Cisco Phone System

Why is my voice over IP phone service not clear? I use Net Zero Voice and lately I have been getting complaints that my voice is not clear. What is the deal? Is it the service? The head set that I am using? Or? What is the cost to get a converter to use a regular phone? Will this help make it more clear?

what kind of phone to use with voice over ip? Can any phone be used with digital voice service that has voice over IP?

Why do telephone numbers that are NOT in service show on my phone's caller ID? I'm using internet voice over IP phone service (VoIP) from ITalkBB. Sometimes I call back the unrecognized phone numbers and get the message of "I'm sorry, the number you have reached is not in service." I suspect the calls from these numbers are from telemarketing agents. No matter who they are but how do they use a bogus phone number? Or are there any explanations about this? - I don't think it's my phone's problem because I have three phones with caller IDs and all of them show the same number.

difference between Skype and other voice over ip phone? ? I am using Packet8, which works the same way as Vonage, Comcast, and others. I pay MONTHLY charges for the phone services, plus whatever calls I make internationally. There are some limitation on Packet8, so I am wondering if Skype is a better option for me. My questions are: 1. Does Skype work the same way as Packet8? Packet8 needs a gismo hardware box (similar to a router) for transferring data, without installing any software. I know that I will have to install a software for Skype; will I need a gismo box for Skype? 2. It does not matter if I make any international calls at all, I have to pay MONTHLY fee for Packet8. Is Skype the same way? 3. Is Skype fax enabled? 4. Are there options of adding one or more extra phone NUMBERS (not phone lines) for Skype? 5. I am going to use Skype to home phones (not Skype to Skype); will the quality of line be clear enough without interruptions or errors? I have some trouble using Packet8 sometimes. Thank you

I have yahoo calls over ip and anUSB phone radian rst-201. What could I do to get this phone working withyahoo This phone works perfect with skype but I bought some minutes from yahoo, but I did not find any information on how to use this phone with the voice over ip service of yahoo. So if anyone knows something about this please help me. Thanks

How can I register a phone number with the correct caller ID? I just started a business and I want to register my phone number with the business name as the caller ID. I am using a voice-over-ip phone service which does not have this service available.

Voice over IP for Satellite internet connection, can it be done? I have a friend who has some kind of wireless connection that includes a radio that is attached to his house (not a satellite dish) and he uses magic jack for a phone service witch is a voice over IP device. I am currently looking at a satellite internet connection, (Hughes net) to use as my home internet connection. I contacted Magic Jack and asked if it would work over a satellite internet connection, and their people told me that there is no such thing as voice over IP on a satellite connection. I live in a remote area, and there is only one ISP/ telephone company. They have the area monopolized so the prices are fairly high. I am looking for any suggestions I can get to help offset the cost, but the catch is I will have to access the web via satellite. There isn't any cell phone services that get a strong enough signal in the area to go that route, atleast that I know of. The zip is 48746. Thanks for your help!

Calling from PC to phone using yahoo Messenger with voice, is this considering as VOIP (Voice Over IP) or not? I am asking this question, becuase VOIP is forbidden in my country and I have to know this before subscribe in that service

Phone smart people RE: Hands Free and other ?'S TIA? Ok I got a crap phone like this http://www.electronicsoutfitter.com/store/86115/ctp260ivy.html and I want to know is it possible to hook a amplifier thingy up to it? lol like those Plantronic or Labtec headset systems? like this. http://www.ppiimages.com/pics/labtec-dialog301.jpg AND Would it work having digital phone service (not Voice over IP) just cable phone service. Thanks so much :)

Phone Smarts Peoples: headset amp/hands free ? Ok I got a crap phone like this http://www.electronicsoutfitter.com/store/86115/ctp260ivy.html and I want to know is it possible to hook a amplifier thingy up to it? lol like those Plantronic or Labtec headset systems? like this. http://www.ppiimages.com/pics/labtec-dialog301.jpg AND Would it work having digital phone service (not Voice over IP) just cable phone service. Thanks so much :)

Anyone using these "triple play" packages offered by Verizon or Comcast? Are they any good? I received a flyer from Comcast offering Digital Cable, Hi-speed Internet, and Internet (Voice Over IP) Phone service for $99 for one year. I know Verizon offers a similar deal, except with DirecTV sattelite TV. I pay close to $200/month for Verizon DSL and Verizon Unlimited Long Distance (US), and regular non-digital Comcast cable now, so these sound like good deals. Anyone out there using any of these packages? What is the good, bad, and the uh-gly?

How can I transfer a telephone voicemail message (I use the 'Plain Old Telephone System', not 'Voice over IP') I would like to save a couple of funny messages people have left me before I accidentally delete them. The messages are on the phone company's voicemail service. I would like to get them on tape or disk. Any help would be greatly appreciated. Thanks, Tom

Best voice over IP company? Netzero Voice is shutting down in December and I need to transfer my service to another company. What is involved in doing this? What is the best VOIP company to use? Who has the best prices? I need unlimited calling as well. I need a soft phone too. Thanks!

