CTI LABS Test Drive

system, AVT had not yet released their we were missing a special adapter to Windows NT version of the product, connect a phone line to one of the ports CallXpress3 With which is called (aptly enough) on the CallXpress3 server. We cut up Unified Messaging CallXpressNT. We look forward to see- one of our spare RS-232 serial cables, ing the Windows NT version soon. and jerrybuilt our own device to con- nect to the CallXpress3 system. Applied Voice Technology INSTALLATION CallXpress3 provides several soft- (AVT) The CallXpress3 server we received ware settings that allow you to choose 11410 NE 122nd Way arrived with the software already the appropriate PBX for integration to Kirkland, WA 98034 installed. (The server was one of their the CallXpress3 system. Our own Ph: 206-820-6000; testing machines.) So, all we needed to switch, a Comdial, was included in the Fx: 206-820-4040 do was configure a few user accounts on list of options. Overall, installation E-Mail: [email protected] the server. On the client side, we earned a 4.75 rating. Web Site: www.appliedvoice.com installed CallXpress3 Message Manager and CallXpress3 Desktop For Exchange, DOCUMENTATION as well as AVT’s faxing software. The CallXpress3 documentation was allXpress3, AVT’s feature-rich We completed the software installa- good. The reference guide was particu- C voice processing/auto attendant sys- tions without any problems. We should larly helpful. We should also mention tem, can be used with a variety of note that a technician from AVT visited that CallXpress3 comes with a multime- client-side application modules to deliv- our site when we were setting up. He dia training program, called Coach, er powerful unified messaging capabili- helped us get up and running pretty which familiarizes new users with ties. These applications include Desktop quickly. He also took us on a tour CallXpress3. Coach interactively guides Message Manager; Desktop Call through some of the software features. new users through the many features of Manager; Fax Mail; and E-Mail Access. We encountered only one problem: CallXpress3’s telephone and graphical In this review, we will concentrate on Message Manager (Figure 1), a unified messaging product that runs under Windows 3.1 and later. We didn’t receive Desktop Call Manager with our package, so we will review it in a future issue. However, we will list Desktop Call Manager’s features. We will briefly discuss the other application modules, Fax Mail and E-Mail Access. Another unified messaging product from AVT is called CallXpress3 Desktop For Exchange. It is, as the name implies, Exchange-compliant. Also available with CallXpress3 is the ability to integrate and unify your mes- sages into other major e-mail packages such as Groupwise and CC: Mail. Figure 1. CallXpress3 Message Manager: Main screen. When we reviewed CallXpress3, Note the variable speed (slider bar) fast forward, rewind, which runs on IBM’s OS/2 operating and play controls; volume control; and message folders (such as those for new messages and saved messages). 44 CTITM May/June 1997 C TI L ABS user interfaces. We expect that Coach audiotext and transaction processing For example, callers have more options will save system administrators and MIS (which allow you to automatically dis- to choose from than are available with personnel hours of user training. Overall, seminate and capture information to basic “leave a message” functionality. we gave the documentation a 4.5 rating. and from your callers) as well as caller CallXpress3 offers many other stan- queuing and extension-specific pro- dard features. Live Reply, for example, FEATURES cessing. Such features are appreciated transfers you directly to the sender of a CallXpress3 Server by callers when they find that a sub- message, so you don’t have to spend Each CallXpress3 system provides scriber is unavailable to answer a call. time looking up the person’s extension, or going into a separate menu in the voice mail system to reply to the mes- sages. Another useful feature, called Immediate Message Notification, will callXPress3 Server Features call you on your cellular phone, or any number you specify, to deliver an important message. For more details, see the sidebar entitled CallXpress3 selection of CallXpress3 Server machine. If the fax machine is busy, Server Features. Afeatures is as follows: CallXpress3 stores the fax (provid- Alternate Personal Greeting: ed you have the Fax Mail module) CallXpress3 Desktop With a special personal greeting, until the fax machine is available. Message Manager you can notify callers that you are Your callers never hear a busy tone, Desktop Message Manager provides on the phone. and you never miss a fax. a visual approach to managing your Audiotext: You can provide your Flexible Message Ordering: You messages. Since you can see what’s in callers with commonly requested can listen to your messages in the your mailbox, you can easily discover information, without a live operator, order you want them — oldest, who sent each message, when the mes- 24 hours a day. Use Audiotext to newest, or urgent messages first. sages were received, and which mes- provide information such as direc- Group Processing: You can save sages are most important. Several mes- tions to your company or a listing time by processing multiple mes- sage notification methods are available. of upcoming events. sages simultaneously, with a single You can decide whether you want a AutoCopy: You can automatically command. tone to sound, a window to pop up, an forward a copy of specified mes- Live Reply: While listening to a icon to flash, etc. (Figure 2). sages to another subscriber or fax message, you can transfer directly With Desktop Message Manager, machine. to the phone number or extension of you can: Caller Queuing: You can give the message sender to reply in • Instantly see all of your voice and your callers the option to hold for “real-time.” fax messages and all pertinent message you while you wrap up another call. QuickConnect: By pressing one information. Cascade Notification: You can key, you can transfer directly to a • Sort your messages by any catego- receive your messages at any of subscriber extension from the com- ry and prioritize the information to nine telephone or pager numbers pany directory. respond to the most critical messages you specify. CallXpress3 will con- Ready, Set, Go!: You can ensure first. tinue to call your specified list of that all of your users can easily set • Place a call to any telephone num- numbers until it successfully deliv- up their mailboxes with this auto- ber or extension by using LiveReply on ers the message to you. matic subscriber setup program. any received message. Coach: You can save training CallXpress3 guides new subscribers • Archive messages on your local time for the system administrator through the process of recording hard drive, network drive, or medium and users by using this multimedia, their name and personal greeting of your choice for long-term or perma- interactive tutorial. and setting a security code. nent storage of vital messages. Daily Message Reminder: You Registered Mail: You can receive • Record and playback voice mes- can set your clock to receive your immediate notification that another sages with the telephone, or PC sound messages at the same time and the subscriber has received your mes- device, using the application’s play- same place each day. sage. back controls (Figure 3). Extension-Specific Processing: Speed And Volume Control: You • Control the speed and volume of You can give your callers a unique can change the volume and speed at message playback. set of options — in addition to that which the system plays messages to • Give each message a written title for leaving a message — when you accommodate different messages and create notes summarizing message are not available to take their calls. and differing environmental condi- content. Fax Follow Thru: You can save tions. • Create custom folders to organize money and improve customer ser- Transaction Processing: You can your messages into specific categories. vice with this feature. When capture spoken information from • Request return receipt notification CallXpress3 detects fax tone, it your callers, without a live agent, on voice and fax messages you send. automatically routes the fax to a fax 24 hours a day. ■ • Save voice messages as audio files 46 CTITM May/June 1997 Subscribe FREE online at www.ctimag.com and fax messages as standard graphics your favorite contact management pro- files and embed them in other docu- gram, PIM, or database application can ments for true multimedia messaging. automatically pop up on your screen • Create and send mixed documents with a display of the caller’s informa- (you can easily combine voice and fax tion, conversation history, etc.) media) to other subscribers on your • Direct calls to the person most qual- system. ified to complete the call without • Edit distribution lists directly on bouncing the caller from one extension your computer screen. to another. • Institute preferences for call screen- Figure 2. CallXpress3 • Request that the caller hold until ing and call blocking, change your Message Manager: you complete your current task. security code, record your personal Message notification modes. • Set hold time thresholds to ensure greeting, and set other options from the all calls are handled professionally and Settings menu (Figure 4). courteously. Desktop Message Manager also • Direct callers to voice mail when allows you to access a variety of fax fea- you are unable to take their call directly. tures. For example, you can create docu- • Initiate screen pop data transfers ments for your Faxtext library in any that are simultaneous with call trans- Windows application, and fax them fers. directly into CallXpress3 from your • Track call statistics on every call. workstation. In addition, with the Fax Figure 3. CallXpress3 Message (User-defined fields could include date Mail module (discussed below), you can: Manager: Record/play options. and time of call, connected or aban- • View fax messages directly on your Here, you may designate your doned, call group, hold time, call dura- screen (while simultaneously listening preferred recording and playing tion, wrap-up time, and called party.) to the attached voice comment. device (phone or PC audio). • Monitor agent activity within a • Print your fax messages on a net- workgroup to determine the availability worked laser printer, as well as any fax of each agent. (You can track idle, machine. wrap-up, and busy status conditions.) • Create fax documents in any • Establish an unlimited number of Windows application and send the fax call groups to help manage and track directly from your workstation to any incoming call traffic. subscriber or outside fax machine — without adding expensive hardware to CallXpress3 Fax Mail Module each PC. When CallXpress3 is augmented with AVT’s Fax Mail module, you can CallXpress3 Desktop Call Manager easily create and send faxes from any Desktop Call Manager brings real- Windows application. You can send time call control to your desktop com- faxes to outside fax numbers or other puter. You can see who’s calling and Figure 4. CallXpress3 Message subscriber mailboxes directly from why (call screening) before you answer Manager: Drop-down menu dis- your workstation computer. the phone. Basically, you are given the playing some of the call manag- CallXpress3 Desktop Message information you need to decide how to er’s functionality, including call Manager includes a feature-rich fax best handle each call. You may choose screening and call blocking. print driver that allows you to send to take the call, ask the caller to hold, faxes from your workstation using any ask the caller to leave a message, or how long they have been holding, etc.). of the message sending features of transfer the call to a co-worker. • Decrease call durations and hold CallXpress3 such as specifying future Users in a workgroup or call center times by automating the process of delivery, requesting a return receipt who draw calls from a common queue identifying who is calling and why they notification, sending to a distribution can view displays of pertinent informa- are calling. list, and recording a voice annotation tion such as hold time, the caller’s name • Take advantage of AVT’s when sending to another subscriber. and phone number, account status, and SmartScript technology, which helps When you receive a fax message, call history (acquired via interactive you identify callers through ANI or CallXpress3 Desktop Message voice response). With such information, caller ID capture, caller screening, or Manager displays the document portion call centers can route calls to the most DTMF responses to the questions you of the fax message directly on your appropriate agent, minimize call dura- devise. (In addition, SmartLink inter- computer screen so you can view your tion, improve overall call throughput, faces with most popular PIM and con- fax message and listen to the voice and provide better customer service. tact management software applications, annotation simultaneously. Printing the With CallXpress3 Desktop Call including Act!, Ascend, Ecco, Day- faxes is also available. Manager, you can: Timer Organizer, Goldmine, Metz CallXpress3’s multi-application plat- • See all incoming calls (you can see Phones, Microsoft Access, and form offers a single solution for all of who is calling, why they are calling, Sidekick. Once you accept a new call, your faxing needs: fax store-and-for- Subscribe FREE online at www.ctimag.com CTITM May/June 1997 47 CTI LABS

