Your Computer Network Solution
Soft Phones Do So Much More

With the increasing demand to bring better communications to mobile workers, along with developments of Voice over IP (VOIP) technology, mobile users have the ability to combine the PC workstation (read: laptop) with the telephone. As VOIP handsets are nothing more than dedicated computers optimized for voice communications, why can’t a PC be a telephone? It can.

Sitting in your favorite coffee shop with your laptop WiFi connection along with your Bluetooth headset , you VPN into your company network and connect to your office PBX. So what does that really mean? You use a soft phone which is a software emulator of a physical handset. It looks like a fully functional 2 or 3 line phone. To dial, simply click on the numbers or dial using your laptop keypad.

Many products even provide integration with Outlook and your e-mail system to make reaching your contacts as easy as click and dial.

Since you are connected to your company PBX, you have all of the capabilities available to you just as if you were at your desk. Transferring calls, direct access to extensions, voicemail access and paging are all the same.

Want more? The next step is to combine video conferencing with standard voice. Many of the leading soft phone vendors offer send/receive live video in their emulators. Use the built-in webcam found in many new laptops or add a low-cost USB device. With minimal configuration and expense you can effectively bring your desktop extension almost anywhere.

Cost? While pricing varies among products, most soft phones range from $65 to $110.00 per client. Counter Path even offers a fully functional soft phone client for no charge.

Remote access that lets you be in the office no matter where you are? With a soft phone in your laptop, it's just one more tool in the IT shed.

For more information, call Chris Faist, Integrated Computer Systems Support at 425-284-5410.