Quick Conference (QC), a SIP-based Audio Conferencing Solution From CounterPath

CounterPath has announced the general availability of Quick Conference (QC), a SIP-based audio conferencing solution that allows businesses to manage their own in-house conferencing services while simplifying the end-user experience.
According to their press release, with Quick Conference any one could set up an audio conference, on-site or remotely, by dialing an extension off the enterprise PBX and then selecting an ad-hoc, four-digit bridge number of their choice. But it is also possible for a company that uses QC to reserve a four-digit bridge number permanently for each employee. The conferencing solution removes the complexity and usage limitations associated with traditional hosted conferencing services, allowing any employee to set up a conference bridge in seconds. So no more calling the company secretary to setup and assign conferences.

"In a global economy powered by knowledge workers and distributed workforces, audio conferencing has become a mission-critical service within the enterprise," said Rob Brown, Vice President of Customer Marketing, CounterPath. "Quick Conference allows businesses to give every employee access to enterprise-class conferencing services while actually reducing operating expenses by running those services off their PBX. In combination with QC's four-digit simplicity, our conferencing solution increases employee productivity, workplace satisfaction and levels of customer service, creating a winning proposition for both SMB and enterprise customers."

Quick Conference can be integrated with any PBX through SIP trunking or a SIP/TDM gateway and offers a range of security features to ensure the privacy and integrity of a conference call. QC can also be deployed as a managed hosted service, residing both inside and outside the enterprise network. The solution is available through CounterPath and select OEM partners.

Custom applications and plug-ins can be integrated with QC through the solution's Web Services architecture, designed to enable customer-driven extensibility. The solution also has flexible white-label options that allow customers to brand the offering with their own design preferences.

QC is available in eight languages: English, French, Dutch, Spanish, Italian, German, Chinese and Arabic.

You can find more information here.

Tags: conference call, SIP, VoIP, counterpath, SIP/TDM gateway, SIP trunking, Quick Conference, audio conferencing

Group Conference Calling On The iPhone For A Cost Of A Single Local Call With Talkster

TORONTO, ONT – December 21, 2007 — With more than three million iPhones expected in consumers hands by the end of 2007, Voice 2.0 company Talkster is delivering an early holiday gift to iPhone users: simplified group conference calling all over the globe for the cost of a single local call.

Although the intuitive iPhone comes with a simple method for adding additional people into an existing conversation, the process becomes tedious and complex when adding a third, fourth or fifth caller to the conference. With the Talkster service, iPhone users simply go to http://i.talkster.com to set up their group call. They enter the names and phone numbers of the people they want to call and click invite. Talkster generates a local phone number for each of the call participants and distributes the new number via text message. This one-time process generates a permanent number that callers can save in their address book and use any time they want to talk to this same group of people.

In addition to creating the easiest way to conference call a group of friends, this single number connects up to five friends anywhere in the world for the price of a single local call. When adding multiple friends to a group call using the native iPhone interface callers are using up multiple minutes including one for each caller in the group, with even higher costs when calling friends internationally. With Talkster, all group calls even those that include international numbers are as simple as dialing one local number, and minutes for just that single call are used. The iPhone solved some of the complexities of conference calling by adding the simple plus sign to the dial pad for adding callers, but when you are setting up a call for more than two people, the built-in iPhone method can be a complex process with multiple call, hold, merge steps for each caller, says James Wanless, co-founder and COO of Talkster. Talkster has made group conference calls as easy as dialing one phone number. Couple the ease of use with the fact that Talkster group conference calls are free, and it's clear to see that iPhone users with friends and family around the globe have something to celebrate this holiday season. Talkster is able to offer callers free long distance, international, and group conference calls from any kind of phone by subsidizing the cost of calls with advertisements. Callers listen to a single 10-second audio ad at the start of each call and then can talk as long as they like with free calling service and no talk time limits in more than 30 countries around the globe. Eliminating the complexity and cost of group conference calls, Talkster is publicly available today at http://i.talkster.com from the iPhone or http://free.talkster.com from any other mobile phone with a standard web browser.

News Source (Word File)

Tags: iPhone, iPhone Conference Call, Talkster,

Bridgit conferencing software 3.2 released

Bridgit conferencing software 3.2 for Microsoft Windows and Mac OS operating systems adds improved Voice over IP (VoIP) to Web conferencing applications, chat features, support for more users and enhanced support for the Mac operating system.
Bridgit conferencing software 3.2 allows users to connect instantly and share voice, video and data over the Internet in real time. Moreover, the new version allows teachers and business professionals to connect through any Internet browser without having to install the software. Bridgit software continues to offer the benefits of easy, secure, cost-effective conferencing for corporate meetings and distance education, eliminating travel time and costs.

In three easy steps, you can interact with colleagues and customers using any presentation or application you have running on your desktop or SMART Board interactive whiteboard. As well, participants can join your meeting through a simple e-mail invitation – no installation required, which is ideal for those who don’t have administration rights to install software on their computers.
You can view a demo or download a 30 day preview version from Smart.

Tags: VoIP, conference, bridgit

Metaswitch Conference Server UC9000 Streamlines Conference Call Set Up, Management and Control

VoIP IP Telephony @ http://snapvoip.blogspot.com

According to a news release by businesswire, New SIP-based Application Server Enhances Robust UC9000 Unified Communications Portfolio, Creates Incremental Revenue Stream For Service Providers.


COMPTEL Plus Spring 2007
Booth 719

LAS VEGAS--(BUSINESS WIRE)--MetaSwitch, a leading vendor of next-generation carrier switching and application solutions, announced today the availability of a new component in its industry-leading UC9000 Unified Communications application suite. The UC9000 Conference Server combines standards-based SIP conferencing control with a reservation-less “meet-me” conference application and an easy-to-use web-based management interface. Capable of supporting conference calls of up to 500 participants, the MetaSwitch UC9000 Conference Server offers the industry’s most flexible, real-time conference capabilities for service providers and their enterprise customers.

UC9000 Conference Server delivers a full-featured, SIP-based conference solution that enables moderators to easily set up conferences via an intuitive web interface, and control participant interaction and call flow via the phone interface or through the web. Advanced features include:

* Lock/roll call/number of participant controls
* Dynamically updated participant list in real time
* Visible indication of current speaker and audio levels
* Ability to mute, gain control and disconnect any participant
* Call recording.

As part of the UC9000 Unified Communications application suite, the new conferencing capability integrates seamlessly both with MetaSwitch’s softswitch platform and other UC9000 enhanced services including unified messaging, auto attendant, music on hold, and privacy defender. Together, these features allow service providers to create value-added packages, generate significant incremental revenue streams, and enhance customer loyalty.

“MetaSwitch continues to advance the art of Unified Communications with dynamic products, features and functionality that address the market demand for value-added integrated services,” said Andrew Randall, vice president of marketing at MetaSwitch. “The UC9000 Conference Server will be used by our customers to deliver a robust managed service to the carriers’ communications arsenals as they compete for business in an increasingly competitive market.”

Please visit MetaSwitch at CompTel Spring 2007 at booth 719



Links;
BusinessWire News release
Comptel Spring 2007

Tags: UC9000 Conference Server, SIP, MetaSwitch, real-time conference, comptel