Source: alanweinkrantz.typepad.com
Yesterday’s announcement by AT&T offering a great site where you could watch online shows was just a tip of the iceberg. Here’s 25 Places to Watch the Fall TV Season Online
Source: alanweinkrantz.typepad.com
Kudos to AT&T, who is announcing today the launch of AT&T Entertainment – a new website that lets you watch streaming TV shows and movies on your PC for free. Any online user in the U.S. – whether or not they are an AT&T customer – can visit the site and watch free online content.
AT&T Entertainment has popular content from ABC and NBC Universal (through an agreement with Hulu), CBS Interactive and MTV networks.
This launch is part of AT&T’s three-screen strategy to deliver quality video content to consumers across the TV, PC and wireless phone.
Is AT&T disrupting itself?
Yes, and in a positive way. It is clear that the shift to more web based content makes sense and that offering customers great content, associated with AT&T is a way to keep and grow a customer base.
Source: alanweinkrantz.typepad.com
About 18 months ago, I asked Ralph de la Vega when I could control my AT&T U-verseSM TV with my iPhone. Well now, I can. Sort of. As long as you are away from home.
AT&T has a free application from the Apple App Store to make scheduling and managing recordings on their DVR even easier when you’re away from home.
The U-verse TV Mobile Remote Access App for iPhone and iPod touch lets customers record their content from virtually anywhere and is another example of U-verse TV applications and DVR enhancements that have been rolled out to customers at no extra charge.
The app allows users to easily search U-verse TV program listings from the full program guide, view descriptions of selected programs, schedule program or series recordings, manage or edit scheduled recordings, and delete stored DVR content.
The Mobile Remote Access App is available for free from Apple’s App Store on iPhone and iPod touch or at www.itunes.com/appstore/.
The launch of the new U-verse TV Mobile Remote Access App follows several DVR enhancements that are currently being rolled out to U-verse TV customers, including an exclusive new Total Home DVR feature that allows customers to schedule and delete recordings from any U-verse receiver in the home — all from a single DVR.
Source: www.voip-news.com
VoIP News of the UK says that Ofcom wants reverse VoIP tracing for emergency calls in the UK.
Smith on VoIP says that niche applications are driving the adoption of video calling.
Network World says that Google has grabbed 1 million phone numbers for Google Voice. Whoa.
Source: www.voip-news.com
DevMar Associates are now a distributor for AAR’s Contingency Response Communications System. The communications system is intended to provide local, state and federal agencies with an interoperable communications solution that is simple and yet bridges the gap between agencies, command and control.
“AAR is looking forward to working with Dennis DuVal and his team at DevMar Associates,” said Lee Krantz, Vice President and General Manager of AAR Mobility Systems. “Dennis’ extensive background working with government agencies at many different levels, combined with his knowledge of the communications requirements during a disaster and experience as Chief of Police of Syracuse, NY gives him solid credibility and makes him a natural fit to represent the CRCS in the marketplace.”
According to the company:
The CRCS is an IP-based, agency-neutral solution that allows first responders to communicate and exchange information with radio interoperability, live streaming video, wireless Internet and VoIP services. Potential operators include military, firefighters, law enforcement, National Guard, Department of Homeland Security and other organizations involved in disaster recovery activity.
Source: www.voip-news.com
Taridium has released an ipbx iPhone interface for its enterprise PBX solution. The iPhone interface compatible with Apple’s iPhone, iPhone 3G and iPhone 3G S.
“One of the big advantages of the Taridium ipbx iPhone interface is that users can now access internal PBX extensions directly from their mobile phone with a single click — it basically allows you to take your office extension with you,” says Dominique Kull, Taridium’s CTO.
According to Taridium:
With the ipbx mobile interface your employees always stay ahead of the game. Visual voicemail allows them to listen to their office voicemail directly from their iPhone, check their recent calls, call users back as if they were at their desk and even host telephone conferences. This does not only save money, but also allows access to the Taridium unified voicemail system, where a single mailbox serves VoIP phones, mobile phones and any other phone that supports conditional call diversion.
If required for compliance reasons, all calls passed through the mobile phone can be recorded and immediately reviewed on the phone. Users are presented with a familiar interface that seamlessly integrates their iPhones into the office telephone system.
Source: www.voip-news.com
There is a new handset coming from TCM Mobile that will work on both the TCM Mobile Cellular VoIP Network and on traditional GSM cellular networks. The dual band phone is scheduled for release in two to three months.
“While our new handset is scheduled for release in two to three months, we can currently take any existing dual band handset available on the market and, together with its manufacturer, embed TCM’s revolutionary, patented software into it. This represents a significant opportunity for these manufacturers to grow sales of their own branded handsets in conjunction with the deployment of TCM’s Cellular VoIP network,” said a TCM Mobile senior executive.
According to TCM Mobile:
With existing dual band handsets currently on the market, the GSM cellular service is the default mode while WiFi is a value added feature allowing for lower cost service in home/office enterprise environments. TCM’s dual band device, however, is the first of its kind whereby the Cellular VoIP service is the default mode while a GSM network can be used when outside TCM’s coverage area.
Source: www.voip-news.com
Hughes Europe has rolled out a HN System solution for Telefonica Espana that offers satellite-based VoIP rural telecommunications services.