Table 1. A Selection of AVT Product Packages

PhoneXpress CallXpress3 CallXpressNT Operating System OS/2 OS/2 NT Server-based Capacity/Port 2-12 ports 4-64 ports 4-64 ports Range Feature Set Voice mail/ Voice mail/auto- Voice mail/auto- auto-attendant, attendant, audio- attendant, fax ser- audiotext, text, IVR, vices (via RightFAX networking networking Fax server), (optional), fax on client/server demand (optional) graphical adminis- Figure 5. CallXpress3 Desktop For Exchange: Microsoft tration screens Exchange services showing Applications N/A Desktop Call Desktop Call CallXpress3 added to the profile. Manager, Desktop Manager, Desktop Message Manager, Message Manager, of your e-mail messages — as E-Mail Access, Fax E-Mail Access, Fax they arrive, or at a specific time of day. Mail, Faxtext Mail, Faxtext For delivery of your e-mail, you can choose to listen to each message (using Prices $3,000 - 20,000 $8,000 - 100,000 $9,000 - 120,000 text-to-speech conversion), or you can forward your messages to the nearest ward, fax-on-demand, fax response, fax arrived, you’ll also hear how many e- fax machine (using CallXpress3’s Fax origination, fax broadcasting, and fax mail messages are waiting. Mail module). Either way, you can delivery of e-mail. By cost-effectively CallXpress3 E-Mail Access transforms receive your e-mail messages using utilizing shared resources for all of your telephone into a truly universal nothing more than the telephone key- your faxing applications, CallXpress3 messaging tool. pad, which saves you the time and eliminates the need for multiple fax CallXpress3 stores your e-mail mes- inconvenience of establishing a remote servers for each fax application. sages in a separate queue. So if you are access connection to your network. waiting for an important e-mail mes- With CallXpress3’s E-Mail Access, CallXpress3 E-Mail Access sage, you won’t have to skip through you can: CallXpress3 E-Mail Access brings e- dozens of voice and fax messages to find • Call from any telephone to hear mail to your telephone. That is, this it. In addition, E-Mail Access includes how many e-mail messages await you, module gives you the freedom to access the same notification features of who they are from, when they were and manage your electronic mail via CallXpress3 Voice Mail. When you received, and the priority status of each the same phone you use to retrieve your have new e-mail messages, CallXpress3 message. voice and fax mail. will notify you at any telephone or pager •Access your e-mail messages imme- CallXpress3 is one of the first prod- number you specify. You can choose to diately without skipping through uct of its kind to offer multiple message be notified of all e-mail messages, dozens of voice and fax messages. types in a single list. With one phone urgent messages only, or messages from • Manage your e-mail messages call, you’ll not only hear how many a specific sender. You can also choose using the same familiar telephone inter- new voice and fax messages have exactly when you want to be notified face used to manage voice and fax mail. • Save or discard your e-mail mes- sages just as you would save or discard a voice mail message. • Forward your e-mail with a voice annotation to one or more voice mail subscribers. • Reply to an e-mail message with a voice message. Figure 6. CallXpress3 Desktop • Listen to your e-mail text messages For Exchange: Integration with (as CallXpress3 reads them to you over Microsoft Exchange. the telephone using text-to-speech con- version). • Use the same playback functions that are available with voice mail (including start/stop/resume, backup, 48 CTITM May/June 1997 Subscribe FREE online at www.ctimag.com System and advance). Message Store, and one in Personal • Take advantage of CallXpress3’s Folders. We were told that the idea Requirements For Fax Mail module by forwarding your e- behind separate stores was to ensure mail text messages to the nearest fax compatibility with Microsoft Mail as Server CallXpress3* machine. well as Exchange client. We tried inte- If you want the full range of e-mail grating all the message stores into one, • AVT CallServer Model 6, 12, access capabilities, you will need to to get a “true” unified messaging solu- 20, or 20XC, or equivalent hard- augment the CallXpress system with tion. While we were working with ware platform. the following: text-to-fax (two avail- Applied Voice Technology, we learned • One available slot in the able slots in CallServer for network that a patch exists that would allow us CallServer for the network card. card and fax card) and text-to-speech to combine the two message stores. • 16MB RAM Network one of the (four available slots in CallServer for However, we did not receive the patch following network operating sys- network card, text-to-speech card, and in time for this review. tems: Novell Netware (version 3.11 two required Dialogic cards). We found that you could move all the or greater), Microsoft NT (version messages from Personal Folders into 3.51 or greater), IBM LAN Server OPERATIONAL TESTING the CallXpress3 Message Store, but (version 2.0 or greater), Lantastic for CallXpress3 is easily integrated with that you would then lose password pro- OS/2 (version 6.0 or greater), Microsoft Exchange. You simply add tection. We couldn’t find a password Banyan Vines (version 5.52 or two services to Microsoft Exchange. option for the CallXpress3 Message greater) with TCP/IP support, These services are the CallXpress3 store, which suggested to us that other TCP/IP Ethernet or Token Ring Address Book and, of course, the people could read our e-mail. Client, Microsoft Windows (version CallXpress3 Message Store, which The version of CallXpress3 Message 3.1 or greater), Windows 95. allows you to hold various message Store we used runs on the client side. A • 2 MB available disk space types (Figure 5). newer version (which should be avail- • 4 MB or more RAM The main graphical user interface able by the time you read this) runs on (Figure 6) provides two separate mes- Microsoft Exchange Server. This ver- *Version 4.0 or greater. sage stores: one in the CallXpress3 sion provides for one message store and

KNOW IT!

