Beta for FaxTap for SIP, an Important New FoIP Analysis Tool<\/h3>\n
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Commetrex will begin a beta-test program in November for its latest fax-related product, FaxTap for SIP, which targets the lawful intercept and FoIP-analysis markets. General availability of FaxTap for SIP is slated for late Q4 with a single-seat license priced at $4250.<\/p>\n
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For years, fax-over-IP (FoIP) has been shuttered in the enterprise network where users have racked up major savings by avoiding the expense of fax boards and dedicated fax lines. But now, with SIP trunking becoming ubiquitous, enterprises are bypassing the gateway and sending faxes directly into carrier networks. This presents users, both subscriber and provider, with a whole new set of problems, problems that can only be solved with the proper tools, not to mention requirements for lawful intercept. That’s where Commetrex’ new FaxTap for SIP enters the picture.<\/p>\n
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FaxTap for SIP allows network operators and equipment vendors to analyze FoIP calls and render the image, even if the call uses the high-speed V.34 fax modem, and it does it for both G.711 pass-through and T.38 version 3 calls. We believe that this is the product the industry needs to finally move to reliable carrier-based FoIP. There is also an OEM-developer’s version that accepts PCM recordings directly.<\/p>\n
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The open-source Wireshark program has been and remains the industry’s pre-eminent SIP-analysis tool. But those that use it to help diagnose FoIP problems know that Wireshark’s analysis of a fax call can be misleading. For example, Wireshark incorrectly flags any RTP packets following a re-Invite to T.38 as “malformed T.38” packets. Moreover, it has problems handling T.38 version 3 calls with V.34. And, of course, Wireshark does not render the image or provide much in the way of T.30 analysis. FaxTap for SIP picks up where Wireshark leaves off.<\/p>\n
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FaxTap provides multiple levels of call analysis. The most basic is merely to render the fax image. The most detailed level provides a ladder diagram, listings of every T.38 frame, T.30 frame, and detailed image-line analysis. Low-level modem analysis can also be generated for all image-transfer modems, including V.34.<\/p>\n
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We are soliciting beta-test participants from the service-provider and IP-carrier industries. To learn more about the FaxTap for SIP beta, send us an email at marketing@commetrex.com<\/a>, and we’ll send you a description of the program.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n [\/vc_column_text][\/vc_column][\/vc_row][vc_row css_animation=”” row_type=”row” use_row_as_full_screen_section=”no” type=”grid” angled_section=”no” text_align=”left” background_image_as_pattern=”without_pattern” el_class=”newsletter_inner_page” css=”.vc_custom_1578991890670{padding-top: 70px !important;padding-bottom: 70px !important;}” z_index=””][vc_column el_class=”newsletter_inner_page_bg”][vc_column_text]<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Smart ACS, based on OpenACS (Open Automatic Configuration Server), is an automatic configuration server that implements the \u201cCPE WAN Management Protocol\u201d (CWMP) specified in the Broadband Forum\u2019s TR-069 specification. Smart ACS has fixes and modifications that allow OpenACS to work with NetGen\u2019s Smart ATA, and is available under the GNU General Public License version 2.0 (GPLv2) free of charge to\u00a0Smart ATA<\/a>\u00a0customers. NetGen will also provide a configuration service to customers that are not ready to bring the function in house.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n One of the common problems with wide deployment of customer-premises equipment (CPE) in telephony is how to affordably and effectively maintain the software. But when thousands of CPE installations are involved, manual administration is impracticable. This prompted the Broadband Forum to release TR-069 in May 2004.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n As its summary states, TR-069 is<\/p>\n <\/p>\n A protocol for communication between a CPE and Auto-Configuration Server (ACS) that encompasses secure auto-configuration as well as other CPE-management functions within a common framework.<\/em><\/p>\n <\/p>\n Smart ATA end users can always go to NetGen\u2019s support page and download the latest firmware. But NetGen also offers a Smart ATA configuration-management service to all Smart ATA customers for a monthly service fee. And, for the Smart ATA customer with the scale to support bringing configuration management in house, NetGen offers Smart ACS software free of charge (after all, it is open source).<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Smart ACS has the flexibility to support the service provider\u2019s segregating CPE by subscriber class, for example, those that have enabled FoIP would receive a different configuration from those that have not. Of course, NetGen uses the same feature to segregate by customer, allowing customers to brand the ATA\u2019s configuration homepage with their own logos.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Smart ACS will be generally available following its beta test, which begins in early November.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Want to stop saying \u201cKeep your POTS for fax\u201d to your subscribers? Visit the\u00a0NetGen website<\/a>\u00a0or call 770-449-7704.