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July 27, 2021

• Digium The Case for UC Systems Needing Tight Integration with Physical Phones

  A business communication system connects to a phone. But how tightly integrated does the phone need to be? Does it just need to make and receive phone calls, or should it do more?

  Let’s examine a few business communication system functions that enjoy tight integration with physical phones. Desktop phones now come with visual displays, and these visual displays enhance the user experience immensely. For example, when on the phone, a presence indicator to the rest of the UC system would show potential instant messengers that you are busy and on the phone. Provisioning of the phones from the admin is also tied to the system. For example, the admin can remotely set up your phone and even push updates to the phone. There are also many shortcuts the phone can utilize if it’s tightly integrated with the phone system.

  So to answer the question at the end of the first paragraph, yes, it should do more. The phone needs to be tightly integrated. You want your phone to get the most out of your system and be a true productivity tool.

  The post The Case for UC Systems Needing Tight Integration with Physical Phones appeared first on Sangoma.

July 22, 2021

• WebRTC Hacks Identifying Shared Tabs using Capture Handle (Elad Alon)

  Introduction to capture handle - a new Chrome Origin Trial that lets a WebRTC screen sharing application communicate with the tab it is capturing. Examples use case discussed include detecting self-capture, improving the use of collaboration apps that are screen shared, and optimizing stream parameters of the captured content.

  The post Identifying Shared Tabs using Capture Handle (Elad Alon) appeared first on webrtcHacks.

July 20, 2021

• Digium The Case for Applications Supplementing the UC System of Tomorrow

  Besides a proper multi-modal communication system that handles all that voice entails, what else will be needed in tomorrow’s Unified Communication system? The system of tomorrow will need to be able to handle new business communication needs deftly.

  For instance, applications we all became familiar with in 2020 were the “curbside pickup” application or the “ready to come up for your appointment” application. Many businesses scrambled to deploy them.

  And these applications needed to be tied into the communication system because they involved texting and maybe phone calls if there were questions. The ability of your system to create these applications linked to the UC system is critical for business success. Successful businesses discovered this. And successful companies are also thinking of ways to deploy other integrated applications to help them succeed even more.

  Tomorrow’s reality for business communication includes multi-modal communication, where voice and video are essential, connecting to all types of networks is a reality, and tight integration with all your business communication functions saves you time and money. And it will also involve business efficiency and nimbleness. Make sure your UC system can do all of that and all of that well.

  The post The Case for Applications Supplementing the UC System of Tomorrow appeared first on Sangoma.

July 15, 2021

• WebRTC Hacks Making Zoom’s Smart Gallery on the Web with MediaPipe and BreakoutBox

  How to seperate multiple people in the same camera feed into their own unique video streams that can be individually transmitted Google's MediaPipe and the W3C's new MediaStreamTrack API

  The post Making Zoom’s Smart Gallery on the Web with MediaPipe and BreakoutBox appeared first on webrtcHacks.

July 13, 2021

• Digium Sangoma Proud to Claim 5th Spot on the Omdia North American UCaaS Scorecard

  In May, Omdia released their UC as a Service (UCaaS) Scorecard, ranking the top 10 UCaaS providers in North America. We are proud to say Sangoma not only made the list but earned the 5th spot. Omdia identified the leading service providers in terms of the number of seats for UCaaS in North America and then evaluated them based on the following four criteria:

  • Financial stability
  • Market share momentum
  • Service development
  • Customer reviews

  Sangoma/Star2Star earned the 5th spot because we are in the top 10 in terms of the number of UCaaS seats in North America and because as a financially strong public company we received an excellent score on financial stability.

  We will continue to do our very best to continue to place well in this report.

  To read excerpts of the report, please go here.

  The post Sangoma Proud to Claim 5th Spot on the Omdia North American UCaaS Scorecard appeared first on Sangoma.

• ng-voice ng-voice at the MWC 21: what was it like to return to the most important trade show in our industry?

  From the 28th of June until the 1st of July, the Mobile World Congress 2021 took place in Barcelona, Spain. It is not only the most important global event for the telecommunications industry, but the first hybrid event that we attended after the start of the pandemic, with both an online and an in-person agenda.

   

  With a series of covid-19 prevention measures such as mandatory testing to access the facilities, no touch policy and no exchange of physical materials, the event was smaller than previous editions – however the business interactions were more productive than ever. It was great to safely meet-up with potential customers, suppliers, partners and the general public, be updated about the latest industry trends, and recharge after a long series of lockdown restrictions. 

  

  
  How was ng-voice present at the event?

  ng-voice brought to the MWC our fully containerized and cloud-native IMS core – the first and most containerized IMS core in the market, which was nominated for the GLOMO Awards. We exhibited in this year’s MWC with two booths: an exclusive booth in Hall 1, and as part of the CLOUD CITY by Telco DR in Hall 2. As part of our team of delegates, we had our CEO David Bachmann, our CTO and Founder Carsten Bock, our Chief Technologist Cloud and Virtualization Abdul Basit Alvi, and 5 other team members from both technical and business teams. 

   

  In both booths, we had a live demo of our fully containerized and cloud-native IMS core, allowing attendees to test it and see how easy the setup is. Our flagship product is flexible, scalable, resource-efficient, and easy to deploy and manage, allowing operators and enterprises of any sized to deploy innovative voice services on their LTE/5G networks.

  

  

  

  
  The event’s outcome and expectation for the next year

  We at ng-voice were so excited that the telecom industry could finally come together safely and connect at the MWC21, after over a year of pandemic restrictions. The innovative hybrid model of the event proved to be a success and we hope that it sets the new benchmark for future events. According to our CTO and Founder Carsten Bock, “Being in the epicenter of the industry, meeting with potential clients, partners, and even colleagues, is inspiring. We had great business opportunities, and are looking forward to next year”.

   

  Also, according to our CEO David Bachmann, this year’s MWC proved how new innovative cloud-native players are disrupting the market. “Being a part of the Cloud City by TelcoDR was a great opportunity to showcase the capabilities of cloud-native suppliers. New innovative players like ng-voice are vital to build 100% software-based and cloud-native mobile networks, which are more flexible and secure, and potentially reduce the cost of building and operating 5G networks significantly.”

  Our team at the MWC - opportunity for professional development

  Being at the MWC also brings our team the opportunity to update their market knowledge, fill the needs for self-development, and expand their network. Our Finance and Impact Manager, Seon Lee, tells a bit about how she used the opportunity of being at the MWC to network and bring new ideas to her role at ng-voice.  

   

  I took full advantage of attending in person by scheduling an appointment on the MWC21 networking app connected to LinkedIn and bookmarking the sessions before flying to Barcelona. This gave me a sense of excitement and an overview of what to expect during the four-day conference.

  
  The first session I attended was called “How to Become a More Sustainable Startup?” in the #4YFN – 4 years from now – section. I learned how most businesses like ng-voice are using impact assessment tools and gained ideas on how to implement similar initiatives at ng-voice. After that, I met a representative from Tech2Impact to learn about where to find the relevant, up-to-date resources. I also attended the Diversity4Tech Summit which builds on the success of Women4Tech, reflecting the growing attention and voices in the industry and “expanding conversations to include the wider case for equality, diversity, and inclusion.” While acknowledging the long way to go, seeing new initiatives to push for systematic changes in our industry was inspiring.

  

  

  The next MWC is scheduled to happen in Barcelona from 28th February to 3rd March 2022.

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  Barbara Silva

  Marketing Lead

  Publisher Bio

  After 10 years of working for Telefonica as a Business Development and Marketing Manager, along with developing serval projects in Latin America. Barbara’s plans to connect and share her own experience in Branding and growth strategies with the readers. She enjoys talking about any topics, from Netflix series to Politics, making her a versatile and fun person to talk to.

July 12, 2021

• FreeSWITCH The Instagram ‘Like’ Experiment

  What do ‘likes’ do to our brains? What would happen if we couldn’t see them? Would we be happier without them? Instagram performed an experiment to find out. 

  People have spent years wondering about the addictive nature of social media, writing think pieces and voicing concern for young people who grew up in the digital age. Many tend to believe that social media changes their behavior, and can worsen symptoms of depression and anxiety from the pressure of social validation through numbers that the whole world can see on the internet. 

  About 50% of the global population uses social media in some form – billions of people. So surely, even if we scoff at the idea, we’ve all been there, sharing a photo or a joke and feeling our brains light up with dopamine when the ‘likes’ flood in. Our brains are hardwired to feel good from social interactions, and we read digital social interactions such as a simple ‘like’ in the same way.

  We spend an average of over 2 hours a day scrolling through social media, and we check our smartphones between 83 and 101 times per day. We know other people are looking. And that’s a lot of pressure to deal with. The association we make between social media and deteriorating mental health in young people especially has been popular for over a decade – the early 2010’s were steeped in research and books around the topic. Studies have shown a link between depression and extremely high social media use, notably in teens. And Instagram, image-sharing platform known for its plethora of unrealistic photoshopped-to-death pictures, has been framed as one of the worst culprits.

  So, back in 2019, after years of people blaming the app for its horrible effects on mental health, Instagram decided to test out hiding ‘like’ counts in certain countries. But there was insane backlash to this concept. Many influencers were unhappy with the idea. When using social media to sell products and make money, many worried the removal of ‘likes’ would be catastrophic for spreading around posts and gaining business from advertisers. 

  But it wasn’t that serious. The ability to ‘like’ a post was not removed entirely – instead, in this test phase, a user’s feed would show them how many hearts a post had earned, and it would simply be hidden from public view to remove pressure and unnecessary competition from what was meant to be a fun experience. So, ‘likes’ were never actually removed altogether. Algorithms could still pick up on posts and use ‘likes’ for data-gathering purposes

  After two years of testing, Instagram announced that removing ‘likes’ didn’t really seem to change much. Some people enjoyed the feature, others were annoyed by it. So, in 2021, a compromise was reached: optional ‘like’ counts. The idea is that if you aren’t an influencer, just a person with a normal social media account posting pictures of friends and family and daily life, removing the added stress of ‘like’ counts could be nice. The default, though, will remain as displaying ‘like’ counts, and users have to go out of their way to hide them. A user can now simply opt to hide their own ‘like’ counts from public view, or opt to hide ‘like’ counts on posts in their feeds if they don’t care about what’s trending.

  Not having any public metrics like view counts, likes, and followers could have been quite a revolutionary change to the way we use social media, especially on a platform like Instagram. Very few popular apps function this way, though they exist, such as Snapchat – so we know it can be done. But coincidentally, as this experiment played out since 2019, more studies began to show there might not be as much of a link between social media use and mental health decline as many people once thought.

  A 2021 Oxford University study claims there’s less of a link between technology and deteriorating mental health than we previously believed. This study involved over 430,000 adolescents in the UK and the US since 1991, and though the researchers confirmed a correlation between social media use and depression, it wasn’t a huge link; at least, not nearly enough to support the widespread panic about social media addiction of the past decade. The researchers concluded that the problem with placing the blame on social media use and chasing ‘likes’ for a rise in mental health problems is that it prevents us from having a real conversation about bigger systemic issues that could also be the cause.

  Research like the Oxford University study is meant to challenge the idea that technology is the main cause of mental health problems in young people, not to say heavy social media use is good for us or that addiction to these apps isn’t real. There are so many different factors and correlations when it comes to mental health impact that it’s not so clear-cut. If a person isn’t eating right or getting enough sleep, the impact that has on a person’s health is much, much clearer than social media use, for example. So, while Instagram performed its experiment on removing ‘likes,’ we got some new data that suggests perhaps widespread panic about social media use and chasing those ‘likes’ is a bit misplaced. The researchers instead concluded that we need more transparency from these companies to unlock their data and investigate further into the specifics of how people use social media. 

  Facebook has now followed Instagram in creating an option to hide ‘like’ counts from your view, or to hide your ‘like’ counts from others. But, at the end of the day, visible ‘like’ counts are still the default – for now. Given the backlash to the experiment, it’s unsurprising Instagram never went as far as completely wiping away ‘like’ metrics. So, a happy medium has been reached. ‘Likes’ will stay, but only if you want them to. Companies and influencers don’t have to worry about not being able to see numbers and results gained from posts, but if you find yourself stressing about what should be a fun experience, shutting off the numbers and scrolling through a non-competitive feed is now an option for you.

  If you use Instagram yourself, consider following the FreeSWITCH Project for fun updates on what the team is up to! 

  The post The Instagram ‘Like’ Experiment appeared first on FreeSWITCH.

July 08, 2021

• Digium The Digital Workplace & Connected Workspace Technology

  The concept of the “digital workplace” has become increasingly popular in recent years, especially as necessity dictates that organizations must increasingly rely on cloud-based services. This form of “as-a-Service” software supports virtual rooms for collaborating, communicating, and sharing work with others during times when person-to-person contact is not practical or possible.

  Generally speaking, a digital workplace includes solutions like connected workspaces that support the tasks companies need to conduct business from various devices and locations. Connected workspaces offer many of the common tools, apps, and shared elements for working together while apart, and feeling continuously connected while doing so.

  Digital Workplace Security & Flexibility

  These cutting-edge productivity tools also feature embedded security elements to protect mission-critical workflows, including sensitive files and communications. This aspect–defending against network penetration–is almost universally crucial across any corporate environment.

  In spite of the importance of security, however, it is hardly the only necessary consideration for the remote workforce enterprise. Organizations require a collaborative environment that is device agnostic. Users need to be able to collaborate, regardless of their hardware – and, in some cases, software – of choice. A virtual workplace must also support specific, common connected worker apps and collaboration tools, while simultaneously backing up one’s vertical integration plans as the application is moved up the supply chain.

  Finally, there is always the need for automated provisioning to reduce and eliminate complexity within the day-to-day work environment. No longer are workers’ bound by extensive binders of notes when collaborating with their peers. Today’s workforce can have access to all of the tools and resources needed to accomplish complex tasks, potentially from a device no larger than one’s cellphone.

  Connected Workspaces Are The Future Of Work

  Of course, the benefits to deploying such a package are far more extensive than simply easing the burden of one’s remote workforce. One of the most practical reasons to use the software is to save money. Enterprises continually point to cost-savings benefits by eliminating physical facilities, overhead, and travel expenses. Plus, employees tend to be more productive and happy when they save money on gas, tolls, vehicle wear-and-tear, and other incidentals of travel.

  This comfort has the added benefit of bolstering employee productivity. With all of the necessary tools and resources made virtually available (in addition to the added benefit of a full night’s rest), staffers can simultaneously work faster and accomplish more, regardless of their physical location.

  As a result, whether the organization faces restrictions from a global pandemic, or simply needing a more personal touch from across the miles, digital workplace options are an effective answer to extending versatility.

  The post The Digital Workplace & Connected Workspace Technology appeared first on Sangoma.

July 06, 2021

• Digium Unified Communications & Going Back to Work

  We’re starting to see companies calling their remote workers back to work. Some have been doing it quietly, and some have been doing it more publicly. Take a drive at rush hour in your city, and you’ll see this is already happening. In Dallas, where I live, it seems like it’s back to 2019 already during rush hour.

  Yes, if vaccinated, you likely feel better about going back to work and interacting with people outside ‘your bubble’ again. But for a while, I think, it won’t really feel like normal. Many companies will likely still limit the number of people in a conference room, and many companies will probably not ask you to be in 100% of the time.

  We all know the benefits of Unified Communications when working remotely. Unified Communication systems that enable your office phone number to ring your smartphone and your laptop so you can interact with customers while remote along with chat and video will still play critical roles for remote workers.

  But for employees at the office, UC still plays a significant role. You can “leave” your office to work at a nicer or quieter part of the building and not worry about missing phone calls. You can still have video meetings and collaborate with co-workers via sharing files, no matter where they are. Make the UC system you got to know so much better over the past 15 months work for you.

  The post Unified Communications & Going Back to Work appeared first on Sangoma.

July 02, 2021

• Emmanuel Schmidbauer kamailio: nats module

  I recently published a new module for kamailio which allows it to connect to NATS and consume messages using queue groups

  NATS is a very cool distributed messaging system. One of my favorite things about NATS is, there are no brokers and it’s extremely easy to setup. You can setup a nats-server cluster in about 2 minutes, connect kamailio to it and start receiving messages inside your kamailio routing configuration. Once kamailio connects to the cluster, any of the nats-servers (as long as one nats-server remains up) can be taken down without any impact to the publishers or consumers.

  In this post, I will show an example of a simple NATS cluster with two nodes and sample kamailio configuration to connect to the cluster.

