News Archive - August 2005
Microsoft plans telephone service
August 31, 2005
Microsoft is preparing to enable computer users to make a normal phone call from their PC.
The New Generation of VoIP in the Workplace
August 30, 2005
Integrated conferencing is driving video-conferencing capabilities to the desktop, with the result that scheduling a multimedia conference call becomes as easy as sending out an e-mail invitation to a meeting.
August 30, 2005
Several media reports recently have Vonage holding a $400 million to $600 million IPO as soon as this fall, but don't expect Vonage to be turning away any qualified suitors.
Taiwan to Bar VoIP from WiMax Service
August 29, 2005
The government of Taiwan said that it plans to bar the use of VoIP as a condition of issuing licenses for WiMax spectrum.
3Com to link telecommuters to office VoIP
August 29, 2005
Networking gear maker 3Com wants to hook telecommuters into the Internet phone systems they use when in the office.
Sonus Chief: Come Fly With Me!
August 26, 2005
It might be difficult to guess the direction of Sonus Networks famously volatile stock price, but the direction of CEO Hassan Ahmed's pay is clear: It's headed skyward.
August 26, 2005
The good news for business owners is that cost wars continue to push pricing lower as more service providers enter the competition for the business VoIP market. However, serving the business market is far more complex than the general consumer and residential markets.
FCC extends E911 deadline for VoIP users
August 26, 2005
Thousands of Internet phone users who have not yet acknowledged limitations to their providers' 911 service will get an extra month before their service is cut off. — How stupid they are. When users do need to pick up the phone, they not only cannot call 911, but they can call nobody else for help!
August 25, 2005
Vonage, which provides residential phone services over the Internet, is planning an initial public offering to raise as much as $600 million.
FCC requirement could strand VoIP customers
August 25, 2005
As many as 100,000 Internet phone customers who haven't formally acknowledged possible obstacles to making 911 calls could find their service disconnected starting next week.
Google Developing Global Video Conferencing
August 24, 2005
Google is looking for a Sr. Video Conferencing Engineer to develop a digital video conferencing application for Google to roll out on a global scale.
Intel, Cisco To Partner On VoIP, WiFi Access
August 23, 2005
Cisco and Intel are hoping to create WiFi VoIP systems that are secure and easy to use for both home and enterprise environments.
Avaya to Work With Intel to Improve Communications for Mobile Workers
August 23, 2005
Avaya announced it is working with Intel to improve communications for the growing mobile workforce by enhancing the quality of voice over wireless networks. Specifically, Avaya will optimize its Avaya SIP-based, IP Telephony Softphone for laptop PCs based on the next-generation Intel Centrino mobile technology.
Google unveils instant-messaging entry
August 23, 2005
Google has launched an instant-messaging program that allows text chat and computer-to-computer voice connections, a move that highlights the search giant's increasing competition with Yahoo, Microsoft and America Online.
Vonage Claims Price 'Blocking' Of VoIP
August 22, 2005
Vonage claimed that an unnamed service provider was forcing its broadband customers to pay a premium to use Vonage's Voice over IP services.
Meru and Firetide Form Partnership to Deliver Voice Over Mesh Solution
August 22, 2005
Firetide and Meru Networks announced a strategic partnership to deliver high quality, reliable voice communication over wireless mesh networks.
China Deals Can Pose Accounting Conflicts
August 22, 2005
According to this story, RADVISION twisted the arm of Beijing Control Tech in order to make sales necessary to meet quarterly sales forcasts.
August 21, 2005
Despite an abrupt timeframe, providers of voice-over-Internet protocol (VoIP) say they should meet the Federal Communications Commission's recent emergency-calling mandate by the Nov. 28, 2005 deadline.
VoIP port shipments jump 16.5% in second quarter
August 19, 2005
More than 16 million media gateway, softswitch and integrated VoIP ports were shipped during the second quarter, up 16.5%.
August 18, 2005
British Sign Language users will soon have a better way of communicating with their local authorities. In September, Significan't will launch a specialist call centre which will give deaf people access to sign language interpreters to help them resolve queries with their local authorities.
Number of Internet-phone consumers soars
August 17, 2005
The number of consumers bypassing the traditional phone network and opting for Internet voice service is soaring beyond expectations, with more than 2.7 million users in the US, compared to just 440,000 one year earlier.
Yahoo Shoots Down VoIP Speculation
August 17, 2005
Officials at Internet portal giant Yahoo are denying a report that it will launch a VoIP service in the next two weeks.
New York Courts Find Security in IP Video
August 15, 2005
For the court's I.T. group, high-bandwidth video is just another stream on an IP network built several years ago with enormous capacity, now tapped to deploy a variety of advanced services. Also supported is a 10,000-seat IP telephony network and more than 100 IP videoconferencing units.
August 15, 2005
Yahoo will introduce a VoIP service in the next two weeks, according to a prominent Internet analyst, in a move intended to give the Internet media company an edge over its rivals.
Nuvio Files Appeal of FCC VoIP E911 Order
August 15, 2005
Nuvio Corporation announced that it has filed an appeal of the FCC order requiring VoIP providers to make E911 available to their customers nationwide by the end of the year.
