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Category: Learn

What is Remote Call Forwarding?

23rd February 2022 blog, Call Management
Picture above shows what remote call forwarding is.

With the growing acceptance of remote and flexible working, it is important to equip your business with cloud-based tools that ensure employees continue working even if they cannot be present …Read More »

Understanding the UAE Local Numbering Plan

19th February 2022 Learn
A complete guide to the UAE's local numbering plan

UAE phone numbers, especially those from Dubai with the coveted (04) prefix, are highly sought-after in the global business landscape. Global Call Forwarding receives dozens of requests for Dubai local …Read More »

What are Call Detail Records (CDRs) and Their Benefits?

14th February 2022 blog, Call Management
What are call detail records (CDR)?

As the name implies, call detail records (CDRs) register all details of incoming and outgoing calls on your system. Whether you’re operating on a VoIP system, wireless phone, or PSTN, …Read More »

What is Find Me Follow Me?

11th February 2022 blog
What is find me follow me routing?

Whether you’re taking calls from customers, clients, or employees, an effective communication system is essential to every business. Find Me Follow Me call forwarding helps you stay connected when you’re …Read More »

8 Common SIP Problems and Solutions

8th February 2022 blog, VoIP
The most common SIP problems (with solutions)

Effective communication systems are at the heart of successful businesses. SIP provides your business phone system with a dependable, cost-effective, and modernized service. While this service offers a ton of …Read More »

5 Ways to Improve Caller Experience with Cloud Communications

17th January 2022 blog, Customer Service
Use cloud communications to improve caller experience.

When a customer calls your business, they expect to be helped right away. Without a basic phone number, a consistent answering system, an organized routing plan, and more, you could …Read More »

Amazing Data Centers Around the World

6th March 2018 Learn, Tech

What makes a data center amazing? It could be size or whether the data center has an environmentally friendly, green design. Aesthetics like beauty, uniqueness, or coolness could make it amazing.  Amazing is in the mind of the beholder. However, this article will begin with size.

World’s Largest Data Centers

On August 30, 2017, Hannah Williams reported on the 10 largest data centers by square footage in COMPUTERWORLDUK. The following table lists the centers and their sizes.

 

Largest Data Centers in the World by Square Footage
Data Center Location Size (sq ft) Data Center Location Size (sq ft)
The Citadel Reno, NV, USA 7.2 million Utah Bluffdale, UT, USA 1.5 million
Kolos Ballangen, Norway 6.5 million Microsoft West Des Moines, IA, USA 1.2 million
Range Int’l Langfang, China 6.3 million Lakeside Tech Center Chicago, IL, USA 1.1 million
Switch SuperNAP Las Vegas, NV, USA 3.5 million Tulip Bangalore, India 1.0 million
DuPont Fabros Tech Ashburn, VA, USA 2.1 million QTS Atlanta-Metro Atlanta, GA, USA 990,000

The Citadel

The global technology company Switch owns the Citadel. The Citadel’s connection time to Los Angeles is 9 msecs via the Switch Superloop. Then, from LA to the Core Campus takes an additional 7 msecs via fiber link. The Campus, including all data centers, has a design capacity of 650 megawatts of power. It also delivers 100% renewable energy, making it the largest and greenest data center in the world.

Kolos

Kolos is located north of the Arctic Circle. It will have computing power capacity of 1,000 megawatts, which will get electricity from Norway’s abundant hydropower capability. It will have a unique hyperscale data center designed with sustainability and security in mind. The site will open in the fourth quarter of 2018, will full completion by 2027.

data centers
Source: Shutterstock 306988172 – Standard License

Range International Information Group

Public and private funds financed this data center that services the IT sectors of private enterprises and the Chinese government. Construction began in 2013 and finished in 2016. IBM provided design services, technology, business applications, training, and support as needed.

Switch SuperNAP

The Switch SuperNAP site delivers data to Reno in 7 msecs, which allows 50 million people to access data within 14 msecs. This site has planned expansions in 2020 and 2025.

DuPont Fabros Technology

DuPont Fabros Technology consists of 7 buildings in Ashburn, Virginia that operate as a data center campus. The size of the campus is 160 acres. Each of the data center elements accommodates 10,500 servers. The campus total critical load is 208 megawatts operating with a medium voltage distribution system. It also uses isolated parallel power supply topology. During the latter part of 2017, Digital Realty acquired DuPont Fabros Technology, which ceased operations on September 14, 2017.

Utah

This site is a data center for the National Security Agency (NSA). It has a power capacity of 65 megawatts at an annual cost of $40 million. Its Tier 3 data center occupies 100,000 sq ft, administration and technical support, 900,000 sq ft, and the total campus, 1.5 million sq ft. Utah uses 1.7 million gallons of water per day, and its near-term data storage is between 3 and 12 exabytes. (An exabyte equals 1018 bytes.).

Microsoft

The facility occupies 200 acres at a projected cost of $2 billion. This is Microsoft’s largest data center. It will employ 133 persons. The data center is situated in 3 West Des Moines, Iowa locations to reduce the risk from natural disasters like tornadoes.

Lakeside Technology Center

Digital Realty Trust owns Lakeside Technology Center. It used by IBM, CenturyLink, and Facebook, among others. The data center has three electric power feeds to provide 100 megawatts of power, and there are 53 power backup generators. It uses 8.5 million gallons of cooling water per year. Its infrastructure space has four fiber vaults.

Tulip Data Center

Tulip is India’s largest data center. Tulip Telecom owns the site, and IBM assisted with the design of power, cooling, rack layout, and technology. There are 12,000 server racks back up by 100 megawatts of power. Tulip meets Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) gold standards and is an Uptime Institute Tier IV facility.

QTS Atlanta-Metro

Quality Technology Services (QTS) owns and operates this data center, which has an on-site Georgia Power substation and fiber access to several carriers. QTS offers its clients flexible solutions, secure facilities, real-time visibility, and expert support. The ATS Atlanta-Metro site features ample office space with suites, cages, and rack cabinets, along with dedicated servers, virtual servers, and remote hands.

