[asterisk-biz] Reselling SIP phones

The VoIP Connection asterisk-biz at thevoipconnection.com
Sun Jan 22 11:35:48 MST 2006


Hi Mike,

We would love to work with you. Discounts vary depending on the product and
quantity, but we will work with you to come up with a program.  We handle
all the popular phones, and can make some recommendations to fit your
business and your clients. Contact me off-list. -Mike

Michael Crown
Managing Partner
www.thevoipconnection.com
321.989.6728 ext. 611
sip:611 at voiceserver.thevoipconnection.com


> -----Original Message-----
> From: Michaël Gaudette [mailto:michael.gaudette at virtutel.ca] 
> Sent: Sunday, January 22, 2006 10:11 AM
> To: asterisk-biz at lists.digium.com
> Subject: [asterisk-biz] Reselling SIP phones
> 
> Hi,
> 
> I am presently putting the finishing touches on a business 
> that will require me to resell a few SIP phones to my 
> customers to take advantage of my service.  I can't say the 
> volume will be extremely high, but I need someone that sells 
> SIP phones and can give me some sort of a reseller's discount.
> 
> 1) Not having any (and I do mean any) experience with 
> hardphones, what are the community's recommandations for a 
> good BUSINESS phone? (I am NOT targeting residential users at 
> all).  Something slick, but not TOO expensive.
> 
> 2) Is there anybody reading that would want to build a 
> reseller relationship with me.  I am located in Montreal, 
> Canada.  I originally wanted to simply refer my customers to 
> a VoIP shop to get their phone, but I realize now that in 
> Canada (and especially french speaking Canada) there isn't 
> anybody I'd date recommend (at least I haven't found any).  
> Everybody sells in $US or look like mom and pop shops....
> 
> 
> Mike
>  
> 
> > -----Original Message-----
> > From: asterisk-biz-bounces at lists.digium.com
> > [mailto:asterisk-biz-bounces at lists.digium.com] On Behalf Of 
> > asterisk-biz-request at lists.digium.com
> > Sent: Saturday, January 21, 2006 8:19 PM
> > To: asterisk-biz at lists.digium.com
> > Subject: asterisk-biz Digest, Vol 18, Issue 94
> > 
> > Send asterisk-biz mailing list submissions to
> > 	asterisk-biz at lists.digium.com
> > 
> > To subscribe or unsubscribe via the World Wide Web, visit
> > 	http://lists.digium.com/mailman/listinfo/asterisk-biz
> > or, via email, send a message with subject or body 'help' to
> > 	asterisk-biz-request at lists.digium.com
> > 
> > You can reach the person managing the list at
> > 	asterisk-biz-owner at lists.digium.com
> > 
> > When replying, please edit your Subject line so it is more specific 
> > than "Re: Contents of asterisk-biz digest..."
> > 
> > 
> > Today's Topics:
> > 
> >    1. Re: URGENTLY NEEDED! 214 Dallas TX DID (trixter aka Bret 
> > McDanel)
> >    2. RE: I need your skiils, but I can't hire you (Steve Totaro)
> >    3. RE: I need your skiils, but I can't hire you (Steve Totaro)
> >    4. Re: I need your skiils, but I can't hire you (Lee Howard)
> >    5. [Announce] Mark Spencer interview (Ronald Lewis)
> >    6. RE: I need your skiils, but I can't hire you
> >       (asterisk-biz at sasami.anime.net)
> >    7. Re: URGENTLY NEEDED! 214 Dallas TX DID (Mark)
> >    8. RE: I need your skiils, but I can't hire you (Trevor G. 
> > Hammonds)
> >    9. Re: I need your skiils, but I can't hire you 
> (Jean-Michel Hiver)
> > 
> > 
> > 
> ----------------------------------------------------------------------
> > 
> > Message: 1
> > Date: Sat, 21 Jan 2006 13:16:23 -0800
> > From: trixter aka Bret McDanel <trixter at 0xdecafbad.com>
> > Subject: Re: [asterisk-biz] URGENTLY NEEDED! 214 Dallas TX DID
> > To: Commercial and Business-Oriented Asterisk Discussion
> > 	<asterisk-biz at lists.digium.com>
> > Message-ID: <1137878183.23964.2.camel at trix.home.tld>
> > Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-15"
> > 
> > On Sun, 2006-01-22 at 00:53 +0400, Jean-Michel Hiver wrote:
> > > Mark a icrit :
> > > 
> > > > I urgently need one Dallas TX 214 DID, I dont want to 
> have to buy 
> > > > from the DIsappearing DID eXchange company
> > > 
> > > What's the big deal with DIDx? A lot of people seem to have
> > troubles
> > > with this service, although the service in itself seems
> > like a good idea...
