Skype for Business -- VoSKY

gibo_ie

Hi Guys,
Just wondering if anyone here has tried out the new Skype exchange for business
1. http://accessories.skype.com/item?SID=cc3dc163999a5dc660e4c047b3e4f74c6a1:4580&sku=USB07055C
2. http://shopping.netledger.com/s.nl/c.ACCT122499/category.6/it.A/id.138/.f

Basically the unit plugs into 4 analogue lines on any PBX, then plugs into 4 USB ports on a dummy PC with skype software loaded. It then allows you to have 4 concurrent skype calls going on direct from any desktop handset connected to your PBX by simply dialling "8" for a skype line instead of "9" for a normal outside line. The great thing is that you can use a skypein number with it and when people call the number they then input an extension of whoever and get straight through to the desk phone!!
Sounds great and i am trying to find anyone who has used this yet as i plan on putting one in another of our international offices than using free VoIP between them both.
I know you have to sacrafice a dummy XP machine and pay 750 yoyo per unit but it will drastically reduce our call costs here for one.

So anyone any opinions on having used this?
Cheers,
Gibo

Blaster99

If you believe in Skype as your telephony provider, would it not be cheaper to get Skype handsets instead of the exchange lark? Or indeed just use headsets and spend €40 a seat or whatever.

There's no SkypeIn in Ireland, is there? You may have problems dialling 1890 numbers and stuff as well with SkypeOut.

I would have thought VoIP is a better solution overall, despite my bitching about it...

gibo_ie

Blaster99 wrote:

If you believe in Skype as your telephony provider, would it not be cheaper to get Skype handsets instead of the exchange lark? Or indeed just use headsets and spend €40 a seat or whatever.

There's no SkypeIn in Ireland, is there? You may have problems dialling 1890 numbers and stuff as well with SkypeOut.

I would have thought VoIP is a better solution overall, despite my bitching about it...

Thanks for the reply but you obviously didnt read any of the links right? It is not to replace POTS but to compliment it, i want to use for free calls between offices worldwide without retraining users, new headsets and mic or a second handset -- with 150 users this is much larget cost than the cost of the boxes!!!

Nope, no SkypeIn number for Ireland but Irish people would still ring our main irish number, US people would ring our SkypeIn US number etc...

VoIP will be fine for interoffice communications and still rely on the copper lines for a while still, play with the cheaper international calls though, just dial 8 instead of 9 for outside line, cant really get much simpler than that!!!

Blaster99

I did read the links and did read them again and no wiser, but I guess from your posts that it's a PBX bridge using Skype?

The good thing with this is that Skype is far superior to VoIP when it comes to dealing with less than perfect internet connections.

You can obviously achieve this with a VPN connection and Asterisk and some hardware, but you probably end up spending about the same and you don't get the same call quality but you get more functionality with Asterisk no doubt.

bushy...

Maybe since your dealing with a good few users in a business and Skype has been cracked/reverse enginereed/etc maybe a vpn and asterisk or something would be a better bet ?