Category: Product News

Vox has launched Vobi, a mobile softphone that allows users to make and receive calls from their mobile phones, using the Vox Telecom network, for better rates than those offered by the operators.

¨For 20 years the mobile operators have overcharged businesses and consumers. There is a better way and it is called Vobi¨ says Henda Edwardes, Executive Head of Communication Solutions at Vox.

Vox believes that the perception that voice is disappearing is incorrect and that it is only the rates that are declining (although reduced costs are not always passed on to the customer).

The real shift, is the point where the voice service terminates.  People are running voice services over their PCs when they do conference calls.

¨For businesses in particular, traffic is moving off of PBXs and onto mobile handsets and mobile penetration is reflecting this shift.  In order to remain relevant we have to follow the traffic, and ensure that we pick it up where it terminates.

It is this shift and the ability to find more cost effective alternatives, that prompted us to develop Vobi,¨ adds Edwardes.

The Vobi app can be downloaded via Google Play and Apple App stores.  Customers will be prompted to subscribe to a separate rate plan after which, voice and video calls can be made for a fraction of the cost over the Vox Telecom network.

Says du Edwardes, ¨Customers can save on their telephony bills by cancelling existing landlines, moving their numbers to Vox and using Vobi to make and receive all their calls.” Reduced call rates on video and voice calls, across networks, and international destinations, call recording, conference calls and call transfers are all delivered within the app.  Vobi integrates with address books and supports Bluetooth headsets.

Consumers can choose between two Vobi packages to suit their requirements:

1. Monthly fee of R25 and R0.41 flat rate per minute calling plan anywhere in SA including mobile numbers and low international call cost
2. Uncapped package of R299 per month with uncapped calls anywhere in SA

Concludes Edwardes, ¨There has never been a better time for businesses and consumers to choose mobile and OTT services for a more cost effective, better quality voice service.¨

 

Vox has joined forces with CTU Training Solutions, an accredited ICT training institution, to offer high potential students with work integrated learning (WIL) experience across the spectrum of solutions, services and products currently offered by the company.

Speaking shortly after its inaugural open day with the Pretoria campus, Vox CEO, Jacques du Toit said, “Our business is growing and we are acutely aware of the skills shortage in the ICT space.  This partnership will enable us to not only bolster our workforce, but also provide students with critical on the job experience.  Talent development and retention is a critical outcome of this partnership.  It is a win-win solution.”

Established in 1987, CTU Training Solutions offers full-time, part-time and corporate IT, design and business studies.

Says Juanie Newby, Group Career Marketing Director at CTU Training Solutions: “There is an alignment between Vox’s values as an employer and ICT provider nationally, and those we work to instill in the students at CTU.

This alignment, combined with an opportunity to provide much needed on-the-job experience for our students makes this partnership compelling.”

The inaugural open day took place at the Vox campus in Waverley and interested students were invited to attend an introductory session with Du Toit, followed by short overviews of the six business divisions within the business.

“We were overwhelmed by the positive response of the students that we met, and excited to see the potential of the ICT workforce of the future.

We believe we have a responsibility, to provide talented, highly skilled young people, with the opportunity to get on the job experience, mentorship and growth opportunities,” adds Du Toit.

Concludes Newby “Our vision is to make a significant contribution to the development of human capital in South Africa. Partnering with Vox will assist us not only to achieve this, but help in the development of educational solutions for future jobs.

We believe that through this partnership, Vox will assist in facilitating employability as a core outcome.

The first intake of students is already underway, and both organisations look forward to expanding the programme nationally in the short-term.

For footage on the Open Day, visit https://youtu.be/BYXHsPyw50Y

This year has seen the proliferation of whole new classes of online threats.  Not only has the advanced persistent threat (APT) become more real than ever, but the zero day vulnerabilities threaten companies and individuals as well.  Cyber terrorism has also taken on a new aspect, with not only states being threatened but companies and individuals are coming under the lash as well, as demonstrated by high profile hacks on companies like Sony and Ashley Madison.

What does the new threat landscape look like, and how can resellers help their customers feel – and remain – secure?

The reality is that the landscape for cyber-attacks has broadened over the years, and that there is no boundary safe from these threats.  And although security firms are continually releasing new updates and services to mitigate the risks, they just cannot keep up.

Cybercrime continues to grow at an alarming rate and cyber criminals are employing new tools and malicious software to infiltrate corporate and target end users, to extract critical data.  The funny thing is that data is no longer confined to networks where it can be protected, and where companies have spent significant budget and focused security strategies in the past.

