Actiontec Electronics announced that K2, a global sporting equipment manufacturer best known for its K2 skis, has installed the VoSKY Exchange gateway in its corporate headquarters to allow Internet-based Skype calls to be routed to and from users’ standard desk phones over the office PBX. The Exchange solution paid for itself in four weeks by enabling free Skype-to-Skype calls between K2 employees anywhere in the world and the main office in Carlsbad, California.

Users at K2 headquarters can make Skype calls from their existing desk phones with no need to install Skype client software on their office PCs or use a PC/headset setup during Skype conversations. Users on the road or in satellite K2 offices can call any colleague in the Carlsbad headquarters by clicking K2 headquarters’ main Skype ID through their own Skype-equipped laptops or desktops and entering the appropriate office extension. In both scenarios, calls are free because VoSKY Exchange automatically directs Skype calls to the Skype network.

K2 is now considering deploying additional VoSKY Exchange boxes to interconnect the disparate PBXs in its worldwide offices to allow remote users to make Skype calls from their desk phones rather than their computers, and simultaneously eliminate the management complications involved in requiring individual users to download and manage Skype software. The company has wholly owned subsidiaries in Europe, Canada, Norway and Japan.

“We have been interested in using Skype to reduce our long-distance bills, but initially we were discouraged because we faced the prospect of installing Skype software on every user’s desktop, having to issue headsets and managing each Skype account individually,” said Sean Andrew, IT Director for K2’s Carlsbad headquarters. “VoSKY Exchange enabled us to painlessly extend our existing PBX system to incorporate the power of Skype without the complexities and headaches associated with other VoIP solutions. The upshot is that we were able to achieve a return on our investment within one month and are continuing to save thousands of dollars on landline and mobile phone charges each month.”

“This deployment illustrates the value of VoSKY Exchange as a Skype enabler for any company with a widely distributed workforce and heavy international calling volumes,” said David Tang, Director of Business Development, VoIP, for Actiontec Electronics. “Whether you have one VoSKY Exchange box in the central office like K2 does or multiple boxes installed in each office, you can leverage the full benefits of Skype quickly, easily and inexpensively.”

VoSKY Exchange is the first Skype-certified VoIP gateway that seamlessly integrates to the office phone system without changes to existing PBX equipment, desk phones, user PCs or user phone behavior. It is the only scalable business-class solution of its kind and supports key business applications such as Skype trunking, interoffice connectivity, remote VoIP access, and Web click-to-call. It is also rack mountable and stackable to support up to 16 concurrent inbound and unlimited outbound Skype calls, enabling businesses to take full advantage of free Skype-to-Skype calls and low-cost SkypeOUT international rates.

VoSKY Exchange centralizes all Skype activities to a single computer to simplify account management, usage and billing. It works with any traditional time division multiplexed or IP-PBX, has a low one-time cost, and can pay for itself in just a few months through reduced phone bills. More information is available at www.vosky.com.