I've been in Cebit, Hannover these days comparing some solutions for connecting Skype to my company PBX.
I evaluate Vosky, Skip2PBX and SkyPBX.

Actually we have about 70 users so we need at least 30 concurrent calls to guarantee a sufficient lines for all the users.

The Skip2PBX Solution offers me the Enterprise Edition of the Software where i have to add one ISDN PCI E1 Cards and one PC.
Total Price of the solution is € 1.200 for the software + € 1.000 for the pc and € 600 for the PCI Cards. Total Price for the solution € 2.800.

The Vosky Solution offers me 4 Vosky Exchange 8 Analog Ports at € 7.200 + i need 4 PC at € 3000. Total Price for the solution € 10.200 .

The NetVox SkyPBX doesn't speak about Price but i need to have about 200Kg solutions to connect all the 30 concurrent calls.

So if i use the Skip2PBX solution i can connect up to 30 lines using a simple E1 Trunk and just one Rj45 cable for € 2.800, using Vosky Solution i need a Rack with 8 devices and 30 Rj11 cables going to my PBX line an analog trunk and i have to spent € 10.200.

The Skip2PBX solution seems much more stable and Powerfull and even Cheaper, this solution is based on linux instead Windows and Have an integrated Firewall and a powerfull Web Interface. They even support CalledID function and automatic Inward of the calls using DISA, i'm really thinking to buy this solution but they are not Skype Certified.

They told me that they don't receive yet the Skype Certified Logo because they are not Hardware Vendor and the Software doesn't follow all the typical Skype cerfication specs.

So my question is, is this true ? Is a good idea to buy a non Skype Certified solutions that seems much more powerfull and much Cheaper ???

Why this product is much more cheaper than the Vosky solutions even if seems to be much more powerfull and stable ?

I hope someone from Skype can answer.

Hi Philippe_Vuillon,

You can try PrettyMay Call Center for Skype which is 100% software-based call center solution for Skype, it can support up to 20 concurrent Skype or Skypein lines without any extra hardware required, all you needs are a PC running windows xp, a soundcard, a broadband Internet connection, and a major Skype account for your company.

For a business application as a Skype PBX gateway, features are much more important than price. Examples of important feature list:

1. Multiple concurrent call handling;
2. Expandibility: max number of ports supported;
3. Reliability;
3. Availability;
4. management features: CDR, Event Management, ...
5. Skype DTMF detection/relay to PBX;
6. No Port hangup with PBX;
7. IVR, Call recording, ...
8. ...

There is no official certification procedure available on Skype website for Skype Gateway products.

Skype is no expert in PBX. It is interesting to know how VoSky acquires such certification. It is also very interesting to know what does the certificaiton means.

This is an office product serving the whole company. Shop smartly for features instead of prices, as most MIS managers do. Don't lose your job or sleep over prices.



By the way, in your post, NetVox SkyPBX links to nowhere. Please check it.

SkyPBX from ZiPCOM, on the other hand, seems to offer much more comprehensive Skype Gateway solution product line. The SkyLYNX product listed in Skype Extra may also worth a visit.

I agree that price is not the most important thing, but looking at so different price and described features i'm worry.
First of all all the available software supports up to 4 o 8 concurrent calls each computer. So to use 30 lines i need to have a Rack and seems to be very strange solution.

All these solutions are based on Windows (i don't like very much Windows) expecially for Security. I think that a Linux solution can be much more secure and powerfull.

I contact the Skip2PBX Staff today, 2nd April they are releasing the new version 2.0 that seems to have many interesting features and compatible with Digium Cards (and compatible digium cards).

Actually i have a Sangoma E1 cards, and they cand send me the demo version of the software (this is the most interesting, i can test the solution before to buy it).

I'll install the software and verify how it works.

Regarding Vosky i've meet them in Cebit and i think that they certify the Hardware instead the software, in this case is much more simple .

I'll post more information here, after my tests with Skip2PBX Version 2.0.

If someone have testes Vosky or some other Skype -> PBX Gateway i'd like share my opinion and tests results.

Linux is nice but Linux for Skype is so behind with Windows. I guess that is the basic reason why most vendors go for Windows.

This is the first time I heard about "Skype hardware only certification". There are plenty documents about certification for Skype API/Platform/operation/compatibility etc. Sorry for my ignorance, I could not find any "Skype hardware only" certification documentations. VoSky may be the one and the only one in the Skype world history. They are sure to have very special "political" relationship with Skype. Can any Skype PBX Gateway duplicate such certification?

