Google has declined to back a proposal by the Indian government to create an entity that would allow the social media sector to self-regulate, despite support for the move from Facebook and Twitter.

In June 2022 the Indian government laid out two possibilities to address the issue of content moderation on social media: a new government-appointed panel that would review user complaints, or an industry-supported self-regulatory body. According to Reuters, Facebook parent Meta – which also owns WhatsApp and Instragram – and Twitter are keen for the latter option as they anticipate ‘overreach’ by government-appointed regulators.

While the government is open to the possibility of self-regulation, it has also noted that this would require a consensus across the sector, so Google’s “grave reservations” make the creation of a government panel more likely.

Reuters quoted anonymous sources as saying that during a private meeting this week, an Alphabet executive noted that a self-regulating body could oblige Google to have its internal decisions reviewed and even overridden by an external body. This could for example result in Google being forced to reinstate content that it had removed for violating its policies, setting a “dangerous precedent”.

The sources opted to remain anonymous given that the meeting was private, but confirmed to Reuters that in addition to Google, representatives of Facebook and Twitter were present, along with Snap and Indian social media platform ShareChat. The latter two companies reportedly also expressed reservations about a self-regulating body, arguing that social media moderation requires greater input from civil society.

In a statement, Google said that it had sent representatives to preliminary meetings and was engaging with the government and the industry on the matter, “exploring all options” to achieve the “best possible solution.”

Social media moderation is a major issue in India. The government takes a fairly hard-line stance on content that it deems objectionable and issues frequent takedown orders, which has resulted in social media firms taking a somewhat self-censoring approach. During Q1 2022, Google’s YouTube removed more videos in India for violating content guidelines (over 1.2 million) than in any other market globally.

Exacerbating these stringent controls over social media is the fact that users are currently only able to complain via India’s courts. The government is now seeking to introduce a dedicated system for social media users to make legal complaints if their content is hit with a takedown order.

The government’s proposal for any self-regulating body was to appoint either a technology expert or a former judge as a chairperson, with a further six panel members – among which would be some senior social media executives. The panel would be able to make binding legal decisions, reported Reuters.

US tech representative groups argue that a self-regulating body whose members are appointed directly by the Indian government could not be considered truly independent.

PBXware 6.6 is officially here! Every time we release a new version of our PBX system and telephony platform, we also include several additional useful features for our loyal users. Unified Communications as a Service is in rapid development, and as one of the pioneers in the industry, we tend to lead the way, not lag behind. Therefore, we constantly work on upgrading our products and services to deliver you the best Unified communications platform on the market.

Let’s dive in and check out all the neat new features included in the latest version of PBXware.

Bicom Systems’ In-house STIR/SHAKEN Solution

STIR/SHAKEN is a framework that helps reduce fraudulent robocalls and illegal phone number spoofing, and we have written about this topic on several occasions. You can read more about STIR/SHAKEN on our official blog here.

STIR/SHAKEN implementation in version 6.6 is another great addition to PBXware, and one a lot of our partners were waiting for eagerly. We have decided to implement STIR/SHAKEN into PBXware 6.6 to comply with the FCC STIR/SHAKEN rules. 

PBXware added its implementation of STIR/SHAKEN, which allows signing and validating calls with valid STIR/SHAKEN certificates that customers own.

If you are interested in how to enable STIR/SHAKEN in PBXware, watch the video below, where we explain everything in a few simple steps.

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Introducing New SMS Provider: VoIP Innovations

In order to fully utilize the messaging service, version 6.6 adds the option allowing PBXware users to choose VoIP Innovations as a provider in their settings.

VoIP Innovations is a full-service VoIP provider that provides top-notch services to developers, clients, businesses, and carriers. VoIP Innovations offers termination services in addition to origination services.

Users must take several prerequisite procedures to effectively set up VoIP Innovations as an SMS provided on PBXware. A user must first obtain the VoIP Innovations account and log in to set up additional configuration.

Create Multiple Extensions with Extension Template Feature

We have upgraded the Extensions feature in PBXware 6.6 with the Extension Template functionality. This allows administrators to create multiple Extensions in a heartbeat using the preselected Extension template. Administrators can use the following options: Name, Email, Ext, Secret, User Password, PIN, MAC, Department, Line#, and PAI.

The Add Multiple Extension Report will be displayed if everything is configured successfully and will indicate whether the Extensions were saved successfully or the action failed.

Provisioning: Device Certificate Validation (mTLS)

Advanced security is highly important for auto-provisioning, so potential attackers can not use known MAC address ranges to gather the Extension login details. 

