When making use of telephone bugs, it can be very frustrating to be constantly checking, only to find that you missed a call. You have a busy life. Other things to do, other clients to work for, a life to live. You can’t just be sitting there trying to play hit and miss with telephone bugs. This is where the new generation of bugs comes in. It is possible to use a bug that will actually call you when a phone call is made. That way you need not miss a conversation that you cannot afford to miss.

Traditional bugs require that you listen to the transmissions or call in to see if a call is being placed. Additionally, some telephone bugs only allowed you to hear one end of the conversation. Neither of these things is very savory, nor do the provide help to you as you frantically try to listen in at just the right time. Additionally, many transmitters run the risk of being found as they transmit the signal out. With telephone bugs that call you, you can listen to both ends of the conversation, and receive notification when a call is placed or received by your subject.

The first telephone bugs that work in this manner are bugs that look like cell phones. You plug them in to share the same line as the regular phone, and they look like they were forgotten or like they are charging. These phones can be programmed to silently ring your preferred number whenever the home phone goes off. And it is set up so that when you pick up to listen in, you are listening as if you were on another phone in the house (just like mom and dad did when you called home from college). You hear both ends, and neither party is the wiser.

Other telephone bugs that can be programmed to call you are more high tech cell phones. You give the phone to the subject (or have your client do so) and then you wait. These phones work like regular cell phones. The person talks normally and receives calls normally. But every time he or she uses the phone (place or receive) the phone dials you and lets you know.

No matter which product you choose, you don’t have to miss a call when you are called by your telephone bugs.

It may seem kind of strange that you would want to know how to tap your own phone line. After all, aren’t phone taps meant to be used on other people? However, there is a definite advantage to having a tap on your own line, as long as you are the one doing the tapping. The best thing you can do, especially if you are fielding some pretty important or incriminating phone calls, is to record them. You can use them for bargaining, or you can use them as evidence that someone is behaving inappropriately.

It is not too hard to learn how to tap your own phone line using simple and relatively inexpensive items that can be picked up from your local electronics store. You will need one Ferrite split core assembly, 75 feet of 28 AWG magnetic coil wire (enameled), one 1/8th inch mini-lug cable (should have tinned ends), and make sure have heat shrink tubing, tie wraps, and electrical tape.

One you have all of these items, it is time to begin learning how to tap your own phone line. Open the core assembly and wind the coil around the end that does not open. There should be roughly 100 turns of coil. You should leave a six inch tail sticking out before you start winding, and then at the end, create a second six inch tail when you clip the wire.

Use fine grit sand paper on the last half inch of the coil wire to remove the enamel. You have to be careful not to break the wire. Slip the tubing over each end of the wire for insulation purposes. Then, solder the ends of the mini phone plug to the coil wire. Use tie wraps to secure the cable to the tap, and insulate solder joints with electrical tape. Slip one (and one only) of the phone conductor circuit through the split core. You can then attach the core to a tape recorder to record all conversations that you wish.

This is a very simple way that you can create your own effective phone tap quickly and inexpensively. Additionally, you have the peace of mind that comes with being able to record conversations because you know how to tap your own phone line.

It you are a surveillance professional, then you will obviously need more than one type of spy surveillance product. If, however, you are looking to do a little recon on your own, for a specific purpose, chances are that you just need to find the right spy surveillance product to fit your individual situation. You could always hire someone else, but with so many spy gadgets reasonably priced, it is possible for you to enjoy a little spying on your own, with the help of the right equipment.

For the regular consumer, there is no need to go overboard when purchasing a spy surveillance product. It is important, however, to honestly evaluate your needs and determine how to get the best quality product you can afford. Even if you are not a professional, if you hope to get the information or evidence you need, then it is important that you have equipment of a good quality so that it does not fail you when you need it.

The next thing you need to do is familiarize yourself with the different spy surveillance product types available. You should know what they are used for, and what limitations they have. This way you can make a more informed purchase and get the right equipment for your job. Know whether it is more beneficial to listen, see, or do both. Or what is merely adequate for your purposes. Talk to professionals online or in a store. Most are willing to share information with you and help you understand the pros and cons of different brands, models, and types of spy gear.

