VoIP Service Provider

ALSO NOTED: Allworx partners with Cbeyond; VoIPers battle down under; and much more...

Tue, 04 Sep 2007 06:59:52 -0400

> Allworxs of East Rochester, N.Y., and Cbeyond, an Atlanta enterprise VoIP service provider with 31,000 small business customers in eight cities, have made their SIP phones, PBX products and trunking services interoperable. Press Release

> Consumer VoIP provision is tough all over. ITWire reports on price wars in Australia here

> San Francisco PBX software firm Atengo LLC has released Version 2.3 of its FreePBX product here

ALSO NOTED: Fonality intros tribox; SyncVoice becomes Communicado; and much more...

Thu, 16 Aug 2007 06:59:52 -0400

> Los Angeles enterprise VoIP provider Fonality introduced tribox Pro, a "free business-grade" VoIP system for up to 500 employees. Press Release

> SyncVoice Communications of Costa Mesa, Calif., a unified management software maker, has raised $11.6 million in Series B funding and changed its name to Communicado. Press Release

> SipZoo of Vancouver, Wash., said it has installed its VoIP platform for customers in five countries: Australia, New Zealand, Romania, Portugal and Poland. Press Release

> Zapmicro, an interface card maker in Lecanto, Fla., is rolling out an 8-port analog telephony VoIP card. Press Release

> VoIP service provider Intelecom of Indianapolis has appointed one if its co-founders, Michael Conner, as president and chief operations officer. Press Release

> VoIP, Inc., the Orlando, Fla. Turnkey systems provider, announced that its 1-for-20 reverse stock split went into effect today. Press Release

And finally... (and admittedly off topic) I was a 16-year-old waitress at the Circle S Restaurant in Cozad, Nebr., and he was the undisputed king. May he rest in rock 'n roll peace. Article

Jajah hooks up with eHarmony

Thu, 19 Jul 2007 06:59:56 -0400

As SunRocket hurtled back to earth in a hurry, and Vonage continues to fight for its life in court, JaJah demonstrated that there is a lighter, and perhaps more profitable and practical side, to VoIP service provider-dom by announcing it is supporting a click-to-call service for the eHarmony dating site. In fact, observers say both Skype and Jajah are proving that voice for a larger business purpose may have better legs than a stand-alone business model. As far as the dating application goes, eHarmony says the ability to use click-to-call gives its customers more control over their information and allows them to extend their level of anonymity with would-be suitors.

For more details on Jajah's lovers' link-up capability:
- read this article from Red Herring

Related Articles:
Jajah lures iPhone subs. Report
Jajah debuts simple mobile VoIP. Report
Jajah claims EU telcos gouging on mobile termination. Report
Jajah threatens telecom landscape. 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

Siemens CEO dropped in scandal fallout

Wed, 25 Apr 2007 20:01:38 -0400

A few months ago, the big story in telecom was the Siemens scandal, where several all sorts of internal financial shenanigans came to light and several high-level execs were arrested on charges of bribery. The fallout, which involved the industrial giant's telecom divisions, held up the spin-off of the company's carrier division to a joint venture with Nokia. Now the other shoe has dropped: Despite strong financial results, Siemens's board of directors has declined to renew the contract of CEO Klaus Kleinfeld. A new deal had been widely expected but reports say that some of the board members, themselves survivors of scandals at their own companies, thought that giving a new contract to an executive currently under investigation would call their own governance into question.

For more about the fall of Siemens's Kleinfeld:
- see the announcement from Siemens
- read this article from The New York Times

Related Articles:
Former Siemens telecom head arrested in scandal. Report
Siemens corruption probe widens: $556M. Report
Siemens in $250M corruption scandal. Report
Analyst urges caution on Siemens phones. Report

TI goes for HD

Wed, 25 Apr 2007 20:01:35 -0400

Texas Instruments, which has its chips in pretty much every piece of VoIP equipment there is, is making a big push for voice quality. It's licensed a high-quality high-bandwidth codec from the Fraunhofer Institute--the folks who gave the world the MP3, MP4, and AAC audio standards. The new MPEG-4 AAC-LD super-wideband codec can sample at up to 48KHz, which is slightly better than CD quality, and transmit the audio at between 48 and 64 kbps. That requires a lot of computing power and a lot of bandwidth. TI says its DSPs can handle the processing if you've got the bandwidth, and can open the door to a range of voice-powered applications.

