Editor's choice:Zultys ZIP 4x5
NEC IP D-Term 4 Button
Avaya 4625SW IP
This month, each vendor was asked to submit three handsets of their choosing, therefore the Editor's Choice Award has three categories.
- Small Office/Home Office Handset. Hands down, no pun intended, this has to go to the Zultys ZIP 4x5, virtually a mini-VoIP system in itself. This unit is more than capable of running with a larger VoIP deployment in a SME or in a remote office environment.
The best features of this device are its support for direct PPPoE (ie hook it up to an ADSL modem and it connects without the need for a separate host PC or router), as well as a separate PSTN port, so if the Internet goes down, and the handset cannot contact the office gateway, the worker can still dial out. Similarly, if there is no VoIP route the call routing table can be configured to route calls straight out the PSTN. The price is phenomenal when these features are considered.
- Entry-level handset. The winner has to have an attractive price tag and the most features. This was the hardest to choose of the bunch with so many similarly featured and priced handsets but ultimately we chose the NEC IP D-Term 4 Button.
The NEC IP D-Term 4 Button provides support for PoE, multiple lines, speakerphone, and headset for AU$319. Moving up to the 8 Button or even the 16 Button at AU$429 wouldn't hurt the hip pocket too much either.
- Top-of-the-range handset (the one the CEO wants on their desk). The award in this category goes to the Avaya 4625SW IP. It was a close call, with the NEC Inaset 320C having similar features. In fact, the NEC was out in front for a short while due to its adjustable (tilt) mechanism on the colour LCD panel. However the NEC just prices itself too far out of the market. At almost AU$1000 more than the Avaya, it is just way too expensive an option.
Don't forget for each of the above, (except in some respects the Zultys ZIP 4x5), there is a lot of other "back-end" infrastructure required, such as VoIP gateways, which usually provide services such as voice mail, addressing, configuration of system(s), conferencing capabilities, and interconnection with the PSTN.
This article was first published in Technology & Business magazine.
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ISP's are currently battling the broadband war. The race for customer aquisition is aggressive. What is the holy grail... VoIP or basic broadband revenue? The answer lies in the current broadband price offerings of ISP's.
The cost savings of VoIP to corporations is unquestionable and the future economic benefits of widespread adoption is inevitable. One just needs to review the developments of such products as 'Skype' over the last 12 months to arrive at the realisation of just where VoIP is heading. Companies in Asia have even commenced manufacturing 'Cisco ATA type' devices which interface with skype enabling VoIP calls from your normal PSTN phone. The future of VoIP is cemented and the war for market share is definitely on.