XPhone Connect now with Softphone

UC manufacturer C4B Com For Business is launching a new release: XPhone Connect 7 is now on sale. The key innovation is the Softphone, via which all UC functions can also be used without a hardware telephone. For the first service release, C4B is also announcing two features that extend far beyond company boundaries...

Munich, 3 July 2018. Whether calling, rejecting, consultation, call holding or DTMF dialling: with the new XPhone Connect Softphone, all UC functions are also available without a telephone. With the help of the Softphone, companies can not only lower their hardware and telephony costs. At the same time, the feature enables a significant increase in flexibility: thanks to Softphone, employees can be reached anywhere under their office number. Shift change scenarios or office concepts such as "flexible seating" can also be implemented with minimal effort, as each employee has their own direct line regardless of the workplace. 

"With the Softphone, XPhone Connect becomes a fully fledged phone - thanks to state-of-the-art codecs in HD audio," explains C4B Product Manager Thomas Pecher-Wagner. "We don't want users to notice any difference to a 'real' phone, so we went for a functional range that includes practically every CTI feature." Development also focused on clear diagnostics and easy configuration. "The user can change devices smoothly during a call," explains Pecher-Wagner. "A classic scenario would be e.g. switching from the headset to a conference spider to let colleagues participate in the conversation." 

The XPhone Connect Softphone can also be used in virtualised environments and with terminal servers. This scenario was already intensively tested before the release: as one of the so-called Selected Customers, freight forwarder Tirolia Spedition was able to use Softphone even before the release: "Our employees access a terminal server via the All in One Client," explains Tirolia Managing Director Michael Lukasser. "The XPhone Connect Softphone ensures maximum flexibility: it makes no difference to our customers whether the employee is working on-site at our premises or e.g. from a home office." 

Chat function expanded

With the new release, C4B has also significantly expanded the chat function. Images can now also be sent via chat. In addition, screenshots can be created directly from the chat without having to open an additional tool. If required, images and screenshots can be edited with the integrated editor. "The days when chat was ridiculed as a toy in corporate communications are long gone," says Thomas Pecher-Wagner. "Today, the value of this extremely fast and direct communication is appreciated more than ever."

Another innovation concerns the conference call concept, which has been significantly reworked. The new XPhone Meetings combine audio conferencing, screen sharing and chat. If the Meeting is created using the Outlook or Notes plugin, an additional moderator can be appointed in the planning stage already. Thus e.g. an assistant can create a conference for their supervisor. Users of the Mobile App will also benefit from the new Meeting concept: with the new release, XPhone users can also dial into conference calls on the go via the app. The Mobile App has also been equipped with a widget that can be used to adjust the presence status. The app no longer needs to be opened extra for this purpose. 

Web-Meeting and Skype Federation

C4B is also using the release to announce additional upcoming enhancements: it is anticipated that two more features will be added to XPhone Connect 7 with the first service release. "Our philosophy is that communication - provided it is done well, of course - can be critical to business success," explains Pecher-Wagner. "And because business naturally takes place primarily with external parties, we are significantly expanding the options for exchanging information with customers and partners."

Via Skype Federation, in future chat and presence information can be exchanged with Skype users. This is possible via a server-to-server connection which can be used either in the form of Direct Federation (direct entering of the federation partner's IP address) or Open Federation (opening for connection requests from the internet). 

Web-Meeting extends beyond company boundaries too: via Web-Meeting, in future XPhone users can also share their screens with external contacts. Guests take part in meetings via their browsers and can not only see the screen, but also the list of participants and the Active Speaker. At the same time a group chat is available. "The special thing about Web-Meeting is that guests can join the session directly: simply via a link, without any plugins or other barriers to entry," explains Pecher-Wagner.

Live demo at "XPhone Unlimited"

Both the new XPhone Connect 7 features and Web-Meeting were presented live at the C4B partner event "XPhone Unlimited". "We are very satisfied with the response," says Thomas Pecher-Wagner. "Our partners have clearly told us we are offering them exactly the feature set they need to be successful in the marketplace."

XPhone Connect 7 has been on sale since 2 July. The start date for delivery of the software is 27 July.