The Citel Blog.

Citel Adds New Features to its Flagship Product the Portico TVA including the provision of Broadsoft BLF’s and French Language Phone Prompts

2011-10-17T07:00:00Z

Citel is pleased to announce the immediate availability of Release 5.01.0 for its Portico TVA after successful Beta testing over the past several months. The new features have been in testing with a number of customers enabling the Broadsoft Busy Lamp Field (BLF) as well as providing French language support for prompts on telephones supported by the Portico TVA. Certain other new features have been added as requests have come in from customers and further releases encompassing a number of additional features is anticipated early in 2012.

Andrew Davies, Engineering Manager, said these latest enhancements have required some significant developmental work but as with the French language capability, such work makes certain future enhancements, including the addition of further language capabilities that much easier to undertake. For more information on the new features available on this latest firmware release, please go to www.citel.com/Products/Resources/PIBs.asp.

Retain Your Investment in Digital and Centrex Handsets

2011-09-23T07:30:00Z

Avaya recently released Avaya IP Office Release 7.0. This latest offering allows the use of Norstar / BCM phones on their premise based IP PBX offering. This is believed to be the first time a protocol specific TDM handset of one make has been able work with a premise based IP PBX of another make. Historically, a hybrid PBX was restricted to the manufacturer’s TDM phones, for example, a Avaya digital handset working with an Avaya IP PBX through the use of digital cards being added to the Hybrid PBX. Of course, with the industry changes and the acquisition of certain Nortel technology by Avaya over the past 12 months this change had been much anticipated. Having said that, this connectivity has to be done either by 8 port base cards in the main unit, or 16 or 30 port expansion units. The expansion units are then connected with a proprietary cable and interface, and tend to be co-located with the IP Office.

For that kind of connectivity for other protocols and most remote locations you require a device such as Citel’s Portico TVA (Telephone VoIP Adapter). This device allows traditional digital PBX (telephone handsets e.g. Nortel Meridian & BCM or Siemens Optiset/Optipoint, etc., to be connected to a VoIP network, using, for example, SIP (Session initiation protocol). By using Citel’s VoIP migration device, you preserve your investment in an installed base of telephone handsets and remove the need to install ethernet infrastructure. In a remote office scenario, the handsets are disconnected from the local PBX (which can then be removed), connected to the Portico TVA and then routed via the Internet to the IP PBX at the home office. As far as the switch is concerned the remote phones are SIP end points and act as extensions off of the host switch.

If you want to promote your VoIP offering but your customers want to retain their investment in their digital or Centrex phone, check out the Portico TVA. You will save your customer a lot of money and be able to move them to the benefits of IP telephony and the possibilities of Unified Communications that much quicker.

Choose the RIght MCK Device

2011-09-01T17:04:00Z

Recently we have had several customers order Avaya specific EDAC and Extenders to use with their Nortel PBX’s. Some customers have misunderstood the nature of Avaya’s recent purchase of certain Nortel assets. The MCK product line operates based on the underlying PBX. The fact that Avaya now owns certain of that technology does not change the fact that the underlying technology is Nortel and that the MCK, Nortel specific, products such as the EDAC, the E-1000U series of analog EXTenders and the E-4000 series of Internet based EXTenders rely on that underlying technology. If you do not go with our universal protocols then ensure you buy the Nortel specific devices to use with the pre-existing” Nortel PBXs. If you are not sure what to use, contact Citel directly for more information at sales@citel.com.

Citel Announces Portico Telephone VoIP Adapter (TVA) 5.00.0 Availability

2011-06-30T06:00:00Z

Citel is pleased to announce the immediate availability of the Portico TVA Version 5.00.0 firmware, enabling businesses to deploy the award-winning Portico Telephone VoIP Adapter (TVA) with the latest features and updates.

Version 5.00.0 for the Portico Telephone VoIP Adapter (TVA) enhances resiliency with redundant SIP soft-switches, using SIP Forum’s SIPconnect standard, while enhancing support for P-Phone Centrex phones with add-on units. Additionally, it provides heightened support of toggle speed-dials and works to simplify the SIP configuration process with an optional ‘Realm’ field.

Full details on the new firmware can be found at www.citel.com/Products/Resources/PIBs.asp.

Moving to VoIP while keeping your existing handsets – it can be done

2011-04-11T14:59:00Z

Read more at Fresh Business Thinking

IP telephony is a well-established technology. Companies can see clear cost savings, they are convinced that IP telephony can fit into their growth strategy, and the business case for the migration to VoIP is sound.

