3G Comm

The fax-server concept is quite simple. You send faxes from your workplace in the function of printing to the fax printer. The printer, in its return, transmits your document to the server. The latter makes an outgoing order for sending during a call through fax-phone. This technology exchanges the traditional one, when there should be printing of individual documents and their further acceptance to the fax-machine for sending. Such technological modification saves time because there is no need to print documents and to submit them to the device manually. On the reception side another server transmits received documents directly to the client of the e-mail on the desktop. Time saving leads to...

om equipment maker Nokia Siemens Networks announced on Monday, agreed to pay 1.2 billion acquisition of Motorola's networks business in the United States Department of the majority stake to the important North American and Japanese markets were stronger foothold. In a joint statement the companies said they expected the deal transaction will be completed before the end of 2010. Rajeev Suri, CEO of Nokia Siemens said in a statement, I think the increase in Motorola's networks business will significantly enhance our global presence, strengthening our in the United States, Japan and other priority areas of the scale and enhance our leadership position in the global wireless market . Nokia and Nokia...

There has been a bit of a buzz lately about a new opportunity on the internet that has drawn enough attention to write a review on. It is a business opportunity in the telecommunications industry. There are a number of business opportunities out there that are related to the telecommunications industry such as ACN, 5Links and others that have done well over the years. The telecommunications industry is a multi-billion dollar business and therefore the money is there to create the potential for an opportunity to arise. According to the Voiparty website, that opportunity lies within Voiparty. Voiparty is the worlds first Peer to Peer IXC (interexchange carrier) network. It is income generated on the...

Quite a long time ago, people had to personally see each other to set appointments or to talk. Just imagine how much of a hassle it was for them when sudden cancellation of appointments had to take place. We know, that is quite hard to imagine given the technological advancements that we have now. We are probably born in the telephone era or have known how to use the telephone one way or the other. With the telephone, all we have to do is dial the number and it is very likely that you will get to talk with the person you are looking for. As if that convenience was not enough, mobile phones were invented. With mobile phones, we can make a call and eventually, even send an SMS message anywhere we are...

Before discussing the benefits of SIP trunking, you should first know what SIP trunk is. A SIP trunk is a logical connection that uses SIP or (Session Initiation Protocol) to set up communication over the internet between a customer location and an internet telephony service provider (ITSP) which transfers the SIP calls to a PSTN (Public Switched Telephone Network). This sort of telephony connection is a boon for various businesses, especially small scale organizations that need to make regular local, STD as well as international calls and have to take a dedicated line from a telephone provider. To define it in short, 'SIP is the real-time communication procedure for VoIP phone system...

Learn about telecom contracts and invoices. You could save your company millions! Let’s talk about how most people envision telecom expense and their budget. They get their bills and someone approves them for payment then they are off to the Accounts Payable department for payment. Most business aren’t aware that there could be many ways to reduce their expense (without carrier changes required) since everything appears to work correctly and nothing jumps out when they do look at their telecom bills. When looking at the telecom budget the CFO may call the provider and ask about contracts and rates, as these are the biggest ways to affect the bottom line quickly (they think). We...

IP Television (IPTV) is not literally TV that is broadcast over the Internet. While the "IP" in its name stands for Internet Protocol, it does not imply that people will sign on to their favorite Web page to access television programming. According to Jeremy Allaire - IPTV is generally funded and supported by large telecom providers who have undertaken the mission of creating a competitive replacement product for digital cable and satellite services." The IP refers to a method of sending information over a secure, tightly managed network that result in a superior entertainment experience. Internet Protocol Television is digital television delivered on your television and not PC through high speed...

VoIP platforms offer different features for a variety of uses. Since VoIP technologies are now found in large and small businesses and residences, providers have evolved to offer services suitable for anyone. Voice over Internet protocol is the act of transmitting voice over the Internet or another packet switch device. This type of transmission is also called Internet telephony. As VoIP technology has become more popular with the general public, a number of voice over phone companies have popped up offering their own unique VoIP platforms. Some platforms allow for free calling between subscribers, while others offer reduced rates for international calls. These services greatly compete with...