For this reason, PBXware added its implementation of mTLS (Mutual TLS verification) that can validate the client (device) certificate server-side by taking the Manufacturer’s Root CA (Certificate Authority) and building a trust store on the server side. 

Note: TFTP and HTTP provisioning will not work when this option is enabled, as this feature can only work if HTTPS provisioning is used.

Introduction to Extension Statistics

We have also added the Extension Statistics, which gives you better insight into your business. Extension Statistics includes basic reporting and allows users to create reports related to Extensions and their Inbound/Outbound and internal calls. It allows users to select a date/time interval and desired Extensions or all of them.

This section gives users a preview of the reports table showing Extension statistics related to: 

• ‘All Answered Calls’, 
• ‘All Calls’, 
• ‘All Unanswered Calls’, 
• ‘Calls Per Direction’,
• ‘Inbound Calls’,
• ‘Internal Calls’

PBXware Contact Center Module

Introduction to Feedback Forms for Queues

We also implemented some fresh enhancements to our Contact Center edition. After creating a Feedback Form, users can set any Queues to use this form. Under the Show Advanced option within Queues, the gloCOM section contains two options: the first lets users set whether they want to use the Feedback Form on gloCOM, while the second lets them choose the Feedback form they want to use for the Queue.

An additional option was added within the System menu. On the GUI under the File System section, users may set after how much time Feedback form files are going to be removed (four weeks by default).

The option for downloading Feedback forms was added to the Queues menu under the CDR’s page. Users can download ‘Feedback Forms’ by selecting the check box in front of CDRs and clicking ‘Download Feedback’.

Enabled Queue/ERG/Agent Recording Playback Through Statistics Breakdown

Users can access recordings through the Statistics page. A small icon was added for each call row in the breakdown that takes users to a new CDR page for that Call ID.

We added a new option where calls with recordings would have ‘REC’ written in red next to their Call ID, allowing users to playback selected recordings.

Beyond PBXware 6.6

This is only a little glimpse of the numerous valuable PBXware features. Visit our website or get in touch with us for a free trial to learn more about PBXware and other UCaaS offerings from Bicom Systems.

For a quick demo of new PBXware features in the 6.6 release, take a look at our What’s New video.

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To meet what it describes as growing demand for cloud services in Asia-Pacific, Google has announced plans to bring new Google Cloud regions to Malaysia, Thailand and New Zealand. This is addition to similar plans for Berlin, Dammam, Doha, Mexico, Tel Aviv and Turin announced in July.

Google Cloud infrastructure services are available in locations across North America, South America, Europe, Asia and Australia. These locations are divided into regions and zones. Customers can choose where to locate their applications to meet their latency, availability and durability requirements.

When these new regions launch – though there seems to be no specific date for this yet – they will join Google’s 34 cloud regions currently in operation around the world, 11 of which are located in Asia-Pacific. The services will be running on what Google calls the ‘cleanest cloud’ in the industry.

Google says it continues to invest in expanding connectivity throughout the region by working with partners in the telecommunications industry to establish subsea cables — including Apricot, Echo, JGA South, INDIGO and Topaz — and points of presence in major cities.

As the Data Centre Dynamics website points out, Google is the first US cloud provider to announce a region in Thailand. Chinese players, including Alibaba and Tencent, already have a presence in the country. Microsoft announced plans for a Malaysian cloud region in April 2021.

Google says digital tools offered by cloud computing are fuelling transformation around the world, including in Asia-Pacific. In fact, it points out, analyst company IDC expects that total spending on cloud services in Asia-Pacific (excluding Japan) will reach US$282 billion by 2025.

gloCOM is Bicom Systems’ unified communications app used by both in-person and remote teams worldwide. With every subsequent release, we are bringing more flexibility and ease of use. Here are the product news for gloCOM and gloCOM GO 6.6.

gloCOM Desktop: Fresh New Features for Chat and More

Seamless everyday communication in companies with a distributed workforce is a must in 2022. This is why we devoted so much time to further improving chat messaging in the 6.6 release. 

• Voicemail Messages & Support

We added new options for voicemail, so now you can discard voicemail messages. You can (start and) stop recording voicemail, and of course, you can send voicemail messages to other gloCOM users. 

You can also play and listen to voicemail messages directly from the gloCOM chat interface.

• Transferring the Role of Chat Administrator

If you are a group chat admin, you can select a new group administrator by clicking on the Transfer button next to the participant’s name. This feature allows more accessible group chat communication among colleagues within teams and departments. 

