VoIP

VoIP news, trends, and opinions, VoIP reviews. Covering Asterisk, Cisco, Grandstream, Polycom, Microsoft, Vonage, Packet8, etc.

The VoIP Girl

September 5, 2006

I was checking out Technorati when I noticed a new VoIP blog called TheVoIPGirl.com linked to one of my posts. Curious about the domain name, considering there are plenty of gadget girl websites, I was intrigued to see what this new blog was about.

VoIPGirl just started her blog about 3 weeks ago (August 11th) was the first post. In her About me link she writes:

This is NOT a blog about women, or even necessarily about women who use VOIP services – I mean how boring is that. I called it The VOIP Girl because well I'm a gal.

Posted in VoIP

GN 9350 DECT 6.0 headset does PC, VoIP, and regular phone handsets

September 1, 2006

GN Netcom's GN 9350 DECT 6.0 headset (now called the Jabra GN 9350) is one of the most versatile headsets I have ever reviewed. When GN Netcom told me they had a new headset that did both PC audio and Phone audio, while leveraging the range and interference-free characteristics of the DECT 6.0 standard, I just had to review this headset. (Note: DECT 6.0 operates at 1.9Ghz so it is less apt to have interference from WiFi 2.4Ghz signals) With the GN 9350 you can get your "Skype" on, your iTunes on, and your phone on, all using one wireless headset. Sweet!

Update: Jabra now has the Jabra GN 9350e, the successor to the popular Jabra GN 9350.

Posted in Accessories, Computer Hardware, Gadgets, Headsets, Reviews, VoIP, Wireless

AOL TotalTalk is no more

August 31, 2006

Aswath noticed that it appearred AOL was cancelling their TotalTalk service. When you go to www.totaltalk.com you are greeted with this message: "We are very sorry to inform you AOL® Enhanced Services ("AOL ES") has decided to discontinue offering the TotalTalk™ service. For this reason, the TotalTalk service will be terminated on or about November 30, 2006."

Andy basically says TotalTalk was killed in favor of AOL's new PhoneLine service.
Andy says that TotalTalk was basically AOL VoIP 1.0 which helped give birth to PhoneLine resulting in AOL VoIP 2.0. Some interesting thoughts by Andy you should definitely check out.

The difference between TotalTalk and PhoneLine is that TotalTalk was more of a Vonage-like solution to replace your home phone line (hardware ATA), and PhoneLine is a 100% software-based (softphone) VoIP solution that supports both outbound and inbound (DID number) dialing.

Posted in VoIP

MINO Wireless now runs on Symbian phones

August 31, 2006

Posted in Mobile Phones, VoIP, Wireless

Articulation - VoIP on your Palm PDA

August 23, 2006

Palm users have been clamoring for VoIP on their Palm devices for quite some time. I've mentioned VoIP on Palm (including the Treo) in the past. mobiVoIP was the first to offer VoIP on a Palm device. However, mobiVoIP only works with their VoIP service plan.

Posted in Mobile Phones, VoIP

VoIP Call Recording

August 22, 2006

VoIP call recording software for popular VoIP applications such as Skype, Google Talk, Windows Messenger, Yahoo! Messenger, and the rest is something I get asked about all the time. I can't tell you how many times I get email requests for recommendations for the best VoiP call recording software as well as requests for call recording software and/or hardware to record strictly PSTN or traditional PBXs conversations. Even the VoIP Forums has a few threads involving requests for call recording, including this three-page thread titled "Call Recording Software" and this VoIP Forum posting, "SOHO VoIP call recording".

It's tough when I get so many of these help requests (usually via email, sometimes via phone) since it is in my nature to want to help people out.

Posted in Avaya, Computer Software, Microsoft, ShoreTel, Skype, VoIP

Pure VoIP vs. Telephone and Cable VoIP

August 16, 2006

VoIP.com wrote an interesting article put out as a press release on PRWeb.com. Titled "Pure VoIP Vs. Telecom VoIP: Guidance from VoIP.com", the article takes a position that pure VoIP players such as Vonage, Packet8, SunRocket, etc. are a better value than telecom VoIP providers, such as cable companies and telephony carriers. First, a caveat, VoIP.com is a provider of pure VoIP, so their opinion is going to obviously have a bias.

The articles accurately states, "VoIP services vary widely from provider to provider, however there is an undeniable line in the sand that divides pure VoIP from the digital voice plans rolled out by the telecos.

Posted in Packet8, Triple Play, VoIP, Vonage

Verizon races to build fiber to fend off VoIP and cable rivals

August 14, 2006

In an interesting NY Times article, Verizon says it must quickly build its fiber network to fend off rivals such as Comcast and Vonage, which offer inexpensive voice alternatives. With cable companies and single-play VoIP providers (Vonage, Packet8, Lingo, etc.) offering cheaper voice, Verizon is in a race to stop customer defections. According to the article, Time Warner Cable, Cablevision and others are taking about 1,000 Verizon phone customers per day.

Verizon will spend about $20 billion before the end of the decade to reach 16 million homes from Florida to California. However, it is New York City with its dense population and greatest potential for revenue that has caused Verizon to spend about $3 billion to reach the city’s 3.1 million homes and apartments.

Posted in VoIP

Windows-based open source Yate IP-PBX launches stable version

August 14, 2006

Yate is an open-source IP-PBX solution similiar to the open-source Asterisk solution, but unlike Asterisk which is primarily run on Linux, Yate was wrriten in C++ and therefore can be compiled to run both on Windows and Linux. I wrote about YATE in my Sangoma telephony cards article, which is worth checking out. Today, Sangoma Technologies Corporation (TSXV: STC), a leading provider of connectivity hardware and software products for VoIP, TDM voice, WANs and Internet infrastructure and the Null Team Company, the primary developer of Yate, have released a stable native Windows-based version of the GPL-licensed Yate telephony project.

Yate has a powerful telephony engine which can be easily extended to include voice, video, data and instant messaging all unified under Yate's flexible routing engine.

Posted in Asterisk, VoIP

Mobile SMS enables free VoIP phone calls

August 10, 2006

VoiceOne Communications, a wholly owned subsidiary of VoIP, Inc. announced today that it has added Text Messaging (Mobile SMS) functionality to its just-released beta version of Click4Me.Net. This enables a Web-click calling service that utilizes VoIP technology for free phone-to-phone calling. Click4Me.Net is available for testing on VoiceOne's Virtual Lab at http://Labs.VoiceOne.com -- an open forum for users to preview, test free of charge, and provide feedback on new IP communications services developed by VoiceOne.

You can connect to a registered Click4Me.Net member by texting "CALL + the member's username" to the Click4Me SMS address and the caller will be automatically connected to the Click4Me member of their choice, free of charge.

More importantly, registered Click4Me members can make free calls to any number by simply texting "CALL + telephone number" to the Click4Me SMS address. In addition, registered Click4Me.Net members also receive FREE 411 (Directory Assistance) from any cell phone by simply texting "CALL 411" or just "411" to the Click4Me SMS address.

Posted in Gadgets, Mobile Phones, PDAs & Handhelds, VoIP, Wireless

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