  NATS Cluster

  In this example, node1 will have an IP Address of 10.10.10.11, and node2 will be 10.10.10.12.

  After you have downloaded and installed nats-server to your system. Setup node1 with the configuration file (server.conf):

  listen: 0.0.0.0:4222
  http: 0.0.0.0:8222
  
  cluster {
    listen: 10.10.10.11:4248
    routes = [
      nats-route://10.10.10.12:4248
    ]
  }

  Setup node2 with the configuration file (server.conf):

  listen: 0.0.0.0:4222
  http: 0.0.0.0:8222
  
  cluster {
    listen: 10.10.10.12:4248
    routes = [
      nats-route://10.10.10.11:4248
    ]
  }

  Start nats-server with the following command on each node:
  ./nats-server -c ./server.conf

  Kamailio Setup

  You will need to compile the NATS module since nats.c is not shipped with Debian. Once it’s compiled, you can load the module with a configuration like:

  loadmodule "nats.so"
  modparam("nats", "nats_url", "nats://10.10.10.11:4222")
  modparam("nats", "nats_url", "nats://10.10.10.12:4222")
  modparam("nats", "subject_queue_group", "voxcom:kamailio")
  
  event_route[nats:connected] {
      xlog("L_INFO", "nats connected!");
  }
  
  event_route[nats:disconnected] {
      xlog("L_INFO", "nats disconnected!");
  }
  
  event_route[nats:voxcom] {
      xlog("L_INFO", "nats payload received [$natsData]\n");
  }

  Sample NATS Publisher

  Below is a simple go application which will publish a message on the voxcom subject.

  package main
  
  import (
  	"log"
  
  	"github.com/nats-io/nats.go"
  )
  
  func main() {
  	nc, err := nats.Connect("10.10.10.12:4222", nats.Name("example"))
  	if err != nil {
  		log.Fatal(err)
  	}
  	defer nc.Close()
  
  	if err := nc.Publish("voxcom", []byte("hello kamailio")); err != nil {
  		log.Fatal(err)
  	}
  }

  Run the application with go run main.go
  You should see the “hello kamailio” text in your kamailio log.

  Stop the nats-server on node1

  If you are running nats-server in foreground, hit CTRL+C to stop it on node1.

  Kamailio should indicate disconnect from node1 but stay connected to node2. You should be able to run the go app and still publish messages. Even if both nodes go down, the nats module will automatically reconnect and begin consuming messages again.

  Documentation on the NATS module can be found here: https://www.kamailio.org/docs/modules/devel/modules/nats

June 29, 2021

• Digium Is a Video-centric Business Communication System the Right Way Forward?

  While Internet-based communication such as social media, chat, video, chatbots and push-to-talk are gaining ground, and will continue to gain ground each year, at this time still the primary real-time business communication mechanism is still voice. As referenced in an earlier blog, video is garnering all the headlines and video calls with partners and even some customers occur regularly now, and will certainly stay around to become a way to continue to communicate, but video-centricity as a way to communicate with customers is short-sighted. Because the primary real-time communication mechanism is voice.

  Making a phone call! And the making of a phone call, while sounding simple, has much that goes into it. For instance, there is a difference in making a domestic and international phone call. The dialing plans are different and the carrier interconnects are different. And call routing and setting up those rules within the business is also difficult.

  As such, when considering what type of UC platform to buy, choosing one with roots in voice, but that can also handle video, is critical right now. As discussed above, while video-based communication was all the rage in 2020, and as it continues to play a role going forward, your entire business needs to take into account its needs before your business marries a video-centric provider. Did you make that choice for your business for the long term, or are you doing it because it helped you this year? What about next year, when you need less video and more of voice and SMS?

  The post Is a Video-centric Business Communication System the Right Way Forward? appeared first on Sangoma.

June 24, 2021

• Digium Sangoma Wins 2021 Visionary Spotlight Award For Digital Transformation

  Sangoma Technologies Corporation, a trusted leader in delivering cloud-native Communications-as-a-Service solutions for businesses of all sizes, today announced that they were recognized as a 2021 Visionary Spotlight Award (VSA) winner by ChannelVision Magazine, presented by Beka Business Media.

  The 2021 Visionary Spotlight Award winners were recognized for their unique ability to navigate change, adapt to shifting buying patterns, and remain operational despite the challenges of the global COVID-19 pandemic. Sangoma’s highlighting achievement in digital transformation includes the expansion of their complete cloud portfolio to become the industry’s most complete UCaaS solutions provider. Sangoma’s product suite includes leading remote work technologies, custom development and integration options, and VDI for seamless connectivity to mission-critical processes from anywhere.

  “On behalf of ChannelVision, I would like to congratulate all of this year’s VSA winners,” said Beka Business Media President and CEO Berge Kaprelian. “The companies on this year’s list are highly resilient and resourceful, having made it through the pandemic while remaining on the cutting edge of innovation.”

  “We are honored to be recognized as leaders in digital transformation, especially in the midst of such difficult circumstances,” said Jim Machi, VP of Product Management and Marketing, Sangoma. “We owe it to our incredible Partners, Customers, and dedicated Employees for keeping us going. Our mission is always to move forward and create new and better technologies that help businesses thrive. We are pleased to have accomplished that and are looking forward to more exciting things on the horizon!”

  The post Sangoma Wins 2021 Visionary Spotlight Award For Digital Transformation appeared first on Sangoma.

June 22, 2021

• Digium Going to ITEXPO 2021

  Tomorrow I’ll be heading off to ITEXPO, an event I’ve been to countless times before. I may have even been to every single ITEXPO that TMC has ever held. Except this time, it will be different. There will be no shaking hands (for me anyway, still not quite there yet), and I’ll probably have a mask on much of the time. And many of the people I know well from being in this industry a long time and typically see a couple of times a year wouldn’t have seen since the last ITEXPO.

  Because the last ITEXPO was the last event before we all shut down. And this ITEXPO is the first event since some semblance of normalcy is returning.

  And in that respect, this ITEXPO will be the same as all the other ITEXPOs I’ve been to. I’ll be in a lot of business meetings. And I already have many business meetings set up. And I’ll try and go to a few talks when I have time. Just like all the other ITEXPOs.

  I’m looking forward to it and looking forward to many more!

  The post Going to ITEXPO 2021 appeared first on Sangoma.

June 18, 2021

• ng-voice ng-voice is exhibiting at the MWC Barcelona 2021 – From June 28th to July 1st

  This year, the GSMA returns with the Mobile World Congress Barcelona 2021, the world’s biggest connectivity event. From the 28th of June to the 1st of July, attendees can visit ng-voice in person following safety measures or virtually. We are located at TelcoDR’s CLOUD CITY in Hall 2 Stand 2O60, and in our own booth in Hall 1 Stand 1I49. 

   

  Meet our fully containerized and cloud-native IMS core, which is bringing a completely new approach to mobile infrastructure software and was nominated for this year’s GLOMO Awards. Based on Kubernetes architecture, with the smallest container sizes, high level of automation, and efficient use of resources, our IMS core is scalable, flexible, and easy to deploy and manage, offering operators and enterprises of any size innovative voice services on LTE/5G networks.

  About the MWC

  The GSMA’s MWC is the world’s largest exhibition for the mobile industry. It brings a thought-leadership conference featuring the most important executives representing global mobile operators, device manufacturers, technology providers, vendors, and content owners.

  This year’s edition is about Connected Impact, a theme which fosters the most ground-breaking technology of today and explores how it can shape the way we live tomorrow. The event is where our industry meets to discuss future trends and define the path of our businesses.

  About TelcoDR’s CLOUD CITY

  TelcoDR has taken over Ericsson’s landmark space in Hall 2, in the heart of one of the world’s largest telco events, to create a ‘Cloud City’ that will be the center of gravity for public cloud vendors and evangelists at MWC Barcelona. 

   

  CLOUD CITY will educate and inspire telco executives, both virtually and in person. TelcoDR believes the future of telecom can best be delivered by the public cloud and is going to prove it live with the most cloud-native innovative players in the market taking the central stage at the MWC 21. 

   

  To meet ng-voice at the MWC 2021, in person or virtually, please contact us at info@ng-voice.com.

  Share this article via:

  Share on facebook

  Facebook

  Share on linkedin

  LinkedIn

  Share on twitter

  Twitter

  

  Barbara Silva

  Marketing Lead

  Publisher Bio

  After 10 years of working for Telefonica as a Business Development and Marketing Manager, along with developing serval projects in Latin America. Barbara’s plans to connect and share her own experience in Branding and growth strategies with the readers. She enjoys talking about any topics, from Netflix series to Politics, making her a versatile and fun person to talk to.
• ng-voice ng-voice is exhibiting at the MWC Barcelona 2021 – From June 28th to July 1st

  This year, the GSMA returns with the Mobile World Congress Barcelona 2021, the world’s biggest connectivity event. From the 28th of June to the 1st of July, attendees can visit ng-voice in person following safety measures or virtually. We are located at TelcoDR’s CLOUD CITY in Hall 2 Stand 2O60, and in our own booth in Hall 1 Stand 1I49. 

   

  Meet our fully containerized and cloud-native IMS core, which is bringing a completely new approach to mobile infrastructure software and was nominated for this year’s GLOMO Awards. Based on Kubernetes architecture, with the smallest container sizes, high level of automation, and efficient use of resources, our IMS core is scalable, flexible, and easy to deploy and manage, offering operators and enterprises of any size innovative voice services on LTE/5G networks.

  About the MWC

  The GSMA’s MWC is the world’s largest exhibition for the mobile industry. It brings a thought-leadership conference featuring the most important executives representing global mobile operators, device manufacturers, technology providers, vendors, and content owners.

   

  This year’s edition is about Connected Impact, a theme which fosters the most ground-breaking technology of today and explores how it can shape the way we live tomorrow. The event is where our industry meets to discuss future trends and define the path of our businesses.

  About TelcoDR’s CLOUD CITY

  TelcoDR has taken over Ericsson’s landmark space in Hall 2, in the heart of one of the world’s largest telco events, to create a ‘Cloud City’ that will be the center of gravity for public cloud vendors and evangelists at MWC Barcelona. 

   

  CLOUD CITY will educate and inspire telco executives, both virtually and in person. TelcoDR believes the future of telecom can best be delivered by the public cloud and is going to prove it live with the most cloud-native innovative players in the market taking the central stage at the MWC 21. 

   

  To meet ng-voice at the MWC 2021, in person or virtually, please contact us at info@ng-voice.com.

  Share this article via:

  Share on facebook

  Facebook

  Share on linkedin

  LinkedIn

  Share on twitter

  Twitter

  

  Barbara Silva

  Marketing Lead

  Publisher Bio

  After 10 years of working for Telefonica as a Business Development and Marketing Manager, along with developing serval projects in Latin America. Barbara’s plans to connect and share her own experience in Branding and growth strategies with the readers. She enjoys talking about any topics, from Netflix series to Politics, making her a versatile and fun person to talk to.

June 17, 2021

• Digium The Continuing Journey Of Cloud Education Technology

  School’s out for summer, so this is the perfect time to reflect on the learning technologies that help students and teachers succeed. With the chaos of an abrupt switch to virtual learning behind us, there are many opportunities to learn how we can overcome past challenges in adopting new technology.

  With the switch to remote learning in various stages of adoption across the country, cloud-native solutions were an obvious choice for many schools. Although the COVID-19 Pandemic sped up the process for many counties and school districts, there are still many unknowns for fully adopting new technologies.

  Cloud Education Technology Integration

  Students in a K-12 setting are still learning about their own individual learning styles, and cloud-native solutions allow them to explore different learning styles in a setting which can give them the best chance at success. While there are plenty of challenges in an entirely virtual environment, students are learning new ways to adapt. The ability to learn from home and not be tied to a physical classroom offers increased flexibility, fewer logistical distractions and challenges, and may even help motivated students to learn at more advanced levels.

  A dual system, virtual and physical, can also be applied and with the help of CaaS. These systems of integration are important, not only for access to information, but also as a learning tool for the types of technologies that students will continue to encounter once they leave school. Familiarity with common technologies is a basic skill requirement for most workers.

  Higher Education

  More frequently than ever, people are entering higher education. As the number of students seeking higher education increases, the cost to both students and educational institutions follows suit. These costs are shouldered primarily by the students themselves, shown in increased tuition costs and debt. Cloud computing is a solution to this phenomenon, as it allows institutions to exponentially increase their offered technological solutions to their students and faculty with decreased costs rather than increased costs.

  Technological solutions in higher education are now necessary; one of the major roadblocks for many higher education institutions is the necessary migration of their older systems to a newer, more streamlined and robust system. Fortunately, cloud-native platforms and knowledgeable solution providers can make the transition as painless as possible with little to no downtime.

  The Ongoing Challenge

  As more of the world turns to technology for its solutions to problems, the world of education is falling behind, struggling to keep up with emerging technologies. Both higher and lower educational institutions have not yet reached their full potential for technological advantages, let alone cloud computing.

  As virtual learning has taken a front seat with the current events of the world at play, robust technological solutions are more important than ever. Students have access to technology that can help them learn even in stressful situations and the skills they learn in navigating those technologies will help them as they continue to grow and learn.

  Remote learning technology is here to stay, and cloud computing is a growing industry that has already had an impact on educational facilities across the globe. Slowly but surely, the rest of the educational world will begin to adopt these new technologies and learn how to use them to benefit students and faculty alike.

  The post The Continuing Journey Of Cloud Education Technology appeared first on Sangoma.

June 15, 2021

• Digium Connecting with Customers and Co-Workers in Today and Tomorrow’s Reality: Part 2

  Why is communicating with customers and co-workers different? Let’s start with connecting with co-workers. In a work environment, we all have the same tools, so it’s easy to chat / instant message, go to the Intranet, or place calls. Indeed, we’ve all been on a lot of video calls.

  You can say video calls have replaced what we used to call “conference calls.” It’s to the point where setting up video calls in meeting invites is now de rigueur. Also, you can quickly start conversations with chat that might seamlessly switch to video calls because we’re so used to it now. We’ve been on so many video calls lexicon such as “video meeting fatigue” has entered everyday usage.

  With customers, it’s very different.

  Customers don’t have the same connected tools as you do and aren’t behind your firewalls anyway. So, a click on the same tool is not so easy. Connecting with customers is more varied.

  Many customers just want to make an appointment, call about an issue, or find out what time you are open (or even if you are open). As such, with customers, the name of the game is to offer as much self-help as possible and be available in real-time when needed. Thus, we see what at one time were genuine innovations such as phone apps, websites, and IVRs now become centerpieces of today’s customer communication.

  But there is also a need for real-time communications, and we see the need for multi-modal forms of real-time communications such as texting, chat, and apps, in addition to voice. In this case, video is part of the overall picture but not nearly as front and center as intra-company communication. As such, real-time business communication is pretty nuanced, and video is not the centerpiece. In next week’s blog, we’ll examine why video not being the centerpiece of customer communications could present a problem if you choose a video-centric business communication system.

  The post Connecting with Customers and Co-Workers in Today and Tomorrow’s Reality: Part 2 appeared first on Sangoma.

June 14, 2021

• WebRTC Hacks FaceTime finally faces WebRTC – implementation deep dive

  Deep dive analysis on how FaceTime for Web uses WebRTC. Philipp "Fippo" Hancke uses webrtc-internals, Wireshark, and reviews the JavaScript implementation to expose Apple's implementation details.

  The post FaceTime finally faces WebRTC – implementation deep dive appeared first on webrtcHacks.

June 11, 2021

• FreeSWITCH The Remote Work Revolution is Here

  In a post-COVID world, what’s going to happen to all those office jobs that went remote last year? In mid-2021, as vaccines roll out across the globe, more and more companies are having to grapple with this question. It’s estimated there’s been an 87% increase in remote work from pre-pandemic levels. Now that more workers than ever have had a taste of what it means to work remotely, will they give it up without a fight? Will they even have to? 

  The FreeSWITCH project and SignalWire have been staffed with fully remote employees since the beginning. For tech jobs in particular, this isn’t as uncommon as it is in some other fields. And those that work in tech love their remote jobs – recently, in a survey by Hackajob, 86% of tech professionals disclosed they never want to go back to the office full-time. Many employees are open to the idea of a hybrid work environment, where they might go to the office a few days a week, but not being able to work from home at all is becoming a huge deal breaker as the world slowly opens back up.

