Just got this research report news release I thought I would share...

DELOITTE SURVEY: TWO-THIRDS OF GLOBAL BUSINESSES WILL DEPLOY VOICE OVER INTERNET PROTOCOL (VoIP) TO THE DESKTOP BY 2006

Cost Reduction Drives Principal Enterprise Interest in VoIP, Expanded Business Functionality Offers CXOs Advantages and Vulnerabilities to Consider

New York, October 25, 2004 -- In a report launched today, Getting off the Ground: Why the move to VoIP is a decision for all CXOs, Deloitte reveals that by 2006 over two-thirds of all Global 2,000 companies will have started deployment of Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) to the desktop. Desktop VoIP is the most complete form of VoIP, offering the greatest cost savings, flexibility, productivity, process improvements and overall disruption. While 26 percent of survey participants have already deployed desktop VoIP, only one-third of these companies have offered it to all employees.

According to the report, the overwhelming driver for VoIP amongst respondents is cost reduction.

Andy brought to my attention a company called Jyve. Their company name seems to be a play on the words "Jive Talking" since it works in conjunction with Skype - a VoIP "talking" software solution. I could be wrong though. Certainly, listening to the Bee Gees Jive Talking song on the radio this morning could have something to do with it.

Since I've been covering Popular Telephony's P2P-based technology called Peerio, I would be remiss if I neglected to mention Nimcat Networks news announcement. Nimcat Networks has a very similar P2P premise to Popular Telephony, though there are some differences. Iit's too late in the day to list them though and provide my analysis.

So enjoy the news...

Nimcat Networks, a leading provider of Peer-to-Peer embedded call processing software, today announced a joint partnership with Aastra Technologies Limited (TSX: AAH), a provider of products and systems for accessing communication networks and Broadcom Corporation, a leading provider of highly integrated semiconductor solutions enabling broadband communications.

This partnership will enable Aastra to develop an integrated Peer-to-Peer (P2P) business IP-telephony system that targets the small and medium enterprise (SME) market. Utilizing the Broadcom(R) BCM1101 enterprise IP phone chip, BCM1112 VoIP gateway chip and BCM3341 VoIP coprocessor, the system will embed nimX, Nimcat's unique P2P call processing software into the recently introduced Aastra 480i IP telephone.

"Aastra sees a significant market opportunity in expanding our product portfolio to offer an innovative solution to the small and medium enterprise," says Steve Copeland, Vice President of Sales and Marketing, Aastra Telecom Limited.

America Online is in process of testing a flat-rate/month VoIP service, utilizing Level3’s network as it seeks to help stem the increasing customer defection. The service will launch in 2005.

As broadband connections in the United States continue to rise, the need for predominantly dial-up ISPs, such as AOL diminishes. I am assuming that AOL will attempt to provide “dial-up VoIP” so they can offer a competitive price-point that will put a tourniquet on the customer blood letting. I’m not holding my breath.

I've seen demos of Atinav's VoIP products and they work quite well. Figured I'd share their latest news...

aveComm 3.2 Offers Integrated Audio Conferencing, Providing a Scalable Bridge of Combined Telephone and/or PC Participants and Many New and Enhanced Features

New York, N.Y.---OCT 5, 2004--- Atinav, a leading provider of Internet-based and wireless solutions for workplace communication, messaging and collaboration, today announced the release of aveComm 3.2, their award-winning web-based “Unified Messaging, Communication and Collaboration” solution. aveComm, now celebrating its 4th year of availability, offers many features and functionality, including: Application Sharing, Document Collaboration, Remote Desktop Control, Session Record/Playback, Whiteboard, Instant Messaging, Voice-over-IP (VoIP), IP Telephony, File Transfer and much more.

aveComm 3.2 delivers a myriad of functionality, highlighted with an integrated and advanced audio conference bridge, allowing individuals to host an unlimited number of simultaneous audio conferences, with an unlimited number of participants. Additionally, these participants can join these conferences from any telephone or PC, with any form of Internet connectivity, even low-bandwidth.

Sipura Technology SPA-841 VoIP Business Phone Some interesting news to share from Sipura - a very popular ATA manufacturer. They announced a 4 Line Business Feature Phone and a 2 Port Phone Adapter With Home Networking Router Solutions. SAN JOSE, CA -- (MARKET WIRE) -- 10/15/2004 -- Building on the telecommunications industry's most advanced VoIP endpoint product line, Sipura Technology Inc., today announced two new products – the SPA-841 VoIP phone and the SPA-2100 analog telephone adapter (ATA). Both products use the SIP communication protocol to communicate with other network elements like VoIP/PSTN gateways, softswitches, and application servers in a service provider or enterprise IP network.

As VoIP becomes more commonplace in the enterprise, encryption and security are becoming more paramount, especially in the financial sector. Imagine for a moment working for a stock exchange company and you could install a network sniffer program that captures VoIP RTP streams. Knowing the IP address of a particular IP phone, you can filter the traffic and tap into someone's VoIP conversation.

Well, two French companies, Thales (TCFP.PA) and Alcatel (Paris: CGEP.PA and NYSE: ALA) announced a technological partnership to develop highly secure IP telephony solutions based on the Alcatel OmniPCX Enterprise IP communication server.