But many businesses are not yet migrating to VoIP – why not?
A common objection to moving to VoIP is the value of a company’s existing infrastructure. Whether it deployed a new PBX eight months ago or eight years ago, there is still value in much of the existing infrastructure. Most enterprises are unwilling to simply throw away handsets and wiring in a migration to VoIP.

New IP handsets are just the beginning of the cost and complexity that enterprises face when migrating to a hosted or premise-based IP PBX. New cabling, new local area network (LAN) infrastructure, retraining, and business disruption can double or triple the per-station costs of a VoIP installation beyond the handset cost. In fact, according to a Gartner Research report, an estimated $20.6 billion will be wasted on IP screen phones over five years.

Finally, user adoption can be a major barrier and source of complexity. Businesses need to factor in the time and cost of training their staff to cope with new handsets, and the inefficiencies when the staff inevitably forgets how to use the VoIP equipment. We’re all familiar with new gadgets where only the most basic functions are used because the other features are seen as too complex – IP telephones are no exception.

So, how can companies get all the benefits of VoIP, but keep their costs under control? How can they avoid the expense and disruption of a "rip and replace" migration?

One solution is the Citel Portico™ Telephone VoIP Adapter (TVA™). This enables businesses to move to VoIP, while still...

Read more at Fresh Business Thinking

”VOIP Migration: The KISS Principle in action.” Ian Gomm keynote speech, April 13, 2011 at ITPX/NCUG conference, Las Vegas.

2011-03-11T11:12:00Z

Ian Gomm, Citel VP, Sales & Marketing will be a keynote speaker at the upcoming ITPX/NCUG Conference, at the Flamingo Las Vegas April 11 – 14th, 2011.

Ian will be opening at the first afternoon Plenary Session on April 13th.
Entitled ”VOIP MIGRATION: THE KISS PRINCIPLE IN ACTION,” Ian will introduce a case study and discuss how a Government run hospital in Europe was able to simplify the VoIP migration process and lower the cost of ownership of an IP soft switch.

He will detail many of the roadblocks thrown up when looking at VoIP migration and how to counter them by reducing the time, complexity and costs involved in the VoIP migration process. More at www.citel.com/News_Events

In addition, Citel will have a booth at the accompanying Exhibition demonstrating its VoIP migration technology and how companies can migrate to VoIP without the need to “rip and replace” avoiding the need to re-wire and then replace every phone whilst still being about to replace the existing PBX. Citel will be demonstrating how it can assist show attendees to leverage their existing telecommunications infrastructure to take advantage of new VoIP offerings, both premise based and hosted.

This annual Conference and Trade Show, offers numerous educational sessions and an Exhibit Hall showcasing leading Technology solutions, providing opportunities for networking, education and needs assessment supported by the industry's leading telecommunication service providers, manufacturers, vendors and subject matter experts.

MCK DAC to EDAC Conversions Part 2

2011-03-08T23:13:00Z

Are you considering transitioning from the old Digital to Analog Converter (DAC) units to the newer Expandable Digital to Analog Converter (EDAC) to facilitate the conversion of digital stations to analog for recording purposes? Here are a few things we would like you to keep in mind.

EDAC is sensitive to distance. The tap point should be about half way between the PBX and the phone, and no more than 10-30 feet from the PBX.

The analog output should be as short as possible, so that interference is not caused by the cable.

Static issues can be caused be either cable length, or bad punchdowns. Sometimes cross connects can get loose. If this happens, the cross connects should be re-punched.

For more information contact sales@citel.com.

Multiple TVA Configuration Tool Upgraded

2011-02-28T15:00:00Z

Are you thinking about installing a number of Portico TVA's to simplify your VoIP migration strategy? Well our Multiple TVA Configuration Tool that simplifies the configuration process has gotten even better.

The new editor, released last week, gives access to all the configuration data that can be edited from the web interface.

Specifically you can now edit the following configuration information that you could not with previous versions:

Button assignments;
Directory entries;
System wide configuration (including the dial plan).

There are a couple of points to be aware of:

The new editor requires up to date TVA software (5000d6 or later)
It now uses the same username / password as the administrator uses on the web interface.

Contact Citel for more information and access to the latest firmware and updated Configuration Tool.

How Do You Minimize the Investment Involved in VoiP Migration While Maximizing the Benefits?