Where can I find cable tv similiar to voice over ip for cheap??? I am wondering where to find a cable tv service that works over high speed internet (similar to the way vonage works) because in my town the cable company dosent offer cable internet so ill have to get dsl from the phone company which is to expensive to get it and satellite or regular wired cable. lemme correct myself I ment similiar to the way vonage is an internet phone service (VoIP) Is there an internet Tv service. I saw something once which is like a cable box that hooks up to a router that was for a porn company but i want one that has regular tv stations.

can i turn off my AT&T home phone and just use AT&T internet services? i want to cancel my home phone service because i have the voice over ip (voip) to make calls for free over my internet.i called AT&T to cancel my home phone but keep the internet dsl. they said it wll cost me about 200$s cuz they have to have a tech come out and change the phone jacks so i can use only the internet.is that true?what can i do to save myself the monthly home phone charge and still have the dsl? i just want the internet. thanks

Possible to trace calls from VoIP? Is it possible for a phone service, in this instance, Comcast Digital Voice, to trace a call originating from a voice over ip dialout service such as Raketu, Skype, or BetaMax services?

i need a new internet/tv/ everything provider companies? i need some companies that can provide internet voice over IP and phone cable hd tv service

Does Verizon give good telephone service and good internet service? Right now we experience too much down time with Phonom which is voice over IP with Cavalier. Whenever our phone is out we do not have internet either; usually happens when it's windy or raining...good thing we don't live in Seattle (:

MagicJack turn off phone after 3 min and 10 sec every time. Anyone able to solve the problem. ? Magicjack, Voice over IP device purchased through internet, is turning off phone after 3 min and 10 seconds. Once it start this way, it will do that for the whole day. (i tested for 5 - 6 phone calls between 15 min interval). Some days it works fine but other days it has the same problem. Help. I could not find any answers anywhere, including zero customer service website of MagicJack.com

Is there an inexpensive way to have a longer distance wireless Internet connection span 3-4 city blocks? I'd like to set my Dad up with Internet, but he would only use it occasionally, probably once or twice a month. Not nearly enough to merrit the $30 it would cost for DSL or Cable (I checked the prices in his area). I thought of dial-up, but he is gets his phone service through his cable company, so it's voice over IP which can't reliably connect using dial-up. I've tried dial-up and I'm lucky to get 9.8K (often slower or no connect) from his phone line, which is much to slow for today's Internet. I've thought about a data package through a cell phone company, but again that's too expensive for the amount he'd be using it. I live 2 1/2 blocks away and have DSL. This is too far for conventional WiFi. Is there a way to boost the signal? Again he wouldn't use the Internet fequently so it shouldn't be too expensive. What about shortwave radio?

Telephone directory ( white pages)? Quote Subscriber names are generally listed in alphabetical order, together with their postal or street address and telephone number. Every subscriber in the geographical coverage area is usually listed, but subscribers may request the exclusion of their number from the directory, often for a fee. Their number is then said to be "unlisted" (American English), "ex-directory" (British English) or "private" (Australia and New Zealand). In the case of unlisted numbers, practices as to Caller-ID vary by jurisdiction. Sometimes, the Caller-ID on outbound calls is blank; in other jurisdictions, unlisted numbers still appear, unless the caller dials a blocking code; in still others, the customer may request automatic blocking from the telephone company's service representatives. In the US, under current rules and practices, mobile phone and Voice over IP listings are not included in telephone directories. Efforts to create cellular directories have met stiff opposition from several fronts, including a significant percentage of subscribers who seek to avoid telemarketers. In 1991, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled (in Feist v. Rural) that telephone companies do not have a copyright on telephone listings, because copyright protects creativity and not the mere labor of collecting existing information. Within the geographical reach of the Court, the Feist ruling has resulted in the availability of many innovative telephone directory services on CD-ROM and the World Wide Web. Quote I know many people who have unlisted in the phone book yet still get telemarketers and if there is 911 hang up how is the police or EMS going to find you?

Can you find a location for an IP address used at a certain time on a certain date? I got my phone bill today and for the second time in less than 6 months, someone has charged outside voice mail services that they signed up for over the internet to my home phone. The company was great about canceling and issuing a credit, and provided me with the time the order was placed, the date, and the IP address the request originated from. Last time it was easy to catch the person since they used their real name, address and email address and only my phone number for billing. This time though, they've used my name and address, with a bogus email address (or at least one I've never had or heard of). Anyway, after all that, my question is this...since I have the IP address and the date and time of the order, can I find out any info about the usage on that date? I can look up the IP address and see where it's being used today, but is that the same place it was being used 3 weeks ago when the services were charged to my bill? Any help would be appreciated. :) Thanks!

can we save a conversation made via VOIP ? if you made a phone call from your pc to another people phone using VOIP (Voice Over IP ) technology .. can you save that phone call ? i mean is their a service that allow you to do that just as you save the text conversation ?!

