About VoIP
How does VoIP (Voice over Internet Profocol) work? What makes it different from traditional phone service?
A) Traditionally, a phone conversation is converted into electronic signals that traverse an elaborate network of switches, in a dedicated circuit that lasts the duration of a call. In Voice over Internet Protocol, a conversation is converted to packets of data that travel over the Internet or private networks, just like e-mails or Web pages, though voice packets get priority status. The packets get reassembled and converted to sound on the other end of the call.
What are the advantages of VoIP?
A) It makes long-distance calls less expensive by removing some of the access charges required for use of the public telephone network. A user's physical location also becomes irrelevant; IntelaTalk lets people choose their area code and possess multiple area codes in different cities that all ring to the same phone. VoIP also enables IntelaTalk ’s advanced features -- like checking voice mail from a Web page or programming call-forwarding through a web tool.
Bundling FAQs
What is Bundling?
Beyond price, what are the advantages of subscribing to bundled services?
Why is bundling so important to business customers?
How does billing come into play with bundled services?
What levels of quality assurance and customer service should providers be able to offer me?
How will I know whether I'm choosing the best bundled package for my needs?
What is Bundling?
A) "Bundling" is not just a telecommunications industry buzzword. It is a form of "package pricing" designed to generate additional revenue from selling a set of products rather than a single one. The advantage of bundling is that products sold together can be offered at a price lower than if they were purchased individually. For example, service providers like AT&T have actively promoted the "minute is a minute is a minute" bundling concept with calling plans that charge the same rate per minute for both wireless and wireline long-distance calls, while eliminating roaming charges that prevented many users from increasing their wireless use. And for customers willing to pay a set monthly fee for a predetermined number of wireless minutes, providers are adding incentives like lower calling card rates as well as personal 800 numbers at those rates. Personal 800 number or wireless charges with no roaming fees may actually be a loss leader for a provider, but such packages promote more minutes on the network; and, with greater usage comes increased revenues.
Beyond price, what are the advantages of subscribing to bundled services?
A) Business customers today are reaping the benefits of increased competition, as most providers are catering to their diverse and increasingly complex needs. Local and long distance voice service, fax, e-mail, Internet, videoconferencing, and cable are among the myriad services required for businesses to manage their high daily volume of diverse communications. Added to these services is the growing need to equip employees with mobile phones and pagers for maximum accessibility in today's communications-intensive business environment.
More than ever, telecommunications companies are recognizing that business customers need a way to streamline the potentially overwhelming flow of information. Not surprisingly, a strong trend has emerged in which businesses are turning to a single source for multiple telecommunications services. Companies want to get their local and long distance voice, fax, Internet and e-mail from one provider, and be invoiced on one easy-to-understand bill. The telecommunications industry has responded in a way that enables business customers to design their ideal communications plan-from selecting only the number of lines they require, to choosing any one of several available products for high-speed dedicated Internet access, to finding the most reasonable rates for wireless long-distance service.
Why is bundling so important to business customers?
A) Service providers are acutely aware that business customers need a way to streamline the potentially overwhelming flow of information. Not surprisingly, a strong trend has emerged in which businesses are turning to a single source for multiple telecommunications services. Companies want to get their local and long distance voice, fax, Internet, and e-mail from one provider, and be invoiced on one easy-to-understand bill.
How does billing come into play with bundled services?
A) Billing for multiple services is an element of customer service that providers aren't taking lightly. The complexity of producing an all-inclusive bill is directly related to the level of specialization of each customer's service package. Those providers who are having success with the billing challenge should be able to produce a consolidated bill for the complete set of bundled services offered to you, rather than having separate line items or entries for each individual service.
What levels of quality assurance and customer service should providers be able to offer me?
A) Like other players in highly competitive markets-such as credit card companies and airlines-telecommunications service providers must increasingly focus on their quality and range of customer services. This is especially true given that the dynamics of the customer relationship have changed radically since the days of the telephone monopoly. To be successful, service providers must invest in processes, call centers, and database systems that support the development of a strong customer relationship. Every contact with the customer is a valuable opportunity to reaffirm the customer relationship and to cross-sell services. This requires, however, that providers improve interfaces such as order handling, billing, and product support. It also requires developing archives and database tools to track consumer preferences and demands. Only with this information can providers effectively respond to consumer needs and offer value-added services and bundles that suit the customer profile of each market segment.
