Transcript Persimmon Telecommunications

VoIP De-Mystified
How to
Compare
Shop for
Choose
The optimal VoIP plan for your needs.
Updated: April 26, 2008
Persimmon
Telecommunications
Brings together a team of experts to help
you make the best choice for your
Telecommunications services
Cost Effective Connections
Updated: April 26, 2008
Joe Budelis
• Harvard PhD in Decision & Control
• 30 years experience
• Areas: Project Management, IT, Analysis,
Telecommunications
• Long Term Positions:
– Mobil Corporation
– Morgan Stanley Dean Witter
– ShopForT1.com, Telarus, Commission River
Updated: April 26, 2008
What we bring to you
• Telecommunications expertise
• Consulting services
– To help you find the best option(s) for your
Telecommunications needs
– To assist you with questions or issues that
arise during provisioning and during the
contract term
– To help you determine if contract renewal or a
switch to another service is most beneficial
Updated: April 26, 2008
Specialties
• T1, DS3 and Fixed Wireless lines
– Fractional, Full, Bonded, Point-to-Point Ts
– Data, Voice and Integrated Ts
• OC3, MPLS, Ethernet and DSL lines
• Phone Service
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Local and Long Distance Phone Service
Toll Free Service
VoIP
Cell Phone Service
Audio Conferencing
• Domain Registration and Web hosting
• Fax Services
Updated: April 26, 2008
What is VoIP?
• Voice over Internet Protocol
– Uses broadband internet connection for
phone service
• Also known as:
– Broadband phone service
– I-net telephony
– Internet phone service
– IP Phone service
Updated: April 26, 2008
How does it Work?
• Router shares broadband connection with PC(s)
• Digital Terminal Adapter (aka dta or phone adapter) is
interface between
– Router and
– Normal analog phone
• Alternatively, some plans use an IP phone
Updated: April 26, 2008
VoIP Background
• Initially VoIP was implemented PC-to-PC
– Using a PC as your phone is still an option
with some plans
• Voice quality was originally poor
– Improvements in technology have greatly
improved voice quality
– Most users can not tell the difference most of
the time
Updated: April 26, 2008
VoIP Advantages
• Low cost toll calls
• Phone portability – you can use your VoIP phone
from “any” broadband connection
• Low cost to have phone numbers in distant
locations
• Many features available via software at a low
cost or no additional cost
• Features are upgradeable via software
download
• Calls to others on same service are always free
Updated: April 26, 2008
VoIP Disadvantages
• Phone line is down if broadband
connection is down
• Phone adapter and/or router occasionally
must be rebooted
• Voice quality degrades if internet
connection has latency, jitter or significant
packet loss
Updated: April 26, 2008
911 Service
• Not all VoIP vendors offer 911 service in all
areas and, when they do:
– You must enter into a database precisely the
location where you will be using the dta
– You must update the location in the database
when you move the dta
– Some vendors require that the shipping and
billing addresses be the same as the address
where you will use the service
Updated: April 26, 2008
Basic VoIP Service
Typical Features
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Voice mail
CallerID – with or without name
CallerID Blocking
3-way Conferencing
Call Waiting
Call Waiting ID
Call Forwarding
On-line Account Management
Call Transfer
Virtual Numbers
Updated: April 26, 2008
Basic Home, Home Office Plans
• Pay Monthly - Annual Plans
– $9.99 and $14.99 plans for 200 and 500 mins
– $19.99-$24.99 per mo for unlimited calls to
USA, Puerto Rico, Canada numbers and
some other countries
• All-Inclusive Annual Plan
– Unlimited call plans
– $199 per year
– Extra charges for DA and International
– Various charges may add up to about $5/mo
Updated: April 26, 2008
Business Options
• Basic VoIP Service – Vendor provides IP
phone or dta that you can use with any
analog phone or phone system
• Hosted PBX Service – Vendor provides
dta and phone instrument with features
that, in the past, were only available on
high end PBX systems
• Integrated T1 – T1 shared between voice
and data; carrier provides QoS to voice
Updated: April 26, 2008
Hosted PBX Service
Typical Additional Features
• Autoattendant
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Customizable
Dial by extension
Dial by name
Company directory
3- or 4-digit extension to extension dialing
Conference bridge
Multiple Call Handling
Ring Groups
Switchboard
Call Park / Call Pickup
Do Not Disturb
Updated: April 26, 2008
Hosted PBX Option
• Virtual Office
– $49.99/month Unlimited USA & Canada calls
– $99.99 equipment cost
• Virtual Office Speakerphone
• DTA
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$1.50/mo FET – 3% Federal Excise Tax
$1.50/mo RRF – Regulatory Recovery Fee
$1.99 E911 Service Fee
$39.99 activation fee
$24.99/month metered extension @ 250 outbound
mins/mo + 2.9 cents a minute thereafter
– 30-day (max 300 minutes) money back guarantee
Updated: April 26, 2008
Basic VoIP Business Options
• Business 2000 Plan
– 2000 inbound/outbound mins/mo USA and
Canada
– Includes voicemail, caller ID, call waiting,
three-way calling, find me/follow-me,
simultaneous ring, call forwarding, and more.
– Unlimited calls to other Packet8 numbers
– $39.99 per month
– 3.5 cpm for additional USA/Canada outbound
calls after 2000 outband mins
Updated: April 26, 2008
How to Choose a VoIP Plan?
• See Plan Comparisons on the VoIP
Comparison spreadsheet at:
http://shopforld.com/VoIP.xls
• Use the first column as a checklist of
features – which are most important to
you?
Updated: April 26, 2008