Is it safe to cancel land line service after you get VoIP? I'm thinking about buying a VoIP phone from Cisco, but it's $300. I've got decent internet so i think voice should be just fine. So yeah, I'm thinking about canceling land line after i get that phone. Is this a good idea because I don't want to pay for land line anymore because I don't get a lot of calls. I also found this USB device that has a phone jack on the other end and the box says that I could use this as a phone jack over the internet for 20 bucks. Should I use that instead, but I'd have to leave my computer running 24/7. Since I'm sort of new to how VoIP phones work, can someone briefly describe the advantages vs disadvantages to having a VoIP device. I already know VoIP is Voice over IP but I'm not completely sure on whether or not should i invest on a device.

Help with some homework? 911 PSAP is used in conjunction with which of the following to provide E911 service approximate location information? Possible Answers Feedback 1. CER 2. CAC 3. DRQ 4. RRQ 2. CER If you move from one city to another and connect your Cisco IP phone into a Cisco-based LAN, CDP might be able to identify the phone, and CER software might be able to use the switch location to approximate the location of the IP Phone. Possible Answers Feedback 1. Ture 2. False 3. Dial Plan1 Usinga ______________ along with a _________ allows certian numbers to be blocked (for example, 900 numbers). Possible Answers Feedback 1. Route filter/route pattern 2. Route limitere/route group 3. Route plan/route group 4. Route list/route group 4. Dial Plan10 Typically, if a phone can reach a route pattern within a partition, it cannot reach any other patterns in that same partition. Possible Answers Feedback 1. True 2. False 5. Dial Plan11 You want to point your calls first to a route group that forwards calls to an IP WAN but could forward to a PSTN if devices were unavailable on the WAN. To do this, you would set up which of the following? Possible Answers Feedback 1. Route Pattern 2. Route plan 3. Route List 4. Route group 6. Dial Plan12 The North American Numbering Plan is representd by the ___ wildcard. Possible Answers Feedback 1. @ 2. X 3. ! 4. . 7. Dial Plan14 These Kind of calls on a CCM require External Route Patterns Possible Answers Feedback 1. In-Cluster 2. Out-Of-Cluster 3. Off-Cluster 4. Over-Cluster 8. Dial Plan16 IF you want to configure a filter so that the CCM disregards a 9 when a user dials it to get an outside line, you can use the__________digit discard option. Possible Answers Feedback 1. IX 2. DROP9 3. PreDot 4. Pre9 9. Dial Plan2 You use this operator to match a paramenter like 10-10 prefix, when the parameter does exist Possible Answers Feedback 1. Exists 2. Transit-Network 3. == 4. Selected 10. Dial Plan3 This wildcard is useful with international dialing. It could represent one or more digits from 0 to 9, which is handy when country codes vary. Possible Answers Feedback 1. [x-y] 2. ! 3. X 4. # 11. Dial Plan4 To enable SRST for IP phones, you must create which of the following? Possible Answers Feedback 1. CSRT Reference 2. HSRP Reference 3. SRST reference 4. VRRP reference 12. Dial Plan5 In a CCM environment, these contain route patterns and dirctory numbers Possible Answers Feedback 1. Calling Search Spaces 2. Partitions 3. Segments 4. Sections 13. Dial Plan6 Allowing an IOS router at a remote site to provide limited support to a centralized IP deployment model's remote IP phones is the primary feature of which of the following? Possible Answers Feedback 1. CSTAT 2. CER 3. SRST 4. PSAP 14. Dial Plan7 This wildcard is used in the route pattern to represent a single digit from 0 to 9. Possible Answers Feedback 1. C 2. X 3. . 4. # 15. Dial Plan8 Which of the following limits the patterns matched by route patterns? Possible Answers Feedback 1. A Route Filter 2. A Route Buffer 3. Router Redirect 4. Router Limiter 16. Dial Plan9 Which of the following Lists Partitions that a device can use? Possible Answers Feedback 1. Admission Request 2. Calling Search Space 3. Call Admission Control 4. Gatekeepter 17. Voice Gateways1 Which of the following is not a type of gateway to choose when configuring your route pattern? Possible Answers Feedback 1. H324 2. Non-IOS MGCP 3. MGCP 4. Non-intercluster trunk 5. Intercluster trunk 18. Voice Gateways2 Which type of gateway has call forwarding intelligence configured locally on the gateway? Possible Answers Feedback 1. H323 2. Inter-cluster trunk 3. MGCP 4. Non-IOS MGCP 19. Wild Cards The 123[4-68] route pattern matches what numbers? Possible Answers Feedback 1. 1234, 12368 2. 1234, 1236, 1238 3. 1234, 1235, 1236, 1238 4. 1234, 1235, 1236, 1237, 1238 20. Wild Cards2 A caller dials the number 555-2468. Which of the following route patterns will matched: 5524XX or 55524[6-8]8 Possible Answers Feedback 1. 5524XX 2. 55524[6-8]8 any help appreiceted

can you use the new skytone phone from walmart with yahoo messenger phone service? i have the new yahoo messenger phone in and out service and it works really good but i would like to hook up a real phone to my computer to use with this service . walmart has a new phone that is called skytone usb ip phone and they say it is compatable with google talk,skype,and viop phone services does that mean that i could hook it up to my computer and use it with my yahooo messenger with voice phone in and out service instead of using a microphone and speakers. thank you for any inforemation you can give the phone is 25 dollars but i don't want to spend the money on something if i can't use it for yahoo

