Instructions for Router Installation

If you are using a router, please follow these instructions for connecting to the DSL modem.

* Connect the port labeled "WAN" or "Internet" on your router to the DSL modem.
* DO NOT connect a port labeled "LAN" on your router to the DSL modem!
* Follow the manufacturer's directions for configuration. If you check the router's status panel it should be getting an IP address that begins with 10. If it is not, you may have a problem with how you have it connected or configured which will need to be resolved before you can continue. (We do not support the use of routers; please refer to your router user manual.)
* Once you have an IP address that begins with 10, connect a computer to the router. Make sure you are getting an IP address from the router and have good communications with it.
* Register the router:
Do it yourself:
+ Visit the DSL registration page at http://umdsl.itcs.umich.edu/ and authenticate. This will register the router.
+ Wait 30 minutes and release/renew the router's IP address using its control panel, or by power-cycling the router.
+ If you can't reach the registration page, try accessing it from a computer connected directly to the DSL modem to be sure it is working in general. Assuming that it is working, failures to reach the registration page from behind the router may indicate a problem with how the router or connected computer is configured. These problems should be resolved before proceeding.

IP Telephone Service That's Easy, Inexpensive and Reliable!

Until now, IP Telephone services were complex and often needed expensive equipment to connect to your existing phone system. Accessing the latest PC phoning features and having a "portable" phone number that follows you wherever you go sometimes required replacement of all your phones with IP phones.

With MeritVoice, your organization has all the benefits of an advanced, low cost IP Telephone service without changing your current phone system. In most cases, MeritVoice even provides the equipment your system may need to connect to an IP phone line usually at no additional cost!

MeritVoice also provides local calling throughout Michigan (with none of the black-out areas other providers have), long distance calling worldwide and full 800 number capability.

* Delivers a complete, reliable and secure, converged communications solution integrating voice and data over your IP network.

* MeritVoice uses Merit's advanced fiber-optic network and leverages the power of our Members' dedicated connections to the network.

* Brings IP cost savings and features to conventional phone systems.

* Consolidates voice, video and data from one source: a single supplier for networking, phone, administrative and billing support.

* Advanced features like emergency and broadcast dialing which allows you to call your whole community in minutes. Voice broadcast reaches vast numbers of people in a short amount of time via either their fixed or mobile phone as well as via SMS alerting and e-mail.

* MeritVoice peers with TelNet's network at multiple points in Michigan, enhancing performance, speed, and reliability.

Together with TelNet WorldWide, Merit brings the most experienced team in IP Voice technology and networking to your organization!

* Merit and TelNet are Michigan-based providers with the largest coverage in the state.

* Cost savings: assuring cost savings with the best-in-class, customized solutions

* Our priority is Michgan's Research, Education, Library and HealthCare organizations!

Duke to convert phone service to voice over IP

Duke University will convert all phone service on the main Duke campus, including the health system, to Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP), over a two-year period. The move will vastly simplify the way phone service is provided across campus, and will reduce phone service costs by more than $2 million a year when completed.

VoIP is a technology that converts the voice at one end of a telephone conversation into small packets of data, transmits those packets across existing data networks, and reassembles them into intelligible speech at the other end of the call. Since VoIP eliminates the need for dedicated telephone lines and switching equipment, the system can help to reduce infrastructure and communication costs.

“OIT has been testing and piloting Voice over IP service for some time now, and we put our first 500 production phone sets into service three years ago,” said Duke University Chief Information Officer Tracy Futhey. “Today, 10 percent of our phones are using VoIP, and our technology infrastructure is ready to support VoIP for all users on campus.” Many large corporations have been using VoIP for years and, increasingly, universities are following suit.

The adoption of VoIP, Futhey explained, “will allow us to retire Duke’s legacy phone switches, which are costly to maintain and, in some cases, difficult to upgrade. With everyone using VoIP for phone service, we will be able to reduce phone rates for all departments starting in July of next year and, because we will standardize the models we offer for most applications, we will also be able to save on equipment purchases and establish a common replacement schedule. All of this helps ensure that we are using Duke’s financial resources as efficiently as possible.”

