Citel Announces 48vDC Power Supply Version of its Portico TVA for Use in Hosted IP Telephony

Citel Technologies, Inc., is pleased to announce it has developed a hardware upgrade to its award winning Portico TVA that enable its VoIP migration device to be powered by 48vDC when installed in a central office environment for IP Centrex deployments, itself a recent introduction. For the first time carriers who are migrating their customers to an IP Centrex solution from a DMS100 Centrex environment can install the Portico TVA centrally utilizing a 48vDC power source rather than having to look at other power options or install the device at end user premises.

The Portico TVA offers companies the ability to migrate their customers to VoIP without the unnecessary burden of ripping and replacing existing cabling infrastructure, purchasing new IP phones and installing Power over Ethernet switches. Customers can retain their existing digital, analog and Centrex phones without removing the existing switches by SIP enabling those phones through the use of the Portico TVA. This is a quick and cost effective means of VoIP migration.

The Portico TVA was originally developed as a premise based device. However, for carriers wanting to migrate their Centrex customers to a cloud based IP telephony solution it is an issue as most work with the switching equipment is done centrally. At an industry event in late 2011, a Softswitch provider following discussions with carriers attending the show, asked Citel to re-examine its premise based design. Along with upgrading the device so that it could be installed at a Central Office location ensuring the phones could be SIP enabled more than 15,000 feet away, Citel also investigated a change in the device's power supply to 48vDC, a voltage frequently used in Central Office exchanges due to its safer and historical use. Although ready for customer testing, the upgraded hardware will still require regulatory approval but due to testing undertaken, said approval is expected without delay. "It is important to listen to customers and to work with them to develop products and firmware that meet their needs" said a spokesman for Citel. "Companies have been looking at ways of moving their customers over to IP telephony with minimal disruption, and with this 48vDC powered, Central Office version of the Portico TVA, we can ensure the customer can obtain the benefits of VoIP without any of the disruptions that occur when new cabling, PoE switches and IP phones have to be installed."

About Citel Technologies, Inc.

Citel enables SMBs, large enterprises and service providers to realize the cost and productivity benefits of IP telephony while at the same time leveraging their existing PBX infrastructure. Businesses with single or distributed locations and PBX vendors can now deploy next-generation IP applications and services at their own pace, with minimal business disruption. Service providers can deploy Hosted IP telephony services quickly, without having to "rip and replace" existing enterprise PBX handsets and LAN cabling. Citel is based in Amherst, New York with offices in Loughborough, England (UK) and Toronto, Canada.

For more details please visit: http://www.citel.com/

Citel Technologies, Inc. Announces Central Office Version of its Portico™ TVA™

Citel Technologies, Inc., is pleased to announce a new firmware release for its Portico™ TVA™ that enable Citel's VoIP migration device to be installed in a central office environment for Centrex deployments. For the first time carriers who are migrating their customers to an IP Centrex solution from a DMS100 Centrex environment can install the Portico™ TVA™ centrally rather than at end user premises.

The Portico TVA offers companies the ability to migrate their customers to VoIP without the unnecessary burden of ripping and replacing existing cabling infrastructure, purchasing new IP phones and installing Power over Ethernet switches. Customers can retain their existing digital, analog and Centrex phones without removing the existing switches by SIP enabling those phones through the use of the Portico TVA. This is a quick and cost effective means of VoIP migration.

The Portico™ TVA™ was originally developed as a premise based device which, when converting end users from a PBX to a premise based IP telephony platform, was not an issue. However, for carriers who were trying to migrate their Centrex customers it can be an issue as they are reluctant to send their technicians onto customers' premises unnecessarily as most work with the switching equipment had historically been done centrally. At a show in the Fall of 2011, one of the major cloud based IP telephony platform providers asked Citel to reexamine its premise based design and Citel's Engineering Division, based in the UK, started the review and design process. After six month design work and some extensive field testing, Citel is excited to announce this new development. "It is important to listen to customers and to work with them to develop products and firmware that meet their needs rather than what we think they need" said Ian Gomm, VP Sales and Marketing. "We are extremely fortunate to have a development team that can think outside the box. We now have versions of the Portico™ TVA™ that fully meet the needs of a new, wider group of customers. Where customers had to ensure that the Portico™ TVA™ was installed less than 2,000 feet (600 meters) from the handset in all instances now the Portico™ TVA™ designed for Centrex replacement, can be up to 15,000 feet (5,000 meters) from the handsets, the mandated loop length for Centrex handsets."

About Citel Technologies, Inc.

Citel enables SMBs, large enterprises and service providers to realize the cost and productivity benefits of IP telephony while at the same time leveraging their existing PBX infrastructure. Businesses with single or distributed locations and PBX vendors can now deploy next-generation IP applications and services at their own pace, with minimal business disruption. Service providers can deploy Hosted IP telephony services quickly, without having to "rip and replace" existing enterprise PBX handsets and LAN cabling. Citel is based in Amherst, New York with offices in Loughborough, England (UK) and Toronto, Canada.

