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Author name: Comtex Inc.

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Robo Fraud

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Think twice before calling back that unknown missed call! Calling back you cost you or your employer money! Cell phones have become a necessity in the work force and almost 35% of mobile phones are provided by employers. Comtex wants to alert you to the resurgence of an old scam that has come back again to haunt cell phone users. It’s currently known as the “one ring scam”. The thief programs a robo-dialer to make calls over the internet that only ring your phone once. If you answer the call, it disconnects. While that isn’t harmful to your pocket, the missed call is meant to pique your curiosity so that you call back the number listed in the caller ID. Bad idea! The caller ID lists a 3 digital area code that appears to be domestic, but in reality it is an international pay-per-call telephone number. Calling one of these numbers will cost you upfront $10 to $30! You think you are calling a local number but you are dialing an international hotline that charges a fee for connecting the call, plus a huge per minute fee for the duration of the call. This scam is reminiscent of the old “809” area code trick that enticed you to call a foreign telephone number to claim your prize or help out a family member. The con artists obtain a block of these phone numbers. When you return the call, you hear music playing or listen to a long advertisement for services. The longer you wait, the more money the thief earns. Some area codes to look out for are (284), (876), (473), (268), and (809). A way to avoid this scam is to let any unidentified caller go to voice mail so you can determine if it is legitimate before you return the call. You can also Google the phone number to see if anyone posted it as being connected to a scam. Of course, the best solution is to only return calls from identified numbers. There are other variations of this scam that include automatically signing you up for fake services that will be added to your cell phone bill without your knowledge or permission. While there are warnings that this scam can also allow the thief to steal your contact or financial information, there is no evidence that is possible. They would have to hack into your phone to obtain any information; clicking on a link in an email or text. The mere act of dialing a telephone number should not compromise this data. It is good practice to always review your cell phone bills for “mysterious” charges. The sooner you discover the fraudulent charges, the easier it is to get a credit. Another suggestion is to speak with you cell phone carrier and ask them to block all international calls. Be careful, not all carriers consider the Caribbean or the Dominican Republic an international call. Discuss your concerns with the carrier and seek the best way to inhibit these types of calls.  

Phone Systems, Posts, Telephone Systems

Do you have a Back Up Plan if your PRI/T-1 Fails?