Circle No. 165 on Reader Service Card CTITM May/June 1997 49 C T I L ABS

RATINGS (1-5) sage, rather than into “play/view,” ety of products, from modems to video where you would listen to the voice devices. Although all this activity should mail message. The user should be able be exciting, one cannot help but feel a lit- Installation: 4.75 to decide the default functionality. tle resigned. After all, so much of the Documentation: 4.5 work associated with this technology is GUI: 4.90 CONCLUSION more complicated than it should be. Features: 4.90 CallXpress3, a very powerful voice The problem is that ISDN itself is processing system, can be enhanced with more complicated than it should be. software modules to provide fax and e- With almost two dozen types of order- differentiates the different message mail functionality as well. These modules ing codes, several switch types, and types with different icons (fax icon, include Desktop Message Manager, a esoteric options, ISDN poses quite a phone icon, etc.). All the same, we’d great unified messaging solution; Desktop challenge to product designers. If you still like to see a patch to have one mes- Call Manager, an excellent call handling designed a modem that was compatible sage store for Exchange users who are product; and E-Mail Access, which gives with a Nortel switch, how could you be not running Exchange Server and who you true remote access to all of your mes- sure it would be compatible with the don’t plan to upgrade to Exchange sages (voice, fax, e-mail) with its text-to- AT&T switch? Server in the near future. speech conversion capabilities. Enter the ISDN simulator, a many-in- We tested the record and playback of If you would like an idea of how good one black box capable of accommodat- voice messages with the telephone and CallXpress3 really is, we suggest you ing several types of ISDN service. It is the PC sound device, and found that the look at Applied Voice Technology’s a perfect tool for developers, who need Desktop Message Manager’s playback demo program. Choosing CallXpress3 to test and demonstrate their ISDN controls allowed us to switch between as a single solution for your voice mail, products, as well as end users, who the two interfaces with ease. Both inter- auto-attendant, unified messaging, need to verify the functionality of their faces worked flawlessly. We also liked remote messaging access, and fax pro- ISDN devices. the controls for changing the speed and cessing needs has many advantages, The ILS-2000 by Teltone is one such volume of message playback. The abil- including the product’s wealth of fea- device. It is literally a black box (see ity to give each message a written title tures and admirable cost-effectiveness. product shot), and it functions in the and create notes summarizing the mes- The product recently became avail- background, providing two lines of sage information was very useful. able on the Windows NT platform. This end-to-end ISDN-BRI service. version of the product, called ROOM FOR IMPROVEMENT CallXpressNT, does not signal the end INSTALLATION We were unable to find the “cross- of the version that runs on OS/2. AND DOCUMENTATION hairs” on the column headings within Applied Voice Technology indicates it The Teltone ILS-2000 is shipped with Desktop Message Manager to change configuration software, power and seri- column width. We fiddled some more, al cables, a 25-9 pin serial port adapter, and discovered you can find the cross- and a user manual. We were impressed hairs when you put your mouse cursor by the attention to detail. The company on the black lines on the rows where even included a pair of spare fuses. your messages are located. Then you The documentation, no more than can resize the columns. This approach stapled-together loose-leaf sheets, is was not very intuitive. Since most peo- unprepossessing, but its content is more ple expect to adjust column width up at than adequate. It starts out with a step- the column headings, we’d like to see by-step operational summary. Next, it this capability in the next version. gives an informative essay on ISDN- One time we logged onto the BRI. Then, it delves into the details of CallXpress3 server and accidentally the operation and configuration of the entered a “blank” for the password. The ILS-2000 simulator. The reference section gave system displayed an hourglass icon and adequate troubleshooting cases, and the hung Windows 95. Curious, we repeat- Teltone Corporation glossary section was rich and complete. ed this procedure. Sometimes we’d see 22121 20th Ave SE the same response, sometimes not. Bothell, WA 98021 FEATURES Perhaps there is a bug here that needs to Ph: 206-487-1515; Fx: 206-487-2288 The ILS-2000 supports two lines of be worked out. E-Mail: [email protected] ISDN-BRI. (BRI service consists of two Finally, we’d like to be able to prede- Web Site: www.teltone.com 64 Kb/s bearer channels and one 16 Kb/s termine whether clicking on a message data channel — also known as 2B+D.) brings the application into the “edit” Each BRI connection on the ILS-2000 mode or the “play/view” mode. For will continue to support CallXpress3. has two types of interfaces, “U” and example, if you double-click on a voice ith interest in ISDN rising, many “S/T.” The U interface is to be terminat- mail message, you could be brought Wcompanies are hard at work rolling ed at an NT-1 to which a Terminal into “edit” mode, where you could add out ISDN-related products. Adapter or Type 1 Terminating a subject or note to the voice mail mes- Indeed, ISDN is appearing in a wide vari- Equipment can be attached. The S/T 50 CTITM May/June 1997 Subscribe FREE online at www.ctimag.com RATINGS (1-5) The ILS-2000 configuration software ID or ANI. is used to set up the simulator to behave •Terminal Display Text – as a specific type of ISDN service. The Enables/disables formatted ASCII test Installation: 4.5 configuration software can be installed delivery by the network. Documentation: 4.5 on Windows 3.1 and higher versions and •Electronic Key Telephone Service Features: 4.25 communicates with the simulator through (EKTS) – Enables/disables multiple one of the PC’s COM ports. The user can Directory Numbers on the same physi- select from several stored configurations cal line. interface connects directly to a already available or create new configu- •Multi-point – Enables/disables mul- Terminal Adapter or Type 1 Terminating rations and save them. The supplied con- tiple device support on the same line. Equipment, bypassing the NT-1. figurations include National ISDN-1, •Call Appearances – Enables/dis- To call from one device to another, at AT&T Custom, DMS 100, and ETSI. ables management of multiple calls at least two devices must be attached to the The Default button can be used to revert one terminal. simulator. The ILS-2000 will allocate back to the default settings for the cur- •Key Hold – Enables/disables hold, both B channels if requested by a device. rently selected switch type if these set- drop, transfer, and conference features The ISDN ports are pre-configured with tings have been modified. for EKTS terminals. Service Profile IDs (SPID) and The following options can be set •Additional Call Offering (ACO) – Directory Numbers (DN). These num- using the configuration software: Enables/disables ISDN call waiting. bers are usually requested by ISDN •D Channel X.25 – Enables/disables After the desired options are select- devices and are programmed in before X.25 traffic on the D Channel. ed, the user can save the new configu- these devices can operate. Some devices •B Channel Provisioning – Enables/ ration under a new name. To re-initial- may require an additional number called disables permanent channels between ize the ILS-2000 with the new configu- a Terminal Endpoint Indentifier (TEI), port 1 and port 2, or a LOOPBACK ration, the Download button should be which must be assigned a unique num- configuration. pressed. This causes the new configura- ber between 1 and 63 or set to accept an •Phantom Power – Used for ETSI tion to be downloaded to the simulator automatic assignment. (This latter switch type. followed by an automatic restart. option isn’t always available.) •Caller ID – Enables/disables caller The Query button can be used to inter-

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Circle No. 184 on Reader Service Card Circle No. 168 on Reader Service Card CTITM May/June 1997 51 C TI L ABS rogate the ILS-2000 and display the cur- and attached the Modems to the “U” uration software, and automatic device rent configuration of the simulator. interfaces of ILS-2000. We were able to detection on the PC COM port. easily establish a connection using one OPERATIONAL TESTING and then two B channels. CONCLUSION For a short test, we used two U.S. The Teltone ILS-2000 ISDN simula- Robotics Sportster ISDN 128K ROOM FOR IMPROVEMENT tor eliminates the trouble and expense modems to make a RAS connection We suggest the following improve- of obtaining ISDN service for testing, between a Windows 95 client and a ments: an integrated LCD screen for demonstrating, or developing ISDN Windows NT server. We configured the status display, a more robust help file products designed for either U or S/T ILS-2000 to simulate an AT&T switch (with search capability) for the config- interfaces. With the ILS-2000, users

