VoIP News by Voicedot Networks

VoIP News - Monday 19th October

noreply@blogger.com (Voicedot Networks) — Mon, 19 Oct 2009 00:40:00 +0000

TringMe's App Lets You Make Calls From Facebook
VoIP startup TringMe has launched a Facebook application that lets users make calls from the social network using its Flash-based web phone for browsers. The app also lets you embed widgets to your profile for your Facebook friends to call or SMS you. The app has much of the functionality that a regular VoIP app like Skype has. TringMe's app lets users set up caller-id, send SMS messages from Facebook, lets callers leave voicemails that the users can access and lets you add TringMe widgets to your profile that let friends and visitors call or SMS you from that page, which seems to be the most appealing feature of the app.
http://www.washingtonpost.com

UAE: VoIP may be legalized by year end, says TRA official
The Telecommunications Regulatory Authority (TRA) is working on a policy to make international internet calls via Voice over IP (VoIP) legal, reported Maktoob Business on Sunday. Mohammed Gheyath, executive director of technology development affairs, said: “Hopefully by the end of this year a new policy will be out.”
http://www.kippreport.com

Is VoIP the voice of the open mobile Internet?
It may be mobile VoIP that mobile operators use to argue they already embrace the open Internet as the FCC mulls new net neutrality rules. Last week, Verizon Wireless announced a deal with Google that will see the search giant's Android platform run on Verizon's network but also bring controversial applications such as Google Voice to Verizon subscribers.
http://www.fiercebroadbandwireless.com

Skype may buy peer-to-peer VoIP startup Gizmo5
According to the Washington Post, Skype may soon purchase peer-to-peer VoIP startup Gizmo5 for around $50 million. The purchase is part of a back-up plan to ensure code base for the online VoIP provider in the event that it's lawsuit with Joltid results in the company not having access to the underlying code Skype uses to make VoIP calls. Currently the code base is licensed to Skype by its original founders who now run Joltid and are suing the company and eBay over intellectual property rights among other things (like getting the company back).
http://www.fiercevoip.com

Internet watchdog challenges VoIP patent
On Wednesday, the EFF, a civil liberties organization that works to protect rights in the digital world, filed a re-examination request to the U.S. Patent and Trademark office, stating it had discovered a prior patent as well as published reference material that should invalidate a patent that had been granted to a company called Acceris. The patent that Acceris was granted describes how voice over IP technology can be used to make calls to and from traditional analog telephones.
http://news.cnet.com

gotalk declares VoIP war
Aggressive Trans Tasman full service/broadband/VoIP telco gotalk today launched another salvo in the current escalating VoIP price war – hotly disputing competitor Engin’s claim to have “the best offer on the market”. Announcing a range of “improved” VoIP plans today, a confident gotalk CEO Steve Picton said his new plans “will persuade thousands of customers to change service providers.”
http://www.cio.com.au

Comcast launches HomePoint VoIP Phone/Router, some ask 'why?'
In an extremely limited release, Comcast is putting its HomePoint VoIP phone/router converged device on the market. The new device integrates Comcast's VoIP service with its cable Internet service combining a wireless router with a VoIP phone in an all-in-one device. Comcast customers in Fort Meyers, Fla. will be the first to get the chance to try the technology with Comcast launching the service in other markets soon.
http://www.fiercevoip.com

Kineto Intros Mobile VoIP App for Carriers
Kineto Wireless has introduced a mobile VoIP application designed specifically to be deployed and managed by mobile operators. The app, which leverages the operator’s existing voice network infrastructure, is designed to run on iPhone, Android, Symbian, and Windows Mobile devices.
http://www.voipplanet.com

VoIP News - Thursday 8h October

noreply@blogger.com (Voicedot Networks) — Wed, 07 Oct 2009 23:23:00 +0000

What's Behind AT&T's New VoIP Policy?
It looks like you'll be able to use Skype on the iPhone over a 3G connection after all. AT&T changed course on Tuesday by allowing skype to connect over the carrier's 3G network. The new decision is a complete reversal of a previous policy that restricted VoIP applications to use the iPhone's Wi-Fi connectivity only, and not the device's cellular capability.
http://www.pcworld.com

CNET News Daily Podcast: AT&T finally warms to VoIP
In today's podcast, we get CNET News writer Tom Krazit in the studio to talk about yesterday's news that AT&T will finally allow voice over Internet protocol (VoIP) applications to run on its network. This opens up the field for apps from Vonage and Skype to actually compete with AT&T's business, and possibly bring Google's Voice service to Apple's iPhone.
http://news.cnet.com

Vonage App Brings VoIP to Blackberry and iPhone
Vonage is expanding its horizons beyond delivering VoIP over broadband Internet, and hoping to expand its customer base and revenue at the same time. The new app from Vonage allows Blackberry and iPhone users to place cheaper international calls from their mobile phones. It also highlights the shifting competitive landscape between previously separate technologies.
http://www.sfgate.com

Wireless industry makes itself more open in one day
In one day, the wireless industry just made itself significantly more open. No doubt this is in response to the Federal Communication Commission's interest in making net neutrality rules apply to wireless networks and to the commission's queries into exclusive handset deals
http://www.fiercemobileit.com

First Hosted Intros VoiceNet Hosted VoIP Solution
First Hosted Limited, a provider of hosted solutions, has announced the launch of a new business-grade VoIP solution called “VoiceNet” that is claims offers the key benefits of economies of scale, cost efficiencies and centralization for businesses, with feature-rich capability and flexibility.
http://hosted-voip.tmcnet.com

JumperTel wants to take on Skype from scratch with VoIP service
A new US company called JumperTel has launched a VoIP phone which it hopes will rival Skype. It costs $12 a year for unlimited calls to other JumperTel phones, and the special phones cost just $21.99. It claims an edge over Skype with improved voice quality and email based customer care and idiot-proof installation.
http://www.unthinkable.biz

Zer01 unlimited voice and data service demo @ Fall CTIA 2009
It’s been a long time coming, and they’ve had to trudge through a veritable gauntlet of bad press related to Global Verge and Buzzirk Mobile, but Zer01 Mobile is finally ready to show that they’re not just full of hot air. Zer01 CEO Ben Piilani was on hand at the Fall CTIA WITE 2009 conference to prove to the media that Zer01 service is indeed real and does work.
http://www.intomobile.com

Scareware scams spill onto Skype
Scareware spreaders have started to use Skype to spread their cash-sapping crud.
The VoIP channel has joined malicious manipulated search results, malicious online advertisements, Facebook messages and iFrame contaminated sites as a means to spread rogue "anti-virus" software scans.
http://www.theregister.co.uk

VoIP News - Monday 5th October 2009

noreply@blogger.com (Voicedot Networks) — Sun, 04 Oct 2009 22:26:00 +0000

Verizon Wireless Dumps the Hub
Less than a year after Verizon Wireless declared the Hub as the landline of the future, the nation's No. 1 carrier quietly drops the VOIP phone.
http://www.eweek.com

FCC to revisit Net Neutrality in the U.S.
In a speech at the Brookings Institution September 21, FCC Chairman Julius Genachowski announced a rulemaking to embrace the concept of “net neutrality,” and the telecom world is crackling with the energy of renewing a fight continued for some years now. It is more than just a new round, too, because the speech almost casually added wireless as well as wireline to the scope of FCC’s concerns, which raises new and serious sets of uncertainties.
http://thegovmonitor.com

Ooma's next-gen 'free' phone system, the Telo, is finally available
You probably don't remember it, but way back in January, at CES, a little company called Ooma unveiled its next-generation phone system, the Telo, which combines DECT 6.0 cordless-phone technology with Internet-based (VoIP) calling. Well, after nearly 10 months of waiting, the Telo is finally landing in stores and is available for $249.99.
http://news.cnet.com

Sprint reaches VoIP patent agreement with Big River Telephone
Large incumbent operators filing lawsuits against competitive and independent service providers over VoIP services has become a phenomenon in recent years. Case in point is Sprint. The IXC, which currently provides wholesale VoIP services to other cable operators, has settled a VoIP patent lawsuit with Big River Telephone Co. Although financial details of the settlement were not revealed, the agreement will allow Big River Telephone to provide wholesale telephone services to other small cable operators.
http://www.fiercetelecom.com