  The benefits of working remotely are undeniable, for employees and employers alike. Many surveys and polls have been conducted over the past year to provide some data and clarity on the situation. Certainly, COVID being the driving force of working remotely complicated things a little bit – being forced to stay at home in unusual situations, stuck with rowdy children or not being able to leave or see another person for days at a time, aren’t situations that accurately represent the typical state of the world or working remotely.

  In spite of these challenges, working remotely has been viewed positively by most who have tried it. And many benefits were provided to workers without losing productivity! In a survey by Mercer, 94% of employers said productivity was the same or higher than before the pandemic. As many as 30% of workers believe that they’re even more productive working from home than in an office. And is this really surprising? Remote workers have no commute, less or no small office talk, and more time for family and exercise during the day, leading to a higher quality of life and better work-life balance. A survey report by Owl Labs showed that remote workers are 22% happier than workers always on site in an office. And why wouldn’t a less exhausted, happier employee be more productive and enthusiastic about work? 

  This same survey by Owl Labs collected a few snippets of data to highlight the benefits of remote work. Employees save both time and money leaving the traditional commute behind: an average of 40 minutes per day, and an estimated $6000 per year. On top of that, 20-25% of companies are paying at least part of the cost for equipment and furniture. And monetary benefits extend to employers too! It’s estimated that companies can save up to $11,000 per year per employee when ditching the office from a combination of reduced office costs, increased worker productivity, and less turnover. Not to mention attracting top talent – 59% of those surveyed said they would be more likely to choose an employer that offered remote work over one that did not. 

  When talking about worker benefits from working remotely, it’s impossible not to zoom in on the lack of commute a little bit more closely. It is consistently listed as being the best quality of remote work, far ahead of factors like flexible childcare, hanging out with pets during the day or wearing sweatpants to meetings. In the U.S. in particular, 2019 time spent stuck in traffic was as much as 70-120 hours per year for the typical commuter – a number that dropped to a national average of 23 hours in 2020. Collectively, people saved 3.4 billion hours in commute time, according to a report by Automotive News. The benefits extend beyond individual workers to the planet as a whole when 28% of greenhouse gas emissions come from cars and 86% of U.S. workers drive a private vehicle. When time spent on the road is cut significantly, a positive impact on the environment is the direct result.

  All these benefits are clearly no small thing. They upgrade quality of life in almost every way imaginable, and employees are prepared to quit instead of giving them up. A Bloomberg poll asserts that 39% of workers would quit before going back to the office. And that number rises to 49% for Gen-Z and Millennials. Remote work is so desirable it even undercuts monetary considerations – 23% of those surveyed said they would take a 10% pay cut in order to keep working remotely permanently. 

  Some executives, however, are pushing the importance of working in person, claiming remote work diminishes collaboration and company culture. As many as 29% of executives surveyed by PwC believe at least 3 days per week in the office are required to maintain company culture, and 21% believe 5 full days are needed. The number that believe no days at all are necessary was a measly 5%. 44% of companies still don’t allow remote work, and a mere 16% of companies hire remote-only workers. So will companies be able to keep up with worker demand for more remote jobs?

  It’s difficult to know where this is all heading; at the moment, less than 30% of workers are back in the office. In spite of this, it’s been estimated the percentage of employees working remotely full time could nearly double in 2021 from last year. And none of this is even to mention that many employees still have concerns about unvaccinated colleagues and COVID precautions. Let’s not forget that though things are getting better in some places, the pandemic rages on. But pandemic or not, if everyone is saving money and time, is happier and more productive, why shouldn’t we embrace working remotely as a common fact of modern life?

  The post The Remote Work Revolution is Here appeared first on FreeSWITCH.

• François Marier Using a Let's Encrypt TLS certificate with Asterisk 16.2

  In order to fix the following error after setting up SIP TLS in Asterisk 16.2:

  asterisk[8691]: ERROR[8691]: tcptls.c:966 in __ssl_setup: TLS/SSL error loading cert file. <asterisk.pem>
  

  I created a Let's Encrypt certificate using certbot:

  apt install certbot
  certbot certonly --standalone -d hostname.example.com
  

  To enable the asterisk user to load the certificate successfuly (it doesn't have permission to access the certificates under /etc/letsencrypt/), I copied it to the right directory:

  cp /etc/letsencrypt/live/hostname.example.com/privkey.pem /etc/asterisk/asterisk.key
  cp /etc/letsencrypt/live/hostname.example.com/fullchain.pem /etc/asterisk/asterisk.cert
  chown asterisk:asterisk /etc/asterisk/asterisk.cert /etc/asterisk/asterisk.key
  chmod go-rwx /etc/asterisk/asterisk.cert /etc/asterisk/asterisk.key
  

  Then I set the following variables in /etc/asterisk/sip.conf:

  tlscertfile=/etc/asterisk/asterisk.cert
  tlsprivatekey=/etc/asterisk/asterisk.key
  

  Automatic renewal

  The machine on which I run asterisk has a tricky Apache setup:

  • a webserver is running on port 80
  • port 80 is restricted to the local network

  This meant that the certbot domain ownership checks would get blocked by the firewall, and I couldn't open that port without exposing the private webserver to the Internet.

  So I ended up disabling the built-in certbot renewal mechanism:

  systemctl disable certbot.timer certbot.service
  systemctl stop certbot.timer certbot.service
  

  and then writing my own script in /etc/cron.daily/certbot-francois:

  #!/bin/bash
  TEMPFILE=`mktemp`
  
  # Stop Apache and backup firewall.
  /bin/systemctl stop apache2.service
  /usr/sbin/iptables-save > $TEMPFILE
  
  # Open up port 80 to the whole world.
  /usr/sbin/iptables -D INPUT -j LOGDROP
  /usr/sbin/iptables -A INPUT -p tcp --dport 80 -j ACCEPT
  /usr/sbin/iptables -A INPUT -j LOGDROP
  
  # Renew all certs.
  /usr/bin/certbot renew --quiet
  
  # Restore firewall and restart Apache.
  /usr/sbin/iptables -D INPUT -p tcp --dport 80 -j ACCEPT
  /usr/sbin/iptables-restore < $TEMPFILE
  /bin/systemctl start apache2.service
  
  # Copy certificate into asterisk.
  cp /etc/letsencrypt/live/hostname.example.com/privkey.pem /etc/asterisk/asterisk.key
  cp /etc/letsencrypt/live/hostname.example.com/fullchain.pem /etc/asterisk/asterisk.cert
  chown asterisk:asterisk /etc/asterisk/asterisk.cert /etc/asterisk/asterisk.key
  chmod go-rwx /etc/asterisk/asterisk.cert /etc/asterisk/asterisk.key
  /bin/systemctl restart asterisk.service
  
  # Commit changes to etckeeper.
  pushd /etc/ > /dev/null
  /usr/bin/git add letsencrypt asterisk
  DIFFSTAT="$(/usr/bin/git diff --cached --stat)"
  if [ -n "$DIFFSTAT" ] ; then
      /usr/bin/git commit --quiet -m "Renewed letsencrypt certs." letsencrypt asterisk
      echo "$DIFFSTAT"
  fi
  popd > /dev/null
  

• François Marier SIP Encryption on VoIP.ms

  My VoIP provider recently added support for TLS/SRTP-based call encryption. Here's what I did to enable this feature on my Asterisk server.

  First of all, I changed the registration line in /etc/asterisk/sip.conf to use the "tls" scheme:

  [general]
  register => tls://mydid:mypassword@servername.voip.ms
  

  then I enabled incoming TCP connections:

  tcpenable=yes
  

  and TLS:

  tlsenable=yes
  tlscapath=/etc/ssl/certs/
  

  Finally, I changed my provider entry in the same file to:

  [voipms]
  type=friend
  host=servername.voip.ms
  secret=mypassword
  username=mydid
  context=from-voipms
  allow=ulaw
  allow=g729
  insecure=port,invite
  transport=tls
  encryption=yes
  

  (Note the last two lines.)

  The dialplan didn't change and so I still have the following in /etc/asterisk/extensions.conf:

  [pstn-voipms]
  exten => _1NXXNXXXXXX,1,Set(CALLERID(all)=Francois Marier <5551234567>)
  exten => _1NXXNXXXXXX,n,Dial(SIP/voipms/${EXTEN})
  exten => _1NXXNXXXXXX,n,Hangup()
  exten => _NXXNXXXXXX,1,Set(CALLERID(all)=Francois Marier <5551234567>)
  exten => _NXXNXXXXXX,n,Dial(SIP/voipms/1${EXTEN})
  exten => _NXXNXXXXXX,n,Hangup()
  exten => _011X.,1,Set(CALLERID(all)=Francois Marier <5551234567>)
  exten => _011X.,n,Authenticate(1234) ; require password for international calls
  exten => _011X.,n,Dial(SIP/voipms/${EXTEN})
  exten => _011X.,n,Hangup(16)
  

  Server certificate

  After setting everything up, I saw the following error in my logs:

  asterisk[8691]: ERROR[8691]: tcptls.c:966 in __ssl_setup: TLS/SSL error loading cert file. <asterisk.pem>
  

  due to the fact that I didn't set tlscertfile in /etc/asterisk/sip.conf and that it's using its default value of asterisk.pem, a non-existent file.

  I initially thought that since my Asterisk server is only acting as a TLS client, and not a TLS server, there's probably no harm in not having a certificate. In practice however, my TLS connection was a little unreliable and it would regularly fail with the following TLS errors:

  asterisk[534775]: ERROR[534879]: iostream.c:538 in ast_iostream_close: SSL_shutdown() failed: error:00000005:lib(0):func(0):DH lib, Underlying BIO error: Broken pipe
  asterisk[534775]: ERROR[610289]: tcptls.c:553 in ast_tcptls_client_start: Unable to connect SIP socket to w.x.y.z:5061: Connection refused
  asterisk[534775]: ERROR[610289]: tcptls.c:553 in ast_tcptls_client_start: Unable to connect SIP socket to w.x.y.z:5061: Connection reset by peer
  

  I therefore decided to setup a Let's Encrypt certificate in Asterisk to eliminate the original error.

  Firewall

  This originally appeared not to be necessary, but I found that I ran into a number of intermittent connection errors such as:

  asterisk[1280841]: ERROR[1537920]: tcptls.c:553 in ast_tcptls_client_start: Unable to connect SIP socket to w.x.y.z:5061: Connection reset by peer
  

  and so I put the official firewall recommendations in /etc/network/iptables.up.rules:

  # SIP and RTP on TCP/UDP (servername.voip.ms)
  -A INPUT -s w.x.y.z/32 -p tcp --dport 5061 -j ACCEPT
  -A INPUT -s w.x.y.z/32 -p udp --sport 5004:5005 --dport 10001:20000 -j ACCEPT
  

  where w.x.y.z is the IP address of servername.voip.ms as returned by dig +short servername.voip.ms.

• François Marier Making SIP calls to VoIP.ms subscribers without using the PSTN

  If you want to reach a VoIP.ms subscriber from Asterisk without using the PSTN, there is a way to do so via SIP URIs.

  Here's what I added to my /etc/asterisk/extensions.conf:

  exten => 1234,1,Set(CALLERID(all)=Francois Marier <5555551234>)
  exten => 1234,n,Dial(SIP/sip.voip.ms/5555556789)
  

• François Marier Encrypted connection between SIP phones using Asterisk

  Here is the setup I put together to have two SIP phones connect together over an encrypted channel. Since the two phones do not support encryption, I used Asterisk to provide the encrypted channel over the Internet.

  Installing Asterisk

  First of all, each VoIP phone is in a different physical location and so I installed an Asterisk server in each house.

  One of the server is a Debian stretch machine and the other runs Ubuntu bionic 18.04. Regardless, I used a fairly standard configuration and simply installed the asterisk package on both machines:

  apt install asterisk
  

  SIP phones

  The two phones, both Snom 300, connect to their local asterisk server on its local IP address and use the same details as I have put in /etc/asterisk/sip.conf:

  [1000]
  type=friend
  qualify=yes
  secret=password1
  encryption=no
  context=internal
  host=dynamic
  nat=no
  canreinvite=yes
  mailbox=1000@internal
  vmexten=707
  dtmfmode=rfc2833
  call-limit=2
  disallow=all
  allow=g722
  allow=ulaw
  

  Dialplan and voicemail

  The extension number above (1000) maps to the following configuration blurb in /etc/asterisk/extensions.conf:

  [home]
  exten => 1000,1,Dial(SIP/1000,20)
  exten => 1000,n,Goto(in1000-${DIALSTATUS},1)
  exten => 1000,n,Hangup
  exten => in1000-BUSY,1,Hangup(17)
  exten => in1000-CONGESTION,1,Hangup(3)
  exten => in1000-CHANUNAVAIL,1,VoiceMail(1000@mailboxes,su)
  exten => in1000-CHANUNAVAIL,n,Hangup(3)
  exten => in1000-NOANSWER,1,VoiceMail(1000@mailboxes,su)
  exten => in1000-NOANSWER,n,Hangup(16)
  exten => _in1000-.,1,Hangup(16)
  

  the internal context maps to the following blurb in /etc/asterisk/extensions.conf:

  [internal]
  include => home
  include => iax2users
  exten => 707,1,VoiceMailMain(1000@mailboxes)
  

  and 1000@mailboxes maps to the following entry in /etc/asterisk/voicemail.conf:

  [mailboxes]
  1000 => 1234,home,person@email.com
  

  (with 1234 being the voicemail PIN).

  Encrypted IAX links

  In order to create a virtual link between the two servers using the IAX protocol, I created user credentials on each server in /etc/asterisk/iax.conf:

  [iaxuser]
  type=user
  auth=md5
  secret=password2
  context=iax2users
  allow=g722
  allow=speex
  encryption=aes128
  trunk=no
  

  then I created an entry for the other server in the same file:

  [server2]
  type=peer
  host=server2.dyn.fmarier.org
  auth=md5
  secret=password2
  username=iaxuser
  allow=g722
  allow=speex
  encryption=yes
  forceencrypt=yes
  trunk=no
  qualify=yes
  

  The second machine contains the same configuration with the exception of the server name (server1 instead of server2) and hostname (server1.dyn.fmarier.org instead of server2.dyn.fmarier.org).

  Speed dial for the other phone

  Finally, to allow each phone to ring one another by dialing 2000, I put the following in /etc/asterisk/extensions.conf:

  [iax2users]
  include => home
  exten => 2000,1,Set(CALLERID(all)=Francois Marier <2000>)
  exten => 2000,2,Dial(IAX2/server1/1000)
  

  and of course a similar blurb on the other machine:

  [iax2users]
  include => home
  exten => 2000,1,Set(CALLERID(all)=Other Person <2000>)
  exten => 2000,2,Dial(IAX2/server2/1000)
  

  Firewall rules

  Since we are using the IAX protocol instead of SIP, there is only one port to open in /etc/network/iptables.up.rules for the remote server:

  # IAX2 protocol
  -A INPUT -s x.x.x.x/y -p udp --dport 4569 -j ACCEPT
  

  where x.x.x.x/y is the IP range allocated to the ISP that the other machine is behind.

  If you want to restrict traffic on the local network as well, then these ports need to be open for the SIP phone to be able to connect to its local server:

  # VoIP phones (internal)
  -A INPUT -s 192.168.1.3/32 -p udp --dport 5060 -j ACCEPT
  -A INPUT -s 192.168.1.3/32 -p udp --dport 10000:20000 -j ACCEPT
  

  where 192.168.1.3 is the static IP address allocated to the SIP phone.

• François Marier Connecting a VoIP phone directly to an Asterisk server

  On my Asterisk server, I happen to have two on-board ethernet boards. Since I only used one of these, I decided to move my VoIP phone from the local network switch to being connected directly to the Asterisk server.

  The main advantage is that this phone, running proprietary software of unknown quality, is no longer available on my general home network. Most importantly though, it no longer has access to the Internet, without my having to firewall it manually.

  Here's how I configured everything.

  Private network configuration

  On the server, I started by giving the second network interface a static IP address in /etc/network/interfaces:

  auto eth1
  iface eth1 inet static
      address 192.168.2.2
      netmask 255.255.255.0
  

  On the VoIP phone itself, I set the static IP address to 192.168.2.3 and the DNS server to 192.168.2.2. I then updated the SIP registrar IP address to 192.168.2.2.