Greenest Data Centers

The Information and Communications Technology (ICT) sector accounts for 2% of global carbon emissions including 0.3% from data centers. US data centers consume 1.5% of the country’s electricity. Therefore, many data centers feature designs to maximize energy efficiency and minimize environmental impact. A list of five of the greenest data centers in the world follows.

 

  • Green Mountain Data Center – There are two Green Mountain Data Centers in Norway; one in Stavanger and the other in Telemark. Both have achieved ISO 9001, ISO 14001, and Uptime Institute Tier 3 certifications. Stavanger is located deep inside a mountain at a former NATO site, and Telemark is near multiple hydropower plants. The data center serves finance, IT, government, health, O&G (a heavy civil construction firm), and others.
  • Verne Global Keflavik Facility – This carrier neutral, colocation data center is in Keflavik, Iceland. The site uses 100% carbon neutral power and natural cooling. Verne Global offers scalable solutions to address power requirements. Their clients include BMW, VW, DeepL, and the Earlham Institute.
  • HP’s Wynyard, England Data Center – This site was a conversion of an existing 30,000 sq ft warehouse. A design goal was to increase energy efficiency without sacrificing quality and reliability. This data center has a pressure free cooling system with minimum use of chillers. This required wider operating conditions for the IT equipment. Air plenums, to permit large volumes of low-velocity air to cool the equipment, sit below the data halls. The cooling fans use less than 5% of the total facility load.
  • General Electric’s Louisville Facility – The GE data center, built in 2011, has a LEED Platinum certification. The data center is 34% more efficient than similar facilities. High-density servers reduced space by 50%, and ultra-low-flow fixtures reduced water consumption by 42%.
  • Apple’s Maiden, NC & Prineville, OR Facilities – Apple’s data center in Maiden, NC is a 500,000 sq ft facility. It uses 100% renewable energy from its 300-acre site containing three solar farms and a 10-megawatt fuel cell installation. In April 2017, Apple disclosed a deal to buy 200 megawatts of power for its Prineville, OR data center from the Montague Wind Power Project in Gilliam County. It also purchases power from a 56-megawatt project called Solar Star Oregon II and it generates hydroelectric power from a project on the Deschutes River. In addition, Apple uses treated water from the Prineville sewage system to cool equipment.

 

Beautiful Data Centers

Datacenter Dynamics listed these beautiful data centers in its February/March issue of DCD Magazine.

  • The Switch Pyramid near Grand Rapids, Michigan occupies a building the former Steelcase design center. The 225,000 sq ft data center uses the lower two floors.
  • The Bahnhof data center in Stockholm is in a former nuclear bunker. It features waterfalls, a saltwater fish tank, and live plants. Submarine diesel engines generate backup power.
  • The Barcelona Supercomputing Center occupies a 19th century church, the Torre Girona. It houses the MareNostrum supercomputer, an IBM project with the Spanish government.
  • Located in Google, Oklahoma, this data center has murals on the outside walls. The murals represent data center activities and images from Google Maps. Jerry Odell was the concept artist who worked with 15 painters to create this marvelous project.
  • Naver is South Korea’s leading web portal. The data center is at the foot of Mount Gubong in Chuncheon, Gangwon Province.
  • Green Mountain, Norway – The data center listed above is both beautiful and environmentally efficient.
  • The NGD Newport data center is in a former LG semiconductor plant in Wales. Electricity from the Dinorwig hydroelectric facility powers the site.
  • Digital Reality owns the Amsterdam Data Tower in The Netherlands. Rosbach Architects of the Netherlands designed the building.
  • AQL built its headquarters and data center in the 18th century Salem Chapel in Leeds, UK. The data center has a glass ceiling, and it occupies the ground floor of the chapel.
  • The LuxConnect data center in Bissen, Luxembourg has grass on its roof to minimize environmental impact. Steel mesh walls act as a Faraday cage for security.

Coolest Data Centers

Some of the coolest data centers in the world include the following:

  • Google’s Floating Data Center
  • Ozark’s Data Center in the Missouri Mountains
  • Sun Microsystem Data Center Bat Cave
  • The Bahnhof data center is extremely attractive
  • The Barcelona Supercomputing Center is a marvel of design

Debt Collectors Have to Follow FDCPA Rules

28th February 2018 Learn, Tech, Tips

Whether you owe a few hundred dollars or tens of thousands to a debt collector, you may be on the receiving end of some frustrating phone calls. Unfortunately, this is one of the many harsh realities of being in debt to a third party. Collectors seem to follow you everywhere.

debt collector phone call
Source: Shutterstock 447617410 – Standard License

 

This is a very stressful situation for thousands of Americans each day. Data actually shows that 73% of American consumers die in debt. Of that 73%, the most common debts were credit card balances, mortgages, auto loans, personal loans, and student loans, in that specific order.

The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) exists for the protection of the consumer. This is why they have brought this act into law. The Fair Debt Collection Practices Act (FDCPA) actually protects you from some of the unfair tactics collectors use against you. It basically dictates how collectors should interact with you, and what they should and shouldn’t ask for. If they break the rules, they get a citation. Not only that, FDCPA ensures you have certain rights in the marketplace.

Here’s what you need to know about debt collectors that have to follow FDCPA rules.

FDCPA Rules About Calling

First of all, The Fair Debt Collection Practices Act considers repeated or continuous calls harassment.

Secondly, collectors should only call you during certain times of the day. If they attempt to contact your home before 8 AM or after 9 PM, be sure to log the time to provide as proof later on. More than that, if a collector is calling you during a time they know is inconvenient to you, that is also out-of-bounds behavior.

The FDCPA also has rules about contacting you at work. So if they know your employer does not approve your accepting these calls on company time, this is also a violation of the act.

Debt collectors should never repeatedly call a third party in an attempt to get your location information. In fact, the only time a collector should contact a third party is if they have reason to believe your current contact information is either outdated or false.

FDCPA Rules About Payments

There are many reasons why an individual would get into debt. This includes car payments, medical bills, or an unfortunate circumstance, such as divorce. No matter the cause, there is never a reason you should pay more than the amount of money owed. Further, a collector should not add on extra fees, expenses, or “taxes” attached to the original loan agreement.

You’d be surprised to know that it’s not uncommon for collectors to “double dip,” which is an illegal practice. This is when they attempt to collect on a debt that you settled long ago.