Speakeasy The Latest VoIP Provider To Block Certain Calls
A few weeks back, we noted that VoIP provider MagicJack had begun blocking calls to certain numbers it didn't like -- specifically free conference numbers that were using a regulatory arbitrage loophole that required the networks of incoming calls to certain rural telcos to pay huge connection fees, creating incentives for those telcos to develop cheap or free services that brought in lots of calls.
http://www.techdirt.com

NetTALK: New entrant in the ultra-low-cost VoIP arena.
We're not sure why, but when startup netTALK launched its consumer-oriented VoIP product in July of this year, Enterprise VoIPplanet.com missed the event. An announcement, last month, that the company's common stock was being approved for public trading on the OTC Bulletin Board also slipped past us.
http://www.voipplanet.com

JAJAH beta-testing Twitter VoIP calling
JAJAH, an IP telephony platform, announced the beta launch of VoIP calling functionality for Twitter called "@call." Both the caller and the recipient of the call will have to sign up for the beta program for a call to work, but once they've registered, the caller only needs to send a message reading "@call@twittername" to connect to the recipient for up to a two-minute call.
http://www.fiercevoip.com

Engin appoints new CEO, CFO & COO
Charles Solomon, who has been general manager of VoIP service provider, engin since October 2008 has been promoted to CEO and the company has filled new CFO and COO role with internal promotions.
http://www.itwire.com

Toll fraud is alive and well
Almost as long as there have been toll calls there has been toll fraud. From phone phreakers to corrupt insiders to external hackers, fraudsters have found a way to make crime pay. But three trends related to this old crime are bringing it to the forefront once again, creating headaches for enterprise managers.
http://www.computerworld.com

Google Voice, Skype Are on a VOIP Collision Course
Why would Google want to acquire Skype when it already has a VOIP application? The fact is, Google Voice and Skype are not yet direct competitors, but Google is enriching its application and could put it on a collision course with Skype. Google Voice could be linked with Google Talk to approximate Skype's PC calling services. Google also offers video chat via Gmail, which could theoretically be added to any VOIP platform Google was considering.
http://www.eweek.com

VoIP News - Monday 31st August

noreply@blogger.com (Voicedot Networks) — Sun, 30 Aug 2009 22:24:00 +0000

VoIP Providers and the Economy: Innovate, Entrench, or Consolidate?
The communications industry, while not entirely immune to it, has felt less of an impact that most during the economic downturn that has crippled more than just a few companies (even some in the telecom space). In fact, many telecom providers and vendors have experienced growth during the recession, like8x8, which recently moved into a new corporate headquarters facility that could accommodate its growth.
http://small-business-voip.tmcnet.com

Sify to tap VoIP market
Sify Technologies, a pioneer among private internet service providers (ISP) in India with 5.7 lakh subscribers and a 5.8% market share, is now targeting yet another area of telecommunications for a first mover advantage — voice over internet protocol (VoIP), for the mass consumer market, as and when government regulation permits it within the country.
http://economictimes.indiatimes.com

Enterprise Fax Over IP Follows VoIP into the Office
Internet telephony has penetrated the enterprise market so deeply that, at this point, small- to medium-sized businesses far and away have emerged as the primary targets for VoIP service providers – and under the not-quite-accurate mantra “VoIP Is Dead,” advocates for technologies such as high-definition IP telephony or video-based communications as the “next” phase of communications have come out of the wood work.
http://www.tmcnet.com

VoIP News - Friday 28th August

noreply@blogger.com (Voicedot Networks) — Thu, 27 Aug 2009 22:55:00 +0000

Vonage jumps 35 percent on hopes for VoIP growth
Vonage Holdings Corp shares surged 35 percent on Wednesday on growing views that the company would survive despite earlier skepticism over its business model. The stock has now climbed more than 300 percent in the past week, a rally that has surprised analysts who say the company still faces stiff competition and weak revenue. Last week, the stock was trading at less than 50 cents a share, but it now stands above $2.
http://www.reuters.com

Microsoft Boosts VoIP With JahJah Partnership
JahJah is providing Microsoft with SIP trunking services, a key unified communications technology that connects OCS 2007 R2 to carrier networks and enables phones calls made from PCs, VoIP phones and mobile devices to reach their destinations. SIP trunking also reduces infrastructure costs at the gateway and enables companies to move to a standards-based infrastructure.
http://www.crn.com

Wireless Growth as Fuel for Mobile VoIP
Market researchers and analysts in recent weeks have called for wide adoption of mobile Voice over IP, or “VoIP” technology, including among cellular network operators. The reasons are varied, though many operators face high costs, as well as a lot of complexity and time as they seek to upgrade their networks to support mobile VoIP.
http://small-business-voip.tmcnet.com

The Three Metrics for Monitoring VoIP Call Setup Performance
Welcome to another edition of “Notes from Downstream,” where I discuss the issues impacting the network performance of the various data and multimedia streams flowing through your network. While optimizing the network for both data and voice is crucial, so is monitoring the quality of experience that your users perceive from VoIP and video applications. In this column, I will focus on a vital part of this quality of experience: call setup performance.
http://voip-phone-systems.tmcnet.com

Carrier VoIP revs down 32% in Q2
A new Infonetics research report on second-quarter carrier VoIP spending shows some signs of life for the industry, which has been battered due to reduced carrier capex amid the recession. Global carrier VoIP equipment revenues totaled $598 million in Q2, and while the market segment revenues were off 32 percent year-over-year, they did show slight improvement of 0.8 percent from Q1.
http://www.fiercevoip.com

Google Voice: Let Freedom Ring
Google Voice is the telecom invention that everyone wants, though few understand how it works. Like TiVo, digital cameras and BlackBerrys, innovations such as this take a while to be considered necessary by us regular people, and even longer for us to understand how they work.
http://www.politicsdaily.com

VoIP News - Tuesday 25th August

noreply@blogger.com (Voicedot Networks) — Mon, 24 Aug 2009 23:13:00 +0000

AT&T: iPhone deal blocks VoIP over cellular
In a letter to the FCC, AT&T acknowledged that Apple and AT&T have an agreement to block VoIP apps from using AT&T’s cellular networks, but that VoIP apps that use Wi-Fi are OK. Here’s a selection from the letter.
http://government.zdnet.com

Google's Andy Rubin responds to "inaccurate" USA Today article regarding VoIP on Android
Google Vice President of Mobile Platforms Andy Rubin responded directly on Google's public policy blog to an article published Friday by USA Today, disagreeing with several of the papers claims related to the availability of VoIP applications, including Skype, on the Android operating system.
http://www.mobileburn.com

4G Wireless Evolution - Amdocs: 4G Technologies to Push 'Creativity' of Internet, Mobile Devices
Fourth-generation wireless technologies require a major transformation of the network, a representative for a St. Louis-based provider of customer experience systems, told TMCnet in an interview. Despite that, the technology will bring new meaning to the word mobility and give users the option to take services anywhere they go, according to David Chambers, solutions manager, mobile OSS, Amdocs.
http://4g-wirelessevolution.tmcnet.com

Voxbone aims to let consumers keep one phone number for life
Voxbone, a wholesaler of transferrable VoIP phone numbers to service providers, announced that 8 out of 10 respondents wanted to have on phone number for life so as not to lose contact information after a move or service provider change, according to the results of a survey it commissioned. It said the traditional line-based way phone numbers are handled needs to shift to an individually focused strategy, and it aims to facilitate that transition through its iNum service, which lets consumers keep the same phone number, even if moving overseas.
http://www.fiercevoip.com

Burning Question: When Will International Phone Calls Be Free?
Not anytime soon, bub. But when you eventually get your iPhone 4G, they should be included in your rate plan. Which is weird, because it's probably been a long time since you nervously eyed the clock while on the phone with your granny in Smallville. Long distance has been all-you-can-eat since cell phones and voice-over-IP conquered the universe.
http://www.wired.com

