New QuadroM 32x
to Offer Largest Call Capacity of Epygi’s
IP PBX Lineup
Apply for beta testing
through May 16

Epygi’s QuadroM 32x IP PBX boosts capacity to as many as sixty concurrent calls and scales to 192 extensions. “Larger organizations can now take advantage of Quadro’s unique features and capabilities,” said Warren Sonnen, Epygi’s Director of Product Management. This increased capacity makes it an ideal choice for larger businesses with a greater need for IP extensions and SIP trunks.

Users can best achieve maximum call capacity with an E1/T1 interface for all local and failover (the ability to switch to another system in the event of service interruption) calling. The appliance includes two FXS ports for connecting standard analog phones, fax machines or similar devices.

Like other Quadro IP PBXs the QuadroM 32x comes with a built-in QoS router for Internet access, a stateful inspection firewall, NAT, DHCP client and server, IPSec and VPN. The QuadroM 32x can be configured remotely via web browser.

Buyers Benefit from Q3 2008 Enhancements
Epygi plans a third quarter launch of its 5.0 software that can be uploaded to the QuadroM 32x. New capabilities include an integrated 32-person conference bridge (64-person with an expandable license key) and programmable ACD (Automatic Call Distribution) for call centers. Installation and configuration protocol improvements will make larger network installs faster and easier.

QuadroM 32x Now in Beta
Anyone wishing to participate in the beta testing of the QuadroM 32x should contact Warren Sonnen at warren.sonnen@epygi.com.

New Support Ticket Application Improves Epygi Channel Support Process
New tool replaces TSS and offers better access to help resources

Seeing a need for more efficient communications and information distribution to its channels, Epygi is putting the finishing touches on a new online support system accessed via http://support.epygi.com. Distributors, resellers, partners and even some end-users will be able to tap into key areas based on their level of access.

When completed, it will be easier to locate important information by use of the new Knowledge Base feature which allows for a keyword search. The Troubleshooting module will allow professionals and end-users to potentially solve common issues in a step by step fashion.

Support tickets will be a feature as in the TSS system. It will be possible to view them after their submission to check their status in the system. Manuals, software and other technical data can be downloaded from the site as well as the latest company and product news.

Part1 of a two part article about securing your IP network and talking happily ever after:
Phreakers, Hackers and Bears…Oh My!
Make sure your voice data travels the yellow brick road of IP telephony without being hijacked by flying monkeys and other fraudsters.

Ok, there really aren’t bears in the woods of VoIP networking, but the flying monkey reference isn’t too far off. The thrilling convergence of voice and data means it’s a whole new day in communication expectations in terms of what business can now expect their phones to do for them. It’s also a brave new world for IT and telephony professionals in terms of how they do business and do it profitably.

However the end-users and the telephony pros aren’t the only ones learning new tricks. High tech thieves are riding the crest of this learning curve and they see VoIP as another splendid opportunity to cheat the righteous and abscond with the goods.

That’s the scary part. The good news is that you can fight back and feel secure using VoIP, if you know what to do. The purpose of this first article will be to provide information about specific dangers and what they mean to the unprotected. Part 2 will tell you more about how networks are vulnerable and what can be done to make them secure.

Know the Culprits and Name the Crime.
Telephony wouldn’t be telephony without an ever growing list of terms and acronyms. You’ve heard of spamming, hijacking, identity theft and corporate espionage. However the terms “sniffers, RATS, phreakers, fraudsters, and men in the middle” sound like something out of a personals ad on Craig’s List, but they’re just part of the lexicon of voice and data convergence.

Phreakers have been around since way before Internet telephony, but they now have new medium in which to practice their dark arts. Breaking into internet phone systems can have big payoff in the sale of black market VoIP minutes. Everything is done over the Internet, from hacking into the gateway to reselling the stolen minutes to crooked wholesalers and then reselling the minutes on phone cards via email to an unsuspecting public. Industry experts put the number of minutes stolen per month at 200 million; that’s $ 26 million dollars worth of toll fraud. Telecom fraud is enormously profitable to the practitioners. There are estimates of $ 35 to $ 40 billion dollars a year gained from illegal activities. These estimates are probably low given that phone fraud is under reported

More than minutes can be taken when a network is breached thru its phone system. By hijacking the voice packets that make up IP calls, (See flying monkey reference above.) it is possible to replay the entire call to a listener intent on gaining access to a private conversation. PIN numbers and SIP phone numbers can be accessed when nefarious hackers eavesdrop on these packets resulting identity theft or the ability to impersonate a phone user to make fraudulent toll calls or tamper with the users settings. It’s possible to change call forwarding numbers or voice mail messages. It’s also possible to impersonate a call recipient to gain otherwise private information.

