Conference Call Savings

XOP Networks, a maker of Value-Added Service platforms for a variety of diverse needs including audio conferencing, web conferencing, desktop video-conferencing, emergency conferencing, mass notification, emergency notification, and visual voice-mail, has announced that the company is shipping a service-provider package as part of its Universal-Service Node and Digital-Collaboration Bridge services. The package meets the needs of conferencing-service providers and similar carriers for hosted services. It also adds several important capabilities: * Virtual-conference bridges * Provision-subscriber accounts through an XML-based API * An ability to upload call-detail records to external FTP sites * Support of “high availability” based on active/standby or active/active server configurations * Enhanced security that prevents unauthorized access to the product and misuse of customer data “Service Provider Package is an important milestone in our quest to build the best Value-Added Services platform,” XOP Networks CEO Sudhir Gupta said. “This will allow Conferencing Service Providers (CSP) and other carrier customers to sell Audio Conferencing, Web Conferencing, Emergency Firebar Conferencing, Hoot-n-Holler conferencing, Mass Notification, and Visual Voicemail services — all out of one Universal Services Node platform.” “Deploying T1 or E1 PRI and SIP trunk-based audio conference bridges in the field with high availability had been challenging, but our implementation of high availability features changes all that,” XOP Networks VP of Marketing Doug Jacobs said. “With bi-directional, real-time, database replication, our audio-conference bridges can now be deployed in active/standby or load shared mode.” About XOP Networks In 2003, XOP Networks began developing a next-generation, IP-centric, value-added, services-application platform. The first product, a Digital Collaboration Bridge (DCB) in 2004. A DCB combines audio and web conferencing to create a collaborative experience for users. The product portfolio was increased in 2005 to include a Group Alerting and Conferencing Server (GACS) that allowed mass-notification messages to be sent over several different communications networks. An enhanced Voice Mail Server (VMS) was added to the product line in 2006. In 2007, a Universal Service Node (USN) was launched that allows multiple value-added services on a single platform. In 2008, the IP-based Hoot and Holler conferencing capability was added. In 2009, XOP Networks launched the Ring-down Firebar Conference Server (RFCS) that lets a conference to be set up by lifting a handset on an analog or IP phone. Other enhancements including support for secure-voice conferencing, SMS-driven conferencing, Group SMS, and Voice SMS capabilities were added. The flexibility of the product’s architecture allows the company to customize its solutions to each customers. Headquartered in Texas, XOP Networks was founded in 2002 and staffed by a seasoned management team. Deployed at multiple Fortune 100 companies, U.S. defense organizations, mobile operators, and CLEC/IOC customers, XOP Networks’ products increase employee productivity, promote business continuity, and generate new revenue streams. Having both legacy and VoIP interfaces, XOP products allow customers to transition their value-added services from circuit-switched to VoIP-based networks.