Finally, it is time to actually purchase your spy surveillance product. You can go into a spy shop in your town or you can order your product online. If you choose to go into a store, you can see what you are looking for, and even talk to professionals. If you order online, you will often have a wider selection and lower prices.

When you are interested in taking your future into your own hands by discovering vital information yourself, then you can start looking for a good spy surveillance product.

Phone bugs are among the most popular of devices for surveillance. This is because there is something that humans enjoy about listening in on conversations and learning things that others may not want them to learn. For those who aspire to involve themselves in professional surveillance, and even for those who just participate in surveillance as a hobby, knowing the basics of phone bugs is valuable information.

Phone bugs are interesting because they are versatile. There are different types of these listening devices, and it is even possible to combine two or more different bugs into one bug that can act as its own backup device. These hybrid phone bugs are constructed from one of four different eavesdropping techniques: radio frequency (RF), ultrasonic, optical, and acoustic.

RF phone bugs are the most popular of covert listening devices. This is because they are inexpensive and they are difficult to trace. Even if the bug is discovered, chances are that it will not be traced to you. Radio waves are transmitted from the bug’s location to a secondary location. They are usually small and can easily be hidden in a device or very near the phone.

Ultrasonic phone bugs are bugs that read audio pressure waves. The signal from the talking is captured and then transformed into a signal too high for human ears to hear. It is transmitted to another location where it is turned back into an understandable signal. These bugs are harder to detect than RF bugs, and do cost a little more money.

The optical bug is the least popular of all the phone bugs. It is rather expensive and can be difficult to use. What the optical device does is turn sound (or even data, so it can be used to bug VoIP phone calls) into pulsating beams of light. The light is then reconverted into sound in order to be heard by the eavesdropper.

Finally, the last weapons in the covert listening devices arsenal are the acoustic phone bugs. These, however, are not technically bugs. They are merely low-tech options that allow you to listen in using things like rubber tubes at construction “soft spots” and open windows.

Know your listening devices, and you will be able to more effectively find out what you should know with phone bugs.

With the changes in electronics and telecommunications over the last decade, it is difficult to keep abreast of the latest, greatest technology. Long distance companies and phone services are constantly changing, and so are their offerings. If you are still using traditional phone services and have had the same phone company for the last twenty years, and you haven't checked out the latest offerings, you probably will be able to save some big dollars off your monthly phone bill.

With the de-regulation of the telecommunications industry many new long distance carriers that you may have not heard of entered the phone services market. While larger, better known carriers may charge 10¢ or more per minute of long distance, there are companies that charge only 2.7¢ to 3¢ per minute.

Bundled plans which include both local and long distance services, from lesser known providers, can also provide significant savings to you. You can easily compare phone services and rates online. Even if you want to stay with your current phone provider, call them to see if there are cheaper plans that you may take advantage of.

If you travel domestically or internationally, you may want to consider lower cost calling cards, which can easily be used by young and old alike. Phone charges can quickly add up when traveling, and prepaid phone cards can represent significant savings from your current phone company. Some calling cards offer current rates of 3.9¢ per minute – quite a savings from traditional long distance call phone services that are charged to your home.

Need to compare your current cellular phone plan against other plans? Utilize phone services websites to shop and compare, and to look for deals. Many people are using their cellular phones as their primary and only phone, so it pays to compare plans. Also check out your current Internet charges for dial-up or DSL services. You will be amazed at the savings you might be able to find by comparing rates and plans. On-line rate calculators and websites that consolidate phone service information really help you easily make side by side comparisons for all kinds of services. Advanced features like conference calls, T1 lines, and voice messaging are also phone services that can be shopped and compared.

When you do find lower rate plans, make sure to check for any hidden charges and fees that may be incurred by switching. Some local phone companies charge you a Primary Interexchange Carrier (PIC) fee for switching your local or long distance plan. The new company usually picks this charge up, but is important to confirm this before you switch. Read the fine print on all contracts and deals so you aren't surprised later by phone services charges you didn't know about.

There are so many phone services offered today that it really pays to compare their rates and services. Several websites make it easy to find pricing information and make comparisons. It makes sense to periodically check out the newest services available, and the lowest prices as well. The savings can all be yours.