  The DNS server actually refers to an unbound daemon running on the Asterisk server. The only configuration change I had to make was to listen on the second interface and allow the VoIP phone in:

  server:
      interface: 127.0.0.1
      interface: 192.168.2.2
      access-control: 0.0.0.0/0 refuse
      access-control: 127.0.0.1/32 allow
      access-control: 192.168.2.3/32 allow
  

  Finally, I opened the right ports on the server's firewall in /etc/network/iptables.up.rules:

  -A INPUT -s 192.168.2.3/32 -p udp --dport 5060 -j ACCEPT
  -A INPUT -s 192.168.2.3/32 -p tcp --dport 5060 -j ACCEPT
  -A INPUT -s 192.168.2.3/32 -p udp --dport 10000:20000 -j ACCEPT
  

  Network time synchronization

  In order for the phone to update its clock automatically using NTP, I installed chrony on the Asterisk server:

  apt install chrony
  

  then I configured it to listen on the private network interface and allow access from the VoIP phone by adding the following to /etc/chrony/chrony.conf:

  bindaddress 192.168.2.2
  allow 192.168.2.3
  

  Finally, I opened the right firewall port by adding a new rule to /etc/network/iptables.up.rules:

  -A INPUT -s 192.168.2.3 -p udp --dport 123 -j ACCEPT
  

  Accessing the admin page

  Now that the VoIP phone is no longer available on the local network, it's not possible to access its admin page. That's a good thing from a security point of view, but it's somewhat inconvenient.

  Therefore I put the following in my ~/.ssh/config to make the admin page available on http://localhost:8081 after I connect to the Asterisk server via ssh:

  Host asterisk
      LocalForward 8081 192.168.2.3:80
  

  Allowing calls between local SIP devices

  Because this local device is not connected to the local network (192.168.1.0/24), it's unable to negotiate a direct media connection to any other local (i.e. one connected to the same Asterisk server) SIP device. What this means is that while calls might get connected successfully, by default, there will not be any audio in a call.

  In order for the two local SIP devices to be able to hear one another, we must enforce that all media be routed via Asterisk instead of going directly from one device to the other. This can be done using the directmedia directive (formerly canreinvite) in sip.conf:

  [1234]
  directmedia=no
  

  where 1234 is the extension of the phone.

• François Marier Mysterious 'everybody is busy/congested at this time' error in Asterisk

  I was trying to figure out why I was getting a BUSY signal from Asterisk while trying to ring a SIP phone even though that phone was not in use.

  My asterisk setup looks like this:

  phone 1 <--SIP--> asterisk 1 <==IAX2==> asterisk 2 <--SIP--> phone 2
  

  While I couldn't call SIP phone #2 from SIP phone #1, the reverse was working fine (ringing #1 from #2). So it's not a network/firewall problem. The two SIP phones can talk to one another through their respective Asterisk servers.

  This is the error message I could see on the second asterisk server:

  $ asterisk -r
  ...
    == Using SIP RTP TOS bits 184
    == Using SIP RTP CoS mark 5
      -- Called SIP/12345
      -- SIP/12345-00000002 redirecting info has changed, passing it to IAX2/iaxuser-6347
      -- SIP/12345-00000002 is busy
    == Everyone is busy/congested at this time (1:1/0/0)
      -- Executing [12345@local:2] Goto("IAX2/iaxuser-6347", "in12345-BUSY,1") in new stack
      -- Goto (local,in12345-BUSY,1)
      -- Executing [in12345-BUSY@local:1] Hangup("IAX2/iaxuser-6347", "17") in new stack
    == Spawn extension (local, in12345-BUSY, 1) exited non-zero on 'IAX2/iaxuser-6347'
      -- Hungup 'IAX2/iaxuser-6347'
  

  where:

  • 12345 is the extension of SIP phone #2 on Asterisk server #2
  • iaxuser is the user account on server #2 that server #1 uses
  • local is the context that for incoming IAX calls on server #1

  This Everyone is busy/congested at this time (1:1/0/0) was surprising since looking at each SIP channel on that server showed nobody as busy:

  asterisk2*CLI> sip show inuse
  * Peer name               In use          Limit           
  12345                     0/0/0           2               
  

  So I enabled the raw SIP debug output and got the following (edited for clarity):

  asterisk2*CLI> sip set debug on
  SIP Debugging enabled
  
    == Using SIP RTP TOS bits 184
    == Using SIP RTP CoS mark 5
  
  INVITE sip:12345@192.168.0.4:2048;line=m2vlbuoc SIP/2.0
  Via: SIP/2.0/UDP 192.168.0.2:5060
  From: "Francois Marier" <sip:67890@192.168.0.2>
  To: <sip:12345@192.168.0.4:2048;line=m2vlbuoc>
  CSeq: 102 INVITE
  User-Agent: Asterisk PBX
  Contact: <sip:67890@192.168.0.2:5060>
  Content-Length: 274
  
      -- Called SIP/12345
  
  <--- SIP read from UDP:192.168.0.4:2048 --->
  SIP/2.0 100 Trying
  Via: SIP/2.0/UDP 192.168.0.2:5060
  From: "Francois Marier" <sip:67890@192.168.0.2>
  To: <sip:12345@192.168.0.4:2048;line=m2vlbuoc>
  CSeq: 102 INVITE
  User-Agent: snom300
  Contact: <sip:12345@192.168.0.4:2048;line=m2vlbuoc>
  Content-Length: 0
  
  <------------->
  --- (9 headers 0 lines) ---
  
  <--- SIP read from UDP:192.168.0.4:2048 --->
  SIP/2.0 480 Do Not Disturb
  Via: SIP/2.0/UDP 192.168.0.2:5060
  From: "Francois Marier" <sip:67890@192.168.0.2>
  To: <sip:12345@192.168.0.4:2048;line=m2vlbuoc>
  CSeq: 102 INVITE
  User-Agent: snom300
  Contact: <sip:12345@192.168.0.4:2048;line=m2vlbuoc>
  Content-Length: 0
  

  where:

  • 12345 is the extension of SIP phone #2 on Asterisk server #2
  • 67890 is the extension of SIP phone #1 on Asterisk server #2
  • 192.168.0.4 is the IP address of SIP phone #2
  • 192.168.0.1 is the IP address of Asterisk server #2

  From there, I can see that SIP phone #2 is returning a status of 408 Do Not Disturb. That's what the problem was: the phone itself was in DnD mode and set to reject all incoming calls.

June 10, 2021

• Digium Why is Switchvox the Best Business Phone System for SMB Customers and Resellers?

  You might be a small business owner looking to upgrade your phone system, or perhaps an IT administrator tired of dealing with the headaches of maintaining an outdated legacy phone system. Or perhaps you’re a Unified Communications vendor looking for a solution that will help set you apart from the competition.

  No matter the case, Switchvox is the best business phone system for small business owners looking to upgrade their communications set-up, and the perfect fit for vendors searching for a new competitive advantage.

  Switchvox offers three key benefits that make it a perfect fit for both users and UC resellers:

  #1: No à la carte business phone system pricing – all features are included for every user

  One of the great benefits of Switchvox for both users and partners is that Switchvox features an all-inclusive pricing model. Traditionally phone systems would require individual feature licenses for major applications like voicemail, faxing, and IVRs, but with Switchvox you get mobile apps, call recording, desktop faxing, call routing, presence, and much more all at one affordable price. This is especially helpful for those who are new to the world of VoIP telephony and Unified Communications for business.

  Sometimes it can be overwhelming trying to figure out all the features your business may or may not need in a phone system. Fortunately, with an all features included pricing model you get the freedom to choose the functionality you want and not have to worry about paying for add ons and additional licensing for features you may need down the road.

  Switchvox’s all features included pricing model not only makes buying a new business phone system less stressful but also simplifies the purchase process. Instead of worrying about how much it’ll cost to add on something like call center functionality, all you have to do is choose which deployment (on-premise or Cloud) best fits your requirements and how many users and phones you’ll need. And this means no more lengthy line item quotes, which makes quoting super easy for resellers.

  #2: Switchvox is both a scalable and flexible Unified Communications platform

  Another benefit of Switchvox is that it offers flexibility to both users and partners. Sangoma recognizes that businesses come in all shapes and sizes, and that you need a phone system that can adapt as your business grows.

  In order to accommodate a variety of businesses, Switchvox can be deployed as an on-premise phone system or as a hosted cloud phone system. This gives both users and partners plenty of options in terms of cost and phone system management. With an on-premise phone system deployment, businesses can pay for Switchvox as a capital expenditure and manage their phone system using their own IT staff.

  Alternatively, if you’re not looking to pay an upfront capital expenditure and don’t feel comfortable managing your phone system, a hosted phone system deployment allows you to simply pay a monthly subscription and the vendor will manage your system in the Cloud.

  If choosing between a cloud or on-premise deployment seems like uncharted territory for you, you’re in luck. Switchvox is not restricted to either an on-premise or cloud deployment. Fortunately, if you decide your company has outgrown a hosted deployment, you can move seamlessly from Switchvox Cloud to an on-premise solution with no set-up and no change to your user experience. Or, if you started out with a Switchvox on-premise system and down the road determined that a cloud system better fits your needs then you can easily switch and the interface and behavior of Switchvox will remain the same.

  Choosing between on-premise and cloud isn’t the only aspect of the flexibility offered by Switchvox and Sangoma. Sangoma offers all of our own UC devices and network connectivity that you will need — including SBCs, SIP trunking, phones, headsets, and gateways. So, if you want to upgrade your phone system and utilize existing infrastructure, you still have options and compatibility. With the help of Sangoma gateways, you can avoid going through a third party vendor and use Switchvox while keeping your existing analog/PRI lines.

  Plus, with Sangoma handling all your UC surround, you don’t have to worry about calling three different technical support teams for any issues or troubleshooting. It’s as simple as calling one number for all your support needs.

  #3: Switchvox offers advanced business phone system features and is easy to use

  Part of what makes Switchvox a great solution for users and resellers is the fact that it offers advanced phone system features and functionality without sacrificing ease of use. Oftentimes people are hesitant to get a new phone system because they don’t want to deal with a cumbersome installation process or the headache of learning how to use a new phone system.

  Fortunately, Switchvox is easy to deploy and can be scaled up or down with our pre-provisioned phones. This means you don’t have to worry about contacting us or your Sangoma reseller for help adding a new user or moving an employee from one office to another. It’s as simple as plugging in your new phone or unplugging your existing phone and moving it to another office. However, if you do have any trouble setting up or using your phone system, we have a dedicated support team to ensure you receive the support and installation services you need.

  Once you’ve got Switchvox set-up, we make it easy to learn your new phone system. Sangoma offers lots of free training available to both our users and partners so that you don’t have to spend weeks trying to learn your new phone system. In addition to our free training and demo center, we offer in-depth online and classroom training courses available to our partners and customers through Sangoma University.

  ---

   
  These are just a few of the many features and benefits that Switchvox offers to both users and resellers. If you’re interested in learning more about Switchvox, phone system deployment options, or partnering with Sangoma be sure to check out these links below:

  • What is a Switchvox Phone System?
  • Hosted vs. On-Premise UC: Which is right for you?
  • Why Partner with Sangoma?

  The post Why is Switchvox the Best Business Phone System for SMB Customers and Resellers? appeared first on Sangoma.

• Enable Security Abusing SIP for Cross-Site Scripting? Most definitely!
  Executive summary (TL;DR) SIP can be used as an attack vector for AppSec vulnerabilities such as cross-site scripting (XSS), potentially leading to unauthenticated remote compromise of critical systems. VoIPmonitor GUI had one such vulnerability which highlights this attack vector exceptionally well. The following writeup explores how persistent backdoor administrative access can be obtained by sending malicious SIP messages. This vulnerability was reported by Enable Security and fixed in VoIPmonitor GUI back in February 2021, using standard cross-site scripting protection mechanisms.

June 08, 2021

• Digium Connecting with Customers and Co-Workers in Today and Tomorrow’s Reality: Part 1

  In 2020, we all utilized new and potentially innovative ways to connect with co-workers and customers. And if we didn’t already use Unified Communication phone systems, we quickly learned that a key tenet of Unified Communication systems was the mobile and desktop clients, enabling your work phone number to be used (calling in, calling out) from these clients. As such, you could take your work remotely. Perfect for 2020.

  And video literally entered the picture and became a primary connection mechanism. The fact that technology and today’s excellent broadband networks enabled video calls to happen enabled many businesses to continue operating and continue operating at a high rate. However, while video (rightly) garnered all the headlines, we should not forget about the other tried and true communication types because they are well “tried and true.” We have to remember that connecting with customers and co-workers is different. What works for co-workers likely does not work with customers. Let’s examine this more in next week’s blog.

  The post Connecting with Customers and Co-Workers in Today and Tomorrow’s Reality: Part 1 appeared first on Sangoma.

June 02, 2021

• Enable Security SIPVicious OSS v0.3.4 released with exit codes and automation features
  We just made SIPVicious OSS v0.3.4 available, so go get it! Or install it via pip: pip install sipvicious --upgrade What’s new? Two main things: Exit codes, just like SIPVicious PRO’s Integration with Github Actions This release makes it much easier to use SIPVicious OSS within your CI/CD pipelines and other automation systems. One should, of course, read the documentation on automation for more information. But here’s an example script to get the idea of what can be done:

June 01, 2021

• Digium Telecom APIs Move to the Next Phase – Packaged Applets

  Telecom APIs in the form of CPaaS (access to telecom functions that reside in the cloud, paid for as you use them) have spurred much innovation and disruption in the communications industry. Developers can easily incorporate these functions to enhance an application (maybe voice enable or text enable an existing application) or create a voice centric communications application from scratch.

  Looking at it from a different perspective, if the application is connected to the internet (via mobile, WiFi, or wired), which means most applications these days, access to these APIs is available. That’s powerful and that’s why this model was disruptive. As such, if you have any idea, it is easy to test and try things this way, it is easy to roll them out, and it is scalable as well.

  And while there are a few stand-alone CPaaS companies out there (such as Twilio), a few UCaaS companies (such as Sangoma) have their own CPaaS platforms as well. Why is that? Well, for one thing, the customer is already accessing the UC application in the cloud and they are comfortable with cloud-based communications. And we can better enable our UC customers with enhancements they might want to do on top of our UC platforms.

  But have we entered another phase in CPaaS, possibly predictable even, where we see more broad industry needs and thus create a catalog of applets / applications that our UC customers can use? Certainly, we see that. So, we have started to create a category of “connected worker” applications, and the incorporation of text messaging for connectivity. And that’s important so we can help our customers service their customers better.

  Sangoma is committed to helping our customers service their customers better, so this model is important to us. Expect to see additional applets and applications like this as we see general needs emerge.

  The post Telecom APIs Move to the Next Phase – Packaged Applets appeared first on Sangoma.

May 27, 2021

• Digium Returning Back To Normal Part 3: Restaurants

  Throughout this series, we have been exploring the impact of COVID-19 on various industries, and how organizations are recovering.

  One sector that was hit particularly hard was the restaurant industry. To date, about 17% of U.S. restaurants have permanently shut down, and many more are struggling to profit due to ongoing restrictions.

  Even more troubling is the fact that most new restaurants that closed were not new establishments. On average, they had been in business for 16 years.

  Restaurants that have managed to hang on throughout the pandemic are now facing uncertain times, as returning back to normal continues to be a slow process. Many organizations would not be able to survive another prolonged shutdown or unstable conditions much longer without taking drastic measures.

  How Restaurants Are Returning Back To Normal With Cloud

  A growing number of restaurants are now using cloud communications solutions to improve operations and lower costs. Here are some of the ways restaurants are benefiting from cloud communications in the post-COVID era.

  Cost-effective Voice

  Budgets have always been tight for restaurants dealing with high rents, exorbitant food costs, and a variety of operational challenges. Today, budgets are tighter than ever leaving less room for excess spending.

  Many businesses are switching to cloud communications systems that use VoIP, to lower costs while maintaining open lines with customers, team members, corporate partners, and vendors. Switching to a cloud-based phone system is an easy way to cut monthly communications costs.

  Improved Communication & Collaboration

  Restaurant owners and managers can’t always be on-site to deal with questions and problems when they arise, like social distancing issues and health restrictions. However, running a restaurant can be very challenging due to the variety of restrictions that businesses are now facing.

  A growing number of businesses are now using mobile communication and collaboration apps to help team members work together and maintain operations. Team members can connect over one app for voice, SMS, and even image and video sharing. This type of system can provide a great framework for solving problems keeping restaurants running smoothly.

  Curbside Service

  One of the most popular cloud technologies to emerge during the pandemic was curbside service. In fact, curbside service kept many businesses running throughout the pandemic, enabling them to process orders and distribute them safely to customers.

