Recently in VoIP Category

I received this announcement today from Topex, a Romanian telecom equipment manufacturer:

VoIP/E1 to UMTS gateway from TOPEX Romania

I thought this was worth highlighting because I haven't seen this release covered much elsewhere, and I figure a company making VoIP equipment in Romania probably deserves some extra attention. In fact, the company's release says they have been operating 15 years in the European market and that they export all around Europe and to Asia, Africa and the Americas.

The company says that with this new product, the multiACCESS UMTS, providers can terminate calls on 3G networks; they recommend it especially for carriers who "terminate traffic in urban overloaded areas."

AB -- 9/7/05

I just heard today that TMCnet colleague and columnist Tom Cross will be supplying his unique TECHtionary Flash animation services to IPcelerate, a software development firm focused on IP telephony products. The relationship is described in this press release:

IPcelerate Taps TECHtionary Communications Tools To Accelerate Customer Communications

The TECHtionary animations are amazing to see and are, in my opinion, one of the best examples of the value of Flash as a communications tool. I've written about TECHtionary in some previous entries:

TECHtionary Flash Tutorials as a Customer Support Resource

Great E911 Tutorial From TECHtionary

AB -- 9/1/05

On last night's Marketplace radio show (the evening business program from American Public Media), "VoIP" was the first news story covered, focusing on the expected Vonage IPO. This is an important business radio program for a large audience, and this is the first time I remember hearing them use VoIP as their top story. You can listen to the show (probably for the rest of today) at:

http://marketplace.publicradio.org/

Later on you can probably hear it at their archive:

http://marketplace.publicradio.org/shows/index.html

Yesterday our stories on the topic were:

Vonage Reportedly Filing for IPO -- Johanne Torres

Vonage IPO: What It Means For VoIP -- Rich Tehrani

AB -- 8/26/06

Reports on attendance at TMC's VoIP Developer Conference, which opened this afternoon in San Francisco, give an idea of the intense interest in the technologies, strategies and tools for developing IP communications. According to reports, communications professionals are already packing out the show on its first day.

Greg Galitzine, editorial director of Internet Telephony magazine, writes in his VoIP blog:

"I just took a peek into the sessions, and I can tell you this -- they are indeed well attended. In fact one of the sessions is SRO, or standing room only. If this is a sign of things to come, the next three days are going to be gangbusters.  If you are in the area, you absolutely need to get down here."

And on his VoIP Blog, TMC President Rich Tehrani echoed Greg's excitement:

If you're one who thinks seeing is believing, here's a photo from one of today's conference sessions that shows how developers are squeezing in to sessions:

On TMCnet, we've already run several articles based on the show in the past couple of days. Following is a list:

Pronexus and Aculab Introduce EasiVoIP

Excel Switching Corp. Exec. To Present at VoIP Developer Conference & Expo, By Ted Glanzer

Why Come to the VoIP Developer Conference?, By Rich Tehrani

TowerStream, Vonage Form Alliance: Combine Voice, Broadband, By David Butcher

Empirix Unveils Voice Self-Serve App and VoIP Net Combo Tester, By Johanne Torres

Pannaway: Turning Copper and Fiber into Gold (Part II), By Ted Glanzer

VoIP Developer Conference Web site gives the conference schedule, list of speakers and exhibitors, other details. Rich Tehrani has some videos of the VoIP Developer event on his blog.

AB -- 8/2/05

NewHeights Software is releasing two desktop clients for IP telephony today. Here is the full announcement released today:

NewHeights Delivers Next-Generation Software Clients to Simplify End-User Management of IP Telephony Services

NewHeights launches next-generation software clients for carriers and telephony network equipment vendors, addressing both residential and enterprise users.

Ottawa, Ont., Canada - July 28, 2005 -- NewHeights Software, a leading provider of next-gen soft-client solutions, brings to market Desktop Assistant 90 (DA-90) and Desktop Assistant 15 (DA-15). These clients provide users with a superior end-user interface at the desktop, enabling point-and-click management over their IP Telephony, presence and multimedia collaboration services. The Desktop Assistant® clients support both proprietary and open protocol signaling, including Session Initiation Protocol (SIP), and integrate seamlessly with offerings from carriers, CPE vendors and softswitch vendors. The Desktop Assistant clients offer default integration with applications such as Microsoft Office and Lotus Notes. Custom integration with other enterprise applications is available.

NewHeights DA-15 enables users to manage their call handling and routing features directly from their desktop, launch calls, emails and instant messages with one or two clicks, and access real-time presence information for corporate directory and buddy list contacts. Additionally, DA-15 enables solution providers to dynamically provision and market new IP services directly to customers. Using the client’s Web-window, an e-promotion tool that comes with every client, service providers can initiate upgrades, billing and new services.

