News Archive - March 2007
Google and Yahoo call up more phone partners
March 28, 2007
Google and Yahoo separately announced that their services will be featured on two different mobile phones.
Microsoft to make own VoIP phones
March 26, 2007
Feeling shut out by the likes of Skype, Microsoft has decided it needs to make its own hardware to take advantage of its VoIP telephony software.
Alcatel-Lucent wins $6 billion Verizon Wireless deal
March 26, 2007
Alcatel-Lucent won a three-year contract worth $6 billion to supply Verizon Wireless with network equipment, software and services.
Vonage ordered to stop using Verizon VoIP patents
March 23, 2007
A federal judge has ordered Vonage to halt its use of three voice over Internet Protocol patents owned by Verizon Communications, but he postponed enforcing the ruling for now.
AT&T IPTV now coming to your PC
March 22, 2007
AT&T announced that its U-verse IP television service will now allow subscribers to watch live programming on their PCs.
Court backs FCC insulating Web phone service
March 21, 2007
A U.S. appeals court upheld a decision that exempted Internet telephone companies like Vonage from many state regulations and oversight.
Sprint to include free GPS with data services
March 21, 2007
Sprint customers will soon get GPS-enabled navigation service for free as part of certain data packages. The service will be available to customers with Power Vision data plans starting at $20 a month, and it comes in a package that also includes Internet browsing, digital radio and streaming video.
GENBAND to Acquire Tekelec's Switching Business
March 20, 2007
GENBAND announced it has signed a definitive agreement to acquire Tekelec's switching solutions business unit.
March 20, 2007
Skype announced that it plans to offer a new service to allow users to transfer money to other users.
Cisco adds firewall, SBC module to XR 12000 line
March 19, 2007
Cisco enhanced its XR 12000 router line with a module designed to deliver more predictable network performance for business services, sporting among other things video/voice SBC functionality
Sydney to get public Cisco TelePresence facility
March 19, 2007
UK based Regus Group is to offer Cisco's TelePresence virtual reality videoconferencing technology as a publicly available service from over 50 locations around the world.
Nokia files claims against Qualcomm in Europe
March 19, 2007
Nokia said it had filed complaints against Qualcomm patents in Germany and the Netherlands in the latest case between the two technology giants. Nokia is seeking to have authorities rule that Qualcomm's European patents are exhausted.
Microsoft wants to power the small-business phone, too
March 19, 2007
Already looking to take over the corporate telephone system, Microsoft announced its plans to tackle small-business telecommunications as well.
Samsung Brings Multipoint Videoconferencing to the Desktop
March 15, 2007
RADVISION announced that the company's joint effort with Samsung Electronics has resulted in the birth of Samsung's innovative and groundbreaking video terminal for the enterprise desktop.
Cisco to Buy WebEx Communications for $3.2 Billion
March 15, 2007
Cisco Systems Inc. agreed to buy WebEx Communications Inc., the largest provider of Internet teleconferencing services, for $3.2 billion to counter Microsoft Corp.'s expansion in the market.
Microsoft to acquire Tellme Networks
March 14, 2007
Microsoft said it will buy Tellme Networks Inc., which provides voice-enabled mobile search, directory assistance and computerized, speech-driven customer service hotlines
March 14, 2007
Wireless communications companies like Verizon Wireless, Sprint, and AT&T have been moving as fast as they can to roll out data services. But, wireless VoIP faces both technical and business hurdles which make it impractical for mass market deployment.
Mobile carriers sick of so many operating systems
March 12, 2007
Two operating systems run more than 95 percent of the world's computers, but dozens of systems are behind the 2.5 billion mobile phones in circulation, a situation that has hampered the growth of new services.
Swisscom Bids $4.9B for FastWeb
March 12, 2007
In the latest European carrier M&A offensive, Swisscom has launched a cross-border €3.7 billion (US$4.86 billion) raid for Italian triple-play pioneer FastWeb.
Clearwire raises $600 million in IPO
March 8, 2007
Clearwire, the wireless broadband company started by billionaire cell phone pioneer Craig McCaw, raised $600 million in cash Thursday when it debuted on the Nasdaq.
Vonage Ordered to Pay $58M to Verizon
March 8, 2007
A District Court in Virginia today found Vonage guilty of infringing three Verizon's VoIP patents and ordered Vonage to pay $58 million in damages. — I suspect I can find prior art in every claim...
Shell bets big on Microsoft for global VoIP plans
March 7, 2007
Oil giant Royal Dutch Shell is planning a global VoIP rollout with tens of thousands of IP phones that will ultimately run off of a mostly Microsoft-based server platform.
Microsoft sees billions from VoIP shift
March 7, 2007
Microsoft sees the shift by business organizations to VoIP phone systems running on software to generate "billions" of dollars in revenue for the company.
Australia: Major telco offers VoIP to SMBs
March 6, 2007
March 5, 2007
New software from network gearmaker Cisco promises to give smart phone users more access on the road to their company's messaging and phone systems.
FCC: Local phone companies must connect Net calls
March 2, 2007
In a boost to Internet phone providers, federal regulators have ruled that local telephone companies must connect Net-based calls shuttled over broadband lines owned by wholesalers like Sprint Nextel and Verizon Communications.