  Curbside service comes ready to use, guaranteeing easy deployment and management. Deploying curbside service can enable easy SMS and web interactions, with flexible, automated workflows for employees.

  The post Returning Back To Normal Part 3: Restaurants appeared first on Sangoma.

May 25, 2021

• Digium Voice in a Video World – A Webinar with Omdia

  On June 9th, Omdia will be hosting a webinar titled ”Making Sure Voice Is Heard In a Video World.” If you want to register, please go here. Omdia’s Diane Myers (Chief Analyst, Collaboration) will talk with myself and David Portnowitz of Star2Star, A Sangoma Company about this topic.

  

  So, what are we going to discuss? As we all know, in 2020, we all got real familiar with video calling and collaboration platforms. And that’s great for internal communications and some partner and customer communications.

  But, is that the way forward in the world, especially as related to actual paying customers? Because customers use different methods to connect real-time with your business, the most common is voice calls. We’ll explore why a voice-centric platform that also does video, chat, and SMS is the way forward because of the call control and call routing features in such platforms and because of the tight integration with phones these platforms can provide. In other words, why a Unified Communication platform that has time-tested voice functionality is an excellent choice for today and tomorrow.

  Please register here for the webinar.

  The post Voice in a Video World – A Webinar with Omdia appeared first on Sangoma.

• Enable Security DEMO - An overview of the VoIP and RTC offensive security toolset, SIPVicious PRO
  We pushed out a video that introduces the basics of SIPVicious PRO by demonstrating some of the attack tools and showing the building blocks for automating security testing of VoIP and WebRTC applications and infrastructure. What follows is a transcript of the video. Introduction Hello, I’m Sandro Gauci from Enable Security. In this video, I’d like to show you what we have been working on, SIPVicious PRO! Let’s start by introducing the tools.
• Enable Security An overview of the VoIP and RTC offensive security toolset, SIPVicious PRO
  We pushed out a video that introduces the basics of SIPVicious PRO by demonstrating some of the attack tools and showing the building blocks for automating security testing of VoIP and WebRTC applications and infrastructure. What follows is a transcript of the video. Introduction Hello, I’m Sandro Gauci from Enable Security. In this video, I’d like to show you what we have been working on, SIPVicious PRO! Let’s start by introducing the tools.
• WebRTC Hacks How to Leverage the AWS WebSocket API for Serverless WebRTC signaling

  How to use the AWS API Gateway WebSocket API functionality with Lamdba functions to implement a serverless WebRTC signaling architecture

  The post How to Leverage the AWS WebSocket API for Serverless WebRTC signaling appeared first on webrtcHacks.

May 24, 2021

• FreeSWITCH What to expect from our first Hybrid ClueCon!

  Join us in Chicago or online October 25th-28th, 2021!

  The world of events changed for everybody in 2020. Usually, every August would mark the time for our annual developers’ conference in Chicago, ClueCon, which has been around for 17 years. Because of the COVID-19 pandemic, August 2020 instead brought about an experiment for the ClueCon team – we hosted ClueCon completely virtually, with almost everything that makes the conference what it is: our Coder Games hack-a-thon, networking opportunities, and the informative presentations and workshops that make the conference an educational opportunity for our community.

  ClueCon Deconstructed turned out to be a huge success, and served as a useful experience for launching SignalWire Events and the SignalWire Work platform. Since then we have greatly improved how we host virtual events. We now have an extremely skilled team that works specifically in the world of online events, and with the help of this team and a much more structured process, in February 2021 we held a mini-ClueCon to focus mainly on workshops and presentations.

  As the world slowly and hopefully changes for the better in 2021, we are looking forward to gathering together in Chicago this October at the beautiful Intercontinental Hotel on the Magnificent Mile. However, as everywhere in the world is on a different timeline in combatting the pandemic, for the first time we will be welcoming remote attendees to the party too! Using the improved platform and virtual events process we’ve built since ClueCon 2020, we’ll combine everything we know about hosting ClueCon virtually with the classic format of an in-person conference.

  The ClueCon team has already been fully vaccinated and we welcome anyone who is comfortable traveling during this time to join us on October 25-28, 2021. There will be plenty of masks and hand sanitizer available for all attendees to make sure everybody there feels comfortable and safe. The health of all the team members and attendees is our first priority, and we are only having the in-person conference as we feel it is safe to do so. That being said, we recognize it simply won’t be feasible for everyone to commit to coming to Chicago this year, and it’s difficult to know what the state of the world will look like over the next 5 months. Because of this, we’re doing everything we can to accommodate those who will be joining us virtually from anywhere in the world!

  Attendees joining us online will be able to partake in all parts of the conference – there will be screens all over the venue to allow those attending in-person to interact with those online, and you’ll even be able to join us for networking events like the classic Gigabit Reception. So grab some snacks and your favorite drink! Nothing will be off-limits to remote attendees; join us for each presentation, workshop, our Coder Games hack-a-thon, and all the networking events!

  Additionally, we will have some of our speakers with us in Chicago, and other speakers will be calling in virtually from other parts of the world. We’ll be integrating the virtual conference as best we can with the in-person conference, so you’ll still be able to interact with speakers, other guests, and the ClueCon team no matter how you choose to participate! This is our plan to slowly bring more people together during this uncertain time, and we hope you’ll join us either in Chicago or from the comfort of your own home. We’re confident that the tech we’ve built, along with the events team we’ve curated, will make this experimental hybrid event a success. 

  If you want to explore Chicago and you feel comfortable doing so, we highly recommend joining us at the Intercontinental Hotel! Unfortunately, virtually we won’t be able to provide you with the tasty meals and experience of the city – so if that’s a priority for you, do consider joining us in-person!

  Over the next few months we will have more details available, including a list of speakers and a week-long schedule of the event. In the meantime, you can take advantage of early-bird pricing. Registration is open at cluecon.com/register.

  We can’t wait to see you there!

  The post What to expect from our first Hybrid ClueCon! appeared first on FreeSWITCH.

• ng-voice ng-voice’s fully containerized and cloud-native IMS core is shortlisted for GLOMO Awards at MWC Barcelona 2021

  This year, the GSMA returns with the Mobile World Congress Barcelona 2021, the world’s biggest connectivity event. From the 28th of June to the 1st of July, visitors can attend the event in person following several safety measures set by the organizers due to the pandemic as well as virtually, creating a unique hybrid environment. The GLOMO (Global Mobile Awards) ceremony happens during the MWC and celebrates key innovations and achievements that stand out in our industry, being considered by many to be the most prestigious and highly anticipated award ceremony of the year.

   

  With the shortlist being announced for 2021, ng-voice is proud to be nominated for GLOMO Awards for the Best Mobile & Network Software Breakthrough (Companies under $10 million Annual Global Revenue). At ng-voice we are honored to be part of this list with the industry’s most influential players, showcasing the best and most innovative mobile products and services.

   

  David Bachmann (CEO of ng-voice) talked to us about being nominated for this award: “We are very excited to be shortlisted for the most prestigious awards ceremony in the industry. This is a great recognition of the hard work that we have been investing into developing the most innovative IMS core in the market “.

  ng-voice’s fully containerized and cloud-native IMS core brings a completely new approach to mobile infrastructure software. Based on Kubernetes architecture, with the smallest container sizes, high level of automation, and efficient use of resources, our IMS core is scalable, flexible, and easy to deploy and manage, offering operators and enterprises of any size innovative voice services on LTE/5G networks.

   

  The GLOMO winners are going to be announced on Wednesday 30 June 2021 at 1 pm – 2 pm (CEST) at MWC Barcelona. Stay tuned and subscribe to our newsletter to find out the winners of the upcoming GLOMO awards, or get in contact to learn more about our IMS solution.

   

  To learn more about MWC Barcelona 2021 and the awards ceremony, visit www.mwcbarcelona.com.

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May 20, 2021

• Enable Security SIPVicious PRO 6.0.0-beta.4 getting close to take-off!
  This one’s a bit of a boring update for SIPVicious PRO. That’s because we’re getting to a stable place where flag names and values do not change too often. Which means, we’re getting out of beta rather soon! However, it is still a major update because we made a significant number of internal changes. For example, we standardized a number of flags to be the same across all tools. We discovered that we can minimize each tool’s flagset by making use of config flags such as --auth-config that allows you to configure behaviours specific to how SIPVicious handles authentication (e.

May 19, 2021

• Digium Sangoma Launches Value-based IP Phones

  Many companies are upgrading their communication equipment to improve productivity and make offices more attractive to workers who are returning to desks.

  Finding the right IP phone, depending on business needs, can be challenging: every additional feature, which you may not require on a phone, brings up the cost significantly, especially on large-scale deployments.

  Today, Sangoma is launching entry-level value phones designed with the specific features you need, with maximum functionality and performance, at a budget price.

  Introducing the P310 & P315 IP Phones

  These phones can be deployed in just about any setting, with a focus on three customer segments in mind.

  • Manufacturing: Manufacturing plants require rugged and durable phones that can withstand harsh environments. Sangoma’s new value-based IP phones are durable and reliable enough to keep job sites connected and communicating throughout the day.
  • Education: Schools today are challenged to offer high-quality communications without going over budget. Sangoma’s new phones are an affordable option for teachers and administrators, offering the full functionality of a desk phone at a budget price.
  • Retail: Retailers require phones that are easy to deploy and use. Sangoma’s phones can be easily deployed with minimal training, making them perfect for retailers of all sizes — from small businesses to large enterprises.

  Sangoma’s P310 & P315 IP Phones Details

  The P310 and P315 desk IP phones come with simple plug-and-play deployment, enabling them to seamlessly work with Sangoma’s unified communications portfolio, including Switchvox, PBXact and FreePBX.

  Both phones offer high-definition call quality, two VoIP lines, and built-in Electronic Hook Switch (EHS) support for wireless headset compatibility. They also come with critical security capabilities, including TLS, SRTP, and VLAN support, while supporting six phone applications, including contacts, call logging, status, call parking, call forward, and hot-desking (for Switchvox >= 7.8).

  Key Differences: P310 vs. P315

  The P310 and P315 are similar models. Both phones come with 2.4-inch 320 x 240-pixel backlit color LCDs, four feature keys and four context-sensitive soft keys, and six-way key navigation.

  The difference between the two is that the P310 supports two switched 10/100 Mbps Ethernet connections, and the P315 supports two switched 10/100/1000 Mbps (Gigabit) connections.

  A phone that supports Gigabit connectivity becomes very enticing in those scenarios where only one network connection is available at the user’s workstation. With the P315, users will connect their network cable connection into one of the Gigabit ports on the phone, then connect another cable from the second Gigabit port to their workstation, effectively delivering full-speed network access to the laptop/desktop computer through the phone.

  “I was very impressed with the P315, and at an amazing price point,” explained Darin Gull from TRACI.net. “Feature-rich, two gigabit Ethernet ports, color display, headset & EHS port, and it integrates beautifully with our Switchvox solutions for $79 purchase price. Great phone for entry-level workers, patient rooms, lobbies, call center desks, etc. Well done, Sangoma!”

  For complete product specifications, visit sangoma.com/value-based-phones/.

  The post Sangoma Launches Value-based IP Phones appeared first on Sangoma.

May 18, 2021

• Digium Integrating Video Into our Future Business Communications

  I’ve been writing a lot about video lately, because I’ve been thinking a lot about video lately. As many people get vaccinated, we’re starting to see some businesses coming back to “working in the office”. I took my first business trip in a long time recently to our site in Huntsville, Alabama and had the pleasure of actually interacting with many of our folks face to face.

  And it got me thinking even more about video. Given video has been the ‘de facto’ way to hold a meeting, even a 1:1 meeting for over a year, how will we integrate video into our business communications going forward?

  I mean, think about meetings two years ago. Likely there were many people in a room and also likely there were 1 or 2 people calling in remotely. And let’s say someone went up to a whiteboard to draw something. If you were a remote person, you were lucky if someone remembered to even try to explain what people were talking about. This wasn’t a problem during the past year because everyone truly was equal – everyone was remote and everyone saw whatever everyone else saw, or if someone was sharing.

  Will everyone now, even those in the actual room, automatically go to video so everyone is still “equal”? It’s hard to know. That did happen with me when I went on that trip, with a group meeting where one other person was in the room, but we’re all still in our video phase now. Still very aware. But it was bizarre being in a room and people were all staring at their laptops.

  I’m guessing the meetings will occur on video, and people will be more aware. But we’ll start to turn cameras off, and we’ll use the video for collaboration purposes. We’ll see. I’ll visit this topic one year from now. Should be interesting!

  The post Integrating Video Into our Future Business Communications appeared first on Sangoma.

• Enable Security TADSummit Asia 2021 talk about SIPVicious Pro and the Demo Server
  TADSummit is a great event where people from different backgrounds that are somehow involved in communications, contribute in various ways. I, personally, always look forward to see what’s coming up in the next TADSummit event. At the moment, TADSummit Asia presentations are currently being released on a daily basis on the main site. And last week, the presentation that I prepared was published! In the previous TADSummit, I had presented about why we need to bring an offensive approach to RTC security.

May 14, 2021

• Jitsi Who won over the classroom?

  As you may know we have worked with the European Commission on a hackathon focused on Jitsi for education. The awards ceremony tool place this past Monday. You may watch it here:

  

  Now that we’ve had some time to reflect, let’s take a look at the winners!

  5th prize: Autoscaling Kubernetes Operator

  When it comes to deploying software to Kubernetes there are many ways to skin a cat. Community members Pierre Ozoux, Hugo Renard and Timothée Gosselin decided to implement a Kubernetes Operator which would allow anyone with an existing Kubernetes cluster to deploy an autoscaling Jitsi Meet with ease. You can check it out in this repository.

  

  4th prize: Jitas, the Jitsi Assistant

  A long time community member Emrah surprised us with a very creative submission. Jitas is at its core a cloud VM you can easily drop into a meeting. In a similar fashion to Jibri, Jitas can join a meeting and facilitate collaboration by injecting basically anything into the meeting, thanks to the screen being shared as video, plus the sound output. It’s basically a multimedia swiss army knife for Jitsi meetings! You can check it out in this repository.

  

  3rd prize: Breakout Rooms

  By far the most requested Jitsi Meet feature. A number of external solutions existed, but we proposed integrating breakout rooms into Jitsi Meet as a challenge because delivering the breakout rooms experience fully integrating it into Jitsi Meet can provide a much better experience. Werner Fleischer took on this challenge, solo. His project also made use of the new participants pane as a central point for coordinating breakout rooms. Not only he surprised us a with a great execution, but he has continued working on it after the hackathon ended, and as of right now it even has mobile support! We are very excited to work with Werner and see this one merged. You can follow the progress in this pull request.

  

  2nd prize: Ordered Raised Hands list

  Another highly requested feature to complement the raised hands feature is the ability to know “who is next”, that is, to keep an order. Isaac Marco, Ruben Teijeiro and Vassilis Kritharakis took on this challenge and executed it brilliantly. The raised hands information is available at a glance in the (new!) participants pane. We look forward to seeing this feature in Jitsi Meet! You can follow the progress in this pull request.

  

  1st prize: Simple Polls

  We’ve had this feature requested many times over. For one reason or another it never achieved the required amount of completeness / maturity to incorporate it into Jitsi Meet. That’s why we were so excited to see the work that the team (Fabien Zucchet, Jade Guiton and Antoine Marras) had done. It ticked all the boxes and we’ll be working close with them to make sure this time it lands in Jitsi Meet! You can follow the progress in this pull request.

  

  Some final words

  There were a total of over 150 participants from around 50 different countries who ended up submitting a total of 21 projects. We were very surprised by the high quality of many of them, and this made the judging process very hard!

  We are incredibly thankful to the European Commission ISA2 initiative for choosing Jitsi and sponsoring this hackathon, it certainly created many solutions to problems Jitsi was facing in the classroom.

   

  The post Who won over the classroom? appeared first on Jitsi.

May 13, 2021

• Digium VoIP Innovations Awarded ISO 27001 Certification Solidifying Commitment to Information Security

  Commitment to our customer’s information security has always been a high priority at VoIP Innovations. As a result, we have always been looking toward security compliance like CPNI, PCI, GDPR, CCPA; now we have a new set of letters to add, ISO-27001.

  The VoIP Innovations team is proud to announce we have been awarded ISO 27001:2013 certification!

  What is ISO 27001?