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Many of you may have a PRI or a T-1 circuit connected to your business telephone system as your main source of dial tone. A T-1 has 24 channels (trunks) and a PRI has 23 channels for voice communications. Each channel serves as a single telephone trunk/line and can conduct a call with the outside world; it is the same as having 23 or 24 separate phone lines. Unlike traditional analog (copper) lines, telephone numbers are not assigned to each channel. Going forward we will refer to both types of circuits as a PRI. PRO TIP: Contact Comtex for your Bergen County business telephone systems services. What happens if this PRI circuit goes down? What happens if this PRI circuit goes down? You lose your ability to make and receive calls. This can be disastrous to your bottom line because you have the potential to lose money and customers. There are several points of failure; the carrier’s central office, the cabling from the central office to your location, carrier provided equipment and your telephone system. If any of these points fail, callers will hear a ring with no answer or a fast busy. Even worse, they will not reach your office. The worst possible outcome is that the caller is impatient or thinks you are out of business and calls another vendor. There are some ways to minimize this potential business nightmare. First, you can install back up telephone lines from a different carrier that are different in form (technology); i.e. copper, FIOS, cable or SIP phone lines. This way if the PRI goes down, you still have alternative dial tone connected and working in your phone system. Once they are connected to your system, you have your PRI carrier program your PRI with direct trunk overflow (DTO). In the event of a PRI failure, all calls made to your main telephone number will automatically be forwarded to the backup lines in the phone system. In this scenario, the number of back up lines connected to the system will limit the number of incoming simultaneous calls. With DTO, there should be minimal disruption in service. Keep in mind that you may only receive as many calls as the number of backup lines in the system. If the number of incoming calls forwarded exceed the number of backup lines, the callers will hear a busy signal because there are no open lines to reach your telephone system. For example, if you have 4 backup lines in the system, the fifth incoming call cannot reach you phone system and you will not get that call. Typically, we suggest 4 backup lines because circuits are usually not down more than 1 hour. Please keep in mind that some carriers charge a monthly fee for DTO but it is well worth the cost if you want to ensure the continuity of your business. Another strategy to maximize the number of incoming calls received during a PRI outage is to have Direct Inward Dial (DID) numbers configured on your PRI. In addition to a company’s published main telephone number, a PRI circuit can provide a block of telephone numbers for calling a company. Much like assigning an email address to each employee, each DID serves as a dedicated telephone number assigned to an individual employee. It allows an outside caller to directly reach the employee’s extension without the assistance of an automated attendant or operator. For more information on DIDs, please see this blog. Once employees have assigned DIDs, the PRI carrier can program DTO for all of the DIDs. Upon a PRI failure, each DID is forwarded to the employee’s cell phone. While these calls will not be routed to the phone system, at least they will be answered by the intended recipient or the employee’s cell phone voice mail. Take note that not all carriers will provide DTO to multiple alternative telephone numbers. If they do, you should find out if there is an additional charge and whether it is automatically effectuated upon a PRI failure. Some carriers that offer this option may provide the service but it will not be automatic; the carrier may require the customer to visit a portal to initiate the call forward for each telephone number (DID). If you choose not to pay the monthly fee for DTO, you have the option to call the carrier when you realize the PRI is down. However, keep in mind that it may take a bit of time for you to realize the outage and then to reach the carrier to effectuate the call forward (DTO). Some carriers will not commit to implementing the call forward immediately, claiming it takes some time to process the request. If you already have DTO service on your PRI, we highly recommend a call to your PRI carrier to confirm the telephone number assigned for the DTO upon failure. We know of at least one client that was paying the monthly fee for DTO but the carrier failed to program the call forward telephone number in the DTO service. Unfortunately, this came to light when the PRI failed and they were not receiving the calls on the backup lines installed in the system. It is also imperative to confirm they have the correct telephone number for DTO. Take into consideration that there are carrier charges for DIDs and in most cases, DTO. In addition, there may also be equipment and/or labor charges from your telecom vendor to connect back up trunks in the system.  Please contact your carrier and telecom vendor to discuss these business continuity considerations.   Call us at 201-935-2000 to discuss your redundancy needs for your phone system if your PRI or T-1 fails. Take a look at Comtex Inc on the map below. Comtex is here for you to answer any questions you have.

Posts

Benefits of using Direct Inward Dialing Service

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Direct inward dialing (DID) is a service provided by a dial tone carrier or communication service provider. Typically the carrier allocates a range of telephone numbers that are routed to a company’s existing dial tone in its phone system. DID service allows an outside caller to directly reach an extension (or group of extensions ex. Service dept.) of an office without the assistance of a receptionist or automated attendant by assigning DID numbers to a business. DID numbers have become important in IP communications in connection with SIP trunks and hosted phone systems. To learn more about DID service please click here. There are several advantages to using DID numbers. Local Presence: Obtaining DID numbers can offer a company the ability to appear to be a part of the local community but yet not have a physical location in the area. Customers typically prefer to conduct business with local vendors because it offers a higher level of comfort; close access, faster service and more accountability. If you use DID numbers, your telephone number is no longer restricted by your geographical location. For example, your business office is in New Jersey but you want to seek clients in New York. You can have your dial tone carrier provide a DID telephone number that is “local” to New York (a 212 area code) and have it forwarded to your PBX system in New Jersey. Potential clients seeing this telephone number advertised will get the impression that you have a local presence in New York. If you have local numbers across multiple locations, you can increase your probability of getting calls for new business. Cost Savings: There are several cost savings associated with DID numbers. If your business has multiple locations, you can save money by investing in a single phone system, installing it at the main location. Utilizing IP technology and DID numbers, you can install IP phones at the remote locations and have DID numbers local to each location assigned to your dial tone at the main location. This eliminates the cost and maintenance of a PBX at each site and the associated monthly dial tone bills. Lower labor Expenses: DID service can lower your labor costs by minimizing receptionist duties. If you assign DIDs to every employee, any caller may directly reach their intended party by dialing the DID of the employee, thereby eliminating or minimizing the duties of an operator. Rather than answering every incoming call, the receptionist can be reached only when needed by the incoming caller. This enables the receptionist to attend to other duties during the day. Efficiency: These days, calls want to reach their intended recipient as fast as possible. Callers do not appreciate being placed on hold, listening to an automated attendant, or going through several option prompts to reach the employee. Many do not know or recall the extension of the employee and get irritated when requested to dial the party’s name, especially if it is the last name. Assigning DIDs to every employee, gives callers quick and direct access to each employee. Hold times will be shortened, caller frustration will be minimized and telephone traffic will be managed more efficiently. Higher Customer Appreciation: Last but not least, clients tend to feel that they are getting a better level of service when they are able to directly reach an individual. There is a more personal component when you call the employee and not the company. In summary, businesses are choosing to incorporate DIDs into its communications solution to gain a competitive edge.

