Source: www.voip-news.com

There is a new tool available for commercial maritime operators that can add an additional dedicated VoIP telephone line specifically for crew calling on KVH’s maritime VoIP services. The mini-VSAT Broadband Crew Calling System from KVH Industries

“In the highly competitive commercial maritime industry, offering affordable communications is an easy and effective step to help attract new crew members, improve crew efficiency and satisfaction, and reduce the costs incurred by crew turnover,” explained Brent C. Bruun, KVH’s vice president of sales and business development. “In a recent survey by ShipTalk, Ltd., professional mariners ranked access to a telephone as the second most important facility to have on board a vessel. By adding our crew calling option to a new or existing TracPhone V7 system, vessel owners and operators will take full advantage of their mini-VSAT Broadband service connection while enjoying the benefits to crew morale and retention rates that come when crew members are able to stay in touch with friends and family anywhere on the globe.”

According to KVH:

Adding the crew calling option is a simple process. A dedicated Crew Calling Gateway is connected to the TracPhone V7, thereby establishing a link for a dedicated crew calling phone. Crew members will be able to purchase a calling card from the ship’s captain or buy minutes directly from KVH via credit card. They will then be able to place calls anywhere in the world via this dedicated phone while the ship’s business is handled via the two enhanced VoIP lines that come standard with mini-VSAT Broadband service.

Together with the KVH TracPhone V7, the mini-VSAT Broadband service comprises the first end-to-end 24-inch VSAT hardware, service, and support package available for maritime communications. The mini-VSAT Broadband service currently offers Voice over IP telephone and Internet access as fast as 512 Kbps (upload) and 2 Mbps (download) at fixed monthly rates to mariners throughout North America, the Caribbean, the North Atlantic, Europe, the Northern Pacific, and the Persian Gulf. KVH also recently announced an agreement with SP-JSAT to expand mini-VSAT Broadband coverage into Asia Pacific waters and the Indian Ocean.

Source: www.voip-news.com

There is a new multi-partner VoIP program from TalkSwitch that makes upgrading or converting to VoIP easier for small businesses. Centered around cost-saving SIP trunking, the VoIP serives can offer flexibility, scalability, features and savings as well. TalkSwitch offers VoIP using industry-standard SIP.

“This gives professional and affordable VoIP solutions to small businesses with single or multiple locations,” said Jan Scheeren, president and CEO, TalkSwitch. “It’s the ideal opportunity for existing customers to upgrade their TalkSwitch systems to VoIP, and for new customers to get started with VoIP service and experience the savings and business-class features this combined offer provides.”

Better yet, there is a rebate now too:

TalkSwitch systems eligible for the combined TalkSwitch VoIP Service Provider $150 rebate are the TalkSwitch 244vs, 284vs, 484vs and 844vs ranging from US$995 to US$1795, and the 4plus VoIP upgrade at US$400. Offer is valid until July 31st, 2009 in the United States and Canada in regions where service is available. See terms and conditions for details. Visit http://www.talkswitch.com/us/en/voipspecials/ for further information about this offer.

All TalkSwitch telephone systems and complementary products are available through authorized TalkSwitch resellers or directly at www.talkswitch.com. For more information, e-mail sales@talkswitch.com or call toll-free in the United States and Canada at 1-888-332-9322 x301.

Source: www.voip-news.com

KT Networks is adding a new VoIP feature to its Windows Mobile smartphone. The company is using HD voice technology from Global IP Solutions.

“We knew it was necessary to use a VoIP product for KT Networks’ smartphone that would provide our customers with superior voice quality, especially under challenged network conditions. GIPS was able to handle all the complex voice processing tasks that met KT Networks exacting standards,” said Kim Young-Joo, Vice President, KT Networks. “KT Networks is a company that creates value for our customers and we are committed to developing high-quality products that exceed our customers’ expectations.”

According to the companies:

GIPS VoiceEngine can provide HD voice quality on mobile phones enabling clear, consistent conversation in addition to optimizing bandwidth on congested networks. GIPS has set the standard for the industry’s highest level of voice quality over IP networks. The Company’s cutting-edge technology for processing real-time voice and video over IP is used globally by hundreds of millions of users every day.

“KT Networks is a company with a reputation for excellence. By selecting GIPS VoiceEngine technology, KT Networks has validated the quality of GIPS’ products above all our competitors,” said GIPS Chief Executive Officer, Emerick Woods. “Here at GIPS our customers are the first priority and we always strive to deliver the best products and services to them. Our technology and skills will enable KT Networks to clearly differentiate themselves from the competition by providing HD voice capabilities on a mobile phone.”

VoIP toll fraud is on the rise, says Unified Communications security company Sipera System. The company says that there are numerous instances of vulnerabilities being exploited for toll fraud across different platforms.

“We’d expected a correlation between growing awareness of VoIP and UC vulnerabilities and security best practices, and a decrease in toll fraud activity. But we are finding the opposite, that toll fraud actually is on the rise,” said Adam Boone, Vice President of Marketing at Sipera. “Our customers are being proactive and designing effective security architectures that prevent toll fraud. But fraudsters are aggressively figuring out how to exploit common security gaps found in many VoIP and UC deployments at enterprises and service providers that have not yet focused on this problem.”

According to Sipera:

The vulnerabilities affect both enterprises and service providers, and they stem from widespread gaps in insufficient VoIP and UC security architectures. Toll fraud occurs when unauthorized users, often external to the service provider or enterprise, exploit vulnerabilities to make toll calls to domestic or international locations. The unsuspecting enterprise or service provider is subsequently hit with extraordinarily high toll charges or call termination charges that have no clear cause.