If you are involved in surveillance on other people, chances are that there are other people involved in surveillance on you. In order to detect when others may be listening in on you, it is a good idea to keep one or two different types of spy bug detectors. Because there are plenty of different bugs out there, and because they make use of a variety of different technologies, it is important to have at least two different types of spy bug detectors in order to sweep for multiple types of listening devices.

Because the most popular listening devices are RF (radio frequency) bugs, it is important to make use of RF spy bug detectors. Choose a sensitive model with good bandwidth and circuitry. It is good to have one that can pick up a wide range of frequencies so that you are not missing a bug, and then feel confident that it has been removed. Of course, if you are in an area where there is a great deal of ambient RF energy, there may be too much interference. The good news, though, is that with most detectors of this type it is possible to experiment and then familiarize yourself with the unit so that you can still use it even in high RF areas.

Electronic eavesdropping can also be detected with spy bug detectors that not only find electronic signals in a room or on a person you are speaking with, but also pinpoints them It is possible for you to get a detector with a LED display that shows you exactly where the bug is located. This can help you to either find and disable the bug, or let you know where it is so that you can “plant” misleading information.

Finally, in today’s wireless world it is possible to detect digital blue tooth eavesdropping. There are spy bug detectors that can help you avoid being spied on with wireless devices, and with blue tooth technology. There are even state of the art detectors that switch between detecting digital bugs and analog bugs. With all that is available, you can easily avoid any eavesdropping by utilizing spy bug detectors.

Many people wonder why their telephone company charges different prices for different types of long-distance calls. Doesn't this mean that customers can get charged a lot on all of their long-distance calling service since every call can be a different price? The answer to this question is an obvious, "yes." They will certainly be charged more because of all the additional parties involved and extra steps needed due to the distance that their call must travel.

The local telephone company or "local exchange carrier" (LEC), as it is known in the industry, is the entry point for a person who wants telephone service. An LEC, however, is not concerned with finding the most favorable ways of making the whole long-distance connection. They are initially just concerned with taking care of the physical network, like telephone poles & wires and big telecom switches, which supports the local calling area. And of course, they also need to make sure that all long-distance calls are organized so that each finds the proper connections to the communication super-highway.

For this reason, a market exists for smaller companies to help organize long-distance only calls and it all begins with their ability to find the best ways of making long-distance connections. In the past, there was only one way in which calls were connected because there was only one telephone company in the whole United States. Later on, other LEC's were formed but long-distance calls were all still handled by only one long-distance telephone company. Customers had very little choice about how much they paid on their telephone bills, especially on their long-distance calls, which were often very expensive to make. But then the government changed telecommunication regulations and enacted anti-monopoly laws against the one long-distance company. Thus, the road was paved toward allowing other companies, not just the LEC's, to serve customers' long-distance telephone needs. Now customers could choose which company was going to provide local service and which was going to provide long-distance. This was particularly important for people who used a lot of long-distance because the new long-distance companies offered much more affordable rates compared to those offered by LEC's who were not pressured to find the most efficient ways to make the complete connection across all different areas to the final intended destination.

The current dual-company, phone-service situation means that customers can choose one company for their local telephoning needs - an LEC - and then choose a different company - a long-distance carrier - to handle their long-distance calls. With this set-up, all local calls are serviced by an LEC and all long-distance calls by the long-distance carrier. Of course, the LEC will still be responsible for making sure the landline wires coming into a house work properly as well as organizing calls within the local area. But when someone wants to make a long-distance call, the LEC recognizes this particular customer's request for connection with a destination that is outside of the local-calling area and sends it to the long-distance carrier. The long-distance carrier then takes over the call and sends it to the communication super-highway so that the call can connect with someone in another area, state, or even country. The long-distance carrier uses the communication super-highway just like an LEC would, the difference being that it focuses only on long-distance service so that it is able to offer much lower rates than LEC's do. With its special partnerships allowing it to serve calls to destinations all over the United States as well as the whole world, a long-distance carrier is the best and most cost-effective resource for consumers.

One of the issues that almost everybody has to deal with these days is what is called the cost of communication. Almost every day we hear horrific stories about gigantic phone bills in the media. Of course, some of these stories are exaggerated. However, the high cost of communication is very real. Many phone service providers charge a lot for long distance calls. That’s not all. These companies overcharge for calls to outside the U.S. For example, if someone has a friend in the Europe, and she decides to call her friend, she might end up paying 30 cents a minute for that call. That is a very high price to pay for just a simple call. Besides, a lot of these so called phone service providers charge extra due to their brand reputation. That leaves the consumers in an even worse situation. Not only they have to pay for using a phone service, but they have to pay extra for the reputation that they helped the phone service provider build over the years.

