Xelor tools improve VoIP quality

XelorRate Linux application boosts the performance of enterprise IP telephony

Service quality management (SQM) specialist Xelor Software has launched XelorRate, a Linux application designed to ensure the reliability and performance of enterprise voice over IP (VoIP) and IP telephony systems. XelorRate currently integrates with both Cisco CallManager and Avaya CommunicationsManager IP PBX systems.

Xelor CEO Rob Scott admitted that quality of service (QoS) and dynamic bandwidth allocation tools that can reduce packet loss, jitter and latency, which affect VoIP, often come free in routers, switches and network management software. And this makes XelorRate's $20,000 (£10,640 + Vat) site license and $40 (£21 + Vat) user license look expensive in comparison.

But Scott argued that the managed installation and inclusive support and maintenance contract can save a lot of cash in the long run.

"When we put the software on, it automatically implements QoS configuration on the network and we don't have to send a qualified engineer out to site – that saves a lot of money on installation," said Scott. "Secondly, we police the network, whereas Cisco has a set-and-forget policy - it implements the QoS processes then leaves them. A customer may have to spend $10,000 to $15,000 to solve a problem that arises six months later."

Mid Bedfordshire District Council recently installed XelorRate to improve the quality of its CallManager system, so that enquiries from the public were not disrupted when large files containing 150,000 council tax bills were transmitted on its network.

"The UK government's e-business initiative is pushing local authorities to buy IP telephony, but the grants run out in March 2007 so we have recently seen a deluge of enquiries," said Scott.