In 1975 the idea of a prepaid phone card was first brainstormed by SIDA; a vending machine manufacturer and distributor located in Italy. In the fall of 1975 SIDA sought alternative means to using coins to operate pay phones. At the time there was a shortage of medal coins in Italy and pay phone vandalism was becoming overbearing. Phones were often being destroyed, or stolen. Just a few months later, in early 1976 came the release of the first phone card. Cards were printed on thin cardboard with a magnetic strip as result of dealing with the coin shortage. Pay phone users would insert the card into the pay phone and it would start deducting minutes from your card. Like many new products, problems...

The VoIP PBX solutions are meant for providing high-end services to corporate clients to cater to their communication needs in a more comprehensive and cost efficient manner. The service allow the customers to avail the Voice over IP networks at low costs, along with several other extra facilities. Adopting the PBX solution brings profit to organizations and so people develop their own understanding of such solutions. The deployment trend of the VoIP PBX solutions is quite heartening. The VoIP PBX solutions are based on software that allows the corporates to have better co-ordination among branch offices of an organization and franchises based on a single platform. With its induction, the businesses...

ess means communication. Communication with your clients, your suppliers, your bankers and, most importantly with your own employees and colleagues who are more often than not out of the office sealing business deals or fulfilling business commitments hundreds of miles away from the corporate headquarters. All this means continuous communication involving follow up with all the constituents of the business environment – both internal and external. This also means a substantial amount of your hard earned revenue going to the telecom provider of the long distance communication service. So, the amount spent in commercial long distance communication needs to be very carefully monitored and...

Telecom Expense Management (TEM) initiative usually saves money when using landlines, wireless and other types of telecommunication billing systems. It is quite complicated than it looks. Enterprises that employ TEM strategies agree that it is the best way to cut costs. Telecom auditing process alone is an important process in reducing expenses. There are various elements under TEM that make it a multifaceted process. These elements are very critical to companies with telecommunications systems that desire to have efficiency in operations and productions to realize higher profits. Bill auditing: This is a key process in telecom auditing. Usually auditors begin with bill auditing when searching for...

Panther Mobile is a wireless communications company. Aside from being a wireless telecom service provider, they are also an MLM opportunity. Formed in 2008 this is one of many MLM opportunities focusing on the telecom market. Its founder and CEO, Harry Aston, has experience in sales and marketing in the automobile industry as well as a network and internet marketer. Working with him on the corporate team is Kate Green who is the Director of Operations. Similar to Harry Aston, she also has experience in network marketing. Unlike other telecommunication companies, they also ventured into the network and internet marketing aside from offering their wireless services. Their philosophy talks about how...

The users of Voice over IP find it very convenient to access telephony services if they are registered with the Private label VoIP. It is due to the fact that Private label offers a very simplified communication solution. It eases establishing connection to wholesale service providers. Once the connection is established it obviously becomes easy to terminate calls to distant places on earth. Hence, unlimited calling becomes possible with the private label VoIP. The VoIP technology and VoIP reseller programs comes loaded with rich features that make the entire process of telephony very exciting. Moreover, with the advent of private label VoIP, telephony has become far more simplified than ever. The...

Asterisk, is an open and powerful VoIP telephony toolkit; which can be used to give an individual the ultimate control over their phone performances. For example the transfer of voice over WIFI, eliminating phone call costs, ability to select from hundreds of VoIP providers, and how to create your personal voicemail and menus. What is this gadget Asterisk? Asterisk is a powerful VoIP toolkit, which application is easy; it is an open source VoIP telephony toolkit (server software) which runs on any platform. It allows an individual to manage VoIP services from their own home in several powerful ways, which can not be handled even the most expensive PBX (public branch exchange). For instance, it can...

Corporate business solutions pertaining to communication are essential to many small as well as medium sized businesses (SMB). With the latest innovations in the realm of VoIP telephony being implemented in many of the VoIP solutions, these specialized services contribute significantly to the growth and diversification of SMBs. As a matter of fact, many establishments and corporates have realized this fact; consequently, a growing SMB market has come up with VoIP service providers doing all that it takes to cater to the same. A multitude of options are available in VoIP solutions - corporate users could opt for anything between fully hosted to onsite IP solutions. In addition, simple VoIP solutions...

