Issue link: https://maltatoday.uberflip.com/i/640308
maltatoday, SUNDAY, 14 FEBRUARY 2016 IV Information Technology Businesses can reap savings on VoIP WILLIAM J England & Son Ltd (or WJ England) was established in 1906 by the late William John England. The company had three main areas of operation – shipping, insurance and consumer goods. We talked to its current director, also William England, who explained that historically the company was involved in the importation of core food sup- plies like flour and sugar, which were distributed across the Maltese islands selling wholesale to the village shops. The telecommunications side of the company was initiated in 1990 and they used the same concept for distribution, that is not selling directly to end users but selling to businesses who then reach out to end users and these can generate multiplier ef- fects. Its focus is on online services, in particular Domain Registration, Web Hosting, Email Hosting, Network Monitoring, as well as Voice Over IP (VoIP) Services either managed or self-managed. They deal mostly with software sales and the advantage of their software is that it is simple to use. This is making it very popular and they have sold over 200 licences in Malta in a three- year period. They also have sales in Italy and the UK, England explained. The company's primary product is currently 3CX. This Internet Protocol (IP) PBX is a complete telephony system that provides telephone calls over IP data networks. All conversa- tions are sent as data packets over the network. The technology includes advanced communication features but also provides a significant dose of worry-free scalability and robustness. The IP PBX is also able to connect to traditional PSTN lines via an optional gateway – so upgrading day-to-day business communication to this most advanced voice and data network is quite an easy affair. Enterprises don't need to disrupt their current external communication infrastructure and operations. With an IP PBX deployed, an enterprise can even keep its regular telephone numbers. 3CX allows does not require a complicated installation. In fact, England explained, the advantage of running their software is that it can run on a normal computer with a Win- dows operating system. Anyone with an understanding of computers and Windows can install and configure the PBX whereas a proprietary phone system often requires an installer trained on that particular proprietary system. Other advantages of 3CX is that it has a web based configuration interface and is therefore easier to manage. It does not need separate phone wiring and offers significant cost reduction by leveraging the Internet infrastructure. It allows users to hot plug their phone anywhere in the office, so users simply take their phone, plug it into the nearest ethernet port and keep their existing number. It also allows easy roaming and calls can be diverted anywhere in the world because of its Session Ini- tiation Protocol (SIP) characteristics. SIP is an Internet telephony signalling protocol used to establish, modify and terminate VoIP telephone calls. It also allows better reporting and better overview of system status and calls. An important factor for all clients is the call cost reductions. One can save substantially by using a VoIP service provider for long distance or international calls. One can easily connect phone systems between of- fices/branches and make free phone calls. "Another cost saving feature is that the system allows you to connect hardware phones directly to a stand- ard computer network port," England said. "Software phones can be installed directly onto the PC. This means that you do not need to install & main- tain a separate wiring network for the phone system, giving you much greater flexibility to add users and ex- tensions. If you are moving into an of- fice and have not yet installed phone wiring, you can save significantly by just installing a computer network." England said the company is always willing to offer support to their clients and are keen to offer advice for their clients to take maximum benefits from the product. The cost savings and benefits of the system makes the procurement of the software a worthy investment to any company. Safer Internet Day – staying safe online, worldwide ON 9 February, more than 100 countries worldwide, including all 28 countries of the European Union, celebrated Safer Internet Day (SID) for the thirteenth year running. Initiated under the European Commission's Safer Internet Programme and now continuing under the Connecting Europe Facility (CEF), which funds Safer Internet Centres in the member states. The day marks an annual opportunity to engage in making the internet a safer and better place for our children and young people. Coordinated by European Schoolnet and INHOPE (the International Association of Internet Hotlines), in close partnership with the Insafe network of Safer Internet Centres in Europe, Safer Internet Day has grown tremendously over the years. The theme of Safer Internet Day 2016 is 'Play your part for a better internet!'. Whether we are children and young people, parents and carers, educators or social care workers, or indeed industry, decision makers or politicians, we all have a role to play. In championing a better internet, the theme aims to encourage people to play their part in making the most of the positive opportunities offered online, while giving them the resilience, skills, knowl- edge and support they need to navigate any online risks they may come across. Each year, thousands of exciting events and activities take place to mark the day and raise awareness of the issues across and beyond Europe. Additionally, the Insafe network of Safer Internet Centres produces a range of resources for schools and educators to help them raise aware- ness of safe and responsible use of the internet and other online services. Find out what is happening in your country - and download resources – from the Safer Internet Day website: www.saferinternet- day.org. Last year's celebrations saw more than 19,000 schools and 28 million people involved in SID actions across Europe, while over 60 million people were reached worldwide on Twitter online with the SID hashtag, which trended globally several times on SID itself. We expect the SID 2016 celebrations to be even bigger, and we are already seeing support building with tweets from the likes of Günther H. Oettinger, Digital Economy & Society Commissioner and Roberto Viola, Director General of DG Connect at the European Commission. Speaking of the campaign, Marc Du- rando, Executive Director of European Schoolnet said: "We are delighted to organise this landmark online safety cam- paign with the support of the European Commission. The messaging around a safer and better internet complements the work we are doing with schools across Europe – and beyond – on empower- ing children and young people with the knowledge and skills they need to actively participate in today's digital society." Hans Martens, Digital Citizenship Pro- gramme Manager at European Schoolnet and Coordinator of the Insafe Network said "The theme of 'Play your part for a better internet' truly reflects how stake- holders from across the world can and should work together to build a trusted digital environment for all. This approach is at the core of the Better Internet for Kids agenda, and we look forward to seeing many exciting initiatives and collabora- tions, both on the day of SID itself and beyond."