Now, if you are expecting to make a few long distance calls every month, then you simply have two options: You can either become rich enough to be able to pay your phone bills, or you can use an International prepaid phone calling card.

The Internet is one of the greatest and most influential technologies in the history of mankind. The Internet has helped bring people all around the world closer together. However, the Internet has yet to completely satisfy the need for vocal communications. That’s where prepaid international calling cards come in. Phone cards are way cheaper than some of the phone services out there. Besides, companies realize that an International calling card seeker is more price sensitive, so consumers are less likely to end up paying extra due a service provider’s good reputation. Therefore, phone card service providers constantly try to lower their costs and pass those savings to their customers. Also, the Internet has made using prepaid phone cards easier than before. Some phone card service providers offer “pin-less” services, which makes using prepaid cards more convenient. Though International prepaid phone calling cards are very useful , consumers need to be wary of bogus offers trap. As mentioned before, the prepaid calling card market is a saturated market. In other words, in order to successful in this market, prepaid card providers need to focus on achieving price leadership. Nevertheless, some of these so-called providers lower their offers by lowering the quality of their calling cards. Quality-sensitive consumers need to spend a considerable amount of time to avoid falling into this trap. But, once they find a truly good deal, consumers can look forward to saving as much as 50% on their phone bills.

No longer consumers have to accept the long distance and International prices that their phone service providers are offering them. By finding a good deal on a calling card, consumers can lower their cost of communication considerably. In addition, due to these low rates, consumers are able to get in touch with their friends, families, and businesses around the globe more often.

Once in your life, you were able to go to India. It was all part of a business matter that you had to take care of. And while in India, you simply fell in love with the country, the culture, and the people. You have seen the Himalayas, and the Ganges River. You have visited the rich temple Tirupati and the industrial city of Asansol. You know a little conversational Hindi. You had the opportunity to visit the colorful cities of Calcutta, Bombay, Delhi, Bangalore and Kanpur. And you made plenty of friends and acquaintances there.

You never fail to communicate with your friends back in India. You feel like they have become family, and you are very grateful for India calling cards. They have been mostly your agent for contacting your friends in India.

In the market, there several companies and businesses that offers cheap rates for India calling cards. There are also some who provide different plans for these calling cards so as to suit their customers’ and patrons’ paying preferences. Similar to a normal calling card, India also has prepaid and postpaid calling cards.

India calling cards come in a variety of options, features, and plans. There are those that give you the capacity to call any city in India using those cards. Also, there are those that offer cheap rates when you call landline numbers or mobile phones. There are also those India calling cards that enable you to call any place in India even if you are located any place in the world.

As part of the customer support that these India calling cards provide, instructions on how to use them are included when you purchase one. Some postpaid accounts also provide perks that include cheaper rates, clearer lines and connections, and free minutes of talk time for some plans.

Choose Mobile Data Service Providers and not Mobile Operators

This article gives a brief comparison between SMS Service / text messaging by Mobile Data Service Provider (MDSP) and Mobile Operator (Mobile Operator) SMS Service / text messaging service. The comparison is based on the top ten factors as identified in a study done by the author in various countries including US, UK, Germany, India and Singapore. The mean score of ranking of importance of each factor as identified is provided as below.

1. Redundancy:-

MDSP: Connected to multiple operators leading to a highly reliable service.

Mobile Operator: Single operator service. No service if operator network breaks down

2. Scalability and Flexibility (in throughput):-

MDSP: Highly flexible. Ramps up throughput at a short notice

Mobile Operator: Dependent on Operator policy. Normally, does not make any change for a specific customer

3. Security:-

MDSP: Transmitted using HTTPS protocol from client application to Mobile Data Service Provider’s Server with a third party certification.

Mobile Operator: Normally offer HTTP protocol with security gaps

4. Support:-

MDSP: 24X7 efficient support with clear escalation policy. Relevant people directly contactable, anytime.