For more information, please visit: www.citel.com

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PixelFish Honored with Two "Award of Distinction" Wins

PixelFish, a leading provider of Google TV Ads, announced today it has been awarded two "Award of Distinction" wins by the 2012 Videographer Awards. The Videographer Awards is an international awards program founded by communication professionals to honor video production companies, advertising and public relations firms, corporate communication departments, cable and broadcast television operations, and government agencies.

The Videographer Awards is one of the oldest and most respected awards programs in the industry. PixelFish received the "Award of Distinction" for two 2011 projects: "StarBoard," a video case study produced for Hitachi that explored the many uses of the StarBoard interactive whiteboard technology in the classroom; and Sunbury Motors "Kia," a 30-second commercial for a Pennsylvania car dealership.

"The Sunbury Motors Kia commercial was part a five-spot campaign," said PixelFish Senior Scriptwriter Andy Glickman. "The client had previously aired just your typical 'stroll through the lot' spots; we pitched them on the idea of going in a radically different direction to break through the clutter of local dealership advertising. The result was a unified series of commercials, with instantly recognizable branding, that distinguished Sunbury Motors from the competition."

Rob Archer is PixelFish's Media Manager and oversaw production of both "Distinction" winning videos. "These videos couldn't be more different. The Hitachi 'StarBoard' video was shot on location at schools in Washington, capturing comments from teachers using the technology and B-roll of classroom activities. The Sunbury spots were shot in our green screen studio with nearly a dozen actors, extensive props and a series of motion graphics and effects. The challenges, goals and production of the two videos demonstrate pretty well the wide range of work that we do at PixelFish."

About PixelFish

PixelFish, Inc. is a provider of award-winning video advertising solutions for medium-sized and large businesses, and their advertising partners. The company has developed revolutionary concepts for quickly and easily creating, distributing and optimizing the most affordable and effective video for all applications. Founded in 2006, PixelFish is a privately-held corporation headquartered in Torrance, California. To learn more about PixelFish, please visit www.pixelfish.com/corporate.

Contact

PixelFish, Inc.
Tel: (310) 212-3200
Fax: (310) 212-3201
pr@pixelfish.com

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PixelFish Moves to New Location

PixelFish, a leading provider of offline, online and broadcast video solutions for medium-sized to large businesses, announced today that it has relocated to new corporate headquarters which are now located at 2275 W. 190th Street, Ste 100, Torrance, CA 90504. The firm's main phone number - (310) 212-3200 - and toll free number - (800) 503-3020 - remain the same.

The new facility houses PixelFish's operations, sales, support, production and post-production departments, as well as a large custom-built studio for green screen, white infinity and other types of video shoots.

"With every relocation PixelFish has made since our inception, it's always been with the purpose of providing better and more creative videos to our clients," said PixelFish Senior Director of Sales David Brewer. "This move is no exception. I am excited about the new potential we now have for expanded growth that this new location provides us, as well as the many creative opportunities this brings to our production and post-production teams."

Founded in 2006, PixelFish provides a wide range of video solutions to businesses of all kinds, focusing primarily on the medium-to-large sized business advertising market. The company's proven business model, proprietary production processes and documented results for their clients allow for lower production costs, making its video solutions more accessible and affordable.

"This move is evidence of our continued growth, the quality of our work, and the retention of our diverse range of clients," said Michael David, PixelFish Creative Director. "We have an expanding client base that includes industry leaders such as AstraZeneca , Hitachi, LexisNexis, ADP, ReachLocal, ShoeDazzle and many more who appreciate the unique PixelFish approach for delivering fresh, dynamic and motivating video content at affordable rates. This move ensures we will continue to provide the highest quality of work to these clients and others."

About PixelFish

PixelFish, Inc. is a provider of award-winning video advertising solutions for medium-sized and large businesses, and their advertising partners. The company has developed revolutionary concepts for quickly and easily creating, distributing and optimizing the most affordable and effective video for all applications. Founded in 2006, PixelFish is a privately-held corporation headquartered in Torrance, California. To learn more about PixelFish, please visit www.pixelfish.com/corporate

Contact
PixelFish, Inc.
Tel: (310) 212-3200
Fax: (310) 212-3201
pr@pixelfish.com

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Singapore Housing Loan – Easy, Affordable, and Reliable

Singapore being highly developed is in phenomenal demand of homes and properties. It being a major decision involving a huge monetary transaction, normally people opts in for affordable property loans. Singapore Housing Loan is fully customizable and is versatile to suit most of our needs. Home loan rates are of two types, fixed or floating rate. It depends upon the economy that one of these two types proves to be economical.

Of course a detailed planning of finances is required before you step into a loan application procedure. It is vital to understand the current assets and liabilities and picture that will represent status after you opt for Singapore Housing Loan.

Banks are now your trusted financial partner and will never let you stop dreaming. For a Singapore housing loan, banks play a major role. The high value purchase is supported by property loans offered by banks. Home loan rates are competitive and home loan calculator on bank websites come as a handy tool. One more advantage of these loans is you can get an exemption from part of income tax payable otherwise. Few countries do offer these types of exemptions. Understanding loan tenure is important, as unnecessary tenure will cost you more money.