[\/vc_column_text][\/vc_column][\/vc_row][vc_row css_animation=”” row_type=”row” use_row_as_full_screen_section=”no” type=”grid” angled_section=”no” text_align=”left” background_image_as_pattern=”without_pattern” el_class=”newsletter_inner_page” css=”.vc_custom_1579018180659{padding-top: 70px !important;padding-bottom: 70px !important;background-color: #f6f6f6 !important;}” z_index=””][vc_column el_class=”newsletter_inner_page_bg”][vc_column_text]<\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n As we\u2019ve discussed here before, Smart FoIP addresses two of the most common causes of FoIP call failures: late T.38 re-invites and PCM clock sync problems. Since carrier-based FoIP calls begin as a voice call, the two endpoint terminals can \u201chear\u201d each other as soon as the connection is established. At that time, they begin executing the T.30 fax protocol. But if the two gateways are late (over six seconds) in attempting to switch to T.38, they will unwittingly kill the fax if the calling gateway does not have Smart FoIP. And PCM clock-sync problems are history since Smart FoIP makes every multi-page fax as reliable as a one-page fax. If that\u2019s not enough, Smart ATA is the only ATA with support for V.34, and it also functions as an IAD and IP-PSTN gateway!<\/p>\n <\/p>\n To learn more about Smart ATA, visit the\u00a0NetGen Communications website<\/a>\u00a0or call 770-449-7704.[\/vc_column_text][\/vc_column][\/vc_row][vc_row css_animation=”” row_type=”row” use_row_as_full_screen_section=”no” type=”grid” angled_section=”no” text_align=”left” background_image_as_pattern=”without_pattern” el_class=”newsletter_inner_page” css=”.vc_custom_1578991890670{padding-top: 70px !important;padding-bottom: 70px !important;}” z_index=””][vc_column el_class=”newsletter_inner_page_bg”][vc_column_text]<\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n If you\u2019ve never been to ITEXPO, it\u2019s a great opportunity to network and learn about the latest communications solutions for your business. And, in addition, Mike Coffee, Commetrex\u2019 CEO, will be speaking on the panel\u00a0Why Cloud Is Key to Your UC Deployment<\/em>\u00a0at the\u00a0Cloud Communications Expo<\/a>, a collocated event.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n If you haven\u2019t registered, do it today and join us for some fun in Austin. Questions? Email\u00a0marketing@commetrex.com<\/a>.[\/vc_column_text][\/vc_column][\/vc_row][vc_row css_animation=”” row_type=”row” use_row_as_full_screen_section=”no” type=”grid” angled_section=”no” text_align=”left” background_image_as_pattern=”without_pattern” el_class=”newsletter_inner_page” css=”.vc_custom_1579018194467{padding-top: 70px !important;padding-bottom: 70px !important;background-color: #f6f6f6 !important;}” z_index=””][vc_column el_class=”newsletter_inner_page_bg”][vc_column_text]<\/p>\n <\/p>\n When your subscribers say, \u201cI can send a single-page fax with good reliability, but multi-page faxes are unreliable,\u201d it\u2019s not usually due to dropped packets. Even if you and your carrier partners\u00a0support T.38<\/a>, not all faxes will end up switching to T.38, remaining instead in G.711 pass-through mode. No matter what you do, you\u2019re going to have FoIP failures if you get a burst of dropped packets in G.711 mode. But when is the last time you saw a Wireshark extraction of the PCM where packet loss was reported? In today\u2019s networks, it\u2019s rare, but failures of a G.711 pass-through FoIP call are, unfortunately, not rare.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n It\u2019s caused by PCM clock-sync problems.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Over the PSTN, the clocks in a fax-receive modem are synchronized to the PCM clock in the transmitter with a phase-locked loop, so clock differences are not a problem. But in FoIP systems, the clock in the receive modem for the on-ramp\/calling gateway, which is bringing the modem-image bits into the system, is different from the gateway\u2019s system clock, which is driving the T.38 image packets out to the IP network. So there\u2019s the possibility of a gateway either running out of bits to send, possibly (depending on the gateway) causing the transmit modems on the receiving gateway (SIP peer\/off-ramp gateway) to run dry, or the buffers in the calling gateway will overflow, causing the call to fail, depending on whether the sending-endpoint terminal\u2019s clock is slower or faster.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n If both clocks use a 50-PPM oscillator, the worst case difference is 100-PPM. So, if the gateway starts with a 200-msec jitter buffer, it may get eaten up in 32 seconds, which is the image-transfer time of many one-page faxes. And if the buffer is not initialized between pages, there will be a problem on the second page.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n But if the transaction is G.711 pass-through, how would the gateway know that the fax is between pages, allowing the buffers to be initialized? Commetrex, in a patent application filed in November 2010, disclosed a method of doing so. If you\u2019re interested, the application has been published by USPTO as serial number\u00a0US-2011-0109936-A1<\/a>.<\/p>\n <\/p>\nNetGen Launches Smart ACS<\/h3>\n
Smart ATA \u2026 Now With Smart FoIP<\/h3>\n
![\"Smart](\"http:\/\/commetrex.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2012\/08\/smartfoip_bulb_small.jpg\" "\\"Smart")
<\/a>Smart ATA<\/a>, the industry\u2019s only analog telephone adapter (ATA) with V.34 FoIP support, is available from NetGen Communications. Smart ATA now has Commetrex\u2019 patent-pending\u00a0Smart FoIP<\/a>\u00ae fully integrated into the firmware. We\u2019ve already received terrific feedback on the performance of Smart ATA, but now that it has Smart FoIP, it can live up to NetGen\u2019s claim that it is the only ATA the really works for FoIP.<\/p>\nJoin Us In Austin For ITEXPO West<\/h3>\n
![\"ITEXPO](\"http:\/\/commetrex.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2011\/11\/Commetrex_722.gif\" "\\"Booth722\\"")
<\/a>ITEXPO, which is billed as \u201cthe world\u2019s largest communications and technology event,\u201d is coming up again on October 3-5. We\u2019ll be there in booth 722 with information on\u00a0Smart ATA<\/a>\u00a0\u2013 now with\u00a0Smart FoIP<\/a>\u00a0fully integrated \u2013 and our newest products: Smart ACS and FaxTap for SIP.<\/p>\nG.711 FoIP Failures: It\u2019s Not For The Reason You Think!<\/h3>\n