2006-03-31 - Cebit Technology Show Review 2006
Even Flow Distribution, distributors of innovative new technology products, recently attended the international technology exhibition, Cebit, in Hanover Germany and found that Voice over IP is a major focus in the global arena.
CeBIT is the world’s largest trade fair showcasing digital IT and telecommunications solutions for home and work environments. Over 6,200 exhibitors from around 70 countries and some 480,000 visitors from all over the world attended Cebit 2006.
The magnitude of the show is unbelievable and identifying unique products and evaluating and identifying new market trends was not an easy task. An industry that continues to stand out because of its continual evolution and growth is Voice over IP.Of the vast array of products being showcased there were a few that stood out as being uniquely different while still holding clear value for users.
The hype over Skype continues with a vast array of new Skype certified products being launched by well-known players in the industry, displaying a trust that Skype is here to stay. Three different manufacturers were displaying new WiFi Skype phones – all similar in design but only one actually functional at this stage. Unfortunately it seems like the roll out of these products is still a few months away. More imminent are the launch of bluetooth Skype phones, these devices are bundled with a USB dongle and also allow a wireless Skype experience but only within a 10m radius.
Unfortunately Skype themselves were not present at Cebit and they seem to be focusing their time more on developing exciting new additions to the Skype product offering than on marketing and pushing the product themselves. A clear focus for Skype is in developing their business offering but hardware in this arena is evidently lagging behind. A rudimentary “Skype PBX” was being displayed but the forecasted pricing and scale would be a limitation for many potential small business clients.
One of the most exciting Skype certified products due for release towards the end of 2006 and being displayed to the public for the first time at Cebit was the LANphone. Initially being launched in a SIP version the LANphone joins the incredibly popular Dualphone family, distributed in Southern Africa by Even Flow Distribution. The LANphone connects directly into a network point and for the first time will allow Skype users to make and receive calls completely independently from their computers. Watch the press for this one!
Other than Skype, another major development in Voice over IP is in the IP PBX arena. IP PBX applications are evolving at a rapid pace with a number of products showing significant “face lifts” and more user-friendly interfaces. This could be of interest to many businesses who have found the configuration and complicated interface a major limitation in adopting an IP PBX. The maturity in these products is evident in case studies where large international corporates and government departments have rolled out these applications very successfully.
More hardware alternatives and new product additions were on display for the popular open source IP PBX, Asterisk. These included new and improved PCI cards from Digium and other leading manufacturers such as Sangoma. An exciting Asterisk-based development seen was a “drop-in” IP PBX that essentially would cut down the cost and time involved in setting up an Asterisk system. Local versions are likely to be available in South Africa soon.
Cebit 2006 proved to be as exciting as ever and stay posted for the latest upcoming products that will join Even Flow’s existing range of innovative products.
Even Flow – the innovative distributors!
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