Gear up to stay in your new home, by availing home loan Singapore. As a sum up, we should always look forward for few key elements. Home loan rates, loan tenure, loan issuing bank and their regulations, along with budgeted planning of finances. In addition, hidden charges if any, processing fees, well planned action for hassle free documentations, and any other unexpected expenses. Most importantly, choosing a right home that suits to your requirement is a critical factor to consider making this huge process of loan borrowing simple and exciting. Again borrowing loan is a huge responsibility, so bear it wisely!

PixelFish Wins Prestigious Hermes Creative Award

PixelFish, a leading provider of offline, online and broadcast video solutions for medium-sized to large businesses, announced today it has been awarded a Gold award in the 2012 Hermes Creative Awards Competition. The Hermes Creative Awards is an international competition for creative professionals from corporate marketing and communication departments, advertising agencies, PR firms and production companies. The awards are administered and judged by the Association of Marketing and Communication Professionals.

This year's Hermes Creative Awards was one of the toughest competitions on record, with more than 4,700 entries from across the U.S. as well as from numerous foreign countries. PixelFish received the Gold award for "Families of Open Adoption," an 18-minute video produced for the non-profit Independent Adoption Center, featuring interviews with adoptive parents, birthmothers and adoptive children who talk of their open adoption experiences. More than 40 interviews were conducted throughout the country by PixelFish video crews.

"We don't believe in sacrificing quality for affordability," said PixelFish Production Coordinator Tychicus Vasquez. "Due to our relationships with our crews nationwide, we can schedule shoots with minimum notice. And with the creativity and ingenuity of our incredibly talented and experienced team of writers, producers and editors, we've been able to consistently deliver on our commitments."

Founded in 2006, PixelFish provides a wide range of video solutions to businesses of all kinds, focusing primarily on the medium-to-large sized business advertising market. The company's proven business model, proprietary production processes and documented results for their clients allow for lower production costs, making its video solutions more accessible and affordable.

"I am extremely proud of our team for its accomplishments in creative excellence," said Lilly Swardstrom, PixelFish VP of Production. "Our videos consistently receive top awards, which is a testament not only to the exceptional talents of our team, but also to the capabilities of our 'out-of-the box' approach to videos of all types. At PixelFish, we focus on creating quality products for our clients, while keeping costs lower than our competitors. We strive to remove unnecessary costs and simplify production processes without sacrificing creative integrity."

About PixelFish

PixelFish, Inc. is a provider of award-winning video advertising solutions for medium-sized and large businesses, and their advertising partners. The company has developed revolutionary concepts for quickly and easily creating, distributing and optimizing the most affordable and effective video for all applications. Founded in 2006, PixelFish is a privately-held corporation headquartered in Torrance, California. To learn more about PixelFish, please visit www.pixelfish.com/corporate.

Contact

PixelFish, Inc.

Tel: (310) 212-3200

Fax: (310) 212-3201

pr@pixelfish.com

How to Become a Pipefitter

How to Become a Pipefitter

Skilled trades such as plumbing and pipe fitting require dedication, determination and knowledge of design and installation. Additional training includes blueprint reading and learning specific tools of the trade. A pipefitter must install pipelines that transport liquid and gas, and these piping structures often require maintenance repairs and welding procedures. To learn how to become a pipefitter, proper education and certified training is necessary.

Available Pipefitter Educational Programs

Interested candidates pursuing a career in pipe fitting have several options and training paths available. To begin, a person may visit a local plumbing company to work as an apprentice under a professional. Normally, this apprenticeship serves as a precursor to a certificate or diploma. However, even with a plumbing degree, most pipefitters still undergo an apprenticeship that lasts between three and five years.

Pipe Fitting Certificate - Pipe fitting construction certificates are available from many technical schools and community colleges. Programs offered at these schools consist of hands-on training and curriculum involving blueprint reading and math. Typically, a pipe fitting certificate program takes less than one year to complete.

Welding Diploma - Obtaining a pipe fitting or welding diploma normally takes one year. Students receive hands-on experience such as laying and welding pipes. A welding program covers topics such as math and various gas and electric piping.

Plumbing Associate's Degree - An associate's degree program typically takes two years to complete, and it covers both plumbing and pipe fitting topics such as piping math and blueprint reading. A plumbing associate's degree program also offers a majority of the education necessary for pipefitters.

Becoming a Licensed Pipefitter

Regardless of the education, most states require licenses for pipefitters. These licensing requirements vary from state to state, and many employers require a license prior to hiring a new pipefitter. Keep in mind that a pipefitter cannot achieve a license until he or she completes an apprenticeship. A company may sponsor its apprentice, but most apprentices work with self-employed pipefitters and must seek licensure on their own.

After achieving an education, finishing an apprenticeship and obtaining a license, a new pipefitter must advertise his or her skills and build a professional reputation. Some pipefitters seek employment from plumbing and pipe fitting companies, but others may choose to work out of a home office. Regardless, many pipefitters choose a specific industry and work their way up to senior positions, which offer higher pay and increased benefits.