VoIp News - Monday 24th August

noreply@blogger.com (Voicedot Networks) — Sun, 23 Aug 2009 22:40:00 +0000

AT&T can veto iPhone VoIP apps
AT&T has the power to veto sales of Apple iPhone applications capable of generating cheap telephone calls over the Internet, the companies say. The U.S. telecommunications giant and Apple say AT&T gained the veto power as part of its exclusive contract with Apple to serve as the popular iPhones' sole service provider, Financial Times reported Saturday.
http://www.themoneytimes.com

Google Denies Blocking Skype on Android Devices
Google on Friday denied that it is blocking VoIP services like Skype on Android devices, and said that full-featured VoIP apps are not available on Android phones only because developers have not yet created them.
http://www.pcmag.com

XO expands VoIP services
XO Communications has enhanced its VoIP service with expanded nationwide coverage, upgraded business continuity features, and interoperability support for a wider range IP-PBX platforms using Session Initiation Protocol. XO effectively doubles its footprint across the United States, now providing VoIP services to 80% major metropolitan markets. The increase in VoIP service areas better positions the company to support multi-location businesses.
http://www.networkworld.com

GL Communications improves real-time VoIP analyzer
Enhancements to GL Communications' PacketScan real-time VoIP analyzer allow it to handle up to 1300 simultaneous calls with bidirectional RTP traffic. In addition, the software now produces a summary of MEGACO calls, classifying them as active, completed, or failed. The summary of each call contains signaling information, such as physical termination, ephemeral termination, context ID, call start time, call duration, and information about media sessions associated with it.
http://www.tmworld.com

Wi-Fi, Though Not VoIP, Completely at Home in the Air
The writer of this post at GIzmodo doesn't seem to have made much of an effort to check the veracity of this vignette he picked up at Evan's Blog. The story is that a commercial plane waiting to take off at Newark Airport when the captain asked if there was a passenger with a laptop and connectivity on board. Bad weather was delaying things. The plane was 50th in line, which essentially means that passengers were in for an extended stay in the land of Tony Soprano.
http://www.itbusinessedge.com

VoIp News - Friday 21st August

noreply@blogger.com (Voicedot Networks) — Thu, 20 Aug 2009 22:23:00 +0000

YouMail Integrates VOIP and PBX Services
-YouMail Inc., the premier mobile consumer voicemail service, today announced the availability of YouMail DropBox, a service that enables anyone using a VOIP voicemail service featuring e-mail delivery to take advantage of YouMail’s free Visual Voicemail Plus applications for iPhone, BlackBerry, and Android smart phones as well as YouMail’s premium services that provide near-perfect voicemail transcription. YouMail’s DropBox works with all major VOIP phone service providers including Vonage, GoogleVoice, Magicjack, OOMA, Packet 8, and eVoice.
http://www.businesswire.com

Will Sonus get Nortel's VoIP assets?
Could Westford, Mass.-based Sonus be on the verge of purchasing Nortel's VoIP assets? Well, Catharine Trebnick, senior research analyst at Avian Securities, believes such a marriage is imminent. While Nortel has yet to announce a desired price for the assets, Trebnick said she thinks the Canadian vendor would want about $350 million.
http://www.fiercevoip.com

Mobile VoIP can you hear me now?
Wireless operators have never placed much value in VoIP, preferring to tout cash cow voice and SMS services. However, recent announcements from Verizon Wireless and Telefonica O2 illustrate that wireless operators are changing their tune. First there was Verizon, which last week highlighted that it was testing VoIP services on its LTE network in Boston. During a trial with Alcatel-Lucent, Verizon Wireless said it successfully made data calls using VoIP to enable voice transmissions over the LTE 4G network. The wireless operator added that it also completed the first LTE 4G data call based on the 3GPP Release 8 standard in Seattle with Ericsson.
http://www.fiercevoip.com

Vonage Bundles International Calls, Voicemail Texts
Vonage Holdings is adding unlimited free calls to countries including Mexico and China, plus speech-to-text conversion of voicemail, to its fixed-line VoIP (voice over Internet protocol) service. Starting Thursday, Vonage will let subscribers call more than 60 countries and territories as part of a flat-rate calling plan called Vonage World, priced at US$24.99 per month. The countries include India, Brazil, South Korea, Canada and Australia, as well as several countries in Europe and other locations in Africa, Asia and Latin America. In more than a dozen of those countries, including India and China, calls to mobile phones are included.
http://www.pcworld.com

O2 allows mobile VoIP use, launches new wholesale broadband offering
German mobile operator O2 Germany has announced it has started to allow voice-over-IP (VoIP) use on its wireless network. Previously all four of the country’s mobile network operators have tried to block VoIP applications such as Skype, which allow customers to make cheap long-distance calls via broadband internet connections. ‘We are one of the fastest and most modern mobile data networks in Europe and our customers should be able to experience that without restrictions,’ said O2 Germany’s marketing director, Lutz Schuler, adding, ‘By opening our mobile high speed network for VoIP services, we are setting new benchmarks for mobile internet.’
http://www.telegeography.com

iPhone bug affects Truphone users, fix available
Truphone, a mobile Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) application that routes calls across the Internet, is experiencing problems with the recent iPhone 3.0 Software Update.
http://news.idg.no

VoIp News - Wednesday 19th August

noreply@blogger.com (Voicedot Networks) — Tue, 18 Aug 2009 22:18:00 +0000

BroadSoft Powers Satellite VoIP Calling
BroadSoft, Inc., the leading worldwide provider of VoIP applications, today announced its involvement in the industry's first smartphone to smartphone VoIP call by mobile communications provider TerreStar Networks Inc. (TerreStar), a majority-owned subsidiary of TerreStar Corporation.
http://www.marketwire.com

TCM Mobile and Ganton to Launch First Cellular VoIP Network in India
TCM Mobile LLC announced today it has signed an MOU with Ganton Limited to deploy a commercial cellular VoIP operating network in India. This will be the world's first commercial network to utilize TCM's revolutionary, patented telecommunication technology, and will be rolled out to an initial 500,000 subscribers with a project capex of US $300 million dollars. The specific operating territory is currently being designed and will be announced in the coming weeks.
http://news.prnewswire.com

Cut Your Phone Bill
A phone line is indispensable, but its costs can sometimes seem intolerable. There are two easy ways to save money on your calls:
http://www.pcworld.com

What is traffic shaping?
Almost a year ago, the cable company Comcast which many of us in South Florida know well, was penalized by the FCC and ordered to stop interfering with the uploading and downloading of customer files using peer-to-peer file sharing.
http://www.examiner.com

PortaOne Announces DIDXchange Interoperability, Enabling Access to Global DID Phone Number Marketplace
lobal communications infrastructure company PortaOne, Inc. and DIDX, operator of the DIDXchange and a service of Super Technologies, Inc., today announced the successful interoperability of PortaOne's PortaSwitch IP multimedia subsystem with the DIDXchange routing and provisioning application. The combination allows PortaSwitch VoIP users to purchase and provision their customers with local DID (Direct Inward Dialing) phone numbers in over 60 countries around the world, thereby giving those users a strong competitive advantage in the VoIP PBX segment.
http://news.prnewswire.com

VoIP News - Tuesday 18th August

noreply@blogger.com (Voicedot Networks) — Mon, 17 Aug 2009 23:10:00 +0000

VoIP company owner deposes, prosecution seeks a day's time
MUMBAI: A US citizen of Asian origin who owns Callphonex, an internet telephony (VoIP) service company, deposed in the 26/11 trial against the lone surviving gunman Ajmal Amir Kasab on Monday. But less than halfway through the live testimony via a video-conference link from Canada, when the witness failed to remember a phone number, public prosecutor Ujjwal Nikam suggested it be deferred by a day as the witness had not come prepared with all the relevant documents.
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com