  ISO/IEC 27001:2013 is a widely recognized standard for information security, run by the International Organization for Standardization (ISO) and the International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC). The purpose of ISO 27001 is to outline best practices and standards surrounding an Information Security Management System (ISMS) to ensure confidentiality, integrity, and availability (CIA) of customer data. The certification process has strengthened existing security practices that we have been doing and created new methods to protect all the customer data. We are excited to continue to improve and show our commitment to our customers. After a (long) formal audit done by PECB MS, the certificate was issued by an independent certification body.

  We implemented the management system during the last two quarters of 2020 and performed a complete internal audit on our organization. Following our internal audit, we invited an external auditor to start the two-stage auditing process.

  In the third week of Feb 2021, we had a successful external audit that PECB-MS performed. This same company also completed the second part of the audit in mid-April 2021. After the April audit, they informed us that we are fully ISO 27001 certified, with a certificate issued on April 21, 2021.

  What does this mean for you as a customer?

  This certification means that we take the security of your information seriously and have implemented proper security measures to safeguard it. We want our customers to have complete trust in our technology and services.

  The ISO 27001 certificate is proof that we manage all risks related to information security using our robust Information Security Management System( ISMS) and protect our information assets by implementing and following well-defined processes and procedures.

  Our Security Manager at VoIP Innovations, Bhawna Gaba, had a lot to say to me about the certification:

  “Receiving the ISO 27001 certification is a momentous accomplishment for VoIP Innovations. The rigorous audit undertaken for certification substantiates that we have proper technical controls and formalized IT security policies and procedures to protect customer data and that our teams are diligent and well trained in complying with the best practices of the ISO 27001 Standards.

  This demanding process has not only strengthened our infrastructure and benefited our internal systems but also further streamlined our day-to-day processes and procedures. We are now well prepared for emergencies, natural disasters, and any event that could impact our business.”

  The scope of the certification itself includes all the people, processes, and facilities that handle customer information and include things ranging from physical location security, personnel accessing customer information, and disk encryption.

  Our mission to security does not end here. Information security is an ongoing process, and we will keep working hard to maintain and exceed our standards to protect both company and customer data. An external auditor will perform yearly audits to attest to our continuous compliance as we continue developing and growing our business.

  From a Product Management standpoint, knowing that our customer data is protected and understanding the different processes and procedures implemented to ensure confidentiality, integrity, and access to that customer data is very exciting. I am excited for us to continue to improve the things that our customers can see and interact with and make sure that they don’t need to worry about their data.

  Reach out to your CSM to request a copy of the certificate or learn more by chatting with us.

  The post VoIP Innovations Awarded ISO 27001 Certification Solidifying Commitment to Information Security appeared first on Sangoma.

May 11, 2021

• Digium The Quality of Our Calls

  We’ve all been on more than our fair share of video calls the past 14 months. And we’ve probably used all the different video calling platforms (including Sangoma Meet). Sometimes, we get some video quality issues such as the frames freezing or blocking out due to bandwidth reasons, especially when sharing documents. We’ve learned to live with the occasional problem. To me, this shows just how far IP communications have come in such a short period. What a long way from the early VoIP days in 1998. Even back then, we had visions of video and voice on the same call.

  I’m sure we’ve all been on a call with over 50 video users with unbelievable video and voice and file sharing quality! Even just a couple of years ago, we couldn’t have proceeded like we’ve proceeded the past 14 months.

  But the other day on a call was the first time I’ve experienced voice quality issues on such a call. These days, due to HD codecs and adaptive codecs, voice has stayed sounding consistently good. Really, voice sounds better than PSTN calls on all these video calls (if anyone even remembers what a PSTN call over G.711 sounded like anymore).

  On this call, I was talking from my house to someone at one of our offices. I have 1 Gig at my home, and I’m usually pretty good with quality. And obviously, we have good internet going into an office. It turned out the office was experiencing some wifi issue in the building, so it had nothing to do with the video calling platform I was using (Sangoma Meet). And I have to say; even when the video went black, the voice kept going. It got wonky and such, but it kept on going. That’s because voice requires much less bandwidth. Voice will continue to be essential.

  The post The Quality of Our Calls appeared first on Sangoma.

May 06, 2021

• Digium Returning Back To Normal: Part Two – How The Cloud Is Enabling Retail

  In part one of this series, we covered how organizations are now looking ahead to the next phase of the pandemic. Many changes are taking place, with more companies starting to roll out permanent hybrid and remote work models.

  One industry that’s going through significant post-COVID transformation is retail, a sector that was hit very hard by the pandemic.

  Retailers that are still standing after last year are now looking for new ways to improve resiliency, maximize profits, streamline operations, and reduce risk. In doing so, many are turning to cloud technologies to bolster themselves.

  Let’s take a closer look at the role that the cloud is playing in this new era of retail.

  Enabling Communication & Collaboration

  Communication is critical for success in the post-COVID era. This is especially important for large retailers with hundreds or thousands of branches that are spread across different regions.

  There needs to be a clear and open line of communication between corporate administrators and store managers to keep operations running smoothly and maintain compliance.

  As such, many retailers are using cloud-based unified communications as a service (UCaaS) platforms to provide real-time updates, answer questions, and keep a closer eye on what stores are doing on a daily basis.

  This is also proving to be useful for on-site employees, especially those who are working short-staffed or in hybrid environments.

  Managing Supply Chains

  The early days of the pandemic presented many logistical issues, resulting in widespread supply chain inefficiency and product shortages.

  Now, retailers are streamlining their supply chains with cloud-based technologies that make it faster and easier to exchange data, provide updates, and strategize.

  Lower Costs

  The pandemic is forcing retailers to rethink their technology spend and look for ways to reduce backend costs.

  Cloud communications technologies can help companies operate leaner and more efficiently. Switching to the cloud can lower monthly voice costs, while also making it easier to scale up or down depending on need.

  Improve Customer Service

  Retailers are also getting creative about how they connect with customers.

  For example, a growing number of companies are using cloud-based curbside service apps to communicate with customers, process orders, and answer questions. A curbside service app can serve as a one-stop-shop for customer communication and order management.

  The post Returning Back To Normal: Part Two – How The Cloud Is Enabling Retail appeared first on Sangoma.

May 04, 2021

• Digium The Bill Wignall TalkingHeadz Podcast

  In late March, once the Star2Star deal closed, Sangoma’s CEO, Bill Wignall, did a podcast with Dave Michels and Evan Kirstel. According to Dave, “You may not be that familiar with Bill or Sangoma, but both are industry giants that have outperformed their peers and the broader industry. Bill has guided Sangoma through tremendous growth and transformation, largely through acquisitions”. You can listen to the TalkingHeadz Podcast here. It’s a pretty all-encompassing discussion about Sangoma, but in particular, you can hear Bill riff on:

  • Telecom divestiture
  • Bill’s life on social media
  • M&A in general and M&A for Sangoma
  • Why he felt this deal with Star2Star was truly transformational for Sangoma
  • How are we going to go about integration
  • Why Sangoma has been “under the radar,” even though now we are by all accounts a top 10 player in UCaaS. With well over 2M UC seats, including our prem solutions.
  • What Sangoma provides that is different than our competition. Note: It’s about overall value, providing an end-to-end solution, having both Prem and Cloud, and caring immensely about our channel. And we also offer an entire Communication as a Service Portfolio (UCaaS, TaaS, FaaS, CPaaS, VMaaS, Desktop as a Service, CCaaS, ACaaS).
  • Bill also talks about our vision of seeing the PBX / UC platform as basically the hub of business real-time communications, not just limited to voice or video. And why we’re getting into the Access Control market and other IoT innovations going forward.

  It’s a good listen if you want to understand more about Bill and Sangoma.

  The post The Bill Wignall TalkingHeadz Podcast appeared first on Sangoma.

May 03, 2021

• ng-voice How we bring our whole beings to work

  We at ng-voice boast diverse and international talents. We not only appreciate our individual differences but we celebrate them. Because we believe diversity and inclusion are the pillars to build a company culture that contributes to our core values of trust and ownership.  

  Why do we foster diversity?

  We foster diversity because people feel welcomed to work here no matter who we are. Feeling valued at work can be a foundation for strong teamwork that turns into better performance. Diversity also inspires innovative ideas and attracts the best talent. We believe demographic characteristics and diverse experiences that have nurtured unique viewpoints benefit our growth. That is why we value each person and their different backgrounds as a whole.

   

  Based on interviews with peers, I wrote the draft for Diversity and Inclusion Policy which we collectively reviewed and approved the final version to publish internally. All twelve interviewees agreed that diversity promotes company’s performance and mutual respect, with full support and alignment with the leadership team. Based on the interviews and feedback from the team, we published the Diversity and Inclusion Policy. The key principles that we follow to walk the talk are as follows: 

  • We bring our whole being to work.
    • We believe a person thrives in the environment when one can be a whole being. We welcome different voices, perspectives, and experiences. We consciously strive to address unconscious bias when people unconsciously attribute certain stereotypes about certain groups of people. If we spot discriminatory words or behavior derived from prejudice or stereotypes, we say no and hold the person accountable to fight against any form of discrimination, conscious or unconscious.
    • We appreciate ‘culture add’ as well as ‘culture fit.’ Each employee brings with one’s life experiences that shape a unique set of values and voices. We believe the culture add is a strong plus for each candidate in the hiring process. We provide opportunities for mutual learning and community building such as celebrating different public holidays from different countries.  

  • We aim to set a leading example. 
    • We respect diverse voices and speak inclusive languages. We pursue participatory approaches for making decisions and share our honest opinions openly. We hold everyone accountable if we see that an opinion is unfairly disregarded. We value diverse voices with different approaches and perspectives for a constructive discussion. 
    • We create best practices in the sector. We believe every small endeavor towards diversity and inclusion matters to tackle the root cause of systematic problems beyond the company level, one step at a time.

  What is Diversity, Equity and Inclusion?

  The Diversity and Inclusion Policy first stemmed from our mission. Our ‘People’ mission states that we want to “create an environment that attracts, develops, and retains outstanding diverse talent. We want to be an organization that is non-hierarchical, inclusive, celebrates ownership, offers support, and fosters autonomy.” We at ng-voice understand and celebrate the differences based on the three pillars: demographic, experiential, and cognitive diversity. 

   

  • Demographic diversity is what we are born with, encompassing social and ethnic origin, gender, age, sexual orientation, and physical (dis)abilities. 
  • Experiential diversity is shaped by how we grow up, encompassing skill sets, culture (food, language, religious affiliation), upbringing, and personality. 
  • Cognitive diversity is the way we perceive the world and interact, encompassing perspectives, thinking styles, beliefs, and values. 

  How do we bring our whole beings to work?

  The Diversity Task Force team that consists of two engineers and two business managers work on various initiatives as a side project to implement tangible activities in Diversity and Inclusion. For example, we conducted a company-wide unconscious bias training to learn the difference between equity and equality, the intentions and impacts of the insensitive questions, and how we can cope with micro-aggressions. To celebrate our diverse roots, we added our favorite public holidays in different cultures from the colleague’s home country in the team calendar to share the tradition and history behind their favorite holidays.  

    

  On the recruitment side, the partnerships with ‘Trust in SODA’ and ‘Women in DevOps’ expanded our access to diverse talents in the market. On the International Women’s Day, some of us also pledged to take part in #ChoosetoChallenge to support the global movements for gender equity. 

  

   

  We believe that fostering diversity is critical for our team’s success. We will continue setting leading examples in the sector and beyond!  If you want to join us on this mission, check out our careers page – we will be happy to hear from you.

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  Seon Y. Lee

  Finance and Impact Manager

  Publisher Bio

  With over 6 years of experience in finance operations and project management in Seoul and Berlin, Seon has a track record in ecosystem building and business development. She’s known for her reliability, attention to detail, and for initiating new ideas proactively. She’s an avid supporter of women’s empowerment, veganism, and the K-pop boyband, BTS.

April 29, 2021

• FreeSWITCH Google wins API copyright victory: What does this mean for developers?

  APIs are a hot topic in the U.S. right now, where Oracle took Google to court over fair use of code. This all actually started ten years ago, when Oracle argued that Google had infringed on copyright by copying the structure and sequence of 37 Java APIs into Android operating systems. This year, the U.S. Supreme Court issued a formal ruling in favor of Google: these APIs are protected under fair use doctrine.

  For reference, U.S. copyright law is meant to protect original works of authorship that are creative in nature – such as literary, musical, and artistic works, and sometimes, code – from unauthorized copying. But as the court noted, any original piece of literature or art is going to necessarily use things that have been used before. So where is that copyright line drawn? Meanwhile, fair use provisions allow certain copyrighted materials to be used in certain circumstances without permission.

  Back in 2012, a court in California ruled that APIs are not subject to copyright, but just a couple of years later, Oracle appealed this ruling and won, leading to Java APIs becoming copyrightable. In 2016, a jury decided Google’s use of Java APIs was fair use, but Oracle appealed again, and by 2018 the Federal Circuit reversed this jury’s decision. This newest ruling at the highest level of the U.S. court system reverses the Federal Circuit’s opinion, determining that use of these Java APIs is legal under fair use provisions of copyright law. 

  Oracle’s software code in question was 11,000 lines – less than 1% of the total Java SE program – that Google used to build Android operating systems. In this case, the court said Google “included only those lines of code that were needed to allow programmers to put their accrued talents to work in a new and transformative program.” This is a key ruling in clarifying how the law applies to APIs specifically. It’s not impossible for code to be protected under copyright any longer – the decision concluded that indeed, the code could be copyrightable, but was inextricably linked with uncopyrightable features, like the use of specific programming commands.

  Google argued that this type of code is often used by developers freely, and that even if the code is copyrightable, that it should be covered by fair use provisions. When something serves a functional purpose, does it really make sense to let copyright prevent others from using it in the same functional method? Oracle and the dissent argued that the code was copyrightable and that the company should have been compensated for Google’s use of it. Even if certain standard bits of code would be exempt from this law, this Java code is anything but standard, and Google’s use of it was anything but fair. While the likes of Apple and Microsoft created their own rival products without Oracle’s “declaring code,” Google simply copied the API.

  So which was the side of innovation? Well, both sides claimed to be. Google argued that stringent copyright laws would make things impossible for developers who would otherwise build new programs using shared code, slowing the creation of new products, and minimizing the utility of products they already own. Oracle argued a Google victory would discourage programmers from investing in software development because the resulting code could be used by anybody else without compensation.  Additionally, since Google is a tech giant, Oracle argued the company could have afforded to pay in order to use the Java APIs and simply refused. Ironically, back in the 90’s, Oracle had stated that APIs shouldn’t be covered by copyright at all, and then accused Google of stealing chunks of Java code developed by Sun Microsystems, a company later acquired by Oracle. 

  The court emphasized the public benefits of creativity and competition that come from using code that’s already been produced. Many computer programs, particularly in the world of open source, are developed by recreating the functionality of APIs to allow for interoperability between different platforms. Legal experts had concerns about the implications of an Oracle victory, like the possibility of many developers and startups buckling under the threat of legal sanctions, as copyright holders would be able to use that copyright to prevent interoperability. Bad actors could have potentially picked up the rights to old software and filed claims against companies who built their software on what were assumed to be open standards. This ruling, however, sets precedent that APIs can be used freely to enable programs to work together. 

  The win was cited as a win for open source and free software. The ruling on fair use sided with the long-standing position of the free software movement that overall, APIs should be subject to fair use under copyright restrictions. In the end, pretty much everyone who wasn’t Oracle agreed with the ruling in favor of Google, even the guy who developed Java in the first place, James Gosling, who described the ruling as sanity prevailing. In a tweet, Gosling wrote, “It’s astonishing that this case even got started, much less that it ground on for more than a decade.” In any case, the court’s decision gives legal clarity to the next generation of developers.

  So now Google is free to use Java APIs. The news is good for all developers: you won’t be hit with a copyright lawsuit by a company over using code in this way. Under fair use, you just can’t stop people from using APIs to build new programs. Current trends in software development which focus on improving interoperability will be allowed to continue.  

  If you’re interested in reading about what exactly the courts had to say about copyright and APIs, you can check out the public pdf released by the Supreme Court on the case.  

  The post Google wins API copyright victory: What does this mean for developers? appeared first on FreeSWITCH.

• Digium DPMA SSL Certification Reminder

  The Digium Phone Module for Asterisk or DPMA for short is an Asterisk software module that provides a secure communications channel between D-Series phones and Asterisk. This secure channel is used to ensure an easy installation process and offers direct integration with many Asterisk capabilities, including presence, voicemail, call parking, and call recording. The DPMA is utilized in stand-alone Asterisk systems, in FreePBX systems, and Switchvox systems.

