A communications hub as part of the IoT ecosystem can prove to be
very useful. In fact, a omni-channel communications hub with
cloud-based applications will empower the user community with tools and
technologies, such as Unified Communications (UC) and IoT applications,
that will result in improved productivity. From a strategy perspective
for a Smart Building, a communications hub that can integrate with
SIP-based security cameras, door systems, video conferencing systems and
services will be valuable.
It is all about applications. When new applications become available,
just download them and customize them for that one device based on
end-user preference. A communications hub, with a touch screen display
that offers voice/video collaboration and access to a broad spectrum of
other applications is a game changer.
Grandstream Networks’ GXV3370 IP Video touch screen phone shown in Fig. A
is one such device that can serve as your all-in-one communications hub
and a multimedia platform. You can refer the GXV3370 IP Video Phone’s
data sheet here.
The GXV3370 running Android 7.0 operating system is equipped with:
4-core 1.3GHz ARM Cortex A53 processor with 2GB RAM and 8GB eMMC Flash
Tiltable mega-pixel 720p 30fps CMOS camera with privacy shutter for video calling and HD video conferencing
Support for 16 lines with up to 16 SIP accounts
Flexible API/SDK support for custom application development
Integrated Wi-Fi[ dual band 2.4Ghz/5Ghz-802.11 a/b/g/n]
Integrated Bluetooth 4.0 +EDR [for connecting with Bluetooth headsets and syncing with mobile devices]
Auxiliary Ports- RJ9 headset jack (for headset EHS), 3.5mm jack for
stereo headset with microphone, USB port, SD card slot, HDMI-out (to
connect a display device)
Auto-sensing dual switched ethernet [10/100/1000 Mbps] ports with
integrated PoE/PoE+ support-802.3af Class 3, PoE+ 802.3at, Class 4
Video codecs and capabilities such as H.264 BP/MP/HP, video
resolution up to 720p, frame rate up to 30 fps, bit rate up to 2Mbps,
3-way video conference (720p 30fps), anti-flickering, auto focus and
auto exposure
HD Audio-HD handset and speakerphone with support for wideband audio
Voice codecs and capabilities include-G.711Ī¼/a, G.722 (wide-band),
G.726-32, iLBC, Opus, G.729A/B, in-band and out-of-band DTMF (In audio,
RFC2833, SIP INFO), VAD, CNG, AEC, PLC, AJB, AGC, ANS
Native applications: Contacts, Call History, File Manager, MPK,
Settings, Browser, Voicemail, Clock, Recorder, GS Market, etc. and 3rd party apps such as Skype, Google Hangouts, Skype for Business, etc.
Let us now deploy the GXV3370 IP Video phones to check its
functionality and conduct SIP interoperability testing with other
vendor’s SIP services and offerings that are in the cloud.
FUNCTIONAL TESTING
We will use two Grandstream Networks’ GXV3370 IP Video phones running
the main software release version 1.0.1.33 along with the following
multi-vendor SIP environments (Please refer Fig. B).
Public SIP trunk services
Patton SmartNode SN5570 Series eSBC (Enterprise Session Border
Controller) running software version Trinity 3.15.0-19023 [ we used the
Patton Cloud to upgrade the eSBC to this latest version] to provide SIP
demarcation from the public SIP trunk provider while maintaining
interoperability and inter-connectivity
Bluetooth Headset for hands free connectivity
Wideband Monaural noise canceling wired headset
USB corded UC headset
Microsemi PDS-208G Digital Ceiling PoE switch so that the GXV3370
IP Video phones can efficiently receive PoE power and data over standard
ethernet cables.
Fig. B: Functional and SIP inter-operability testing of GXV3370 IP video phones
We plugged in the two GXV3370 IP Video phones to the Microsemi
PDS-208G Digital Ceiling PoE switch, allowing for an Ethernet
infrastructure that supports data and power for IP-based devices. The
units powered up using PoE offered by the Microsemi PDS-208G Digital
Ceiling PoE switch. Using the LCD touch screen on the GXV3370, we
navigated to the icon labeled Settings (Please refer Fig. C).
Fig. C: GXV3370 IP Video Phone Settings interface
Within the Network category, we selected WiFi, turned it ON, and
configured the appropriate settings. To test the Integrated WiFi (dual
band 2.4Ghz/5Ghz), we successfully connected the GXV3370 to two
different WiFi access points (one operating in the 2.4Ghz band and the
other in the 5Ghz band). Then, in the Features category, we selected
Bluetooth, turned it ON and paired the GXV3370 with the Bluetooth
headset. For our functional testing, we also plugged in the wideband
mono noise canceling wired headset to the phone’s headset jack.
One of the best aspects of the GXV3370 touchscreen display is that it
is very user friendly and presents an interactive user touch interface
that makes navigating very easy. Our SIP interoperability testing
included setting up three SIP lines/accounts and we used the embedded
web interface on the GXV3370. One SIP account was for peer-to-peer IP
calls between the two GXV3370s, another for UCaaS, and the third SIP
account was for the SIP trunk through the Patton Smartnode 5570 eSBC
(Please refer Fig.D). Since both the GXV3370s were
configured with the appropriate settings, we now commenced our
functional and SIP interoperability testing.