For more about TI's wideband codecs:
- read this release from Texas Instruments

Cellcos yanking VoIP from subsidized Nokia phone

Sun, 22 Apr 2007 20:01:38 -0400

If you're not smart about how the cellular business works, you might want to educate yourself because some cellcos have gotten the bright idea of crippling VoIP-able cell phones. There are reports out of England that Orange and Vodafone (which owns just under half of Verizon Wireless) have disabled the VoIP capabilities of the high-end Nokia N95 handset. One commentator cites a cellco official as saying it would make no sense for a carrier to subsidize a phone that came configured in a way that would undermine the business model of the subsidizing company. You can still buy an "unneutered" N95 with the VoIP hooks intact; you'll just pay more for it because a friendly cellco won't be paying any of the freight.

For more about the VoIP-less N95s:
- read this article

Related Articles:
Cisco, Nokia reach dual-mode phone deal. Report
Nokia focuses on wVoip, India, China, and Asia Pacific. Report
Vodafone takes a Starfish approach to wVoIP. Report

Verizon prior art found on Usenet

Sun, 22 Apr 2007 20:01:35 -0400

The quest for prior art in the Verizon/Vonage patent fight continues. Last week, I wrote about formal discussions regarding VoIP technology from 1996 and 1997. But the Internet never forgets, and someone has found a 1995 Usenet post that pretty much describes the interconnection and control of voice calls bridged between an IP network and the PSTN. It was posted on the TELECOM Digest, a highly respected moderated newsgroup; if you were in telecom in the mid-90s, you were either reading that newsgroup or you were faking it. Vonage's trial, as discussed previously, never really delved into the matter of the Verizon patent's validity. It's not clear right now where or how that discussion will take place.

For more about prior art affecting the Verizon patents:
- read this ZDNet article
- see the newsgroup posting from TELECOM Digest

Related Articles:
Are the Verizon patents actually valid? Report
What are the Verizon VoIP patents, anyway? Report
Vonage: the downward spiral continues. Report

Checklist of VoIP regulatory issues

Sun, 22 Apr 2007 20:01:34 -0400

VoIPNews has put together a quick rundown of legal issues facing VoIP service providers. If you've been reading this newsletter, you won't find any surprises, but it's always useful to track stuff like this to make you're you're keeping up to date. They say the top three regulatory matters you should be paying attention to are (1) Net Neutrality, (2) E911, and (3) CALEA. Like I said--no big surprises. But you do need to remember that those issues are out there, and keep current on the state of various lawsuits and regulatory action.

For more regulatory checklists:
- read this article from VoIPNews

Related Article:
The ultimate regulatory solution. Report

Are the Verizon patents actually valid?

Wed, 18 Apr 2007 20:01:38 -0400

Thought we might get away without more Vonage news for at least one issue? Me too. Guess again. Here's an analyst who says that the Verizon patents that Vonage was convicted of infringing upon may themselves be invalid. Dan Berniger suggests that the advances that Verizon patented had been widely discussed before Verizon filed. That's prior art, and would be grounds for rejecting the patents. The trial judge didn't want to hear testimony about the validity of patents; you'll remember that the trial was very fast for a patent trial. Fighting to invalidate the patents would take time and money, two things that Vonage is a little short on.

For more about possible prior art on Verizon's VoIP patents:
- read this article from Techdirt
- check out the article from Computerworld

Related Articles:
What are the Verizon VoIP patents, anyway? Report
Which Vonage story should you believe? Report
Vonage: the downward spiral continues. Report

Vonage "workarounds" no sure thing

Wed, 18 Apr 2007 20:01:37 -0400

Getting those patents tossed might be Vonage's best shot. Remember how Vonage execs were talking right after the verdict about how they'd be able to work around Verizon's patents? It turns out that might not be as simple as Vonage said. In a court filing late last week, Vonage reported that the workarounds--"even if feasible," the filing said--would take months to implement. And even then, it's possible that the court's reading of the patents could be so broad that even the workaround might infringe.

For more information about the Vonage workarounds:
- see this piece from the Business VoIP Report
- read this PC World article
- read this article from CIO Today

Related Article:
Vonage deathwatch: CEO resigns, layoffs imminent. Report

Vonage warns of bankruptcy; VCs run for cover

Wed, 18 Apr 2007 20:01:36 -0400

Every public company in the U.S. has to file a Form 10-K with the Securities and Exchange Commission. A 10-K is basically a company's annual report, except it's not glossy, is very detailed and is submitted under oath. There's a section where companies talk about all the challenges and all the possible negative factors they face in the coming year. So it's really no surprise that Vonage's 10-K mentions that there's a real threat of bankruptcy. It's not imminent, but given the last couple of months, it's certainly prudent for investors to be told of the possibility. Venture capitalists, for their part, are taking a lesson from Vonage's travails and are turning their attention away from carriers and toward VoIP equipment and software makers.