2011-02-24T18:16:00Z

Are you thinking about VoIP migration, i.e. moving from a conventional PBX, Key System or Centrex phone system to IP telephony, but are concerned about the costs and the real benefits of such a move? You are not alone. Many articles have been written detailing reasons for delaying the migration to VoIP but most of these issues are myths that have been busted over the past few years.

Internet-based phone calls will provide your business long term benefits. Most companies are now realizing a cost savings of between 50-80% over the operational costs of traditional telephony. And that it is not at a cost of inferior or unacceptable call quality. This misconception about call quality is just that, a misconception. By using Quality of Service (QoS) management in the LAN and your connection to the Internet you can ensure the highest call quality available. It really comes down to how good your ISP is and the Internet in general as to packet loss and delay. Expectations nowadays about low call quality are over done and improvements in that quality continue.

There are also concerns that the set up and management of your VoIP program is costly and difficult and new technology is more troublesome that it is worth. Everything that is new can be difficult but numerous companies stand ready to advise on and assist with VoIP migration. Once installed the system is often no more difficult and generally easier to run that the legacy phone system you have been using for many years.

Although there are significant operational savings, there also can be significant time requirements and costs involved in first determining what system to adopt and then in implementing the agreed system. A complete “rip and replace” scenario requires not only the acquisition of the IP PBX (if you go with a premise based system), but the cost of the IP phones, the Power over Ethernet (PoE) switches required to power those phones and the cost and time involved to install the necessary cabling to run the voice network.

So how can you save yourself some time and money? You can use a VoIP enabler, companies that lets you piggy back your IP network over your existing cabling. This works but still requires the cost of installing Category Five cabling. There are also cards that can be added to your legacy PBX that enables you to use that same wiring but with that solution you still require the legacy PBX. With many of them having reached End of Life, the cost and ability to service and maintain those units gets more difficult and more expensive.

Your most cost and time effective solution is Citel’s Portico Telephone VoIP Adapter (TVA). This media gateway enables you to SIP enable your legacy handsets meaning there is no need to upgrade your cabling as you migrate to VoIP. As this upgrade tends to be the most time consuming part of the migration it speeds up the process and as you are SIP enabling your existing phones, you save money as you no longer need IP phones or PoE switches. And you can get rid of the legacy PBX saving money there as well. Any doubts, bring in a Portico TVA, unplug a couple of legacy handsets from your switch, plug them into the TVA and then route the TVA to an IP PBX and try it for yourself. If you are not satisfied, you can unplug the phones, plug them back into your PBX and everything reverts to the way it was. How much easier could it be?

The Portico TVA comes in versions that work with digital, analog and Centrex phones, in 12 or 24 port, rack mountable boxes and with zero, one or two FXO ports for survivability. Call your local Citel representative for more information.

Upgrade from Digital to Analog Converter (DAC) to the Expandable Digital to Analog Converter (EDAC)

2011-02-22T17:13:00Z

Over the past 20 years or so, many companies have come to rely upon the Digital to Analog Converter (DAC) to convert digital station to analog for recording purposes. Call recording is a standard industry practice enabling quality service, training, security, transaction verification, and emergency services applications. As you can imagine there is still a very high demand for this conversion process. Over the years the ownership of the product has transitioned from DTI to MCK to Citel and a new Expandable Digital to Analog Converter (EDAC) designed and placed into manufacturing.

Although the DAC was designed for longevity, many of the units in the marketplace are now reaching the end of their life. Unfortunately the replacement EDAC product line is not compatible with the DAC and a transition program has to be implemented to ensure no loss of service as your start to replace your existing DAC units. The good news is that the EDAC is more cost effective and simpler to use.

A new EDAC base, new EDAC cards and a power supply are required with the new system needed. There are wiring differences between the two shelves so re-wiring must be planned for. The EDAC uses one amphenol connection between the EDAC and wall block for up to the maximum of 12 cards (phones) available on one base, while the DAC uses an amphenol cable for each four card configuration. We have complete wiring instructions available and can assist you with determining what new parts are required and how they should be configured. Call Citel at 1-877-248-3587 and we will work with you on the transition.

EXTend Your PBX to Area Offices Simply and Cost Effectively

2011-02-16T19:38:00Z

Citel's Mod-EXTender allows a remote site to be tied in to the Norstar phone system at the main site. For campus and localized office environments, now two sites can operate on a single phone system. Cost saving are realized by not needing to have circuits, and a whole phone system at the remote site.