It will be very nice to learn your experiences with Skip2PBX in your future posts.

Phillipe,

Why use Skype for this? A typical VOIP PBX will more likely suit your needs and you should be able to negotiate a reasonable Voice Minute Charge for your calls.

If you want some ideas message me. I get the feeling that what you are proposing is rather pushing the boundaries of the Skype capabilities for normal voice telephony. If a lot of your calls are Skype to Skype it would maybe work.

Charles

I'd like to use Skype not for the SkypeOut Service but for the big availibility.
Most of our customers already have Skype and we like to receive the calls into our calls center.
We are even interested in SkypeOut rates, but this is the smaller part of the project.

We would like to add the Skype Button to our Customer Service Web site and receive calls from our customers directly to the existing Call center.

Even if Skip2PBX Version 2.0 has not been released yet, i contact the company and they send me the Beta Version of the software for testing.
The user guide is has not been completely translated yet, but the product is working very well.

To install the software i needed just 5 minutes, the installation process is very simple and user friendly, they completely automate the linux installation so you don't need to know linux at all.

After the installation i register the software and i start to configure it using the Web interface.

The web interface is very simple to use and recognize automatically my Sangoma E1 cards.

I simply configure the 30 Skype account and start using it.

I install the software (as they advice) on a P4D 3.00 Ghz with 2 Gb RAM and even with 30 skype account the machine is working very well.

I'm still testing the solution but seems very powerfull, all the features are working very well.

One of the most interesting feature is the ability to use the Caller ID, this can be translated in different way. When i receive a call from one Skype account i can decide wich number to use as caller id, thi can be the Shortcut number or even one of the Telephone numbers in the Address Book.
This is very usefull for our Contact Center software because we can integrate automatically the Skype calls into our CRM.

A very usefull feature is even the automatic line detection, i don't know hoe they realize it, but we can receive up to 30 calls on the same Skype account, the incoming call is automatically forwarded to one of the free account and is completely transparent to the Caller.

I need to stress the system yet but the first impression is very positive. This one seems to be the first professional solution i've seen till now.

So actually with one single PC and one Cheap Sangoma cards i'm using 30 skype channels ..... Wonderfull... i hope the system will continue working well even under stress.

I'll post more info in few days after a more comphrensive tests.

Today i receive the update from Beta Verion to Final Version of Skip2PBX V. 2.0.

I experience some problem with the Sangoma Cards and i'm now testing a Digium Te110 cards.
The Sangome drivers are still beta and now with the Digium card everythink is perfect.

Optimum voice quality and functions.

I'm still waiting for some impression regarding Vosky on SkyPBX in comparison, someone have test this solution ?

i have no idea what kind of certification did Vosky passed, although they indeed made it. The most unique and power feature of Skip2PBX is including many Skype lines (up to 30) together. 2.0 is not support analog ATA yet. I am looking forward for your futher test.

Can any Skype Staff or VoSky people explain in more details about the meaning of certification? There is no such PBX related product certification procedures available on Skype web pages, unfair to other Skype PBX vendors.

VoSky's Exchange is far away from a rigit Skype FxS gateway, as compared to standard SIP/H.323 gateway available in the market.

For example, unlike PBX or SIP gateways, for multiple, simultaneous Skype incoming calls , VoSky will accept only one call and reject (and then call back to) all others. This will trigger an immediate product rejection by any telecom standard , yet, VoSky managed to get Skype certification!

I complete the tests and buy the Skip2PBX software, i'm sorry that no one here write the other product features and limitation. Skip2PBX was the only software i could test and i find it very powerfull but it could be interesting a real comparison between users.



For this Skip2PBX have a special features that if an account is busy he can forward the call to another one and is completely transparent to the user.

Thanks a lot.

I think most companis should consider the evaluation for one of the below two solutions in http://www.ezskype.com , just depend on the office environment (traditional PBX or IP-PBX / SIP environment) :

1. EzSky-540 is Skype PBX Gateway (4/8/12/16 ports) for Traditional PBX and it's a hardware. You can directly test it by pressing the icon of "call me" which on the right corner of the website and hear the IVR.

2. S800 is Skype/SIP Digital SoftSwtich (4/8/16 ports) for IP-PBX and it's a software and really the First leading world's solution of Skype/SIP (at least 4 ports) based on Window XP. You can directly test it by typing the Skype ID (www.ezskype.com) to hear the IVR. You can also call a Skype ID (skytel.com.tw) who is one of her agent (SI).