FDCPA Rules About Communications

Debt collectors should conduct themselves in a certain manner when they contact you. Any communications that are considered profane, abusive, or obscene should immediately be reported. Using threatening or violent tactics is absolutely against the law. This includes screaming at or belittling consumers. Keep in mind that debt collectors do not represent the government or any government entity, so they cannot bring in law enforcement agents, such as the police, against you.

Collectors can only go so far in an attempt to collect money. They cannot legally sue you or your family, they cannot file charges, and most importantly, they cannot claim your property or garnish your wages. Any person who claims they can ruin your credit (or threaten to ruin your credit) is lying and cannot take action in this way. They also cannot threaten to take away your home, car, or items of value on your property, including liens on your property. To do this, a collector would have to sue and win a case in court first.

When a collector leaves a message on your voicemail or online answering machine, they must state their name and the company they represent.

You should know that you are allowed a certain amount of privacy when it comes to debt. This means a collector cannot inform a third party about how much you owe, unless you have given them your explicit permission beforehand. Here are the parties collectors are allowed to contact:

  • Your spouse
  • Your attorney or lawyer
  • Your creditor or creditor’s attorney
  • A credit reporting agency
  • Your parent (only if you are a minor)

FDCPA Rules About Debt Verification

So how can you stop a collector from contacting you? Consumers have the right to tell their debtor in writing. It is recommended that you make a copy of the letter before sending the original by mail. You can even pay for a return receipt to ensure they actually received it. When they do, they cannot contact you again, except in these two cases:

  • To inform you that there will be no further communications from their agency
  • To inform you that they intend to take action in relation to the debt, such as filing a lawsuit

Keep in mind that sending this letter does not erase the debt owed or prevent them from suing you in the future.

In terms of verification, a collector must send something called a “validation notice.” This is a written letter stating how much you owe within five days after their initial contact. It must include the name of the creditor and how to move forward if you believe you have been wrongly charged.

If you tell the collector you don’t owe them money, or if you ask for debt verification, they should stop communicating with you. However, you must let them know within a 30 day period. They can begin calling you again if they send a written verification, such a copy of the bill.

What to do if Your Rights are Violated

After reading this list, you may realize that your collector is involved in some shady business practices. So what are your next steps? Here’s who to contact to report an alleged violation:

Be aware that different states have different laws, but your state’s Attorney General office should assist you in understanding your rights. If what they are doing is deemed unlawful, that party is responsible for damages up to $1,000. They are also required to pay your lawyer’s fees and costs.

Quantum Communications is Changing Telecom Forever

27th February 2018 Learn, Tech

Hackers are smarter and more capable than ever before, leaving virtual phone lines, computers, and smart home technology susceptible to hacking. Just as software and internet programs are created to help better society and assist us in carrying out daily tasks, there are also people using technology to invade the privacy of others, manipulate information, and steal sensitive data.

Imagine how a system could be developed with no coding errors or weaknesses in the system. This would change the future of wireless communication as we know it. Hackers and malware would be detected so easily that secure networks would be virtually unhackable. This high level of security would change the way telecom functions and protects its users. Enter the technology of quantum communication.

As quantum communication continues to be studied and understood, countries that are at the forefront of technology and thought leadership are looking to implement quantum technology into the operation of various business sectors.

In order to understand the important relationship between quantum communication and telecom, we must understand how each system functions.

What is Quantum Communication?

Quantum communication uses Quantum Key Distribution (QKD) to operate. This distribution enhances security because its innovative system instantly alerts someone when they are being listened to or observed. QKD uses cryptographic keys that are heavily encrypted and difficult to decipher. Entangled photons are the basis of quantum communication and they aren’t bound by geographical limits. As photons move under unexpected observation when a hacker successfully enters a quantum system, it will immediately break the entanglement of photons and create obvious changes.

This is a game changer for national security and information protection because most security systems attempt to block hackers before they can enter a network, or they can try to clean up malware after an attack happens. Quantum communication would be the first technology to instantly detect and alert users of security threats. This instant alert happens because it changes the information once it is accessed by an outside party.

What is Telecom?

Telecom is the most common way we transfer information in the modern world. It encompasses diverse types of technology that allow us to talk to one another, listen to the radio, and use the internet to connect over short and long distances.

Any time you use a cell phone or landline telephone, you’re using telecommunication. If you use a virtual phone system for business purposes, remote work, or to stay in touch with friends and family from a distance, telecom services are connecting you and the other party.

The telecommunications industry provides service to millions of individuals and companies on a daily basis. Because so many individuals rely on these services to gain access to people in various regions of the world, telecom service providers must always be considerate of personal security for their customers. The majority of business professionals and individuals discuss private matters, contract, and payment information. Therefore, a conversation that is held over a phone or powered by an internet connection should be protected by the latest technology that prevents others from secretly listening in.

While efforts to increase security are ongoing, cyber hacking remains a major threat for telecom professionals. Even with updated security measures in place, internet-savvy criminals are finding ways to break through protected systems. As more businesses transition to cloud communications, they must also be defensive by staying up-to-date on the latest hacking techniques that allow security invasions in all networks.

The Effects of Cyber Attacks on Businesses and Consumers

When businesses are hacked, it can be detrimental to the success of the organization. The cost of damage repair following a data breach is usually estimated be over a million dollars. Fixing the breach and implementing more security measures will require the use of company funds and may result in a loss of company time because employees might be unable to work until systems are secure. If you are an IT company, valuable work hours may have to be exhausted in an attempt to correct system errors, which would delay the time needed to meet other company goals.

The reputation of the company is also in jeopardy after a hacking incident. Many potential customers refuse to do business with an organization after it is successfully attacked. Current customers will take their business elsewhere out of fear that you will be hacked again in the future.

If you work with sponsors or investors, or you’re looking to partner with other businesses, the respective parties might back out of the agreement to protect their reputation and prevent the possible loss of funds from affiliating with your company. All of these scenarios will result in significant losses of money and trust that many small businesses cannot recover from in the future.