Session Initiation Protocol (SIP) is a protocol that initiates and manages interactive user sessions involving voice, video, instant messaging, and other such multimedia sessions. It is a 3GPP (Third Generation Partnership Project) signaling protocol. It is one of the major signaling protocols used in Voice over IP (VoIP). SIP was developed by IETF MMUSIC Working Group in an initiative to create a more robust standard compared to the H.323, which is a current widely used standard for voice sessions. The need was to cater to the increasing demand put by services such as video conferencing, unified messaging, and voice chatting, which are now being implemented through Internet. SIP is based on...

The mobile industry all over the world is going to be credited with the fourth generation mobile phone... but not quite in the near future. The rat race of launching this mobile phone is gaining speed. Till date, the 3G mobile phones like BlackBerry Bold and Apple's iPhone that used third-generation networks for faster Web browsing and e-mail were in demand but this time the companies are yearning to take a step forward. But due to the ongoing crisis, that has gripped the world, the techno savvy will have to wait some time before this technological evolution reaches into their hands. The contemporary mobile phones that are manufactured by US largest carries (Verizon Wireless, AT&T and Sprint...

With so much new technology, including Voice over IP (VOIP), coming to the office today, small business owners and managers are increasingly challenged to maintain their systems. They face the ordeal of making multiple vendors with overlapping responsibilities accountable for systems that must work together. Poor customer service from a vendor can result in an entire office being off-line or unable to receive normal call volume for hours, or even days. Few companies really specialize in providing prompt, personal solutions in this market. Large companies hire technical specialists as permanent employees to maintain their telecom equipment and carrier services. Small and medium sized companies...

Deutsche Telekom-owned T-Mobile has expressed confidence that it can upgrade its mobile phone network in the US, to improve its market share in comparison to Cingular, Verizon, and Sprint Nextel. Deutsche Telekom-owned T-Mobile has expressed confidence that it can upgrade its mobile phone network in the US, to improve its market share in comparison to Cingular, Verizon, and Sprint Nextel.The three larger competitors have all secured additional spectrum to provide 3G wireless services, something that T-Mobile will have to do if it wants to keep up with the rapidly changing mobile phone industry. The German company claims that its up for the challenge, however, and has...

PBX Systems allow you to set up extensions, customer management systems, auto-attendants, call redirects and more to route calls within your organization. These operations are handled through a private branch exchange server (PBX). Virtual PBX services will setup, maintain, and host your exchange server off-site and you simply buy IP phones and an internet connection to interact with a web-based administration panel. Self-Hosted PBX brings the exchange server in-house (on premise). The benefits and trade-offs vary, but generally, virtual PBX services are for small businesses, and Self-Hosted PBX Systems are for medium and large businesses with heavy phone volume. You can use either analog phone...

Staying connected with friends, family, and co-workers has gotten extremely easy now-a days that the only thing you need is a computer and Internet, or a phone with the Internet on it. So, why is it important that people stay connected with their loved ones over the Internet? It's not about the Internet, it is more about how easy and simple it is to communicate with love ones that are so far away and are hard to reach. The technology of Internet usage has developed so tremendously in the new millennium that people like yourself are able to make a steady income, find answers to problems, find long lost siblings, or pay bills online without leaving the house and still continue to move around freely...

As with the passing time communication is becoming a vital aspect, mobile phones too are gaining due importance. These mobile phones have revolutionized the way people communicate. They have not only made communication a better process, but have also added a new facet to the communication industry. Today mobile phones are no longer the gadgets to facilitate communication; rather they have created a whole new trend and introduced the fashion of sleek, handy and attractive gizmos fuelled with high functions and features. Various mobile phone manufacturers have managed to intrude the end user's taste and attraction for gizmos and their love for it. This has led to the production of some of the best...

ign="center"> LG is a well known name in the telephony industry. It has produced so many fabulous gadgets for the people that are full of easy to use features and astonishing designs. One of its recent editions is LG GD510 Pop that has grabbed the attention of so many customers. It has a fantastic 3.2 mega pixels camera that elegantly produces wonderful pictures and video clips. Excessive amount of images, songs, games and videos can be easily stored in its 42 mega bytes internal memory. It can further be expanded up to 16GB by microSD card. With the help of its 2.0 version of HTML browser, you can easily access internet connectivity with ease. Music lovers can enthrall themselves by tuning into its...

