Explaining Integrated Telephony Solutions

Our range of computer linked office telephone systems offers numerous opportunities for developing your business. In the glossary below we explain how to improve customer relations through our fully integrated telephone systems - and more importantly, we explain the jargon, teaching you your VOIP from your ISDN.

• CTI – Computer Telephony Integration
• ISDN – Integrated Services Digital Network
• VoIP – Voice over Internet Protocol
• Wireless phone systems
• VPN – Virtual Private Network
• Unified Messaging
• Call Centre
• Intranet

CTI - Computer Telephony Integration

Linking your telephone to your computer.

Most major databases and bespoke systems can be linked to your office telephone system to deliver client information instantly to your desktop, providing that the software is "TAPI" compliant (a Microsoft standard). This is known as Computer Telephony Integration or CTI.

By utilising CTI technology your office telephone system can benefit from:

• Immediate access to customer records - with CTI the incoming caller's number will search the database and, if a match is found, the customer's record will automatically 'pop up' on your computer screen
• Automatic dialling - CTI allows you to dial out by simply clicking on the required phone number on your screen, saving time and avoiding mis-dialled numbers

ISDN – Integrated Services Digital Network

A range of voice and data applications via a single network.

ISDN provides faster, clearer, more efficient and cost effective voice and data transmission than traditional analogue installations.

ISDN provides the gateway to CTI solutions and improved working practices within organisations. These digital networks have enabled the development of more sophisticated communication services offering end-to-end switched transmission of integrated voice, computer data and other forms of digitised information.

VoiP - Voice over Internet Protocol

An alternative network

VOIP is another term for IP Telephony (Internet protocol). VOIP involves the transmission of telephone calls over a data network such as the Internet or a private network.

In other words, VoIP can send voice, fax and other information over the data network, rather than through the regular telephone network.

Wireless

Be free

All those cables hanging off of your computer can be annoying. What's more, they stop your laptop computer from being truly mobile, which is where wireless phone system technology comes into its own!

Wireless phone system networking uses special types of radio waves to connect you to the network.

VPN - Virtual Private Network

Keep it to yourself

Virtual Private Network or VPN, refers to a network in which some of the parts are connected using the public Internet, but the data sent across the Internet is encrypted, so the entire network is virtually private.

An example might be a company network where there are offices in different cities. Using the Internet the offices merge their networks into one. The data is encrypted via the VPN to ensure that only the authorised offices can see the data on the Internet link.

Unified Messaging

Bringing it all together

Using our unified messaging system you have the ability to access all types of messages in a single medium from the terminal of your choice - be it desktop PC when in the office, notebook PC from the hotel or from your telephone while you're travelling.

Call Centre

Working together

The term 'call centre' generally refers to a large or small group of individuals, who are dedicated to making and handling calls to or from customers or prospective customers.

Normally a phone system with an ACD (automatic call distribution) system is an integral part of a call centre. This term now also extends to interactions beyond the phone such as email and web chat.

Intranet

Quick and easy communication

An Intranet is a private information network within a company or organisation. It's managed using software similar to that used on the Internet but an Intranet is generally for internal use only and not accessible to the public.

Companies use Intranets to manage projects, provide employee information, distribute data and information, etc between departments and individuals.