Businesses suffer from hacking, but the effects on individuals do not go unnoticed as many customers are affected for years following a cyber attack. When hackers gain access to private information, people often fall victim to identity theft. Identity theft isn’t just emotionally upsetting, it negatively affects credit scores and personal bank accounts. Some consumers may not realize when their private information has been compromised. By the time they discover that their identity has been stolen, cybercriminals have already shared their payment information and made purchases. At this point, victims must prove that someone else used their information illegally and wait until companies and credit organizations assess and rectify the damages.

What may be worse than the sharing of account information is the distribution of personal images and conversations that are meant to remain private. When this happens, it can destroy a person’s reputation at school, home, and work, and the stolen information becomes a lingering source of shame and embarrassment.

Quantum Technology Will Provide Advanced Security

Quantum communications can be the answer to the rising security risks involved when using telecommunications because the network encryption will be almost impossible to decipher. If a cyber breach does occur, the hackers will be stopped in their track to prevent damages. Using the quantum approach, telecom providers will be able to secure the privacy and protection of their customers and protect their business from revenue losses and a damaged brand. As consumers, we will be able to feel secure when speaking with business associates or discussing private matters.

How Do Rotary Phones Work?

26th February 2018 Learn, Tech, Tips

You are probably already aware of what a rotary dial telephone looks like. Perhaps you have seen the telephone in an old movie or at an uncommon thrift store, but have you ever wondered how the old school phone made its calls? The rotary telephone was introduced to the public in the early 1900s, with the finger wheel design making its world debut in 1904.  Eventually, push buttons were introduced to the telephone model and the rotary dial fell completely out of fashion around the 1980s.

Rotary dial telephones began popping up in personal homes in the United States and Canada during the 1910s. Before the rotary dial was invented and commercialized, people would have to use a phone with a crank on the side. They would need to crank the side of the phone in order to get into contact with an operator, who would then connect that person to the party they wished to call. We’ve come a long way in business communication technology, starting from telegraphs, to rotary dials, push buttons, to the touch sensitive screens we are so accustomed to in the present day. Today, you don’t even have to dial, memorize phone numbers, or check your Rolodex – we can simply tell our smartphone the name of the person we want to call and Siri will dial it for us.

Prior to the Rotary Dial

It’s still important, however, to understand the humble beginnings of the technology that we often take for granted today. The rotary dial was the first telephone to gain popularity in modern households because of how easy it was to use and its sleek design. Before the rotary dial, a calling design existed that was far more complicated to use and therefore, it was not appealing to the everyday user. These phones did use push-button technology, however, they only had three buttons. The three buttons were measured as 100s, 10s, and single units. For instance, if someone were to try calling the number 182, they would first need to press the 100s button, followed by pressing the 10s button eight times and the single units button twice. Now people may think that waiting for a rotary dial to spin back multiple times just to dial a number may be an annoyance, but based on past findings it seems to be infinitely easier to dial 182 using three rotations rather than 11 pushes.

How Does the Rotary Phone Work?

The telephone itself is able to make phones calls by converting sounds (the voice) into a powerful electronic signal that travels through a network of cables, a telephone network, to various other telephones. Telephones contain a microphone that the user would speak into and on the opposite end, the earphone would receive the sound from another location.

The rotary dial was designed as a circular layout that allows the user to insert their finger into a hole that corresponds to different digits of 0-9. Some models also include letters that correspond to each number. In America that would be 2 – ABC, 3 – DEF, 4 – GHI, 5 – JKL, 6 – MNO, 7 – PRS, 8 – TUV, 9 – WXY, and 0 could be used for Z. Once the finger is inserted in the correct location the user would rotate the desired number all the way around the circle until they heard a soft clicking noise. The rotary dial would then automatically rotate back to its starting position and the process would begin again. The rotation from 0 was the longest because it was the furthest from the starting point. However, just because the rotation was longer does not mean the click back was; it would snap back to its starting point as fast as 1 would to the beginning point. This is because the dial used spring action to return to its initial position.

As the dial returns, the system records the pulses. Pulses are recorded by a switch that records the number by a series of steps. For example, if you dial 2, the switch will step twice. The last digit is the only digit that doesn’t use a switch, instead, it uses a wiper arm. The wiper arm process is very similar to the step switch process. In this instance, it is the wiper arm that moves the specific number of times as the digit dialed. That is why when a user finishes dialing, the necessary signals will go out to the intended parties.

Would a Rotary Phone Work Today?

If you find yourself at a thrift store or antique show and stumble upon a working rotary dial phone, before you buy it you might want to consider if it will even work in your home. Based on responses from Quora.com, you should go ahead and pick up that old school telephone because it just might work, depending on your service provider, of course.

One user who works for Verizon Wireless named David Trower offers this little piece of advice for testing out older devices. “To test if a rotary dial would work, try dialing a number that has a 1 in it. For example, to dial 371–4000, dial 3 and then 7 using the push buttons but hang up the phone one time quickly to “dial” the 1 and then dial the rest of the number using the pushbuttons. If this works, you have proven that a rotary phone will work.”

User Talmort O’Dole claimed that if you own one, the phone can even be used when the power goes out. Fortunately, cell phones can also be used as a Plan B when the power goes out. However if you have forgotten to charge your smartphone and the power has gone out, you would be quite fortunate to own a rotary phone in case you find yourself in a situation where you must make an important phone call.

Finally, a third user, Rosario Contarino, encourages consumers to contact their telecom service providers to receive an adapter if their rotary dial telephone is not working.

If you’re looking to add a touch of old-fashioned sophistication to your home, then a rotary dial telephone may be perfect for you. You can find true vintage phones on many popular online retail sites like etsy.com, or if you don’t want to take the risk of your vintage purchase not working on your network, then you can find many updated phones that are designed to look exactly like the classic rotary dial phones at a variety of common retailers.

Buying Phone Numbers in Multiple Countries

15th February 2018 Learn, Tips

Global Call Forwarding makes it easy and cost-effective to buy phone numbers in multiple countries. We also provide international toll free phone numbers in over 150 countries. The “View Rates” page our website, simplifies the process of shopping for and buying phone numbers in multiple countries. Global Call Forwarding even offers a free trial for their numbers.

