Sylantro Systems Corporation has announced that VoEx, Inc., a VoIP services and enhanced managed services provider based in Grand Rapids, Michigan, and STS Telecom a South Florida-based telecommunications service provider have integrated Sylantro's applications feature server and hosted communications applications as part of their comprehensive new service strategies to deliver richer, differentiated alternatives to Unbundled Network Element Platform (UNE-P) service offerings. UNE-P has been the foundation for many competitive providers' offerings over much of the past decade; however, recent rulings have brought major changes to the UNE-P program.

Today’s announced deployments represent Sylantro's growing base of U.S. customers that are shedding the restrictions of UNE-P by offering highly scalable Voice over IP (VoIP) services for their consumer and business customers.

STS Telecom, a forward-looking service provider, has deployed Sylantro servers and applications as part of the new EVOLUTION enterprise VoIP offering that will be initially deployed in 30 major U.S. markets.

Speed. A hallmark of a truly successful competitive company is the speed with which it can innovate and take advantage of opportunities as they present themselves.

Volo Communications, a carrier's carrier that offers wholesale broadband voice, advanced hosted application services, and a whole lot more, is stepping into the freshly created void formed by Level 3’s announcement this week that it is retreating from the hosted IP Telephony space.

Level 3 announced they were ceasing to offer their (3)Tone Business, its wholesale hosted-PBX service. Tom Keating mentions it in his blog here.

Volo is moving fast. Here’s a copy of the release I got from Volo this afternoon:

Volo Offers Level 3 Hosted PBX Customers Safe Landing

Volo to Provide Level 3 Customers Same Terms; Complete Service and Features
Plus One Month's Free Service

Orlando, Fla., Jan.

I recently had the chance to chat with Philip Asmundson, who was recently promoted to national managing partner of Deloitte’s U.S. Technology, Media and Telecommunications (TMT) industry practice.

GG: Please describe the role of Deloitte’s Technology, Media & Telecommunications Group.
PA: The TMT Group is composed of service professionals who have a wealth of experience serving technology, media and telecommunications companies throughout the world in areas including cable, communications providers, computers and peripherals, entertainment, media and publishing, networking, semiconductors, software, wireless, and related industries. These specialists understand the challenges that these companies face throughout all stages of their business growth cycle and are committed to helping them succeed. Deloitte is a leader in providing strategic, financial and operational assistance to its technology, media and telecommunications clients

GG: What areas in telecom should my readers keep an eye on in the coming year?
PA: In our predictions reports , we identify three key trends that your readers may want to watch for 2005:

1.) Two billion cellular users by EOY
By the end of 2005, there will be nearly 2 billion cellular mobile subscriptions worldwide and in excess of 100 percent market penetration in some markets.

This week’s Telecom update from Merrill Lynch features a list of potential surprises that the analyst firm thinks might potentially impact telecom services stocks. The report carries the usual disclaimers about investing based on this information, and frankly anyone risking their money in the markets has to realize that the key word there is “risk.”

The list is being billed as low probability/high impact, which I guess is a suitable and appropriate hedge. After all, who knows what lies around the bend?

Anyhow, here are the predictions. I’m not sure how to react to VoIP’s absence from this list.

Shawn Lewis, CEO of Volo Communications comments on the departure of Chairman Powell:

"Chairman Powell has been a great advocator for VoIP and the associated technologies. He has been a catalyst with his forward-thinking views and he has put the U.S. consumer at the forefront of why the United States needs a competitive telecom market.

"Although unpopular at times, he has maintained his convictions about the future of the telecommunications industry and what it will take to make the latest technologies available to the U.S. consumer.

"We can only hope these views remain within the FCC, as the future for the consumer will rely heavily upon the advancements in this technology."

FCC Chairman Michael Powell is set to announce that he will step down from his post today.

As promised, I will continue to publish comments from industry thought leaders regarding this news.

Here's what Neal Shact, CEO of CommuniTech had to say regarding Powell's resignation.

"Chairman Powell has been a shining beacon of government restraint and has been very supportive of the government nurturing a young VoIP industry that challenges the status quo. It is a sad day when such an enlightened government official departs. Normally you only get this level of interest and caring as a result of lobbyists and special interests spending a lot of money.

This morning's report from The Wall Street Journal, that FCC Chairman Michael Powell was set to step down from his post today, set off a flurry of activity throughout the blogosphere (here) (here) and the online community.

As a service to my readers, I plan to publish observations from the leading voices in our industry as they respond to my call for commentary.

First up, Michael Khalilian, chairman and president of the International Packet Communications Consoritum, a leading VoIP forum, checks in with his thoughts:

“Chairman Powell leaves behind a positive legacy. As a proponent of competition, Michael Powell’s FCC rulings were encouraging for both ILECs and CLECs. Perhaps most important was Chairman Powell’s initiatives to ‘leave VoIP alone’ allowing service providers to focus on deploying the technology and allowing it to mature rather than get bogged down focusing on the regulatory issues at hand.

“I hope that Powell’s replacement will continue to pursue policies that will enhance competition in the industry and foster further development of packet telephony. The objective should be to create an environment where service providers, vendors, and consumers work cohesively to transition to a new generation of packet communications replete with all the features and functions for use in our daily lives.”

Keep an eye on this space all day as the comments keep rolling in.

In an article for TMCnet.com yesterday, our own Johanne Torres reported on Comcast’s announcement that the company will launch an Internet telephony service by the end of this year. According to Johanne, Comcast is targeting residential customers with what seems to be the priciest of all VoIP-enabled calling service plans.

It’s interesting to me that VoIP remains extremely price-sensitive. Or rather that people remain very sensitive to VoIP's pricing. I mean, price is always the first thing people notice about VoIP.