> > 
> > I dont know, it has worked for me without disappearing.  
> That is where 
> > the sacramento asterisk users group got their did.
> > There are people that appear t ohave had some problems a long time 
> > ago, some have even been identified as people that never 
> logged into 
> > their accounts.  The billing system appears to have had some bugs, 
> > however that doesnt mean that it disappears that is another 
> issue, one 
> > I might add that someone else has reported with vonage, I 
> personally 
> > have had with broadvoice, and a friend has reported with a 
> colo place.
> >  So its not totally uncommon that there are billing errors.
> > 
> > 
> > -- 
> > Trixter http://www.0xdecafbad.com     Bret McDanel
> > UK +44 870 340 4605   Germany +49 801 777 555 3402
> > US +1 360 207 0479 or +1 516 687 5200
> > FreeWorldDialup: 635378
> > http://www.sacaug.org/ Sacramento Asterisk Users Group
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> > 
> > ------------------------------
> > 
> > Message: 2
> > Date: Sat, 21 Jan 2006 16:31:32 -0500
> > From: "Steve Totaro" <stotaro at totarotechnologies.com>
> > Subject: RE: [asterisk-biz] I need your skiils, but I can't hire you
> > To: "Commercial and Business-Oriented Asterisk Discussion"
> > 	<asterisk-biz at lists.digium.com>
> > Message-ID:
> > 	
> > <BE9DDFB4003EB1499F18B605C4A0E54D1DEF at steves.first-notification.com>
> > Content-Type: text/plain;	charset="us-ascii"
> > 
> > > I like the phone support idea but I think that Digium is on
> > the right
> > > path. If you don't draw the line somewhere you end up either not
> > fixing
> > > the fault which leads to unhappy customers and therefore a bad
> > mouthing
> > > experience or worst still getting dragged down in a fault
> > that frankly
> > > is not worth fixing for the price.
> > > 
> > 
> > The problem with this is that Digium has canned the idea of 
> "We don't 
> > support this configuration".  Any problem can be fixed.  At 
> an hourly 
> > or fraction of hourly rate, anything is worth fixing from our 
> > perspective since the price adjusts with the time spent.  
> It is up to 
> > the customer if it is worth spending the money for the fix, 
> not us.  
> > The customer will know this upfront before the support even starts.
> > 
> > > As for "branded" support; you'll have the same problem. How
> > would the
> > > tech answering the phone know anything about the install
> > he's fixing?
> > It
> > > would take him quite a considerable time to get up to speed
> > before he
> > > could reasonably start working on the fault.
> > 
> > With the proper systems and database sharing, this is not a problem.
> > Obviously, NDA and non-competes will need to be in place 
> and the data 
> > will have to accurate but this could easily be a non-issue.
> > 
> > > 
> > > If you agree on a standard set of configs that you'll support and
> > offer
> > > a 2 teired support system, you could fix the easy things 
> like messed
> > up
> > > passwords or mis-spelled statements and then bump the non
> > conforming
> > > ones back to the customer (not the user).
> > > 
> > > You could then offer "consultant" support exclusively for 
> those that
> > can
> > > demonstrate they are purveyors of Asterisk systems. You
> > shouldn't have
> > > to do so much hand holding here as you'd require a 
> minimum level of 
> > > expertise. You'd be acting as more of a mentor rather 
> than a support
> > team.
> > 
> > I think the mailing list acts very well as a mentor since the 
> > consultant knows how to ask the right in posts to the user's list.
> > 
> > > 
> > > A final avenue could be training. Offering various levels
> > of Asterisk
> > > training could be a way of ensuring that you have capable 
> customers
> > and
> > > confident end users as well as being a low level money earner.
> > 
> > Training is another awesome idea.