Are Carriers Changing Their Tune on Mobile VoIP?
If you’re a regular reader of this blog, then you know that wireless phone companies have had little to no time for VoIP-based applications, especially those that cut into their precious voice and SMS revenues. A few years back, T-Mobile decided to play nasty with mobile VoIP startup Truphone in the UK, and since then similar such incidents have taken place as well.
http://gigaom.com

Fixed-Line VoIP Service as a Mainstay of IMS Deployments
Communications market research firm Infonetics Research released results from its IMS Plans: Global Service Provider Survey, published last week as part of its Service Provider VoIP and IMS Continuous Research Service. The survey provides a strategic overview of service provider IMS network plans, service offerings, core product features and capabilities, drivers and barriers to deploying IMS, and ratings of 10 IMS vendors: Acme Packet, Alcatel-Lucent, BroadSoft, Cisco, Ericsson, HP, Huawei, Nokia Siemens Networks, Sonus, and ZTE.
http://voip.biz-news.com

VoIP News - Monday 17th August

noreply@blogger.com (Voicedot Networks) — Mon, 17 Aug 2009 02:00:00 +0000

Zer01 Defends Mobile VoIP Technology
Zer01 Mobile said it plans to go through with its plan to offer a mobile service that provides unlimited voice, text, and data services using mobile VoIP despite questions about the technology and the company's business partners.
http://www.informationweek.com

Sonus After Nortel Carrier VoIP, Everyone Wants Optical
“Our industry sources indicate Sonus] is aggressively pursuing the [VoIP] assets,” said Catharine Trebnick, senior research analyst at Avian Securities LLC, in a note. “We believe [Sonus’] latest round of North American layoffs may be attributed to [Sonus] seeking Nortel’s VoIP assets in addition to [Sonus’] relocation of organizational functions such as R&D to India.” If successful, it will be a net positive for Sonus, she said, though the vendor will most certainly need outside help with the integration.
http://www.xchangemag.com

Awaiting Apple's new do-everything gadget
t has become the geek’s equivalent of the abominable snowman. For more than a year the blogosphere has been awash with speculation about the existence of an Apple touchscreen computer based on the technology behind the iPhone. The device, it is said, would play music, film and games, surf the web and act as a Voip phone and a reading device for books and newspapers. The only problem is that there has been no evidence of its existence. Until now, that is.
http://technology.timesonline.co.uk

FonoSIP.com and Nimbuzz Sign a Co-Marketing Agreement
Nimbuzz, the world leading mVoIP (mobile VoIP) provider, and FonoSIP.com, a pioneering Free Voip provider, have signed a partnership agreement. Tobias Kemper, Head of Communications Nimbuzz said: "Nimbuzz is glad to be working with Fonosip as SIP partner. We take great pride in offering Fonosip a way to mobilize and empower their customers with an all-in-one mobile VoIP and social messaging solution! We are welcoming all Fonosip customers to the ever growing global Nimbuzz community."
http://www.pr.com

IPico SIP Mobile Client Released for iPhone and iPod Touch
AudioCodes has reportedly partnered with MailVision (News - Alert) and has made iPico, MailVision’s mobile SIP client solution to be compatible with iPhone and iPod touch. IPico is already available for Nokia (News - Alert) and Windows Mobile users and iPhone users can get the solution from the Apple’s App store.
http://voip-phone-systems.tmcnet.com

VoIP News - Friday 14th August

noreply@blogger.com (Voicedot Networks) — Thu, 13 Aug 2009 22:29:00 +0000

Offer for Nortel's carrier VoIP business seen as near
A Nortel executive in charge of the operations was quoted in Canada's Financial Post, saying the company is on the verge of receiving a "stalking horse" bid for the business, which includes softswitches, media gateways and applications. Stalking horse bids are initial offers for assets that essentially set a floor price before auction.
http://www.networkworld.com

Android Gets Nimbuzzed
Untill some time back, Nimbuzz, the popular IM and VoIP client, had no version available for the Android platform, which was not something truly great, considering the fact that the Android platform is one of the most "looked forward" to amongst modern day mobile OSes.
http://www.techtree.com

Zer01 Mobile severs ties with Buzzirk, defends technology
Zer01 Mobile, the MVNE that has been dogged with concerns about its service, said that because of a breach of contract it has cut its business ties with Buzzirk Mobile, which was supposed to distribute the company's service. Zer01 did not specify in what way the contract had been breached.
http://www.fiercewireless.com

VoIP News - Thursday 13th August

noreply@blogger.com (Voicedot Networks) — Wed, 12 Aug 2009 23:19:00 +0000

XO Communications Adds New Redundancy Feature to its VoIP Portfolio
Network operator XO Communications has improved redundancy for its VoIP customers with a new Automatic Call Routing feature that allows incoming calls to be routed to an alternate phone, landline or mobile device in the face of an unplanned event.
http://sip-trunking.tmcnet.com

Xila Broadband Drops its Setup Fee for Wholesale DSL & VoIP Resellers
Pre-August 2009 it would have cost a potential reseller $195.00 to join Xila's Wholesale DSL & VoIP Reseller Program. With Xila Broadband's new monthly option resellers can begin offering their own DSL & VoIP brand for a one-time setup fee of $59.99 and then only $22.99 a month. Xila's monthly plan includes access to it's flagship BACC service provisioning and billing system, the ability to offer high speed DSL service on the nations two largest DSL networks, and much more.
http://www.prweb.com

Mobile VoIP's an 'Unstoppable Train'
Many incumbent operators continue to block mobile VoIP. There is no compelling reason for them to stop milking their circuit-switched voice cash cow – yet. But mobile VoIP is an unstoppable train due to consumer demand for less-expensive mobile services, enterprise demand for fixed/mobile convergence (FMC), and the transformation of the network to an all-IP architecture. Operators will eventually jump on the mobile VoIP bandwagon – if just to gain some experience ahead of all-IP 4G. Many are likely to collaborate or even outright acquire some of the upstarts to put their hands on experience and proven technology.
http://www.unstrung.com

VoIP processor packs Fast Ethernet 10/100 MAC
SiTel Semiconductor's Green VoIP processor range gets a new member with the release of the SC14452. The chip features integrated DECT support that enables stand-by power figure of 350mW. The processor also provides dedicated cryptography features to ensure complete call confidentiality. In addition, the highly integrated solution helps reduce BOM for enterprise VoIP desktop phones and IP-DECT base stations, while delivering sound quality for clear communications.
http://www.eetasia.com

Vonage gives the VoIP-curious a chance to try before they buy
Do you think you may be able to cut down on your phone bills by exploring a way to connect to a VoIP but not sure how to take the plunge? Currently Vonage is giving users the chance to try out their service with the offer of a no obligation 30-day trial.
http://www.broadbandgenie.co.uk

SIP Trunks - the driving force behind the 2009 UK Golf Open
Communication services for short term sporting events are always a challenge; the 2009 UK Golf Open was no exception. The Open Championship is the oldest of the four major championships in professional golf. It is the only major held outside the USA and is administered by The R&A (Royal and Ancient Golf Club of St Andrews). In 2009, the tournament was held at Turnberry in Ayrshire, Scotland.
http://callcenterinfo.tmcnet.com

Sophos: Instant Messaging, VoIP, P2P, and games in the workplace - how to take back control
Employees installing and using unauthorised applications like Instant Messaging, VoIP, games and peer-to-peer file-sharing applications cause many businesses serious concern. This Sophos white paper looks at why it is important to control such applications, discusses the various approaches, and highlights how integrating this functionality into malware protection is the simplest and most cost-effective solution
http://www.ameinfo.com

B'lore airport extends contract with Nortel
BIAL leases the data and voice network to its various tenants, including airlines, restaurants, cargo handlers and other groups which manage their own, round-the-clock operational applications. All passenger-centric critical business applications such as baggage handling and tracking, ticketing, passenger handling and free WiFi Internet connectivity at BIAL run on Nortel’s communication infrastructure. Nortel’s voice solution provides a carrier grade voice over IP (VoIP) network across the entire airport, connecting approximately 1,000 VoIP points. Nortel’s data network connects approximately 5,000 endpoints.
http://www.business-standard.com