The Mod-EXTender uses multi mode fiber between the 2 sites, and can work up to several miles, depending on the splices of the fiber. At the remote site, a 0 X 16 shelf, (for digital phones) or a 0 X 8 shelf (capable of EXTending analog phones) can be installed. These phones will work exactly as if they are connected to the Norstar directly( Hold, Conference, Transfer, Caller ID, Music all operate seamlessly).

For remote sites that are further away, or NOT in a campus environment, the Citel / MCK PBXgateway / EXTenders are a cost effective alternative. A standard digital phone will work at the remote site, just as it would at the switch site. The remote site is completely integrated into the main Phone system.

For more, go to www.citel.com

New Premises for Citel UK

2011-02-11T12:02:00Z

Citel's main office for UK & Europe has moved across the Loughborough University campus into the prestigious Holywell Park development. As well as an improved office environment Holywell Park offers top quality business & conference facilities.

The site is a good fit for Citel, having a cluster of green technology companies, and being a combined heat & power campus, as Citel's Portico TVA range offers a green route for migration to VoIP . The combination of a low power IP PBX, Portico TVA, and retained digital phones and wiring gives reduced power usage & avoids an unnecessary 'rip and replace' of existing phones and wiring, with further embedded energy costs.

Only the postal address has changed. Contact details are:
    Citel UK & Europe
    Loughborough Innovation Center
    Holywell Park
    Loughborough
    LE11 3AQ. UK
                                    Phone: +44 (0)1509 808550
                                    Email: europesales@citel.com

Upgrade Your Remote Workers from their Analog Gateway to an IP Gateway

2011-02-01T00:12:00Z

Over the years many of MCK / Citel customers have utilized the E-1000U series of analog PBXgateway / EXTenders enabling teleworkers and other single users seamless remote access to the corporate voice and data networks. Teleworkers and other remote employees have been able to access PBX/KTS dial tone, receive office-bound calls, and invoke business calling features such as internal dialing, transfer, hold, and conference. Corporations have been able to reduce telecommunication costs by up to 30 % just by administering all PBX users from a single location and platform. And with access to internal (four-digit) dialing, there are no toll charges when calling any office within the enterprise, regardless of physical location. Further, placing regular long-distance and international calls through the corporate voice system keeps all employees on a unified dialing plan. Despite the benefits of using the E-1000U series of product (and the subsequent E-1100A series) the solution ties up a phone line the whole time the remote location is connected to the host PBX incurring line costs and frequently the need to install a second line.

With the wide acceptance and deployment of the Internet at home, either via DSL or cable there are now new cost savings available by converting your remote workers to the E-4100 series of PBXgateway / EXTenders. This change reduces analog connectivity cost, and further reduces cost by utilizing an internet connection that now exists at both locations. Management of the units by IP is easier, and can be accessed remotely. QOS may be an issue depending on data traffic but can be handled quite easily. Savings by moving to the IP PBXgateway / EXTenders can be as much as $100 per month ensuring a decent ROI to the company.

Should you wish more information on this option, please call your closest Citel Technologies, Inc. channel partner or contact us directly at sales@citel.com.

Updated List of TVA Portico Compatible Handsets Now Available

2011-01-18T19:56:00Z

We regularly hear from customers asking about SIP enabling more phones to work with Citel's VoIP migration device, the Portico TVA. We have now updated the list to add some additional phones that had not previously been listed. Go to www.citel.com/Products/Portico/Spec_Sheets/Citel_Portico_Compatible_Handset.pdf for the most up to date listing. We are working on some Alcatel handsets currently and will keep you updated on our progress,

Update on Module EXTender™ for Norstar®

2011-01-06T11:23:00Z

Extend the reach of your Norstar® system to different floors or different buildings. The Mod-EXTender extends features and functionality of a central Norstar PBX to a remote site, over Multi Mode fiber.

Leverage existing Norstar® PBX infrastructure investments, centralize voice network administration, and enjoy dramatic monthly telecom savings with Citel's affordable, Mod-EXTender.

A Smart way to integrate a remote site. Ideal for Campus environments.

Key Benefits

Increased Productivity
Users up to 1.9 miles from the KTS get fully featured digital sets and all corporate KTS features and applications.

Network Efficiency
Unified system approach provides a more efficient use of network resources. Simplifies troubleshooting and maintenance by providing a common network access point.

Cost Effectiveness
No costly specialized devices for loop protection required. Cost savings from reduced wiring requirements.

Flexible Configurations
Single remote locations, or up to 10 remote locations in a star configuration.

