The biggest news in the mobile market over the past few weeks has been Nokia’s decision to use Windows Phone 7 in its future smartphones.  This is unquestionably a wise decision for Nokia, as their smartphones suffered considerably poorer sales and a notable absence of positive reviews. While there was some good buzz, their efforts have been sidelined by the big brands already established and with growing ‘app’ ecosystems. All this despite the fact that they do still perform supremely well when it comes to ‘feature phones’; many businesses still offer these to employees and countless members of the public rely on them too. That said, it’s fairly clear that the mobile market, for both businesses and personal customers, is sallying forth in the direction of the smartphone. Something needed to be done, and Nokia did it.

Now, what does Nokia’s decision mean for businesses? Most are still issuing BlackBerries, as they remain the optimum device for security and general business use. But many companies have made the switch and are now issuing iPhones and sometimes even Google Androids to their businesses. The pairing of Microsoft and Nokia will be difficult to resist. After all, most computers run Windows, and the possibilities for syncing the two could be very beneficial. This can only be a good thing going forward.

Caution, however, is also prudent in this particular instance. Windows Phone 7 is a very new system. The phones have just had their first update, which is naturally one of many but which doesn’t negate the fact that there are still kinks to be worked out. It may be too early to entrust your security, especially on sensitive issues, to this new type of phone. The future is bright for the partnership, though – with Nokia’s durable hardware and the so far very advanced Windows Phone 7, there is a lot of potential for this partnership to go big.

The company looking to upgrade its phone systems at present may want to wait on Windows Phone 7. BlackBerries are still great choices, and if you are more web-based as a corporation, iPhones and Androids can help your employees keep their finger on the pulse of the digital world.

A few months ago, we brought you the news that VoIP (and mobile internet) was available on the Tube – more specifically, in King’s Cross station. We’ve been promised mobile functionality on the Tube for 2012, just in time for the Olympics, but things are still maddeningly up in the air about who is providing the actual functionality and what it will cover.

It is reported that the mayor and Transport for London are in talks with a variety of providers. The latest proposed provider is Huawei, a Chinese manufacturer which would supply the telecoms equipment for the service underground, and this deal seems to be very firm according to a variety of sources. Thales will then install the network and multiple UK operators provide the actual mobile services.

The potential installation of the service hasn’t been without its critics. While it would increase productivity and allow important conversations and updates to continue despite the need to travel between stations, some worry that it would help terrorists coordinate activity on the underground. The most common worry cited in a recent poll was fear of an increase in muggings, though there has been a recent drop in crime over the past few years. Others, however, just don’t want to hear other people’s conversations while commuting!

Regardless, London is one of the few remaining major European cities without access to mobiles below the city streets, and installing this would be seen as a boon to the city and the vibrant businesses within it. For example, Glasgow has a similar system, which is currently run by O2.

Unfortunately, the latest reports say that because the system has been so delayed, it’s unlikely to cover the whole of London’s underground tube network by 2012. The mayor has warned that implementation of the system is going to be very difficult, largely because the Tube is old and has very narrow tunnels. Still, we’re very happy to hear that it’s in progress, and we would be very happy to use our VoIP systems throughout the underground as well as aboveground and in our offices.

Google, providers of the well-known and unfortunately American only Google Voice, have recently been hit with a lawsuit accusing them of stealing VoIP secrets. They’ve been accused of the theft by VoIP Inc, whose subsidiary VoiceOne Communications Corp had patented a ‘Click to Call’ technology enabling internet users to call others, like advertisers, with a simple click on the website. The service was initially designed to make it easy and free for customers to call advertisers or sellers, making advertising innately more valuable.

Google and VoiceOne entered into an agreement in 2005 to share the technology, so Google could place these buttons on their websites. Just two years later, Google terminated the contract, reporting that VoiceOne had violated the non-disclosure agreement by revealing that Google was one of their clients. Meanwhile, in 2006, Google had entered into a different agreement with eBay and Skype on voice call services over the internet. VoiceOne’s argument lies in that Google’s agreement was merely to gain ‘trade secrets’, and that once they had attained them, terminated the agreement and went off to use their patented technology on their own, taking advantage of source codes, algorithms, and knowledge for monetising online phone calls.

This isn’t the first time Google has been hit with a lawsuit over its relatively popular voice product, Google Voice. In 2009, the main company, VoIP, filed a lawsuit against Google for a similar offense. Unfortunately for them, the suit was dismissed because VoIP was pending bankruptcy proceedings. And in June 2010, Frontier Communications sued Google over Google Voice because of its ability to have multiple phones ring under one number. They claimed that this infringed on its patent to link multiple phone lines to a single number. This lawsuit is ongoing in the US.

These many lawsuits against Google indicate that VoIP, as with every technology, is a constant battleground. Regardless of whether Google stole the technologies or not, their success means that others can take advantage of that and attempt to win a claim. In the Frontier Communications case, for example, Google may have developed this technology on its own, but because the end result looks quite similar, they’re open to targeting. Google can take the hits with its many different business ventures, but not all companies are so impervious. Look at the company, VoIP, who have clearly suffered.

It’s important for new entrants into the VoIP space to understand these difficulties. For providers and users, however, they don’t always matter as much. What does matter is that progress is going on across the board despite all of these lawsuits. It’s likely that you’re not using Google Voice in your professional life, but you probably are using VoIP. Keeping up to speed on these developments can help you make the right choices into the future.

When installing a new office phone system, you should carefully evaluate your requirements.  A reputable IT support company can and should help to advise you should you need them.  We do advise our clients on the installation of new phone systems and help guide them through the process.  We recommend VoIP phone systems, as they are connected through your broadband, easy to install, and cost-effective, and we’d be happy to help advise you on your future installation.  Nevertheless, if you’re looking for a new one but don’t have the time or money to hire an IT consultancy, or you are located at a distance from the many choices of IT support London has to offer, here are a few tips to help ease your workload a bit in the meantime.

1.      Make sure you’ll be saving money on your new system.  Installing a more costly system isn’t going to do you any good at all.  A VoIP system could save you up to 30% on your already existing costs, so make sure it’s doing that or look elsewhere.  Even if you’re growing your business, a VoIP phone system should still be cheaper.

2.      Scalability.  You do want your business to grow, so make sure your phone system can grow with it.  Our phone systems can scale up to 1000 extensions at absolutely no extra cost to you, so you’ll be able to hire new employees and expand your operations with one less worry on your back.

3.      Free calls to your other branches.  If you have other branches, it’s worth installing VoIP phone systems there as well.  That way you can ensure you have free calls to them, ticking yet another cost savings off as you go along.  Having such a system running also makes it easier to install branches at a distance, as overseas calls through VoIP are generally cheaper than they would be otherwise.

4.      Free calls from remote workers.  You should be fully capable of using your VoIP technology with your employees’ home phones; in the case of lengthy illness or working from home, this can also save you costs and keep things more efficient, as you should be able to track how much time that particular employee spends on the phone.

5.      Extra, free features.  Your VoIP phone system should include a variety of services which you would otherwise have to pay for.  Features such as telephone conferencing, call recording, and voicemail to email should come standard.  Ask for a list of all the benefits you’ll be receiving and make sure you evaluate them before you sign up to any program.

6.      Ask about the type of phones you’ll receive.  Quite a few VoIP phones can do amazing things these days, and you may find it’s worth paying a little extra for them.  Don’t just go for the default, let the company provide you with the best equipment possible so you can truly use your phone system to its fullest extent.

Looking for a VoIP system isn’t always an easy job, especially if you don’t understand how it works.  We hope that these tips will help you make the right choice, and if you have any questions, please do contact us today.