> > 
> > > 
> > > Mark, G7LTT/KC2ENI
> > > Randolph, NJ
> > > http://www.g7ltt.com
> > > 
> > > 
> > 
> > 
> > 
> > ------------------------------
> > 
> > Message: 3
> > Date: Sat, 21 Jan 2006 16:40:55 -0500
> > From: "Steve Totaro" <stotaro at totarotechnologies.com>
> > Subject: RE: [asterisk-biz] I need your skiils, but I can't hire you
> > To: "Commercial and Business-Oriented Asterisk Discussion"
> > 	<asterisk-biz at lists.digium.com>
> > Message-ID:
> > 	
> > <BE9DDFB4003EB1499F18B605C4A0E54D1DF0 at steves.first-notification.com>
> > Content-Type: text/plain;	charset="us-ascii"
> > 
> > > 
> > > Need great phone support for your customer? Just bundle Asterisk
> > Business
> > > Edition in to your solution.
> > > 
> > > Two things happen when you do this.
> > > 
> > > (1) You help support Asterisk and Digium
> > > 
> > > (2) You guarantee great support for your client.
> > > 
> > > Just my 2 pennies
> > > 
> > > Michael White
> > > .e4
> > 
> > True enough but how many small Asterisk interconnect businesses are 
> > there that purchase ABE for their customer installations?  
> Very few I 
> > bet.
> > 
> > What happens when they need to add some addition phones to 
> the system?
> > Will Digium help?  Possibly with the configs in Asterisk 
> but I doubt 
> > they will tell you how to provision the phones (Polycom or 
> Cisco for 
> > instance).
> > 
> > What about if you have some Sangoma boards?  Doubt you will 
> get much 
> > support there even if you are using ABE.
> > 
> > Channel banks, phones, Sangoma, GUIs, the list goes on.  
> > Digium support is great but limited.
> > 
> > Thanks,
> > Steve
> > 
> > 
> > ------------------------------
> > 
> > Message: 4
> > Date: Sat, 21 Jan 2006 13:57:11 -0800
> > From: Lee Howard <faxguy at howardsilvan.com>
> > Subject: Re: [asterisk-biz] I need your skiils, but I can't hire you
> > To: Commercial and Business-Oriented Asterisk Discussion
> > 	<asterisk-biz at lists.digium.com>
> > Message-ID: <43D2AE37.8020308 at howardsilvan.com>
> > Content-Type: text/plain; charset=ISO-8859-1; format=flowed
> > 
> > Michael S. White wrote:
> > 
> > >Need great phone support for your customer? Just bundle Asterisk 
> > >Business Edition in to your solution.
> > >
> > >Two things happen when you do this.
> > >
> > >(1) You help support Asterisk and Digium
> > >
> > >(2) You guarantee great support for your client.
> > >
> > 
> > The second item there may be well and true; I can't say for 
> myself as 
> > I've never chosen to turn to Digium for support.
> > 
> > However, I contend that, in the case of the first item, you should 
> > reconsider the wording there.  If you bundle ABE into your solution 
> > you certainly help support Digium.  And for many people in this 
> > community that, in and of itself, is "a good thing to do" 
> (tm).  But 
> > as far as bundling ABE into your solution helping the Asterisk 
> > community itself (which I assume is what's meant by saying "help 
> > support Asterisk"), I'd say that this is also true, to an 
> extent, but 
> > not nearly as much as it helps support Digium.
> > 
> > Asterisk is bigger than Digium.  If you want to support the 
> Asterisk 
> > community it can be done perhaps just as effectively in 
> countless ways 
> > besides or in addition to bundling ABE.
> > Yes, purchasing a Sangoma card helps the Asterisk community.  
> > Contributing code helps.  Participating in these mailing 
> lists helps.  
> > Hiring an Asterisk consultant, even outside of Digium, 
> helps.  Merely 
> > using Asterisk helps.  Reporting bugs helps.  In fact, I would even 
> > contend that the activity going on in competing or 
> collaborative forks 
> > helps.  The list goes on and on.  Now, some of these 
> "other" methods 
> > may not help Digium at all, but you can still help Asterisk without 
> > helping Digium.
> > 
> > So, I'm okay with the idea that getting ABE helps Digium 
> and even the 
> > Asterisk community to a lesser extent.  But what I disagree with is 
> > the concept that the only way to help the community is 
> through filling 
> > Digium's pockets.
> > 
> > Lee.
> > 
> > 
> > 
> > ------------------------------
> > 
> > Message: 5
> > Date: Sat, 21 Jan 2006 15:36:43 -0700
> > From: Ronald Lewis <ronaldl79 at gmail.com>
> > Subject: [asterisk-biz] [Announce] Mark Spencer interview
> > To: asterisk-biz at lists.digium.com, asterisk-users at lists.digium.com
> > Message-ID:
> > 	<3c2a5f970601211436j3c56070blf3ebd73f71687a60 at mail.gmail.com>
> > Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1"
> > 
> > Greetings!
