April 11, 2005
Just found out about a new USB/wireless headset device from PhoneRanger targetting the VoIP market. Sure, USB headsets are a dime-a-dozen, but this product is a bit different, which I will explain in a bit.According to PhoneRanger, "PhoneRanger 2.0 was...
Global IP Sound (GIPS), a leading provider of embedded voice-processing solutions for the Voice-over-IP market, is releasing its VoiceMail Engine, which allows applications developers to quickly and successfully build a fully-functional and high-quality voicemail application for VoIP telephony systems. GIPS...
April 07, 2005
Belkin may be a late-comer to the VoIP game, but lately they've been coming on strong in the VoIP space. Before Cisco bought Linksys, I always put Belkin, Linksys, and D-Link in the same group of competitors targeting the small-to-medium...
AOL finally launches their long awaited VoIP offering...Also, check out Andy Abramson's blog. He plans to write more about AOL's offering today and he has some AOL insights from yesterday as well.DULLES, Va. --(Business Wire)-- April 7, 2005 -- America...
April 06, 2005
In my Vonage over EVDO blog I discussed how someone was able to make a VoIP call using Vonage over a high-speed EVDO connection. I also wondered how happy the cellular companies would be knowing that they are carrying voice...
I just got like 15 alerts in my RSS reader about some press releases from Verizon all with almost the same exact title.They read:"Verizon Brings VoiceWing Internet-based Calling to Connecticut""Verizon Brings VoiceWing Internet-based Calling to Missouri""Verizon Brings VoiceWing Internet-based Calling...
Now this is an interesting award (see release below)...Nimcat Networks, makers of a Peer-to-Peer (P2P) VoIP system for SMBs was named "Cool Vendor" by Gartner. Gartner is literally 8 miles from where I work, but I had no idea they...
April 05, 2005
There is so much fodder for a joke involving Gold Gym's deployment of VoIP - such as imitating Arnold Schwarzenegger's accent or referencing Lou Ferrigno as the Incredible Hulk, but I will decline. Anyway, today Avaya announced that Gold's...
Very interesting article about the potential for Russia to outlaw 2000 VoIP operators.Here's a teaser, then go read the full article...It's hardly surprising that Russians, businesses and individuals alike, spend billions of rubles annually on VoIP services, instead of using...
PIKA Technologies adds to its VoIP portfolio with integrated SIP and unveils initiatives in host media processing (HMP) technology. I remember playing with PIKA voice and fax boards in the labs years ago as well as Rhetorex/Lucent/Octel boards, Dialogic boards...
April 04, 2005
Some news to share - another win for Global IP Sound - whose codecs are used in many VoIP applications, including Skype, Teleo, and others.OptiMobile AB, a company within the field of seamless convergence of WiFi and cellular telephony, has...
Today, ZyXEL Communications announced the Prestige 974SW residential cable gateway designed for cable operators and telecommunications providers at NCTA. The Prestige 974SW integrates a cable modem, router, switch and wireless access point all in one box. They threw just about...
In my VoIP + Content = Revenue Generating Possibilities blog entry from four days ago, I discussed the Viseon VoIP phone, which has a 10.4" LCD display and the revenue generating possibilities for service providers by providing content to LCD...
March 31, 2005
A TMC team member recently received a complaint from someone claiming we dialed his number which is on the national Do-Not-Call (DNC) List. TMC has very strict guidelines regarding following DNC laws. Heck, our Customer Interaction Solutions Magazine has covered...
I received a press release from Viseon titled "New VisiFone with Multimedia Capabilities and New Revenue Sources for VoIP Carrier Partners" which discusses a VoIP phone with a large 10.4" color TFT/LCD screen including full motion video, and the ability...
Today Telstra launched a global, MPLS-based VoIP solution that is available in 52 countries. No specific PBX or handset equipment is required to access this service. Here's the release: New York, NY - March 31, 2005 - Telstra Incorporated, a...
