Microsoft Pumps Up Small Business VoIP
Sometime this summer, Microsoft plans to roll out the first service pack for its Response Point small business voice over IP system, and VoIP solution providers say it adds key features that were missing in previous releases.
Chief among the new features is what Microsoft calls digital voice services, which is known as SIP trunking in the VoIP channel. While earlier versions of Response Point allowed only analog lines to be connected to the PSTN, small businesses will be able to connect to the PSTN over the Internet, and that'll bring the benefits of cheaper calls and easier management, according to solution providers.
Ben Brauer, Microsoft's senior product manager for Response Point, says what sets Response Point apart is the fact that it's been designed with the specific needs of small businesses in mind. "Small business VoIP used to be enterprise phone systems that were cut down for small businesses, but these systems were often too complex and difficult to use," he said.