> > 
> > On January 19, 2006, I featured VoIP and open source telephony 
> > pioneer, Mark Spencer, on my podcast, Technology & Coffee. 
> To listen 
> > to this interview, visit http://www.ronaldlewis.com/coffee.
> > 
> > Also, Tom Keating, CTO and VP at TMC Labs, has blogged about it as 
> > well.
> > 
> > http://blog.tmcnet.com/blog/tom-keating/asterisk/mark-spencer-
> > podcast-interview.asp
> > http://blog.tmcnet.com/blog/tom-keating/voip/gabcast-audio-blo
> > gger-service.asp
> > 
> > Regards,
> > 
> > Ronald Lewis
> > Denver, Colorado
> > www.riverscapecorp.com
> > www.ronaldlewis.com
> > -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was 
> > scrubbed...
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> > 
> > ------------------------------
> > 
> > Message: 6
> > Date: Sat, 21 Jan 2006 15:23:36 -0800 (PST)
> > From: asterisk-biz at sasami.anime.net
> > Subject: RE: [asterisk-biz] I need your skiils, but I can't hire you
> > To: Commercial and Business-Oriented Asterisk Discussion
> > 	<asterisk-biz at lists.digium.com>
> > Message-ID: <Pine.LNX.4.63.0601211518590.11090 at sasami.anime.net>
> > Content-Type: TEXT/PLAIN; charset=US-ASCII; format=flowed
> > 
> > On Sat, 21 Jan 2006, Steve Totaro wrote:
> > > What happens when they need to add some addition phones to
> > the system?
> > > Will Digium help?  Possibly with the configs in Asterisk
> > but I doubt
> > > they will tell you how to provision the phones (Polycom or
> > Cisco for
> > > instance).
> > 
> > Why? That's polycom and cisco's responsibility. Seriously.
> > 
> > > What about if you have some Sangoma boards?  Doubt you will
> > get much
> > > support there even if you are using ABE.
> > 
> > That's sangoma's responsibility. And from what I hear 
> sangoma support 
> > for asterisk is excellent.
> > 
> > > Channel banks, phones, Sangoma, GUIs, the list goes on.  Digium 
> > > support is great but limited.
> > 
> > And largely irrelevant in those cases?
> > 
> > -Dan
> > 
> > 
> > ------------------------------
> > 
> > Message: 7
> > Date: Sat, 21 Jan 2006 18:19:32 -0600
> > From: Mark <mark at asteriskswitch.com>
> > Subject: Re: [asterisk-biz] URGENTLY NEEDED! 214 Dallas TX DID
> > To: Commercial and Business-Oriented Asterisk Discussion
> > 	<asterisk-biz at lists.digium.com>
> > Message-ID: <43D2CF94.9040900 at asteriskswitch.com>
> > Content-Type: text/plain; charset=ISO-8859-1; format=flowed
> > 
> > Fundamental problem with DIDx is
> > 
> > Sellers are independent.  If seller drops out of DIDx , all 
> buyers who 
> > have purchased that seller4s DIDs will lose them.
> > DIDx has been aware of that problem for at least three months they 
> > refuse to build in any systems that protect the buyer.
> > Their solution is to port the DID, however if you have the 
> ability to 
> > port the DID, then why purchase from DIDx in the first place? Also 
> > international DIDs are not portable
> > 
> > 
> > Jean-Michel Hiver wrote:
> > 
> > > Mark a icrit :
> > >
> > >> I urgently need one Dallas TX 214 DID, I dont want to 
> have to buy 
> > >> from the DIsappearing DID eXchange company
> > >
> > >
> > > What's the big deal with DIDx? A lot of people seem to have
> > troubles
> > > with this service, although the service in itself seems 
> like a good 
> > > idea...