There are several types of international toll free numbers sold by Global Call Forwarding:

  • Toll Free
  • Toll Free Mobile Accessible
  • Toll Free Mobile Accessible (SMS Optional)
  • Nationa
  • Mobile (SMS Optional)
  • Geographic
  • Geographic (SMS Optional)

The types of numbers available, rates and monthly minutes, and additional information and restrictions depend upon the telecommunications systems and regulations of the country with the toll free number. Generally, the National, Mobile, and Geographic rates are lower than the toll free rates. However, like Toll Free numbers, National, Mobile, and Geographic rates are toll free to callers.

World’s 10 Most Populous Nations

The US Census Bureau’s 2018 estimate of the world’s population was 7,452,667,034, and the combined number of people in the 10 most populous nations equal 58% of the world’s population. Therefore, it is instructive to look at these large countries to learn about Global Call Forwarding’s toll free numbers in those countries. The following table shows the world’s 10 most populous countries and their respective populations.

 

The World’s 10 Most Populous Countries
Rank Country Population Rank Country Population
1 China 1,384,688,986 6 Pakistan 207,862,518
2 India 1,296,834,042 7 Nigeria 195,300,343
3 United States 329,256,465 8 Bangladesh 159,453,001
4 Indonesia 262,787,403 9 Russia 142,122,776
5 Brazil 208,846,892 10 Japan 126,168,156

China

There are 206.64 million fixed-line telephone subscriptions in China, 1,364.934 million cellular phones, and 730,723,960 internet users. In China, Global Call Forwarding offers Toll Free, National, and Geographic numbers that people can buy. Callers may use landlines and fax transmissions when they call the Toll Free number. However, with the National, Mobile (SMS Optional), and Geographic numbers, callers may use landlines, mobile phones, pay phones, and fax transmissions, and they can call from other countries.

India

India has 24.404 million fixed-line telephone subscriptions, 1,127.809 million cellular phones, and 374,328,160 internet users. Global Call Forwarding only offers toll free numbers for India. To make calls, callers may use landlines, pay phones or fax transmissions. They may not use mobile phones or dial the number from another country. In addition, international direct dial (IDD) capability in the caller’s phone is required.

United States

The United States has 121.53 million fixed-line telephone subscriptions, 416.684 million mobile cellular phones, and 246,809,221 internet users. In the United States, Global Call Forwarding offers US toll free and Geographic (SMS Optional) numbers. With Toll Free numbers, callers can use landlines, mobile phones, pay phones, or fax transmissions. However, they cannot dial from another country. In addition, calls from USA pay phones using toll free numbers are subject to a mandatory FCC access fee of $0.69 per call. To use the Geographic (SMS Optional) numbers, callers can use landlines, mobile phones, pay phones, and fax transmissions, and they can call from other countries.

Indonesia

Indonesia has 10,372,912 fixed-line telephone subscriptions, 385,573,398 mobile cellular phones, and 65,525,226 internet users. In Indonesia, Global Call Forwarding offers Toll Free, Toll Free (mobile accessible), and Geographic numbers. With Toll Free numbers, callers can only use landlines and fax transmissions, and international direct dial (IDD) capability in the caller’s phone is required. With Toll Free (mobile accessible) numbers, callers can use landlines, mobile phones, and fax transmissions. With Indonesia phone numbers, callers can use landlines, mobile phones, pay phones, and fax transmissions, and they can call the number from other countries.

Brazil

Brazil has 41,846,846 fixed-line telephone subscriptions, 244,066,759 mobile cellular phones, and 122,841,218 internet users. In Brazil, Global Call Forwarding offers Toll Free, Toll Free (mobile accessible), Mobile (SMS Optional), and Geographic numbers. With Toll Free numbers, callers can only use landlines and fax transmissions. With Toll Free (mobile accessible) numbers, callers can use landlines, mobile phones, and fax transmissions. With Mobile (SMS Optional) and Geographic numbers, callers can use landlines, mobile phones, pay phones, and fax transmissions, and they can call the number from other countries.

Pakistan

Pakistan has 3,067,911 fixed-line telephone subscriptions, 136,489,014 mobile cellular phones, and 31,338,715 internet users. Global Call Forwarding offers Pakistan virtual phone numbers, which allow callers to use landlines, mobile phones, pay phones, and fax transmissions, and they can call the number from other countries. However, the numbers are restricted to Pakistani nationals, and a copy of the Pakistani National ID card is required.

Nigeria

Nigeria has 154,513 fixed-line telephone subscriptions, 154,342,168 mobile cellular phones, and 47,759,904 internet users. In Nigeria, Global Call Forwarding offers Toll Free (mobile accessible) and Geographic numbers. With the Toll Free (mobile accessible) numbers, callers can use landlines, mobile phones, and fax transmissions. With the Geographic numbers, callers can use landlines, mobile phones, pay phones, and fax transmissions, and they can call the number from other countries.

Bangladesh

Bangladesh is in southern Asia, and it shares a 4,142 km border with India, a 271 km border with Burma, and a 508 km seafront on the Bay of Bengal. It is slightly larger than the US state of Pennsylvania. Bangladesh has 772,369 fixed-line telephone subscriptions, 126,391,269 mobile cellular phones, and 28,499,324 internet users. Unfortunately, Global Call Forwarding does not sell any numbers in Bangladesh. However, if one desires to establish a local presence in Bangladesh, an Indian number is a reasonable alternative.

Russia

Russia has 32,276,615 fixed-line telephone subscriptions, 231,393,994 mobile cellular phones, and 108,772,470 internet users. In Russia, Global Call Forwarding offers Toll Free (mobile accessible) and Geographic numbers. With the Toll Free (mobile accessible) numbers, callers can use landlines, mobile phones, pay phones, and fax transmissions, but they cannot call the number from other countries. With the Geographic numbers, callers can use landlines, mobile phones, pay phones, and fax transmissions, and they can call the number from other countries. Global Call Forwarding is the best place to get a Russian phone number.

Japan

Japan has 64,024,938 fixed-line telephone subscriptions, 164,265,142 mobile cellular phones, and 116,565,962 internet users. In Japan, Global Call Forwarding offers Toll Free, Toll Free (mobile accessible), and Geographic numbers. With the Toll Free numbers, callers can only use landlines and fax transmissions. With the Japan toll free numbers, callers can use landlines, mobile phones, and fax transmissions. With the Geographic numbers, callers can use landlines, mobile phones, pay phones, and fax transmissions, and they can call the number from other countries.