March 30, 2005
Today, Alpha Telecom launched "plug and play" VoIP gateways that let enterprises migrate to IP Telephony using their existing Centrex/Digital PBXs and speaker phones.Enterprises wanting to take advantage of the communications cost savings of IP telephony without changing out their...
Hotsip AB (www.hotsip.com), a leading SIP Application Server provider with off-the-shelf applications for large scale SIP enabled broadband and 3G/IMS networks, announced today that it has supplied its M2CE product to Tussa, a Norwegian Internet Service Provider, as a part...
Some news to share involving a test bed that included WiFi, VoIP, VoIP over WiFi, and "triple play"- all important technologies in the VoIP space. Azimuth W-Series was a key component in running performance tests on Wi-Fi handsets and Wi-Fi...
March 29, 2005
Yesterday I posted my review of the ActionTec Internet Phone Wizard with Skype. Ironically, four days earlier I received an email tip about a very similar device called rapidBox from RapidVoIP, which retails for $49.99 and is ~$20 cheaper...
Just the other day I received a Vonage newsletter in the mail. In the newsletter it discusses the new WiFi phone, how our troops are using Vonage to call home, a letter from the CEO, their 2005 advertising campaign,...
Juniper Networks, Inc. (Nasdaq: JNPR) today announced it has signed a definitive agreement to acquire Kagoor Networks in a transaction valued at $67.5 million in cash, plus options and certain other incentives and equity compensation. This move is an additional...
Yesterday, I received this comment in my VoIP Blog: under my ActionTec Internet Phone Wizard w/ Skype reviewHey guys... I have just tried this new recording tool that works with all my VoIP softwares! It is really awesome! You are...
I've discussed the FCC's ruling on "naked DSL" a couple of times recently. The FCC essentially has removed state restrictions forcing DSL providers to offer "naked" DSL and taken jurisdiction upon itself. Naked DSL basically is unbundling phone service from...
March 28, 2005
ADSL2+ fills the need for speed indeed! I've written about ADSL2+ in context of Triple Play a few times, including this Triple Play article. Well, I came across an excellent article discussing how ADSL2+ is changing the high-speed broadband...
ActionTec with Skype ArchitectureInternet Phone Wizard With Skype http://www.actiontec.com Price: List: $69.99, I've seen it online for $56.61 So you're a Skyper but you hate being chained to a headset connected to your PC? Well, have no fear, ActionTec's...
March 24, 2005
Ericsson and Siemens Communications have successfully completed interoperability tests between Siemens push-to-talk handsets and Ericsson infrastructure (IMS system including push-to-talk server). This major step will significantly expand the customer base for operators planning to offer standards-based push-to-talk and will give...
March 23, 2005
Skype, the Global Internet Telephony Company, today launched Skype for Windows version 1.2 (v 1.2) with enhanced user benefits including a centralized Contacts list, which allows users access to their list of contacts from multiple devices from wherever they connect...
This guy made a VoIP over EVDO phone call in his car using Vonage. Good stuff! I love this quote: "I got some really strange looks as I held this old fashion POTs line to my ear while parked...
March 22, 2005
Here's some interesting news from TMCnet.com. Apparently 8x8 is planning on demonstrating and sellingl Packet8 broadband phone services direct to consumers at the Westfield Valley Fair Mall in Santa Clara.So in addition to getting a massage in one of those...
The attorney general of Texas, Greg Abbott is suing Vonage, charging that Vonage does not "clearly disclose the lack of traditional 911 access" nor adequately inform its customers they must first sign up for the free 911 service. This...
March 21, 2005
According to TMCNet, Level3 has withdrawn its petition to the FCC.Check out the breaking news:According to James Q. Crowe, chief executive, "Today, Level 3 withdrew a forbearance petition the company had filed in December 2003 with the Federal Communications Commission...
