News Archive - May 2005
Vonage expanding VoIP Service to More Cities
May 31, 2005
Vonage Canada announced that it would expand its VoIP service by providing local phone number exchanges in more than 50 additional Canadian cities and communities.
Avaya targets VoIP for telephony continuity
May 31, 2005
Avaya is moving into the business continuity and disaster recovery space pushing IP telephony as the driver. — And we find this amazing, given some of the negative comments about VoIP reliability the company has made earlier.
May 30, 2005
SURF Communication announced the launch of SurfRider-812, a fully-integrated high-capacity PTMC DSP farm comprised of eight digital signal processors (DSPs). The SurfRider-812 provides simultaneous Triple-Play media-processing capabilities for developers of Voice and Video gateways, CTI applications, Media Servers, and a multitude of other Voice, Video, Fax and Modem applications.
Sony announces the PCS-G50 video conference system
May 30, 2005
The new Sony PCS-G50 is an H.323-based, high resolution (4CIF, or 704x576px) videoconferencing system supporting a number of popular video CODECs, including the new H.264.
Vidéotron rolls out VoIP Services to West Island
May 30, 2005
Videotron announced last week that after its sucessful launch on Montreal's South Shore and Laval, it would continue by rolling out VoIP services to a dozen more municipalities.
Video links may speed benefits appeals
May 30, 2005
For the US Social Security Administration, videoconferencing has helped overcome distance and time barriers in Western states, including Colorado, Wyoming, Montana, South Dakota and North Dakota.
May 28, 2005
With VoIP, voice quality can be nearly as good but you will need a reliable broadband connection, a VoIP adaptor and perhaps a router to turn your normal phone into an internet phone... with prices you just can't beat.
Telstra positive on VoIP calls
May 28, 2005
TELSTRA Corp maintains it will be able to offer Internet voice calls to consumers in the new financial year,
Qualcomm chief dismisses Wi-Fi, WiMax threats
May 27, 2005
Qualcomm Chairman and CEO Irwin Jacobs said he sees no threat to it from Wi-Fi or WiMAX. — Well, there is no immediate threat, but if I had the funds, I'd build the nation's first national WiMAX network supporting mobile WiMAX phones... and I bet he'd be worried then.
Canada's Shaw Communications Adds Alaska & Hawaii to its VoIP Offering
May 27, 2005
Shaw Communications announced today that its Digital Phone customers can now call Hawaii and Alaska as part of their unlimited, anytime long distance calling plan.
May 27, 2005
Telchemy has introduced a new range of active test products based on its VQmon technology.
Global Revenues Soar For VoIP Gear
May 27, 2005
Report says revenues from global sales of VoIP equipment totaled $493 million in the first quarter of this year, an increase of 40% over first-quarter levels in 2004.
WiMAX Will Succeed As Fixed Broadband
May 26, 2005
A study predicts that WiMAX will succeed as a form of fixed broadband but that questions remain about the viability of the mobile version of the wireless broadband technology.
May 26, 2005
Since its 2000 separation from Lucent, Avaya has tried to recast itself as an enterprise applications company, with a focus on voice.
Microsoft may enter VoIP telecom market
May 26, 2005
A new report released by research firm Info-Tech suggests that Microsoft is evolving beyond its position as dominant IT software vendor into the realm traditionally reserved for telecommunications vendors.
Voice of reason - Top Ten tips for VoIP
May 26, 2005
Introducing VoIP delivers significant business benefits, with a reduction in costs an obvious example. But as VoIP continues to gain a foothold within enterprises there are a number of factors that organisations should take into consideration.
Acme Packet Announces Broad Lawful Intercept/CALEA Support
May 25, 2005
Acme Packet announced broad support in its Net-Net session border controller (SBC) for global lawful intercept (LI) capabilities that enable service providers to comply with complex, evolving regulations worldwide such as the US Communications Assistance for Law Enforcement Act (CALEA).
Skype Positions Itself as 'Enhancement' VoIP, Not Responsible For 911 Service
May 24, 2005
With three million users in the U.S. and a rapidly-growing group of partners in its new affiliates program, Skype is facing a unique challenge presented by the FCC's order that VoIP providers must provide access to emergency 911 numbers.
