Showing Off

Showing Off Here’s something to think about the next time you’re at a trade show. Smart City has purchased Priority Networks to create what they call "synergy between the country’s two largest providers of telecommunications technology to the convention and hospitality industries." That’s right, conventioneers, you’re probably dealing with one of these guys when you go to a show since they service 50 facilities and convention centers in 12 states as well as the Walt Disney Resort and surrounding areas of Central Florida. Everybody’s a specialist. Feeling Secure Sipera Systems has upgraded VoIP and instant messaging protection gear to let enterprises secure legacy systems against attacks, misuse and service abuse. No word on whether that coverage includes diming out spouses and teens who go over on voice plans …. BandTel has launched a new Web-based portal, TotalView, that is said gives its customers and resellers in-depth and real-time call and accounting information and analysis. Like determining whether teens and spouses are abusing voice plans? …. And Minacom has introduced the Zoey interactive VoIP test agent for providers offering self-install voice service. Zoey, no relation to the president’s daughter on "The West Wing," is an automated interactive voice response (IVR) agent customers can call to check their caller ID, evaluate noise, echo, speech quality, touch tone and fax transmission quality but probably not to check on whether teens or spouses are abusing voice plans …. Telchemy announced the release of the cleverly named DVQuattest/RE (wasn’t he the guy who was hanging around the bell tower at Notre Dame cathedral?) active test system that gives service providers visibility into service quality problems for residential VoIP and IPTV. IPTV, isn’t that another newsletter? …. For conspiracy theorists, there must be some correlation, indirect or otherwise, between all these VoIP security announcements and the fact that Fox Networks started the fall season early by airing a new episode of "Prison Break" this week …. Anyway, adding onto and finishing the pile, Clarus Systems has announced that its ClarusIPC Operations software delivers enhanced security reporting to prevent critical IP telephony security risks such as unauthorized access and toll fraud as well as featuring automated testing of large IP telephony deployments to maximize system performance. Other Vendor News Toshiba American Information Systems said it expanded its Strata CLX family of IP business communications with the Strata CIX40 IP business communication system designed specifically for small businesses. Those customers clever enough to differentiate and order the CIX40 will get support for up to 16 station ports and eight IP channels …. Tekelec, anticipating what has yet to happen in the way of bad weather this year, said that its Tekelec 6000 VoIP application server includes automatic disaster recovery features to help service providers deliver reliable communications during hurricane season. Your Skype and Vonage Fix This week’s Skype news is that Global IP Sound (GIPS) has extended its relationship to enable hardware manufacturers to offer Skype-compatible IP phones that use GIPS’ embedded voice processing technology … while our friends at Vonage America said that more than 85 percent of its U.S. subscriber lines are now equipped with enhanced 911 (E-911) service.