CNet has an interesting article on "naked DSL". Basically, there are two camps here - the consumer camp which wants the ability to unbundle DSL from phone service, and then the phone companies/DSL providers which want to force you to...
Saw an interesting news release from BellSouth on TMCnet. In this release, BellSouth touts the launch of BellSouth Centrex Simultaneous Ring, a service that allows the integration of wireless and wireline calls for business customers. "As the workforce becomes increasingly...
March 17, 2005
If you read my blog, then you know that AT&T has been very guarded about it's CallVantage numbers. Skibare has emailed me several times asking if I knew CallVantage's numbers. Since I'm always busy doing something (testing VoIP products,...
March 16, 2005
According to the Wall Street Journal, Kevin Martin will be named the new chairman. This comes as no surprise since he was been the frontrunner for several reasons - not the least of which is that he would not...
March 15, 2005
New Packet8 features to their Virtual Office VoIP-hosted PBX service include Virtual Extensions, Metered Extensions and Toll Free Local Number Portability (LNP). According to Packet8, with the Virtual Extension feature, businesses can customize any number of specific extensions to function...
March 14, 2005
I knew about Packet8 and Walmart two weeks ago, but was too busy to blog about it. However, I didn't know they are now a featured product on the Shop at Home Network. I can just hear the call-ins now:...
Interesting VoIP Forum posting. Any takers to answer his question?I just added AT&T Callvantage to my home network. I had upgraded to Comcast's Home Worker/Teleworker option. Realized speeeds of 6 Mbps down and 768Kbps up. Once I put that MTA...
Interesting news to report...KYOCERA WIRELESS AND BOINGO WIRELESS JOIN BRIDGEPORT NETWORKS' MOBILEIGNITE ALLIANCE Collaboration Drives Interoperable MobileVoIP Convergence Solutions For Wireless Carriers and MVNOs CHICAGO and NEW ORLEANS, March 14, 2005 - BridgePort Networks, the leader in MobileVoIP convergence, today...
March 11, 2005
Some very interesting news today courtesy of TMCnet.com. Today, in two closely related cases, the United States Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit (DC Circuit) reached contrary results in challenges to two orders of the Federal Communications...
I realize this bit of news is 3 days old, but I've been traveling, so cut me some slack! ; ) This news release claims Covad VoIP on T1 is up to 40% less than competitive offersCovad Managed Voice and...
I thoroughly enjoyed reading George Ou's ZDnet article titled "The great open source VoIP Debate" where he moderated some panelists discussing and debating over open source in the VoIP space. The VoIP open source debate took place at Internet Telephony...
March 09, 2005
I'm in the press room at VON and attempted to logon to VON's WiFi network. It asks you for your email address which must be in the VON registration database in order for you to access the show's WiFi network....
Am I missing something? Am I out of the loop here? This release below from TelTel claims that they have the largest SIP user community with a claim of 800,000 members. I've barely heard of this company and they're claiming...
March 08, 2005
Press release from Digium, which develops the popular open source Asterisk solution.Digium Launches The Asterisk Business Edition The First Open Source Telephony System Geared Towards Business ProfessionalsDigium Inc., the leader in open source telephony, announced Asterisk Business Edition today, a...
March 07, 2005
Tomorrow, March 8th, Microsoft's Bill Gates is expected to unveil their new instant messaging and communications product, code-named Istanbul which is a much more advanced front end than Windows Messenger, which is the client currently used with LCS. The unified...
8x8, Inc.(Packet8) and Uniden America Corporation, today introduced a fully integrated, service-ready whole house VoIP phone system. The Packet8-enabled UIP1868 is a 5.8GHz digital expandable corded/cordless phone with built-in VoIP technology. The UIP1868 is expandable with up to ten handsets,...
March 04, 2005
Wow, just came across this bit of news from the Houston Chronicle.Texas congressman, Rep. Phil King, R-Weatherford, has filed a massive telecommunications bill in Austin this session that, in part, bans Texas cities from participating in wireless information networks.Telecommunications companies...
