Frequently Asked Questions

Unified Communications

What is Unified Communications?

Unified communications can be defined in many ways; at the highest level, it encompasses virtually any form of communication, including voice, video and text-based media. It may be best known for unified messaging capabilities, which allow users to access voice, email and other media from a single device or mailbox.

How can Unified Communications benefit my company?

Analysts and research data cite speed of decision making and efficient employee communications as the biggest advantages of unified communications. A Gartner Inc. survey of 300 midmarket companies with more than 400 employees, conducted last April, showed efficient communications, particularly across dispersed employees, to be the most-cited advantage of UC. Specifically:

• 44% of companies cited improved speed of communications across the business
• 39% listed better communications for distributed sites or remote workers and mobile workforce members
• 29% mentioned collaboration improvements
• 26% chose the competitive advantage

What are the basic components of a total UC System?

Unified communications is not a single product but rather a solution which consists of various elements, including (but not limited to) the following: call control and multimodal communications, presence, instant messaging, unified messaging, speech access and personal assistant, conferencing, collaboration tools, mobility, business process integration (BPI) and a software solution to enable business process integration.

What is the first step to begin implementing or working toward a Total Unified Communications solution for my business?

The first step is contact CNP so that we can begin a conversation about the unique needs of your business. Our knowledgeable sales executives and engineers will listen to your wants and needs and help configure a solution to suite.

Voice Over Internet Protocol (VoIP)

What is VoIP?

Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) is an internet-based technology that provides the ability to make and receive phone calls over an internet connection, rather than traditional analog PSTN (Public Switched Telephone Network) lines.

What are the advantages of an IP PBX VoIP phone system over analog PSTN lines?

VoIP telecommunications solutions for business include digital, "PBX" features that are not frequently available on PSTN lines. For example voicemail to email, auto attendant, call forwarding, call recording, conference calling, customizable music-on-hold, etc.

What is the most current version of ShoreTel?

ShoreTel Release 11.2 is in General Availability.

This version of ShoreTel software was tested and certified on the following platforms:

ShoreWare Main and Distributed Servers (Heterogeneous environments supported)

• Windows Server 2003 (Enterprise or Standard Editions only) with SP2 (32-bit version)
• Windows Server 2003 Release 2 with SP2 (32-bit version)
• Windows Server 2008 (Enterprise or Standard Editions only) with SP2 (32-bit version)
• Windows Server 2008 R2 (Enterprise or Standard Editions only) (64-bit version)*
• Internet Explorer 7 and 8

All versions of ShoreTel Communicator for Windows

• Windows XP Professional (with SP3) (32-bit version)
• Windows Vista (Business Edition or Enterprise) with SP2 (32-bit version / 64-bit version)
• Windows 7 (Business Edition or Enterprise) (32-bit version / 64-bit version)
• Windows Terminal Server on Windows 2008 (64-bit version)
• Citrix 5.0 on Windows 2008 (with SP2) (32-bit version)

Supported Internet browsers for ShoreTel Communicator for the Web

• Safari 4.0 on Macintosh
• MS Internet Explorer 8.0
• Firefox 3.6 on Windows

Outlook Integration

• Office 2003 (32-bit version)
• Office 2007 (32-bit version)
• Office 2007 R2 (32-bit version)

ShoreTel Communicator for Mobile [LBS- Location based service]

• Blackberry 8100 series (Pearl) [No LBS; No Bluetooth]
• Blackberry 8300 series (Curve) [LBS with dongle; Bluetooth]
• Blackberry 8800 series [LBS; Bluetooth]
• Blackberry 8900 series [LBS; Bluetooth]
• Blackberry 9000 series [LBS; Bluetooth]
• Blackberry 9500 series (Storm) [No LBS; Bluetooth]
• Blackberry 9600 series [LBS; Bluetooth]
• HTC Mogul (Sprint PPC-6800) [No LBS; No Bluetooth]
• HTC TyTN II [No LBS; Bluetooth]
• Motorola V3xx series [No LBS; No Bluetooth]
• Nokia E61i series [LBS with dongle; Bluetooth]
• Nokia E65 series [No LBS; No Bluetooth]
• Nokia E71 series [LBS; Bluetooth]
• Nokia E90 series [LBS; No Bluetooth]
• Nokia N78 series [LBS; Bluetooth]
• Nokia N82 series [LBS; Bluetooth]
• Nokia N95 series [LBS; No Bluetooth]
• Samsung Blackjack II [No LBS; No Bluetooth]
• iPhone (OS 3 and later)

What's new in ShoreTel 11?

• ShoreTel Communicator for Web

• ShoreTel Communicator for iPhone
  

• ShoreTel Communicator for Mobile streamlined user interface
  

• Distributed database option
  

• Virtualization
  

High Definition (HD) Video Conferencing

How does Video Conferencing work?

The basic element in a video conferencing network is a device called a CODEC (Short for Coder Decoder) This unit takes the video and audio signals, from the room's camera and microphone, digitizes and compresses them; and then transmits the signals down high speed phone lines called T-1 lines (ISDN). Video Conferences can also be transmitted via Internet as well. Most of the CODECs that are a part of the UH System Compressed Video Network operate on two internationally agreed upon standards. They are designated H.320 (ISDN) and H.323 (IP/Internet) CODECs on the UH campus can connect to other CODECs as long as they are based on these standards.

What is Multipoint conferencing?

Several locations can be "bridged" together to have your meeting at many locations. Bridging a call requires either special hardware called a multi-point control unit, or many CODECs can bridge a call between it and three other CODECS. There are several different Multipoint formats: Audio Switching, which automatically switches the site that the conferences sees based on which site is talking. Every site sees the site that is presenting in a full TV frame. Continuous Presence allows up to 5 sites to see all the other sites in the meeting. The TV picture is divided with each site taking a _ of the screen. Recent developments by manufacturers have allowed more sites to be a part of continuous presence conferences. The final format is Continuous Presence Lecture Mode. This mode of conferencing would be valuable if your event was some kind of training. One site is designated the originator, and that site is what all the other sites will see. The originating site will see the remote sites in the divided screen like the Continuous Presence mode.

What factors affect the quality of a High Definition Video Conference?

The speed of the network connection is one of the biggest contributors to quality. If the network connection is slow or unstable (such as over the open internet) the video session can be unusable. Newer equipment (manufactured after 1999) can produce excellent motion pictures from even slow speed connections and therefore can significantly contribute to better quality images. Some seemingly minor factors can seriously affect quality. Microphone placement and function significantly affect video conference quality because the audio clarity of a meeting is critical to the perception of quality. Further, the amount of movement the meeting participants create, if great, can cause codecs (the video conferencing engine) to create blurred images as they process communications signals. Finally, the type-size of fonts used in computer presentations if too small can be illegible to both near and far-end meeting participants.

How do I know what High Definition Video Conferencing products are right for my business' needs?

Give CNP a call and one of our knowledgeable sales staff will be more than happy to discuss your video conferencing goals and suggest a configuration to suit your needs and even schedule a demo to show you the products. You can find additional information on the LifeSize suite of High Definition Video Conferencing products by using the links below.

• LifeSize Passport
• LG Executive, powered by LifeSize
• LifeSize Express 220
• LifeSize Team 220
• LifeSize Room 220
• LifeSize Phone
• LifeSize Transit
• LifeSize Networker
• LifeSize Video Center
• LifeSize Bridge
• LifeSize Control