Among the shortcomings are telecom connectivity vulnerabilities, application level vulnerabilities and end-point vulnerabilities.

“Toll fraud has been around in many forms for a long time. But VoIP and UC bring with them new security architectures that give fraudsters new openings to perpetrate this old crime,” said Ryan English, Vice President of Product Management at Vigilar. “We are helping our clients to adopt proper security best practices to prevent toll fraud, and our work with our partner Sipera is helping to keep VoIP and UC security architectures well ahead of the fraudsters.”

Source: alanweinkrantz.typepad.com

Source: googlevoiceblog.blogspot.com

Source: www.voip-news.com

Love this! VoIP and Gadgets Blog traces rudimentary computer technology that the writer used as a kid to the VoIP service that he now bases his career writing about.

The VoIP Weblog explores Sipgate  in its competition with Skype.

Truphone 3.0 has launched for the iPod Touch. Read about it on VoIP News of the UK.

Source: www.voip-news.com

Ellick Corp. will now be using VerifySmart Corp.’s VerifyGateway, VeriSmart Card and VerifyNGo suite of services. And VSC will be receiving VOIP and Contact Center capabilities from Ellick in Manila.

This win-win agreement will help Ellick Corp. cutdown on fraud and chargeback rates from high-risk transactions.

According to the companies:

In addition, Ellick Corp. will deploy the VeriSmart Card to its applicable customer base to provide a fraud free card processing solution. Under the terms of the agreement VSC will receive a per transaction verification fee, a VeriSmart Card distribution fee per card and a card reloading fee per reload. The terms of this agreement are applicable for a two year duration, renewable thereafter. Projected revenue is anticipated to be in excess of $3,200,000US per quarter.

This agreement represents another key milestone in the realization of VSC’s strategy to become the leading worldwide authentication provider in securing financial transactions.

Source: www.voip-news.com

Sify, a company that offers Managed Enterprise and Consumer Internet Services including VoIP in India, has stepped into the social networking realm. That’s right, the company has joined the ranks of enterprises around the world who are embracing the wonderful world of Twitter.

And you can even follow Sify’s tweets on your mobile. Go to http://www.twitter.com/sifydotcom to follow the company.

“This initiative recognizes that a growing number of our users are on Twitter, and this is a convenient form of staying in touch with them and keeping them updated on all that’s happening on Sify.com. As users get more networked and connected using multiple platforms and applications, more such opportunities to interact with them and to keep them updated on what may be of value to them are available,” said Venkata Rao Mallineni, Head-Portals and Consumer Marketing.

So what will they be tweeting about exactly?

According to Sify:

From Barack Obama to Manmohan Singh’s, stock tips to board room talk, the latest celebrity hook-ups to tinsel town break-ups, India’s crowning glory in cricket to WWE wrestling mania, games to recipes, reality shows to the latest news, the tweets from Sify.com will keep everyone current.

Source: www.voip-news.com

Fine Point Technologies, Inc. has agreed to purchase Sonic Telecom GmbH (with the help of private equity firm Access Point LLC. Sonic has been selling Fine Point’s device management technology for four years as well as VoIP gateway systems and services.

This will provide Fine Point with a more entrenched position in Europe and will also open the company up to selling to more communications providers.

According to Fine Point:

Fine Point said that it plans to retain Sonic’s engineering and sales staff who are already knowledgeable in selling and supporting Fine Point’s products. Fine Point will also maintain Sonic’s existing facility in Germany, and rename the entity Fine Point Technologies, Inc. Financial terms for the transaction were not disclosed.

Source: www.voip-news.com

Patton has reduced prices on FXS models of the SmartNode 4110 VoIP Gateway Series. The change went into effect on June 1.

“Recent technology and process innovations at Patton have brought substantial cost-savings in our analog gateway production. Over the years our customers have stood by us through all the economic storms. During the present global economic downturn, it makes perfect sense to pass our savings along to those who have sustained our business through those other tough times,” said Burton A. Patton, Executive Vice President.

According to the company:

Expected to stimulate the analog VoIP gateway market, Patton’s lower prices reflect an average decrease of 20 to 40 percent for distributors, resellers and end-user customers.

In spite of the current economic crisis, the lower pricing makes the stability and interoperability of Patton’s high-end, carrier-class SmartNode VoIP equipment affordable for small to medium enterprises (SMEs).

Source: www.voip-news.com

Smoothstone and IPLogic Inc. have formed a partnership. Now IPLogic clients will be able to take advantage of Smoothstone’s hosted IP communications services and on-demand applications.

“IPLogic has always been focused on offering our clients communications solutions that reduce cost and increase productivity,” said Kenneth Yanneck, President of IPLogic. “We work to offer our clients the best of the best. Our new partnership with Smoothstone is a direct result of the decision we made in our own search for a communications provider. We believe in Smoothstone’s solutions for our clients, because we’re a Smoothstone client ourselves.”

According to the companies:

As a leading managed IP services provider, Smoothstone will offer its industry experience in hosted communications to IPLogic’s varied base of clients, including organizations in healthcare, education, government, financial services, hospitality and gaming, and manufacturing and distribution.

IPLogic had recently selected Smoothstone’s SIP Trunking services for their own communications network. Smoothstone provides trunking to their Cisco CallManager hardware in their New York and Pennsylvania offices. The desire to form a strategic partnership followed quickly after their own successful implementation.

“Smoothstone and IPLogic share a common focus on understanding clients’ needs first and building customized communications solutions around those needs,” added Yanneck. “Smoothstone’s dedicated support and network management team complements their unmatched IP communications experience, which makes them the perfect solution to offer to our clients in need of unified communications services.”