Voip phone service provider? Because of the expensive monthly phone bill, I am thinking about a cost effective IP phone service. What i am looking for includes equally good voice quality as regular landline phone, constanly reliable service ( no drop calls, no inability to dial out), good customer service. Anyone knows which service provider can offer the above?

Cisco download area access question, IOS, IP Phone firmware.? Hey, I need to download Cisco IOS and Voice software from the Cisco download area. I understand that I need a service contract attached with my CCO Login to be able to access the download area for downloads. I wanted to know if 'any' service contract would grant me the access for the whole download area or download access is limited to type of service contract I have. For example, if I have a service contract associated to my CCO Login that I have purchased for an IP Phone, I would be able to access the phone firmwares and probably the voice softwares like unity too but would I be able to download IOS with that too? I had an office ID that was attached with a service contract and was able to download both IOS and Voice softwares. Anyone with an IP Phone service contract who could tell me or someone who has some knowledge about it would care to elaborate. I would highly appreciate it. Shirely

What do I need to set up an Asterisk service? I've got a rather in-depth request for anyone who has jumped through all the hoops. What do we need to make and receive calls to/from VoIP & PSTN phones worldwide, and what would the cost be? We intend to use our existing Cisco 7940 / 7960 IP phones. What specs should the server have for good call quality? we will have 5 offices with 8 users (perhaps 4 concurrent), and 1 with 20 users (perhaps 10 concurrent). With the server located in one site and all our IP phones/stations located throughout the United States, what kind of internet will be needed at both the server and IP phone ends? (asymmetric/symemetric? need packet prioritization via the switch to ensure voice call quality? will cable internet be ok?) Do we need to pay a service to convert our IP calls to/from the regular PSTN network? what about long-distance PSTN? What support, installation, troubleshooting, fixing solutions does Digium offer and how much does it run? We need to ensure that we won't lose service.

VOIP - phone adapter - Can I take my Vonage phone adapter to a non service country? Since the voice adapter works with data signals, what happen if keep paying my vonage bill in US but i take my phone adapter to a non service country such as...Italy. Will it work or will the IP be blocked ?

Hi, I want to integrate some IP phones on my Satellite Internet connection? Like said above. I have a high speed Satellite Internet Connection with a contention ratio of 1/5 .I have roughly 7 users browsing at the same time. I want to integrate some satellite phones on my LAN. --1. I am in Iraq and I dont have much access to the outside world except with my main office (who have no technical expertise) (besides i would like to understand this project before i get a quote from my head office) --2. I have my VSAT Modem hooked up to a 15something port 10/100 ethernet switch with 7 laptops connected and in use all the time. --3. I must have very good quality voice capabilities to communicate with various clients across the world --4. I preffer good VOIP Hardware Phones rather than yahoo and skype. Yahoo and skype are cheaper but i preffer the Hardware phones. Yahoo and Skype are second options. --5. Do i have to implement some sort of a Quality of service thing on my Satellite Modem to enable good VOIP capabilities? Thanks. I would appreciate your reply.

