tim's blog

Note: This post is by Tim, the SIP Maven here at Junction Networks. It has nothing to do with small business or VoIP, but it gives you some insight into the life of a SIP Maven. So, we're posting it... Because Junction Networks believes in maintaining a work-life balance, because it's pretty funny, and because Tim's daughter is pretty darn cute.

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Question: I’m going to be traveling in the next week. Can I plug my Polycom phone into my computer and use a Wi-Fi network to make calls?

Answer: The short answer is no. Most VoIP phones have a simple switch that enables a computer to connect via Ethernet to a phone. You can’t reverse this process and connect a phone to a computer 'yes' the long answer is 'maybe' (See first comment below).

The OnSIP hosted PBX agent program recently celebrated its 1st anniversary and has just added its 75th partner. This incredible number says a lot about the energy and determination of Andy Ogg, our agent program manager. It also says plenty about the success our agents are having at signing up customers and making OnSIP hosted PBX a part of their monthly recurring revenue stream.

So what is the profile of a thriving OnSIP Hosted PBX agent?

My email address is tim@junctionnetworks.com. That is also my SIP address. If you are using the my.onsip web application you can enter my SIP address into the dialing field and call me directly. This is SIP to SIP calling. The call quality is as good as, or better, than traditional PSTN calling and, best of all, its free. You can dial SIP addresses anywhere in the world and the calls are free, regardless of whether the person you are calling is using OnSIP.

What is an announcement? The dictionary definition is: "A broadcast message, especially a program note or commercial" which sums up nicely what the OnSIP accouncement application does.

Each OnSIP package comes with one or more announcements and additional announcements can be purchased for $4.95 each per month.

Managing External Number Resources

By adding cell phone and international office numbers to OnSIP you increase the usefulness of your PBX. Calls can be routed to a cell phone rather than to voicemail so you never need miss a call. You can also set up alias extensions to dial out to external numbers. This makes getting in touch with colleagues who are out of the office as easy as dialing an extension. Make things easy by assigning cell phones extensions to be one order higher than regular extensions; my work extension is 7008 while my cell phone extension is 8008.

I have been using my Polycom 550 in wireless mode for the past few months and I love it. I'm not the lucky recipient of a new model of Polycom; mine still has an Ethernet cable plugged into the back of it. But that Ethernet cable then plugs into my wireless Apple Airport Express. The Airport Express allows me to extend my wireless network wherever I have a power outlet. Now that summer is here and the weather’s good, I can even work out on my deck (if only the neighbors would quit mowing their lawns during office hours!).

The sales call started of normal enough.
Me: "Junction Networks this is Tim, how can I help you?"
Caller: "What do you do? Can you get me a phone number?"
Me: "Mmm...I guess. We provide phone services and phone numbers are a part of that"
Caller: "I don't care what the area code is, just the next seven numbers."
Me (light bulb going off): "I don't suppose those seven digits might start with an 867 by any chance?"
Caller: "Yes. Can you get the number?"
Me: "Sorry, I'm afraid we can't search for the last seven digits."
Caller: "Do you know who can?"
Me: "Sorry, I don't. Goodbye"

With Hurricane Hanna bearing down on Florida last week I got a call from a Sunshine State customer who was worried about how his phone service would be effected if he lost power. The customer is using Junction Networks PSTN Gateway product to provide SIP trunking for his Switchvox PBX. He was looking for more than plain failover routing, where, in the event of a PBX failure, all calls are forwarded to a single cell phone or POTS line.

I was listening to the radio this afternoon and the topic being discussed was how to save gasoline. There were plenty of suggestions; practical ones like keeping your tires properly inflated and driving at the speed limit, and bad ones; like driving in the slip stream of big rigs! But the suggestion that made most sense to me was work from home at least one day a week.