Call Recording Regulations for Forex Trading and International Banks

6th February 2018 Learn, News, Tech

In recent days, compliance regulations and requirements for traders and banks have been expanding dramatically due to leveraged technology and the need for accountability and higher standards. Due to these new regulations, Global Call Forwarding has increased our long-term call recording storage up to 6 years to enable easy access and a trustworthy platform for banks and Forex traders. As a result, these changes ensure that traders, banks, and contact centers are in full compliance with every new regulatory requirement.

Naturally, governments around the world have stepped in to increase regulations to combat ever-widening capabilities of corruption by forcing companies to expand their recordkeeping capabilities via audio. Because traders and bankers are now required to record and archive voice communications, Global Call Forwarding understands the need to have these recordings easily available on demand in the event a dispute should arise. Due to the highly sensitive nature of such calls, we offer the safest security standards. Our platform makes it simple to access and download calls kept in storage with the simplest navigation.

Globally, call recording is becoming required across a multitude of industries for the purpose of record keeping. This is why long-term storage is such a necessary service. Consider the following examples:

  • As of January 1, 2018, the markets regulator Securities and Exchange Board of India (Sebi) has now required stockbrokers to compulsorily keep a record of orders placed by clients from January 1, 2018. This mandate includes phone recordings. This puts the burden of proof on the broker to produce documentation for trade disputes that may be unauthorized.
  • As of August 31, 2017, the FDIC has ruled that banks and other financial institutions must keep recordings (and other documentation) of “suspicious activity” for 5 years from the date of filing a suspicious activity report (SAR).
  • In Europe, under the General Data Protection Regulation, bankers and traders are required to keep recordings or face steep penalties as a consequence. For firms that don’t comply, they can be fined €10,000 per infraction. However, these fines can reach up to a staggering €20 million or 4% of a firm’s annual revenue.

recording office screens

Why Do You Need to Record Your Calls?

It’s obvious that brokers and bankers should take these new regulations seriously and record/ store their calls immediately. Here are a few reasons you should consider:

  • The Price of Noncompliance: As mentioned before, the price of non-compliance can be high. If traders or banks don’t record their calls, they could potentially be hit with significant fines or potentially lose their license. Even for companies that are willing to roll the dice when it comes to avoiding potential audits, the risk of being unable to conduct business is a significant deterrent against not integrating call recording services into your business.
  • Maintaining Your Public Image: In the Information Age, having records and proof is often an essential part of your business. Therefore, call recording needs to be at the forefront of your business strategy. Staying ahead of the curve, and in line with regulations can keep your business away from negative outcomes and any possible disasters that await unprepared banks and traders if they choose not to take the necessary precautions in long-term storage of their calls.
  • Peace of Mind: Even without such regulations, call recording services are an excellent way to ensure that your business is accountable internally. Consider a few of the advantages, including the ability to verify suspicious activity from customers and the ability to ensure your employees maintain accountability for adhering to your company’s standards of ethics.

Quality of Recording Services Matters

Not all call recording services are created equal. Consider the ramifications of having lesser-quality recording services that cannot be trusted when you need them most.

Hypothetically, what would happen if you discover that some of your recorded calls aren’t audible or are missing? By the time that you discover these anomalies, your records may be, in fact, missing thousands of calls. Sometimes, stored calls need to be accessed immediately, and if you can’t trust the storage system, you may run into some serious trouble. By most standards of legislation, not having the recording document is the same as not having made the effort to record them in the first place.

And even if there is an attempt to find the information, many auditors request recorded calls typically within 60 days. With this short time frame, your company may not be able to respond quickly enough to avoid violating the law.

How Global Call Forwarding Can Help

No one wants to lose their license or be fined over a simple mistake. To avoid these possibilities, it is so important that you have a quality service provider that can help you store your calls and provide instant access when you need it. However, we cannot stress enough that this service needs to be top-notch. This is precisely why so many businesses rely on Global Call Forwarding, especially when it comes to call recording for Forex trading and international banks.

Global Call Forwarding’s easy to use technology ensures that all calls required to be recorded for legislation and regulatory purposes are recorded with high-quality content, and are not inaudible. To help Forex traders and banks to comply with these new requirements, we have increased our long-term call recording storage capacity to ensure absolute peace of mind.

In addition to the increase in Global Call Forwarding’s long-term call recording storage capabilities, our platform provides customers the ability to store calls for up to 6 years and access each recorded call with an easy-to-navigate user interface. With only a few clicks, recorded calls can be easily accessed for listening or downloading through a highly secure online control panel. Multiple levels of redundancy ensures safe and secure storage of recorded calls. Best of all, our customers can combine call recording and long-term storage with the ability to reach international markets by utilizing local and/ or toll free numbers available in over 140 countries on our network

How Many Phone Numbers Are Prime?

6th February 2018 Learn

About Prime Numbers

Remember doing middle school math? That was around the time we started learning about complex algorithms, multiplication, long division, and prime numbers. If you can recall, a prime number is a natural number (also called a whole number) that is greater than 1 and cannot be formed by multiplying two other smaller numbers together. This means that prime numbers cannot be decimals or fractions, either.

For example, the first ten prime numbers are 2, 3, 5, 7, 11, 13, 17, 19, 23 and 29. Ten is not considered a prime number, for instance, because when you multiply two smaller numbers together, 5 and 2, you get ten. The number 1 is not a prime number, and two is the only even number in existence that is considered prime. 13 is a prime number because the only way to get this result through multiplication is 13 X 1. It takes some practice, but it’s easy to get the hang of it once you get started!

Though you may not inherently “know” a number is prime just by looking at it, there are larger prime numbers as well. Numbers such as 739, 853, and even 997 are all prime. In fact, it is calculated that billions of numbers are prime, so it’s impossible to list them all in a single place. It’s not just 3 digit numbers, 10 digit numbers are also included. This means that it’s very likely for a person’s telephone number to also be a prime number.

Calculating Prime Numbers

At times, a number can be so large that it is difficult to determine if it’s prime right away, just upon visual examination. However, there are some websites that allow you to enter a number of any size and see whether or not it’s prime. This is the easiest way to figure it out. If a number is not prime, this website resource will actually tell you which numbers it is divisible by.