With DA-90, the NewHeights flagship next-gen soft-client, users can escalate communications events from one-to-one voice, video or instant messaging to multiple party, multimedia conferencing and collaboration sessions. DA-90 also delivers a knowledge management capability that enables files and e-mails to be associated with contacts and presented in an automated and catalogued list during a call or when offline. In addition, DA-90 enables secure corporate messaging, call recording and annotation and third-party call control support for client-to-desktop phone slaving.

“Today’s IP Telephony users have a wide selection of telephony and collaboration services at their disposal through carrier and CPE networks,” said Owen Matthews, Chief Executive Officer, NewHeights. “We are simplifying the deployment and increasing the end-user adoption of those services. It all comes down to usability at the desktop. From placing a simple outgoing call to multimedia conferencing and collaboration, our solutions ensure that communications events are never more difficult for the end user than an obvious point and click.”

One of NewHeights partners is Ubiquity Software, a provider of IP Multimedia Subsystem (IMS) compliant SIP Application Servers.

“Carriers demand the highest level of reliability, quality, scalability and sophistication from the technologies that enable and support their IMS services,” said Ian McLaren, Chief Executive Officer of Ubiquity. “NewHeights Desktop Assistant was the perfect compliment to our IMS-Compliant SIP Application Server, seamlessly integrating with our offering while delivering unprecedented simplicity and usability at the IP Telephony desktop.”

“The promise of convergence not only consists of running voice over data networks – it also provides a wide array of new applications that can be accessed via intelligent endpoints at the desktop,” said Ronald Gruia, Program Leader for Emerging Communications Solutions, Frost and Sullivan. “Next-gen soft-clients, such as DA-90, are providing a rich communication management interface that interacts with the phone as well as several applications including telephony, messaging and collaboration technologies, making it faster and easier for end-users to communicate when and how they want.”

NewHeights Desktop Assistant clients are built with Microsoft .Net and best practices for development, test, deployment and maintenance. Desktop Assistant products ensure enterprises are able to use familiar IT Microsoft management systems, directory technology and network and client operating systems in client deployment, installation and maintenance.

Some of NewHeights customers include: Bell Canada, Mitel, and Marconi Corporation plc.

About DA-15

The NewHeights DA-15 client delivers intuitive personal communications management in the office, home or on the road, providing:

•  Point-and-click management of calling features, handling and routing
•  Initiation of voice, e-mail and instant messaging events with one or two clicks
•  Integration with Microsoft MSN Messenger, Microsoft Office, Microsoft Live Communications Server, Lotus Notes and other enterprise applications
•  Screen Pops with incoming caller information and call handling options
•  Call history logs, including calls missed, dialed and received
•  Client-based softphone
•  Peer-to-Peer and PSTN call capability
•  Personal information manager (PIM) and personal address book integration
•  Personalized client interface options
•  Client-based e-procurement of new IP services

DA-15 comes in 14 different languages and allows users to modify their communications settings quickly, and as frequently, as they would like. To view the DA-15 interface please visit www.newheights.com/press/DA15.jpg

About DA-90

The NewHeights DA-90 client delivers all the features of DA-15, while additionally providing:

•  Multimedia collaboration
•  Web, audio and video conferencing
•  Knowledge Management
•  Public and secure corporate instant messaging
•  Call recording, annotation and timing
•  Presence-enabled corporate directory
•  Third-party call control client slaving

To view the DA-90 interface please visit: www.newheights.com/press/DA90.jpg

About NewHeights Software

NewHeights Software Corporation provides the industry’s most evolved next-generation software client solutions for both the residential and enterprise markets. Our solutions offer a superior end-user interface to hosted IP Centrex telephony services and IP PBX customer premise equipment. The company’s sophisticated line of software clients are customizable, OEM communications management applications that integrate IP Telephony call control with collaboration and knowledge management applications to enhance real-time, ad hoc communication for the end user. Some of NewHeights customers and partners include: Mitel, Ubiquity Software and Marconi Corporation plc. NewHeights Software Corporation is a privately held company headquartered in Ottawa, Ontario, Canada with development offices in Victoria, British Columbia, Canada and sales offices in the United Kingdom and Australia. For additional information, please visit www.newheights.com .

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AB -- 7/28/05

BellSouth representatives are declining comment on today's rumors of a possible acquisition of VoIP provider Vonage. Late this afternoon, an inquiry sent from TMCnet to BellSouth generated a quick but definite refusal to comment on the question.

