on law enforcement, harass victims and break into interactive voice response systems that use the caller’s phone number as authentication. A child molester could contact a home and disguise number as a parent’s work number. An alarm company or emergency response dispatch could be contacted and reassured of false alarm by a burglar breaking into a premise.

Methods and kits on how to emulate and display spoofed caller ID messages are now available on the Internet. Anyone with a general understanding of the concept and a compatible modem can construct a device that will provide caller ID spoofing.

In the end, caller ID spoofing, like any other technology does have some merit especially for law enforcement. However this technology is very easy to use unethically and perhaps criminally. The lesson here is don’t trust caller id display. If you are unsure of the caller id information of a suspicious caller, take the number down, return the call or alert authorities.

Rito Salomone is the president of Resource Software International Ltd. (RSI). He has 18 years experience in the field of communication management solutions including call accounting, hotel billing, telephone reporting, screen pop, cti applications and web solutions.

For more information about the author you can review: http://www.telecost.com

Aberdeen Group Report: Telecom Expense Management is Key for Enterprise Success

Telecom expense management is a vital part of any enteprise's success, Aberdeen Group reports.

Read Article

RSI Announces Booth Position for VoiceCon Spring 2007

Resource Software International Ltd. (RSI) announced recently that it will be attending VoiceCon Spring 2007: Build Your IP Telephony Platform. RSI will showcase browser based communication management solutions geared for IP Telephony Platforms.

Where/When: March 5-8, 2007, Gaylord Palms Hotel Orlando FL

Visit us at Booth: 1034

For more information, visit http://www.telecost.com or VoiceCon at http://www.voicecon.com

Is Caller ID Spoofing Legal?

Spoofing refers to the ability to disguise the originating caller identification number when placing a telephone call. The calling party may select an alias or dummy number to appear on the called party telephone display.

Read USA Today Article

Sunday, February 4, 2007

Call Accounting Software for Emergency and Security

Call accounting software has been a major telemanagement tool for telephone expense recovery for many years. The software has traditionally been used to reconcile invoices, study traffic patterns and highlight misuse and abuse. Call accounting can serve as a watchdog over corporate telecom facilities. At times, employers have found it necessary to dismiss employees for inappropriate conduct or excessive use of telecom facilities.

Chronological, extension or authorization code detail reports can conclusively identify calling behavior. There are many types of telephone abuse issues that can affect an organization. Obscene, sexual harassment, bomb threats, 911, leaks to competitors and many other forms of abuse can often be tracked to the calling party

Many educational institutions are vulnerable to students making prank telephone calls to emergency services. Often emergency response units are dispatched to false alarms. This results in countless hours of lost time and a diversion of resources from actual emergencies. Call accounting software can be employed in real time to pinpoint the source of such calls. Most businesses would be unable to track down the extension that made the call without a complete office search. This precious time could mean the difference between life and death. The use of call accounting results in huge savings for flagrant calls and direct response for actual emergencies.

Sometimes hackers or disgruntled former employees can penetrate communication equipment and expose sensitive corporate information or run up huge costs. Mail boxes and automated outbound rerouting can be compromised and huge long distances costs can be incurred. Some companies are alarmed to discover calls to overseas destinations, 900 services and other obscure numbers tacked on to their telephone invoices. Real time call accounting can quickly alert authorized personnel of suspicious calling patterns and eliminate network loop holes.

A recent call accounting study in one store of a major retail chain uncovered a series of lengthy calls during the late night hours, usually between 12:00 AM and 1:00 AM. A detailed examination of call accounting reports showed no particular pattern in the source extension but the called number was clearly always the same. Further investigation proved a member of the cleaning staff was calling his significant other for approximately one hour every day. The cost of the calls was minimal since all calls were local. However the productivity cost was in the hundreds of dollars per month. This scenario, if extrapolated across all stores, could have a major negative impact on the corporate bottom line.

Often authorities, law enforcement or security personnel require documented proof of a contentious telephone call. Concrete historical data from call accounting software and the raw call detail records from the telephone system can serve to strengthen or dismiss litigation.

Rito Salomone is President of Resource Software International Ltd.(RSI). RSI is internationally recognized as a leader in communication management solutions. To contact the author, email rsalomone@telecost.com or visit the website at http://www.telecost.com

Friday, February 2, 2007

A Case for Call Accounting in Retail Environments

Most retail stores have established many forms of communication to assist customers prior to trekking to the store. These systems include a web site, email, fax, online shopping, automated attendant, custom call routing (CCR) and interactive voice recognition (IVR). All these modes of communications should serve to enhance the customer experience. After all, the ultimate goal is to quickly and efficiently service the needs of the customer while maximizing a return.