May 24, 2005
Nicolas Kauser, President, Clearwire saying that the wireless technology is overhyped and overpromised. — Another fellow who thinks that dreams that take time cannot be realized?
May 24, 2005
The title speaks for itself, though I think people need to realize that VoIP did not become mainstream very quickly, either. Paul Jones declares: WiMAX has a very bright future and building the network is merely one of planning and execution. The business case is there.
Vonage Partners With Synchronoss for VoIP LNP Managed Services
May 24, 2005
Synchronoss Technologies announced that it has signed a multi-year agreement to provide comprehensive local number portability (LNP) and e-commerce order management technology and services to Vonage.
May 24, 2005
Sonus and Belkin said they successfully completed interoperability testing on their respective softswitch and VoIP broadband phone-adapter product lines for consumer-oriented voice-over-broadband (VoBB) markets. — Vonage partners or enabling competitors?
Transitioning to VoIP will be successful with right partner
May 24, 2005
Even if you're only in the planning stages, it's not too early to start thinking about partnering for VoIP.
May 24, 2005
Skype Co-Founder Niklas Zennstrom outlined his vision for expanding the VoIP community at VON 2005 Europe in Stockholm, Sweden.
May 24, 2005
Global Crossing announced the introduction of Carrier VoIP Outbound Service in Europe, and that it is providing the service to Hellas On Line, a Greek Internet service provider (ISP) offering Internet-based services, including telephony and unified messaging, Internet connectivity, and value-added and content services, to consumers and enterprises.
May 24, 2005
Taking an increasingly pragmatic approach to its business, Internet phone provider Skype is now using affiliates to sell its voice mail service and other premium products.
May 24, 2005
Cingular Wireless, the No. 1 cell phone operator in the U.S., may have scaled back its wireless broadband deployment plans, financial analysts are reporting.
Telecommuting: better late than never
May 24, 2005
After languishing for years the Australian videoconferencing market is now growing at more than 20 per cent a year, but in a new direction. — Interesting, but several errors... beware.
VoIP: Telecom Then, Telecom Now
May 23, 2005
In order to clearly understand the next generation of telephone technology, let's go back a step to how traditional telephone networks work.
May 23, 2005
No, it's not as bad as it sounds. Jails in West Virgina are using H.323 gear from Polycom to reduce prisoner transportation costs, yet allow them to appear before the court.
May 23, 2005
Vonage is quietly testing its Business Plus service with a few customers in the U.S, bundling a set number of lines and minutes for a flat monthly fee.
May 20, 2005
After years of quietly building a VoIP strategy on a number of fronts, Microsoft is now stepping up its VoIP efforts and is poised for major initiatives in both the enterprise and carrier space.
NTT Picks Excel's Media Gateway
May 20, 2005
Excel announced that NTT Communications, assisted by NEC systems integration professionals, has deployed the Excel CSP 2090 integrated media gateway for the NTT VoIP Clearinghouse service, adding SS7 support to its growing international VoIP wholesale service.
Cisco sets sights on enterprise VoIP
May 20, 2005
Giancarlo elaborates on what Cisco has in store for the enterprise and why it has been relatively quiet about SIP.
Vonage brings 'mass market' VoIP to the UK
May 20, 2005
Vonage has officially launched its VoIP phone service in the UK after completing a 'soft launch' period which started in January.
Net phone 911 mandate may hit nomads hardest
May 19, 2005
Net phone operators that assign telephone numbers that don't depend on where customers actually live may be among the hardest hit by a new requirement that commercial VoIP providers offer 911.
Ericsson adds R&D unit in China
May 19, 2005
Ericsson on Thursday announced plans to set up a research unit in Nanjing, China, to develop time division synchronous CDMA products.
Broadcom sues Qualcomm over patents
May 19, 2005
Communications chipmaker Broadcom said that it is suing Qualcomm for allegedly infringing on several of its patents — Good grief... Patents are so evil
Vonage Agrees with SBC and BellSouth to Purchase Nomadic VoIP E9-1-1 Service
May 19, 2005
Vonage announced they have agreed to purchase access to elements of the wireless and wireline Enhanced 9-1-1 network to offer its customers E9-1-1 service from SBC and BellSouth. They now have support for 3 of the 4 baby Bells.