Mobile Operator: Support quality poor, bureaucratic leading to high turnaround time

5. Client applications:-

MDSP: Provides a range of client applications with rich features for quick deployment

Mobile Operator: Provide URL based SMS service

6. SMS cost:-

MDSP: Low as Mobile Data Service Provider pass on the advantage of its large volume buying to its customers

Mobile Operator: Likely to be high

7. Online / real-time delivery report:-

MDSP: Ensures delivery report at the user interface

OPT: If they provide delivery reports, it is on URL

8. Level of understanding of IT back-end systems:-

MDSP: Very high

Mobile Operator: Very low

9. Business focus: -

MDSP: Only mobile data services

Mobile Operator: Mainly voice

10. Short-code compatibility:-

MDSP: Receives messages from subscribers of all operators on 4 digit short code

Mobile Operator: Can receive messages only from its own subscribers

Proliferation of Virtual world has minimized the gap among businesses in the Global village. But, the appealing factor of virtual development that is implemented in Offshore Model of “High quality, low cost endeavor” is often wrapped up with the complexity of being able to understand the other side. A weak Communication between the Offshore Client and the Vendor can lead to problems such as

• Productivity Loss
• Mismatch of deliverables and expectations
• Loss of valuable time
• Redundancy of tasks

There is more to communication than merely conveying the content. Besides the semantics, which is the key to being at the same wavelength, Attitude and Diction with which the information is shared are equally important. Software development outsourcing is the main field which mainly depends on the communication. Apart from the problems that arise from differences in culture, language and time zone, the communication could be fudged if there are multiple people communicating from the offshore vendor side to the client. Such ambiguities can be alleviated by implementing appropriate Strategies for communication, as mentioned below:

A. Using Communication Tools:

• Email
• Instant Messenger
• Phone calls
• VOIP
• Extranets
• Web Meetings
• Virtual Office Cabinets
• Ticket Management System
• Customized communication applications

B. Guidelines, Practices and Discipline

The two shores should communicate by following certain guidelines and practices

• Design the Discussion Document that takes into account the perspective from the both the offshore client and the vendor. The Document should outline the following:
  • Tasks
  • Roles assigned for the tasks
  • Mode of communication between the client and the vendor
  • Mode of intra-communication between the Software Teams and the Business Teams
  • How to tackle or mitigate any unexpected Issues or Risks
  • Status Reports [Daily, Weekly]
• To avoid any communication gap, the correspondence should take place with discipline according to the defined schedule.
• Risk of information loss is eliminated if both the client and the offshore vendor delegate their tasks through the Project Managers from either side, which enables smooth information relay among the client and the vendor employees.

C. Techniques

• Clarity of goals before any meeting or phone conversation
• Concise to-the-point discussion
• Documents with bullets and points
• Send summary of discussion

Though E-Business communication tools such as e-mail, tele-conferencing, fax, chat, video–conferencing all serve as a conduit to effective and efficient means of information transfer, their usage can be more productive if used with a planned approach. An effective communication does not end with a healthy initiation, but is sustained keeping the momentum by maintaining agile response loop. Hence, a proactive approach from both the client and the Offshore Vendor is mandatory to further the business goals.

A business fax machine is one of the most commonly used tools in businesses. This is mainly used in sending and receiving important business documents such as contracts, proposals, and proofs through phone lines. And since many businesses use this device for several business transactions, a wide variety of options is available to suit the different needs of business owners. However, there are some people who find it difficult to select the right business fax machine. Here are some important features that one should look into before buying.

Important Features

The first feature to consider is the printing technology. Plain office paper is often used in almost all fax machines especially the less costly models that use thermal printing technology. However, printouts from this type do not have the same quality results as inkjet fax machines. Inkjet faxes, on the other hand, are more reliable because these can print, copy, and send documents and graphics in color. Aside from thermal and inkjet faxes, laser fax machines are also available. These are known to print sharper text, which is why businesses often make use of them.

Another feature to consider is speed. Since business fax machines are used in most business transactions, these should be reliable in terms of speed. Different types of fax machines vary in speed. For the less expensive models, the speed range is usually pegged at about 15 seconds per page. Those with a higher price tag have a speed of up to about three seconds per page. If your business make use of fax machines regularly, it will be wise to go for the more expensive model because this will help you save money through reduced phone charges.