Fig.D: GXV3370 IP Video Phone SIP account
The first functional test was peer-to-peer IP calls between the two
GXV3370s. It enabled us to establish a concurrent audio and video
session between them. The call detail of that audio/video call is as
shown below in (Please refer Fig. E) you will note that the audio codec we selected for this test was Opus and the video codec was H.264
Fig. E: GXV3370 IP Video Phone peer-to-peer call detail
Before we started the ITSP SIP account testing, we used the Patton
Cloud (the eSBC was already provisioned on it), which is a single portal
network orchestration tool in the cloud to upgrade the software on our
CPE device (the Patton SmartNode SN5570 eSBC) to Trinity 3.15.0-19023.
That was easy, as it was just a click and go operation. We successfully
tested inbound/outbound audio calling from the two GXV3370s using the
ITSP-provided external SIP trunk through the Patton SmartNode SN5570
Series eSBC.
While the call was in progress, we used the ad hoc call recording
feature on the GXV3370 to record the test call. The next test we
conducted was with the UCaaS account for station to station audio
calling, wherein the GXV3370s registered successfully with the UCaaS
platform in the cloud. The GXV3370 configuration was simple and easy for
our testing. Very quickly we had the GXV3370 operating as a SIP video
phone. All test calls worked as expected. Managing the files on the
GXV3370 via a PC was very easy. You navigate to File Manager, select
FTP, and start the FTP server. (Please refer Fig. F).
Fig. F: GXV3370 IP video phone FTP Serve
Using the GXV3370 as a communications hub, we also installed
third-party communications applications from the google play store. One
other noteworthy aspect is the status bar on top of the GXV3370 screen
that provides visual notifications for the status and quick access to
the important system settings (Please refer Fig. G).
Fig. G: GXV3370 IP video phone status bar on the top
Additionally, as a part of the functional testing, we selected
various audio codecs and used the auxiliary ports on the GXV3370. We
connected the HDMI port to an external display. To the USB port, we
plugged in an external USB storage device and a USB corded UC headset.
Grandstream Networks’ GXV3370 IP Video phone as an Omnichannel
Communications hub can deliver a positive user experience.
Conclusion:
As an Omnichannel Communications hub, we were impressed with the
simplicity, ease of use and the user-friendly touch screen interface.
Our functional testing and interoperability testing of the Grandstream
Networks GXV3370 in a multi-vendor SIP environment was successful. You
can harness the GXV3370’s application capabilities in various scenarios
and environments, as it supports installation of third-party
applications and offers flexible SDK support for custom applications. We
recommend that you test drive the GXV3370 in your environment. It will
act as a catalyst for you to harness its application capabilities to
effectively communicate and connect.
By Brad (Biju) Oommen Originally published in MSP TODAY July 11, 2019 Grandstream Networks GRP2614 Unified Communications as a Service (UCaaS) and Contact Center as a Service (CCaaS) providers can derive better business outcomes if devices like IP phones can be easily mass-deployed and managed using features from the cloud, such as zero touch provisioning and holistic device management. Zero touch provisioning essentially means the device delivered by the service provider works right out of the box with minimal effort. Holistic device management facilitates access and management across multiple SIP Server accounts and devices, real-time monitoring/alerting, device diagnostics, task scheduling/tracking and debugging activities like network captures and system logs. The above-mentioned features can help you oversee and manage device portfolios from the cloud. During mass deployments, our stated objectives are ease of provisioning and continuous device management d
By Brad (Biju) Oommen Originally published in UC Network Management April 22, 2019 By Biju Oommen - A Digitally Enhanced Cordless Telephony (DECT) VoIP base station paired with DECT handsets provide a secure and dependable wireless communication solution. To the user community in any industry, the DECT air interface/DECT radio technology via dedicated and reserved radio frequency bands are less likely to suffer from radio frequency (RF) interference. They provide mobility, high voice quality and security for enterprise telephony applications. DECT VoIP based technology opens many new avenues to support flexible and simple enterprise business voice applications. From an end user perspective, benefits accrue when both are combined on one platform, as it takes their communication and collaboration capabilities to another level, even when they are on the move. This solution supports multiple SIP accounts and multiple lines per
Originally published in TMCnet Product Review: MRV Communications Fiber Driver Platform & Modules (It's time we managed our Fiber!) By Biju Oommen MRV Communication’s Fiber Driver Platform & Modules MRV Communications, Inc. Corporate Center 20415 Nordhoff Street Chatsworth, CA 91311 Phone: 818-773-0900 Fax: 818-773-0906 Web site: http:// www.mrv.com RATINGS (0–5) Installation 5 Features 4 Documentation 4 GUI 4 Overall Rating: 4.25 Bandwidth is like money we never seem to have enough of it. Most of us have started exceeding the bandwidth offered by xDSL/E1/T1 circuits and to top it all we now need "triple play" of services i.e. combined voice, video and data traffic over the same link. Thanks to distance learning the internet is our classroom and time and distance are non issues. With Telemedicine quality healthcare is available right in your home town as you ge
Comments
Post a Comment