VoIP adapter reference design runs Linux
May 19, 2005
PMC-Sierra is shipping a hardware/software reference design for a VoIP analog telephone adapter powered by the "now ubiquitous" Linux operating system and including "all hardware and software to build a complete telephone adapter."
May 19, 2005
Marks and Spencer is planning to shift to a VoIP telephone service across its UK operations.
Former FCC wireless E911 chief: VoIP E911 to take years, not 120 days
May 19, 2005
"As I saw when (the FCC) enabled 911 operability to cellphones, and as we will see in the coming months, there are a number of steep hurdles that both the government and industry must face," he says in a statement.
FCC requires VoIP to clean up its 911 act
May 19, 2005
The FCC gives Net phone carriers a late September deadline to provide the same kind of 911 service available to people who call for help from landline or cell phones.
Conference Uses Technology to Bring Together Kids From Across U.S.
May 18, 2005
ore than 200 school districts and thousands of students will participate May 19th in Megaconference Junior, a project designed to give students in elementary and secondary schools across the country and around the world the opportunity to communicate, collaborate and contribute to each other's learning experiences in real time, using advanced multi-point Internet videoconferencing technology - H.323.
May 18, 2005
Yahoo! has begun beta-testing its latest Messenger client, rewritten to support VoIP-quality, full duplex, voice chat over broadband.
Can telecoms wring profit from enterprise IP?
May 18, 2005
AT&T and MCI not only are grappling with the mix of promise and regulatory issues associated with their respective acquisitions by SBC and Verizon, they are finding it difficult to make money off some of their fastest-growing IP services.
Software Brings VoIP To Nokia Cell Phones
May 17, 2005
A United Kingdom-based company announced that it has developed a software solution that enables Nokia Series 60 cell phones to provide VoIP service using Wi-Fi and Bluetooth wireless technology.
May 17, 2005
The FCC is expected to require all VoIP providers doing business in the U.S. to provide basic E911 service to their customers.
Xten VoIP Softphones Now Available for Linux
May 16, 2005
Xten Networks announced that some of its SIP softphones and software development kits (SDKs) are now available for Linux.
Check Point adds VoIP to portfolio
May 16, 2005
Security vendor Check Point Technologies announced that it has added the ability to inspect the VoIP protocols H.323 and SIP.
Vonage Rolls Out Free Calling To Puerto Rico
May 16, 2005
Vonage announced it is expanding its calling packages to include free calls to Puerto Rico.
VoIP over Wi-Fi gaining grounds in Africa
May 14, 2005
Recent events on the African continent point to one indisputable fact: VoIP has come to stay. The legalization of this technology across Africa has been seeing tremendous progress in recent times. Wi-Fi is a central technology that is making broadband widely available.
VoIP firm Vonage tests routers for mobile service
May 13, 2005
Vonage is testing wireless routers, a sign the company is on the verge of debuting a mobile offering.
CRTC reins in major carriers on VoIP
May 12, 2005
Canada's telecommunications regulator ruled that the country's dominant phone companies will not be able to set their own prices for VoIP services, part of its effort to create more competition and lower prices in the budding market.
Florida removes VoIP tax from books
May 12, 2005
A Florida law that threatened to tax Internet phone networks has officially been removed from the books.
inSORS Releases Integrated Video Conferencing, and Data Collaboration Platform
May 12, 2005
inSORS Integrated Communications has released the inSORS Grid 2 (IG2) voice, video, & data collaboration platform designed to facilitate rich communications for groups, as well as, individual knowledge workers. Among other things, it has added support for H.323.
Hotspot Vendor Boingo Roams To In-Flight Access
May 11, 2005
Boingo Wireless said it has a new roaming agreement that will give its subscribers single log-on access on some long-haul flights.
Acme Packet Named a Red Herring 100 Company
May 11, 2005
Acme Packet was named a Red Herring 100 company, an award that recognizes 100 private companies in North America that drive the technology industry's future.
May 11, 2005
Recent VoIP market forecasts predict a sharp spike in residential VoIP users during the next few years. At the same time there is no shortage of consumer VoIP providers; and the revenues generated in the space aren't likely to support all of them.