Anyway, there are several similar solution as below website and you should careful evaluate what kind of features/price can be matched your requirements before doing final decisions. Most solutions are so expensive and not really can be matched companies requirements. So just send your inquiries to all the companies you can find from internet or introductions by others and do right decisions finally. TKS!

(a). http://www.cybert.co.jp/
(b). http://www.skip2pbx.com/
©. http://www.talkfree.it/en/
. Others : VoSky , Zipcom , Portech , Spintronics , etc.

Hi Sky-Talk,

I guess you work for Zipcom, right?

As I know, VoSKY already support call transfer and call back, so no matter the incoming Skype call is from Skype 3.0 above or the ones not support call transfer, VoSKY can handle.

I just wonder why there're so many sales-talks herein ? Have you really evaluated the products from your competitors?

BTW, Zipcom also claim they have got the Skype certificate, but no one knows the detail, too. Even worse, we don't know which model pass the certificate. It's not free to pass the certificate as I know, so which product type indeed pass the certificate?

It's not personal, only for fairness. Please stop attacking each other unless you've got the proof.

Hi friend,

Please note that Skype forum is for public interests. You are referring to a very long time ago post which few people remembered, including myself. Arguements should be based on facts and public interests but not on personal. Does it really matter who worked for what, to validate or to invalidate any arguments?

You said that VoSky Exchange has improved. Congratulations! But, did you indirectly mean to agree that my statements last year in the post were all correct about VoSky Exchange? Skype industry is developing very fast. Should I be responsible to keep track of all developments to be up to date? Why should forum members care about a single vendor development? No. They care only about Skype Certification. That is the main issue here.

Unfortunately, this main issue about Skype certifications remain un-answered. It should be more interesting to see updates on this issue.

Hello Philippe, let me ask you something about the solution you bought:

1. how many users do you have currently runing this?
2. How do you connect the computer running the skip2PBX with the PBX? Using a NIC card?

I'm investigating about this, and as you all said there are too many solutions.

Thanks a lot

At the start i had a Sangoma E1 Card, and was perfect, after we change the Company PBX so i could install the SIP protocol on Skip2PBX, is still perfect.
We have about 200 users actually and we have a 30 simoultaneous calls available on the Skip2PBX Gateway.

I had to change the Computer where Skip2PBX Was running because i had poor performance when i reach 18/20 calls, so i install a new Quad Core processor and everything if perfectly working.

Check the Skip2PBX Hardware Requirement Matrix.

I'm really satisfied of this product and like me all my users too, we save a lot of money and we don't have any Skype installed on the Client Side.

Hi all,

IndustryDynamics is a leading Canadian manufacturer of Skype gateways for SMB and Enterprise business. VoiceGear Skype gateways can integrate Skype into virtually any office PBX system using SIP, Analog FXS/FXO and ISDN PRI E1/T1 connectivity.

IndustryDynamics offers two products lines:

VoiceGear SkyBridge primarily for SMB customers with lower call volumes, and VoiceGear Connect offering larger Enterprise customers up to 60 concurrent Skype calls.

IndustryDynamics is a premier Sangoma partner and we use all Sangoma hardware for superior voice quality and reliability. VoiceGear Connect products are rack-mounted solutions featuring Sangoma hardware Echo Cancellation technology for high performance applications.

If you are looking to implement a solid and reliable Skype gateway for business, which performs up to rigid telco standards, you can look into VoiceGear Skype gateways. All VoiceGear Skype gateways are based on Linux platform, which is the platform of choice for many enterprise deployments.

VoiceGear supports all Skype services including Skype-Skype, SkypeOut, SkypeIn, Skype SMS and even Skype chat directly from the Web browser (still doesn't require in client side software at all!!!) Using VoiceGear you will be able to use all of Skype services for great savings on telecom expenses, as well as staying in touch with all your customers and colleagues.

In addition to all the pre-packaged features (see Features tab), VoiceGear platform comes with extensive developer API, which can be used to build new applications leveraging Skype, or integrating Skype connectivity into your existing business applications and processes.

We at IndustryDynamics will be happy to work with you on implementing specific integration projects. Don't hesitate to contact us here.

Thank you all!

Try the new PrettyMay Skype PBX Gateway software which supports Sangoma A200/B600 analog (FXS/FXO) cards, up to 24 simultaneous calls can be supported with one Skype account required.

For 4 ports (simultaneous calls) package, it only cost USD 480.00, with 15 days free trial period.