And lastly, the memory of the fax machine should be considered. Fax machines store outgoing and incoming pages in their memory. If the machine runs out of paper, it saves the incoming fax in memory and then prints this fax when the paper tray is reloaded. The business fax machine that you should get should have at least 512KB of memory. However, if you can afford the more expensive models with a higher memory ranging from 8 MB to 16MB, it will be more cost-efficient for you, especially if your business is dependent on business fax machines for important transactions.

These are the important features that you should look into before buying a business fax machine. With these in mind, you will not find it difficult to choose the right machine for your business.

Companies that require complete control over their server configuration opt for collocation services. Typically, these companies place their servers on the premises of a third company, and then these are connected to the Internet. Some companies also offer to “build” servers for those who do not already have them. There are certain factors that need to be assessed prior to handing over the server to such a company. First and foremost, the location where the server is going to be placed needs to be checked. This is important, as the data in the server might be crucial and as such should not face any natural disasters.

Security is an important aspect, especially in cases where only authorized personnel are allowed access to the server. The information may be vital to a company, and any leak could cause irreparable losses.

The rate at which data is transferred, i.e., the bandwidth, should be at an optimum speed. The host should also have a “back up” plan in case there is a break in the Internet connectivity. Internet protocol, commonly called IP, is the connectivity of the machine to the Internet. In instances where there are game servers, multiple IPs are required. This increases the cost and thus should be considered before selecting a collocation service. When a company provides hosting services, it is essential that it has experienced hands with sound knowledge of technology in case of any difficulty. They must be experts in troubleshooting.

Some companies use the services of two different companies, where the server is hosted with one and the other provides the Internet connectivity. Here, there are issues with cross-connection fees, which can complicate the matter. The host must be able to provide uninterrupted connectivity without any major hiccups. Prior to signing the contract, the terms of service, charges, uptime guarantees [the amount of time the site is online in a month] and the duration must be discussed in detail.

With the increasing popularity and necessity of fax broadcasting, people are looking forward to outsource this work. Instead of compiling a list of addressees and faxing them individually, they prefer to go for specialized broadcasters who reduce the effort and cost involved. Few of the most prominent vendors in this field are -

1. One Touch Global Services – A Microsoft Certified Partner, the company specializes in integrating and managing the entire lifecycle of paper and electronic documents. The lowest available rates are 4¢ per page. It provides the facility to broadcast at any hour of the day and schedules can be prepared even months in advance. Their fax server can send faxes to thousands of numbers within seconds. They also provide a status report on all the faxes sent and in case a fax bounces back, it is tried three more times before declaring the number as unreachable.

2. AirCom USA – Although the company has a 30 year old history, yet it has come of ages since 1995 when it started providing enhanced telecommunication services, including fax broadcasting. By allowing both instantaneous and spontaneous distributions, it personalizes the faxes so as to improve client’s returns. The company has a no obligation subscription of $8.95 per month. But then, one needs to pay for fax air time at the rate of 10 cents per minute. This usually comes down to an average of 3 to 7 cents per page.

3. Promo Fax – This is a UK based company, which has a long list of clients who would like to repeat their business with them. This is because results started pouring in soon after their faxes were sent out. In case of Ministry of Paintball, 740 registrations from around 45 companies were received within 48 hours of using Promo Fax’s services to send over 12,000 faxes. The company also provides consultation on your fax and target audience, there by letting you know how much response one can expect. The company doesn’t charges anything extra for faxes sent during the daytime and keeps coming with promotions and discounts to further strengthen its client base.

4. Faxts Telysis – With a 10 year experience, the company offers fax broadcasting, web-fax, web based broadcast fax, and send/receive faxing through email at wholesale prices. The company has a website where clients can create their accounts and schedule their runs. They can even start/stop outgoing faxes and make changes to their distribution lists. This helps in providing extra security to the client documents and distribution lists. They maintain an accurate and up-to-date list of fax receiving machines and then club them according to their zip or area codes, industry types, size of companies, etc. This way, even if the client is not having the complete list of fax numbers, they can provide the same.

Although, the number of available vendors has increased many a folds in recent times, it is always a better option to go for a vendor who can understand your requirements and then provide a service that suits your business. So it is always recommended to study the market and the players and then make a wise and sound decision.