Just received an interesting release about a softphone client that is so full of BS, I just had to laugh. See if you can guess whose release it is.Let's play Jeopardy!<excerpts from the release>- "breakthrough 'soft phone'"- first device...
Next week I head to VON. Jeff Pulver was kind enough to invite me to speak in the "VoIP Bloggers Speak Out" panel. Why, he even put my photo and BIO above his in the online VON schedule! What a...
March 03, 2005
Madison River Communication, a Mebane, North Carolina phone company, accused of deliberately blocking Internet phone traffic has reached a deal with federal regulators to to stop blocking VoIP traffic.The FCC said Thursday that Madison River will "refrain from blocking" VoIP...
The three recently announced telecommunications mega-mergers received mixed reviews in a U.S. House of Representatives committee hearing yesterday, with some lawmakers questioning whether the deals will lead to less competition and higher prices.Representative Heather Wilson, a New Mexico Republican said: "We...
Sony standardizes video conferencing products to work seamlessly with Cisco CallManager.Here's the news:Integration with Cisco CallManager makes video call just like placing phone callSony of Canada Ltd., Canada's leading electronic and computer products solutions provider for consumers, today announced that...
March 02, 2005
According to Digital-Lifestyles.info, TowerStream, a US provider of fixed-wireless broadband services has announced the successful completion of Mobile Voice over IP (VoIP) over a WiFi network. According to Digital-Lifestyles.info, TowerStream recently completed a one-month trial near its Middletown, Rhode Island,...
According to a survey, Britons prefer convenience of one bill to pay for VoIP, IPTV and broadband combined delivery. A 2005 European survey in 6 countries has revealed that 81% of ADSL subscribers are interested in receiving triple play service...
Visual Networks Launches Suite of Voice over IP (VoIP) Assessment and Monitoring ServicesNew Services Use Real-time Customer Traffic, Optimizing VoIP Deployment and SupportRockville, MD - Visual Networks, Inc. (Nasdaq: VNWK), a leading provider of network and application performance management solutions,...
"TELEPHONE giant Philippine Long Distance Telephone Co. (PLDT) acknowledged this week that Voice Over Internet Protocol (VoIP) will be the biggest threat to its main business in 2005." Wow, you don't say? VoIP a threat? Who'd a thunk it? Full...
Toshiba is now shipping its Strata CIX. Check out the release: Toshiba Ships Award-Winning New Strata CIX Pure IP Telephony SystemEarly Users, Dealers, Analysts and Editors Applaud the Industry's Most Adaptable Pure IP Telephony System IRVINE, Calif., March 1, 2005 -...
March 01, 2005
Wicom Communications, a European provider of all-IP contact center solutions and VoIP enterprise telephony software for fixed and wireless network environments, today announced the availability of the latest version of the Wicom Communications Server Suite (CSS) software.Wicom CSS 4.0 is...
Lots of news stories today about how Costa Rica may ban VoIP and make it illegal. How they are going to enforce the ban on VoIP should be interesting. Are they going to monitor Internet traffic at the ISP level?...
Interesting VoIP report to share from a few days ago:Press Contact:Kevin MitchellDirecting Analyst Service Provider Voice & DataInfonetics Research, Inc.781.933.9649kevin@infonetics.com view data chart Worldwide Carrier VoIP Equipment Up 36% to $1.7B in 2004N. American Subscribers Grow 1M to 17M...
February 28, 2005
Quick news to share. If you're attending CeBIT, you should check out CIRPACK - they're yet another solutions provider offering a Triple Play solution, which is a technology that I am very very high on._________________________________________________CIRPACK will be exhibiting at...
In my 2005 VoIP Predictions, I wrote: Vonage and other "Single Play" VoIP service providers could be in trouble in 2005, so although I don't see a lot of consolidation, it's possible Vonage could try and attempt to be...