VoIP News - Wednesday 12th August

noreply@blogger.com (Voicedot Networks) — Wed, 12 Aug 2009 04:56:00 +0000

Matrix Knowledge Management Debuts Mobile VoIP Software
Western Australia-based Matrix Knowledge Management Pty Ltd, a provider of client/server software, announced that it will launching its new VoIP mobile software application, so called "V Phone," this week.The latest offering from Matrix, V Phone 1.01 (Mobile), is a mobile SIP client software application that can be downloaded onto Smartphones. This mobile telephony option is not locked to a single VoIP provider, thereby enabling mobile phone users to choose between unlimited VoIP providers of their choice for voice calling.
http://voip-phone-systems.tmcnet.com

Mobile VoIP Goes Mainstream
Although the initial hype around mobile voice over IP (VoIP) has subsided, the hope to create a winning Internet voice business remains as strong as ever among an ambitious group of startups. They still see a market – albeit a transformed one – for the disruptive technology and continue to drive cracks into the circuit-switched voice fortress of mobile phone operators.
http://www.unstrung.com

Wireless Carriers Resist VoIP Across Mobile Networks; xG Technology Offers Alternative Path
Resistance by wireless carriers to allowing customers access to VoIP services across their mobile networks has attracted the attention of the regulators, with the US Department of Justice (DOJ), the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) and the European Union all looking into the practice. xG Technology® has developed xMax--an alternative path that allows consumers to benefit from much lower cost mobile calls via the Internet, avoiding the incumbent carriers’ networks all together.
http://www.businesswire.com

VoIP, from Toy to Game-Changer
From what was a kind of communications segment toy just nine years ago, Voice over IP, or “VoIP” has developed so quickly and spread so virally that the head of one Philadelphia-based business VoIP service provider now sees his company’s customer base and revenue growing at break-neck speeds.
http://ip-pbx.tmcnet.com

Can a Portable Skype Device Succeed in the Market?
One of the advantages of working for the GigaOM Network is the ability to contribute some in-depth articles for the subscription site, GigaOM Pro. These articles give me a chance to really delve into an idea and flesh it out into a full-fledged product idea. One such idea concerns a device to compete with the iPod Touch from Apple.
http://jkontherun.com/

Skype-Joltid Dispute Presents an Opportunity for Google Voice
eBay reports in an SEC filing that Skype is embroiled in a software licensing lawsuit with Joltid, forcing eBay to write its own VOIP software in case Skype loses. While some wonder if the dispute will impede eBay's planned IPO for Skype, others see Skype's troubles as a chance for Google Voice to grow.
http://www.eweek.com

BoB – iiNet’s ‘all-in-one’ home communications solution!
BoB - that's the name of the new Australian-market-specific Internet and phone unit developed by iiNet, aimed at providing an 'all-in-one' home communications solution. This latest modem/router offering from iiNet has been manufactured by Belkin.
http://topnews.us

Ofcom Report Says VoIP Not Mainstream In UK
A staggering 21 percent of internet users in the UK have used Voice over IP
(VoIP) services in 2008 according to the latest Ofcom's Communications Market Report published on Thursday. This compares well with only 14 percent in 2007 and represents an impressive 50 percent rise in 12 months only.
http://www.itproportal.com

VoIP News - Friday 7th August

noreply@blogger.com (Voicedot Networks) — Fri, 07 Aug 2009 05:23:00 +0000

Barracuda Branching Into Open Source VoIP
Barracuda Networks, long known for its e-mail and Web security offerings, is diving head first into the voice market with the launch of its CudaTel open source VoIP offering. Barracuda quietly unveiled CudaTel this week, with a Web site offering a glimpse into the company, which promises cheap and easy open source VoIP. CudaTel is a collaboration between Barracuda and FreeSwitch, an open source telephony platform.
http://www.crn.com

Making and Receiving VoIP Calls with an iPod – It Could Happen
From nearly the very beginning, VoIP on Apple’s iPod Touch has represented something of a holy grail. Interest in the concept seems to have picked up recently, with several illuminati of the VoIP-focused media having weighed in on the topic in just the past week. Things got started last week with a post by VoIP Watch’s Andy Abramson, who waxed ecstatic over the possibilities intimated by rumored specs for the next version of Apple’s touchscreen iPod.
http://voxilla.com

VoIP to the Rescue: Asterisk-Based Products Aid Strike Out Productions
Small businesses often lack the capital to invest in hardware such as T-1 lines for voice and Internet, but they still need to be able to compete with larger companies that do. That’s a large part of the reason why Scott Phillips – the owner of Buena Park, Calif.-based customized video production company Strike Out Productions – says he’s coming to ITEXPO West 2009 in Los Angeles from Sept. 1 to 3.
http://asterisk.tmcnet.com

When Is an IP PBX not an IP PBX?
When small business IP PBX maker TalkSwitch announced recently that 43 owners of MaidPro franchises in the U.S. had chosen TalkSwitch phone systems, it sounded like another big win for IP telephony, a signal that the technology was finally trickling down to even very small, low-tech businesses. And so it was—in some ways—but that’s not the entire story.
http://www.voipplanet.com

Web Exclusive: Google Voice Indicative of a Trend
When you look at the value of the services offered by Google Voice – call forwarding to multiple numbers, call screening, cheap international rates, voicemail to text, free text messaging – you get some idea why the FCC has zeroed in on Apple’s decision to reject the Google Voice app for the iPhone.
http://www.wirelessweek.com/

VoIP thrives amid telco indifference
I keep waiting for the other shoe to drop in a consumer VoIP sector that has been faced with many legal, regulatory and competitive battles. In this case, the other shoe is the rather giant one worn by the largest U.S. telephone companies, who all have the capability, but have never really pursued consumer VoIP with any kind of focused energy or interest. I thought that shoe would drop in late 2007 or early 2008, soon after the first one landed with a thud in the form of rampant bankruptcies among VoIP firms and telco patent lawsuits against Vonage. That period presented a nice opportunity for the telcos to drop some aggressive marketing of their own VoIP services on the weakened market, but it never happened.
http://www.fiercetelecom.com

VoIP News - Thursday 6th August

noreply@blogger.com (Voicedot Networks) — Wed, 05 Aug 2009 22:23:00 +0000

Is a sandbox the key to open source VOIP
Bandwidth.com sponsors the FreePBX program and Matt Asay asks why. The correct answer is innovation. While launching the developer version of FreePBXv3, Bandwidth.com also announced The Developer Sandbox, aimed at creating new applications using IP telephony.
http://blogs.zdnet.com

VoIP phones Maker snom Adds to U.K. Team
After recently expanding its footprint in the North American market – making its portfolio of advanced IP phones available throughout the United States and Canada by partnering withSYNNEX – snom technology AG has added to its team on the other side of the Atlantic.
http://europe.tmcnet.com

Skype: The situation now, and the road ahead
Over recent weeks, the number of doomsday posts in response to the possible shutdown of the Skype service has swamped the web. But what is the problem, what could happen and how can it be fixed? Joltid, the team behind Kazaa, sold Skype in 2005 to eBay for $2.6bn. However the massive cost of this purchase and investment didn’t include the underlying peer-to-peer technologies which Skype fundamentally relies on. Earlier on this year, Joltid and Skype’s owners, eBay, entered into legal fisticuffs where they sued each other over the arrangements of the licence.
http://blogs.zdnet.com

PortaSwitch Customers Have New Option: 'Billion Phone' VoIP Softphone That Displays Customer Balance Onscreen
Global communications infrastructure company PortaOne, Inc. today announced it has successfully concluded interoperability testing with the Billion Phone SIP-softphone freeware application. Created and marketed by VoIP software developer Professional Information Technologies, Ltd. (ProfInfoTech), the unique application differentiates a service provider's offerings by giving their end-users a way to monitor their account balance onscreen while they make VoIP calls over their PC. The software can be customized and branded to suit the service provider's needs.
http://news.prnewswire.com

