VoIP Technology

Vonage working for image makeover

Thu, 10 Jan 2008 06:59:55 -0500

This year will be the make or break year for pure play VoIP giant Vonage with its viability in the hands of its bankers who have to agree to refinance its significant debt. Vonage handed out most of its IPO cash on patent settlements to the horde of telcos that decided the best way to compete with VoIP was through the courts.

In December, some $250 million of Vonage's debt will come due for repayment. While the owners of those convertible notes can exchange them for stock, the stock is now trading in a $2 range compared with a high of $13.33 when it floated back in 2006, making it highly unlikely the lenders will accept anything but cash.

A betting person would punt on a telco bail out--Sprint does not have a residential wireline business. But in the meantime Vonage is getting on with better looking after its customers and this week announced at CES its "My Vonage" product strategy. This is Vonage's attempt to move away from the discount price trap it has fallen into and instead promote the rich feature set that comes from IP comms.

First announcement is a device called V-Portal. According to the release V-Portal is "a digital voice adapter and single port router with a built-in liquid crystal display, and contact book, an innovative one-stop communication hub with useful features such as group calling and voice activated dialing." It is being heavily rebated to new Vonage users and is on sale at $9.99 (plus a $30 activation fee for the privilege of having Vonage turn on the device!)

For more:
- Vonage to launch V Portal Release
- Vonage kicks off My Vonage strategy Article

Related articles:
Can Vonage do it? Article
Vonage still top VoIP carrier Article

U.K. mandates VoIP emergency calling

Mon, 10 Dec 2007 06:59:58 -0500

Britain has joined the U.S. to mandate the enabling of emergency calls from U.K.-based VoIP services. The new rules formulated by telco regulator Ofcom will come into effect Sept. 8 and follow a survey that showed 78 percent of VoIP users couldn't access emergency numbers, or were unsure if they could.

The new rules will apply to "VoIP out" providers, which allow users to make calls to normal phone numbers but not receive them, as well as to "two-way VoIP" providers. But Ofcom said services that are only for international callers and click-to-call services, where users can only call a pre-selected number or limited set of numbers, are excluded.

For More:
- Ofcom emergency calling Release
- BBC Report

Related articles:
- FCC gives VoIP service providers 4 months to launch 911 Report
- e911 bill provides VoIP liability protection Report

Lingo rated top of the pops for VoIP

Thu, 01 Nov 2007 07:59:55 -0400

Wired magazine has tested and compared eight VoIP services for their Winter 2008 Test issue with Lingo selected as "Editors' Pick." The test rated cost, features and quality and Lingo won over Packet8, AT&T, Comcast, SIPphone, Skype, Verizon.

Wired's verdict: "Looking for a bargain? Lingo's low monthly fee covers unlimited calling to the U.S., Canada, Puerto Rico, and more than 20 other countries, including Australia and most of western Europe. Although we initially encountered an annoying echo with overseas connections, after contacting the company for help, the problem went away. Domestic calls were superb, sound wise."

Lingo was of course happy: "We are delighted to be chosen as 'Editors' Pick' among VoIP service providers by a respected magazine such as Wired," said Srinath Narayan, vice president of consumer markets for Lingo. "Their selection of Lingo validates what we always knew we offered--a product with a wide range of features, high quality, and a very attractive price."

For More:
- Wired's Best VoIP services Report

Related Articles:
ISP-Planet says Vonage top VoIP carrier Report
VoIP quality on the upswing Report

House gives nod to VoIP E911

Mon, 15 Oct 2007 06:59:58 -0400

The FCC began levying fees on cable operators for access to E911 systems--now, Congress is ready to tell the telcos they must provide direct access to the E911 backbone for cable companies and other VoIP service providers.

Just out of the House Subcommittee on Telecommunications and the Internet, the legislation is intended to make sure all phone customers have equal access to E911, regardless of the technology on which their calls are carried.

There's more to the bill, of course, including a requirement that the 911 Implementation and Coordination Office develop a plan for moving the national 911 infrastructure to an IP-based multi-mode system. The next step for the bill is the Energy and Commerce Committee.

