Plain Old Telephone Service (POTS) was traditionally widely used among organizations. However, POTS falls short of the standards demanded in today's dynamic business environment. It lacks the advanced features essential for contemporary business communication, such as voicemail, caller ID, and conferencing. POTS systems also struggle to scale efficiently with the growing needs of expanding businesses, are more costly and less adaptable than modern alternatives like VoIP, and POTS systems restrict the flexibility and mobility as remote work becomes more prevalent.
Businesses increasingly seek communication solutions that support digital transformation initiatives and offer advanced collaboration tools. Within the past month, we have seen the likes of Certinia and Viking Electronics choose and/or recommend various solutions from MSP Expo Platinum sponsor Ooma, a smart communications platform for businesses and consumers.
Ooma offers advanced voice and collaboration features including messaging, intelligent virtual receptionists and video meetings. Ooma’s all-in-one replacement for analog phone lines helps businesses maintain mission-critical systems by moving connectivity to the cloud.
One notable solution offered by Ooma is Ooma AirDial. Ooma AirDial, a solution crafted for businesses and property managers, addresses the challenges posed by the diminishing availability of legacy analog phone lines. Ooma AirDial offers a comprehensive replacement for POTS, integrating hardware, software, wireless connectivity and virtual analog phone lines in a unified package, streamlining management through an online portal for remote monitoring and control across multiple locations.
Adding to those capabilities, Ooma announced that Ooma AirDial now incorporates Ooma’s MultiPath technology. The technology is a unique and patented feature that allows uninterrupted backup for life-safety devices like fire alarm panels and elevator phones.
Multipath establishes a continuous dual connection between AirDial and the Public Switched Telephone Network, or PSTN, by simultaneously transmitting data packets through two channels: AirDial's wireless LTE network and the customer's existing broadband network. Operating as an active-active topology, Multipath dynamically monitors data packet flow, intelligently selecting the optimal link. If one connection experiences disruptions due to congestion, dropped packets or latency, the system seamlessly and instantly switches to the other connection.
This approach contrasts with the traditional failover feature found in other POTS replacement products, where one link is designated as primary and the other as secondary. In those systems, a switch to the secondary link occurs only if the primary link fails, leading to a disconnection of any ongoing calls and requiring a full minute or more to re-establish a connection. This traditional failover process can pose significant challenges, especially in emergency situations, while the Multipath approach ensures uninterrupted calls, even if one link goes offline.
“Every second counts in an emergency and that’s why we’ve added MultiPath technology to Ooma AirDial,” said Thad White, Vice President of Product Management for Ooma.
MultiPath is available to all AirDial customers.
Ooma is a Platinum sponsor of MSP Expo, taking place in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, February 13-15, 2024. Part of the #TECHSUPERSHOW, MSP Expo is the premier event for MSPs, offering a three-day experience combining conference education, networking opportunities, an exhibit hall full of the latest technologies and solutions to help MSPs build their business, and more. Ooma will be in booth #539 in the exhibit hall.
Edited by
Alex Passett