You're probably completely familiar with the concept of HD by now. we have high definition everything these days - TVs, DVDs, home theatre systems - it's never ending. Now HD has moved into the realm of VoIP, creating a whole new market for high tech phones. So what exactly does HD mean to the telephony industry, and more importantly, where is the market? How will cost, quality and availability factor in, and who will actually use it? For anyone who has ever sat in on a conference call, the answer is simple. The contrast between regular VoIP, which is already noticeably better than traditional telephony, and HD is the difference between AM and FM radio. HD video provides crystal clear picture with...

can buy them from outside from any of the retail outlets spread over the length and breadth of the country or even purchase them by going online. Mobile phone deals, are in fact, a very vital aspect of the overall functioning and subsequent success of the mobile phone industry here. It is the rather lucrative deals that bring you the mobile phone handsets, both old and new at throw away prices. The network service providers active here — Orange, O2, 3 Mobile, T-Mobile, Vodafone and Virgin Mobile — have all combinedly done a fabulous job of selling the mobile phone handsets to the innumerable valued customers. The network carriers in close association with the host of privately run...

are plenty of marketing and affiliate programs currently availably quite readily across the web – some better than others – but if you’re working in telecommunications (or a related industry) then becoming a VoIP reseller may just be the perfect solution to earn some extra money. As a reseller of a product or service you are basically able to run a business based on the hard work and effort that the 3rd party has put in to make the product/service how successful it is. If you are already interested in becoming a VoIP reseller, but just need to know more details/benefits/features – then take a look at the following points for reassurance. 1. Cut out the hassle and external...

A conference call is a telephone call event in which three or more people are conversing simultaneously. Due to the technological limits of three-way calls, poor sound quality of speakerphones and the extremely high cost of arranging in-person meetings, the conference call industry has become a big business and continues to grow at a steady pace. So how exactly does conference call technology work? From the Participants Perspective: Once invited to the conference call (usually by email invitation) each participant dials the same number provided by the conference calling host to connect to their companies' conference. Once dialed in, the participant is connected through a conference bridge which is...

VoIP is exposed to all the security breaches that are natural to the use of the internet, although using VoIP is as safe as sending emails or paying bills online, or even safer. As anything related to the internet, if a highly secured VoIP connection is needed, a specialist should be consulted. Security Objectives A few concepts can help an average user to keep a VoIP connection safe enough for everyday use. For that, we must focus on: - Keeping our firewall safe. - Avoiding the use of the VoIP service by unauthorized persons. - Encrypting the transmission in case it is picked up over the internet. If we need to troubleshoot the installation of a VoIP device, we must remember not leave the firewall...

As use of Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) continues to grow at a frenetic pace, new users are frequently surprised by the frequency of problems. Unless the user has more bandwidth than his needs could ever consume, users of Vonage, Skype, Google Voice, as well as users of business-type services like Hosted PBX, Virtual PBX and Hosted VoIP will experience trouble. Experienced and successful VoIP users have learned that with proper planning and care, VoIP does live up to its hype. Voice prioritization is one of many areas that require a network administrator's attention. Voice prioritization can be handled by the Differentiated Service Code Point (DSCP) field in the network's packets or by...

Back in the old days, it has always been a hassle to find yourself rushing towards a blaring telephone that has been ringing for quite some time, only to find a cheeky telemarketer at the other end trying to convince you to pay top dollar for something you really don't need. The wonders of digital technology changed all that with the introduction of the Caller ID, either as a separate unit with its own display or incorporated into your phone's system. With the Caller ID, you'll now know who's calling -- giving you the option to answer the phone or not. The same Caller ID benefits, and even more, can now be enjoyed with your VoIP services. But unlike standard landlines that require a physical address...

In the world of office technology, there are many technical terms used which can confuse even the most savvy user. Furthermore, two of the most confused office technology terms are VoIP and PBX. If you run a small office and are looking for optimal communication, you should look no further than a VoIP or PBX phone system. Both streamline the communication process by keeping you and your staff linked, for a fraction of the cost of a traditional phone system. If you're looking for the perfect office phone system but can't decide between a VoIP or PBX phone system, here are some key attributes that one apart from the other: VoIP System VoIP stands for Voice over Internet Protocol. It uses a packet...

