Major Software/Hardware Upgrade This Weekend

Our test of the new GroupCaller^TM system between February 3 and February 9 was successful.  To conduct the test we used a temporary VoIP provider plus older equipment.  Also, some of the software used to drive the outbound calls was outdated.  We’re upgrading the equipment and software this weekend, and have completed arrangements with a new VoIP provider that’s in business specifically to provide service to companies like ours, who anticipate massive volume from commercial customers like us (defined as hundreds of thousands to millions of outbound calls each and ever day).  The only way to get an account with this type of VoIP provider is to actually BE a phone company (like Vonage, magicJack, etc.) or to otherwise provide VoIP services to a large number of customers, as we will be doing for our Clients.  Because THAT’S exactly what we do, we qualified for an account.  This means we have a rock-bottom pricing structure that assures our profitability as we move forward.  It also assures us of using a VoIP platform that isn’t going to be overloaded with too much volume as our membership and message-delivery volume grows.  We also have the guarantee that we won’t be cut off for making too many calls.  (Did you know that MOST VoIP providers define “unlimited calls” with an upper limit and they will actually cancel accounts from customers who make “too many” calls?  For instance magicJack and Skype allow a maximum of only 50 calls per day per line…that’s “UNLIMITED” in their opinion.  Even commercial accounts have very similar limits.)

So this weekend, Jeff and I plan to be working both days in preparation for starting up the new VoIP service on Monday or  Tuesday.  We have to install our voice broadcast software (GroupCaller^TM) on new servers, move the servers to a new location with a higher bandwidth and test, test, test.  We hope to be ready to go on Monday, but I won’t be surprised if it takes until Tuesday.  Today (Friday) we worked most of the day on this project, interfacing with our new vendors and still did not resolve a number of issues by the end of the day.  We aren’t sure whether we’ll be able to reach their technical support over the weekend, so we may not resolve all issues until Monday. 

Nonetheless, the news couldn’t be better!  Once we complete this work, we hope to have a system that we can easily expand up to 500 channels (i.e. phone lines) making concurrent calls.  That would allow us to make about 450,000 calls each day, with the initial campaign designed to recruit new members into the AMG and PRG!  GroupCaller^TM is the primary reason we believe that 2011 will be our “break-out” year.  This is the year we’ll finally acquire a steady, stable weekly cash flow that’s large enough to hire a complete staff of programmers, analysts and engineers to finish the 9 different applications that have been under development for so long. 

We’ll use GroupCaller^TM to support our most active Associates and help to build their incomes rapidly so they can earn a full-time living from GlobalTmail right away.  Of course we won’t run 500 channels initially because that would create far more inquiries than we can handle at the present time.  But it’s comforting to know that we’ll have the infrastructure and technology in place to allow us to expand as fast as we have the personnel to handle the volume!