The likes of network and endpoint security today, will only provide marginal cover and until businesses re-look their security methodologies, data will continue to be at risk.

Cybersecurity Ventures recently reported that cyber attacks cost businesses as much as $500 billion per year, with many instances not reported because of the risk of loss of credibility and/ or financial impacts on businesses.  However, many other studies suggest that the majority of businesses only spend 15 percent on average, of their IT budget on security.

The only reasonable conclusion that we can draw, is that there is a perceived lack of technological expertise with this industry.  And it is here, that partnership with an accredited security business, with a proven track record, is essential.  Customers need a trusted advisor, who can assist with providing solutions that ensure their business is protected at all times.

The reseller is that trusted advisor, and needs to guide and consult to businesses on security solutions, which could include training, and highlighting the continued dangers on the internet.  This advisory role should not end when a security and data protection strategy has been developed and deployed.  Resellers should be providing businesses with insights into current trends, concerns such as new malware, like Cryptolocker for example, and teaching basic cautionary actions such as not opening emails from an unknown and potentially unreliable source, not clicking on any links reflected in a mail that might be considered suspicious, and confirming receipt of emails from trusted sources, that look out of character.

We believe that the first step in an effective strategy is a next generation firewall service, which conducts IP reputation scanning, intrusion detection and prevention, database security and vulnerability management.  This service assist in the battle against harmful threats ranging from DDoS attacks to non-signature threats.

This service alone will protect the network and database, but data is no longer consolidated to one network, making endpoint security is a critical requirement.

We have seen that this is a tough industry to be a reseller in – there are so many providers, each providing a similar service from an anti-malware and anti-virus perspective.

The differentiator is the reseller that delivers value added features such a mobile device management, data leakage protection, hosted intrusion prevention for the endpoint and central management for all devices.

The two that I have found most valuable are data leakage protection, managed by device control, delivering full view of what is being connected to a business’ network at any point in time, especially portable storage devices.  Often overlooked, these are a particularly easy access point for cyber criminals, and data leakage protection prevents and/ or limits threats coming onto the network via portable storage devices.

Endpoints are seen as the easiest way of gaining access to a network, largely because of the mobility (not being fixed within the office environment).  So the question we ask is: Don’t you think you should have some type of intrusion protection running on this device?

Hosted intrusion prevention, although seemingly self-explanatory, is the one service that is generally not offered in endpoint security strategies. Without it, you are simply inviting the criminals in.

Business decision makers only need to read the news, to see that cyber criminals are relentlessly finding and exposing vulnerabilities in security strategies, to understand that the risk of exposure has increased exponentially.

We’d encourage businesses that are unsure of where to start, to consider partnering with a reseller.  One that can not only audit the risk to an organisation, but assist in developing and deploying a security strategy that offers maximum coverage.

An IT security strategy, developed from the inside out has never been a more critical business consideration.

 

Vox has launched Fat Pipe Wireless, an uncapped wireless data and voice service for homeowners and small businesses.

Fat Pipe Wireless, provides an uncapped, symmetrical and high speed data service that is ideal for homes and small office, home office (SOHO) setups, and is conveniently bundled with an uncapped voice service.

Says Jacques Visser, Senior Product Manager at Vox, “While mobile operators and MVNOs are launching attractive mobile bundles for end users to keep them connected on the move, this service closes the loop and creates a cost effective and convenient wifi hub at home, or in the office.”

Vox conducted two Proof of Concepts, one in Heidelberg (to test the service in a smaller town) and the other in Krugersdorp (a larger metro) and has gone on to establish broader availability of the service.

“The feedback from the POC process has been overwhelmingly positive, and we are excited about broadening the reach of this wireless broadband service,” adds Visser.

“Downtime on ADSL was having a negative impact on my ability to work from home, so when the Vox agency in Heidelberg offered the Fat Pipe Wireless package, I took advantage of it, because I knew I had nothing to lose.  The 8Mbps Uncapped package costs me less than what I paid for my 4Mbps ADSL line and it took four working days to move from a site survey to installation,” says Nardus Grobler, a software analyst for a large insurance company and based in Heidelberg.

The company believes its wireless broadband solution is a viable alternative to fibre, especially in those regions of the country outside of the major metros.  The service is available to most parts of Gauteng and Durban and Vox has identified a number of smaller cities and towns such as Richard’s Bay, Empangeni, Heidelberg, Krugersdorp, Bloemfontein, Witbank, Middelburg, (amongst others) that stand to benefit the most.