TalkSwitch(R) Delivers Cordless IP-PBX Solution Designed for Small Business
TalkSwitch(R), the developer of the original owner-friendly(TM) phone system for small business, today announced the availability of its cordless IP-PBX solutions. The combination of TalkSwitch VS hybrid phone systems and the TS-850i cordless DECT phone delivers unparalleled connection choice, ease of installation and performance to small and multi-location businesses.
http://news.prnewswire.com

Yippii launches Freshtel VoIP

noreply@blogger.com (Voicedot Networks) — Tue, 04 Aug 2009 00:09:00 +0000

AUSTRALIAN STOCK EXCHANGE RELEASE YIPPII LAUNCHES ITS FRESHTEL DEVELOPED VOICE OVER THE INTERNET SERVICE

Melbourne, Australia, Tuesday, 4th August 2009:

Freshtel Holdings (ASX: FRE) has announced the commercial launch of a new Voice over the Internet service for Yippii Pty Ltd (http://www.yippii.com.au), to be marketed to the Australian Christian community. Yippii will offer a complete internet telephony service that encompasses the internet phone, Freshtel Mobilelink (both on Freshtel’s Voicedot platforms) and hardware such as the Siemens dual cordless phone that has been customised and branded for Yippii. Yippii Pty Ltd is a service provider to the Christian community through links with their immediate Christian network and the broader Australian Christian churches encompassing all denominations.

It will use direct marketing to target the pastors and communities in its immediate network, which has a reach of approximately 1 million members. With the strength of the Yippii offering, expected take-up of the service will be rapid across its target markets. Rhonda O’Donnell, CEO of Freshtel said; “The provision of customised and branded services like the one developed for Yippii is becoming the corner stone of our future business and follows on from a number of similar solutions recently delivered.

Social networking has become an important channel to market for products like Voice over the Internet as it allows members of the community to take advantage of the free calls between members. This, when added to greatly reduced cost of calls to traditional phone and mobile networks makes it a compelling proposition. Freshtel looks forward to a rapid take up by the Christian Community.” Michael Webb, Director of Yippii Pty Ltd said through its dealings with the Australian Christian community a strong need had been identified for a premium quality internet telephony service that reduces the cost of telecommunications for the community.

“Yippii services a very active and loyal community and we have seen a need to deliver a cost effective premium quality phone service for our members and at the same time deliver significant cost savings. Freshtel’s Voicedot network emerged as the clear leader in providing this service and have worked with us to provide a packaged solution that was simple for us to brand and market. We have also been very impressed by the extent to which Freshtel are leading the way with mobile-phone based internet telephony and we expect this to be an extremely attractive component in our product offering.”

-ENDS

About Freshtel Holdings
Freshtel Holdings Limited (ASX:FRE) is an Australian internet telephone technology company that develops and markets VoIP telephony products and services.

Freshtel Holdings Limited offers VoIP solutions to wholesale customers globally through its wholly owned subsidiary Voicedot Networks Pty Ltd.

For further information please contact:
Jan Macpherson
Company Secretary
Ph +61 (0)419940558
jan.macpherson@freshtel.net

Carly Strachan
Executive Officer
Ph (03) 90952000
carly.strachan@freshtel.net .

VoIP News - Tuesday 4th August

noreply@blogger.com (Voicedot Networks) — Tue, 04 Aug 2009 00:02:00 +0000

eBay Wrangles with Joltid Over Skype P2P Technology
ack in 2005, online auction site eBay bought VoIP powerhouse Skype amid glowing promises of synergy between the two companies…but this year, admitted that hadn't really worked out and announced plans to spin Skype back off into its own company with an IPO. However, an unresolved technology licensing battle may derail the plans, because it turns out Skype's founders managed to retain control of peer-to-peer technology underlying Skype; now they're looking to kill the licensing agreement saying Skype is in breach of contract.
http://news.digitaltrends.com

More Enterprise FMC: Wi-Fi Phones Will Drive It
Increasing use of VoIP on mobile handsets is a precursor of future activity, ABI Research says. Though not yet enterprise grade, communication innovations often begin in the consumer space and then migrate into the enterprise, ultimately because enterprise-desired features are added over time.
http://it.tmcnet.com

Attack of the Palm Pre VoIP apps
Voxofon is angling to be the first native VoIP application for the Palm Pre later this year, but a new Web version of Shape Services‘ IM+ can already access the more-familiar Skype.
http://digital.venturebeat.com

Google Voice finds a rival in 3jam
If you're itching to try Google Voice, but haven't received one of the coveted private beta invites, a Menlo Park, Calif., company called 3jam is offering an alternative.
http://download.cnet.com

IM and VoIP aggregator Nimbuzz to launch Android client
Nimbuzz, a free service that brings multiple IM (instant messaging) and social networking services together in one client, is to release a version for Android. It recently launched clients for the iPhone and Mac, and there are already mobile clients for Symbian S60, Java and Windows Mobile, and a Windows version, plus you can also log in via any web browser.
http://www.expertreviews.co.uk

VoIP News - Thursday 23rd July

noreply@blogger.com (Voicedot Networks) — Wed, 22 Jul 2009 22:45:00 +0000

Will pre-teens really adopt the new iPod touch as a VoIP phone?
I generally agree with my friend Andy Abramsom and greatly respect his opinion. He posted today on why he thinks the upcoming rumored iPod touch will be huge for VoIP and multimedia, but I don’t think it will have as big of an impact with the teen crowd as he indicates. This new device is rumored to have an integrated microphone, digital camera, and 64GB of memory. I agree that the savvy traveler may desire to use this new device to connect via WiFi and place and receive inexpensive VoIP calls. However, this same traveler can do this now with the iPhone and SIM card removed so I don’t think there will be a huge impact in iPod touch sales due to the microphone.
http://blogs.zdnet.com

First VOIP call from Handset-to-Handset on satellite network completed
Elektrobit has announced that a satellite-terrestrial smartphone that it has developed has completed the first ever handset-to-handset VoIP call over a satellite network. The call was completed using the TerreStar-1 satellite communications network.
http://www.phonemag.com

BroadSoft Delivers VoIP to Korean Households
BroadSoft, Inc., the leading worldwide provider of VoIP applications, today announced that it is providing the IP voice technology for Samsung Networks Inc.'s residential 070 VoIP service, WyzHome, which was launched in October 2008.
http://in.sys-con.com

RingCentral Floats a PBX in the Cloud
RingCentral has rolled out a new Internet-based business phone system aimed at small businesses that need a multi-line, multi-location setup but that want to avoid the hassle and expense of a traditional hardware PBX solution. Not just another VoIP (voice over IP) offering, the RingCentral Office solution lets buyers purchase, customize, activate and manage their phone system completely online, making it an SaaS (software-as-a-service) “cloud” offering much like today’s Web 2.0 CRM, collaboration, ERP and storage applications.
http://www.smallbusinesscomputing.com

Ebay (EBAY) Earnings: PayPal Saves The Day
Skype, the VoIP division which is likely to be spun-off soon, Skype contributed $170.0 million in revenue for the quarter, representing 25% year-over-year growth. Skype added 37.3 million registered users during the quarter and ended the period with more than 480.5 million registered users. The growth of this business has slowed considerably and it has clearly begun to mature.
http://247wallst.com

VoIP News - Wednesday 22nd July

noreply@blogger.com (Voicedot Networks) — Tue, 21 Jul 2009 22:51:00 +0000

Breathe Editing Improves Customer Interactions with M5 Hosted VoIP
M5 Networks, Inc., has announced a new client win. New York-based creative film editing company, Breathe Editing Inc., is using M5’s hosted VoIP to convey a newly polished corporate image and deliver excellent customer care and experience through the use of innovative technology.
http://hosted-voip.tmcnet.com

IIS Group Acquires VoIP Assets of Ring 9, Inc.
IIS Group, LLC, a voice and data services provider, today announced that it has acquired the assets and operating network of Ring 9, Inc., of Gainesville, Florida and their VoIP (Voice over Internet Protocol) hosted PBX solution. The VoIP business assets acquired by IIS serve small business and enterprise customers in thirty-four states from coast to coast. The acquisition adds approximately 3,000 customer lines to the IIS VoIP customer network, and gives IIS both expanded geographic reach and an established commercial customer base for its growing VoIP business. IIS now serves VoIP customers throughout most of the continental United States.
http://ca.sys-con.com