•Analyze data and make protocol multiple CAS & R2 protocols On-Site Demo: Okeford decisions based on this data. (Dutch CAS (ALS70D), Belgian •Examine all protocol messages CAS, Mercury CAS, CC1TT Blue Intelligent Networking and fields on both sides of the Book R2). Protocol Switch “switch.” •Manipulate data (to accomplish Interfaces such things as digit analysis and • 8 x E1 PRI ports supporting TS16 translation and to set fields within signaling + 30 circuits. TsDesign, Inc. telephony messages). • 2 x E1 C7/SS#7 links each support- ing TS16 signaling + 30 circuits. 4340 Georgetown Square, Suite 601 FEATURES • 6 X E1 C7/SS#7 links each support- Atlanta, GA 30338 The Okeford has onboard switching ing 30 circuits. Ph: 770-454-6001; Fx: 770-452-0130 matrices which support standard drop • RS-232 Network Management inter- E-Mail: [email protected] and insert, or deploy cyclic hunting face. and timeslot hunting algorithms. • RS-232 Alarm/Trap report interface. Using your current SS7 or PRI proto- ith the privatization of the PSTN, col, you can connect between your Other Features Wapplication developers need to be hardware equipment and the Okeford. • European Safety Approval more flexible when it comes to con- If you have a slight variant in the pro- (EN41003). necting their equipment to and inte- tocol that you use, TsDesign also pro- • 65/120ohm compatible. grating their services with various vides custom solutions to address • V35, V36, RS-422. telecommunications networks. More your needs. • Alarm interface. specifically, development engineers • Visual LED PCM alarms. need to be concerned with SS#7 and Capacity • Runs in flash EEPROM. PRI ISDN connectivity. The underly- The Okeford can support up to 240 • V24 or Ethernet Remote support. ing problem is that so many protocols active calls simultaneously. The base • 3 1/4” floppy disk drive. have emerged that it is very difficult system supports 60 active calls, with • Network management interface. for engineers to develop applications growth options in groups of 30 cir- • 200 MHz combined. that will work throughout the world. cuits. • Timeslot switching and hunting Fortunately, there are products that supported. allow engineers to concentrate on pro- Speech Circuits • Secured PSU optional. viding new features, rather than fuss- The Okeford offers the option of ing with underlying protocols. One termination or non-termination of E1 TSDESIGN’S TCP/IP CONVERSION such product, the Okeford Intelligent Speech Circuits. If speech circuits are You can convert SS#7 signaling to Networking Protocol Switch, was connected directly between the two TCP/IP or vice versa with TsDesign’s recently demonstrated by an Okeford networks, the Okeford will support Milborne Gateway MSC. The inter- representative at our offices. just the “call control” and “mainte- esting thing about the Milborne’s con- The Okeford Intelligent Network nance” for these circuits. version capabilities is that multiple Protocol Switch is a generic device sockets are available. Thus, you have that supports a variety of SS#7 and Protocols great flexibility and call management PRI ISDN protocols. The Okeford The Okeford supports multiple capabilities. uses generic messaging between all SS#7/C7 protocols (ETSI ISUP, Add-on products to the Milborne protocol modules, which makes it CCITT TUP, ANSI ISUP, BTNR allow you to send short text messages possible to mix PRI protocols within BTNUP, I-TU ISUP, and SSUT2 to mobile handsets. Users are a single Okeford gateway. (FTUP+)) and multiple primary rate informed of any new messages that Okeford’s intelligent networking is ISDN protocols (DPNSS1, DASS2, are waiting as well as the number of designed to allow you to: Euro-ISDN, Q-Sig). It also supports new messages. ■ 52 CTITM May/June 1997 Subscribe FREE online at www.ctimag.com PhoneRider 33.6 can perform complete, real-time ISDN All of PhoneRider’s functionality call handling without a switch or PBX. derives from a single plug-and-play We were pleased with the easy opera- ISA board. Using the PhoneRider 33.6, System tion of the ILS-2000 and the ability to you can have telephony, voice, 33.6- configure the simulator to conform to kbps modem, 14.4-kbps fax modem, Requirements many types of ISDN services. and sound card capabilities. (Users can upgrade the modem to 56K, or opt for a he PhoneRider requires an IBM lower-end version that omits sound T or compatible personal computer card functionality.) running Microsoft Windows 95 with Microsoft Exchange and at least: INSTALLATION • 486DX2/66. •Installing The Board: We had some • 8 MB of system RAM. snafus during the installation of the • 10 MB of free hard disk space. PhoneRider board. We were instructed • One currently unoccupied 16-bit in the manual to go to the \Install\ ISA slot. Drivers directory, when actually it was • Speakers, headphones, and/or a \wwwMax. Then we received an error phone handset. during initialization right before the • CD-ROM (for bundled soft- wwwMax modem port was detected. ware). PhoneRider 33.6 We rebooted the PC, and then received • 3.5” diskette drive (for driver the infamous blue-screen with a VXD installation). MediaPhonics error before it even loaded Windows • Analog telephone line hookup. Buchaux 34 95. So we had to go into Safe Mode to • Two DMA channels, one IRQ Bevaix, Switzerland get back into Windows and try to solve (two for telephony/audio). CH 2022 the problem. We decided arbitrarily to • Sound card for the PhoneRider Ph: 413-2847-9600; remove the “wwwMax Accelerator” in 33.6 telephony-only configuration. ■ Fx: 413-2847-9601 the System folder. We rebooted and E-Mail: [email protected] then Windows 95 Plug and Play kicked Web Site: www.mediaphonics.com in and re-added the wwwMax lation of this software proceeded Accelerator. It also asked for a file, without a hitch. Overall, we gave the which the instructions did not specify installation a 3.25 rating. honeRider 33.6, a high-speed we would be asked about. We browsed Pdata/fax modem with 16-bit sound the CD-ROM and found the file the DOCUMENTATION card capabilities, provides computer was asking for. The documentation was very good, advanced telephony and unified mes- •Installing The Wizard: This part of but for the installation instructions. It saging features on the Windows 95 the setup includes setting up PBX set- appeared these were out of date. Which platform. PhoneRider 33.6 is also a tings, testing the line and speaker- is a shame, since the instructions powerful voice mail server and auto- phone, as well as the detection of when appeared well organized and easy to mated attendant that provide an unlim- the handset if off-hook. All of these follow. Yet the directions didn’t corre- ited number of mailboxes. tests performed flawlessly on the first spond to what we needed to install the According to MediaPhonics, the attempt. software drivers. For example, the dri- PhoneRider stands out because it •Verification Procedure: Next, the ver names were different, and directo- uniquely integrates two Windows 95 installation instructions give you direc- ries for loading the drivers specified by standards: tions to verify that the board is installed the documentation differed from those 1. TAPI — the PhoneRider can be properly in the System folder. We fol- on the CD-ROM. used with any telecommunications pro- lowed the instructions, but found that the We suppose the documentation may gram in compliance with the TAPI entry names were quite different from already be updated by the time this standard for telephony devices. what was in the manual. For instance, review is printed (we worked with beta- 2. MAPI — the PhoneRider can be the manual said “Double click on version software). Thus, we didn’t used with any mail program in compli- PhoneRider DSP Device”, but we saw count shortcomings in the documenta- ance with the MAPI standard for mes- “Digital Audio/Telephony Accelerator”, tion too heavily (we assigned a rating saging servers and clients. with “wwwMax Accelerator” under- of 4.0). All the same, we hope all the By working with both of these stan- neath it. We decided to skip the verifica- wrinkles are ironed out. These include dards, PhoneRider allows you to send tion procedure since the manual didn’t the absence from both manuals of and receive messages, speed dial, talk, match our system settings and continue MediaPhonics’ phone number, fax or transfer calls from Microsoft Phone, with the installation process. number, Web address, and technical Address Book, Schedule+, or Outlook •Installing The Software: Next, support e-mail address. 97. In addition, you can send and we installed the PhoneRider applica- receive and forward voice mails or tion software, which gives you inte- FEATURES faxes from Microsoft Exchange or gration to Microsoft Exchange, PhoneRider comes in two plug-and- Outlook 97. Outlook, and your phone. The instal- play ISA card configurations: Subscribe FREE online at www.ctimag.com CTITM May/June 1997 53 C TI L ABS

•A telephony only solution (all tele- phony, voice, 33.6-kbps modem, and 14.4-kbps fax features). •A combination telephony/audio solution (an all-in-one card including all telephony functionality plus audio features with full SoundBlaster Pro compatibility). PhoneRider is also available as a turnkey manufacturing kit and low-cost chipset solution. The wwwMAX chipset, available from Analog Devices, allows any card or system OEM to ship new Windows 95 telephony modems at a price equal to that for ordinary modem solutions. PhoneRider is basically a voice mail server with auto-attendant and answer- ing machine capabilities. A selection of features is listed below:

General Figure 7. PhoneRider: Main GUI showing call control functionality. Here, •Provides an unlimited number of the display indicates the date and time and notes that line 1 is in use. mailboxes and an unlimited number of speed dial entries (with optional pass- •Has mute capability. and multi-player games. words). Hardware/Specifications •Automatically regulated echo can- •Able to transmit many media types, •Analog Devices wwwMAX chipset. cellation. including voice, data, fax, and (in the •ADSP-2181 DSP. future) video. •AD1843 Codec. Handset/Headset/Speakerphone •Allows you to speed dial, confer- •AD1815 Codec (in combination •Allows communication by speaker- ence, and transfer calls from Microsoft audio, telephony, voice/modem/fax phone, headset, or telephone handset. Phone, Address Book, Schedule+, configuration). •Digital quality, full-duplex speaker- Outlook 97, or any TAPI-compliant •MediaPhonics ASIC and firmware. phone, application. •Data Protocols include V.34bis •Automatic microphone gain control. •Allows you to handle voice mail (33,600 bits per second), V.34 (28,800 •Allows the PC to act as a fully func- and fax messages (send, receive, and bps); V.32bis (14,400 bps), V.32 (9,600 tional phone connection for personal forward) the same way you would han- bps); V.22bis (2,400 bps), V.22 (1,200 (handset) and open room conversations dle e-mail messages in Microsoft bps); V.42; V.42bis standard COM port (speakerphone). Exchange, Outlook 97, or any MAPI- emulation; 56K-ready via Windows 95 •Works with any analog telephone. compliant application. driver software upgrade; V.80 compatible •Telephone handset functions nor- •Works over most types of networks, with Intel ProShare, H.324 VideoPhones. mally with PC turned off. including ordinary phone lines and the •Synchronous V.80 mode for H.324 •Allows the telephone handset to Internet. (Allows you to engage in multi- videoconferencing, application sharing, operate normally when the PC is turned media conferencing over POTS; confer- off, and the handset activates when you encing over the LAN/Intranet is pending.) lift it. •The application activates as you lift Call Handling/Screening handset and switches naturally from •Displays caller ID information, speakerphone to telephone. which can be used to screen incoming calls. Advanced Fax Features •Allows you to listen in on someone •14,400 bps V.17 Group 3 fax. leaving a voice mail. In addition, you •Supports Class 1 and 2 fax com- can pull that person out of voice mail if mands. you wish to speak to them. •Supports the following send-and- •Has a ring-free “do not disturb” mode, receive protocols: V.17 (14,400/12,000 which transfers calls to voice mail. bits per second); V.29 (9,600/7,200 •Provides call forwarding to pager or bps); V.27ter; V.21. cellular phone and remote access to messages. Figure 8. PhoneRider: Voice mail Audio And Sound •Records handset conversations. GUI for recording and playing (These features pertain to the •Makes it easy to store and retrieve messages. PhoneRider 33.6 all-in-one telepho- digital files for recorded conversations. ny/sound configuration.) 54 CTITM May/June 1997 Subscribe FREE online at www.ctimag.com •16-bit stereo / 48-KHz sound and unified messaging capabilities. We set •Distinguishing Between Voice And OPL3 synthesis. Microsoft Fax to pick up on two rings. Fax: Once we got the fax working, we •Compatible with Microsoft When we dialed into the board, the wondered if the product was intelligent Multimedia Personal Computer II and Microsoft Fax software wouldn’t pick enough to distinguish between an incom- Sound System; Sound Blaster Pro; and up the line, even after 6 rings. ing voice call and an incoming fax. Now, Ad Lib games. Evidently the machine, for some rea- we knew that if we left Microsoft Fax on •MIDI player (OPL3/external wave son, didn’t detect and add the modem. Auto Answer after two rings, there was table). The instructions gave no indication no way we could receive voice mail mes- •Wave player/recorder. whether we needed to add one. sages, since Microsoft Fax would take •CD player. Regardless, we added one manually. control of the phone call. If our test was •Mixer table. The Microsoft Fax picked up the phone going to work, the MediaPhonics soft- on the first try, after five rings, even ware would have to answer the line and External I/O Connections though it was set to two rings. determine whether it was receiving a •Speakers out. We went into Exchange, then Tools, voice call or a fax. •Line out. Microsoft Fax Tools, and Modem Tab, We decided to change Microsoft Fax •Microphone in. and we saw two slightly different Back to Manual Answer and then send •Phoneset line RJ11-4. modem/fax entries. One of them was a fax. When we faxed into the •Line in. named “wwwMAX Modem 33.6(Data+fax),” MediaPhonics board, the voice mail •Phone line RJ11-6 (wall). and the other entry was called system picked up after three rings. The “wwwMAX SpeakerPhone+Data+Fax+Voice.” board detected the fax tone and intelli- Internal I/O Connections The latter entry was the default, so we gently routed the call to Microsoft Fax. •CD in. switched to the former. After this Similarly, when we called in by voice, •Speakers out. change, the Microsoft Fax program we were able to leave a voice message. •Joystick. picked up on two rings and was able to Thus, we had voice and fax capability •MIDI in/out. receive faxes perfectly. In addition, the all on the same line. •WaveBlaster compatible connec- faxes we received could be routed to We were able to play and record tion. our Exchange inbox. voice mail messages from Exchange or •Familiar phone interface. OPERATIONAL TESTING •Outbound Calling: As soon as we lifted the receiver, the PhoneRider application popped up. When we dialed digits into the handset phone, the num- ber instantly appeared on the screen thanks to DTMF detection. •Headset Capabilities: Next we tried to make an outbound call while using a headset with a built-in microphone that was plugged into the MediaPhonics board. We used the mouse to click on the phone keypad on the graphical user interface and then clicked on Line 1. The line picked up (we got dial-tone), and we TS could hear the digits we entered being played over the headset (Figure 7). We talked to another engineer, con- ferenced another call, put the call on hold, and tested the muting capability. We accessed all these capabilities with- out difficulty. At first the sound was DESIGN muffled, but then we switched to anoth- er headset which gave us much better sound quality. Such problems are all too common with microphones plugged into sound cards. To get ade- quate power, some microphones need an amplifier, which is plugged into the joystick port of a sound card. •Faxing Capabilities: We sent a fax to the MediaPhonics board to test its Subscribe FREE online at www.ctimag.com Circle No. 159 on Reader Service Card CTITM May/June 1997 55 CTI L ABS the PhoneRider product (Figure 8). In addition, we were able to fax into the board and leave fax messages, and call into the board to leave voice messages into the same inbox. We should note that unlike many other unified messag- ing products, PhoneRider uses distinct icons for voice and fax messages to dis- tinguish between the different message types (that is, e-mail, voice mail, and fax) (Figure 9). •Integration With Exchange: What’s nice about this software product is its tight integration with Exchange. When you double-click on a fax or voice mail Figure 9. PhoneRider: Integration of message, PhoneRider doesn’t bring up voice mail and fax messages into an e-mail form with fax or voice mail Exchange/Windows messaging. attachments. Instead, in the case of a fax, the fax viewer is automatically documentation may be “beta” as well. loaded; in the case of a voice mail mes- We’re optimistic these problems will be sage, the sound recorder program is resolved by MediaPhonics before the automatically loaded. next version is released. The PhoneRider software also tells Another source of frustration was that closing the program seemed more RATINGS (1-5) difficult than necessary. We had to click on the telephone with a slash through it Installation: 3.25 from the “Phone” folder screen. We Figure 10. PhoneRider: Voice mail Documentation: 4.00 were unable to close the program from folder screen. Here the display GUI: 4.25 any of the other folder screens (fax, indicates the number of new Features: 4.75 voice mail, speed dial). We feel that voice mails, faxes, and e-mails. you should be able to exit the program you how many new voice mails, e- from anywhere. One other thing that mails, and faxes are currently located in could be improved is the icons, which the product suitable for the SOHO mar- your inbox (Figure 10). Another nice weren’t very intuitive; however, bub- ket, as well as VARs, OEMs, telecom- integration with Exchange/Outlook ble-help is available. munication service providers, and TAPI allows you to “speed dial” any of your The easiest thing to fix in this beta developers. contacts in your Exchange/Outlook version is the spelling mistake we saw. Address Book, making it easy to quick- The word “Incoming” was spelled ly dial your co-workers or important “Incomming” in the display area when Remotely Possible/32 contacts (Figure 11). a call is received. (Admittedly, pointing this out is nit-picking, but the product Avalan Technology, Inc. ROOM FOR IMPROVEMENT gave us so few flaws to discuss as it is.) P.O. Box 6888 The only difficulties we encountered Holliston, MA 01746 were related to installation of the board CONCLUSION Ph: 508-429-6482; and software. Some, if not all, of our The PhoneRider product, with its Fx: 508-429-3179 installation problems are attributable to board and accompanying software, gives BBS: 508-429-3671 outdated or incomplete instructions in you a very inexpensive means of attain- E-Mail: [email protected] the installation documentation. Since ing unified messaging. With PhoneRider, Web Site: www.avalan.com we had a beta copy of the software, the which is very tightly integrated with Microsoft Exchange and Outlook, you can have all your faxes, e-mails, and emotely Possible/32, a 32-bit voice mail messages in one e-mail store. R remote access communications In addition to its unified messaging program, allows you to remotely functionality, PhoneRider provides a control one or more Windows PCs, to voice-enabled modem for dialing from exchange files, and to have an interactive your PC, as well as a 33.6kbps transmis- “chat” session — all at the same time. sion modem for connecting to the This program supports up to four differ- Figure 11. PhoneRider: Speed dial Internet, BBS, or other online services. ent protocols simultaneously, including interface with integration to The built-in sound card functionality is a TCP/IP, IPX, Netbeui, NetBios, and Microsoft Exchange address book. nice plus, since it saves an ISA slot. asynchronous connections. PhoneRider’s impressive features make With Remotely Possible, telecom- 56 CTITM May/June 1997 Subscribe FREE online at www.ctimag.com muters, home office workers, and busi- table of contents was well organized, ness travelers can access their corporate and the text within the chapters was e-mail and work on the corporate LAN. easy to follow. The manual was filled This kind of access opens up myriad with helpful screenshots. The index, System possibilities. For example, you can too, was excellent, and the trou- even print 500 copies of a word-proces- bleshooting appendix was helpful. sor file to a laser printer before leaving Actually, Remotely Possible was so Requirements for work, and find the pages waiting for easy to use and so user-friendly, we you when you arrive at the office didn’t even look at the documentation Hardware: IBM PC or compati- (Figure 12). until it was time to write this review. Of ble, 2MB hard disk space, 3.5” course, when we did read the manuals, floppy drive INSTALLATION we were glad we did, since we picked Optional: Hayes AT compatible Before installation, Remotely up a few things about the product that modem, RAS, PPP, or SLIP server Possible recommends removing any we had overlooked. This experience Network: WinSock TCP/IP, IPX, other remote control applications resid- lends credence to the motto “read the NetBios ing on your computer. We’ve read from darn manual.” We gave the documenta- Display: All types, including computer magazines that remote access tion a perfect 5.0 rating. Super VGA, VGA, EGA, CGA, and programs interfere with each other, so Monochrome Avalan’s Remotely Possible is not the FEATURES Display resolutions: All support- only program which recommends un- The newest version of Avalan’s ed installing other remote access pro- Remotely Possible/32 (version 3.1) fea- Software: Windows 95 or grams. As such, we did not let this tures session recording, which provides Windows NT affect the installation rating. training centers, help desks, call cen- Installing the software was straight- ters, and support centers with the abili- savvy person. Typically, call durations forward. It was a one-disk setup, which ty to record every detail of calls made double or even triple. simply required that you choose the to the host computer during a remote Using Remotely Possible, a technical destination directory, as well as enter control session. This allows you to support person can access the user’s PC the serial number. (For the 30-day free monitor the session in real time as well. and perform all the necessary steps trial version on the company’s Web site, A technical support representative himself. The tech doesn’t have to spend 10 default serial numbers are provided.) can install Remotely Possible onto a time explaining details. Call duration is Remotely Possible does not modify user’s machine in order to troubleshoot shortened, thus reducing phone costs your autoexec.bat, config.sys, or any a particular computer and fix any prob- for help desks, technical support cen- INI files, which enhanced its installa- lems that are found. This is particularly ters, and the like. tion rating. Overall, the product earned useful in instances when a caller has Remotely Possible’s multitasking an installation rating of 4.98. limited computer expertise. Any MIS ability allows several remote control person knows that troubleshooting with sessions to run at the same time, and DOCUMENTATION a computer novice is more time con- you can task-switch between them. The The documentation was superb. The suming than working with a computer- keyboards, mice, and screens on two remotely connected PCs act as one. Both keyboards and mice are active to allow complete control of the host PC. There are features, however, to disable the mouse, keyboard, and monitor on the remote end. Disabling the monitor screen adds a layer of security, since you may not want someone seeing what is on your computer screen. Disabling the keyboard and mouse accomplishes a similar function with regards to secu- rity (Figure 13). Some other features of Remotely Figure 12. Remotely Possible: Possible include: Microsoft Word being remotely • Auto-pan for viewing computers controlled in “Windowed” mode. with larger resolutions. Windowed mode displays menus • Access codes and levels for securi- and icons that can be used to ty, including chat access, remote con- access file transfer, chat, discon- trol access, file transfer access, call- nect, and other features. back access, and others. • Ability to reboot remote machine. • Disable wallpaper. • Inactivity time to disconnect a ses- Subscribe FREE online at www.ctimag.com CTITM May/June 1997 57 CTI LABS sion. • Printer redirection to allow printing both on the Host and Viewer PC. • Option to reboot machine after a disconnect at a user specified interval. Overall, Remotely Possible earned a nearly perfect features rating of 4.99. OPERATIONAL TESTING We tested Remotely Possible on sev- eral machines on the advice of one of our testing engineers who felt that the video drivers could be finicky and per- haps buggy. Since Remotely Possible is dependent on the video driver for inter- cepting painting of the video screen, we were compelled to pay attention to his advice. (Just because Remotely Possible works with a particular video card does- Figure 13. n’t necessarily mean the program will Remotely Possible: User preference screen (Viewer tab) for chang- work with all of them.) The ensuing tests ing viewing preferences, including blanking the host monitor for security. confirmed our suspicions. We found that the first three video cards we tried worked fine. Then we tried using Remotely Possible on a PC which was using a high-end Matrox Millennium card with 4 MB of RAM. It worked, but the throughput was painfully slow. Just moving a window took an unbelievable 30 to 40 seconds over a 10-BaseT connection! When we tried it over a 28.8-kbps connection, it took 2 to 4 minutes, or Remotely Possible would hang. We downloaded the latest Matrox video driver and BIOS and attempted it again. It still didn’t work. We gave Avalan’s technical support a call. They told us to disable all the advanced fea- tures of the Matrox — to no avail. Avalan Technology told us they have a few Matrox Millennium cards working in their office, so we were optimistic, but running out of options. The engi- neer was going on a road trip and want- ed access to his PC using Remotely Figure 14. Remotely Possible: User preference screen (Host tab) for Possible, and so we couldn’t give up. It enabling host operation, printer redirection, and security options (dis- began to look like remote access to his able mouse and blank monitor options). PC would not be even “remotely possi- ble” — pun intended! Font Size Matters We tried going into the Display set- We decided to go back to basics and As luck would have it, the same engi- tings and changing everything to the change to an older video driver. In fact, neer had one other problem with his original Windows 95 default values. we switched to the original driver that computer setup. When he viewed from a For instance, under the Appearance tab, came with the Windows 95 CD-ROM remote computer, he found that his we set the scheme to Windows Default (version 4.0). This solved the problem, Desktop icons had their descenders cut and clicked on the Apply button. We and the engineer has since been happi- off. The truncated type was bearable, but still had the descenders cut off. ly accessing his PC remotely. Of nevertheless a nuisance, so we called Next, we to turned off all the course, the drawback has been that his Avalan again to try to find a solution. Microsoft Plus! settings in the Plus! machine doesn’t redraw as fast as it While we were on the phone, we had tab. Still the same problem. So, we used to, without the advanced features their tech call directly into our machine went into the Control Panel, and then of the Matrox card. and watched as he poked around. the Desktop Themes program. We 58 CTITM May/June 1997 Subscribe FREE online at www.ctimag.com thought that we could connect to the Internet using Remotely Possible. We dialed into the machine, launched Internet Explorer on the remote end and actually started browsing the Web. Now, using a 28.8-kbps modem to connect to another 28.8-kbps modem isn’t exactly the best or most efficient way to browse the Web — but we were online nonetheless. We scrolled through some graphical sites and the performance was surprisingly good. The fonts didn’t seem to be exact, but the difference was hardly distracting. Accessing the Internet by accessing another PC could be a nice feature if you dial into a machine which has an ISDN, ADSL, or other high-speed Internet connection. You’d be getting Figure 15. Remotely Possible: User preference screen (Dial tab) for high-speed Internet access over a 28.8- selecting modem, dialing methods, and data transmission options. kbps modem! chose Windows Default, which is sup- key was also transmitted to the remote Long-Distance Runaround posed to change all the settings to their computer, since F1 is the default Help Not content with dialing long-dis- original Windows 95 defaults. We screen key. But we were a bit mystified tance to remotely access our comput- thought this would work for sure, but as to why Remotely Possible was pro- ers, we decided to try to get cheaper alas it did not. grammed so the F1 key would “apply” access to our computers using the We returned to the Appearance tab to both the local and remote machine. Internet. We knew the static IP address- screen in the Display Properties win- We’d prefer a user preference setting to es of our machines (which are always dow and clicked on the drop-down box select the default preferences. on the Internet), and we also had host Item and selected Icon. Here, we saw For instance, when the program is in operation enabled on these machines the default font size was set to 6 points. View Full Screen mode, we’d like (Figure 14). We have file-sharing We thought this was a bit strange, since Remotely Possible to send the function enabled on the Dial-Up adapter (ignor- the default size was supposed to be 8. keys to the remote end all the time — ing the Microsoft warning about securi- We changed the size to 8 points, which not the local machine. In fact we’d ty) in the Network settings, which fixed the problem. At first we thought it actually prefer a setting for disabling allows you to ping or access a Windows was a bug in Windows 95, or that per- function keys within the local machine over the Internet. So, all we haps using different video drivers Remotely Possible program to prevent had to do was enter a user name, pass- caused the font sizes for the icons to Remotely Possible from interfering word, and the correct TCP/IP address, vary, but we determined that somebody with our remote viewing. and we were all set. We were now must have saved over the Windows Function keys are always important, remotely controlling a Windows 95 Default setting. In fact, one machine we but even more so if you are using a ter- machine located in Connecticut from a looked at had a default icon font size of minal program. You don’t want laptop in California — all for free! (It 5 points! Remotely Possible switching to its was free because we dialed into a local screen every time you hit the F1 key. ISP in California.) Function Key Question We tested some of the other function This kind of access has profound and We tested a few of the function keys keys, and Remotely Possible worked obvious uses. From anywhere in the to make sure they worked over a remote fine, so it appears that the F1 key was world, you can remotely control your PC connection. When we hit F1 while in a the only one with this minor problem. for just the cost of accessing the local Microsoft Word screen, Remotely ISP! (To see the product’s dialing options, Possible brought up its own help screen Remotely Surfing! including data compression, see Figure on the local machine. Hitting F1 also To satisfy our curiosity, we dialed 15.) During our Operational Testing on brought us back to the Remotely from a laptop into another computer’s the road, we were also able to download Possible main screen on the viewing modem running Remotely Possible and machine. This was not what we wanted tried to browse the Internet over the RATINGS (1-5) to see. remote computer. You see, we were in a We clicked on Viewer, Switch to Full hotel on the road and didn’t know any Installation: 4.98 Screen, to get back to viewing the local ISP numbers to access the Documentation: 5.0 remote computer screen. Here, we were Internet. (Being without Internet access GUI: 4.95 a bit surprised to see Microsoft Word’s for too long makes you think of inge- Features: 4.99 help screen pop up. Apparently, the F1 nious ways to get connected.) We Subscribe FREE online at www.ctimag.com CTITM May/June 1997 59 C TI L ABS some files using Remotely Possible’s File Transfer feature (Figure 16).