If you would rather do things by hand, and tend to be fascinated by the process, prime factorization is a commonly known practice. This is another method taught in school to see which numbers multiply together to make the original number. All you need is a piece of paper and a pencil.

First, let’s take the number 24 as a simple example. 24 is divisible by 4 and 6. Neither of these numbers is prime, so you must branch this out even further:

2 X 2 = 4 and 2 X 3 = 6

The results, 2 and 3, cannot be broken down again, so we don’t need to add any more steps. Instead, we can conclude that the prime factorization of 24 is 2 X 2 X 2 X 3.

However, when working with large 10 digit numbers, prime factorization may not be the best route to take since this will require many more “breakdowns” and a longer amount of time to do the work. If you are privy to mathematics and have a knack for solving problems, you can also do the calculations yourself. While there is no complete “pattern” for discovering prime numbers, there are a few different formulas that can help.

First, there is a formula founded on Wilson’s theorem. This states that if integer p > 1, then (p – 1)! + 1 is divisible by p if p is prime. An integer is a whole number that is either positive (1, 2, 3) or negative (-1, -2, -3).

There are several other more complicated formulas for figuring out if a number is prime as well. One of these is Matiyasevich’s theorem, which explains: “Because the set of primes is a computably enumerable set, by, it can be obtained from a system of Diophantine equations.” In mathematics, a Diophantine equation contains two or more “unknowns.” Another individual, James Jones, discovered a set of 14 Diophantine equations which could work if a given number k + 2 is prime, if and only if the system produces a natural number.

Prime Telephone Numbers

Once you start making calculations on your own, you might get curious enough to wonder if your own telephone number is a prime. Actually, it was a man named Michael Lugo who pointed out that the telephone number in the famous song “Jenny”, 867-5309, is a prime number (8,675,309). This song was on the Billboard Top Ten in the year 1982. This began a small trend of others wanting to see if they had a “famous” vanity phone number.

So just how many U.S. phone numbers are prime? The fastest method is to conduct a search online of all 10 digit prime numbers. However, this is not necessarily the most accurate way to do this. Ones of the reasons why is because not all 10 digit numbers in existence have been assigned to a landline or mobile number.

According to mathematics and applications writer Kevin Knudson, you can “denote by π(x) the number of primes less than or equal to x.” Again, you have to rule out some phone numbers from the equation. Not only for the reason listed above but also because not all 10 digit numbers are phone numbers. For example, the number 1 cannot begin an area code.

Knowing all of this information, the range we are actually looking at is 200-200-0000 and 999-999-9999.

According to Knudson, the equation is “π(9999999999) ≈ 434,294,481 and π(2002000000) ≈ 93,475,343.” It is a little difficult to solve on paper ourselves, so he did the math for us. This equals out to about 340,819,138 prime phone numbers. If you would rather read that figure as a percentage, that is 4.2% total of all American phone numbers or one out of 25.

For those who do not own a prime phone number, but want one, it’s possible to buy your own US number. Either way, aren’t you glad we did the math for you?

Thailand Fights Caller ID Spoofing by Scammers

5th February 2018 Learn, Tech

You may have heard of phishing – the fraudulent act of sending out emails, which pretend to be from a reputable company, in an attempt to obtain personal information such as bank account details, social security numbers, or credit card details. But you may not yet have heard of vishing. Vishing or voice phishing is a similar type of scam but using telephone calls rather than emails, in an attempt to dupe unsuspecting victims into giving up money or confidential information. The practice is becoming common all over the world and has seen excessive activity in some countries, such as Thailand.

After a recent revival of vishing scams in Thailand, some of the country’s top Telecommunications companies have been instructed to jam 50 phone numbers which have repeatedly been used by fraudulent callers to con their victims out of money. The service providers have been allowed just eight weeks to devise a system to prevent caller-ID faking using Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP).

The mandate was issued in January 2018 after a meeting was held between the Royal Thai Police, the Thai National Broadcasting and Telecommunications Commission (NBTC), and the Anti-Money Laundering Office (Amlo), as well as six major Thai telecom service providers. According to Thai authorities, the groups agreed on several strategies to protect consumers from transnational vishing gangs who have been using VoIP networks.

The groups of scammers have been trying to dupe their victims by using numbers that belonged to courthouses, police stations, and post offices. They were making the calls from VoIP networks and using software to conceal the original caller ID. The number that the recipient sees is a fake number.

The scammers pretend to be state officials, police officers, or bank clerks. They make false accusations against their unsuspecting victims about debts or drugs to try to intimidate them into giving up money or their personal information.

Though the six telecom companies have been ordered to block the scam numbers, they must also come up with a more permanent solution. Their answer is to create a system which will maintain a record of all calls made using VoIP networks and to detect the caller’s real identity. This system is supposed to be in place by the beginning of April 2018. Henceforth, all incoming calls using the VoIP network mush show their real caller ID so that people who receive the calls can verify them. Within two months, the whole system will be completely upgraded, and gangs using fake numbers will no longer be able to operate.

The six Thailand telecommunications providers involved in the task force are Triple T Broadband (3BB), CAT Telecom, TOT, Total Access Communication (DTAC), Advanced Info Service (AIS), and True Move. So far fifty numbers have been logged as being used to scam victims. Since December 2017, eleven Thai victims were conned out of a total of 8 million baht. Thai authorities were able to retrieve 1.6 million baht from the scammers and return it to the victims.

How the Thai Vishing Scams Typically Work

The scammer, posing as a bank employee or police officer informs the call recipient that he or she is suspected of having committed a money-related crime, such as laundering money. The scammer then asks the victim for information to verify their innocence and instructs them to go to an ATM to perform a “checking procedure.” The scammers tell the victim that the procedure is to prevent them from having their bank account frozen. However, the procedure results in the victim unwittingly transferring money into an account set up by the vishing gang.

The police warn that the gangs frequently change their tactics. Some of the more recent scams have involved the use of forged arrest warrants. The police have issued more than 200 real arrest warrants for members of vishing gangs, and so far, 162 perpetrators have been arrested.