• Info Option for Chat

We added an ‘info’ option for chat messages, so now you can see who saw the message in the group chat. Info option also shows the content of the message, who sent the message, and whether the message is delivered to or seen by everyone in the group chat.

• Quick Reply via Hover

Quickly answer any chat message via hover – click the ‘reply’ button.

• Choosing a Custom Ringtone 

If you are bored with your traditional ringtone, you can choose a custom one. The Ringtone preference option allows you to select between Default, Silent, and Custom ringtone modes for incoming calls. 

It’s important to mention that audio files should be in .mp3 or .wav format; otherwise, a file picker window will not display the audio files. 

• Yealink Headset Integration

Yealink headset integration allows you to integrate a Yealink headset with the gloCOM Desktop application. 

For a quick demo of new gloCOM Desktop features in the 6.6 release, take a look at our What’s New video.

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gloCOM GO: Chat Improvements (and Much More)

The synchronicity between desktop and mobile apps is our top priority when developing a unified communications solution sophisticated as gloCOM. During the 6.6 release, we put much effort into improving the chat communication on mobile and desktop. 

Here’s what’s new in our gloCOM GO Mobile App (available for both Android and iOS):

• Chat Voice Messages 

You can now send voice messages directly to your colleagues on gloCOM GO.

While recording, if the Back button or the screen lock is pressed intentionally, or if you switch to another app, an active Chat voice recording will be canceled. When listening to the recorded voice message, if you go back to the chat list, the recording playback will be stopped. During playback of received chat voice message, you will have visible control buttons in the notifications even when switching to another app.

The maximum duration of the recorded chat voice message is 2 minutes.

• Chat Messages Info & Transferring the Role of Admin

To achieve a seamless unified communications user experience, we developed similar features for gloCOM Desktop and gloCOM GO Mobile App in the 6.6 release. Info for chat messages is available on gloCOM GO as well. The same case scenario is with transferring the role of chat admin. Now you can do it on the gloCOM GO Mobile App too. 

The chat messages info window shows the information about who sent the message, who saw the message, and whether the message was delivered to everyone in the group chat. 

• Predictive Dialer

Now you can use Predictive Dial (alphabet and numerical mode) to quickly find a contact or a number and place a call. You can search by phonewords on the phone screen (mnemonic phrases represented as alphanumeric equivalents of a telephone number). 

For example, if you type “34”, you will be presented with contacts that have 34 in their number, as well as contacts whose name contains a combination of letters [DEF][GHI].

Contacts search will include contacts from Extension Directory, Device/System Phonebook, and Central Phonebook.

• Choose between Light, Dark, and System Theme

We have designed a feature to select whether users would like their gloCOM GO to be in the light, dark, or to follow the system default theme (if a dark theme is selected on the device system, it will also be applied on the gloCOM GO app).

Once the preferred theme is selected, it will change immediately.

• Shortcuts and New Messages for Conversations

Shortcut for conversations allows you to quickly and easily access the most recent chats. They are created when you open up a chat list screen or receive a chat notification.

Shortcuts are accessible from the pop-up menu, which opens by long press on the app icon. 

• Conference List Screen Redesign

gloCOM GO now has a new and redesigned conference screen list, which offers more information and a better user experience for ongoing conferences with participants. Active conferences with participants are now visible on the conference list screen.

• gloCOM GO Android Now Has Direct Share

Android users of the gloCOM GO Mobile App can now share files from other apps directly to chat conversations. The most recent conversations will pop up in the share menu if you want to send text/file/video/image from another app. Then you can choose to directly share the conversation without any additional steps.

Quick and easy way to share recent files with your colleagues on gloCOM GO.

For a quick demo of new gloCOM GO features in the 6.6 release, take a look at our What’s New video.

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gloCOM Meeting: Important New Milestone 

gloCOM Meeting has achieved a significant milestone – improved capacity of 100 active video participants. Meeting has a capacity of over 2000 active participants without video cameras turned on. After the 6.6 release, the product is now stable, with 100 active participants with cameras running on in a single meeting.

Another vital feature developed for gloCOM Meeting is improved screen sharing. We implemented a new version of screen sharing with WebRTC that brings an all-around better screen sharing experience with enhanced reliability and higher frame rates suitable for sharing video content. 

For complete information on the 6.6 release, please visit the Downloads page on Bicom Systems’ web. 

The whole infrastructure at the edge thing isn’t just about data and communications in the modern economy. Electric vehicles need decentralized recharging options, and it turns out the problems aren’t all that different from the data center industry. Or at least that’s what EdgeConneX and EQT think, because they just launched a new company targeting that opportunity. … [visit site to read more]