[February 18, 2005]

SOYO to Introduce Z-Connect at Conference

By David Sims, TMCnet CRM Alert Columnist

While researching this article your eagle-eyed reporter was sharp enough to differentiate between information about the Ontario, California-based firm Soyo Group, Inc., a provider of computer motherboards, computer peripheral devices, and consumer electronics, and information about the Syrian Orthodox Youth Organizations, founded in Detroit in 1947.

That’s just the sort of clever informational sifting ability and trained industry-specific intelligence you get here.

The Soyo Group, Inc., which makes computer motherboards, computer peripheral devices, and consumer electronics, has announced that it will introduce the Z-Connect Single and Dual Mode Gateways, Direct Inbound Dial telephone numbers, and the VoIP Phone Booth Solution at the Internet Telephony Conference and Expo.

Soyo will be exhibiting in booth #605 at the IT Conference and Expo in Miami, Florida at the Miami Hyatt, February 22-25, 2005.

"VoIP is the lowest cost-per-minute voice transmission technology, and the market continues to offer new opportunities for innovative products and services that enable consumers and business to take advantage of the cost-savings and convenience VoIP delivers," says Mr. Ming Chok, president and CEO of SOYO Group, Inc., noting that Soyo has developed hardware and software solutions for Internet Telephony Service Providers CallShop owners and other resellers.

Their Z-Connect Single Mode Gateway is an IP telephony product marketed for small businesses to use to save money on long-distance and international phone calls and faxes. The Z-Connect Dual Mode Gateway connects to the PBX for seamless integration into the office environment and supports any IP network and the Public Switched Telephone Network on all local, long-distance and international calls.

Soyo is also offering DID telephone numbers for the Z-Connect family of products, allowing calls to be received from any other phone over any IP network or through the PSTN.

Just this past week the group announced an agreement with China Unicom USA Corp., a division of China Unicom Ltd to use its PSTN and VoIP network to provide Z-Connect users with the ability to dial and receive local, long distance, and international calls.

China Unicom is one of the largest telcos in the world. In recent months, the Soyo Group has also announced several major retailers and e-retailers have begun selling its Z-Connect VoIP phone, including Wal-Mart.com, PC Mall, and Fry's Electronics.

“The Z- Connect VoIP phone does not require a computer to operate,” Chok emphasizes. “It only requires a broadband connection. All calls made in the Z-Connect network are free, around the world, and when calling outside the network can be as low as .03 cents to Asia from any location in the world."

Targeted for international markets, Soyo's VoIP Phone Booth Solution is a complete turnkey package for establishing, supporting and managing a CallShop, where customers can make long-distance and international calls at rates lower than their local phone service offers.

Later renamed the Society of Orthodox Youth Organizations, in the fall of 1947, the newly organized group met in Indianapolis to complete a draft of the constitution and by-laws of SOYO and to set the time and date of the first annual convention to be held in Grand Rapids, Michigan, the following year.

David Sims is contributing editor and CRM Alert columnist for TMCnet.