Smoothstone Outperforms VoIP Industry Growth Projections
Leading IP communications provider Smoothstone today announced that the company has achieved 48.7% growth in revenues within the first six months of 2009 compared to the same period in 2008, a rate more than double the VoIP industry projected growth rate of 20.1%. The company attributes its strong performance to a combination of a consistent sales closure rate of 70% and superior customer service, resulting in 99% customer retention.
http://news.prnewswire.com

Skype 2.8 brings screen sharing, WiFi access to Mac users
Skype is the sort of software that is very cool, but I don't seem to get that much use out of it. And, though I don't know many people who use it regularly, the Skype team continues to pile on useful communication technologies for those who do use it all the time. The latest version for Mac—2.8—is out now, and adds screen sharing and Skype Access among other improvements.
http://arstechnica.com

More Americans substituting VoIP, cellphones for landlines
Retired Honeywell engineer Doug Hiland of Sun City said that monthly landline phone bills and extra fees for calling options "pushed him over the edge" about a month ago.
So he paid about $200 for a device from Palo Alto, Calif.-based Ooma that allowed him to keep his landline number and make phone calls over his high-speed Internet connection for free.
http://www.azcentral.com

New OnSIP Business VoIP Solution Similar to Google Wave
New York-based business VoIP provider Junction Networks will be adding more features to their services with the release of a new dashboard user interface. The company says that the thought process behind the product was similar to that of upcoming communication and collaboration tool,Google Wave.
http://hosted-voip.tmcnet.com

Live Vox Brings VoIP to the Repo Man
Among the more widely accepted benefits of VoIP technology, cost-savings and productivity gains become even more valuable to many companies during an economic downturn. With the right VoIP services and equipment in place, a business is far better-positioned to weather the staffing cuts that inevitably affect nearly every concern during a recession, but VoIP can be used to maximize the opportunities that arise from disruptions in the business cycle as well.
http://voxilla.com

Mideast, Africa mobile broadband to explode: report
Mobile broadband in the Middle East and Africa will expand to $6 billion in the next two years from the current $1 billion, spurred by an expanding network and falling prices, a telecoms advisory firm has said. In Africa, there are 10 undersea cables either under construction or in the planning stages, which could push down international bandwidth rates, Delta Partners said in a report released on Tuesday.
http://www.reuters.com

What's up with Zer01's unlimited no-contract service and is it even real?
Back in March of this year we heard about the Zer01 service that was going to use Windows Mobile devices and VoIP technology that gave you unlimited data, voice, and text for only $70 per month. This would also be provided with no contract and on a month-to-month basis. The Zer01 website is up and running, but I highly recommend you read through IDG News article before making a decision to leave your traditional US wireless carrier. There seems to be something a bit fishy with the service and I am personally not sold yet on its validity.
http://blogs.zdnet.com

RingCentral offers self-service VoIP phone system
RingCentral, a self-described "cloud computing based phone service provider," announced RingCentral Office, which provides voice services for a fixed monthly rate without a contract or start-up fees. The service, which the company claims is the first online, self-service offering for small businesses to buy and set up phone systems, comes with four hosted voice lines, hosted fax, call routing, unlimited long distance and pre-configured phones, according to the company's release.
http://www.fiercevoip.com

VoIP links engineer operations
RECENTLY merged engineering firm Aurecon has started to pull together the disparate pieces of its technology operations in a massive consolidation exercise. The merger of Connell Wagner, Africon and Ninham Shand has prompted Aurecon to tackle its IT systems, which span the Asia-Pacific region.
http://www.australianit.news.com.au

VoIP News - Monday 20th July 2009

noreply@blogger.com (Voicedot Networks) — Mon, 20 Jul 2009 05:42:00 +0000

eHarmony, Match.com get JaJah VoIP calling
Online dating services eHarmony and Match.com on Thursday plan to begin using a special version of JaJah that lets users make anonymized voice calls to people they're interested in.
http://news.cnet.com

Jajah Lands Deals To Give Love A Voice On Match.com, eHarmony
VoIP startup Jajah has just scored major deals with eHarmony and Match.com, two of the web’s most popular dating sites, to provide online daters with semi-anonymous voice chat. The new features are part of Jajah’s ‘Platform for Dating’, which is also currently being tested on a number of other dating sites (though Jajah won’t name them, yet).
http://www.techcrunch.com

VoIP coming to Genesys' global call center
CounterPath, a provider of desktop and mobile VoIP software products and solutions, has announced that Genesys, a large contact center software supplier and Alcatel-Lucent company, will integrate CounterPath's Software Development Kit into its Agent Desktop product suite to bring VoIP communications technology to Genesys' global call center customers.
http://www.networkworld.com

EU Fights Operators' Plan to Restrict VoIP on Mobile Phones
The European Commission is waging a battle against mobile phone operators that want to restrict the use of Internet calling services through their mobile networks. In it latest move, the commission reportedly is throwing its weight against new roaming regulation or antitrust rules to block that attempt.
http://voip-phone-systems.tmcnet.com/

Skype to Regulators: Push Mobile Operators to Allow VoIP
Skype, the Internet telephony provider, Thursday urged regulators in Europe to intervene to ensure that users aren't blocked from using their mobile phones to access much cheaper phone calls via the Internet.
http://www.pcworld.com

FAQ: How Google Voice Will Rock Wireless
Google Voice is the company's latest attempt to shake up the wireless telecom industry and is a follow-up of sorts to its open-source Android mobile platform. Just as Android was developed in part to spur innovation within the mobile development community and also to give users the ability to switch to new carriers without swapping their mobile devices, Google Voice was created in part to make it easier for users to change mobile carriers without sacrificing their phone numbers. In this FAQ, we'll discuss what Google Voice does, how it's different from other Web-based voice providers and how it could challenge the telecom industry to add more value to its services.
http://www.pcworld.com

Nimbuzz VoIP/IM App Has huge Apple App Store Marketshare
With yesterday's news about the new Nimbuzz for iPhone app and the launch of a Nimbuzz Mac client, I contacted Tobias Kemper, Head of Communications for Nimbuzz and asked him a question about DTMF/touch-tone support in any pending release.
http://blog.tmcnet.com

VoIP News - Thursday 16th July

noreply@blogger.com (Voicedot Networks) — Wed, 15 Jul 2009 22:33:00 +0000

IBM Lotus Foundations Reach Adds Instant Messaging, VOIP
IBM Lotus Foundations Reach brings VOIP, instant messaging, presence and several more messaging and collaboration tools to its Lotus Foundations Start appliance. The offerings are aimed at Microsoft's Office, Small Business Server and Office Communications Server suites. IBM also created widgets to let users access LinkedIn and TripIt from Lotus Notes.
http://www.eweek.com

Hosted VoIP Phone Systems for SMBs
What's the point of small businesses running their own phone systems? According to researchers at Access Market International, not much. AMI predicts that by 2010, SMBs will spend $1.56 billion on hosted VoIP communications services, some 7% share of the entire phone service market, compared to just $164.9 million in 2005. That kind of growth seems to indicate that hosted VoIP telephony has come a long way from the days when the technology was characterized by dropped calls, voice static, and unreliable service. But where does hosted VoIP stand today, and has it improved enough for your business to rely on it for primary communications?
http://www.bmighty.com

VoxOx Connects You to Everybody on Every Social Network
Keeping track of all the different networks and media you use to keep in touch these days can be more time-consuming than it's worth. That's where the free VoxOx comes in handy: This free app helps you access most of your communications services and manage your contacts from within its neat little interface. The latest release of VoxOx, beta 2.0, adds some useful tools, such as support for Twitter, enhanced Facebook support, two-way texting, and your very own virtual personal assistant.
http://www.washingtonpost.com

Google Voice App Headed for Blackberry, Android: Report
Google Voice is headed for Blackberry and Android handsets, potentially turning smart phones into your hub for managing voice mail, all your contacts, and making low-cost phone calls, according to reports surfacing on the Web today.
http://www.pcworld.com