> > >
> > >
> > > _______________________________________________
> > > --Bandwidth and Colocation provided by Easynews.com --
> > >
> > > asterisk-biz mailing list
> > > To UNSUBSCRIBE or update options visit:
> > >   http://lists.digium.com/mailman/listinfo/asterisk-biz
> > >
> > >
> > >
> > 
> > 
> > 
> > ------------------------------
> > 
> > Message: 8
> > Date: Sat, 21 Jan 2006 17:04:57 -0800
> > From: "Trevor G. Hammonds" <trevor at concipient.net>
> > Subject: RE: [asterisk-biz] I need your skiils, but I can't hire you
> > To: "'Commercial and Business-Oriented Asterisk Discussion'"
> > 	<asterisk-biz at lists.digium.com>
> > Message-ID:
> > 	
> > <!&!AAAAAAAAAAAuAAAAAAAAAJxESAJ7GKdJgMzQhTHL/IUBAOPm9G9QwE9Ogq
> aGtf383k4AAAEOSVwAABAAAABxBRkjhzZXQ7lNf73ms+s0AQAAAAA=@concipient.net>
> > 	
> > Content-Type: text/plain;	charset="us-ascii"
> > 
> > asterisk-biz at sasami.anime.net <> wrote on Saturday, 21 January 2006 
> > 3:24 PM:
> > 
> > > On Sat, 21 Jan 2006, Steve Totaro wrote:
> > >> What happens when they need to add some addition phones to the 
> > >> system? Will Digium help?  Possibly with the configs in
> > Asterisk but
> > >> I doubt they will tell you how to provision the phones 
> (Polycom or 
> > >> Cisco for instance).
> > > 
> > > Why? That's polycom and cisco's responsibility. Seriously.
> > > 
> > >> What about if you have some Sangoma boards?  Doubt you
> > will get much
> > >> support there even if you are using ABE.
> > > 
> > > That's sangoma's responsibility. And from what I hear
> > sangoma support
> > > for asterisk is excellent.
> > > 
> > >> Channel banks, phones, Sangoma, GUIs, the list goes on.  Digium 
> > >> support is great but limited.
> > > 
> > > And largely irrelevant in those cases?
> > > 
> > > -Dan
> > 
> > I think you miss the point.  They are trying to establish a 
> "one stop 
> > shop"
> > for the client to call.  If the client had to call Digium, Sangoma, 
> > Polycom, and their channel bank manufacturer for support, why would 
> > they need support from a service provider?
> >  If they had the skill level, they probably would not NEED 
> a separate 
> > service provider.
> > 
> > 		-- Trevor Hammonds
> > 
> > 
> > 
> > ------------------------------
> > 
> > Message: 9
> > Date: Sun, 22 Jan 2006 05:18:57 +0400
> > From: Jean-Michel Hiver <jhiver at ykoz.net>
> > Subject: Re: [asterisk-biz] I need your skiils, but I can't hire you
> > To: Commercial and Business-Oriented Asterisk Discussion
> > 	<asterisk-biz at lists.digium.com>
> > Message-ID: <43D2DD81.6070908 at ykoz.net>
> > Content-Type: text/plain; charset=ISO-8859-1; format=flowed
> > 
> > 
> > >I think you miss the point.  They are trying to establish a
> > "one stop shop"
> > >for the client to call.  If the client had to call Digium, 
> Sangoma, 
> > >Polycom, and their channel bank manufacturer for support, 
> why would 
> > >they need support from a service provider?  If they had the skill 
> > >level, they probably would not NEED a separate service provider.
> > >  
> > >
> > Then this is what needs to be done:
> > 
> > 1 - Make a list of skills you wish to support
> > 
> > 2 - Make a list of contractors for each skill
> > 
> > 3 - Define a reasonable per hour support rate
> > 
> > 4 - Build an asterisk system which prompts for the client PIN, then 
> > gives the client an IVR to choose from for each skill
> > 
> > 5 - Once the client has chosen the skill, dial all related 
> > contractors'
> > phones simultaneously (they MUST disable voicemail)
> > 
> > 6 - After the contractor has hanged his phone, have a 
> callback script 
> > call the client back to prompt for quality feedback from 
> time to time.
> > You might want to record the calls as well
> > 
> > 7 - Use Asterisk's CDRs to
> >   a) Bill the client
> >   b) Pay the contractor
> >   c) Pocket a profit
> > 
> > Cheers,
> > Jean-Michel.
> > 
> > 
> > 
> > ------------------------------
> > 
> > _______________________________________________
> > _______________________________________________
> > --Bandwidth and Colocation provided by Easynews.com --
> > 
> > asterisk-biz mailing list
> > To UNSUBSCRIBE or update options visit:
> >    http://lists.digium.com/mailman/listinfo/asterisk-biz
> > 
> > 
> > End of asterisk-biz Digest, Vol 18, Issue 94
> > ********************************************
> > 
> 
> 
> 




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