Busy Lamp Field (BLF) FAILS with Grandstream GXP2130 phones & Anveo service

Following over 4 months of troubleshooting with Grandstream engineers, it has been determined that the BLF feature does not work when using the Anveo virtual PBX system. The phones fail to display a correct aspect after being in use for a short period of time because the Anveo server uses an incorrect phone ID number when attempting to send a BLF NOTIFY packet to other phones.

We have made Anveo aware of this defect. Unfortunately Anveo's management has shown zero interest in working with Grandstream to fix the problem. Since Anveo advertises BLF as working on one of their YouTube videos, we believe this to be false advertising on their part. View our demonstration video:

  Anveo-Grandstream BLF SMACKDOWN

Grandstream GXP-2130 firmware defect advisory

We have discovered that BLF does not work properly on the GXP2130 phones due to a SIP compliance issue with the phones. According to RFC 3265 (which governs SIP Event Notifications protocol) permits empty body NOTIFY body. This makes the phones not fully compliant with SIP standards. We would like to see this fixed with a firmware upgrade ASAP.

A recent article on our involvement in supporting the local business community

The Port Richmond Business Alliance: Sticking Up For the Little Guy | BY BEN SMOLIN |

SEPTEMBER 3, 2015 It’s tough out there for a small business owner. You have to find and maintain customers, balance your budget and create a sustainable business plan all at the same time. There are only so many hours in a day and after all that work just to turn a profit, it can seem impossible to find the time to represent and advocate for your business interests. Life may feel like a struggle as you try to to avoid feeling ”burnt out.” This is where organizations like the Port Richmond Business Alliance (PRBA) step in Jon Frey, owner of Richmond Computer (3049 Almond Str.) and president of PRBA, helped start the organization when a group of business owners realized that they had no unified voice to represent themselves. “In early 2014, several business owners in Port Richmond along the Allegheny Avenue and Richmond Street corridors recognized that there was no organization to represent the interests of business owners in Port Richmond and felt that a unified organization could help fill that void and contribute in a positive way to the community,” Frey said. PRBA’s membership consists of businesses ranging from confectionaries to bars to family doctors to computer shops. In order to be eligible for membership, a business must be located in between Castor Avenue, Lehigh Avenue, Cedar Street and the Delaware River. On the group’s website, pbralliance.org, they break down their goal into five steps: Establish an organization of business persons representative of the business and professional interests of Port Richmond. Promote and encourage the creation and expansion of businesses in Port Richmond. Establish a business climate favorable to Port Richmond-based businesses. Encourage participation of local and regional business persons and organizations in all things related to Port Richmond business, professional, and industrial development. Unite the business community in Port Richmond and promote a greater sense of business and social unity in the PRBA membership. Frey sums it up much more simply by saying, “The Alliance is focused on bringing business owners together who are interested in actively working to improve the business climate in Port Richmond and make a positive impact on the community.” The PRBA holds a meeting on the second Wednesday of each month at 8:15 AM in the annex at St. Adalbert’s church (2657 E. Allegheny Ave.). Representatives from organizations and groups that may be of interest to Port Richmond business owners come to these meetings to speak to PRBA members about topics that concern them. For example, in the past they have had the city’s commerce department talk about how to apply for loans to improve their storefront and have had SEPTA talk about the improvements happening to Route 15, a trolley that travels through the heart of Port Richmond’s business district. They also help organize neighborhood events like Port Richmond Second Saturdays, put together by Wayne Bullock, owner of Sweets & Treats (3138 Richmond St.) and Vice President of the PRBA. Second Saturdays feature food, local performers, music and vendors from locally-owned small businesses coming out and celebrating the day on the 3100 block of Richmond Street. It’s Port Richmond’s answer to the First Fridays that each month draw crowds to 2nd Street in Olde City and Frankford Avenue in Fishtown. The next Second Saturday is happening September 12. The PRBA is also looking towards the future in their actions. One of the projects the group is currently working on is establishing a scholarship that will benefit students who attend the local parochial schools. The group is organizing a “Taste of Port Richmond” event to raise money for the scholarship. The event will feature neighborhood favorites from 15 local establishments as well as red carpet photos and surprise performances. Tickets for the October 14 event cost $25 in advance or $30 at the door. They also want a say in what the Port Richmond of tomorrow will look like and have a plan for exacting their vision. “In the long run, the Alliance hopes to establish working relationships with other neighborhood organizations such as PROPAC, and the City Planning Commission to be involved in helping shape the future of Port Richmond,” said Frey. Interested in becoming a member of the PRBA? It’s easy! Simply attend one of their monthly meetings and ask a member for an application. Alternatively, you can also download the application here and mail it in. Membership is $50 per annum.

Source article

Internet phone service - Starting at $20/month

Richmond Computer is now a world class Voice-over-IP (VOIP) service provider. Unlike other VOIP carriers like Vonage, we provide a complete end-to-end service which includes equipment selection & procurement, programming of equipment, setup on your network, and configuration and management of the VOIP phone service. Starting at $20/month, per line (not including use charges). Discounts available for multi-line offices. Why make the switch? Switching from Verizon or Comcast enables you to: - Keep your number forever, regardless of location. Plug the phone into any internet connection, anywhere in the world! - Better features! Ring multiple lines at once, including cell phones, voicemail to email (and to multiple email addresses) - Video conferencing with any video enabled phone - Music on hold or special promotional on hold announcement (through our professional voice actor for just $50!) - And much more, for less than what you pay now!

