Ask MetaFilter questions tagged with softphone

Physical handset for softphones?

bartleby — Thu, 22 May 2008 15:56:38 -0800

Handset that works with softphones? As universal as possible. I'm starting to look at options for a business that wants to move to VOIP of one kind or another someday. Which vendor, protocol, etc to go with is not even close to decided yet.
What has been decided:
1) We don't want a VOIP system with complicated Cisco handsets or the like that require everyone to re-learn how to make a phone call. We already have problems with most people refusing to learn how to do simple things like transfer a call using their existing PBX, so we're definitely not willing to have to learn seven new steps to make a phone call on a mini-computer masquerading as a phone.

2) Hearing that, I suggested softphones with headsets. Reply to that was although there were a few people who were on the phone behind their desk all day and would happy to wear headsets, most users would want some kind of device that they could "pick up and answer/dial" instead of wearing a headset or fumbling to get one on every time the softphone rang.

So it seems I'm now looking for either an adapter for their existing paid-for desk handsets (RJ11 at phone, USB at PC, mystery box in between?) that would control a softphone client - OR some kind of replacement handset that would act as a physical accessory for a softphone client.

I've used a Philips VOIP 080 myself, and liked it, but it fails in that it is Skype-specific and also too flimsy/lightweight to really be a replacement for a "real" phone. But some kind of more universal USB phone peripheral should exist out there somewhere.

My first research for this, and the fact that they are a pretty loyal MS shop makes me think that they may go with MS Unified Communications blah blah in the end, with the simplest "Tanjay" phone made. But it seems that that product isn't quite done cooking yet; I'd also prefer that whatever USB phone peripheral not "marry" them to one particular software/client/VOIP protocol.

So does anyone know of a fairly universal USB "phone" peripheral?
Or something that will connect a standard PBX-type phone in such a way that it could control a softphone, without specificying which softphone client is used?

"1 ringy-dingy, 10 ringy-dingy, 11 ringy-dingy"

penciltopper — Thu, 26 Jul 2007 11:53:32 -0800

Softphone Receptionist? Here's a poser that came up in a conversation about small businesses skipping over actual in-house infrastructure and just using Google Apps/Domains for the whole shebang. (that's a whole other thread, so let's focus on this phone question, please)

So let's say the office ALSO dumps its phones and just sets everyone up with a VOIP softphone account - as in Google Talk, Skype, Ekiga, etc. - instead.

How would the receptionist do the call screening/call forwarding/ tasks they do now, via < insert unknown software or interface here> ?

I'm not hep to the way VOIP actually works. Anyone doing this? Even on a small scale? Know of something that does this or is in the works?

My Little Telephony

Shoeburyness — Mon, 17 Apr 2006 15:26:51 -0800

We've decided to get rid of our landline and go with a softphone. The question is: which to choose? We have cable internet. We'd need call in (our own phone number) and call out (ability to call landlines from our PC). For the most part, we'd be talking to people with landlines. I know we can't dial 911 with these-- we have an old cell phone (no more minutes left, but kept charged up) for this purpose. What's better? Skype? Gizmo? Yahoo? Or something else? We know that USB handsets are available with Skype-- what about the others? Also, how would this work with a home network? Are we restricted to calling from one PC or can we do it from any PC in the house?

Dial phone numbers from Excel?

TeamBilly — Mon, 16 Jan 2006 09:49:09 -0800

Want to dial my softphone from Excel. I have a softphone (part of my corporate phone network) on my PC. When using Outlook, I can use Outlook's built-in dialer to make phone calls right from the Contacts list. The dialog box comes down, and it tells my softphone to dial the number. Easy-peasy. The softphone is a proprietary application, by the way, but apparently interfaces with TAPI.

I have an Excel spreadsheet with a list of phone numbers, and I want the same functionality in Excel. I've found a number of actual phone dialers which would work, but I don't need the whole dialer program. I just need the same capability that Outlook has from within Excel: the TAPI module (I guess) that will access my softphone. So far, Google hasn't turned up what I want, which is a simple-plug-in without having to write any code or anything.

Software Router Filter

TeamBilly — Thu, 17 Feb 2005 09:22:14 -0800

Does a software-based router exist so that I can have essentially two internet connections accessed from one Windows XP computer at the same time? (more) I have a need to access a VPN connection (which is locked down from web surfing) and still be able to surf at the same time. There is no way the VPN will be opened up to HTTP or FTP access, so what I want to do is establish VPN for one software app, (company softphone) and still handle general email, web surfing, etc through whatever connection I happen to have, such as in a hotel, airport, or even my home network. I figure there should be a way to do this at the software level, so that it effectively routes packets to the various connections. Am I nuts? Can I do this?