Posts

Eight Ways to Mobilize your Organization

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Ensure Business continuity. If there is a local power failure, your phone lines go down or there is a natural disaster, 75% of your remote employees would still be able to work. Reduce your attrition rate. Attrition can be expensive for an organization; job postings, interviewing, paperwork and training. Two thirds of employees would change their job to reduce commuting time and costs and 95% of employers claim that offering remote privileges increases staff retention. Increase Employee Accessibility. Decisions and projects are delayed because of a delay in reaching key employees. Collaborations are negatively affected when all team members cannot be reached simultaneously. In fact, at least 2 hours a week, per staff member are wasted because of a communication problems. Equipment Savings with BYOD. More and more, employees increasingly want to bring their own device to communicate and access data at work. More than 50% of employers will require it by 2017. It will save them money (reduce hardware, licensing and maintenance costs), increase employee productivity (employees are more comfortable and work faster using their familiar device) and increase employee satisfaction (work flexibility). Increase Productivity. While there is a $600 billion dollar loss attributed to staff distraction, 66% of employers claim an increase in productivity in remote workers. Some companies report that remote workers out produce the onsite workers. Decreased real estate costs. Less employees at the office require less office space. It is an average of $10,000 per full time employee; $68 million for major real IT organizations. Reduction is unscheduled time off. Did you know that 78% of employees taking a sick day are really healthy? Unscheduled absences creates a $300 billion dollar loss to American employers. However, employees who have the ability to remotely work from home will more likely work when they are sick. This is because they do not have to get ready for work or commute and they have the comforts of home at their disposal. Employers also benefit from sick staff remotely working because they will not infect coworkers. Reduce Staff Compensation. According to statistics, 36% of workers would forgo a raise to work from home, and 37% of IT employees would take a pay cut to work at home.