The aggressive conversion schedule—replacing more than 30,000 lines over the course of two years—will allow the enterprise to benefit from the projected annual savings as quickly as possible, and to avoid the cost of upgrading legacy equipment. In addition, this process will give each department the opportunity to review phone needs, with an eye toward reducing the number of lines used and thereby saving even more on phone service.

OIT project staff have already started meeting with key staff in the offices of the provost, the executive vice president and the health system to share the draft project plan. Once a schedule for conversion of each department is set, project timelines, metrics and status reports will be made available via the Web. As the staff in each department gets close to conversion, they will receive detailed information about the process and instructions for use of the new phones.

While VoIP phones use different technology to transmit calls, they work essentially the same way other phones do: you pick up a handset, punch out the number you want on the keypad, and use other buttons for redial, hold, and so on. With VoIP service, however, you’ll be able to do other things, like move your phone (and your dedicated phone number) to another location without paying for a service call, or duplicate the settings from your office phone on the phone in your lab.

Software Phones at Dartmouth

Students at Dartmouth can now use their computers as phones - and through an independent development, long distance charges are now also a thing of the past. This fall, Dartmouth's incoming freshmen can download free software that allows their Windows computers to function as telephones on both the campus's wireless and wired networks. This offering is one of several new mobile voice options from Dartmouth's Computing Services Department.

"I don't think anyone's done this before on such a large scale," says Bob Johnson, Associate Director for Telecommunications, "so we're eager to see how the community uses these new ways of communicating. We'll be studying it."

The "softphones," which are being phased in throughout the fall term starting with the first year students, allow any Windows computer to place and receive telephone calls. Wireless or wired, all users need is a headset or handset (available from the campus computer store), some free software from the Dartmouth Web site, and an assigned phone number in order to talk on the phone from Dartmouth to anyone, anywhere, anytime. There are a few new handheld wireless phone options as well.

"This software frees you from thinking a phone is a physical device," says Larry Levine, Director of Computing. "Your phone could be your laptop computer, your handheld computer, or any other wireless device."

The rollout of the software is the first of a new generation of communications technologies made possible by an upgrade of the campus data network this past winter and spring. Once separate, the data and telephone networks are now merged in a way that provides new services to the Dartmouth community, including voice-over Internet protocol, or VoIP. With VoIP, phone calls travel along the converged data-telephone network, eliminating long distance fees.

"Softphones are less expensive than cell phones," says Levine. "Because we've also simply stopped charging for long distance calls, no matter what kind of phone you use at Dartmouth there's no charge for long distance, whether you call from a regular phone or a softphone," says Levine.

This campus-wide technological experiment will be closely watched. Computer Science Professor David Kotz and his students, as well as Thayer School of Engineering professors and professionals from Computing Services, will all study the impact on both the wireless and wired networks as more and more converged traffic crosses the wires during the term.

Internet phones have arrived

The idea of digitizing voices isn't new; just listen to a CD. But digitizing phone calls, organizing them in "packets," and sending them over network lines is now becoming mainstream. Dartmouth is embracing this new technology by converting its traditional phone lines to voice-over Internet protocol, or VOIP.

As part of Dartmouth's planned upgrade, a new and improved network infrastructure, which was gradually installed over the last five months, will be rigorously tested over the next few weeks. The new equipment allows for "convergence," a term that describes the fact that cable TV, voice and data will travel through one line.

"Convergence is saving us space and money," says Brad Noblet, director of technical services for Peter Kiewit Computing Services. "The jack in the wall becomes an all-in-one utility, and we upgrade all three systems with one shot."

From a user's point of view, sending phone calls over the data lines with a new system works exactly the same way as before. The actual VOIP phone set looks a little different, but users will not otherwise notice a difference in basic telephone service, says Noblet. However, the new system brings new conveniences, such as the ability to place calls or retrieve messages from a wireless-enabled laptop via Dartmouth's campuswide wireless network.

