Microsoft Response Point 1.0 Service Pack 2 (SP2) introduces new-and-improved features that expand your voice service choices, empower the administrator to better manage the system, and enhance the phone system experience for everyday users and callers.

In Service Pack 2, Response Point adds “digital service” to the list of flexible voice service options to help balance the voice and data communication demands of your growing small business. Digital service is transmitted through an enterprise-grade hard-wire connection. “T1″ (in the U.S.), “E1″ (in Europe),”PRI,” or “ISDN” service providers will run a special cable into your office building, similar to the cabling installed by a telco. Digital service lines normally have up to 24 rotating channels that can deliver voice and data packets to phone system components. Using Response Point Administrator, you can configure the digital gateway device required for this voice service. Some digital service providers may offer fractional digital service, which means you purchase only a portion of the circuit that may have only 8 available channels instead of 24.

Response Point Administrator gives you more control over how you manage the system. In this service pack, you can schedule the Automated Receptionist to handle calls after-hours, on holidays, and during business closures; enable access to a virtual private network (VPN), giving employees in remote locations secured access to the resources on the local area network (LAN); configure hybrid gateway devices that have both FXO and FXS ports, or that can be used for either analog or digital service; reduce speech misrecognition, often caused by background noise and variable service requirements, when you change the channel that detects the DTMF touch tones on your phones.

Response Point Assistant improves the overall experience for everyday users and callers. In this service pack, you can control how you receive 2-way intercom calls and 1-way pages, and play a call-forwarding announcement (or not) for people when they contact you.

Additional SP2 features include automatic parked-call return, which ensures that no callers are left waiting in park longer than 3 minutes; support for VoIP gateway devices that can help improve service quality; and customizable URLs in call notification windows.

The Service Pack 2 for Response Point 1.0 has been updated on the 25th February.

The first technology preview of Microsoft Response Point SP2 has been released to early adopters lately. Microsoft Response Point (RP) is an advanced software-based telephone system developed by Microsoft. Response Point, a PBX system targeting small businesses with less than 50 employees, was launched in March 2007, with systems available on the market in the fourth quarter of that year. Response Point is VoIP-based, and uses SIP as its’ signaling and call setup protocol. Response Point supports voicemail and multi-party calling in addition to two party VoIP calls. It features innovative voice recognition technology to manage calls and voice mail. Voicemail messages can, optionally, be sent to e-mail where they can be retrieved and archived. Response Point voice dialing can works with the Response Point phone directory which is currently limited to 1100 contacts per user. Contacts may be imported from the Windows Address Book or Microsoft Outlook. Response Point automatically detects gateways and phones connected to the network.

The Response Point homepage can be found on http://www.microsoft.com/responsepoint/default.aspx.

Some of the new features are:

• After hours
• B2BUA (from 8×8)
• Conference Room phone (from ClearOne)
• FXS Gateway (from Quintum)
• In-band DTMF improvements
• Intercom
• Incoming Call Toast Customization
• T1 Gateway (from Quintum and Sangoma)
• VPN/WAN support

The RP Service Pack 2 release is expected to be in the Feb 2009 timeframe or before.

Microsoft Response Point is phone system software designed for small businesses with 1 to 50 employees. The intuitive management programs, voice-activated user interface, and rich feature set make Response Point easy to configure, manage, and use. D-Link, Syspine, and Aastra offer complete systems that are bundled in affordable starter packages.

Microsoft Response Point 1.0 Service Pack 1 (SP1) introduces new-and-improved features that expand your voice service options, empower the administrator to better manage the system, and enhance the phone system experience for everyday users and callers.

In Service Pack 1, Response Point is equipped with a VoIP gateway that allows you to set up cost-saving VoIP service, offered through Internet Telephony Service Providers (ITSPs). With VoIP service, you can configure direct-dial numbers so that your business can have multiple phone numbers, without the hassle and cost of setting up new analog phone lines. Configure VoIP service, analog service, or a combination of both voice services – in SP1, the choice is now yours.

Response Point Administrator gives you more control over how you manage the system. In this service pack, you can monitor and analyze call activity; upgrade phones and phone line adapters when the hardware manufacturer releases the latest firmware; customize answers to questions that callers frequently ask the Automated Receptionist; restrict access on phones in common areas; and play music for callers waiting in park.

Response Point Assistant improves the overall experience for everyday users and callers. In this service pack, you can click-to-call contacts with just two mouse-clicks; specify the most cost-effective voice service for your contacts; and view in-call and parked-call status, so that you can see whether other users are on or off the phone, and whether any parked calls are waiting to be retrieved.