Phone Systems

Terms & Conditions for a Wildix System

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Thank you for selecting the Wildix Advanced Unified Communications and Collaboration System (“Wildix System” or “System”) that is virtualized and maintained at Amazon Web Services “AWS”, one of the most reliable data cloud service providers in the world. Please review this Terms and Conditions Agreement (“Agreement”) thoroughly because they regulate the usage of your new Wildix System. This Agreement is a legal agreement between Comtex, Inc., your Wildix vendor (“Comtex”) and the users of the Wildix System and Licenses, (“Client” or “You” or “Your”). Comtex and Client may be individually referred to as a “Party” or collectively as the “Parties.” The Descriptive Wildix Communication System Proposal (“Contract”), signed by You, is expressly incorporated herein and constitutes part of this Agreement. Your signature on Your Contract means that you accept these Terms and Conditions even if You choose not to read them. If You do not accept the terms and conditions stated herein, do not enter into a contract with Comtex to use the Wildix System. We reserve the right to revise these terms and conditions at any time by updating this posting. You should visit this page periodically to review these terms and conditions. If at any time, You do not agree to any of the terms of this Agreement, You shall immediately stop using the Wildix System but You will still be subject to the Contract terms and the payments due thereunder. If You are entering into this Agreement on behalf of a company, organization or another legal entity (“Entity”), You are agreeing to this Agreement for that Entity and are representing to Comtex that You have the authority to bind such Entity and its affiliates to this Agreement. If You do not have such authority, or if You do not agree with this Agreement, You must not accept this Agreement and may not use the Wildix System or any of the features. Each end user of Your Wildix System requires a Wildix license (“License”) to enable use and access to communication and collaboration features, Wildix hardware, and the Wildix web portal. Comtex does not order, supply, provision, service or repair any dial tone or internet services and Your Contract pricing does NOT include the cost of these services. Such services are provided to You by a third-party carrier of Your choice under a separate contract and terms. You are responsible to order and pay for these required services. If there is a support issue, please call Comtex first so we can diagnose Your issue and if necessary to the resolution of Your issue, we will direct You to call Your carrier. I. 911 and e911 Notice and Disclosure. There are differences between the 911 and E911 access capabilities available through Your System (“VoIP 911 and E911 Service”) as compared to the 911 and E911 access capability available with traditional wired non-VoIP telephone systems. By executing this Agreement and activating your Licenses, You affirmatively acknowledge that (i) You have read and understand this Section and Your dial tone carrier’s 911 and e-911 warnings, (ii) You may not be able to contact emergency services by dialing 9-1-1 using the VoIP 911 and E911 Service and (iii) You must inform Users of the Services that they may not be able to contact emergency services by dialing 9-1-1 using the VoIP 911 and E911 Service. Your dial tone carrier provides You access to emergency calling services, allowing You to access either basic 911 or Enhanced 911 (E911) service. Your access may differ depending on Your location or the device You are using, and emergency calling services work differently than traditional wireline or wireless telephones. It is strongly recommended that You have an alternative means for placing emergency calls available at all times. Wildix IP Desk Phone or Soft Phones (“Phones”) can dial 911. Calls to 911 placed through the Wildix Mobile Application on a smartphone are automatically routed to the native dialer on the smartphone, and the call will be handled by Your wireless service provider if wireless service is available. The Wildix Mobile Application cannot place emergency calls over Wi-Fi access. Emergency dialing is not available through the Wildix Mobile Application on tablets or other mobile devices without a native phone dialer and a wireless service plan. A. How it Works. When a Wildix user dials 911 on an IP Desk or Softphone, Your phone number and the Registered Address You have provided to your dial tone carrier is sent to the local emergency center serving Your location. Your “Registered Address” is the address of the physical location where You will use Your Wildix Phones. Comtex does not control whether or not the emergency operator receives Your telephone number and Registered Address. B. Service limitations. 911 service will not function in the event of an Internet or power outage, if You do not have cellular service (on the Wildix Mobile Application), or if Your broadband, ISP, or Licenses are terminated or expire. The Wildix Mobile Application cannot send emergency calls over Wi-Fi access. C. Registering Your Location. Prior to the activation of Your Wildix System, You agree to register with Your Dial Tone provider, the address of the physical location where You will use the Wildix System for each Phone. You must register the address of where any remote phones are physically located. You acknowledge that if You do not update the Registered Address, any 911 calls made from the device may be sent to the wrong emergency response center and will not transmit Your current location information to emergency responders, delaying emergency assistance to You. D. Notification of Employees, Guests, or Other Users. You agree to notify any employees, contractors, guests, or persons who may place calls using the System or may be present at the physical location where the System may be used, of the limitations of 911 Service from Your Wildix Phones. You and Your End Users should always have an alternative means for placing 911 calls. E. Disclaimer of Liability for Emergency Call Response. You acknowledge