"I find it very easy to use, and I use it routinely to call off campus," says John Winn, Professor of Chemistry. "I particularly like that it keeps a list of calls I've placed; I just scroll back to a previously-called number and lift the receiver to place a new call to that number."

Barry Scherr, Provost and the Mandel Family Professor of Russian, agrees. "I like it," he says. "It's a mini computer that doubles as a phone; I can even get news headlines on it."

According to Bob Johnson, Associate Director of Telecommunications, the upgrade provided Dartmouth with a tenfold increase in overall bandwidth capacity and improved network intelligence that brings us "out to the edge of current technology."

"Our old network worked with routers going through one hub," says Johnson. "We replaced the hubs with switches and upgraded all the routers to provide better, uninterrupted service." This means that Dartmouth has upgraded its system to better manage the torrent of information flowing around the campus and to and from the rest of the world.

The new equipment ensures that messages are not slowed down, adds Johnson. Whether it's voice, data or cable TV information that's moving around our campus network, service will be consistent and reliable. Backup generators have been installed as part of the upgrade, ensuring that network service will never be compromised and 911 service will continue to function in an emergency.

While VOIP is tested, though, the old phone service will remain in place.

"We have a three-year safety net," says Noblet. "That's how long our existing telephone contract runs."

Alex Jordan '03, from Chelmsford, Mass., is an engineering major working with the VOIP infrastructure for his senior thesis. He is working with specialized digital radios that use the amateur radio bands to make long distance network connections. He is creating a new network independent of the campus system that will be able to operate over much longer distances.

"Since the radios are portable," he says, "it would be possible to set up these wireless video and voice connections virtually anywhere using just a laptop, a commercial webcam and the digital radios. They would be especially well-suited for emergency or disaster areas where traditional modes of communication have been rendered inoperable. It has been exciting to see how well the VOIP standards work and to get the chance to use them to meet our communication needs over these new networks."

Welcome to VoIP at UofL

Voice over IP (VoIP) is an increasingly popular form of telephone service. VoIP works by taking the voice signals on your telephone, converting the signals to digital information, and sending them over a computer network instead of over traditional telephone lines. Over the past few years VoIP replaced most of the phone systems at larger organizations, such as UofL, and is now offered to homes in some areas over broadband cable and DSL connections.

The university has been using VoIP successfully since 2002. VoIP can be installed anywhere the ethernet network is available. Only one internet outlet is necessary to use a VoIP phone. When installed, the VoIP phone plugs into the Internet outlet and the computer plugs into the back of the phone.

The University of Louisville gratefully acknowledges the assistance of Case Western Reserve University in the development of these web pages for their permission to use VoIP documentation and materials from their web site.

Area codes to change at Kilmer Library, Dec. 3rd; Part of Rutgers VOIP project

After December 3rd any calls to phone numbers in the Kilmer Library must be preceded by a new area code - 848. This change is taking place as part of the university's five year project to implement Voice Over Internet Protocol (VOIP) phone lines across the New Brunswick/Piscataway campuses.

For a limited period of time, callers who dial the old area code of 732 will reach a recorded announcement that reminds them of the new area code and asks them to redial.

Rutgers initiated the VOIP project to provide university departments and offices with less expensive and more manageable options for their telecommunication needs. The change to VOIP phone service will be undertaken in stages, over the next four years, based on the infrastructure available on the different campuses and the readiness of specific buildings and departments. There are currently no plans to implement VOIP on the Camden and Newark campuses.

The Libraries are excited by the move to VOIP because it will allow us to save money on phone costs and will allow new options in our phone service. As an example of one possible benefit - since Rutgers will own the entire 848 area code, faculty or staff members who move to an office in another building can take their phone number with them. This change alone will save Libraries personnel, and their professional and personal contacts, countless hours in now-unnecessary phone book updates over the years to come.

In the months ahead the Libraries will post news updates as additional library buildings implement VOIP and change their area code to 848. The next library scheduled to implement VOIP is the Douglass Library, in March or April of 2011.