Today Rich Tehrani, president of TMC, posted the following on his VoIP Blog under the entry title "BellSouth to Buy Vonage":

"Rumor has it that Vonage is in talks with Bell South to sell their VoIP service company for about 3.5 billion dollars. At about 800,000 subscribers that values each Vonage subscriber at $4,375!"

Please continue to check the TMCnet Web site for any further developments in this possible breaking story. Obviously, such a story is tentative and speculative, but an acquisition of Vonage would be big news in the growing VoIP industry.

AB -- 7/13/05

In case you haven't heard, the big news here at TMC is that Michael K. Powell, former chairman of the FCC, will speak at the Internet Telephony Conference and Expo in Los Angeles Oct. 26, 2005. TMC's full announcement is available at:

Former FCC Chairman Michael K. Powell to Keynote INTERNET TELEPHONY Conference & EXPO Fall 2005

Details on the event are at:

http://www.tmcnet.com/voip/conference/

AB -- 6/16/05

Networked Information Systems (NIS), an IT solutions provider from Woburn, Mass., has received an award from Cisco Systems as U.S. Theater Partner of the Year. Cisco based the award on NIS's record as best-performing channel partner in the U.S. NIS's release from today is on TMCnet at:

Networked Information Systems Named Cisco U.S. Partner of the Year

NIS has indeed racked up an impressive record since the company started in 1999, reaching $124 million in revenue in 2004.

The 1999 start date is significant -- that means NIS weathered the storm during the recent tech bust. However, this fits with a business philosophy I have long subscribed to: When bad economic times hit, that is the time to increase your efforts, especially in the all-important areas of marketing and R&D. If you do that, you stand a better chance of coming out ahead of your competitors once the economy rebounds, since most of your competitors will be cutting their budgets (and consequently their own throats) in these critical areas.

NIS founders Thomas Foley and Robert Murphy credit their success to "customer focus -- including a big investment in project management skills – and the decision to focus its solutions business on a few key technology platforms." Especially noteworthy is that IP communications was one of the technology areas they picked as a focus -- putting them in an excellent position for growth in the current market.

The following quotes from Foley and Murphy are telling:

“A key factor in our growth was the decision to build a company that could leverage the convergence of technologies in areas like IP communications and storage area networks,” said Foley. “That meant investing in a broader set of skills than most VARs. For example, we wanted to be first out of the gate in IP Telephony. That meant we had to acquire expertise in TCP/IP data and voice communications, Microsoft Exchange and Active Directory, storage management, and data security. Not many companies possess that range of skills even today.”

Said Murphy, “Convergence creates opportunities, but it causes problems, too. Companies that have built comprehensive practices across these areas grabbed the early lead in IP telephony, storage and wireless infrastructure. The ones that didn’t were late to market and are still chasing the train.”

Today's release says that NIS has been ranked the last three years among the world's top 50 VARs by "VAR Business" magazine. NIS says that it beat out 850 other Cisco partners for the Partner of the Year award announced today.

AB -- 6/8/05

Thought I would call attention to this announcement, as I have not seen it elsewhere:

Tiscali International Network launches PBX VoIP Connect

Tiscali International Network is a subsidiary of Tiscali S.p.A. of Milan and Paris, and a provider of wholesale IP transit, remote peering, clear channel and voice services in Europe and the U.S.

Tiscali offers the new PBX VoIP Connect mainly for call centers to terminate outbound and international calls. Here's how the company describes the service in its release:

"PBX VoIP Connect is a prepaid service based on the Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP), which provides voice calls termination using IP as the backbone infrastructure and achieves comparable quality to the Public Switched Telephone Network by means of efficiency of our high-capacity network and "softswitch" technology."

AB -- 6/8/05

I just received news from packet communications provider VoX Communications that they are releasing a total VoIP solution today at SUPERCOMM.

Here's how today's news release describes the new offering:

"VoX's total VoIP solution includes its wholly owned packet telephony technology  and its advanced, nationwide network with Tier One interconnection partners like Global Crossing, who operates the world's most advanced global IP-based network and SIP-based VoIP platform.  VoX is also deploying UTStarcom's wide range of VoIP customer premises equipment (CPE), including UTStarcom's iAN-02EX VoIP Analog Terminal Adapter (ATA) for residential customers and UTStarcom's iAN-08E series VoIP Gateway for SOHO/Enterprise customers. The most recent CPE addition to VoX's solution set is UTStarcom's F1000 portable Wi-Fi handset."

The whole release is available on TMCnet at:

VoX Communications Debuts its Total VoIP Solution at SUPERCOMM 2005, Exhibit 55085

According to VoX, the company is in the business of providing "wholesale broadband voice, origination and termination services for cable, wireless and wireline operators and enhanced VoIP service to the small business and residential marketplace."

AB -- 6/2/05