Want to know more.... www.citel.com/Products/Mod_EXTender.asp

TVA General Release 4.01.0 now available

2010-12-23T13:27:00Z

This update to the release 4 functionality level of Portico TVA has now moved from Beta to general release.

Contact Citel support if you want to upgrade, or you can download now if you have access to the Software Image downloads in the Citel Partner area. See the Product Information Bulletin at:
www.citel.com/Products/Resources/PIBs.asp

New feature include:

· Control of acceptance of a second call.
· Support for Call Diversion.
· “Reject Call” button
· Enhancements to speed-dial functionality

Also watch out for updates on TVA major release 5.00.0 which is currently in Beta. General Release should be in the new year.

Seasons Greetings from Citel.

Holiday Schedule Announced

2010-12-06T06:00:00Z

Citel in North America will be closing for Christmas on Thursday, December 23, 2010 at 3pm with Sales and Support reopening on Monday December 27, 2010 while Shipping will not open until Tuesday December 28, 2010. We will close again on Thursday December 30, 2010 at 3pm and will reopen for the New Year on Monday Morning, January 3, 2011.

In Europe, Citel will be closed for the week of December 27 - 31 for their holiday celebrations.

We wish everyone the best of the holiday season and will endeavor to meet all of your needs over this special season.

Comms National awards, London.

2010-11-16T12:33:00Z

The award winners were announced on October 14th at a ceremony attended by over 600 people at the London Hilton, Park Lane. The event recognised excellence in resellers and their ability to provide solutions to customers, and the best products and highest levels of support provided by vendors to channel partners.

Now in their ninth year, the Comms National Awards are widely regarded as the ‘Oscars' for companies in the UK voice and data industry. With entry numbers at record levels this year, we were really pleased to win in this category against strong competition from some of the UK's leading vendors. I felt privileged to represent the team and accept the award for Citel from high profile comedian Stephen K Amos & Spitfire's Tom Fellowes.

Citel’s Portico TVA enables organisations to migrate to VoIP while continuing to use their existing phone handsets. This means they can get all the benefits of IP telephony, such as cheaper calls, while avoiding the cost or disruption of replacing their entire phone system.
See www.citel.com/News_Events/Press_Releases/Citel_CN_awards_extended_Oct_2010.pdf

Continuing Webinar Questions and Answers

2010-10-15T01:46:00Z

We had several questions posed that were quite similar, one during the webinar and then a follow up question from someone else after the webinar so we thought we would combine the answer

Q1. Don't IP PBX systems support analog handsets? Many I've looked at do and I don't understand the difference between that and your product.

Q2 I listened to a webcast today about the use of your system with analog phones. If we put in a new IPPBX from Avaya we have the option of buying analog cards with it. I'm confused on why we would need your solution when the IP Office has analog port options. Could you please explain?

A. The Analog TVA does indeed offer the functionality of an Analog ATA, available from various suppliers in gateway form, as well as in the form of analog line cards for IP PBXs, like IP Office or Asterisk.

If an Avaya IP Office user wants to connect simple analog phones, assuming the pricing works out, they would likely buy Avaya analog cards, making the overall system easier to manage. However if they want to connect Centrex phones, or legacy digital phones, then the TVA is the only show in town. Having said that we have had several customers tell us that as they were already migrating digital / Centrex phones using our TVA’s they wanted to keep everything consistent and standardized on the Portico™ TVA™. Also in another case, a customer stated that they found our Analog TVA worked out more cost effectively that the specific analog cards they were looking at.

Citel's Portico TVA named Peripheral Product of the Year at the 2010 Comms National Awards in London, England

2010-10-14T22:56:00Z

Citel's Portico TVA has been named Peripheral Product of the Year at the 2010 Comms National Awards ceremony at the London Hilton on Park Lane in London, England on October 14, 2010. We are very proud of this award.

The Comms National Awards are regarded as the ‘Oscars' of the Voice & Data Channel in the UK and are much coveted. Each year competition is fierce as the UK's leading vendors and voice & data solution providers seek to gain the accolades of their peer group and become winners at the Comms National Awards. We were pleased to be selected as a finalist and even more pleased when the award was announced this evening. The award is for providers of peripheral products that give customers more effective and efficient communications across the ICT spectrum and include headsets, GSM gateways, operator modules, faxes, conference units, UPS solutions, door entry systems, anti-nuisance devices etc. The support provided to resellers in selling these added value solutions is an important elements of the submission.

ON ON PARK LANE - THURSDAY OCTOBER 14th 2010