  The D-Series telephones possess an embedded root certificate used to encrypt communications between the D-phone and the DPMA. This certificate was created during the initial development of the D-Series phones in 2011 and had a ten-year lifetime.

  As a result, the certificate will expire and become invalid on Friday, May 28, 2021, at 4:45 pm Eastern Daylight Time.
  The effect of this certificate expiring is that after May 28, any D-phones already in use will experience application loading errors, which affects voicemail, status, parking, and queues. Any new D-phones that are started anew or rebooted will be unable to connect to and provision. The D-phone will attempt to “contact proxy,” and it will never succeed.

  However, we do know how to fix it.
  Sangoma has produced new versions of DPMA, Proxy, D-Series telephone firmware, and Switchvox mobile softphone that remediate the problem. Administrators (except Switchvox Cloud and PBXact UCC) MUST take action before the expiration date. For Switchvox users on 7.x, the new firmware is included in Switchvox version 7.6.2. For Switchvox users on 6.x or 5.x, the latest releases are 6.8 and 5.12, respectively.

  Steps to take…
  Sangoma has developed quick to implement and future-proof solutions. Please visit the resource page for complete information on how to resolve the issue.

  Since the certification expires on May 28, 2021, this is a time-sensitive issue that requires immediate action to be taken. Please visit the resource page for complete information on how to resolve this issue.

  The post DPMA SSL Certification Reminder appeared first on Sangoma.

April 27, 2021

• Digium You’re “Always” Starting a Call with Video, Really?

  Two weeks ago, I wrote a blog about video calling and starting calls with video. I got a few questions and comments about that, some saying “The future is all video all the time!” while some agreed with my point of view of “That’s not going to happen all the time”. So, let me write a little more about this.

  First, in that blog, I did talk about differentiation of use case. In the case of a calendared meeting, where a link can go into your calendar, many meetings we’ve all been on in the last 12 months start this way. You click on the link; you go to the video meeting. You have a nice shirt on but maybe shorts or PJs, not that I’ve done that. But these are internal meetings, or meetings with partners and even key customers, and many people forget this is NOT the entirety of communications in a business. These are simply meetings where 3 years ago, we’d calendar a “conference call”. They are important parts of your communication plan but not the only way to communicate.

  People also said, “Hey I use video when I talk through my collaboration client”. Presumably these are to other employees, or to key partners. I remember “in the old days” I’d use Skype to talk to some of my partners in Europe. But you start with presence / instant message and then you move to a call. Many times the call is still voice, and sometimes it’s also video. I guess it depends on the person. But in any of these use case scenarios, you are not leading with video!

  What I’m really talking about though is interaction with your customers or prospects. These are people that are going to call your business to schedule an appointment, get a service person to your house, etc. Sure, because of the internet and having web pages, over the last 25 years, there has been less voice interaction / calls with this group. But with this group, a real call control / call routing engine like exists in UC platforms is really required. There are incoming calls that need routing, there are external calls (or texts) that need scheduling. These cannot be done via scheduling a meeting on a calendar. You need a real IVR, you need contact center features, you need voice mail, you need find me / follow me. You get the picture.

  To run a business and interact with external customers, a video first platform just won’t cut it.

  A Unified Communication system that knows how to handle phone numbers, and texting, and all kinds of call control as is found in a “PBX” is required.

  The post You’re “Always” Starting a Call with Video, Really? appeared first on Sangoma.

April 22, 2021

• Digium What is WebRTC and What is it Good For?

  WebRTC is…everywhere. WebRTC (Web Real-Time Communication) is a technology that allows Web browsers to stream audio or video media, as well as to exchange useful data between browsers, mobile platforms, and IoT devices without requiring an intermediary such as a server.

  

  The Past

  The need to connect virtually and to have video conferences and communications via the web has been around for a while. In the past, you had to rely on plug-ins or an installable application on your PC – not just your web browser. This was very inconvenient as users were required to install additional, incompatible apps, and developers had to study complex stacks and protocols to make the magic happen.

  Photo: Swedish Prime Minister Tage Erlander uses an Ericsson video to speak with Lennart Hyland, a popular TV show host (1969). Image via Wikipedia.

  WebRTC Was Born

  Many of WebRTC technology’s underpinnings were first developed by Global IP Solutions (or GIPS), a company founded around 1999 in Sweden. In 2011, GIPS was acquired by Google, and the W3C started to work on a standard for WebRTC (real-time communication). WebTRC specifies a series of APIs for real-time communications (RTC) targeted at browsers. Since 2011, Google and other major players in the web-browser market, such as Mozilla and Opera, have been actively supporting WebRTC.

  Today companies trust WebRTC to offer them the leverage they need to deliver the user experience they strive for.

  Examples of WebTRC

  WebRTC is a set of plugin-free APIs that can be used in both desktop and mobile browsers. WebRTC does not need any native apps for audio and video communication as it allows peer-to-peer communication on the web pages. Some of the top companies like Amazon and Facebook are all leveraging this, but Google Meet (or more accurately, Hangouts) is probably one of the main reasons we have WebRTC today.

  Google had their own video conferencing service, working from Gmail, but it needed a plugin. Real-time video just wasn’t there in the browser, which is where and why WebRTC started.

  There are so many interesting use cases for WebRTC, but here are a few popular ones  you may not have considered:

  • Simple collaboration: How many times have you been invited to a meeting, and as soon as you clicked on the link, it asked you to sign up or download an app before you could join the call? It can be frustrating to open an account or download a platform to engage in a business meeting. WebRTC removes this barrier, providing a seamless, non-invasive way to connect and collaborate. Using WebRTC when communicating with colleagues, clients, and business partners is easier, simpler, and more convenient.
  • Contextual applications: You can use a third party API like OAuth to pull data from services like Facebook, LinkedIn, and Google. This API type makes it possible for customers to leverage their own social graph data to augment their experience within your websites and applications. You can then couple this data with WebRTC-powered features to enable rich contextual communications. This could enable easy sharing of the person’s Twitter handle, email address, or other public profile information, along with links to their most recent tweets or Facebook posts.
  • File sharing: Suppose you want to send a massive file to a colleague while working on a project. Instead of emailing the file or uploading it to a third-party cloud storage system (and waiting several minutes for the transfer to complete), you could send it directly through your web browser using WebRTC’s data channel, with very low-latency and the benefit of full encryption between the two endpoints.
  • Embedded endpoints: ATMs. Vending machines. Bus stops. Retail store kiosks. All of these endpoints can be embedded with WebRTC engines. It’s an easy way to connect customers with live agents while they are on-the-go.
  • Sales enablement: Websites and applications are key tools for sales enablement. Customers rarely make important purchases on impulse. Decisions are often made after speaking with a sales associate. Providing a website or application with a WebRTC audio or video contact channel is a great way to provide ongoing assistance throughout the purchasing process.
  • Emergency response: In some cases, WebRTC is being used to increase public safety. SaferMobility streamlines real-time interactions with authorities by enabling video, audio, and text communications while utilizing location-based awareness. This use of the WebRTC data channel allows responding personnel to have deeper insight and better information by circumventing previously existing communication barriers when responding to emergency calls.
  • Patient management: Many health clinics are now using WebRTC based solutions to reduce in-office patient visits. This can be helpful during a pandemic like what we are living right now when doctors can perform check-ups over Web browsers. This allows them to allocate more time to higher priority patients while staying safe. WebRTC is also a great way for clinic staff to communicate with patients in-between visits as all the patient needs is a web browser and a URL.
  • Enhanced audience participation: Tap to Speak recently developed a solution that turns smartphones into microphones during live events. The application was designed to improve communication between audience members and presenters, as it eliminates having to pass a traditional microphone around a room.

  In summary, pretty much any application that wants to share data or video between peers can use WebRTC. The reason for this massive adoption is that browser to browser communication is significantly cheaper than going through a server (up to 90% cheaper from Video Banking and the Economics of the Retail Business). Furthermore, users will no longer need to rely on dedicated hardware sets and applications to join a meeting and have a video conference call; browsers are always accessible to everyone!

  Sangoma Meet a Great Example of Adopting WebTRC

  Sangoma Meet was launched in early 2020 in response to the COVID-19 crisis to help everyone stay connected and get through this period. With WebTRC technology behind it, Sangoma Meet allows users to start a video call without downloading a plugin or installing an application. Unlike Zoom or GoToMeeting, where you have to install a plugin or an application, Sangoma Meet is simply using your browser to establish a connection with another peer.

  The ease of use and compatibility with common browsers like Chrome, Firefox, Opera makes it a great choice for different industries to adopt in different use cases, as mentioned earlier. Features like multiple participants video conferencing, 1:1 video calls, phone dial-in, screen sharing, recording the meeting (available on V3.0 and above), waiting room (coming soon), local chat, and moderation tools are all running on the web, and users can join the meetings from their mobile devices, laptop or simply from any device which supports web browsers.

  Have you tried Sangoma Meet yet? Check out this page and enjoy having a hassle-free call with your friends, family, and colleagues.

  The post What is WebRTC and What is it Good For? appeared first on Sangoma.

April 20, 2021

• Digium The Role of UC in Limiting Exposure for Essential Workers

  We all owe a great deal of debt to the frontline/essential workers who are not able to work from home for the past 13 months, as a way of limiting their Covid exposure. Technology, and Unified Communications, has played a role in the past 13 months in the able to work from home crowd, due to the mobility (desktop and smartphone) aspects of UC. But it has also helped in unexpected, if only sometimes small, ways in limiting the exposure of essential workers, even as this group went to work.

  Like many of you, I’ve experienced various new procedures for things I took for granted my whole life. For instance, when going to the dentist I now get a text messaging telling me to come in. The dentist has a small waiting room and doesn’t want patients and their employees getting bottled up together. There are now pretty sophisticated curbside pickup apps that I, and most likely you, have used. I’ve also shown video to contractors who needed to work on my house – they looked at things on the video so they didn’t have to come in contact with me and are able to give me quotes like that. I even did a service call over video (successfully!) when in my city the pandemic was at its worst. I’ve also gotten a text message about an ‘event’ cancellation, even if the ‘event’ was an outside dinner at a restaurant and they sent a mass notification to those who had reservations.

  But more importantly, I’ve also seen some of the workers in my neighborhood at other houses come armed with mobile apps, where they didn’t have them before. Seems there is more info for them on the app, from when the appointment was set up, which ultimately limited their interaction with the homeowner. Safer for both parties.

  These are all small examples. But every interaction to limit exposure is important. But will these kinds of procedures continue in the future? If it helps with reducing costs or becoming more efficient, I would say yes. For example, curbside pickup is great. Sometimes restaurants get crowded so sifting through all the people to go pick up your order takes time from both parties. I’d say yes. Also, anything to reduce a service call – so use of video – yes, I’d say that will continue if possible. It certainly saves time and money for the business. And the example of the service person having more complete info on the service app – for sure that will continue. It’s faster, and maybe even more accurate as well.

  Sangoma offers a variety of UC systems to help you work remotely. And with our recent acquisition of Star2Star we pick up some connected worker applications such as Curbside Pickup and Mass Notification.

  The post The Role of UC in Limiting Exposure for Essential Workers appeared first on Sangoma.

April 16, 2021

• Enable Security OpenSIPIt'01: Lessons learned, STIR/SHAKEN security testing and RFC 8760
  Executive summary (TL;DR) It was a great event, highly recommended if you’re a SIP developer. We developed new STIR/SHAKEN capabilities in SIPVicious PRO. And we found some vulnerabilities during the event that got fixed in the process. What was OpenSIPIt#01 about? This week the humble security researchers from Enable Security participated in OpenSIPIt#01, an online event run by the community to test interoperability across various independent open-source SIP implementations especially when it comes to new RFCs.

April 15, 2021

• Digium Returning Back To Normal: Part One

  It’s impossible to say for certain that the pandemic is winding down. At this point, health experts are still trying to reign in COVID-19 and distribute vaccines to the public. The return “back to normal” is in sight, but we’re still in the thick of it. And in this period of transition, there is considerable debate over what “normal” will look like.

  Most businesses are looking forward and forming strategies to safely resume some in-person operations. This two-part series will explore some of the structural changes that are taking place across various industries, as companies pivot to the “next” normal of the pandemic.

  Back To Normal With A Twist: Shifting To Hybrid Work

  Despite the rocky transition to remote work at the onset of the pandemic, feelings about the trend appear to be mostly positive across the board. In a recent benchmark survey from PwC, 83% of employers said the shift to remote work has been successful for their company, up from 73% in June 2020.

  Most companies have established at least base level remote connectivity and security, and are now in the process of upgrading their services and laying the groundwork for permanent remote work.

  That said, the future of remote work will most likely be much different. A gradual shift to hybrid work is already starting to take place, which is expected to accelerate in the coming months as more people get vaccinated. Eventually, hybrid work will be the new normal.

  Consider the fact that in PwC’s survey, only 13 percent of executives claimed they are ready to permanently ditch their offices. And 75 percent of executives believe at least half of their office employees will return to the office by June 2021.

  It’s clear that executives will need to tread lightly when asking employees to resume on-site operations though, or pushback will occur. PwC found that employees want to return back to normal more slowly than employers in regards to in-office operations, with 61% of employees expecting to spend half their time on-site by July. Hybrid work acceleration will largely depend on how the next few months pan out.

  Retrofitting Offices for Hybrid Work

  PwC also found that U.S. executives are planning many new investments to support hybrid work. Some of the top investments include tools for virtual collaboration (72%), IT infrastructure to secure virtual connectivity (70%) and training for managers to manage a more virtual workspace (64%). Additional investments include fitting conference rooms with enhanced virtual connectivity, and hoteling applications, among others.

  Many companies have been forced to retrofit their office environments to enable social distancing. The majority of companies will also be using scheduling systems to limit on-site workers and reduce the spread of germs.

  Further, social distancing requirements are increasing demand for mobile solutions that enable workers to move around throughout the day, instead of being tethered to their desks. Some companies are also implementing hardware with antimicrobial components to limit the spread of COVID-19 on shared surfaces.

  Surging Cloud Adoption

  The cloud is more important than ever, as companies prepare for the “work from anywhere” trend that has become a standard business requirement in getting back to normal.

  Two trends to watch include multi-cloud adoption, which increased by 70% year over year during COVID-19, and cloud native growth. Many organizations are embracing modern cloud architectures built with microservices, which make it easier and cost-effective to build and manage applications.

  In addition, there is skyrocketing demand for UCaaS, which keeps teams connected and secure regardless of their location. By implementing UCaaS, companies can achieve reliable communication at all times for both on-site and remote workers.

  Stay tuned for the next blog in this series, which will focus on cloud computing and the return of retail in the transition of returning back to normal.

  The post Returning Back To Normal: Part One appeared first on Sangoma.

April 13, 2021

• Digium Why Video Can’t Be Your Sole “Go-to” Communications Platform

  I’m sure we can all agree that the year 2020 changed all of us in different ways, and for many of us it changed the way we communicate. It’s not uncommon for me to have multiple video meetings every    single    day. We get those video meeting invites in our calendar and we just go to them. We start in video and end in video. While I used to be on many audio conference calls, those are becoming less frequent and a thing of the past. I am on our video meeting platform, Sangoma Meet, all the time. It’s now like my best friend. I know its personality.

  And since it’s so integral to communications these days, that is why we are incorporating our video meeting platform, Sangoma Meet, into our mobile and desktop client, Sangoma Connect. Sangoma Connect will incorporate a talk aspect, a collaborate aspect, and a video meeting aspect. You’ll be able to move seamlessly between all three and launch a video call from our collaborate app for instance. It’s critical that we offer our customers the ability to communicate via voice, chat, or video. And to have our customers choose which one they want to “start” with.

  To me, this is just an evolution of the PBX. While the PBX notion is very voice centric, as Unified Communication features started to get incorporated, such as mobility, and the ability for the office phone number to ring on your smartphone or desktop, the notion of a “PBX” became antiquated. Unified Communication systems are what this industry has evolved to. And if the UC vendors want to survive, the UC systems will continue to need to evolve. And that means integrating video and chat as if it is native voice. And that is what we are doing. You want voice. Check. You want chat. Check. You want video. Check.

  But what about this concept of “video first” that I described in the first paragraph? I think in some use cases, like I was describing above with internal employee team calls, or calls with your channel, sure video meetings are good, and you will start and end with that.