VoIP gets praise from business users
May 11, 2005
Businesses who've made the jump to Internet-based calling far prefer it to traditional phone service, according to a new survey by J.D. Power and Associates.
May 11, 2005
Canada's telecoms regulator is likely to rule that Voice over Internet Protocol services should be regulated in the same way as traditional telcos.
BT to Pipe Customer Calls Through VoIP
May 11, 2005
BT will stick with its longtime telecom equipment vendor Nortel when it shifts its U.K. and Indian call centers to Voice over IP technology.
Alliance Asks Congress To Consider VoIP Vulnerabilities In Updated Telecom Act
May 11, 2005
Cyber Security Industry Alliance tells Congress to include recommendations related to securing VoIP technologies as it reviews the 1996 Telecommunications Act.
Net phone gear, new deals elevate Cisco profit
May 11, 2005
Cisco Systems posted a 16% rise in quarterly profit on strong sales of Internet phone gear and new deals with phone and cable companies.
British Airways Selects Cisco and Prime for Airline Industry's Largest IP Telephone Network
May 11, 2005
Cisco Systems and Prime Business Solutions announced a major network convergence project for British Airways to improve communications for 14,000 office and airport staff. This project marks the sale of Cisco's five millionth VoIP telephone.
May 10, 2005
Sonus Networks kept analysts scratching their heads Monday, painting a rosy picture of its current and future prospects while reporting more disappointing results.
May 10, 2005
Qwest quietly has begun offering residential VoIP phone service in its 14-state service area - with no public announcement - but at prices far higher than most non-telco VoIP providers.
Shopping for the Best VoIP Service
May 10, 2005
This is one of the first articles we've seen on tips for consumers looking for VoIP service providers.
Cisco dials up the next VoIP phase
May 10, 2005
Interview with Charles Giancarlo, chief technology officer and senior vice president at Cisco, on VoIP and its future.
May 10, 2005
In just 10 years, VoIP| has gone from an underperforming technology with poor voice quality to the brink of widespread acceptance.
Fortinet & Polycom Enable Secure Multi-site V2oIP
May 9, 2005
Fortinet expanded its presence in the Voice and Video-over-Internet Protocol (VoIP) market with the announcement of new firmware in its FortiGate systems that enables secure and real-time voice and video over IP using H.323.
May 9, 2005
Cable & Wireless of Cayman has announced its new residential broadband telephony VoIP service, branded as "NetSpeak," to its customers across all three of the Cayman Islands.
May 9, 2005
Venture investors continue to pour cash into companies involved with voice over Internet Protocol, technology that lets an Internet connection double as a phone line... but can it last much longer?
RIM exceeds 3 million subscribers
May 9, 2005
Research In Motion has exceeded the 3 million subscriber mark for its popular BlackBerry device.
Net phones arrive at home (and some need no PC)
May 8, 2005
A few years ago, a buzz began spreading about Internet telephony, a technology allowing telephone conversations to be made across the Internet rather than exclusively over regular phone lines. Now, it's becoming a reality.
May 6, 2005
The FCC said SBC is jumping the gun in its petition to exempt IP platforms from rules and regulations that apply to common carriers.
May 6, 2005
SBC Communications confirmed on Friday that it will begin testing "naked" DSL in select locations this summer, and it plans to roll out the service more widely later in the year. — BellSouth, take note!
May 6, 2005
Vonage will soon announce that it has raised a whopping US$200 million in its fifth round of funding, as it prepares to launch into new territories outside North America.
Speakeasy is betting big on WiMax
May 6, 2005
Tethered to a harness on the outer ring of the Space Needle, Speakeasy Chief Executive Bruce Chatterley nervously stood about 600 feet above Seattle on Wednesday as he introduced a new WiMAX wireless Internet network that covers 5 square miles of the city.
VoIP Service Revenues To Zoom To $19.9 Billion By 2009
May 6, 2005
Already a hot market in 2004, VoIP service revenues are poised to soar to stratospheric levels over the next four years, according to a new study by Infonetics Research.