help i have no idea wat this means some body explain in short text 10 points best answer in plain explantion? Overview Instant messaging (IM) and chat are technologies that facilitate near real-time text based communication between two or more participants over a network. It is important to understand that what separates chat and instant messaging from technologies such as e-mail is the perceived synchronicity of the communication by the user - Chat happens in real-time before your eyes. For this reason, some people consider communication via instant messaging to be less intrusive than communication via phone. However, some systems allow the sending of messages to people not currently logged on (offline messages), thus removing much of the difference between Instant Messaging and e-mail. Instant Messaging allows instantaneous communication between a number of parties simultaneously, by transmitting information quickly. Some IM systems allow users to use webcams and Microphone which made them more popular than others. Due to this feature users can have a real-time conversation. In addition IM has additional features such as: the immediate receipt of acknowledgment or reply, group chatting, conference services (including voice and video), conversation logging and file transfer. IM allows effective and efficient communication, featuring immediate receipt of acknowledgment or reply. In certain cases Instant Messaging involves additional features, which make it even more popular, i.e. to see the other party, e.g. by using web-cams, or to talk directly for free over the Internet. It is possible to save a conversation for later reference. Instant messages are typically logged in a local message history which closes the gap to the persistent nature of e-mails and facilitates quick exchange of information like URLs or document snippets (which can be unwieldy when communicated via telephone). [edit] History In early instant messaging programs each character appeared when it was typed. The UNIX "talk" command shown in these screenshots was popular in the 1980s and early 1990s.Instant messaging actually predates the Internet, first appearing on multi-user operating systems like CTSS and Multics[1] in the mid-1960s. Initially, many of these systems, such as CTSS'.SAVED, were used as notification systems for services like printing, but quickly were used to facilitate communication with other users logged in to the same machine. As networks developed, the protocols spread with the networks. Some of these used a peer-to-peer protocol (eg talk, ntalk and ytalk), while others required peers to connect to a server (see talker and IRC). During the Bulletin board system (BBS) phenomenon that peaked during the 1980s, some systems incorporated chat features which were similar to instant messaging; Freelancin'_Roundtable was one prime example. In the last half of the 1980s and into the early 1990s, the Quantum Link online service for Commodore 64 computers offered user-to-user messages between currently connected customers which they called "On-Line Messages" (or OLM for short). Quantum Link's better known later incarnation, America Online, offers a similar product under the name "AOL Instant Messages" (AIM). While the Quantum Link service ran on a Commodore 64, using only the Commodore's PETSCII text-graphics, the screen was visually divided up into sections and OLMs would appear as a yellow bar saying "Message From:" and the name of the sender along with the message across the top of whatever the user was already doing, and presented a list of options for responding.[2] As such, it could be considered a sort of GUI, albeit much more primitive than the later Unix, Windows and Macintosh based GUI IM programs. OLMs were what Q-Link called "Plus Services" meaning they charged an extra per-minute fee on top of the monthly Q-Link access costs. Modern, Internet-wide, GUI-based messaging clients, as they are known today, began to take off in the mid 1990s with ICQ (1996) being the first, followed by AOL Instant Messenger (AOL Instant Messenger, 1997). AOL later acquired Mirabilis, the creators of ICQ. A few years later ICQ (by now owned by AOL) was awarded two patents for instant messaging by the U.S. patent office. Meanwhile, other companies developed their own applications (Excite, MSN, Ubique, and Yahoo), each with its own proprietary protocol and client; users therefore had to run multiple client applications if they wished to use more than one of these networks. In 1998 IBM released IBM Lotus Sametime, a product based on technology acquired when IBM bought Haifa-based Ubique and Lexington-based Databeam. In 2000, an open source application and open standards-based protocol called Jabber was launched. Jabber servers could act as gateways to other IM protocols, reducing the need to run multiple clients. Multi-protocol clients such as Digsby,Pidgin, Trillian, Adium and Miranda can use any of the popular IM protocols by using additional local libraries for each protocol. IBM Lotus Sametime's November 2007 release added IBM Lotus Sametime Gateway support for XMPP. Recently, many instant messaging services have begun to offer video conferencing features, Voice Over IP (VoIP) and web conferencing services. Web conferencing services integrate both video conferencing and instant messaging capabilities. Some newer instant messaging companies are offering desktop sharing, IP radio, and IPTV to the voice and video features. The term "instant messenger" is a service mark of Time Warner[3] and may not be used in software not affiliated with AOL in the United States. For this reason, the instant messaging client formerly known as Gaim or gaim announced in April 2007 that they would be renamed "Pidgin"[4]. [edit] Cooperation Standard free instant messaging applications offer functions like file transfer, contact lists, the ability to have similtaneous converstations etc. These may be all the functions that a small business needs but larger organisations will require more sophisticated applications that can work together. The solution to finding applications capable of this is to use enterprise versions of instant messaging applications. These include titles like Jabber, Lotus Sametime, Microsoft Office Communicator, etc., which are often integrated with other enterprise applications such as workflow systems. These enterprise applications, or Enterprise Application Integration (EAI), are built to certain constraints, namely storing data in a common format. There have been several attempts to create a unified standard for instant messaging: IETF's SIP (Session Initiation Protocol) and SIMPLE (SIP for Instant Messaging and Presence Leveraging Extensions), APEX (Application Exchange), Prim (Presence and Instant Messaging Protocol), the open