Image: 01 Communique I'm Oncall remote helpdesk review
Easy to configure, use and manage, but light on remote-support tools

Review: 01 Communique I'm Oncall

Remote, hands-on technical support made simple thanks to an easy, web-based interface

Written by Paul Monkton

Larger Image

Wherever you are, as long as you’re connected to the Internet, you can initiate remote technical support sessions using only a web browser.

With 01 Communique I'm Oncall, no software needs to be pre-installed at the remote end, so you can connect to new clients and take control of their PCs in moments.

Advertisement

To prepare a remote session, you can either create a pre-configured email containing an HTTP link or ask the user to input a code on your support web page, which can be customised with your own company logo.

Once you’ve connected, you get remote control and file transfer – and that’s it. Many features you might expect are absent.

The most noticeable omission is the lack of any integrated chat facility. If you don’t want to fight for control over a Notepad window, you’ll have to use the telephone or instant messaging to speak to your client.

Furthermore, it doesn’t come with any support tools, for example remote viewing of critical system information, such as running processes or system event logs. Instead, everything must be conducted via the remote-control session.

On the administration side there are plenty of configuration and customisation options.

You can edit the content of the automated user invitation email, create categories of support incidents and build up a database of clients to which you can attach notes and comments.

You can add multiple support technicians to your online team and search all current and previous incidents.

It’s all very quick and easy, but I’m Oncall is not without competition and is lacking in some areas. At $99 (approx £53)

per month, per seat, I’m Oncall works out about the same price as competitors such as Log Me In Rescue.

A free trial of I'm Oncall is available.

System requirements
Local system: Windows 98/ME/2000/XP/Server 2003
Internet Explorer 5.5 or later/Mozilla Firefox 1.
Remote system: Windows 98/ME/2000/XP/Server 2003

Tags:

Product overview

  • Price: $99.95 single user 9 (£53) per month; $999.95 (£531) per year
  • Manufacturer: 01 Communique
  • Specifications:

Best prices

Ratings

  • Overall rating: 4
  • Features: 3
  • Performance rating: n/a
  • Value for money: 3
  • Average user rating:
Rate this product

Verdict

Pros: Very easy to set up; no troublesome installation for remote users; technicians can share licences
Cons: No chat facility; lack of online features
Overall: Easy to configure, use and manage, but light on remote-support tools

See also:

Advertisements

Do you agree?

IT white papers

Search vnunet IThound

Top categories

Advertisement

Newsletter signup

Sign up for our range of FREE newsletters:

Existing User

Newsletter user login:

Enter email address to edit your newsletter preferences

Poll

Google Android

Google Android

Are you intending to try out a Google Android mobile phone?

Previous poll results

Spotlight

MoD building

Latest data breach leads MPs to demand culture change

MoD admits to losing a hard drive containing up to...  More...

Online shopping

E-retailers urged to prepare for Christmas

Credit crunch sending shoppers online for cheaper presents   More...

Mobile phone

Emerging markets drive mobile growth

Mobile penetration rates expected to reach 95 per cent by...  More...

Digital information

Poor data classification costing companies dear

Millions wasted on searching through clutter, says analyst   More...

Primary Navigation