BuddyTalk BT200
An Alexa Voice Service (AVS) and Alexa for Business qualified intelligent speakerphone and smartspeaker for voice-enabled workplaces
BT200
The BT200 is Alexa Voice Service and Alexa for Business certified, bringing to its users the AVS features as well as the various enterprise applications and services supported by Alexa for Business.
Alexa Voice Service (AVS)
Certified by Amazon AVS, the BuddyTalk platform supports a broad range of AVS smartspeaker features such as standard Alexa questions & commands, timers, alarms, reminders, and voice-enabled control of AVS-supported IoT devices.
Alexa for Business
With the integration of Alexa for Business, enterprise users can deploy the BT200 as a communications device in shared environments around the workplace. It allows business users to access the enterprise applications and services supported by Amazon Alexa for Business. Typical examples of using Alexa for Business to manage business tasks include: setting up shared devices, integrating with existing work calendars, setting up conference rooms and managing conference room features, creating and automatically dialing into conference calls, and accessing custom private skills.
Calling with the BT200
The BT200 can exchange call state and callee information with Alexa for Business servers, thus allowing the BT200 to seamlessly initiate and manage phone calls and conference calls based on information received from enterprise applications (e.g., access corporate contacts, joining scheduled meetings, starting ad hoc meetings, etc.) using the embedded InnoMedia SIP stack and a configured VoIP service subscription.
Calling Sequence: BT200 interacting with AVS (Alexa for Business and PCC)
- User issues dialing request
- Alexa communicates with Alexa for Business supported Features & Applications if necessary
- Alexa responds to user dialing request
- Alexa Phone Call Controller (PCC) provides callee dialing information to BT200
- BT200 initiates call through the VoIP service provider network using the InnoMedia SIP Stack
- BT200 and Alexa PCC synchronize call states
Network Interface Options
The BT200 supports several configurations of its network interfaces to allow deployments into enterprises with different network architectures.
The BT200 has two physical network interfaces: Gigabit Ethernet and 802.11n WiFi. In the redundant mode, either one can be chosen as the main physical interface. When both physical interfaces are connected, the Ethernet interface will be the main network interface.
The enterprise voice network may use an internal IP-PBX, an external VoIP SIP trunking solution, or a VoIP-based hosted service. If the enterprise voice network is separated and isolated from its data network, the BT200 can be configured as dual-homed hosts with one interface (e.g., WiFi) connected to the data network and the other (e.g., Ethernet) connected to the voice network.
Enterprise Network Traversal using VPN
The BT200 has a built-in VPN client, which, if enabled, performs enterprise network traversal. The VPN client has two routing modes: 1. all traffic (both data and voice) goes through the VPN, and 2. only voice traffic (both SIP signaling and RTP media) goes through VPN, and all other traffic is still routed to the original enterprise default gateway.
Traffic Segregation with VLAN
For Quality of Service (QoS), security, or other considerations, some enterprise networks employ VLANs to segregate traffic. Often, voice and data packets are separated using VLAN. The BT200 supports VLAN tagging, thereby, allowing enterprise VLAN segregation using VLAN switches.
VoIP Options
To equip it with VoIP capability in a business environment, the BT200 can be configured as an IP phone extension to the enterprise’s existing IP-PBX, or it can be configured to subscribe to an external VoIP service.
BT200 as an IP Phone Extension to an existing IP-PBX
The BT200 can be configured as an IP phone extension to the existing enterprise IP-PBX, utilizing the IP-PBX’s inherent calling capability to make incoming and outgoing calls. This will require minimal enterprise voice configuration modifications, and instantly turn the environment into a voice-enabled workplace.
BT200 with an External VoIP Subscription
An alternative to configuring the BT200 as an IP phone extension to the existing enterprise IP-PBX is to add an external VoIP subscription to the BT200. In such a configuration, the BT200 device acts as if a new phone line is added to the enterprise.
BuddyTalk Family
The BuddyTalk series is a family of voice-enabled intelligent speakerphone/smartspeakers comprised of the BT100, BT110, and BT200 products. Offering unprecedented calling flexibility, the BT100 is optimized for residential users while the BT110 is suitable for residential, SMB, and enterprise users. With Alexa-for-Business integration, the BT200 is uniquely positioned to provide a range of Alexa-for-Business supported enterprise applications and services.