New Features offered by Voip

The new system will provide SanJac a variety of new features.

One-X Portal

The Avaya one-X Portal will give SanJac employees easy access to communications capabilities anytime, anywhere. Avaya one-X™ Portal is a web-based software solution that provides workers with access to directory information, voicemail, and audio conferencing.

Enhanced 911

Amcom’s enhanced 911 . The solutions pinpoint a 911 caller’s exact location and pass it along to the Public Safety Answering Point (PSAP). This kind of reliable, automatic transfer of information will help you provide vital, lifesaving information and notify the appropriate onsite personnel that an emergency call is in progress.

VoIP @ Qatar University New Telephone System

Information Technology Services implemented this spring semester of a new VoIP (Voice over Internet Protocol) telephone system, a technology that enabled the University to make telephone calls using the Campus network instead of traditional phone lines. All Colleges/departments has been migrated to the new VoIP system gradually.

Old System Disconnection

Since all the offices and staff have been migrated to the new system, we are starting discontinuation of the old system. All the OLD PHONES operational at ITS Department will be discontinued starting Jun 01, 2010. This process will be gradually executed throughout Qatar University and by Jun 30, 2010, QU should have only one system to operate and use.

New QU Numbers

New numbers have been published on QU website and respective departmental websites. Also, online directory at QU website can be used to search for new numbers.

Qatar University Main Number = 403 3333
New ITS Helpdesk = 403 3456.8

VoIP Fulfillment Launched by VoIP Supply

VoIP Fulfillment by VoIP Supply is a suite of services specifically designed for VoIP service providers that increase operational efficiency, decreases costs and bolster customer experience. I spoke with VoIP Supply's Garrett Smith - Chief Marketing Officer, Mike Russo - Executive Vice President, and Donald Stefanie - VoIP Service Provider Program Manager to learn more.

First off Garrett mentioned that VoIP Supply has over 700 service provider customer – an impressive number – though not all of them are using their new VoIP Fulfillment services. They actually targeted service providers and resellers back in 2004 when their business first started. However, although VoIP Supply started with the service provider and reseller space, they refocused around 2006/2007 on end users since the margins on hardware were getting squeezed. Now they're targeting SMBs directly at 150 seats and under. They also launched their buyback program during the recession period, which really took off and enabled IT Directors to scrape some cash together from some old telecom equipment. In their first year they purchased about $1 million in used equipment. VoIP supply also has a Refresh (refurbished/reconditional) 10-step program that takes customer's used products, cleans it, fixes it up, replaces broken buttons, and then sells it. Last year they launched their "Deploy" service which is their nationwide installation service.

Garret Smith explained, "You can come to VoIP Supply as an end user customer and you can get your phone system, your hosted system, your networking, your cables, your surveillance system even - completely configured, shipped plug n' play and then have our outsourced installation staff go into your office and do the whole soup-to-nuts installation for you, the testing, the final settings & configurations, and essentially leave you with a brand new working system and you don't have to lift a finger." Garrett added that this service is gaining a lot of traction amongst their service provider customers since they're looking to make it easier for their customers to get started.

Garrett, "Where we differentiate is with the ancillary things, like device consultation and selection. Due to the number of service providers, the number of end user customers, the number of resellers that we touch, the variety and the longevity, we're in a position where service providers can come to us and work with us to find the right fit for their service."

Garrett explained they can take the 1st tier customer support and act as a service providers technical support to answer phones or email as though they were the service provider. They can also do co-branding, add any sort of sticker or collateral and custom brand the packing tape, etc. Garrett explained, "Essentially, we can take the entire back-end infrastructure from a pick, pack, and ship, from a device configuration, a customer service & returns perpective and white label that and act as though we are that service provider."

VoIP Supply sells IP phones, IP cameras, extended warranties, Asterisk hardware, networking equipment, DECT SIP phones, and more. One other interesting offering is that VoIP Supply has a leads generation program that providers 30 leads per day to service providers

BlackBerry gets mobile VoIP connectivity

Mobile VoIP connectivity is the one of the most sought after apps for smartphones and now BlackBerry, which is produced by RIM, is getting in on the action.