Adds Visser, “The beauty of wireless connectivity is that you don’t have to wait for trenching.  It is as easy as selecting your line speed, and voice line requirements.”

Concludes Grobler, “Fat Pipe Wireless is one of the few products that promise 8Mbps, and deliver it.  Fast, reliable internet means I can work, and participate in online gaming with little to no downtime.  I would recommend this connectivity solution to anyone looking for a cost effective and reliable alternative to ADSL.”

 

Companies across the world are steadily shifting many business functions from their on premise IT infrastructure to the cloud, and it is no different in South Africa. While it is becoming increasingly easier to list the benefits of making the move, it is vital that companies do not ignore the security aspects.

Recent findings by consultancy company Control Risks has identified South Africa as the top target for cybercrime in Africa, given the relatively higher rate of internet penetration, GDP per capita and the lack of training provided to the country’s law enforcement agencies to deal with such crimes.

Security is an ever evolving threat landscape and as a result, partnering with experts who have experience in maintaining the integrity of a network, is key.

While the cloud services provider is responsible for protecting the basic infrastructure, businesses should not be complacent in ensuring that the fundamentals – IT policies and procedures, and regular security audits and tests – are in place.

Security is only as strong as the weakest link, and unfortunately in many cases this comes down to uninformed employees who place the company at risk.  Company employees are increasingly being targeted through a variety of means designed to either trick them into providing information on phishing websites, or to click on links that result in malware being downloaded onto their computers or mobile devices.

Once an individual has compromised the network, perpetrators have access to the business’ network and the confidential information that resides on it.

Hackers are increasingly sophisticated, and attacks take on various forms from ‘whaling attacks’ which are a highly personalised form of phishing that are directed at senior management (ordinarily in the C Suite – CEO and CIOs), aimed at getting them to part with confidential company information to ‘Ransomware’ attacks that effectively encrypt and shut down a network until a ransom is paid.

Security breaches have evolved from the network perimeter. For example, over 90% of Ransomware attacks originate via email. The growing number of security issues highlights the need for businesses to engage with cloud service providers that have technologies in place to mitigate risk across cloud infrastructure as well as other areas of vulnerability, namely email and endpoint devices.

This is a view that is further substantiated by Gartner, stating that enterprises are naïve in thinking that cloud service providers are entirely responsible for their customers’ security, and that the ultimate responsibility lies with organisations to exert control over the cloud.

Cloud services delivered with the correct security measures will give the client a platform to grow their businesses.

Vox has upgraded its software platform of choice in its Nerve Centre (remote monitoring facility) in an effort to unlock additional capabilities for its customers.

¨The upgraded platform combines the existing monitoring services, number plate recognition and remote access capabilities, with data analytics and business intelligence, risk management and scheduled maintenance and reports functionality,¨ says Kobus van Deventer, Guardian Eye Control Room Manager at Vox.

First launched in October 2015, the remote monitoring facility is intended to utilise otherwise unused bandwidth, especially after hours, to provide live streaming and monitoring of premises to a dedicated control room to customers across a range of industries.  The result is an impartial monitoring solution that is able to generate high quality footage that is admissible as evidence should there be a criminal case.

“We are committed to continually evaluating and benchmarking our software against best of breed solutions, and aim to become more than just an offsite monitoring provider. We believe this upgrade takes us one step closer,¨ adds Van Deventer.

Access to the Vox Telecom Nerve Centre is not restricted to existing customers, but can be utilised by any business that has a reliable data link installed and that is looking for additional security related services such as scheduled reporting and maintenance and risk management.

Concludes Van Deventer, ¨The reality is that criminal elements are finding ways to overcome a more traditional approach to accessing industrial and business premises, so it is up to security and technology providers, to find ways in which to circumvent these and provide as integrated a solution as possible.¨

Vox  has announced its commitment to taking high speed connectivity beyond the metropolitan cities, in what it calls a national long distance fibre project.  Its first stop is Richards Bay, halfway between Durban and Kosi Bay.

Says Jacques du Toit, CEO of Vox , “Most of the players have focused their fibre efforts on the large metros – Johannesburg; Cape Town and Durban – targeting the higher income groups.  What they are forgetting, are the smaller towns that support a big part of the economic growth, and GDP for the country.”