Mitel won't sue city over VoIP procurement
Mitel Networks will not take legal action over a contentious municipal procurement process for up to $7-million-worth of telephone technology, the company said Wednesday. The announcement comes a week after Mitel lost its bid to have the city suspend the procurement process and more than a month after the company first raised the prospect of legal action when it went public with its concerns in May.
http://www.ottawabusinessjournal.com

DIDXchange and Voipswitch Partner for Worldwide Virtual Presence Reality
After a press meeting at the CommunicAsia conference where DIDXchange was media partner, both companies moved to enhance the compatibility by adding new features to Voipswitch services supported in the new DIDX API. As a result, local phone numbers are available on Voipswitch from over 90 countries where users can choose number of channels and order SIP trunks.
http://www.tmcnet.com

8x8 Virtual Office
he hosted IP PBX model just went mass market. VoIP pioneer 8x8 Inc. is partnering with IP phone maker Aastra USA to market 8x8’s Virtual Office PBX service bundled with the co-branded 8x8/Aastra 6755i IP phone in Office Depot stores across the country. VoIP Planet had a chance to test the bundle recently. 8x8 set us up with a small PBX connecting three home offices in different corners of the continent. We were impressed.
http://www.voipplanet.com

Nimbuzz Releases Mac Desktop Client, iPhone App Updates
In a move that will appeal to many of its Apple-loving users, Nimbuzz has simultaneously launched an updated iPhone / iPod Touch application and a shiny new desktop client for Macs. The company offers a social messenger service that lets people access IM and social networks with one set of credentials from a single location and thus competes with a slew of other companies on both the mobile and desktop front.
http://www.techcrunch.com

VoIP News - Wednesday 15th July

noreply@blogger.com (Voicedot Networks) — Tue, 14 Jul 2009 22:34:00 +0000

Business VoIP PBX Services and Online Virtual Offices Make Great Combination
For years online virtual worlds have catered solely to gamers, but according to the Boston Globe, it seems that the focus may be shifting. IBM's (News - Alert) Lotus division is launching a new service called Sametime 3D, a virtual world designed specifically for business. The virtual office features conference tables, appointment calendars, flip charts, and avatars that represent individuals.
http://small-business-voip.tmcnet.com

VoxOx Improves VoIP Freeware
VoxOx is offering new freeware that comes with a Personal Assistant feature that includes call recording, call forwarding, call routing, and call screening. The multi-protocol messaging and VoIP communication client also has expanded social-networking features and stronger back-end support.
http://voip.biz-news.com

PortaOne, MERA Systems Announce Interoperability of MVTS Pro and PortaBilling100
Global communications infrastructure company PortaOne, Inc. and carrier-grade VoIP solutions provider MERA Systems Inc. today announced the successful completion of interoperability testing for two of the companies' key VoIP network products, MERA VoIP Transit Softswitch Pro (MVTS Pro) and PortaBilling100. Working together, the two products provide an ultra-scalable, flexible and end-to-end platform for handling VoIP transit traffic, combining high-performance management of VoIP traffic with a total billing and customer management solution.
http://news.prnewswire.com

VoSKY Launches Web Click-to-Call Back
VoSKY, the market leader in developing Skype for business solutions, delivers Web Click-to-Call Back (C2CB), a valued service that seamlessly integrates a company's website to its phone system to provide real-time communication between the company and visitors to its website. This unique service allows website visitors to instantly talk with a company's sales or service agent via a call back request from its website.
http://news.prnewswire.com

40 billion Minutes and Counting, D2 Technologies Extending Mobile Unified Communications
After hitting the 40 billion minutes of traffic per month milestone recently, D2 Technologies is continuing to focus on extending its reach into the mobile unified communications space. Although the embedded IP communications software platform provider’s VoIP technology is currently processing more than 40 billion minutes of traffic per month – in part due to an increasing number of system on a chip (SoC) vendors – the Santa Barbara company is continuing to push its services beyond its original technologies.
http://www.tmcnet.com

VoIP News - Tuesday 14th July

noreply@blogger.com (Voicedot Networks) — Mon, 13 Jul 2009 22:55:00 +0000

Xila Announces GodXila DSL, VoIP Plans for Resellers
In the original Godzilla movies, the monster named Godzilla not only defended the islands of Japan against invasions from villainous monsters, but after much thrill-a-minute action would eventually annihilate them. Xila has come up with a series of wholesale plans for resellers that could probably trigger a nationwide pricing point war and it may eventually annihilate a fair number of competitors.
http://fixed-mobile-convergence.tmcnet.com

Yet another entrant joins mobile VoIP app market
WCell International, a Hong Kong-based VoIP calling platform for mobile devices, announced its application is now available for download on a variety of mobile operating systems. The application currently is compatible with BlackBerry, Java, Windows Mobile and Symbian, among others, and it is pending approval by Apple for listing in the iPhone App Store.
http://www.fiercevoip.com

Broadvox Leverages VerbalSnap Software
The company, which services more than 6 billion minutes of annual voice traffic and supports thousands of customers across its SIP Trunking, SIP origination and termination services and hosted communications solutions, selected VerbalSnap because of its ability to combine data management with a clean, intuitive user interface. That will make it easier for users to transition to the new system, Sergey Galchenko,Broadvox chief technology officer, said.
http://hosted-voip.tmcnet.com

Broadsoft Builds "App Store" For VoIP Applications
The Broadsoft Xtended Marketplace is designed to let you order new VoIP applications just like you'd order a new song from iTunes, the company said. Currently, there's only some two dozen apps available, ranging from VoIP-enabled Web 2.0 applications mashups with business solutions and social networking platforms.
http://www.bmighty.com

Better router tech: Mind the flows, not the packets
In a recent article for the IEEE's Spectrum magazine, Dr. Lawrence Roberts explains how the large routers that power the core of today's Internet are doing it all wrong. They spend too much time processing each packet individually, then storing packets in a queue for during peak loads. This buffering makes VoIP calls and video streams stutter, and these routers use lots of hot-running and expensive memory, and they're stuffed with specially-created chips.
http://arstechnica.com

Wcell International launches dirt-cheap Internet voice calling service across many mobile phones
Wcell International said today it has launched an inexpensive Internet calling service across a wide variety of mobile platforms from the Blackberry to Symbian.
http://deals.venturebeat.com

VoIP News - Monday 13th July

noreply@blogger.com (Voicedot Networks) — Sun, 12 Jul 2009 22:59:00 +0000

Wireless VoIP previews LTE capabilities
Starting in about 2012, 4th generation (4G) long-term evolution (LTE) technologies promise to convert today's wireless mobile networks from dependence on traditional circuit switching to a flat, Internet Protocol (IP) networking architecture. But starting next month, wireless voice-over-IP services will begin previewing 4G-like capabilties for the "last mile" to the home.
http://www.eetimes.com

Building a VoIP Business in Latin America
In the past three years, the worldwide growth — particularly in developed regions — of the VoIP and Unified Communications industry has been a boon to the many vendors and service providers on the communications space. Their products and services help business become more productive and efficient, while cutting communications costs, allowing them the flexibility to grow without overextending their budgets.
http://hosted-voip.tmcnet.com

SMBs Have One Less Choice for VoIP Solution
Small and medium-sized businesses looking for an inexpensive phone system that allows for hassle-free communications have one less option as a major player has cancelled it solution. Microsoft Corp. has reportedly pulled back on its Response Point small business VoIP system solution because the product failed to integrate with its larger unified communications vision.
http://small-business-voip.tmcnet.com

VoIP: Doing Well in Tough Times
Here at Enterprise VoIPplanet we've been noting reports of strong performance from a number of companies in one segment or another of the IP communications industry—in striking contrast to other areas of information technology. A particular case in point is Louisville, Kentucky-based Smoothstone IP Communications, which, according to chief marketing officer James Whitemore, grew some 55 percent year-over-year in the first quarter of 2009.
http://www.voipplanet.com