User:Highlander56/SkyNET Telesystems
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| SkyNET Telesystems | |
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| Type | VoIP Telephony Service Provider |
|---|---|
| Founded | 2002 |
| Headquarters |  US |
| Key people | Thomas Hitchens CEO |
| Industry | VoIP |
| Products | VoIP Telecommunications |
| Website | http://www.skynet-tel.com |
SkyNET Telesystems (SkyNET) is a privately-held commercial voice over IP (VoIP) network that provides telephone service via both a broadband and a dial around or toll free connection. In order to use a broadband VoIP service plan, a customer must have a phone device called an Analog Telephone Adaptor or ATA (one is provided by SkyNET to each new customer free of charge) that connects to their main broadband router or broadband modem. A standard phone then connects to the ATA to provide VoIP service to the individual.
In addition to their broadband plans, SkyNET is unique in they also offer customers dial-in access to their VoIP network by dialing a local access number and then being connected to the SkyNET calling platform. This allows individuals without an internet connection or even an Internet service provider to benefit from the advantages of VoIP communications. In this scenario, a customer could call in to the network from their U.S. cell phone, connect to the call platform and make an international call over VoIP -- this is a feature that few VoIP companies can lay claim to.
SkyNET's broadband based VoIP service is also notable in that it offers it's clients the ability to check their free voicemail from any location via an Internet browser. Voicemail is played back as a sound file.
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[edit] VoIP Telephony
VoIP telephony as mentioned above functions by converting a person's analog telephone signal into a digital signal (hence the name of the device, Analog Telphone Adaptor), which is then transmitted over the Internet, instead of standard telephone lines. VoIP telephony in this form still makes use of the standard telephone networks, called the PSTN or Public Switched Telephone Network, to provide delivery of the call to a recipient if they have a standard phone line. See diagram to the right.
Use of the ATA precludes a caller from needing to use their computer to make a call, unlike other VoIP services which use an on-screen dialer software program.
Using a cordless phone connected to the ATA, a consumer is no longer anchored to their PC.
[edit] VoIP Telephony's Nomadic Feature
Another advantage of the ATA is that it may be carried and used anywhere that the person may obtain a high speed Internet connection. In this scenario, a person with an ATA programmed with a phone number from Los Angeles, could receive calls to their number while in New York. This mobility feature of the ATA has caused some concerns as to dialing 911 from the device, if it is not at it's primary location. The person dialing 911 in New York from their Los Angeles based ATA, would initiate an emergency call in Los Angeles and not New York.
[edit] VoIP Telephony's Advantages for Businesses
Companies wishing to give the impression they have offices in multiple cities, when in fact they have just a single, central office, can have multiple ATA's programmed with phone numbers in different cities. Callers in those cities can make a local call to an office that may indeed by thousands of miles away.
In this same vein, VoIP is quickly being adopted by businesses due to the great cost savings of VoIP long distance compared to standard PSTN long distance. A company with satellite offices can have an IP-PBX, a VoIP-based Private Branch Exchange or switchboard at their main office and have their satellite offices be an extension on the PBX instead of a long distance call.
For example, a Los Angeles based company with a satellite office in China, could configure an ATA so that the China office was Extension 222. All calls to the 222 extension from the Los Angeles office would be as if they were local. Conversely, calls from Extension 222 to the Los Angeles office would also be like a local Los Angeles call. Calls into the Los Angeles office could also be transferred to the China office, again for the cost of a local call. It is as if the office in China, were merely in another area of the main office building in Los Angeles. The cost savings for businesses using this feature of VoIP are enormous.
This unique feature of VoIP has also increased the number of people teleworking. No longer is it necessary for a worker to actually be in the office. With VoIP telephony, a computer and a webcam, a worker's home can be their office. A little know fact is that almost all of the commercial airline JetBlue's Customer Support Representatives work from their homes in Utah.
[edit] History
Based in Spring Hill, Florida, SkyNET was founded in 2002 by Thomas Hitchens. In the late 80s, Mr. Hitchens decided to take advantage of the telecommunication revolution after the AT&T divestiture. First, by becoming a distributor in Network 2000 selling U.S. Sprint long distance. He and his wife became Regional Directors in record time, while also building a sales organization responsible for tens of thousands of Sprint customers, and personally, writing over 5,000 customers themselves.
In 1990, Tom formed another start-up business, marketing operator services for the public pay-telephone industry. In less than 9 months, Tom's business signed a contract with MCI that provided over $30 million in service contracts, doubling MCI's existing pay phone service platform. This exposure was the catalyst to Tom securing a contract with MCI in 1993 to become the exclusive Network Marketing channel for MCI consumer long distance.
[edit] SkyNET Features
Some of the various features offered include:
- Caller ID with Name
- Voice Mail--retrievable via a web browser
- Call Forwarding
- Call Waiting
- Conference Calling
- Unidentified Caller Rejection
[edit] See also
[edit] External links
- SkyNet Homepage
- FCC Homepage - For communications research
