I hope that this letter finds you all well as we approach the end of the year. With more and more companies offering Voice over IP (VoIP) services, we chose to make this the focus of our newsletter. It will affect communications for all of us at some point, and therefore something to keep on the radar!

Best of luck for a successful year end. All of us here at eRichards wish you and yours a happy holiday and a wonderful New Year!

Best regards,
Doreen Gebbia

VoIP
The new "must have" that will change business communications and security.

Back in the day (prior to the 60s), phone calls were very costly because a dedicated copper wire was needed for each phone call. For example, to call LA from Boston, an operator had to connect 3,000 miles worth of switches and copper wire for the entire duration of the phone call. For those minutes, the callers actually "owned" 3,000 miles worth of continuous wire! And we have come a long way since then.

In a VoIP phone system, packets of data are sent back and forth instead of circuit switching. The data is sent as needed in packets through endless possibilities of paths that make up a chaotic network - finding the path that is least congested. This means that no dedicated lines are needed, multiple packets can come in from multiple locations, and communications are much more efficient. This process is termed "packet switching."

The major benefits of using VOIP are lower costs and increased efficiency. The reason why the costs are lower are because traditional phone services are usually monopolies or government entities. The increased efficiency is because incoming calls can be routed to the phone - no matter where it is. Also, calls can easily be made with a good internet connection.

But, of course, it is not a perfect world. Some of the problems with communicating with VoIP are outlined below:

• Some poor sound quality.
• Caller ID glitches.
• Does not work when power goes out (as a traditional line would).
• No location is communicated to emergency services.

The other thing that is not quite right with VoIP yet is the maintenance. The deployment of the service can be an easy task for carriers. However, maintaining and keeping the service in good order can be a challenge. The problems arise within the back-end infrastructure, the network connections and the accounting and billing systems.

At eRichards, we have experience in the infrastructure and back-end systems that make these services work. The services offered by eRichards include WAN Services (T1/T3), VPN connectivity, Hubs, Routers, remote VOIP phones, Voice Optimization, DHCP, Switch Configurations, Voice tagging, and VLAN configurations.

The full switchover for all phone companies to use internet type phones is at least a decade away. However, that will go by faster than you think and the Yankee Group predicts that 10 million U.S. residents will rely on VoIP by the end of 2007. Make sure you keep yourself aware of this technology!

• VoIP News
• VoIP Info

Tech Gadget of the Month
The Slingbox Personal Broadcaster from Sling Media

Being in the IT industry, we thought it would be a good idea to regularly showcase some of the "fun" little items that people in the IT industry comes up with. This month: a Personal Broadcaster from Sling Media.

This nifty little item allows you to view and control your TV from anywhere with an Internet connection. The $250 device sits between your TV and your PC, hooking up with S-Video, RCA, and Ethernet, and acts as a remote control to change channels on your TV, or even shuffle through your DVR recordings or start a DVD playing. The video is then streamed straight from your home to anywhere you’d like watch it, such as hotels, friends' house, or another room.

What will they think of next?!

Click here to view this item and others on engadget's Holiday Gift Guide.

Poem: Destiny
Anonymous poem as we reflect back on 2005.

Be aware of your feelings they become your thoughts. Be aware of your thoughts they become your words. Be aware of your words they become your actions. Be aware of your actions they become your destiny.

Health Note
The power of...napping?

Benefiting your heart, hormones, and cells, power napping is more worthwhile than you may think. But to make it truly "powerful," artful tactic is required. In short, a power nap should only take you to the second of five stages of sleep. Keeping a nap to twenty minutes or less ensures that you wake up before you enter "slow wave sleep" and end up groggier than before the nap.

Dr. Sara Mednick, who is writing a book "Take Back the Nap!," recently shared some helpful hints on power napping in Men's Journal:

• Have the mind set that you are not being lazy - but productive.
• Power napping in the morning or after lunch will make you less groggy than later afternoon.
• Stay away from foods with too much caffeine, fat, and sugar
• Eat foods high in calcium and protein which help you sleep.
• Try to find a quiet, dark place.
• Since body temperature drops when sleeping, use a blanket or turn heat up to remain asleep.
• Set an alarm!

Click here to read more on napping in Men's Journal.