Although the Blackberry is a great enterprise smartphone, users who wanted Mobile VoIP must have looked on enviously as competitors like the iPhone and the Android accessed products such as Fring, Truphone and Skype.

But now the Mobile Voip service TringMe can be downloaded by BlackBerry owners as their first native VoIP client.


This third party program allows free phone calls over a Wi-Fi network which saves money and also makes business transactions that much easier, especially now that worldwide conference calling is also on the menu.

More than 100 million smartphone users are expected to be using mobile VoIP connectivity services by the year 2012.

Breezecom Offers Scalability in Terms of VoIP Capacity and Destinations

A premium international telecom service provider, Breezecom, has announced that they offer scalability in terms of VoIP capacity and destinations in their wholesale VoIP service. The offer is included as one of the key features in their wholesale VoIP service package. Apart from this, the company also provides – network based on state-of-the-art Genband platform, robust quality ASR, ACD, and PDD, also their service suits carriers seeking multiple DS3 capacity.

Commenting on their VoIP service package, the company's senior marketing executive said, “Picking up the right partner is imperative for your success. Your wholesale VOIP termination (aggregation) provider must consistently deliver a high quality of service. With us you can be assured of seamless wholesale VoIP termination. Our VOIP / SIP system provides the features and flexibility to compete in the global VoIP marketplace.”

This package is designed to give more flexibility and convenience to wholesale, retail VoIP service and smaller carriers within the services that the company provides. Therefore, telecom business owners who use the company's VoIP service package can be assured that all their voice traffic needs will be met with high efficiency and cost effectively.

Further stressing on the company's services, the senior marketing executive added, that “the support of our technical team is offered on a 24x7 basis. We ensure that our response time is minimum and quality of resolution as per our customers’ requirements.

VoIP Services for Making Phone Calls

Most people have heard of Skype, and it still is one of the best VoIP services around, but there are quite a few other good options as well that let you make phone calls over the Internet using your regular landline, mobile phone or your computer.

There are three kinds of Voice over IP (VoIP) solutions that let you enjoy crystal-clear* phone calls at a fraction of the price that your phone company charges:

1. Hardware based – You get a dedicated hardware router that sits between your Internet modem and your corded /cordless phone so ytitle="VoIP Services for Making Phone Calls" ou can make and receive phone calls just like before. The only difference is that calls are now routed through the Internet and not your phone company so you usually end up saving money.

2. Software based – You install a VoIP software on your computer or your web-enabled mobile phone and make phone calls via the Internet connection bypassing your phone company. It doesn’t matter if you mobile phone is connected to the Internet over Wi-Fi, GPRS, EDGE, 3G or WiMAX.

3. Web based – Web based VoIP services neither require any hardware nor software. You open the VoIP service provider’s site, type the phone numbers and you’re instantly connected. Some services also offer special hotlines (or direct access numbers) that let you make Internet phone calls using your traditional phone even if you don’t have an internet connection.

Treasury flags VoIP upgrade

The Federal Department of the Treasury has gone to market for a supplier to replace its existing PABX with a Voice over Internet telephony (VOIP) system.

When reached, the agreement will be effective for three years and will see the chosen company delivering core services such as the design, supply and installation of the system, coupled with adequate training of the Treasury staff and maintenance.

In an a statement included in a Request for Tender document, the Treasury said an Internet Protocol-based (IP) technology would allow the department to finalise its unified communications strategy, which includes voice, instant messaging, presence and conferencing capabilities. “Treasury is seeking a solution that empowers its staff to self-service features, thereby reducing the ongoing ICT support costs,” the department wrote.

Prior to substituting its PABX system with a new platform, the Treasury will also upgrade its email system, from Microsoft Exchange 2007 to 2010. At a later stage, the actual deployment of the VOIP solution will involve changes at all levels. New telephony solutions will require 1,300 user handsets, 20 door handsets, 300 expansion modules and 20 conference handsets. Also the Treasury will standardise its headsets on one model of wired and one of wireless.