VoIP systems are still in the developing stage today, although it is predicted that VoIP will be the future of communication. When working on the VoIP setup process it is necessary to know and understand all the components needed to make this all work. The first component necessary for the VoIP system is the broadband internet connection. The system will work best with a fast and reliable broadband connection, satellite connection, or digital subscriber line (DSL). The ideal bandwidth in order to set up this type of phone system usually requires 128kbps to 512kbps or as much as possible. You will want to be on the higher end of this if there will be a lot of users on the network. Fast and reliable...

over Internet Protocol uses the acronym VoIP, but more commonly refers to the phone service over internet. VoIP is the new wave in marketing that creates a better phone and data service. The business is open not only in the United States, but worldwide with a wide range of potential growth opportunities for agents, resellers and wholesale brokers. Major companies like Vonage and Skype are the two largest residential VoIP carriers but there are so many facets that go into VoIP like broadband, IP phones, direct sales, channel sales, and wholesaling VoIP termination minutes and worldwide local telephone numbers. Depending on what avenue a person chooses to pursue there is little to no start up capital...

Setting up a small business phone system has become a necessity for companies that wish to enjoy continued success. Instead of investing in traditional telephone systems, companies are moving towards more advanced technology that offers increasing benefits over it's predecessors. These technological advances are giving small businesses the benefit of improved customer service and higher levels of productivity. Although the newer systems can work out to be more expensive than their older cousins, the long-term benefits often make up for the higher cost. All crucial factors to bear in mind when deciding where you want your business telecommunications to take you in the future. VoIP - Voice over...

All sectors of the industry are gradually migrating to business VoIP from the traditional mode of communication commonly known as public switch telephony network or PSTN. This shift has come over a period of years and is not a recent phenomenon. VoIP dates back to 1895 when it was first introduced. Facing its due of industry apprehensions along the way, it has surpassed the prediction of various researchers who believed initially that voice over IP will never be able to enjoy the status of a front line mode of communication. At present VoIP termination business plans have taken over, helping the businesses to not just cut down tremendously on their telephony bills thus saving more, but also...

VOIP refers to the new telephone system that is bringing radical changes in the way of telephony in the businesses all over the world. However, there are many small businesses those have not heard anything regarding this business phone system VOIP or Voice over Internet Protocol. Some businesses in the lack of proper knowledge are showing weariness about this new business phone system. However, if used wisely, both small and larger businesses can get the advantage of this business phone system. Overcoming the Drawbacks: VOIP has traveled a long way since its introduction. Technological advancements have made it more useful and portable. This has led to the growing popularity of this business phone...

Most people have access to broadband Internet at home and at work. Broadband speeds continue to improve as well giving ample bandwidth for applications using Virtual Private Networks (VPNs), Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) and Video. However, many Internet connections will not support these applications as their quality is not sufficient. Insufficient quality means they are experiencing packet loss and latency or delays in transmitting packets. Symptoms of Packet Loss and Latency Problems with packet loss and latency can manifest intermittent symptoms including outages. Unstable Internet circuits can work fine for hours or days at a time before they will have periods of trouble. In addition...

Man small businesses are either weary of the new VOIP business telephone system and others may not even have heard about it. The new Voice Over Internet Protocol business telephone systems are revolutionizing the way business is being conducted, on a global level. Large business and small businesses alike are able to take advantage of the benefits of the VOIP business telephone system. VOIP has come along way to being portable and useful. As technology moves forward, this type of business telephone system progresses, too. In the beginning, VOIP business telephone systems required that people be at their computers to use it, and the sound quality was very poor. Now, you are able to receive VOIP...

The different benefits that Cisco VoIP services allow for businesses has made it one of the most popular VoIP communications system of its kind. With the implementation of a Cisco VoIP system your business will be able to take advantage of unified communications allowing you to combine all of your voice, video, and data into one easy to use system. This will allow you to easily and securely manage your business communications from one easy to implement and inexpensive solution. One of the biggest benefits that businesses can take advantage of through Cisco VoIP solutions is the incredible ability to save money. This is achieved by reducing the costs associated with travel expenses by utilizing...

Starting 2009 off right should include a review of expenses which are normally taken for granted as a necessary evil. One of the biggest leaks in revenue for business comes from unaudited telecommunications invoices. Most medium size and larger companies are overwhelmed by the sheer number of pages in the monthly telecom invoices. We call that the 'weigh and pay it' syndrome. If it weighs about the same as it did last month then it must be accurate and so pay it without question. However history has shown that telecom bills, up to 80% of the time, have errors that go undetected month after month. These errors occur due to order processors keying mistakes, failure to update customer service records...