The Vox -led long distance fibre project will take high speed fibre, and wireless connectivity to the Eastern belt of the country, extending from Witbank through Middelburg, Secunda, Ermelo, Piet Retief, Paulpietersburg; Melmoth, Empangeni, Richards Bay and Ballito.

“There are still some economic factors to consider, and it isn’t immediately possible to deploy fibre in every single one of these towns.  We know the backhaul will improve the overall connectivity experience, but fibre will only be feasible (for now) in Witbank, Middelburg, Empangeni and Richards Bay.

For the other towns along the eastbound leg of the country, we will deploy wireless links via a high capacity backhaul and change their connectivity experience for the better,” adds Du Toit.

“We have spoken to residents and business owners, who have told us that their internet services are limited to basic website searches and social media applications.  No YouTube, Netflix or  ShowMax – in fact no OTT offerings available at all.

Suddenly, the towns on this route, will go from best effort basic services, to having the capability to leverage ERP and CRM in the cloud, in fact, just about any cloud-based solutions or services.  These tools and technologies will not only improve connectivity, but will impact education, business efficiencies and service delivery,” says du Toit.

Although this is a Vox led initiative, and the network will be built and deployed by Frogfoot Networks, it will be an open access networks that will allow customers freedom of choice when it comes to their ISP.  The company will launch its own competitively priced connectivity packages supporting the customer services requirements of businesses in the towns.

Vox has entered into a strategic collaboration with Ruckus Wireless Inc to provide its customers across business and consumer segments with an integrated Wi-Fi solution offering for existing and new market requirements.

The collaboration will see Vox standardising its Wi-Fi offering on Ruckus Wireless to provide the company with a convenient and integrated product set across both the consumer and business arenas.

Dederick Venter, Executive Head of Outsourced Technology at Vox, said, “As we are rapidly expanding our services offering into both fibre-to-the-business and to-the-home, we were faced with new Wi-Fi connectivity requirements from our customers and needed a Wi-Fi player that was not only a technology leader, but had an extensive product range to meet our exacting demands from home users right up to enterprise. We believe we have found that with Ruckus Wireless.”

This joint venture comes at a time when the demand for fibre to publicly available Wi-Fi networks is increasing in South Africa and service providers are looking for technology partners that put development and innovation at their core to meet these growing requirements.

Riaan Graham, Sales Director for Ruckus Wireless sub-Saharan Africa said, “Given the reliance on mobile access to data, businesses and consumers are looking for always-on connectivity. Wi-Fi provides this cost-effectively, but it has to be flexible enough for service providers to customise it according to the demands of the market. Video streaming, home automation and the Internet of Things (IoT) is growing locally and consumers are demanding a richer experience to take advantage of these value added services, as well as services that were traditionally not available. While fibre provides a foundation for connectivity, it is Wi-Fi that will accelerate digital citizenry in the months and years to come.”

Aligned to Vox’s service offerings and given its national scope, Ruckus Wireless is providing the company with an extensive product range that meets a range of technical requirements. The solutions include the full range of Ruckus Wireless indoor and outdoor access points; the Ruckus vSPoT™ virtualised instance for the Ruckus smart positioning technology, the Ruckus Virtual SmartZone (VSZ)™ software platform, the Ruckus ZoneDirector™ wireless LAN controller software, and the Ruckus FlexMaster™ remote wireless LAN and Wi-Fi service management platform.

In addition to providing a full range of products and a centralised management platform, Ruckus has also enabled Vox Telecom to reduce its Wi-Fi installation lead time from 45 days to less than 14 – significantly improving productivity.

“Becoming the Wi-Fi provider of choice for a leading telecoms operator like Vox Telecom is testament to the product and service capabilities of Ruckus Wireless technology,” adds Graham.

“Fibre-to-the-home and to-the-business is opening up new opportunities and value added services. This dynamic new collaboration is certain to take South Africa into the connected future,” concludes Venter.

As a symbol of their work together and commitment to a South African cause, Vox and Ruckus Wireless have also pledged to sponsor an anti-poaching dog and its handler. The sponsored dog will undergo intensive training before being deployed into one of the park programmes driven by the K9 unit.

 

Having access to the internet is fast becoming a way of life versus just being a nice to have. This has given rise to a greater demand for connectivity from both South African consumers and businesses alike, with fibre being one of the fastest growing and most competitively priced options.

Simon Butler, Vox’s Head of Product for Carrier and Connectivity says, “While fibre is by no means a new technology, having existed in the South African market for at least six to seven years already, the difference now is that it is becoming more freely available to end-users as a result of the growth in the number of fibre operators.”