User Preferences Remotely Possible can be started automatically either before or after log- ging onto Windows. This is very useful, since you may not want to leave your machine logged onto the network. Also, if your computer reboots (power loss or intentionally rebooted), the computer will be at the network password logon prompt. Programs in the Startup group Figure 16. Remotely Possible: will not yet be loaded, but Remotely should have been displayed to the user. File transfer screen displaying Possible does not use the Startup group Another thing we would like to see is options on local as well as to load itself. It uses its own technique an option to turn off remembering pass- remote machines. for loading before you enter your net- words for each entry in the address work or Windows password. Thus, you book. If a laptop running Remotely can set Remotely Possible to start Possible is stolen, a thief could access information, we’d like the ability to before Windows logs on, which will anyone’s computer using the entries in record mouse movements as well as the allow you to still dial or connect to the the address book, since both the phone entire screen. This would be useful for machine and enter both your network number and password are always recording sessions, which could then and Windows passwords (if applicable). “remembered” in the address book. later be used for training. Avalan men- Thus, a thief could double-click on an tioned they are working on just such a Security address entry and log onto a machine. record and playback utility. Remotely Possible offers good secu- Of course, the odds are pretty slim that We’d like to have the ability to save rity. You can blank the host screen and this would happen, and you could system settings and preferences to dif- disable the host’s mouse and keyboard. always change the passwords if a lap- ferent configuration files, which can We do, however, need to make a few top was ever stolen (assuming you were then be loaded on-the-fly, as well as the comments. First, there is one default aware of the theft in time for you to ability to change settings on-the-fly entry in the user accounts with the name change the passwords). Another option after connecting to a remote machine. “default” and a password of “default.” might be to have one general password Currently you cannot change settings We had to make sure that we changed to unlock the entire address book. such as disabling or enabling the host this password right away, since anyone keyboard, mouse, or monitor after you running Remotely Possible could then ROOM FOR IMPROVEMENT have connected. Once you choose cer- access our machine. We felt a warning In addition to logging File Transfer, tain settings, you are stuck with those or reminder to change this password Host, Viewer, Chat, and Communication settings until you disconnect, change the setting, and then reconnect. Following this procedure can be incon- venient, especially if you are connected over a long-distance connection. As mentioned earlier, pressing the F1 key should effect an action on the remote PC – not the PC you are using to access the remote PC. This problem is especially vexing when you are view- ing in full-screen mode. One minor nuisance involved con- necting to a remote machine over a TCP/IP LAN connection where you could see the computers currently run- ning Remotely Possible. You have to select the computer name, and then move your mouse all the way from the