Access Control Systems, CCTV

Terms & Conditions For Access Control and CCTV Systems

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Thank you for selecting Comtex to supply and install a CCTV and/or Access Control System (“System”). Please review this Terms and Conditions Agreement (“Agreement”) thoroughly because they regulate the installation and service of your system and it applies to all future transactions with Comtex Inc., including but not limited to purchases, programming, repairs, and installations. This Agreement is a legal agreement between Comtex, Inc., (“Comtex” or “We” or “Our”) and Your Company, (“Client” or “You” or “Your”). Comtex and Client may be individually referred to as a “Party” or collectively as the “Parties.” The Descriptive CCTV and/or Access Control Proposal (“Contract”), that You signed, describing the equipment, installation and cost of Your System, is expressly incorporated herein and constitutes part of this Agreement. If You are entering into this Agreement on behalf of a company, organization or another legal entity (an “Entity”), You are agreeing to this Agreement for that Entity and are representing to Comtex that You have the authority to bind such Entity and its affiliates to this Agreement. ALL CCTV, VIDEO SURVEILLANCE, AND ACCESS CONTROL SYSTEMS, PRODUCTS, EQUIPMENT, CABLING, ACCESSORIES, REMOTE SUPPORT, PROGRAMMING, SOFTWARE, REPAIR AND SERVICES SUPPLIED, SOLD, DEPLOYED, RELOCATED OR INSTALLED BY COMTEX ARE SUBJECT TO THE FOLLOWING TERMS & CONDITIONS. I. DISCLAIMERS Any System installed by Comtex is designed to reduce the risk of loss or damage to or at Your premises so far as this can be done by the use of these systems. However, regardless of whether Your System is working properly or not, We do not guarantee that it will deter, prevent or capture illegal activity. We do not guarantee that the equipment cannot be removed, tampered with or made to stop working by You or any unauthorized person. We do not guarantee that it will not fail to record or require service at some point. We do not guarantee that it will secure your property, belongings or people on or near your property. Comtex does not warrant or represent that that the operation of Your System will be uninterrupted or error free. Comtex does not act and shall not be deemed to act as an insurer of Your property or the contents contained therein. Comtex does not provide a warranty that by virtue of the installation of one or more types of systems, the property, people or contents contained therein are completely secure or safe. Comtex does not sell or install burglar alarms and does not provide burglar or alarm monitoring services. You may contact a vendor who supplies and installs burglar alarms that may compliment Your System. Comtex shall have no liability in contract or tort for any loss suffered and in particular, we do not accept any liability whatsoever for any consequential loss or damage (including loss of earnings or profits or anticipated profits) which may arise from any malfunction or defect of any System. Should any of the above occur, Comtex is not responsible for any losses you may suffer directly or indirectly. A. DISCLAIMER OF WARRANTIES EXCEPT AS SPECIFICALLY SET FORTH IN YOUR CONTRACT AND THIS AGREEMENT, TO THE FULLEST EXTENT PERMITTED BY LAW, ANY SYSTEM INSTALLED BY COMTEX IS PROVIDED “AS IS” AND “AS AVAILABLE,” AND COMTEX MAKES NO OTHER WARRANTIES, EXPRESS OR IMPLIED, INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED TO THE IMPLIED WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTABILITY, NON-INFRINGEMENT, QUIET ENJOYMENT, AND FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE AND ANY WARRANTIES ARISING FROM A COURSE OF DEALING OR USAGE IN TRADE, TOGETHER WITH SIMILAR WARRANTIES, WHETHER ARISING UNDER ANY LAW OR OTHERWISE SPECIFICALLY AND WITHOUT LIMITING THE FOREGOING IN ANY WAY, COMTEX SPECIFICALLY DISCLAIMS ANY WARRANTY: (i) THAT ANY PRODUCT OR SOFTWARE WILL MEET ANY PARTICULAR REQUIREMENTS; OR (ii) THAT THE SYSTEM WILL BE UNINTERRUPTED, TIMELY, SECURE, ERROR-FREE, OR THAT ANY DEFECTS IN THE SYSTEM OR SOFTWARE WILL BE CORRECTED; THE PARTIES AGREE, AND IT IS THEIR INTENTION, THAT IN NO EVENT SHALL ANY WARRANTY PROVIDED BY LAW APPLY UNLESS REQUIRED TO APPLY BY APPLICABLE STATUTE NOTWITHSTANDING THEIR EXCLUSION BY CONTRACT. TO THE EXTENT THAT COMTEX CANNOT DISCLAIM ANY SUCH WARRANTY AS A MATTER OF APPLICABLE LAW, THE SCOPE AND DURATION OF SUCH WARRANTY SHALL BE LIMITED TO THE FULLEST EXTENT PERMITTED BY LAW. B. LIABILITY DISCLAIMER TO THE FULLEST EXTENT PERMITTED BY LAW, IN NO EVENT WILL COMTEX, ITS AFFILIATES, OFFICERS, EMPLOYEES, AGENTS, OR PARTNERS BE LIABLE TO YOU FOR ANY DIRECT, INDIRECT, INCIDENTAL, PUNITIVE, SPECIAL, REPUTATIONAL, CONSEQUENTIAL OR EXEMPLARY DAMAGES OF ANY KIND, INCLUDING, BUT NOT LIMITED TO, (1) DAMAGES FOR LOST OR ANTICIPATED PROFITS, LOSS OF USE, BUSINESS, OR GOODWILL; (2) LOSS OR CORRUPTION OF DATA, EQUIPMENT, OR PRODUCTS; (3) COST OF PROCUREMENT, COVER, OR SUBSTITUTE GOODS OR SERVICES; (4) LOST OPPORTUNITY; (5) ANY OTHER INTANGIBLE LOSSES, EVEN IF COMTEX WAS MADE AWARE OF THE POSSIBILITY OF SUCH DAMAGES OR ARISING OUT OF THE USE OF ANY GOODS OR SERVICES PROVIDED BY COMTEX WHETHER IN ANY OF THE FOREGOING, HOWEVER CAUSED, ARISING UNDER WRITTEN OR ORAL CONTRACT, WARRANTY, TORT (INCLUDING NEGLIGENCE OR STRICT LIABILITY), OR ANY OTHER THEORY OF LIABILITY, EVEN IF COMTEX HAS BEEN INFORMED IN ADVANCE OR COULD HAVE REASONABLY FORESEEN SUCH COSTS, DAMAGES OR LOSSES. IF ANY LIMITATIONS ARE HELD INAPPLICABLE OR UNENFORCEABLE FOR ANY REASON, THEN COMTEX’S TOTAL CUMULATIVE LIABILITY WILL NOT EXCEED $500.00. THE LIMITATION OF LIABILITY SET FORTH IN THIS SUB-SECTION DOES NOT APPLY TO LIABILITY FOR GROSS NEGLIGENCE OR WILLFUL MISCONDUCT. NOTHING IN THIS AGREEMENT SHALL LIMIT OR EXCLUDE ANY LIABILITY WHICH MAY NOT BE RESTRICTED, LIMITED OR EXCLUDED PURSUANT TO APPLICABLE LAW. THIS SECTION SHALL NOT DISCLAIM, LIMIT, OR CAP CLIENT’S OBLIGATION TO PAY ANY FEES OR CHARGES OR OTHER AMOUNT OWED TO COMTEX OR ANY DAMAGES TO WHICH COMTEX IS ENTITLED UNDER APPLICABLE LAW. II. INDEMNIFICATION A. Indemnification Obligations To the maximum extent permitted by applicable Law, You shall indemnify and hold harmless, individually and collectively, Comtex, its affiliates, agents, and employees and other providers who furnish goods and services to You in connection with Your System, and their officers, directors, managers, and employees (the “Indemnified Parties”)