May 6, 2005
The budding Internet-based telephone business is widely expected to be regulated the same way as traditional phone services under a CRTC ruling next week that analysts say will strike a blow to the dominant phone companies.
May 6, 2005
Small, medium, and large organizations participating in Infonetics Research's latest study, User Plans for IP Voice, North America 2005, spent an average of $117,000 on IP voice products in 2003, up 46% in 2004, and plan to increase their spending an additional 9% in 2005.
Martin circulates VoIP 911 order
May 5, 2005
FCC Chairman Kevin Martin has proposed an order to be considered during the commission's May 19 meeting that would require VoIP providers to deliver 911 calls to the appropriate public-safety answering point (PSAP)... or shut down operations.
Intel, Sprint connect on WiMax
May 5, 2005
Intel and Sprint plan to work together to develop an emerging wireless broadband technology called WiMax, which has been promoted as a third option to cable and digital subscriber line for providing high-speed Internet access into the home.
VoIP Is Killing Traditional Telephony
May 5, 2005
The rapid adoption of VoIP is killing off traditional telephony, with 50% of small- to mid-sized enterprises expected to rely on VoIP by 2008.
VoIP Users Taking 911 Off the Map
May 5, 2005
Vonage is being sued again over 911 and many people just don't understand that the technology does not work the same as the PSTN, nor should it. This article gives a good overview of current issues related to 911 and VoIP.
BellSouth gives VoIP operators some 911 help
May 5, 2005
BellSouth is opening up its 911 routers to all Net telephony operators and nearing a deal to give Vonage access to its emergency calling infrastructure.
May 5, 2005
Cable operator Cablevision says its Optimum Voice phone service is attracting customers at a record rate, another sign that the cable industry is becoming a force in the U.S. phone market.
Vonage Contracts with Verizon vor Nomadic VoIP E-911 Service
May 4, 2005
Vonage announced an agreement with Verizon to access elements of the wireless and wireline Enhanced 9-1-1 network to offer its customers E-911 service.
Consumers twice as likely to sign up for VoIP if part of a price-bundled service
May 4, 2005
It's hardly a revelation that incumbent broadband service providers are, and will continue, to introduce VoIP services as part of a bundled package of products...
May 4, 2005
Hossein Eslambolchi, AT&T's CTO and president of AT&T Research Labs, says that he sees WiMax technology developing into a dominant next-generation access technology, given its scale, reach, and potential as a global standard.
As cell phones bulk up, how much is too much?
May 4, 2005
There is an industry drift toward making the cell phone into a digital Swiss Army knife, a supermarket of technology squeezed into a palm-size device that includes a typewriter's worth of keys, and enough storage and software to accommodate everything from family photo albums to corporate presentations. — We just want to make a call. How about you?
Fortinet Collaborates with Polycom to Enable Secure Multi-site Voice and Video-over IP
May 2, 2005
Fortinet expanded its presence in the Voice and Video-over-Internet Protocol market with the announcement of new firmware in its FortiGate systems that enables secure and real-time VoIP and video telephony.
Avaya on Top of IP Telephony Recovery
May 2, 2005
In keeping with trends emphasizing disaster recovery, Avaya is championing its latest advances as designed for survivability, particularly for enterprises spread across multiple locations.
Macromedia adds VoIP to Breeze 5
May 2, 2005
Macromedia announced the immediate availability of a major new release of its Breeze product that delivers high-impact online conferencing and collaborative web communications with integrated VoIP.
Michigan Seeks VoIP Regulation
May 2, 2005
Another state is seeking regulatory authority over VoIP, despite the losing record being posted by U.S. states looking to challenge the U.S. Federal Communications Commission on this issue.
Secure Video Conferencing via Quantum Cryptography
May 2, 2005
Researchers from Toshiba have developed a system which can generate 100 quantum "keys" every second, fast enough to protect every frame in a video exchange. This technology, which today is working over a distance of about 120 kilometers, could become commercially available within two years at an initial cost of $20,000.
MCI accepts Verizon's raised $8.5 billion offer
May 2, 2005
MCI accepted a raised $8.5 billion bid from Verizon Communications, saying its large business customers might defect if it accepted a higher bid from rival suitor Qwest Communications International.