Figure 17. Remotely Possible: User preference screen (General tab) for defining parameters such as start/hide time, interface, startup, and disconnect options.

60 CTITM May/June 1997 Subscribe FREE online at www.ctimag.com top right corner to the bottom left cor- equipment is on the user’s side, and about whether we wanted the “Mini- ner to click on Viewer in order to con- there is no centralized device or server Dialer” activated (we did). A quick nect. You couldn’t just double-click on such as a PBX. If you already have a reboot, and we were ready to give PATI the computer name to connect to the Comdial PBX (say, a DXP), you may a workover. machine, which we would prefer. want to consider Comdial’s WideOpen Finally, as also previously men- suite. (For our review of the WideOpen DOCUMENTATION tioned, we’d like to see an option to products, see the March/April issue of The PATI 3000 came with two man- turn off remembering passwords for CTI™.) uals: one for the PATI 3000 hardware, each entry in the address book, or hav- The PATI 3000 brings CTI capability and one for the PhoneKITS software. ing one general password to unlock the to the desktop by without dragging the The hardware manual was concise, address book for added security. user through a technical quagmire. It well organized (although it did lack a hooks up to a PC (running Microsoft table of contents), and friendly to users CONCLUSION Windows 3.1 or higher) on one side and who are not necessarily computer Remotely Possible is powerful and an analog phone line on the other. Since experts. Directions for interfacing the user-friendly. We were very impressed it is a TAPI-compliant device, the PATI PATI box with the PC and the phone (as with the throughput it demonstrated. 3000 lets users choose from a multitude well as other peripheral equipment, The speed and 32-bit architecture help of TAPI-conforming software products such as an answering machine or a fax make Remotely Possible a top-notch to achieve their CTI objectives. In addi- machine) were well illustrated. remote access program. In fact, due to tion, CTI software developers can use The PATI 3000 software documenta- the unsurpassed speed and throughput the device as a tool to test their new tion was adequate. However, we feel it of this product, we have chosen applications. should have explicitly indicated that the Remotely Possible for our employees TAPI software was bundled with the who frequently travel — giving them INSTALLATION PhoneKITs package. This omission access to their corporate e-mail and When we opened up our PATI 3000 caused us some difficulty during our personal files. Remotely Possible is package, we found it included the installation. We also consulted the absolutely perfect for telecommuting. device itself, installation instructions, PhoneKITS manual, but this documen- We highly recommend that you try this PhoneKITS software (from Algo tation was also silent about the TAPI product. A free 30-day trial is available Communications), and a telephone software. There was a single, brief ref- from Avalan’s Web site, so check it out. wire. We plugged one end of the PATI erence to installing the PATI 3000; oth- 3000 into the parallel port of our test erwise, the manual discussed the PC, a generic Pentium 90 with 32 PhoneKITS application exclusively. Megabytes RAM running Windows 95. The PhoneKITS manual was also We plugged the other end into a regular adequate; however, we would have phone line. Then we plugged in an ana- liked to have seen a more complete log phone into the phone socket. The index. It also lacked sufficient detail on Status light glowed green, and the hard- what to expect during the installation ware setup was finished. phase. Nonetheless, the rest of the man- Incidentally, the PATI 3000 device ual was complete and easy to follow. has a parallel port interface where a The sections summarizing the applica- printer can be attached. As stated in the tion’s major components (PC Phone, documentation there is no interference Mini-Dialer, Call Log, and Address PATI 3000 with printer operation through PATI Book) were most useful. 3000, but (just in case) a printer trou- We must mention that the PhoneKITS Comdial bleshooting program is provided to rec- software is so user-friendly that many tify any printing problems. users will get away with skipping the 1180 Seminole Trail We knew we had to install the soft- user manual. In a way, that’s a shame, Charlottesville, VA 22901 ware driver (TAPI driver), and in fact especially since the manual includes Ph: 804-978-2200 the documentation called for it, but the some good information on caller ID and Web Site: www.comdial.com PATI software diskette was nowhere to Windows telephony. be found. A call to Comdial revealed that the TAPI software was bundled FEATURES hen Comdial is mentioned, what with the PhoneKITS software, for The PATI 3000 device has a headset W usually comes to mind is a PBX which we chose the full install option. connection. Of course, using a headset system for a small or medium- After entering some basic informa- is a big plus when you are using CTI. sized business. This preconception may tion, including our name and telephone Losing the handset means your hands disappear now that Comdial is attempt- number, we breezed through the three- are free for the keyboard and mouse. ing to assault the SOHO market with its disk installation. We noticed a message The other features of the PATI 3000 PATI 3000 product. Don’t get us regarding modifying the AUTOEX- lie within the accompanying software, wrong, PATI 3000 is also an option for EC.BAT, SYSTEM.INI, and WIN.INI PhoneKITS, which consists of four larger companies. Nonetheless, it really (such a message is usually indicative of main components: shines as a SOHO solution. All the a 16-bit program). We were also asked • PC Phone: This is the heart and Subscribe FREE online at www.ctimag.com CTITM May/June 1997 61 CTI LABS soul of PhoneKITS. The user is pre- sented with a graphical telephone from which a number can be dialed. Actually, the user can choose from sev- eral graphical phones. There is also a construction kit that lets the user create his/her favorite tele- phone designs. There are countless ways to design and accessorize the graphical telephone to best suit individ- ual tastes. You can have a simple screen with push-buttons, or a complex tele- phone displaying multiple options. You can add buttons that will launch favorite applications and/or display var- ious kinds of information (current time and date, the caller’s time and date, call length, etc.) In addition, the user can opt to have the application pop up when the phone rings or when the handset is picked up. Also, ringing options can be set to play a .WAV file when an incoming call is recognized. • Mini-Dialer: This is a small icon that appears in the title bar of any active window allowing instant dialing of a selected number or a name (pro- vided that the name is recognized in the address book). The icon can be given person, it can store multiple num- Figure 18. PATI 3000: moved horizontally in the title bar to a bers, an address, a company name, an PhoneKITS’s Graphical Telephone desired location. If a new window is e-mail address, and more. As such, it activated, the Mini-Dialer icon will can be used as a personal information Phone prompted us to confirm it before jump onto the new window. To access manager (PIM) as well as an easy way proceeding further. We then moved this smart and convenient feature, the to locate a party’s phone number. over to the “Numbers” box, entered the users selects a phone number or name The Address Book also provides a number for a second phone in our lab, on the active window and clicks the notes field so the user can enter infor- and hit Return. We were prompted to Mini-Dialer once to dial the number. mation about a contact. Of course, all pick up the handset to complete the call The Mini-Dialer launches the PC this information can be printed in a as the PATI 3000 was dialing the num- Phone application and dials the num- variety of formats. (We liked being able ber. We picked up the handset and the ber automatically. to print envelopes and labels for select- call was completed successfully. • Call Log: This feature, which gath- ed names in the Address Book.) As in There are several other ways to dial ers information about incoming and the Call Log module, the Address Book the number through PATI 3000. You outgoing calls, is useful for periodic can be configured to pop-up when a can dial the number directly from the call analysis and follow-ups. It can also call is received. telephone, you can mouse-click the be set to pop up on an incoming call, push buttons on the graphical tele- identifying the calling party (provided OPERATIONAL TESTING phone, or you can place the cursor on caller ID is available). Call Log allows We successfully made inbound and the “Numbers” box and type the num- the user to enter notes regarding the outbound calls from PATI 3000 and ber on your keyboard. We found the last phone conversation which can be checked with the Call Log to verify the method very convenient since our accessed at a later time or during the entries. Sure enough, the calls were hands didn’t have to leave the keyboard next call to the same party. The time logged with their associated informa- to dial the number. We observed that and date of the call and call duration is tion, such as the names and numbers, the new call was added to the history logged as well. The logs can be viewed time and date, and duration. list, which can be referred to at a later per individual party, incoming or out- time to redial the number. going, or date range. The user can print Outbound Calls the logs by summary listing or by We launched the PC Phone, which Inbound Calls detail. presented us with a graphical Comdial Next we made an inbound call to the • Address Book: The Address Book DXP telephone (Figure 18). We entered PATI 3000. PhoneKITS immediately offers the user a flexible way to store a name in the “Name” box. recognized the incoming call and complete information on people. For a Recognizing this as a new name, PC prompted us to answer the call or 62 CTITM May/June 1997 Subscribe FREE online at www.ctimag.com ignore it. The caller ID information drivers (including Microsoft’s own two uses for the Mini-Dialer. First, you was displayed on the second ring, so Unimodem and the PATI driver) can use it as a quick way to launch PC we knew right away the number that (Figure 19). Phone (just one click). Second, you can was calling us. Better yet, when we Double-clicking on the PATI driver highlight a number in the current appli- added the calling number to the brings up the Comdial Telephony cation and click on the Mini-Dialer to Address Book under a name, the caller Configuration screen. From here you dial that number. ID number was matched with the can set some of the driver options, We especially liked the ability to name, and the name was displayed. including timing, headset, and handset select a name from a document and This feature would be a real time saver, options. We wanted to see how TAPI- have the Mini-Dialer dial the corre- especially for users who need to screen compliant this product was, so we sponding number by matching the incoming calls. Also, if specified, the launched the Microsoft’s Phone Dialer, name to the PC Phone database. When Call Log or Address Book applications a simple telephony application that is we highlighted a new name and clicked are automatically launched upon an bundled with Windows 95. We typed in on the Mini-Dialer, PC Phone was incoming call, displaying the informa- the phone number, clicked on Dial, and launched with the new name in the tion on the caller. — voila!— PATI started to dial. Name box, and then it waited to be sup- plied with the phone number. The Driver Options Mini-Dialer Mini-Dialer can be disabled for the cur- There are two ways to access the The Mini-Dialer, which is configured rent Windows session or permanently TAPI driver window. First, you could by the setup program to load upon from the PC Phone. use choose the Setup Driver menu item Windows startup, shows up as a small from the Tools menu in the PC Phone icon on the title bar of the currently Call Log And Address Book application. Second, you could bring active window (Figure 20). There are Both programs are feature-rich and up the Control Panel in Windows and easy to use. The Call Log program con- choose the Telephony applet, which Figure 19. PATI 3000: Windows tained all the outgoing and incoming brings up the Telephony Properties 95 Telephony Driver calls we had handled. We were able to window containing a list of telephony Configuration Window view them collectively or one at a time with details such as time and date, call duration, and call type. The Address Book had all the ingre- dients of a contact management pro- gram. It also interfaced well with PC Phone by means of dial icons placed next to the displayed number. We were able to easily manipulate its features (such as adding entries, searching and modifying entries, printing options, and interface to PC Phone). We also liked the ability to associate multiple phone numbers per person, create notes per person or per company, and have sepa- rate business and home entries for con- tacts.