How will I know whether I'm choosing the best bundled package for my needs?
A) With so many different bundles being offered in the telecommunications marketplace, consumers may find it difficult to evaluate the "packages" and compare their relative values. In such an environment, service branding will become more important than ever. Many consumers will defer to a brand name, instead of making a decision based on product choice or price.
Attributes of IntelaTalk' Services
What is a VoIP facilitator, exactly?
A) VoIP facilitator is a company that offers you all the imaginable piece parts required for you to deliver VoIP services to your end-customers. These include interconnection to the PSTN, subscriber management and billing services, dial tone and calling features, and domestic and international long-distance services. Depending upon what you've already built, you may choose all of these services as an end-to-end solution, or you may choose them à la carte to complement your existing network investments or services.
Will I be offering VoIP services under the IntelaTalk brand name or under my brand name?
A) IntelaTalk empowers you to offer VoIP services under your brand name. In our view of the world, you've invested in your brand, you've invested in the customer relationship, and you've invested in your network. You've earned the right to market VoIP to your residential and business customers under your own name. However, we also offer you the option of co-branding your services as "Powered by IntelaTalk," a distinction that many of our partners have elected to utilize, leveraging the value and quality of the IntelaTalk controlled-network, VoIP solutions, and brand.
What kinds of marketing materials or marketing support can IntelaTalk offer me?
A) As part of its Subscriber Management Services, IntelaTalk offers you a wide spectrum of marketing materials and support. IntelaTalk builds your Web FrontPage for VoIP telephone services according to your branding, your products, and your pricing. Your customers can subsequently use this site to request information about your VoIP offering, sign up for service, and even manage their own VoIP features as their own telecommunications portal! IntelaTalk also works with you to create other marketing collateral according to your needs and desires, including a Terms & Conditions document, PowerPoint presentation showing comparisons to other solutions, and “Train the Trainer” programs and materials. We even have a whole web-based Partner Resource Site dedicated to helping partners successfully market VoIP - you can log-in via our Home Page. To receive a username and password, please contact sales@IntelaTalk.com.
Who performs the installation and turn-up of my customers?
A) In order to maintain the direct relationship between you and your customers, you will most likely want to perform the installation and turn-up of services yourself. To support you, IntelaTalk will train your customer service representatives and installation group on applicable IntelaTalk applications. During service turn-up, IntelaTalk will provide Tier 2 remote support to the employees installing and delivering the service to the end-user.
What kinds of features and services can I offer to my VoIP customers?
A) IntelaTalk provides you with a full menu of differentiated VoIP features and services for you to offer to your residential/SoHo/business customers. Click here to see the full list of our Basic (Residential), Premium and Business features available.
Do you offer long-distance services?
A) Yes, we offer both nationwide and international long-distance services.
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Attributes of the End-User Experience
Do my customers need to disconnect their Home Telephone Service?
A) No, your customers do not need to disconnect their home phone service. IntelaTalk' VoIP facilitation services allow you to deliver VoIP phone service to your customers over their broadband connection that they already use or that you provide to them. This service does not interfere with their home telephone service or internet services.
Will emergency 911 services be available to my customers?
A) The safety and well-being of your customers is important to us. Therefore, the IntelaTalk network is being designed to enable emergency 911 services.
How will my customers be billed?
A) As a partner of IntelaTalk, you have choices in the way you would like your customers to be billed. One option is for IntelaTalk to send your customers an electronic billing invoice under your name using the information that we collect and store on your customers' features and overall usage. IntelaTalk can also provide you with billing information in your desired data format so that you may consolidate IntelaTalk billing data with billing for your other services. In all cases, IntelaTalk remains invisible to your customer.
Will they have access to features and services that are different than what their current phone provider offers them?
A) IntelaTalk wants to help you compete against the incumbent phone provider. In addition to such traditionally-used features as Call Waiting, Call Hold, and Call Forwarding, IntelaTalk also offers innovative services that you can use to build brand loyalty and distinguish yourself against the competition. These features include Voicemail/E-mail integration, Find-Me/Follow-Me, Simultaneous Ring, and Web-based Features Management. To find out more about how IntelaTalk can help you compete, please contact us at info@IntelaTalk.com .
