innovations
20
magazine
2
i
Satellite broadband for everyone
Satellite broadband provider Avonline Broadband has signed an
agreement to offer satellite services fromAvanti alongside its
existing solutions from Eutelsat.
The development will enable it to provide businesses anywhere
in the UK with a broader choice of data options and services,
including primary broadband, emergency recovery, redundancy and
overnight off-site data backup.
Avonline’s satellite solutions can be configured for VPN and
enhanced VoIP and video-conferencing, and are available with
download speeds of up to 20Mbps and upload speeds of up to
6Mbps even in remote rural areas.
Systems can be installed within a week and come with a Fibre
Guarantee stating that if and when fibre becomes available at
a customer’s premises, and Avonline is able to provide a fibre
alternative, it will end the satellite contract and connect the
customer to its fibre service.
Avonline Broadband packages cost circa £59.95 per month
for a 50GB package and £149.95 per month for a 150GB service
(monthly data limits exclude unlimited overnight data usage).
Plug in and talk
UK start-up buzzbox has
launched an all-in-one
business telephone
that plugs into any
broadband connection, takes seconds to install
and offers economical call rates – all for five pounds
a month.
Each ‘buzzbox Baby’ comes with a dedicated phone number,
so users can start making and receiving voice over IP (VoIP) calls
straight away. It can be plugged into any internet router, in the
office or at home, and provides a host of professional features, such
as voicemail, call waiting and three-way calls.
Buzzbox founder Stuart Spice said: “The land-line has been stuck
in the dark ages for years. By marrying the internet with your desk
phone, buzzbox baby drags Alexander Bell’s invention into the
21st century. It is ideal for small businesses or individuals who
need to be able to work from anywhere in the world and who
would like to cut costs dramatically.”
Buzzbox says some customers have been able to cut phone
bills by 75%, as it doesn’t cost them a penny to dial remote staff
on their extension number, regardless of their physical location.
A modern touch
Featuring 10-point P-Cap touch-
sensitive technology, the NEC
MultiSync E232WMT multi-touch
LED backlit display enables users to
enjoy the touch-screen capabilities of
today’s operating systems and office
productivity applications. The height
adjustable 23in widescreen monitor
has a broad range of connectivity
options, including HDMI, DVI-D
and D-Sub inputs, and incorporates
speakers, headphone jack, USB 3.0
Hub and FHD webcam. It can also
be used in flat desktop mode.
Sound move
Sennheiser has moved into the
portable speakerphone market with
the launch of its new Sennheiser
Speakerphone Series. Already winners
of red dot and iF design awards, the
SP10 and SP20 enable users to make
personal and small group conference
calls with high definition sound, echo
cancellation and a dual talk function
for more natural interactions. Both
models connect to a PC/softphone
via USB; the SP20 also connects
to a mobile phone or tablet.When
not being used as speakerphones,
the devices double as music/video
speakers with dedicated music
settings.
Davies Veterinary Specialists
(DVS) in Hertfordshire is using
an EkoTek staff protection
system from Multitone to
summon crash teams in
emergencies.
The emergency alert system,
normally used by hospital workers,
works in conjunction with the
practice’s pager system.
Nine fixed EkoTek call points
have been installed in key locations,
including the ICU; main kennels;
and X-ray, MRI, CT, ultrasound,
endoscopy and operating theatres.
DVS diagnostics supervisor
Becky Hitcham says that EkoTek
provides a fast, reliable means
of contacting the right people
wherever they are on site.
“Before, the team used a tannoy system. However, this only worked in
certain parts of the converted farm buildings that make up our site and
sometimes it would be a bit muffled and unclear, making it difficult to
understand what the message was.We had no way of differentiating what was
a critical call-out, as opposed to a general meeting request, and consequently
had no confidence that the emergency crash team would attend,” she said.
“Now it only takes the nursing staff a second to press the button and they
can then get on with dealing with the patient knowing that the message has
gone to everybody on the crash team and that the right support is on its way.”
Multitone answers the call
