I just sent out a newsletter to everybody on my mailing list, but thought it might be a good idea to post it here as well. If you have any suggestions or idéas please don’t hesitate to send them to me. You are the reason why we do this, and your thoughts and opinion are very valuable to us.

DISTRIBUTION CENTRAL WITHIN EU
From the very beginning we have been struggling with one major problem; obtaining a cost effective, speedy and reliable distribution of our products to international customers. We have been looking at several alternatives and have finally established our DC in the Netherlands. This will not only guarantee the improvement of speed and reliability of deliveries as well as reducing cost of freight, it also provides services like warranty repairs and replacements. I am very confident that all your needs and requirements will receive the attention that it deserves.

NEW FIRMWARE AND SERVICE CONTRACT AVAILABLE
Last December 2008 we launched a new line of firmware for the IPxx series of PBX’s. The first version released was the VoIPtel CE (Community Edition) followed by VoIPtel SE (Supported Edition) a few days later. While most of the open source community undoubtedly will go for CE, the SE will cater to corporations that feel the need for a more actively supported firmware backed by a support team capable to handle whatever problem they might encounter.

NEW MODELS AVAILABLE
In addition to the IP-04 and IP-08 Atcom Technology has recently added three new models to their PBX family. First out was the IP-01 capable of using one single line analog FXO/FXS module. This tiny PBX was quickly followed by the IP BRI, a four port PBX capable of connecting to four ISDN lines. And only a few days later we got the IP-02. The size of the IP-01 but with two RJ45 Ethernet ports in addition to two RJ11 analog ports this latest newcomer promises a lot of future potential. The IP-02 can use either one single or one dual FXO/FXS module.

ASTERISK G.729 and G.729A
We have been in contact with both Digium and Sipro for some time now regarding the rights to include the G.729 and G.729A codec in our firmware. The result of this contact is very positive; we have been given thumbs up for making the G.729 and G.729A available in Pass-Thru mode initially followed by global licenses in the near future. The G.729 and G.729A codec will be available in our VoIPtel SE firmware as soon as we have finished testing it.
“Pass-thru” means that if you were, for example, using two phones which both have inbuilt support for G.729 codec. You can let them talk to each other in G.729 format, without asterisk having to transcode (which requires a license).

ADMINISTRATORS MANUAL
Embedded in the firmware of VoIPtel SE we will make a complete Administrators Manual available before the end of February 2009.
A Quick Start Guide as well as selected parts of the Administrators Manual will be made available to registered users of our Forum within the same timeframe.

NEW FIRMWARE UPDATES
VoIPtel CE 0.3.1: Fixed bug which caused changes to /etc/zaptel.conf made by the GUI to prevent Zaptel from working (eg. when admin changed tone region).

The recently released IP01 requires a different zaptel over spi based driver. Due to this the IP01 now has its own line of firmware, separate from the IP04/IP08.

VoIPtel SE 0.3.2 – Remote Support: By clicking a button in the GUI the admin now has an easy way to establish a secure connection directly from the PBX to our Support Department. When the support session is over all that is needed is a second click on the same button and the connection is closed. Requires the admin to permit outbound connections through the router/firewall.

IP BRI, IP01, IP02, IP04, IP08, Knowledge, PBX stuff

For months now I haved received emails from all over the world asking the same questions. Everybody appears to have heard about this new member of Atcom’s PBX family, but only a few prototypes has been available. That’s not the case anymore, limited quantities of the four port IP BRI has already left the assembly line and are being prepared for shipment. And the price is quite affordable, the SRP has been set at US$ 500.00, a tough price to beat for the closed source competitors. But for me the tecnical specs is always the primary conscern, and this little beauty the size of a standard IP04/IP08 really pack some serious punch.

CPU: 600MHz Blackfin 537 Chip
Four ISDN BRI TE interfaces
NAND flash 256 M
SDRAM 64M

1 X RJ45 port.
1 X power port.
4 X ISDN BRI TE ports
1 X MMC/SD slot
1 X RS232 console port

ISDN Voice Interfaces like the BRI TE connect directly to Public Switched Telephone Networks (PSTNs), Private Branch Exchanges (PBX), and Private Access Branch Exchanges (PABX), supporting both on−premise and off−premise connections.

It will still take a little more time before it will be available through the VoIPtel webshop, some testing as well as firmware adjustments need to be done first. But preorders are accepted, I know for a fact that a few guys and at least one lady has already signed up ;o)

IP BRI