Its current Norten Meridian PABX switchboard supports features as call hold, transfer, call forward, pick up groups, hunt groups, shared lines etc. With the rollout of the VOIP technology, the Treasury expects to deploy a software-based console to support high inbound calls volumes.

“The proposed software console is to meet the operator’s requirements for accepting and dispatching calls, directory searching, call queuing, night-switching, and reporting,” it is written in the RFT document. “In addition, identification of “presence” status for end users from the software console is to be provided”.

Fixed landline business telecommunications services

A "fixed line" telephone, also known as a landline, is a standard telephone used over the "wired" telephone network.

How do I choose a service provider?

The public telephone network was operated by British Telecom until 1984, when the industry was opened up to competition. The market is made up of a multitude of operators (or telcos), split into network providers, which supply services direct to the premises, and service providers or "billing only" telcos, which use the infrastructure supplied by network providers.

BT is still the biggest network provider, but alternative providers, including cable TV companies, have entered the market in several parts of the UK, including AT&T, Cable & Wireless (formerly Mercury), NTL and Telewest (now merged under the Virgin Media banner).
If you have a BT line, you may choose a different service provider to carry the calls themselves, regardless of where your business is based. These 'billing only' services can be accessed in two ways -

* indirect access - indirect access operators use BT's infrastructure from a customer's premises to the exchange to provide their own services. Services from these providers are accessed by dialling a prefix number or by routing through a box, which automatically dials the prefix. Some companies, such as First Telecom and One.Tel, specialise in indirect access, while the cable companies offer indirect access services in areas where they don't have their own infrastructure.
* carrier pre-selection (CPS) - with CPS there is no need to dial a prefix or use an adaptor, as calls are carried by a company selected in advance. CPS has been in operation since December 2000, and most indirect access operators are expected to offer it in the future.
* Local Loop Unbundling - where a carrier has its own equipment in the local BT exchange and a trunk line to its own network

Outstanding VoIP Voicemail Features Makes Getting VoIP Voicemail Extremely Convenient

There are many types of VoIP (Voice over Internet Protocol) protocols that are employed by the VoIP providers currently providing VoIP calling plans. Luckily for the consumers, the VoIP providers have listened to what functions the consumers want in their Voicemails. Almost all of the VoIP providers provide Voicemail with the standard VoIP calling plan. The special feature of the VoIP voicemail plan is in how the consumer can access his/her VoIP voicemail message.

In general, there are 4 ways in which a VoIP consumer can access their voicemail. When you add the four ways up, you will be able to access your voicemail from virtually anywhere.

First, you can access your voicemail through your primary VoIP telephone by dialing *123 or some other combination of numbers (VoIP voicemail access code varies by provider). The automatic attendant will let you know how many voicemails you have and walk you through retrieving all of your new voicemails and saving/deleting your old emails. It is quite a slick system.

The second method is via a local voicemail access number, where you can call a local telephone number from any telephone (Cell phone/Land line/ VoIP phone). When you dial into your local voicemail access number, the auto attendant will ask for you to punch in your VoIP phone number and password to be able to access your VoIP voicemail system.

The third method is through your VoIP provider online account management portal. You can go to your Provider's VoIP homepage and access the "Customer Login" portal by typing in your username and password. Once into the portal, click on the Voicemail tab and you can listen to your new voicemails over Internet connection.

The fourth method, and possibly the most useful, is every time you get a new VoIP voicemail, you are sent an email. That email will state that you have a new voicemail from your VoIP account, the date the voicemail was received, and an attachment of the voicemail as a .wav file. One outstanding feature is that you can save the .wav file on your computer's hard drive and email the voicemail to friends, family, or coworkers.

The above are generally how most VoIP providers give consumers access to their voicemail (but not all). Be sure to check each VoIP provider for how they provide their consumers access to their voicemail.