  But for many small businesses, their customers are people – someone wanting to make an appointment or order something or whatever. Calling is efficient, so they call, or maybe use a self-service portal and maybe text. And that’s why a company with a sole focus on video meetings or video calling won’t be able to service a small and medium business. A Unified Communication system, that knows how to handle phone numbers, and texting, and all kinds of call control as is found in a “PBX” is required.

  A Unified Communication platform, able to do true multi-modal communications, such as Switchvox, PBXact, or Star2Star Business Voice will be required.

  The post Why Video Can’t Be Your Sole “Go-to” Communications Platform appeared first on Sangoma.

April 09, 2021

• Digium 6 Tips For A Smooth Collaboration Migration

  Communication and collaboration platforms skyrocketed in use following the outbreak of Covid-19, among organizations across all verticals.

  For example, by March 2020, Microsoft Teams an integration option that Star2Star, A Sangoma Company offers shot up to 44 million users. By April 2020, Teams reached 75 million users. And by October, it climbed to 115 million — and remains one of the leading enterprise platforms for connecting users across remote locations. Organizations are also relying heavily on programs like Zoom, Slack and Webex to keep team members in touch and productive.

  At this point, your organization may be considering migrating to one of these platforms. Yet, there are some important considerations to keep in mind to ensure optimal results.

  1. Round Up Your Admins & Users

  Chances are your enterprise has a fragmented messaging framework in place, with teams utilizing a variety of platforms to communicate. This is a good time to do a gut check and determine what your organization is currently using, and where and if any of these solutions can be extended. For example, sales may be using Zoom for video, while customer support uses Microsoft Teams for chat collaboration, and you may have yet another solution for your voice communications. You may be able to leverage a full suite of communications and collaboration from these vendors versus single solutions once you understand the use cases. A proposed tool may or may not be the most cost-effective solution so it’s essential to understand how your business needs to communicate and collaborate.

  Bring your users and IT administrators together and form a deployment committee to determine where various platforms could make sense in the enterprise. You may find that some platforms perform better in certain environments and user groups than others.

  For example, some teams may be able to get by using a bare-bones platform with limited tools. Other teams may require advanced collaboration hubs for sharing files and notes and collaborating with each other.

  During this meeting, you should also outline potential friction points and technical considerations to ensure a smooth migration.

  2. Set Policies

  You may wind up with a situation where multiple teams can create and manage deployments. Set clear governance policies to avoid running into operational and security issues down the road.

  For example, Microsoft provides various governance tools for Teams, enabling you to control things like how Teams are named and classified, who can create Teams, and whether guests are allowed. Competitive solutions may offer greater or lesser capabilities, so it’s important to decide what kind of oversight you will need prior to evaluating tools.

  3. Optimize & Secure Your Cloud

  Next, you’ll want to analyze and optimize your overall cloud environment. Talk to your admins about where emails and files live — and consider correlating specific platforms with appropriate cloud systems. Make sure your new platform has the right supporting cloud environment. If you still have applications you are hosting in your own data center or in a third-party data center that require your employees to VPN to access, there may be a better way to enable their productivity.

  If this is the case you should consider using a desktop as a service (DaaS) solution to securely deliver your app to any location. This way, end-users can log into a secure portal and access apps and data instead of having them live on their machines or by leveraging complicated secure VPNs to access.

  4. Upgrade Your Voice Quality, Workflow Integrations & More

  Look for opportunities to enhance the platform for better results. For example, Microsoft makes it very easy to integrate additional services into Teams and there are hundreds of apps to explore. One thing to consider is that the platform doesn’t offer great native voice functionality, and users often complain about poor quality on calls. We’ve found that you can easily augment Teams by using third-party enterprise business voice services in conjunction with Microsoft’s infrastructure. In doing so, you can ensure crystal clear calls and achieve much greater flexibility.

  It’s also important to understand if you need any IoT integrations to manage your business. This could be anything from integration with overhead paging systems, to door strike/telephony integrations, or integration to older analog devices. While these may not come natively in a potential solution, if you need to support these, they can be managed by choosing a telephony partner that works with the solution you end up choosing.

  Connected worker apps may include urgent notifications, mass notifications, employee alerts, curbside service, and CRM integrations, and are designed to provide better control over your unique workflows via your communications. These applications are not necessarily natively supported in your solution of choice. However, by leveraging solutions from companies that work to integrate tools, you can further extend productivity and responsiveness for your business.

  5. Test Your Platform Before Deploying

  Before deploying a platform across the enterprise, it’s a good idea to test it in a small and controlled setting.

  Approach various user groups, and identify users that may benefit from the new platform. Have your IT department deploy it, and test the platform for quality and reliability.

  If the platform is a success and the users enjoy the experience, consider integrating the platform into that unit and move onto another one. This accomplishes a few things. First, it lets your IT team educate users and explain the reason for the migration and the benefits that the platform offers. It also gives administrators the ability to identify possible areas of friction and make changes to avoid potential disruptions.

  6. Deploy

  Once you’ve completed all of the above steps, the only thing left to do is deploy across your entire organization. Your employees will be more comfortable and productive when you take the time to migrate to a new collaboration solution according to these guidelines. And for the long term, you will have set up your business for ongoing success as remote work and team collaboration become even more critical to daily operations.

  Article originally featured on Forbes.com.

  The post 6 Tips For A Smooth Collaboration Migration appeared first on Sangoma.

April 08, 2021

• FreeSWITCH The Struggles of Real-Time Translation

  Communication technologies have come a long way over the last couple of decades. Some of the craziest innovations involve what AI is now capable of, like real-time translation.

  Imagine being able to speak to anybody on Earth despite language barriers, in real time. In a globally connected world, computational linguistics will have to build better tech that can actually serve a wider variety of people in this sort of way. Translation is going to play a huge role, since over half of internet content is supposedly in English, but only 20% of the world’s population have any English skills. And while there are some new products that are doing real-time translation, usually it’s for between 20-40 languages, which is such a small fraction of the more than 7,000 languages being spoken all over the world today. 

  Artificial intelligence and machine learning have been and will continue to be taking over all kinds of industries and processes. But the area of language and linguistics has always been a tricky one – human language is crazy complicated, even for computers. Meaning is constantly evolving, context shifting, and it can take a lot even for a computer to identify language patterns and logic. As Stanford University Professor John McCarthy put it, “natural language does not have a full set of rules of inference.” Data, data, and more data is how AI functions. But how can machines be built that fully understand all human language, when there are no strict rules in place, and what few rules there are vary across languages and even dialects? 

  Progress is happening fast. Just several years ago, AI struggled to understand the context of a full sentence, prohibiting language fluency. Early systems broke up sentences into chunks to interpret individual words, disconnecting meaning from them entirely. But the day of completely reliable real-time translation could still be further off than you might think.

  There are all kinds of bumps in the road that could mess up a computer’s ability to understand human language. Think different dialects of the same language – what if the technology fails to understand a thick regional accent? What happens when a single language has hundreds of dialects? If only some of those dialects are used to train the software, it can still be hard to use for people who speak the same language, just not in the same exact way. 

  Automatic speech recognition is a huge product of computational linguistics, and we all know it’s far from perfect at this point. Sometimes Alexa or Siri simply doesn’t understand you or can’t give you the answers you want. And it really depends on the specific technology for why this could be – biases in the data used to train the technology, the software’s interpretation of that data, or simply the difficulties around a computer not being as adaptable as a human on the fly. 

  Have you ever tried to change your flight, or contact your pharmacy, and you just can’t get a hold of a human person no matter how hard you try? And the IVR just won’t understand what you have to say no matter how many times you say it. Or you use a speech-to-text tool and it catches a string of funny words that are completely wrong. These are pretty inconsequential examples, but where AI is being used in more serious circumstances, some of these mistakes can be important and difficult to notice. AI is notorious for being bad at negation – and considering “did” and “didn’t” are opposites, it has to be able to identify the right one to get the meaning correct. Even if it’s hard for a human ear to pick up this difference, we make up for it with inferences on the context, tone, or other information. The human brain doesn’t really need the clearest set of data possible in order to understand something, and we still miscommunicate with each other all the time.

  When it comes to real-time translation, things can get even weirder. With phrases like idioms, often one-to-one translations are just not accurate. In English, if you’re talking about “getting cold feet” in reference to being nervous about something, how would an AI go about translating that to another language? The tech has to actually pick up the context of idioms and maybe even translate into equivalent idioms, if they even exist. The examples of weird idioms are endless, and so many of them make no sense based on words alone; you just know them from speaking a language for a while. And what happens if you’re actually talking about your feet being cold, in the literal sense? How would an AI understand that context to know you mean it idiomatically or literally? Translation models are sort of designed to pick up on it for the most part, but it doesn’t always work.

  The progress that translation technology has made in recent years is really impressive for casual use, especially on the internet. Google, Microsoft, Facebook – tech companies and social media have implemented translation tools for a long time now. But for serious legal or medical documentation, AI still isn’t good enough to be trusted just yet. Human translators are still doing it better. Some really weird stuff can happen when mistakes are made by AI – for example, recently, the name of Chinese leader Xi Jinping turned up as a curse word when posts were translated from Burmese to English on Facebook. The name was missing from the Burmese language database model, and in the system’s attempt to replace it with similar syllables, things went offensively wrong.

  As we all know, the more data, the better. There’s tons of knowledge shared by many people when it comes to English to Spanish translation, for example, so you can get fairly accurate results most of the time from common translation tools. But what if you’re trying to translate Burmese to Finnish? Well, that could go weirdly. Sometimes the systems are trained with an intermediary language like English to help make the process easier to understand for the computers, but this solution can really mess up meaning too.

  There are fields of computer science and linguistics designed to try and tackle these issues, such as Natural Language Processing. This area is ultimately devoted to getting computers to actually understand human language in a way that allows them to communicate more closely to how humans do. This is accomplished by using huge amounts of language data with all of its complexities. NLP includes simple tasks like a short command, or highly complex tasks like getting a computer to actually comprehend an entire text like a poem. This field has been studied for half a century now, and there are still so many problems to solve. As it turns out, learning language is hard, for everyone from children, to adult learners of a second language, to scientists, to literal computers.

  One area of computational linguistics in which it seems AI can beat humans is in the study of dead languages. Studying and comprehending a dead language is a difficult process for many reasons – minimal records, a lack of relative languages to be compared to, or an entirely different structure (think something like a lack of spaces between words). In 2020 MIT’s Computer Science and Artificial Intelligence Laboratory made major progress in developing an AI that can decipher a lost language without having to understand anything about related languages in advance. The system is also capable of determining the relationship between two languages. This tech so far exceeds human capabilities to interpret lost languages that it will open many doors for academics studying relics of ancient communication, and hopefully speed up these processes. 

  Some languages take human linguists decades to figure out. We still haven’t determined where certain languages even came from. But if AI can be programmed to pinpoint what a dead language is related to or what it’s saying, maybe it’s not crazy to think real-time translation will also evolve in the not-too-distant future to become smarter than humans. Although, it tends to be believed that by that point, literally everyone from doctors to lawyers will be replaced with AI as well. Human language, and how we communicate, is seriously that complicated!

  The post The Struggles of Real-Time Translation appeared first on FreeSWITCH.

April 07, 2021

• Jitsi Winning over the classroom with Jitsi

  Hey there Fellow Jitsters! Today we are very excited to announce we are launching an education themed hackathon together with the European Commission. The ultimate goal is to improve Jitsi for education usage, which has seen incredible growth in the past year, as you can imagine. Come and join us in this new hackathon, running from the 26th of April until the 3rd of May.

  

  Checkout the press release after the jump!

  ---

  We are calling out developers to attend the “Winning over the classroom with Jitsi” Hackathon online from 26 of April to 03 of May 2021. The event is being organised by Tipik, the event partner for the European Commission’s Open Source Initiative under ISA2 Sharing and Reuse action.

  The hackathon will bring together Jitsi (Core Team) members and Advanced users from across Europe and around the world. The plan is to propose new features for Jitsi focused on education. On our Hackathon page, you can see suggestions of challenges to solve during the event but you are welcome to add your own ideas to this evolving list.

  If you feel qualified to do this work and wish to contribute, you are invited to fill out the registration form.
  Do not miss this rare opportunity to meet key Jitsi committers, like-minded colleagues and staff from the European institutions, and shape the future of Education with Jitsi. Register now.
  Should you have any questions, please feel free to get in touch with us anytime.

   

  About the Open Source Initiative under ISA2 Sharing and Reuse Action

  This hackathon is an ISA² sponsored component of the Sharing and Re-use action (2016.31), which aim to bring together European Public Services on the subject of open source. The action has four areas of focus:

  • Inventory: Creating an initial, first cut, inventory of open source software used by European Public Services
  • Funding: Studying the need for a European Open Source Funding Mechanism, and then defining how it could work
  • Security: running bug bounties on software selected from consulting multiple public administrations
  • Hackathons: Holding events/hackathons to tackle common issues in open source that the European Public Services may be facing.

   

  Timings:

  Start Time: 16:00 pm CET on Monday 26 of April

  End Time: 16:00 pm CET on Monday 03 of May

  Award Ceremony: 16:00 on  Monday 10 of May

  The post Winning over the classroom with Jitsi appeared first on Jitsi.

April 06, 2021

• Digium Sangoma Completes Acquisition of Star2Star

  On January 29th, Sangoma announced a definitive agreement to acquire Star2Star, a cloud-based Communications as a Service provider with a leading UCaaS offer. We’re pleased that the deal closed last week.

  So, why did we do this deal? First off, Star2Star targets medium and large enterprise and managed service providers, with channels that don’t really overlap with Sangoma, so the “fit” is very nice. Star2Star has almost 10,000 business customers with tens of thousands of locations. We feel like now we can confidently go after and win the full spectrum of UC prospects, from small business to large enterprise.

  Together, we will have increased scale, and given both of us are profitable, we will remain a profitable entity with approximately 70% recurring revenue. As a Channel Partner or end-customer, you shouldn’t have to worry about whether we’ll be around in the future. Whatever side you come from, the transaction represents a very positive development for the future of the new Sangoma (the combined company) since there will be benefits from the improved scale/financial stability, a broader portfolio of products, expanded global services, and a continued commitment to invest in innovation.

  We feel we’ll have the most complete UC portfolio in the market: From on-premises to Cloud UC that can work in businesses of all sizes, with our own phones, headsets, gateways, SBCs and SIP Trunking. As such, a business would be able to deploy Sangoma products across their entire enterprise, avoiding any interoperability “finger pointing” which crops up sometimes. Additionally, we’ll have a full suite of Communication as a Service offers, from UCaaS to Video Meetings to Collaboration to Wholesale Voice Services to Access Control. Truly all that a business needs from a single vendor, obviating the need to put all kinds of different communication products into your enterprise network.

  During the past few months, when we were not yet closed, we understandably received questions about the future of the different UC platforms. Yes, we understand them. We got the same ones when Sangoma merged with Digium and we said both Switchvox and PBXact would remain. And both have remained. So we certainly understand. And all UC platforms will remain now.

  As I intimated above, the target market overlap was not that great. Switchvox and PBXact predominantly served the SMB. And both are also on-premise products in addition to cloud products. And Star2Star predominately services the mid-size enterprise to MSP market, with a cloud offer. Because of that, all platforms with remain as long as there is market demand for them. We may choose to do work to consolidate to a single mobile and desktop client, like we have done with Sangoma Connect for Switchvox and PBXact, and other similar things, but there are no plans to announce any of that in the short term.

  And Sangoma plans to continue to sell, develop and support our hardware business including phones, cards, gateways, SBCs, and UC appliance businesses. And we also plan to continue to be the stewards of Asterisk and FreePBX. So, no big changes.

  Right now, we need to integrate the teams and that will take some time. Customers on both sides will continue to receive the same products, quality and service they have come to expect from both companies.

  If you are a partner, we are looking forward to growing with you. If you are a prospect or customer, we look forward to serving you in the future!

  The post Sangoma Completes Acquisition of Star2Star appeared first on Sangoma.

• WebRTC Hacks How Go-based Pion attracted WebRTC Mass – Q&A with Sean Dubois

  Pion seemingly came out of nowhere to become one of the biggest and most active WebRTC communities. Pion is a Go-based set of WebRTC projects. Golang is an interesting language, but it is not among the most popular programming languages out there, so what is so special about Pion? Why are there so many developers […]

  The post How Go-based Pion attracted WebRTC Mass – Q&A with Sean Dubois appeared first on webrtcHacks.