XML-based XMPP (Extensible Messaging and Presence Protocol), more commonly known as Jabber and OMA's (Open Mobile Alliance) IMPS (Instant Messaging and Presence Service) created specifically for mobile devices. Most attempts at creating a unified standard for the major IM providers (AOL, Yahoo! and Microsoft) have failed and each continues to use its own proprietary protocol. However, while discussions at IETF were stalled, Reuters head of collaboration services, David Gurle (the founder of Microsoft's Real Time Communication and Collaboration business), signed the first inter-service provider connectivity agreement on September 2003. This agreement enabled AIM, ICQ and MSN Messenger users to talk with Reuters Messaging counterparts and vice-versa against an access fee. Following this, Microsoft, Yahoo! and AOL came to a deal where Microsoft's Live Communication Server 2005 users would also have the possibility to talk to public instant messaging users. This deal established SIP/SIMPLE as a standard for protocol interoperability and established a connectivity fee for accessing public instant messaging clouds. Separately, on October 13, 2005 Microsoft and Yahoo! announced that by (the Northern Hemisphere) summer of 2006 they would interoperate using SIP/SIMPLE which is followed on December 2005 by the AOL and Google strategic partnership deal where Google Talk users would be able to talk with AIM and ICQ users provided they have an identity at AOL. There are two ways to combine the many disparate protocols: One way is to combine the many disparate protocols inside the IM client application. The other way is to combine the many disparate protocols inside the IM server application. This approach moves the task of communicating to the other services to the server. Clients need not know or care about other IM protocols. For example, LCS 2005 Public IM Connectivity. This approach is popular in Jabber/XMPP servers however the so-called transport projects suffer the same reverse engineering difficulties as any other project involved with closed protocols or formats. Some approaches, such as that adopted by the Sonork enterprise IM software or the Jabber/XMPP network or Winpopup LAN Messenger, allow organizations to create their own private instant messaging network by enabling them to limit access to the server (often with the IM network entirely behind their firewall) and administer user permissions. Other corporate messaging systems allow registered users to also connect from outside the corporation LAN, by using a secure firewall-friendly HTTPS based protocol. Typically, a dedicated corporate IM server has several advantages such as pre-populated contact lists, integrated authentication, and better security and privacy. Some networks have made changes to prevent them from being utilized by such multi-network IM clients. For example, Trillian had to release several revisions and patches to allow its users to access the MSN, AOL, and Yahoo! networks, after changes were made to these networks. The major IM providers typically cite the need for formal agreements as well as security concerns as reasons for making these changes. [edit] Mobile Instant Messaging Mobile Instant Messaging (MIM) is a presence enabled messaging service that aims to transpose the desktop messaging experience to the usage scenario of being on the move. While several of the core ideas of the desktop experience on one hand apply to a connected mobile device, others do not: Users usually only look at their phone's screen — presence status changes might occur under different circumstances as happens at the desktop, and several functional limits exist based on the fact that the vast majority of mobile communication devices are chosen by their users to fit into the palm of their hand. Some of the form factor and mobility related differences need to be taken into account in order to create a really adequate, powerful and yet convenient mobile experience: radio bandwidth, memory size, availability of media formats, keypad based input, screen output, CPU performance and battery power are core issues that desktop device users and even nomadic users with connected network. [edit] Friend-to-friend networks Instant Messaging may be done in a Friend-to-friend network, in which each node connects to the friends on the friendslist. This allows for communication with friends of friends and for the building of chatrooms for instant messages with all friends on that network. Emotions are often expressed in shorthand. For example; lol. But a movement is currently underway to be more accurate with the emotional expression. Real time reactions such as (chortle) (snort) (guffaw) or (eye-roll) are rapidly taking the place of acronyms.[citation needed] [edit] Business application Instant messaging has proven to be similar to personal computers, e-mail, and the WWW, in that its adoption for use as a business communications medium was driven primarily by individual employees using consumer software at work, rather than by formal mandate or provisioning by corporate information technology departments. Tens of millions of the consumer IM accounts in use are being used for business purposes by employees of companies and other organizations. In response to the demand for business-grade IM and the need to ensure security and legal compliance, a new type of instant messaging, called "Enterprise Instant Messaging" ("EIM") was created when Lotus Software launched IBM Lotus Sametime in 1998. Microsoft followed suit shortly thereafter with Microsoft Exchange Instant Messaging, later created a new platform called Microsoft Office Live Communications Server, and released Office Communications Server 2007 in October 2007. Both IBM Lotus and Microsoft have introduced federation between their EIM systems and some of the public IM networks so that employees may use a single interface to both their internal EIM system and their contacts on AOL, MSN, and Yahoo!. Current leading EIM platforms include IBM Lotus Sametime, Microsoft Office Communications Server, and Jabber XCP. In addition, industry-focused EIM platforms such as IMtrader from Pivot Incorporated, Reuters Messaging, and Bloomberg Messaging provide enhanced IM capabilities to financial services companies. The adoption of IM across corporate networks outside of the control of IT organizations creates risks and liabilities for companies who do not effectively manage and support IM use. Companies implement specialized IM archiving and security products and services like those from Secure Computing, Akonix, SurfControl, and ScanSafe to mitigate these risks and provide safe, secure, productive instant messaging capabilities to their employees. [edit] Practical Use in Enterprise The popular embrace of IM technology for sharing