For more:
- eWeek has the complete article here

Related articles:
FCC clarifies e911 accuracy requirements Report
Ooma chief talks with Fierce VoIP Interview

VoIP supply chain lacks wholesalers

Mon, 23 Jul 2007 06:59:54 -0400

In addition to more love, what the VoIP world needs now is more wholesalers. Without them VoIP service providers will not be able to reach as far and wide with their service as they need to reach. As long as they consider quality and reliability as the most important criteria when selecting their solutions, new wholesalers should be able to attract all the resellers they desire.

For more on the missing link in VoIP's supply chain:
- read this blog from VoIP Monitor

Related Articles:
As U.S. retail VoIP grows quickly, wholesale VoIP follows suit. Report
360 Networks launches wholesale VoIP service. Report
Verizon offers VoIP gateways. Report

Skype featured on new Toshiba notebooks

Wed, 27 Jun 2007 20:01:38 -0400

Toshiba and Skype are working together to offer an all-in-one communications experience to people who purchase new Toshiba notebook computers with built-in Web cams and microphones. As part of a marketing agreement between the two companies, Skype software and icons are built into the noteboooks, extending Skype's reach to more consumers.

For more information about Skype and Toshiba:
- read this article from Mobile Tech News

Related Article:
Qwest drops access fees for "true" VoIP. Report

Behavioral analysis offers best VoIP security

Wed, 27 Jun 2007 20:01:37 -0400

As VoIP grows, so does the threat to the security of VoIP networks. IT security supplier Tier-3 says behavioral analysis offers the best protection from unknown threats. The list of new threats is growing so fast that the VoIP industry has neither the time, the resources or the fleetness to combat them individually. Therefore, programs that keep tabs on, and notify network administrators of, unusual network activity are the best tools to thwart attacks from outside sources.

For more on Behavioral Analysis-based VoIP security:
- read this article from Telappliant

Related Articles:
VoIP Requires new thinking about IT security. Report
Roundup on VoIP security attacks. Report

Jordan Telecom Group prefers to go with the flow

Wed, 27 Jun 2007 20:01:36 -0400

Tawanda Chihota of itp.net reports on his trip to an inaugural VoIP conference held in Dubai last week. His recap of the meeting includes a discussion of Jordan Telecom Group's decision to go with the flow when it comes to third-party provided VoIP service. The incumbent telco launched a Web-based VoIP product of its own in 2005. Jordan Telecom Group is a now is a big proponent of the idea that telcos need to innovate in order to survive.

For more on Jordan Telecom Group and VoIP in the Middle East:
- read this article from itp.net

Related Articles:
Dubai VoIP slow to arrive. Report
Mideast/North Africa VoIP conference planned. Report
Fusion Telecom says Efonica service available soon in Jordan. Report

Interoute taps Covergence for clearinghouse service

Wed, 27 Jun 2007 20:01:35 -0400

Covergence's Eclipse session border controller is making its debut in Europe with two U.K.-based service providers. One of those customers, Interoute, is using the Eclipse to support its new Microsoft Live Communications Server and Office Communications Server 2007 (LCS/OCS) clearinghouse service. The service enables business users who work for different companies that are connected to the Interoute network to work collaboratively via secure, reliable multimedia services. Among other things, they can exchange IM's, share calendars, view presence and make video and voice calls with each other using the Microsoft clients free of charge.

For more on Covergence and Interoute and Covergence's European roll-out:
- see the release

Related Articles:
Microsoft betas office phone system. Report
Microsoft buys voice recognition company Tellme. Report
OCS 2007 beta goes public. Report
Microsoft sniffing around VoIP. Report

Illegal or not, VoIP taking root in India

Wed, 27 Jun 2007 20:01:34 -0400

While VoIP from PC-to-telephone/mobile handset is still illegal in India, the technology is having a significant impact on the country's telecom service providers. The technology's growing momentum is pushing them to drop their rates on international long distance calls. Using VoIP to talk between PCs is allowed, however, users need a PC and a broadband connection, or access to one in a place like a cyber café. Even though only a small percentage of the population have both, those that do are wild about Google Talk and Skype's ability to let them talk so inexpensively.

For more information on VoIP in India:
- check out this Hindu Business Line article

Related Articles:
India may turn off VoIP. Report
Indian cellcos try to close out VoIPcos. Report