VoIP also known as voice over Internet protocol is a process wherein audio signals are converted to digital data and is transmitted over the internet. The process allows Internet users to communicate and make long distance calls at a rate lower than those being offered by telecommunications companies. They are now able to bypass these telecommunications companies and can begin using VoIP to communicate with people even around the world. Mobile VoIP has changed the way people have looked at VoIP. VoIP has been limited to those who used personal computer that has VoIP. The computer is connected to the Internet and has restricted VoIP inside the confines of your home or in the office. But now, if you...

Traditional fax machines have always posed a bit of a problem for VoIP networks. This is because VoIP technology encodes analog sound in a specific manner for transmission. Fax on the other hand requires another method of encoding which doesn't work seamlessly with existing VoIP equipment. There are many ways of getting over this limitation and we take a look at some of them as well as fundamental changes in the fax industry. Connecting Regular Fax machines to VoIP A new standard has been developed for encoding fax signals called T.38. Devices which implement this protocol allow a fax to be sent over the VoIP network without any problem. Now either a fax machine itself can be Internet aware - also...

Before you are able to assess the truthfulness or the reliability of any VoIP reviews, you must first of all attempt to understand the VoIP technology and what it is all about. This task may seem somewhat unnecessary considering the fact that the use of VoIP seems rather straightforward but most of the time we often assume we know what we actually don't. By taking out the careful time to understand how VOIP works, you cover grounds that you may have not previously been aware of. In any reviews you come across fundamental aspects of a VoIP service will be discussed and you must be aware of these aspects. VoIP refers to voice over ip, which is really one of the newest ways of making calls and in this...

As the owner or manager of a medium or small office, you may find yourself looking at a myriad of options for your new or upgrade office phone system. You have almost certainly heard the debate about the advantages of VoIP vs. PBX systems, and you are tying to make the best decision to fit your business's current and future telephony needs. You don't have to be an expert to find the best office phone system these days. And, the even better news is that a good solution doesn't have to cost you a fortune as it certainly would have in the not too distant past! Small to medium sized businesses have struggled for years with the limited options in office phone systems on the market. Larger companies were...

Customer Relationship Managers are powerful players in the remote or inside sales world. These software databases record and store all of the important data on each lead and client for a company. They also track and enable all of the processes used to contact those leads, close sales, and keep their clients. Customer Relationship Manager is often abbreviated to CRM. A company that is only using a Customer Relationship Manager but is not utilizing other telephony software tools is failing to get all it can out of its CRM. Many different telephony software solutions are able to integrate perfectly with a Customer Relationship Manager. Adding a telephony solution will help each sales agent make more...

No one among mobile phone users are surprised with the latest Nokia N900. Ever since the N95 advertisement claiming it to be a computer in your hands, it became clear that Nokia had its sights on imbuing their handsets with desktop-like computing look and feel. Adopting a similar multiplatform product strategy as its main competitors, Nokia is putting Linux-based Maemo OS on a line of high end computer-like smartphones starting with the highly anticipated N900. Launched last September in Germany, the phone is expected to hit European markets by the end of November as a contract-free price of â,¤499. Outstanding Upscale Features Bringing PC desktop computing experience on the mobile...

Many new mobile brands are hitting the Indian mobile market. Really there is a tough competition among them. Every mobile brand has put their all efforts for attracting the people by using different strategies. Recently the Micromax and Karbonn mobile brands have entered in the market. Both are doing their well in promoting their products and using the almost same price strategies. They have already made a mark today as the leading providers of wireless telephony solutions in the country. Micromax and Karbonn are well known for their well designed handsets with all latest features and available at affordable prices in Indian mobile market. They have released many awesome mobile phones with all...

VoIP systems have slowly integrated itself into mainstream telecommunications systems for personal, commercial and industrial use. This is due mainly to the cost-effective communication solutions that VoIP networks offer individual or corporate users for their internal or external telecommunications needs. However, many are still holding out on their transition to VoIP-based communications mainly due to concerns with regards to voice quality. Businesses and professionals rely much on clear, concise and precise communications with their clients, suppliers and co-workers. It would not be productive for business users if they have to repeat words or spell-out letters in words because the phone lines...