News Archive - July 2009
Led By India, WiMAX Growing Fast
July 31, 2009
WiMAX is only now getting some traction in the U.S., thanks to rollouts by Clearwire, but overseas the wireless broadband technology is actually growing at a rapid clip. WiMAX is gaining traction in India, Russia and Brazil, primarily because carriers there see it as a way to provide basic broadband and VoIP-based voice service.
Time Warner Cable to resell WiMax service
July 30, 2009
Time Warner Cable will soon be offering a 4G wireless broadband service using Clearwire's WiMax network.
Is your network ready to handle videoconferencing?
July 29, 2009
As IT budgets shrink and sensitivity to travel costs grows, recent improvements in videoconferencing have made the technology a logical consideration for many companies. Videoconferencing helps reduce travel expenses and decreases carbon footprints, while also creating a highly productive work environment. These benefits create a compelling return on investment (ROI), but if organizations do not have the foresight to power their videoconferencing technology with a supportive network environment, they put their investments and potential cost savings at risk. — It is also worth mentioning that unutilized equipment is a waste of money. One might want to use conference rooms at a FedEx store until you see enough monthly usage to justify the equipment and service fees.
Apple Rejects Google Voice App, Invites Regulation
July 28, 2009
Apple rejected the official Google Voice Application for the iPhone and removed long-standing, third-party applications for Google's much-touted, but invite-only phone enhancement service. The official explanation is that these apps duplicate features on the iPhone, but the real reason is that these particular "duplications" strike at the core of the services offered by exclusive U.S. partner AT&T.
WiMax subscribers to hit 50 million by 2014
July 28, 2009
The number of people grabbing their Internet access through WiMax is expected to jump to 50 million by 2014, with growth in WiMax stemming primarily from areas unreachable or unserved by broadband cable or DSL.
Russia May Restrict Internet Phone Companies
July 24, 2009
A Russian business lobby and members of Parliament are in the early stages of drafting legislation that could limit or even ban the use of VoIP companies like Skype.
Avaya Announces Agreements to Purchase Nortel's Enterprise Solutions Business
July 20, 2009
Avaya announced that it has signed agreements to purchase Nortel's enterprise solutions business for US$475 million. Avaya believes the agreements are a significant step in strengthening its leadership in business communications and positioning the company to effectively deliver industry leading enterprise communications solutions to customers around the globe.
H.323 Brings Video Conferencing to the Enterprise and Consumer Markets
July 19, 2009
H.323 is the most widely deployed IP-based video conferencing standard in the world. However, NAT/FW devices have presented challenges to deploying H.323, especially in the consumer space. Recent efforts on the part of the open source community and the renewed interest in video communication are now changing that for the better.
ooVoo takes on Skype, Cisco in video conferencing
July 17, 2009
Start-up ooVoo is hoping to take on everybody from Skype to Cisco with a new video conferencing offer for small businesses. The company has quietly built up 7.5 million registered users in the last few years with a service that supports video chats between up to six people and up to six phone participants.
Skype to Regulators: Push Mobile Operators to Allow VoIP
July 16, 2009
Skype urged regulators in Europe to intervene to ensure that users aren't blocked from using their mobile phones to access much cheaper phone calls via the Internet.
Google's unified tools pose a threat to Cisco
July 13, 2009
Officials at Cisco say they are closely watching Google's aggressive foray onto their unified communications turf and plan to respond quickly by boosting the capabilities of Cisco's offerings. Analysts said Cisco's announcement late last month that it plans to offer at least some pieces of its IP voice technology as a hosted service could be viewed as a direct response to Google's recent move to start limited release of its Web-based Google Voice and Google Wave communications tools.
Cisco To Launch Home Video Conferencing
July 7, 2009
Cisco is currently talking to Telstra about turning the household TV into a video conferencing device for both private and business use.
As VoIP Fraud Mounts, Security Spending Drops
July 1, 2009
Though analysts report VoIP toll fraud on the rise, operators haven't marshaled existing resources to combat it – and the recession means things are likely to get worse before they get better. Enterprises and service providers alike are hit hard by the illegal activity, the cost of which can go as high as hundreds of thousands of dollars a year.
Marriott Becomes the Largest Hotel Company to Offer Telepresence Globally
July 1, 2009
Solidifying its position as the lodging industry technology leader, Marriott is announcing it will offer telepresence technology in its hotels worldwide, using AT&T's fully-managed Telepresence solution. Cisco TelePresence technology will enable Marriott to offer customers the widest array of meeting options, whether in-person, virtual or both.