For more information about Vonage and VC fallout:
- read this article from Red Herring

Related Articles:
Sprint looking to buy an ailing Vonage? Report
Which Vonage story should you believe? Report

Vonage still top VoIP carrier

Wed, 18 Apr 2007 20:01:35 -0400

The news isn't all bad for Vonage. It's still the leading consumer VoIP service in the U.S., according to figures tracked by ISP-Planet. At year-end 2006, Vonage had 2.2 million subscribers. Comcast Digital Phone had 1.9 million, Time Warner Digital Phone had 1.860 million, Skype (as of July 2005, so this is a very old figure) had 1.8 million paid customers, and Cablevision had 1.2 million customers. Everyone else was far, far behind, though ISP-Planet acknowledges that many service providers don't report their numbers.

For more information about the U.S. consumer VoIP market:
- read this article from ISP Planet

Related Article:
Vonage is still here. Report

Study: hosted VoIP cos. spend on infrastructure

Wed, 18 Apr 2007 20:01:34 -0400

A new report from Infonetics finds that hosted VoIP service providers are spending plenty on infrastructure. In 2006, the study found spending of $68.6 billion, and expects it to rise 12 percent, to $76.7 billion, by 2010. Despite a track record of mergers in the telco space, Infonetics expects carriers to continue dumping money into capital infrastructure expenditures. The payoff: the combined revenue of North American carriers rose 3 percent, to $403 billion, in 2006.

For more information about the Infonetics study:
- read this article from TMCNet

Related Article:
BT gets into the hosted VoIP business. Report

Skype planning an enterprise version

Sun, 15 Apr 2007 20:01:38 -0400

Here's some news that would have been unthinkable a couple of years ago: Skype is testing an enterprise version of its software. Despite new "enterprise-friendly" features built into the new version 3.0 of its software, Skype is still on the hit list of many a suspicious IT department. It will be interesting to see how much of its technology Skype will be willing to open--or change--in exchange for a shot at the rich enterprise market.

For more information about Skype's enterprise software:
- read this article from Computerworld

Related Articles:
Skype/PayPal tie-up a recipe for disaster. Report
Skype ends party, sets annual unlimited rate. Report

Vonage CEO has a sketchy past

Sun, 15 Apr 2007 20:01:37 -0400

Long-time Vonage-watchers may have experienced a quick shot of déjà vu with last week's restoration of Jeffrey Citron as interim CEO. It's Citron's second time around as CEO, an office he held from 2001 until early 2006. But before he got to Vonage, Citron had hit some heavy waters with the Securities and Exchange Commission. As CEO of Datek Online Holdings, he agreed in 1999 to a $22.5 million settlement in a securities fraud investigation having to do with NASDAQ's "pink sheets" trading system. As part of the settlement, he neither admitted or denied the charges. There had been speculation that Citron brought now-ousted successor Michael Snyder in to allay fears of underwriters skittish about Citron's background.

For more about Citron's past and present:
- read this article from Network World

Related Article:
Vonage CEO steps down. Report

Cablecos to chase SMB market

Sun, 15 Apr 2007 20:01:35 -0400

If you're betting that cablecos are going to be satisfied with signing up home telephony users, you might want to hedge those bets. Insight Research released a report recently predicting that the Top 20 cablecos (are there still that many cable companies left?) are going to turn their attention to SMBs next. Researchers project that telcos will lose more than 1.5 million small business phone lines this year, and nearly 10 million over the next five years. That would probably have happened, cablecos or not. But given that cablecos pass 6.5 million of the 7 million SMBs, count on their being fierce competitors.

For more about the Insight Research report:
- read this Network World article

Related Articles:
Cablecos out-satisfy telcos. Report
Report: Cablecos targeting SMBs. Report
Cablecos emerging as major VoIP players. Report

Breaking news: Vonage CEO steps down

Wed, 11 Apr 2007 20:01:38 -0400

Word has come down that Vonage CEO Michael Snyder is stepping down. Specific reasons were not given, though the company has been beleaguered pretty much from the day it went public last year. Chairman Jeffrey Citron will take the reigns while a permanent CEO is found. In phone call with analysts this morning, Citron said that Vonage would turn its attention to cutting its marketing expense, which stands at $275 per new customer acquired. That's actually $31 better than it had been in the previous quarter.

For more on the Snyder's departure:
- check out Vonage's press release