VoIP voicemail service is only one of the things to consider before choosing a VoIP solution. In fact, there are many things to consider when choosing a VoIP provider. An educated consumer generally results in a satisfied consumer. Please see our VoIP: Things to consider article to find a list of more things to consider when choosing a VoIP provider. You can Compare VoIP providers side-by-side at www.VoIPChoices.com

Will VoIP be a Mass Market Product?

A common thinking among "Marketing people " is that for every product that enters the market there must be a path, a target, a need ( real or created) that decides how the product must enter the consumer's life, which part of the population is more likely to go for it, which niche it is going to fill and, most important "...certain things being stated, something other than what is stated follows of necessity from their being so." and that is the final issue: the price.

Depending on those anavoidable patterns a product is more or less ready for a certain market.

High technologically devices, the ones that offer perfect quality and cost a fortune will target the elitarian market, where the price has not big importance (on the contrary, if the price would be lower than what certain people can afford, the product wouldn't reach them) since it means luxury.

When a product ceases to be luxury and begins to be a need, then the mass market is ready. The product can enter 60% of consumers' lives, reach easily a good upgrade in the percentage and become " The New Product of the year 200....".

Let's consider the VoIP market.

Prior to recent theoretical work on social needs, the usual purpose of a product invoked individual (social) behaviors. We now know that these assumptions are not completely wrong.

Wrong would be NON considering them.

In systems where many people are free to choose between many options, a small subset of the whole offer will get a disproportionate amount of traffic (or attention, or income), even if no one of the system actively work towards such an outcome. This has nothing to do with moral weakness, selling out, or any other psychological explanation. The very act of choosing, spread widely enough and freely enough, creates a power law distribution.

Now, thanks to a series of breakthroughs in network theory by researchers we know that power law distributions tend to arise in social systems where many people express their preferences among many options. We also know that as the number of options rise, the curve becomes more extreme. This is a counter-intuitive finding - most of us would expect a rising number of choices to flatten the curve, but in fact, increasing the size of the system increases the gap between the #1 spot and the median spot.

In other words: give to the people the choice among desktop phones and mobile phones and the majority will choose what they think more convenient, in spite of the cost of the service.

In a way the cost of the service is the only left advantage in favour of the fixed telephony.

If the price was the same the desktop phones would disappear from the life of the average consumer (mass market consumer).

To see how freedom of choice could create such unequal distributions, consider a hypothetical population of a thousand people, each picking their favorite way of telecommunication. One way to model such a system is simply to assume that each person has an equal chance of liking each kind of telephony. This distribution would be basically flat - most kind of telephony will have the same number of people listing it as a favorite. A few will be more popular than average and a few less, of course, but that will be statistical noise. The bulk of the telephony will be of average popularity, and the highs and lows will not be too far different from this average. In this model, neither the quality of the voice, the availability, the design of the device nor other people's choices have any effect; there are no shared tastes, no preferred genres, no effects from marketing or recommendations from friends.

Meet Your Solution To Cell Phone Overage Charges: The femtoJack!

The femtoJack is a new and innovative product from the creators of magicJack, which is aimed at allowing users to make mobile phone calls for free within their homes by using a computer that has access to the internet.

Basically, the femtoJack allows people to make use of VOIP via their cell phones, which for those who often end up paying overage charges for extra minutes this will be a welcomed opportunity. The reason is because it will only cost $19.95 per year and will allow for unlimited local and long distance minutes while in range of it.
The device is manufactured by Ymax and although sounding like its in violation of FCC spectrum laws, is actually completely legal according to most experts in the field. It sounds illegal because it works off the same high frequency spectrum that mobile phone operators purchase licenses for, but only uses the spectrum within your home, which is how it is not restricted by the law.
The actual logistics of the femtoJack are quite simple, plug the little USB sized device into your computer and it operates by allowing your mobile phone to piggyback onto the available femtoJack mini cell network that it creates so that you can make your phone calls for free instead of wasting cell phone minutes.
Despite all of its greatness there is a drawback to the revolutionary device in it will only work with phones that are GSM enabled, which in the United States means those provided by T-Mobile and AT&T. However, those who have Sprint or Verizon service can still use the device if they can dig up an old GSM phone that they are no longer using.
A few of the large cell carriers are likely to make complaints about the femtoJack when you consider it is using the spectrum that they are paying billions to use. Due to this the femtoJack is certain to draw some flack soon. In the meantime you may want to check it out and see if you can get your hands on one of these