Centrex Options PhoneKITS is able to understand special characters such as “!” for flash- hook and “,” for pause. Utilizing this capability, a company can use PATI 3000 and Centrex service (most phone companies offer voice mail services as well) to achieve a working telephone infrastructure with CTI. In this sce- nario, all employees will have personal extensions, voice mails, conferencing, and (of course) CTI right from their desktops. If you are not in the market for a new PBX with CTI features, but would like to have the next best thing, this should do nicely. Of course, PATI can function in conjunction with a PBX as well, but Subscribe FREE online at www.ctimag.com CTITM May/June 1997 63 C TI L ABS

RATINGS (1-5)

Installation: 4.7 Documentation: 4.4 Features: 4.4 remember that it needs an analog con- nection. If your phone set is on a digital feed from your PBX, PATI will not work with it. Figure 20. PATI 3000: Mini- messaging products such as Microsoft Dialer Demo ROOM FOR IMPROVEMENT Exchange. PhoneKITS should provide a 32-bit The PhoneKITS manual had the subject of the Address Book, we would version of their software with Windows words “Answering Machine” as one of like to see export and import capabili- 95 look and feel. Right now, the pro- the supported features, and we were ties to and from popular database for- gram can be bogged down by other 16- excited to test it. However, we couldn’t mats. Finally, we would like to see a bit programs. As a 32-bit program, find any reference to it in the manual. security option (possibly a password PhoneKITS would run in its own mem- Perplexed, we called Algo protection scheme) to safeguard infor- ory space. Communications, and they told us that mation. although their software supports this OLE support would be a great addi- feature, PATI does not. We believe that tion to PhoneKITS. For example, if CONCLUSION OLE were supported, the Address Book this feature could be a valuable addition Comdial’s PATI 3000 brings CTI to would no longer be limited to taking to PATI 3000. For now, a physical the desktop by establishing a simple user notes. It could accept other infor- answering machine or a voice mail sys- connection between the computer and mation such as picture, voice, and tem must be utilized to take messages. the telephone. The connection, a TAPI- spreadsheet files. While we’re on the We would like to see an interface into compliant device and the PhoneKITS software, fits well within the SOHO environment. However, the tools that are provided with PATI 3000 (such as the Address Book) also make it a great tool for larger organizations. Push The Both the hardware and software are easy to install. Support for a headset Envelope/ is provided. The software modules are tightly integrated. For example, Call For Papers the Call Log and Address Book mod- ules and the TAPI driver configura-

™ tion screen are available right from Since we launched CTI , our purpose has been to provide the most objective and PC Phone. If Mini-Dialer is enabled, credible forum on computer-telephony integration. The response from our readers has been extremely gratifying, and tells us that we are succeeding in this endeavor. PC Phone can be launched with a sin- gle click. Call Log and Address Book To enhance our standing as the voice of integrity in the CTI industry, we are mak- can be configured to launch upon an ing every effort to represent the broadest range of industry experts. We invite you incoming call – a feature that is espe- to consider contributing editorial — technological treatises, unique case studies, cially useful when caller ID is pre- application developments, etc. Acceptance of contributed pieces will be based on sent. whether our readers would find the articles relevant to their interests. PATI 3000 ships with the light ver- sion of PhoneKITS. You can obtain the If you are interested in submitting articles, please contact us for editorial guide- professional version from Algo lines, or simply send outlines and story proposals to our editorial department. Communications at www.algocommu- nications.com E-mail: [email protected] Snail mail: CTI™, 1 Technology Plaza, For information about free subscriptions, call Norwalk, CT USA 06854 our customer service department at 800-243- (Send articles on a 3.5” floppy, Microsoft Word-compatible diskette.) 6002 (toll free) or 203-852-6800, or visit our Ph: 203-852-6800, ext. 165; Fx: 203-853-2845. Web site at www.ctimag.com. Contact the pub- ™ lisher, Richard Tehrani, or the editor, Kevin M. CTI Mayer, with questions or comments about CTI ™. The Voice Of Integrity On The Industry’s Frontier E-mail (addressed to [email protected] or [email protected]) is always welcome. ■ 64 CTITM May/June 1997 Subscribe FREE online at www.ctimag.com