Posts

Mitel & Vidyo Expand Video Conferencing Partnership To Include MiCollab Integration

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There is an ever expanding increase in the demand for videoconferencing across all lines of communications; no internal or external limitations. Mitel and Vidyo extended its original 2013 partnership to allow Mitel to embed Vidyo ‘s APIs into video, audio and collaboration features inside numerous Mitel solutions. This expansion offers Mitel end users the ability to engage in high definition video conferencing from any mobile endpoint across the organization or beyond its internal borders. In response to the ever increasing corporate demand to keep employees connected and productive anywhere, anytime and on any device, Mitel incorporated VidyoWorks into the newest version of Mitel MiCollab, Mitel’s enterprise communications collaboration platform. It seems to be a logical progression for Mitel to incorporate videoconferencing into the MiCollab solution; the platform places a great deal of importance on mobile communications. Mitel MiCollab provides the essential mix of tools that unite employees together from any device or location, providing for spontaneous or planned communications and collaborations. Employees may choose from instant messaging, voice, desktop video, or web collaboration; whatever method works best given the event, attendees and or location. Not only will staff have the ability to connect with others using traditional phones and computers, but also using mobile phones and tablet devices. In today’s busy working environment being able to connect with others in a timely manner can make all the difference in being able to make timely, well informed decisions. It is directly related to business success. This agreement will allow Mitel’s 3,500 channel partners to deliver the best in videoconferencing and collaboration to any endpoint, fixed or mobile. For more information on how you can leverage this technology, please contact us!