Softphone Screen Features

I’ve had emails from visitors wanting to know how to use the Softphone Screen that appears when you install Magic Jack so I thought I would write an explanation of how it works. The red numbers you see on the Screen below designate the different areas of the Softphone Screen that we are going to discuss, these numbers do not appear on the Softphone Screen on your computer

1. This is the area on the left of the Softphone where you will see rotating messages from Magic Jack about their services. Any updates will also show here, such as when new area codes are added to the service. If the area code that you want is not available when you first get your Magic Jack, you’re allowed to change your area code free once that area code becomes available.

2. The center top of the Softphone Screen displays your Magic Jack phone number that has been assigned to you just under “Ready to call”. There are also three buttons for Yahoo, AOL and Weather, which if clicked, will open up your browser to Yahoo.com, AOL.com and Weather.com.

3. The Magic Jack Phonebook will store your contacts that you enter and also the calls that you have made or received with your Magic Jack. By clicking on Contacts, a menu appears where you can edit or delete your contacts. Clicking on calls displays your recent calls and Favorites will display the sites you have saved in Favorites in Internet Explorer.

4. Buttons for Redial which calls the last number dialed; Voice Mail, which will dial your number and then prompt you for your password to access your Voice Mail. When setting up your Voice Mail, use the password 1234, and then change it immediately to another 4-digit number. The 411 button will open your web browser to this website: free411.com which is a free telephone lookup directory. Clicking on the Google button will open up your web browser to Google.com.

5. When installing your Magic Jack, you will be prompted to enter your physical address for their 911 service. You may add more than one address if you will be using your Magic Jack in different locations. If you will be using the Magic Jack 911 service, be sure to have your correct physical location selected at all times. Also have a back-up way to call 911 in case your internet service goes down, as your Magic Jack phone will not work during these times.

6. Phone key pad on the Magic Jack SoftScreen. You may use your phone to dial a number or the Softphone Screen can be used by clicking the buttons with your mouse.

7. If using the Softphone Screen to dial a phone number, you click “Send” to call the number, and “End” to hang up when you are finished with your call. The number you have dialed, whether using your telephone or the Softphone Screen will show in the white area.

8. Change the size of the Softphone Screen by clicking on “Big” or “Small” in the upper right corner. The Softphone Screen can be minimized by clicking on the button with the “-” located to the right of the “Big” or “Small” button. The Menu button lets you access different features for your phone, such as “Do Not Disturb” which will send all calls directly to Voice Mail for you.

Now you know all about your Magic Jack Softphone Screen so you can use your new service to its greatest capacity. If you have any more questions, please ask in the comments below. I answer all comments, and you will probably ask a question that many others would like to know also.

Magic Jack VoIP Phone

Magic Jack is one of the new voip phone services that you use with your computer and high-speed internet connection to make unlimited long distance phone calls. It’s great as long as everything is working as it should. But what if you are having problems with Magic Jack? Sometimes it works just fine at first then after a month or 6 weeks problems begin to develop. The softphone screen begins to disappear or not load at all. Or it disappears and keeps reloading and going away again. The computer it is hooked up to will start freezing up, sometimes to the point where you cannot use it at all unless you unplug the Magic Jack.

I had all of these happen to me and after trying a few things and finally unplugging it in disgust, I tried plugging it into an external a/c powered usb hub and then everything worked perfectly again. That was an easy fix for me. It does conflict with the sound for my printer, but to me this isn’t a big deal because I don’t care if I hear a computerized voice telling me that the printing is complete. But what if it conflicts with other programs? This is something that does occur quite often. No two computers are alike once they are used for a while by their owner. You’ll find some answers here to your problems with Magic Jack…and many times it is not the device, it is the conflict with your computer.