What price will my customers pay per month? Will there be a savings for them to switch to me?
A) Ultimately, you will determine the price that your customers pay on a monthly basis. IntelaTalk is able to offer you aggressive pricing on a wide spectrum of VoIP services, and more than likely, you will be able to offer your customers a significant savings to switch phone service to you.
Do customers need to have broadband in order to take VoIP service from me?
A) Yes, because our VoIP services are delivered over an IP broadband connection, your customers do need to have access to a broadband connection in order to receive services. This can represent a good opportunity for you to penetrate deeper into target markets by offering the voice/data bundle.
Do my customers need any sort of special equipment in order to take VoIP service from me?
A) The only equipment your customers will need in order to take VoIP service from you is a gateway or access device placed at the customer premise along with a firewall/router. IntelaTalk will provide you with a pre-approved list of such devices for you to offer to your customers.
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Technical Questions
What makes your network superior to others?
A) IntelaTalk' proprietary network optimizes both performance and economics for your VoIP business success. Using a geographically dispersed Super-POP architecture, IntelaTalk localizes traffic on the public Internet. VoIP calls are sent to the closest Super-POP and if need be, transported across the IntelaTalk private VoIP backbone to the called destination. Unlike almost all other VoIP network service providers, IntelaTalk does not use the Public Internet for inter-continental transport of your VoIP calls. IntelaTalk uses various Internet backbone carriers to effectively place our Super-POP's “one hop” away from all major Internet backbone carriers. In this way, IntelaTalk delivers the best-case customer experience, minimizing jitter, latency, and packet loss and maximizing call quality. For more detailed information about our robust network, please see our “ Network Overview ” document or contact us today for a detailed assessment of how our network can support your VoIP needs.
Describe the redundancy factors both for the backhaul to the Internet and the IP network itself.
A) On IntelaTalk' network, VoIP to PSTN transit occurs on Class 4/5 hybrid telephone switches designed for “Five Nines” reliability in carrier operation environments. All VoIP applications operate on geographically distributed architecture where paired hardware and software resources can assume all network traffic at any time. Our VoIP backbone is based on MPLS service operating on transport facilities obtained from two national carriers who operate diverse local and long-haul fiber routes. Finally, each MPLS fabric is fully meshed between each Super-POP. This is a IntelaTalk-controlled, proprietary network.
In a prolonged power outage situation, is there a backup system in place to allow seamless and continuous service to all end-users?
A) Our Super-POP locations are housed in carrier-class “Telecom hotels” or major Telecom “carrier quarters.” Each facility provides redundant power, diverse fiber facilities and redundant environmental control services to ensure our goals of Carrier Class VoIP services are met.
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Logistical Questions
Can I choose different equipment for my customers if I find better pricing?
A) Yes. However, IntelaTalk will want to fully test and set the optimum configuration for the device. Our paramount concerns are overall feature transparency, high quality, and consistency.
What configurations can IntelaTalk support for my business/enterprise customers?
A) From SIP telephones to broadband-based PRIs to multi-location hosted PBX services, IntelaTalk can help you create business success with enterprise voice customers. We encourage you to contact us today to discuss the wide range of enterprise solutions we can support for your customers.
How long does it take to turn up a customer from the time they sign up?
A) For residential end users, IntelaTalk typically ships the ATA within 48 hours of receiving the order and often sooner, depending on the payment terms set up by you. Once the activated ATA is connected by the end user to their broadband and telephone set, the service is ready for use.
A) For Enterprise end users, new service activation can be virtually instantaneous once confirmation that the customer's broadband connection and telephones are in place and the end user's service administrator is ready to proceed with set-up. To transfer an existing local telephone number to the new IntelaTalk service utilizing Local Number Portability (LNP), a Letter of Authorization (LOA) is required from the end user and a transfer date could take 14 days or longer. Enterprises can utilize the enhanced applications of their new IntelaTalk VoIP services alongside their pre-existing line service while the LNP process completes
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