Fibre infrastructure is being rolled out, primarily in major metropolitan centres and is becoming more easily accessible in response to the demand for fast, reliable, internet connectivity.

“This demand is, in part,  driven by the exponential growth in online content from a consumer perspective and a greater need to consolidate ICT spend with a converged service in the business segment”

“In South Africa, a few niche operators have taken advantage of this need for connectivity with players such as Vumatel being one of the biggest catalysts for fibre adoption in the consumer space since 2014.

Vumatel and Telkom – who quickly adopted the same strategy, experienced greater investment interest following the surge in demand enabling an aggressive rollout strategy of FTTH,” he says.

Key to the economic benefit of this strategy for operators is that fibre optic technology will not easily need to be replaced for the foreseeable future.  Often referred to as the endgame technology, fibre infrastructure offers a very attractive business model over the longer term.

“Telkom has stated that it plans to have one million homes covered by its network by the end of 2018, and approximately 140 000 by the end of 2016,” says Butler.

“Vumatel is targeting a further 200 000 homes, Frogfoot is aiming for 100 000, and a further 40 000 made up by other smaller providers,” he says.

Combined, we could see approximately half a million homes with access to a fibre network by the end of this year.”

The targets being set by the infrastructure providers are aggressive, and the more rapid deployment of the network and seemingly increased interest in funding will mean potentially reaching those goals with relative ease.

To put this growth into perspective, in just seven years it is anticipated that 500 000 homes will have access fibre and by 2020 that could be as many as 3 million. This compared to 1,3 million homes that have adopted ADSL connectivity over a twelve year period.

As with the nature of new technologies, higher LSM markets tend to be first to experience these advances.  As these rollouts continue, and the number of connected areas grow outwards, more and more segments will ultimately get connected.

“With the proliferation of smart devices in the market, people living in outer areas will continue to have connectivity via their phones and technologies such as 3G and LTE will to dominate and keep these areas connected for quite some time,” explains Butler.

Butler believes that South Africa is becoming more competitive on the global stage, both from a technology and pricing perspective.

“As the demand for connectivity and the technology enabling this increases, so we will see prices drop,” he concludes.

 

 

 

 

 

The FTTH/B landgrab is underway and neighbourhoods all over South Africa are being inundated with holes, digging, orange bunting and promises of super-fast speeds. Fibre is in the home, the SME and the city, but what does this mean for the future of the business?

How will FTTH enable companies in terms of allowing people to work from home?

Working from home is not solely dependent on the shift from ADSL or 3G connectivity to fibre-based connectivity. FTTH does however enable a more stable, reliable, high speed connectivity that makes accessing tools like skype, email and cloud-based services, easier and quicker. We believe that this will fast forward the notion of the remote workforce, but will require a cultural shift amongst South African organisations.

Will there finally be a shift from the drive-to-a-meeting mentality to the online space?

The drive-to-a-meeting mentality is less about the technology available, and more about our culture as a social economy. While the stability and speed of fibre-based connectivity provides a more seamless experience with online meetings, and video based conversations, adoption of this approach will depend more on our workforce, than on the technology.

How will security impact this and what challenges need to be considered for it to become a reality?

The reality is that high throughput and remote accessibility will enable more vehicles for attack and companies will need to ensure a more stringent and inclusive security strategy – across a range of protocols, devices and connectivity platforms.  That being said, the positives of fibre connectivity – to the home, or to the business – far outweighs the negatives.  With awareness, and vigilance, attacks can be minimised and risks more effectively managed.

Will the connections be reliable and swift enough to ensure functional capability at home?

Absolutely. Fibre provides a more reliable, high speed connectivity capability that ensure lower latency and less buffering for video based tools. FTTH/B will deliver functional capabilities with relative ease, and unlock greater opportunities for additional tools that drive collaboration in the business.

How ready is the South African corporate to release the traffic and embrace the virtual workforce and will it allow the employee with fibre to stay home and increase their productivity?

We feel that the workforce is potentially closer to being ready to embrace a hybrid approach to working – combining hot desking, with remote working. It will take a significant cultural shift from corporates that have become accustomed to have an office bound workforce.   There is no doubt that FTTH/B can fast forward the idea of a virtual workforce – and we believe it is going to be a matter of when, rather than if. Hot desking and remote working will become the norm, and will be enabled by the technology and capabilities of fibre-based connectivity.