information has quickly led to organizations adopting IM solutions for the perceived advantages that can be brought by it. As organizations are becoming more information based (McNurlin & Sprague, 2006, p.499) the need for effective knowledge sharing, team working and collaborative environments amongst employees has become vital, especially within more geographically dispersed teams. Typically IM conversations tend to have a certain "character", they are often short and only cover one topic. Media-switching and multitasking are common throughout, however IM might also be used between established coworkers and friends for longer, more intermittent conversation. In their report of IM use at the workplace Nardi et al. (2000) identifies the four primary functions of IM which are often cited in other reports, These primary functions are: Quick Questions and Clarifications Coordinating and scheduling tasks Coordinating impromptu social meetings Keeping in touch with friends and family IM is perhaps best suited to "Quick Questions and Clarifications" as this is the most often mentioned attribute in other reports. A user can "respond rapidly without the overhead of telephone or FTF interaction. For example, IDC reports, "Users see IM as a medium for quick, semi-permanent ‘flashes’ that beg a near-immediate response" (Isaacs et al., 2002). Nardi's second and third observations are enabled in part due to the "Presence Awareness" feature of IM clients in which the user knows who is "available". This is the most relevant for colleagues who share the same physical space as each other and even paves the way for other mediums to take up the task of communication e.g. F2F or Phone. The implication is that viable communication of any sort can in someway be encouraged through IM's "Presence Awareness" feature. (Issacs et al, 2002) supports this view, "IM in business might not be the main tool for of communication, it could just be the meeting point for another type of media e.g. conference calls. Nardi's third and fourth observations focus on the social use of IM, which have also been widely publicized in other report. That IM is used for keeping in touch with friends and arranging social events has led some employers to believe that it is used primarily for this purpose. According to (Issacs et al, 2002) a market study found that "'Fear of losing employee productivity’ was the greatest concern of businesses in regards to instant messaging". The study by (Issacs et al, 2002) goes on to suggest this fear is unfounded as it was found that on average "only 13% of conversations contained personal topics", and "only 6.4% were exclusively personal". [edit] Review of Products "IM solutions can typically be catagorised into two types: Enterprise Instant Messaging (EIM) and Consumer Instant Mesaging (CIM). Enterprise solutions use an internal IM server, however this isn't always feasible, particularly for smaller businesses with limited budgets. The second option, using a (CIM) provides the advantage of being inexpensive to implement and has little need for investing in new hardware or server software. However, in recent years open source IM clients such as Jabber have emerged that provide free EIM grade solutions. (Wikipedia,. 2008) For corporate use encryption and conversation archiving are usually regarded as important features due to security concerns. Sometimes the use of different operating systems in organizations calls for the use of software that supports more than one platform. For example many software companies use Windows XP in administration departments but have software developers who use Linux. Most people have had experience of using online chat and messaging over the internet whether it is with Microsoft's Windows Live Messenger, Skype or e-mail. One form of chat and messaging currently popular is Bebo. It is a non-corporate form of messaging which allows its user to create and maintain a social network. Libraries use chat applications and Morris Messenger is an application commonly used by them. This is a power based instant messenger, which uses Perl, SQL, and small Java. It accepts input from both staff and regular customers and saves important information in an SQL database built for the system. [edit] Risks and liabilities Although instant messaging delivers many benefits, it also carries with it certain risks and liabilities, particularly when used in workplaces. Among these risks and liabilities are: Security risks (e.g. IM used to infect computers with spyware, viruses, trojans, worms) Compliance risks Inappropriate use Intellectual property leakage Crackers (malicious "hacker" or black hat hacker) have consistently used IM networks as vectors for delivering phishing attempts, "poison URL's", and virus-laden file attachments from 2004 to the present, with over 1100 discrete attacks listed by the IM Security Center[5] in 2004-2007. Hackers use two methods of delivering malicious code through IM: delivery of virus, trojan, or spyware within an infected file, and the use of "socially engineered" text with a web address that entices the recipient to click on a URL that connects him or her to a website that then downloads malicious code. Viruses, worms, and trojans typically propagate by sending themselves rapidly through the infected user's buddy list. An effective attack using a poison URL may reach tens of thousands of people in minutes when each person's buddy list receives messages appearing to be from a trusted friend. The recipients click on the web address, and the entire cycle starts again. Infections may range from nuisance to criminal, and are becoming more sophisticated each year. In addition to the malicious code threat, the use of instant messaging at work also creates a risk of non-compliance to laws and regulations governing the use of electronic communications in businesses. In the United States alone there are over 10,000 laws and regulations related to electronic messaging and records retention.[6] The more well-known of these include the Sarbanes-Oxley Act, HIPAA, and SEC 17a-3. Clarification from the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority ("FINRA") was issued to member firms in the financial services industry in December, 2007, noting that "electronic communications", "email", and "electronic correspondence" may be used interchangeably and can include such forms of electronic messaging as instant messaging and text messaging.