The Risk Runs Both Ways.
It’s not just end-users who are vulnerable. Public and private IP operators face the same risks, plus they’re susceptible to DoS (denial of service) attacks. By surreptitiously changing an IP phone’s password, an authorized user can be prevented from making calls. A broadcast storm can also cause DoS by tying up a network’s bandwidth and possibly even crashing the host site. Service providers must also protect against viruses, worms, and breaches of user profiles that protect access to sensitive information like client accounts.

Why VoIP is Vulnerable.
There are certain protocols like SIP and RTP that make VoIP vulnerable to these attacks. These protocols don’t provide end to end protection of data. The information packets are not encrypted and do not require call–party identification. Softphones that run on laptops, PDAs and other computers can be an entry for network attacks. Even tools used to properly analyze and prioritize packets over a network (data sniffers) can be used to circumvent security measures, spy on network users and collect sensitive information.

Don’t Panic. Take a Xanax and Get Ready to Secure Your System.
In spite of the above scenarios, VoIP systems can be secured without hampering their performance. Next month, Part 2 provides more details about how a network is compromised and, best of all, how it can be prevented.

Epygi Adds Certifications with Three Internet Telephony Service Providers
Interoperability confirmed for Quadro IP PBXs and Gateways

Epygi continues to expand its list of global ITSP partners with Broadvox of Dallas, Texas, Voxitas of St. Louis, Missouri and VOZTelecom of Vallés, Barcelona, Spain. “The fact that we test successfully with so many service providers is a compliment to our engineers and design staff,” said Epygi President and CEO, Mario Cuello. “We’ve ardently followed global protocol standards to deliver a product with maximum interoperability.”

Broadvox GO! SIP Trunking
Founded in 2001, Broadvox provides integrated managed VoIP services to SMB, enterprise and carrier customers. It has earned the trust of more than 160 telecommunications carriers, CLECs, ISPs and more than a thousand enterprise customers terminating and originating over six billion minutes annually. They offer Broadvox GO!-branded SIP trunking, SIP origination and termination to the PSTN and hosted communications.

Broadvox expresses acute awareness of the potential challenges resellers and end-user customers face when implementing an IP PBX solution. “Although the industry has coalesced around Session Initiation Protocol (SIP) as the standard, SIP is implemented a bit differently by each manufacturer. For that reason, Broadvox performs extensive interoperability testing with each PBX manufacturer before we make our service available in conjunction with their equipment,” said a company spokesperson.

“Further, we establish ongoing communications between our engineering staff and the manufacturers as well as a continuous testing process to keep up with product updates and software revisions. You’ll have a seamless installation process and ongoing support without finger-pointing when you combine Broadvox GO! SIP Trunks and Epygi products.”

In working with SMBs, Broadvox has developed a flexible solution that enables small business to achieve the benefits of SIP no matter what their existing infrastructure. More: www.broadvox.net

Voxitas True Voice
Voxitas, formerly NetLogic, is a Quality of Service (QoS) business-class ITSP that offers feature-rich, next generation VoIP telephony services utilizing SIP trunks.

In addition, the company provides origination and termination, broadband Internet and toll-free and emergency 911 services to customers that include single and multi-site IP PBX systems, in-bound and out-bound call centers, small to medium-sized enterprises, and wholesale carriers. Voxitas distributes its products and services through a network of agents, dealers and private-label wholesalers.

Among the special business products offered by Voxitas are True Composure: network-based redundancy and failover for SIP trunking, and True Direction: unique SIP trunking call redirect that automatically balances traffic load among call centers. Voxitas offers a range of QoS products from SIP trunks delivered across the public Internet, to their True Connection-branded T1. Customers can get higher speeds like T3 and Ethernet in select markets.

Headquartered in St. Louis, Voxitas has offices in Chicago, Kansas City, Dallas, San Francisco and Washington, D.C. More: www.voxitas.com

VozTelecom and Easy VozIP
VozTelecom, founded in February 2003, was the first SIP-based European provider of white label or OEM IP telephony applications in a software-as-a-service model to telcos, ISPs and other broadband service providers. Based in Vallés Barcelona, Spain, the company sells primarily to European and Latin American markets, focusing on the SOHO and SME segments.

Epygi is working closely with the company’s new division in Mexico to expand their penetration in Latin America. Mexico has become a major communications hub, hosting the most recent VON exposition.

Voz offers VARs and tech professionals an entry into VoIP supply with limited risk and accelerated time-to-market, licensing them to package and deploy private-branded IP services in their own markets.

VozTelecom’s unique software control panel allows resellers to manage customer accounts, review status, administer credit and billing, provision DID extensions and deliver technical support. Resellers can choose from national dial plans, languages and billing models (prepay, flat rate, minutes, etc.) Their customers receive a detailed call history with real-time rated calls for accurate auditing and accounting. More: www.vozip.com (www.voztele.com for Spanish version)