Scammers posing as Microsoft support technicians continue to work the phones in search of victims, the company said last week, and have, in fact, grown bolder in their tactics. These scammers have even called our office here at Richmond Computer. "What's really alarming is that this type of scam shows no signs of slowing down," said Kirsten Kliphouse, the Microsoft executive who heads the company's customer service and support group, in a May 2 blog. "Increasingly, we hear via our front-line support team, and even from friends and family, that these scammers are getting bolder, targeting not only individuals but also businesses." The scams rely on a combination of aggressive sales tactics, lies and half-truths. Cold callers pose as computer support technicians, most often claiming to be from Microsoft, and try to trick victims into believing that their computer is infected, usually by having them look at a Windows log that typically shows scores of harmless or low-level errors. At that point, the sale pitch starts, with the caller trying to convince the consumer or business worker to download software or let the "technician" remotely access the PC. If you get a call from these folks, it will sound like this:

40 years of Microsoft

This month, Microsoft celebrates it's 40th anniversary

Here's a look back: Microsoft is 40 and fabulous. The software company started by Bill Gates and Paul Allen on April 4, 1975, is showing new energy lately, proving that the best may be yet to come. With the release of Windows 10 and a new browser later this year (RIP Internet Explorer), Microsoft hasn't garnered so much excitement in a long time. Windows 10: What You Missed at the Microsoft Event Bill Gates Reveals What Makes Him Feel 'Pretty Stupid' Why Microsoft's HoloLens Stands Out in the Battle of the Glasses In honor of the Redmond, Washington, company's 40th birthday, here's a look at 40 of the people, products and moments that helped define Microsoft's first four decades. 1. Bill Gates - Harvard's first most famous dropout (Mark Zuckerberg would come decades later) is the richest person in the world, with a net worth of $79.2 billion, according to Forbes. 2. Paul Allen - The other half of Microsoft, Allen told Fortune Magazine in 1995 that he was responsible for suggesting the company's name when he and Gates first went into business together. 3. Microsoft’s first product: Software for the Altair 8800. By 1978, year-end sales had topped $1 million. 4. Getting a deal to provide a DOS Operating System for IBM's computers in 1980 was a huge moment in Microsoft history, positioning the company as a software leader. 5. On Nov. 20, 1985, two years after the initial announcement, Microsoft ships Windows 1.0. 6. Gates and Allen took their company public in 1986 with IPO shares priced at $21. 7. Microsoft Office for Mac is released in 1989. 8. Windows 3.0 ships in 1990, ushering in the era of graphics on computers. 9. Windows 95 launches in 1995, selling an astounding 7 million copies in the first five weeks, according to Microsoft. 10. Windows 95 is also the first time the start menu, task bar, minimize, maximize and close buttons are introduced on each window. 11. "The Internet Tidal Wave," a 1995 memo written by Gates, calls the Internet "the most important development since the advent of the PC." That Bill Gates turned out to be right. 11. As the Internet exploded, Microsoft came out with its first browser, Internet Explorer, in 1997, thus beginning a love-hate relationship until its death in 2015. 12. Gates stepped aside as CEO in 2000, giving Microsoft its first new leader in the company's 25-year history. 13. Microsoft’s riches allowed Gates to start the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, the largest private foundation in the world. Gates' charity has focused on everything from education to world health initiatives. 14. Meanwhile at Microsoft, Gates' longtime right-hand man, Steve Ballmer, became known as a hard-charging and excitable CEO. He stepped down in 2014. 15. In August 2001, Microsoft released Windows XP. The interface was pretty and allowed people to burn music (here's my playlist, bro) and is remembered as one of the more important Windows updates. 16. Speaking of Windows, it was pretty genius of Microsoft to begin bundling Word, PowerPoint and Excel together beginning in 1990, setting the standard for offices everywhere. 17. Microsoft's bet on PowerPoint was a winner. The company acquired the program for $14 million from Forethought Inc. in 1987. 18. There were embarrassing moments too, though. Like when Excel had a multiplication bug in 2007. 19. The U.S. Department of Justice accused Microsoft of being a monopoly and in 1999 a judge agreed. That ruling was later vacated and Microsoft settled the antitrust case.

LegalTech 2015 - Conferences & trade show on the convergence of law and technology

On February 4, Richmond Computer attended the annual LegalTech conference in New York City. LegalTech is a combination of a trade show and educational conferences geared towards technology professionals and law practitioners. Staff from Richmond Computer attended several conferences that dealt with the issues of security, challenges and opportunities related to offsite data services (i.e. "cloud computing"). The lectures were given by Microsoft employees, with panel discussions headed by experts in the legal field. Following the conferences, Richmond Computer staff attended the trade show portion of LegalTech to discuss existing and emerging technologies in terms of tools and applications used both for e-discovery applications (such as digital forensics) and office based systems (Microsoft Azure, hosted Exchange platforms). A brief video was produced of the highlights of the trip: View more information on LegalTech

SMS Witness - Smartphone text message transcription service development meeting

On Friday January 30, 2015, Richmond Computer staff attended a brunch in Egg Harbor City, New Jersey. Our team traveled by train to allow extra time to creatively collaborate ways to expand, improve and grow this popular service.