News Archive - February 2008
Google releases free UC for the masses
February 28, 2008
Google has moved its web-based unified communications suite GrandCentral into beta and is issuing invitations for U.S. users. The free service backed by Google's market dominance threatens to seriously disrupt the nascent unified messaging market, especially at the small business and SOHO level.
Sprint raises stakes in the $99.99 unlimited battle
February 28, 2008
Sprint is heating up the battle for mobile subscribers by offering a plan with unlimited voice, data, text, e-mail, Web-surfing, Sprint TV, Sprint Music, GPS Navigation, and push-to-talk service for $99.99 a month. While the "war" might be over customers, the interesting side effect is that more and more people in the United States will have access to the Internet via their mobile devices.
Senate OKs "enhanced" 911 VoIP requirements
February 27, 2008
All VoIP customers are one step closer to having "real" 911 services accessible to them, thanks to the Senate. The body passed the IP-Enabled Voice Communications and Public Safety Act.
Cell phone sales hit 1 billion mark
February 27, 2008
Sales of cell phones skyrocketed to more than 1 billion in 2007. More than 1.15 billion mobile phones were sold worldwide in 2007, a 16 percent increase from the 990.9 million phones sold in 2006.
Nortel cuts jobs as losses widen
February 27, 2008
Nortel's stock plunged some 13% after it reported that its fourth quarter earnings declined about 3.7% to $3.2 billion. The company reported a loss for the fourth quarter of $884 million compared to a loss of $80 million in the fourth quarter of 2006 due to to a tax-related charge. The company also plans to cut 2100 jobs and move another 1000 to a lower wage locations.
Value Added Signalling Protocols?
February 26, 2008
This article discusses how every PBX vendor has implemented proprietary protocols or extensions to standard protocols necessary in order to deliver functionality users want. This has certainly introduced a certain number of interoperability issues, but has it been necessary? He then suggests that SIP because it lacks the basic features customers need. — Yes, the author is entirely right in asking that question. Today's VoIP protocols are being used beyond their intended designed.
Videoconferencing Industry Closes Blockbuster Year
February 26, 2008
Wainhouse Research published its quarterly Videoconferencing SpotCheck Report with some intriguing findings. The videoconferencing industry closed 2007 with record numbers of unit shipments and revenues. According to the Q4-2007 report, room videoconferencing shipments crossed the 200,000 unit level for the first time, reaching 212,630 systems.
Siemens plans to cut up to 7,000 jobs
February 26, 2008
Siemens plans to announce that it intends to eliminate up to 7,000 jobs, or 40% of the workers in its troubled business telecommunications unit in Germany and Brazil, as it seeks a buyer for the business.
T-Mobile offering home phone service
February 21, 2008
Upping the ante in its attempts to compete against AT&T and Verizon Wireless, T-Mobile's new service offers VoIP service to replace traditional phones. T-Mobile mobile subscribers will pay just $10/month for unlimited calls within the U.S.
Sprint expected to undercut rivals' call plans
February 20, 2008
Sprint Nextel is expected to offer flat-rate calling plans at up to a 40% discount to its rivals, hurtling the industry into a price war. So far, AT&T, Verizon, and T-Mobile have all introduced flat-rate calling plans.
AT&T unveils $99.99 unlimited calling plan
February 19, 2008
AT&T said it would offer unlimited mobile phone calls for a flat rate of $99.99 a month, hours after Verizon announced a similar plan. — OK, at least there is a flat-rate plan. It is still relatively expensive, given that a fixed rate service for land-lines is $30.
February 17, 2008
Two security researchers at ShmooCon demonstrated how a laptop connected to a VoIP telephone could, in some cases, expose a business' internal network to outsiders. — Would this not be more appropriately called "connecting your laptop to the available Ethernet cable"? There is probably another near the receptionist's desk.
ZTE says in talks with Sprint on WiMax handsets
February 13, 2008
ZTE said it is in talks with Sprint Nextel about supplying a range of handsets for a high-speed wireless service it is planning based on WiMax. — This is going to be so cool...
Vonage Reports Fourth Quarter and Full Year 2007 Results
February 13, 2008
Vonage reported that it has narrowed its losses and increased subscribers to nearly 2.6M subscribers lines this quarter. Revenue for the fourth quarter 2007 grew to a record $216 million, up 19% from $181 million in the fourth quarter 2006. Losses for the quarter were $9M, compared to $65M one year ago.
VoIP, Inc. Eyes Patent Infringers of ''USPTO-6501837''
February 12, 2008
VoIP, Inc. announced it has retained the BALL LAW FIRM, LLP, Los Angeles, CA, and that it intends to protect its patent from being infringed on by some of the nation's leading Fortune 500 companies. The value of this patent is estimated at $1.25B.
February 12, 2008
The legal battle between Verizon and the cable industry is heating up again after three major MSOs filed a complaint with the FCC, alleging that the telco uses illegal marketing tactics to keep voice customers from switching service providers.
Nortel Connects Millions of People With Advanced Communication Technology
February 12, 2008
Nortel is waving a banner for a concept called Hyperconnectivity. The idea is great and sounds a lot like the concetps behind the forthcoming H.325, but the difference is that they expect to make SIP do what it really was not designed to do. Welcome to more interoperability hell.
Microsoft to buy phone maker Danger
February 11, 2008
Microsoft said that it's acquiring Danger, the maker of the T-Mobile Sidekick, for an undisclosed amount. It is interesting, since Danger does not use Windows Mobile and it does not actually manufacture hardware.
Sonus Goes After Mobile Market
February 11, 2008
Sonus announced a new gateway product aimed at bridging the divide between femtocells and IP-based core networks. It is said that the new product is also compliant with development of the LTE and SAE efforts within the 3GPP.
February 11, 2008
Rumors are circulating that Motorola and Nortel are in talks to combine their wireless infrastructure units, forming a joint venture that would have annual sales of about $10 billion.
Verizon Sues Charter Over VoIP Patents
February 8, 2008
Verizon has sued yet another service provider for patent infringement related to the intellectual property behind the transmission of VoIP calls. This time the victim is Charter Communications Inc.
VidSoft presents Videocommunication in Business quality starting at 5 Euro
February 7, 2008
Vidsoft now has a host videoconferencing and data collaboration service that costs as little as 5 euros per month. Best of all, they are using the industry standard H.323 to deliver that service.
February 6, 2008
AT&T threw its weight behind the emerging Long Term Evolution (LTE) technology standard as the basis for its next generation 4G wireless network.
Japan, Korea Approach VoIP Differently
February 1, 2008