Reunions are virtual, the feelings aren't
August 12, 2005
Video technology unites immigrants with their loved ones, young and old, when going back to the old country is impossible.
August 11, 2005
Reports of a Skype sale have permeated VoIP circles in recent days, and the $3 billion price tag being bandied about reminds some of headier days. — Packetizer estimates Skype's worth at $350M, but not a penny more.
August 11, 2005
This article introduces a few of the open source VoIP PBX systems available on the Internet.
More Indians switch over to VoIP
August 11, 2005
Since the government deregulated Internet telephony three years back, more and more Indians are turning to this new technology to keep in touch with their loved ones abroad as it is far cheaper than the normal telephone calls.
August 11, 2005
As the popularity of VoIP surges, and lawmakers put more pressure on Net phone providers to fully support 911 services, many consumers are asking what exactly they need to know about the technology.
iPhone2 Prepares for Launch of Innovative VoIP Video Phone Service
August 10, 2005
iPhone2 that the company has begun conducting an extensive beta test of its unique video phone and VoIP service. — What is unique?
Groups Slam FCC on Internet Phone Tap Rule
August 10, 2005
New regulations making it easier for law enforcement to tap Internet phone calls will also make computer systems more vulnerable to hackers, digital privacy and civil liberties groups say.
August 9, 2005
With more than 1,100 VoIP providers world-wide, Skype delivers 46.2% of the minutes used by customers. In short, Skype holds the #1 position in VoIP world-wide. Can this closed system maintain its dominance in the face of open standards-based systems that are continually being deployed?
Feds fund VoIP tapping research
August 9, 2005
The federal government is funding the development of a prototype surveillance tool by George Mason University researchers who have discovered a novel way to trace Internet phone conversations.
August 8, 2005
RADVISION announced an agreement with TTPCom Ltd. to integrate video telephony capabilities into its AJAR mobile applications platform for wireless handsets using RADVISION's 3G-324M Toolkit.
August 8, 2005
In terms of growth over the next 5 year, VoIP is and will remain a dynamic market, with the most successful business opportunities being VoIP services added to other existing broadband services.
FCC schizo on DSL, wiretapping
August 8, 2005
The FCC extended onerous wiretapping rules designed for copper-wire telephone networks to the Internet, specifically targeting VoIP.
VoIP Is Coming to an Enterprise Near You
August 5, 2005
VoIP makes voice an all digital process. It has successfully leapt over the quality hurdle and now claims to offer similar quality to analog-based voice services. Standards such as H.323 by the ITU bring VoIP quality up to the level of older switched networks and open the door for its widespread adoption.
FCC changes DSL classification
August 5, 2005
The FCC voted to reclassify DSL broadband service, thus freeing phone companies of regulations that require them to share their infrastructure with Internet service providers.
VoIP Providers Targeted in Rural Broadband Fund
August 3, 2005
VoIP service companies will have to pay into the Universal Service Fund (USF) in order to accelerate the rural rollout of broadband services, if a bill pending in the U.S. Senate becomes law.
75% of Canadians say NO to VoIP Regulation
August 3, 2005
Three-Quarters of Canadians believe traditional telephone companies should be allowed to compete and offer lower prices for VoIP services than their competitors without interference from the CRTC according to a recent survey conducted by Ipsos-Reid.
Telecom Portability Powerhouse Makes Millions
August 3, 2005
Commmunications clearinghouse NeuStar Inc. reported its first public quarter of revenues, with a roadmap to 36 percent revenue growth for the rest of the year.
MCI accelerates push into VoIP business markets
August 3, 2005
In an indication that VoIP is moving rapidly into business markets, MCI announced that it is accelerating the roll out of its wholesale VoIP product suite, in response to demand from customers.
Test Shows VoIP Lagging in Quality
August 2, 2005
VoIP phone systems still significantly lag behind the traditional phone network for reliability and quality and there are major differences in quality among brands of VoIP service, according to a company that evaluated six providers in the U.S.
TowerStream, Vonage Deal Ties WiMAX, VoIP
August 2, 2005
WiMAX provider TowerStream agreed to an alliance with Vonage's VoIP service, tying together two emerging technologies. — Look out 3G mobile providers!
Is VoIP Secure Enough For Prime Time?
August 1, 2005
VoIP is hot, but VoIP security is not. Security risks abound in current commercial VoIP solutions, including Denial of Service (DoS) attacks, eavesdropping, and a host of new vectors for intrusion and malware propagation. — All of which is true, as with other IP applications. SRTP addresses media security, which is largely the primary concern that's specific to VoIP. Others are generic issues.
Comcast VoIP Takes Aim at Telcos
August 1, 2005
Comcast announced agreements with Sprint and AT&T last week, and earlier with Level 3, in which the carriers will provide connectivity between Comcast Digital Voice and the PSTN, offering VoIP service to residents in 35 states.
August 1, 2005
Sonus Networks Inc.'s VP of Finance, corporate controller and chief accounting officer has found another job, according to a document filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC).
Video Calling Service by VoIP Darling Goes to Public Beta Next Month
August 1, 2005