Editorial

When transitioning to a new business communication system, it is essential to consider several key factors to ensure a successful shift. Start by determining your technology needs, focusing on scalability and flexibility to accommodate future growth. Evaluate the cost-effectiveness of potential systems, including installation, maintenance and overall ROI. Assess the features and integration capabilities with existing tools, as well as the user experience and training offered by vendors. Ensure the system's security and compliance with industry standards and consider the vendor's reputation and support quality.

Announcement

The NIS-2 Directive, an impending EU-wide legislation, aims to significantly bolster cybersecurity measures across member states by enhancing the resilience and incident response capabilities of both public and private entities, including medium-sized enterprises and cloud service providers whose communications systems are prime targets for cyberattacks. Scheduled to come into effect this fall, the Directive introduces stringent legal measures to ensure organizations are better equipped to handle potential threats and improve overall EU cybersecurity. Despite the approaching deadline, there is still time to comply with the Directive's requirements.

Tech

Integrating Prometheus with Vodia PBX enables effective monitoring of your phone system’s performance. Start by creating an API account on Vodia PBX to grant access to Prometheus, followed by the installation of Prometheus on DigitalOcean. Update the prometheus.yml file to include your PBX as a target by configuring the DNS, username, and password. Explore the Vodia API for available system stats, such as CPU usage and memory. Finally, create custom stat panels in Prometheus to visualize and track these key performance metrics in real time.

Editorial

On-premise solutions continue to be vital for many enterprises due to their superior data security and control, essential for industries like finance and healthcare. They offer deep customization, fitting specific needs and legacy systems, and provide reliable performance, especially for latency-sensitive applications. Additionally, while cloud solutions have a pay-as-you-go model, on-premise can be more cost-effective in the long run for predictable workloads. This balance of security, customization, and cost-efficiency ensures on-premise remains a strong option amidst the growing shift to cloud services.

Case Studies

Locality Networks, delivers high-speed fiber optic internet and advanced tech solutions to homes and businesses. Seeking to enhance their offerings, they implemented Vodia’s multi-tenant UC PBX, which provides top-tier features like mobile extensions, web clients, texting and CRM integrations. This has enabled them to offer cutting-edge communication tools, enhancing customer productivity and satisfaction. The seamless deployment, robust call center features and excellent support from Vodia and partners have made this transition successful for their diverse clientele.

Announcement

Cove Central Communications announced its nationwide Technology Alliance Partner Program (TAPP) with Vodia in November 2023, aimed at supporting Managed Service Providers (MSPs) in delivering VoIP solutions. Since its launch, TAPP has seen significant interest, with Cove Central now providing VoIP solutions to over 30,000 users through regional MSP partners. The program addresses challenges such as FCC fees, compliance, and E911 configuration, simplifying VoIP deployment for MSPs. Jim Whittaker, Head of Technology, noted a projected revenue increase of 60% or more in 2024 due to TAPP.

Announcement

Vodia has announced the release of version 69.3.1 of its PBX, featuring enhanced robustness for challenging environments. This update introduces new supported devices, Prometheus support for graphs and call queue statistics and improvements in IVR with natural number pronunciation for languages like French. Other notable updates include simple agent login/logout, better call forwarding for internal numbers, and multiple push servers for resilience. Bug fixes address issues with ActionURL passwords, Grandstream device support, HTTP server information in REST API calls, and more. Users are advised to back up their systems before upgrading.

Announcement

We recently launched Vodia Phone 2, a new Android app designed to enhance mobile user experience. This new app, written in Kotlin, replaces the previous version that was based on HTML5. The rewrite addresses performance issues, such as high resource consumption and suboptimal control over incoming calls and the microphone, which were problematic with the HTML5 WebRTC framework. By leveraging the Android native dialer API, the new app ensures quick, safe call handling. While both apps are currently available, users are encouraged to transition to Vodia Phone 2 for improved functionality. Vodia Networks continues to support a wide range of enterprise telephony needs with their advanced PBX software.

Announcement

Vodia now integrates with Grafana Labs®' technology to enhance observability in installations, addressing the needs of critical infrastructure environments like emergency services and healthcare. By integrating with Grafana's® scalable metrics, logs and traces solutions, Vodia ensures secure and reliable communication systems. This integration enables geo-redundant deployment and proactive incident response, supporting Vodia's commitment to IT security. Vodia also provides extensive support for implementing, monitoring and auditing these high-availability communication solutions, ensuring seamless integration with various platforms and adherence to stringent data protection measures.

Announcement

NEC's exit from the on-premise telephone systems market has left many customers at a crossroads, seeking effective alternatives. Vodia provides a seamless transition to our on-premise PBX, utilizing a proven migration path and advanced VoIP technology. In recent migrations, we observed the deep-rooted reliance on "lines" within NEC systems. Our approach ensured a smooth adaptation, teaching users to transition from the old two-step process to a more intuitive VoIP interface. VoIP eliminates physical lines, offering a robust, efficient, and user-friendly communication solution. With Vodia, your organization can continue to communicate effectively, ensuring business continuity and enhanced communication capabilities.

Editorial

Effective communication is pivotal in enhancing learning experiences. Collaboration between educators and parents fosters a positive environment for students. Amidst the digitalization of education, prioritizing #SmartCommunication is essential for seamless integration of technology into teaching and learning. As learning methods evolve, educators are transforming into facilitators, guiding learners towards acquiring, applying and sharing knowledge. The role of assessment is also evolving, emphasizing the application and utilization of knowledge. While technology shapes the future of education, personal interaction remains vital.

Announcement

Vodia Networks, Inc. now integrates with NICE, the leading cloud-native customer experience (CX) platform, through the Session Recording Protocol (SIPREC). SIPREC is an open SIP-based protocol that records calls by establishing a session through a System Resource Controller (SRC) and Software Requirements Specification (SRS). This integration enables seamless recording and management of customer interactions across various data sources and channels. Vodia's cloud phone system, which introduced SIPREC in 2018, supports NICE Enlighten XO, an AI-driven platform that optimizes digital CX by analyzing conversations and prioritizing automation opportunities.