[7] Changes to Federal Rules of Civil Procedure, effective December 1, 2006, created a new category for electronic records which may be requested during discovery (law) in legal proceedings. Most countries around the world also regulate the use of electronic messaging and electronic records retention in similar fashion to the United States. The most common regulations related to IM at work involve the need to produce archived business communications to satisfy government or judicial requests under law. Many instant messaging communications fall into the category of business communications that must be archived and retrievable. Organizations of all types must protect themselves from the liability of their employees' inappropriate use of IM. The informal, immediate, and ostensibly anonymous nature of instant messaging makes it a candidate for abuse in the workplace. The topic of inappropriate IM use became front page news in October 2006 when Congressman Mark Foley resigned his seat after admitting sending offensive instant messages of a sexual nature to underage former House pages from his Congressional office PC. The Mark Foley Scandal led to media coverage and mainstream newspaper articles warning of the risks of inappropriate IM use in workplaces. In most countries, corporations have a legal responsibility to ensure harassment-free work environment for employees. The use of corporate-owned computers, networks, and software to harass an individual or spread inappropriate jokes or language creates a liability for not only the offender but also the employer. A survey by IM archiving and security provider Akonix Systems, Inc. in March 2007 showed that 31% of respondents had been harassed over IM at work.[8] Companies now include instant messaging as an integral component of their policies on appropriate use of the World Wide Web, e-mail, and other corporate assets. Within the company there is also the risk of employees using instant messaging to release confidential information and project details to an outside source. This issue is best controlled by a combination of written policy and technology. An organization's policies on use of IM in the workplace should be an integral part of the overall computing and network use policies, and should be published and communicated at least annually. In addition to written policy, organizations should implement "gateways" or IM security products to monitor content of inbound and outbound messages. Products from IM security providers (See section on IM security) typically allow administrators to set alerts and enforce policy (i.e. allow or block messages) based on keywords and regular expressions within instant messages. Employees may also misuse IM to communicate on a personal level with friends and family. This is poor use of a business’s time and resources, as the employee’s effectiveness will most certainly decrease due to the added distractions. (Licari, J., May 2005). Businesses often use IM security products to monitor and archive IM conversations for the purpose of minimizing this type of productivity drain. [edit] Security and archiving In the early 2000s, a new class of IT security provider emerged to provide remedies for the risks and liabilities faced by corporations who chose to use IM for business communications. The IM security providers created new products to be installed in corporate networks for the purpose of archiving, content-scanning, and security-scanning IM traffic moving in and out of the corporation. Similar to the e-mail filtering vendors, the IM security providers focus on the risks and liabilities described above. With rapid adoption of IM in the workplace, demand for IM security products began to grow in the mid-2000s. By 2007, the preferred platform for the purchase of security software had become the "appliance", according to IDC, who estimate that by 2008, 80% of network security products will be delivered via an appliance.[9] [edit] User base Note that many of the numbers listed in this section are not directly comparable, and some are speculative. Some instant messaging systems are distributed among many different instances and thus difficult to measure in total (e.g. Jabber). While some numbers are given by the owners of a complete instant messaging system, others are provided by commercial vendors of a part of a distributed system. Some companies may be motivated to inflate their numbers in order to increase advertisement earnings or to attract partners, clients, or customers. Importantly, some numbers are reported as the number of "active" users (without a shared standard of that activity), others indicate total user accounts, while others indicate only the users logged in during an instance of peak usage. Service User count Date/source AIM 53 million active September 2006 >100 million total January 2006 Jabber 40-50 million total January 2007, based on calculations of Jabber Inc 90 million total Based on calculations of Process-One: Process-One uses ejabberd as Jabber server software. If it is assumed that ejabberd has a 40% market share amongst public and private open source server deployments, there are 50 million users using open source servers. With Jabber Inc's numbers, this adds up to the 90 million number stated here. eBuddy 35 million total October 2006, including 4 million mobile users Windows Live Messenger 294 million active worldwide November 2007 Yahoo! Messenger 22 million total September 2006 QQ 20 million peak online (majority in China) 3 June 2006 221 million "active" (majority in China) 3 June 2006 IBM Lotus Sametime 17 million total (private, in enterprises) November 2007 ICQ 15 million active July 2006 Skype 12 million peak online February 2008 309 million total April 2008 Xfire 10 million total May 2008 MXit 7 million total (>560,000 outside of South Africa) 10 August 2007. Note that these users are part of the Jabber user base as MXit federates with the Jabber network. Gadu-Gadu 5.6 million total June 2006 Paltalk 3.3 million unique visitors per month August 2006 IMVU 1 million total June 2007 Mail.ru Agent 1 million active (daily) September 2006 Meebo 1 million total October 2006 PSYC 1 million active (daily) (majority in Brazil) February 2007. Total count cannot be accurately estimated due to the decentralized nature of the protocol. VZOchat >200,000 October 2007 [edit] IM Language Users sometimes make use of internet slang or text speak to abbreviate common words or expressions in order to quicken conversations or to reduce keystrokes. [edit] See also Comparison of instant messaging clients Comparison of instant messaging protocols Instant messaging manager LAN messenger Text messaging it is a question

PC to PSTN calls, how do they work? You know how there are services like Skype that allow you to make phone calls with a broadband connection? Well I was wondering how the transmission of those calls takes place. I know telephone exchanges convert the your voice to digital and send them to other switches. Is there some secret phone to IP mapping that you can exploit for free calls?

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