In a related incident, the Thai police have been investigating several commercial banks after a 24-year-old Thai woman, Nicha Kiartthanapaiboon, allegedly had her identity stolen. Ms. Nicha reported that identity thieves used her ID card to open nine accounts within seven different banks. The scammers used the account to handle money which was obtained through a call center scam. Ms. Nicha was charged in connection with the crime, although she maintains her innocence. Thai authorities are investigating the commercial banks where the accounts were opened to assess if the financial institutions were negligent in following the proper authentication processes. If the banks are found to have flouted the rules, they can face fines of up to 1 million baht.

The New Wave of Vishing Scams

No matter what country you live in, you can still be targeted by vishing scammers. It is important to note that this type of scam is becoming more and more sophisticated. These days just by answering a scammer with a simple “yes,” can lead to unwanted subscription charges, call charges, and sign-ups that will be billed on your next monthly bank statement. The best way to avoid becoming a victim of caller ID spoofing is to know what to look out for so you can avoid giving your personal information to the wrong people.

How to Catch a Vish

Vishing scammers often offer services, products or fake prizes which are grossly exaggerated, before asking for your personal information to get money out of you. Red flags include:

  • An offer from a company you do not do business with, or you have never heard of
  • A notification that you have won a prize from a competition you did not enter
  • Assurance of unrealistic returns on your money
  • Pressure to make an immediate decision or to follow instructions such as:
  • Give money
  • Give up personal information
  • Give banking details
  • Give information about your business
  • Threats (such as fines or legal action) if you fail to provide the information requested
  • Unprofessional manner or language
  • Unsolicited calls with offers to help you with unpaid taxes or other debt

You can find out more about vishing, phishing, and other kinds of scams at the Federal Trade Commission (FTC).

Vacation Days and Productivity in the U.S. vs. Other Countries

30th January 2018 Learn, Tips

Paid Vacation Days in the United States

The United States is the only developed country in the world where paid time off is not required.

Yes, you read that correctly. Though the average American takes off about ten days off per year, none of them are actually required by law. While The Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA) does offer standard benefits such as basic wages and overtime pay, it does not entitle employees to paid time off. Not for vacations, not for holidays, and most disturbingly, not for those facing any illnesses.

Instead, employers have the option to make individual contract agreements between themselves and their workers. However, this tends to be problematic for a number of reasons. For example, under this system, two employees with the same amount of job experience can still have an unequal amount of paid leave. This opens the door to favoritism or prejudice. More than that, many people will often avoid using their paid vacation out of fear of losing their job.

U.S. Federal employees have situations that prove to be a little better than the rest of the country. Depending on seniority, the government offers a standard amount of time for vacations and breaks. In addition to that, they are all given time off for ten federal holidays a year.

Americans have been proposing Congress mandate a solution to this dilemma for years, suggesting a minimum of at least two weeks. However, experts agree it’s just not likely that this will be resolved in the near future.

Paid Vacation Days in Other Countries

In contrast, every single country in the European Union, including Sweden, Italy, and France, have at least four mandatory weeks of paid vacation a year. There are differences based on individual government mandates. However, countries that rank the highest in terms of satisfaction are generally in these areas. Here is a breakdown of some of the other more successful ones:

New Zealand: 30 days off
Italy: 30 days off
Belgium: 30 days off (after they work for their employer for at least one year)
France: 31 days off
Spain: 34 days off
Germany: 34 days off
Portugal: 35 days off
Austria: 35 days off

Austria wins the prize for the most amount of time off, with 13 paid holidays and 22 paid vacation days. Additionally, if a person has at least 25 years job experience, they are entitled to more.

There are other ways international businesses are attempting to make improvements for workers. For instance, France has had a 35-hour workweek since the year 1999. Recently they have introduced new legislation that encourages employees to turn off their work phones and avoid emails during their time off.

Sweden is also considering shorter working days for their residents. It is reported that their 6 hour work days could make people happier and healthier than ever.

Finally, other countries desire to take parental leave more seriously. While the U.S. offers no mandatory parental leave, Denmark provides nursery care for all citizens so that mothers and fathers alike can have a better work-life balance. New parents are given one year of paid leave after they have a child, or if they have adopted a child. Finland has also made it a law that parents of smaller children are able to use subsidized child care centers.

Vacation Days Directly Linked to Productivity

So what is stopping the United States from adopting these same laws and ordinances for citizens? It could be that employers fear that time off equals more expenses they simply cannot afford. This is especially true for smaller enterprises and startups trying to compete with much larger organizations. Some offices would need to hire replacements or have employees work overtime to make up for that “lost” time. But hundreds of studies prove that workers are overall more productive with increased vacation time.

In a study by the Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM) for Project: Time Off, HR managers believe that taking vacation time leads to greatly improved performance (75%) and better job satisfaction (78%). In other words, vacation gives a person the chance to “recharge their batteries” and mentally rest from their job. When they finally return to their desk, morale (and overall productivity) is improved.

Time away from an office setting also gives people a chance to tap into their creative side. This is especially important for those who frequently face complicated challenges at work. Rest can stimulate new ideas to solve old problems by helping individuals gain new clarity. It is an excellent way to refresh or renew motivation.

The Case For Businesses to Invest in Paid Vacations

It’s not just the employees who stand to gain from mandatory paid vacations in the United States. Organizations will also see long-term advantages. When they invest in time off for their workers, they see the results in terms of work quality after they return. Not only that, there are a lot of cost savings involved.

How does this work? Employees tend to feel more valued when offered a certain amount of time away from work. Organizations with happier workers will see less turnover. A high turnover rate incurs high costs. Every time you lose an employee, Human Resources must spend time with the process of interviews, onboarding, and training. This takes up not only time but also money. In fact, every time a business replaces a salaried employee, it actually costs them, on average, 6 to 9 months of that person’s salary. So even if that person was making only $40,000 per year, a business stands to lose at least $20,000 in resources.

When employees have the flexibility of paid vacation days, they are much less likely to “call in sick” at the last minute unexpectedly. They feel more empowered to take care of themselves and their personal needs in their own time.

Finally, paid time off gives employers a strategy to attract more experienced workers. For example, a company offering a standard three-week vacation will help you recruit the best and the brightest in the industry, especially if a competitor only offers ten days.