Sometimes these technological enhancements serve to frustrate rather than facilitate interaction. It is imperative to utilize a concise communication management system (CMS) to qualify the exchange of information.

Many retail stores are equipped with the latest automated attendant and custom call routing features. But how many times have you called your favorite local retail outlet to inquire about a particular item? Do you end up answering countless questions and then end up in the mailbox for electronics instead of hardware? Or worse you get disconnected?

Usually retail stores have a cookie cutter approach to each of their stores. Sometimes this approach can cause varying results. For example, the needs of a store in Grand Rapids, MI can be very different than those in Austin, TX. Traffic management is essential in determining the busiest or peak time periods. Ring time, abandoned calls and grade of service analysis can assist in understanding call blockage and facility usage.

IP telephony is rapidly gaining acceptance and is being deployed in many retail chains. Traditional circuit switched PBXs are being replaced with next generation IP systems. This generally results in greater connectivity between the remote stores and corporate headquarters, better network traffic flow and reduced long distance charges.

However managers also need to be aware of over compensation. IP trunking, wireless handsets and other handheld devices may alleviate traffic overload in popular locations but may be an unnecessary expense in others. A proper CMS provides the ability to obtain quantitative statistics to justify a technology investment. . Many retail chains struggle with workforce management and productivity. A CMS system provides exception management reports which highlight long duration, excessive cost and misdialed calls. Each call may be pinpointed to a particular password, account code, extension or authorization number. Detailed telephone charges reports will highlight usage reports and curb misuse and abuse.

Forward-thinking communications managers realize a call management system can yield significant benefits to the corporation. These benefits include improved measurement of IP telephony traffic, increased cost allocation, detection of fraud and greater employee productivity.

Rito Salomone is the president of Resource Software International Ltd. (RSI). He has 18 years experience in the field of communication management solutions.

For more information you can review: http://www.telecost.com or contact the author at rsalomone@telecost.com.

Thursday, February 1, 2007

Link to Network Technology Magazine: Spotlight article on RSI VoIP Call Accounting Solutions

See Page 52

http://www.networktechmag.com/issues/issue205.pdf

How to Improve Marketing Efforts With Call Accounting

Advertising is a necessary expenditure for business that desire greater visibility. Some major corporations will pay millions of dollars for a 30 second spot during a major event like the Olympics, World Cup or Super Bowl. Misjudging target audiences can cause marketing efforts to go awry and advertising costs to go through the roof. The effectiveness of advertising campaigns can sometimes be difficult to assess. Call accounting software can be employed to gain these valuable metrics.

Statistical reports can be utilized to determine an increase or decrease in inbound calls, time of day, day of week and seasonal change. National campaigns can have variable effect in different areas of the country. Regional representation of inbound traffic can be grouped by caller number, inbound line, toll free, or vanity numbers.

Radio, television, online or print media can deliver different levels of success. Companies can monitor the success of marketing efforts by matching campaigns with corresponding call activity and internet traffic. These results can assist in determining which ads are resonating with customers and generating a greater response.

Marketing budgets are often difficult to get approved during periods of right-sizing unless there is tangible supporting evidence. Marketing managers armed with a comprehensive call accounting reports can highlight the benefit of previous efforts to their superiors. Future campaigns can be justified or revamped based on results of concrete call accounting analysis.

Call centers can employ call accounting software to analyze regional distribution, monitor telecom expense, determine peak hour usage and highlight agent call activity. Call accounting software gives telecom managers the tools necessary to quickly respond to staffing requirements and equipment needs resulting in greater productivity and corporate success.

Rito Salomone is President of Resource Software International Ltd. (RSI). To contact the author, please email rsalomone@telecost.com

RSI is recognized as an industry leader in the field of communication management. The communication management product portfolio includes tailored integration to the most popular switching and network manufactures. RSI has been granted Nortel Developer Partner status with recognition for its core portfolio as Compatible Products. RSI is a Cisco Technology Partner, Siemens HiPath Ready Standard certified, Avaya DeveloperConnect Member, Mitel MiSN Member, Adtran Complementary Solutions Provider, NEC Univerge Partner and Alcatel Applications Partner.

For more information contact us at rsi@telecost.com or visit http://www.telecost.com/!