Under this new agreement, Thales will provide encryption modules that will be integrated with the Alcatel OmniPCX Enterprise to respond to the demand for increased security of IP telephony from large enterprises in sectors of business that are looking to protect themselves against the loss of sensitive and confidential information.

Yet another Vonage-wannabe I recently discovered. They have a $29.95 unlimited plan with 2 phone numbers included (at least that is unique).

They also offer $12.95 for 1 phone number and 500 minutes and $24.95 for 2 phone numbers and 1000 minutes.

When I clicked the About Us link it said:
StarNet, Inc., founded in 1994 by Chief Executive Officer Russ Intravartolo, is a leading provider of dial-up Internet access and related products and services in North America. Through its state-of-the-art, fully owned MegaPOP network, StarNet provides reliable, high quality services designed to serve the consumer markets and the small to medium-sized ISP.

Founded in 1994? So not so new after all, but they're new to me.

VoIP and Internet Telephony Expo is on Fire! I was standing at the ETG Technologies booth (who have a really cool gadget by the way) and the smell of smoke was permeating the air. All of a sudden a small electrical fire popped up on the floor (right where two electrial extension cords were connected). As cool as fire looks, and as much as I loved to play with fire as a kid, fire is not a good thing. However, on the bright side, I guess this show was so packed with so many VoIP exhibits sucking electrical juice that the hotel's electrical wiring couldn't hande it.

Remember this blog entry where I said the Navy had the largest VoIP deployment? VoIP Blog - VoIP News, Opinions: Navy Largest VoIP Deployment

Well, I was right then, but wrong now. Sounds like Kerry's "the wrong war in the wrong place at the wrong time" quote doesn't it?

Anyway, a reliable source has told me that the Department of Defense (DOD) is in the process of beating the Navy's 350,000 Cisco VoIP phones by deploying 400,000 Cisco VoIP phones. Nothing like a little friendly competition between military/government branches, eh?

What's next Army - 500,000 VoIP phones?

p.s. You heard it here first and if a major news organization such as eweek, Forbes, or CNN uses this scoop, you'd better cite my blog or I will find you, hunt you down and kill the plagiarists!
(another Kerry reference: "My priority will be to find and capture or kill the terrorists before they get us and I will never take my eye off the ball." )

: )

Some interesting VoIP research numbers to report:

JupiterResearch, a division of Jupitermedia Corporation (Nasdaq:JUPM), today announced in its recently released report, "Broadband Telephony: Leveraging Voice Over IP to Facilitate Competitive Voice Services," that it forecasts that VoIP telephony services will grow to about 400,000 U.S. households by the end of 2004, and to 12.1 million households by 2009, representing about 10% of all U.S. households. Additionally 17% of all U.S. broadband households will use a VoIP telephony service in 2009, up from only 1% by the end of 2004.

Full report:
JupiterResearch Forecasts Voice Over IP Telephony Services to Reach 12.1 Million U.S. Households by 2009

and another VoIP service provider - SIPZoo. This one is offering a free trial and you can use any SIP device with their service - which is a knock against many competitors - who also often lock their SIP-capable devices. Also, as far as I can tell there is no credit card needed for the free trial. I'd assume this trial is temporary otherwise people could keep signing up with fake names to get the free trial. That's one easy way to bankrupt themselves.

They also offer a cheap "teaser" plan of $9/month, but it only includes 2500 U.S./Canada minutes. Their unlimited plans start at $29.95/month.

http://www.sipzoo.com/

Telphin Videophone You can add Telphin to the growing list of broadband VoIP service providers. They have an unlimited U.S plan at an incredibly low $19/month. Whether or not that is lower than Packet8, AT&T CallVantage, or Vonage is anyone's guess. With all the recent price drops, by the time I check their pricing and blog it here, it will probably drop another $1 or so.

p.s. they also offer an unlimited worldwide plan for $49/month. wow wow wow wow WOW!!!!!
p.s.s. They have a videophone similar to Packet8's videphone.

Here's a fairly big announcement being made at Internet Telephony Expo - Kagoor Networks announced a partnership with MetaSwitch to deliver broadband softswitch/session border control solution for carriers. The new joint solution has been deployed by ENMR Plateau, the largest telephone cooperative in New Mexico.

Using this solution, carriers will be able to deliver traditional and enhanced VoIP services such as IP Centrex over their existing broadband connections.

here's the full release:
LOS ANGELES, CA, October 5, 2004 - Kagoor Networks, a leading session border control provider, and MetaSwitch, a leading Class 5 softswitch vendor, today announced a joint solution that facilitates deployments of VoIP services between carriers and their broadband customers. The new integrated solution allows carriers to deliver VoIP signaling and media seamlessly and securely across network borders and firewalls with superior communication and control functionality between these two key network elements.

Together Kagoor's new Voice over Broadband solution and MetaSwitch's Class 5 switching and networking expertise provide carriers with a complete package for both residential and business subscribers. Carriers will be able to immediately deliver traditional and enhanced voice services such as IP Centrex over their existing broadband connections.

Kagoor and MetaSwitch have completed comprehensive interoperability testing of the Kagoor Networks VoiceFlow session border controller and the MetaSwitch VP3500 Series Class 5 Softswitch.