Posts, Telephone Systems

Read This Before You Invest in a New Telephone System

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There are many things to consider before investing in a new telephone system. While the equipment is extremely important, there are other factors that must be a part of the process; dial tone, system features and the vendor. Your vendor is truly the most important part of this process. They will guide you through the process and you will rely on them to make this a smooth transition. After all, if your system does not work, you have no connection to your clients. Most phone systems are the same with a few exceptions in features offered; the biggest decision is whether to use a hosted solution or invest in an on premise system. The more important decision is the vendor you choose to implement your communication platform. You should align your business with a vendor, like Comtex, who has the ability, experience and product knowledge to get the best out of your investment, through effective programming, repair and ongoing support. Comtex has evidenced its business longevity in the telecom field with over 56 years of customer support and satisfaction. Questions to ask your on premise vendor: How long have you been in business? (evidences experience) How many years have you been a certified dealer for the systems you sell? (evidences experience with programming and service) When did the system come to market? How many technicians do you employ? How many programmers do you employ? Do you offer 24/7 emergency service? Is there a live person during working hours to take my calls? Do you hire subcontractors? Did you offer references? What is your warranty? Our industry has “trunkers’. A one man shop, with a professional website, with pictures of “employees”. In reality they have no office (they use the home address), no warehouse to stock replacement equipment, hire subcontractors to assist them when they need more manpower and send all incoming calls to a cell phone. This may impact your future service needs. You want a vendor who has a reputation in the industry; one who will be there for you before, during and after the installation. The true test if after the installation when you need changes, upgrades or support. DIAL TONE AND INTERNET You should compile a list of your dial tone carrier(s) and internet provider and a copy of your most recent bills. The first piece of information you should know is when the carrier contracts expire. You may want or need to switch carriers. Please call your dial tone and internet carriers to confirm the date your contract expires and have them put it in writing. Mark your calendar 2 months prior to that date to investigate other carriers. Also find out when you must give notice in writing to the carrier. (usually 30 days prior to contract expiration). Your dial tone may impact the features you want to use in your new system. For example, you need a PRI or SIP trunks for DIDs (direct inward dialing), an out of state phone number to ring into your office or to send calls to a cell phone. You should contact your current dial tone carrier(s) if you are under any contract term. You do not want to buy a system and not be able to connect to the type of dial tone that you will need for certain features. Your will need to contact your internet provider to find out if you have a static IP address and confirm your current bandwidth at your office. The new phone systems require a static IP address to allow the phone vendor to remotely access your phone system for programming and diagnostics. You will also need sufficient bandwidth if you are using IP phone and SIP trunks. Your phone vendor will help you with these things. SYSTEM REQUIREMENTS The configuration and features of a system and the cabling in your office, will help your vendor determine which type of system, hosted or on premise, would work best for your company. What type of cabling do you currently have going to your phones? CAT3 voice or CAT5 data? How many telephones do you want in the office? Do you need any analog phones/devices in the system (cordless phone, fax or conference phone)? Do you have more than one office location? If so, do you want the locations connected? Are there any remote (off site) workers that you want connected to the system? Do you want any enterprise features? ACD, voice mail to email, calls to a cell phone, contact center solutions, etc.

access control cards, Access Control Equipment, Access Control Systems, DSX Access Control System, EasyLobby, HID Global, Posts, Secure Visitor Management System, smartcard

North America Will Lead Card Based Access Control

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Future Market Insights, a research firm in India, projects that the electronic card based access control market in North America will increase by almost $1 billion dollars over the next 6 years; market share in 2014 was approximately $2 billion and it is expected to increase to $3 billion by 2020. Pallavi Guhe, senior consultant at Future Market Insights told Security Systems News that the North American market is expected to surpass all other global regions in the electronic card based market. She said that the 2014 global value was approximately $6 billion and it will increase close to $11 billion by 2020. The report discusses two types of access control cards: smart cards and proximity cards. The report did not state which type of technology is the currently the most popular or which will prevail in the future. The report also reviewed the market by types of end-users; government, commercial, industrial, and residential. “Commercial and industrial end-user segments are expected to lead the global market by value. Additionally, these segments are expected to show the leading growth rates for coming five years as compared to other end-user segments,” she said. Guhe said that crime and terrorist activities are driving the increase in market growth. Healthcare facilities, pharmaceutical companies and financial institutions are increasing demand for card access control system, said Guhe. If your business is in need of an access control system, please visit our website or call us at 201-935-2000.

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