“The rapid implementation of our Hughes satellite-based system network enables Telefonica to provide a high-quality and cost-effective communications service to meet its Universal Service Obligation under Spanish law,” said Christopher Britton, managing director of Hughes Europe. “Customers living in rural and remote areas can, for the first time, have access to all the benefits of broadband communications, such as Internet access, data transmission, Fax Group III and access to emergency services,” said Britton.
According to Hughes:
The rural network installation by Hughes is the latest project in a highly successful 15-year relationship working with the Spanish telecoms giant. For Telefonica Espana, the Hughes solution offered the ideal combination of cost-effective equipment performance, lower operational cost, and minimal implementation risk. And, because of the companies’ long-standing relationship, Telefonica had complete confidence in Hughes’ ability to deliver.
The new communications services are made possible through the installation of a second switching centre interconnecting the rural satellite VoIP network to the national telephony network. These services are available to new customers based in remote/rural areas and to existing customers migrating from the existing TRAC network (Telefonia Rural de Acceso Celular — Rural Telephony with Cellular Access) to the satellite-based VoIP network. The network comprises approximately 8,000 terminals, of which 80 percent are residential, 15 percent public telephony for city councils, and 5 percent for small/medium enterprises.
Source: www.voip-news.com
CTI Group and CommPartners Connect have partnered to offer VoIP call recording for small and medium-sized businesses called SmartRecord IP.
“SmartRecord IP is a shining example of how IP communications can deliver feature-rich, fully integrated, and value-added services to the SMB market that are unmatched by the traditional phone company,” says Mark Peterson, Vice President of Sales and Marketing for CommPartners Connect. “Our resellers are proving each day that not only does the value proposition of VoIP sell services, but applications like SmartRecord IP have great appeal to important segments of the SMB market and increase overall demand for VoIP. By responding to the demand for these value-added features and applications, we are enabling our resellers to meet customer needs and win more deals while driving growth of their VoIP business portfolio.”
According to the company:
SmartRecord IP is a hosted VoIP call recording application. With geographic redundancy and infinite scalability, it offers network operators, like CommPartners Connect, the ability to offer call recording directly from the switch, rather than as an afterthought. This integration with the CommPartners Connect BroadSoft applications platform allows SmartRecord IP to be more failsafe and secure than other add-on call recording solutions. SmartRecord IP also makes all recordings available on the internet through the use of a point-and-click web-interface, requiring very little training or support to implement this system into daily business processes.
“By partnering with industry leaders like CommPartners Connect, we believe we are providing our solution, SmartRecord IP, with the very best backbone possible to reach the VoIP market. Our hope is to make the solutions that have previously only been available to the biggest companies available to every company. The benefit that tools like SmartRecord IP can have to smaller businesses is astronomical and gives those smaller companies the ability to be competitive with their larger competitors. CTI Group hopes to level the playing field by offering all businesses equal access to monitoring and management tools like SmartRecord IP,” says Sid Rao, Chief Technology Officer, CTI Group, Inc.
Source: www.voip-news.com
There is a new conferencing solution available from Konftel. The Konftel 300W is a wireless conference phone with a rechargeable battery that can run for up to 48 hours (talk time) without recharging. It’s being shown off this week from June 17-19 at the InfoComm 2009 event in Orlando, Fla.
Since it’s a wireless conferencing solution, it can be used anywhere in a building — whether there is a phone line or not.
According to the company:
DECT is a thoroughly tested wireless standard in terms of safety and audio transmission. A coverage range of up to 650 ft (200m) allows you to move the conference phone to wherever a meeting is being held. The Konftel 300W is GAP compatible and can be integrated with existing DECT systems.
Konftel 300W is easy to connect to your cell phone or computer via USB for VoIP calls. Its embedded Line mode function enables you to switch between DECT, cell phones and USB and combine them for multi-party calls.
Source: www.voip-news.com
ClearOne will be showcasing their new conferencing solutions at the InfoComm 09 Show on Wednesday through Friday, this week – 6/17-6/19. It’s being held at the Orange County Convention Center in Orlando, Florida
Among the new products being showcased are the new ClearOne Converge(TM) Pro 880TA and Converge(TM) SR 1212A.
According to the company:
MAX(TM) IP Response Point, the industry’s first — and only — conference phone for the Microsoft Response Point phone system will also be shown at InfoComm 09 . MAX IP Response Point is a tabletop conferencing system that brings high performance audio quality capabilities to users of Microsoft’s popular small business phone system. Response Point that supports both voice over IP (VoIP) and traditional analog phone lines and provides a voice-activated user interface.
ClearOne will also be showing the CHAT(TM) 70 and CHAT(TM) 170, brand new speakerphones specifically optimized for use with Microsoft Office Communications Server 2007. Both the CHAT 70 and CHAT 170 speakerphones easily connect via USB to laptops or PCs for natural, hands-free audio communication for users of Office Communicator 2007. The CHAT 70 and CHAT 170 deliver full-duplex capability for crystal-clear communications and are the perfect addition to the office or home office, providing convenient, high-quality audio. ClearOne is a certified member of the Microsoft Partner Program and has been rapidly releasing high performance audio solutions that support users of Microsoft’s unified communications platform.
Source: www.voip-news.com
IBM and Avaya are expanding their relationship to deliver unified communications solutions using Avaya Aura and existing IBM converged communications solutions.
“As more and more companies move toward unified communications, it’s important that they take a holistic approach to security that encompasses multi-vendor applications in mobile and virtual environments,” said Dan Powers, vice president of brand, strategy, marketing and business development at IBM ISS. “Individual workers will assume security comes from the core, but they can be one of the most vulnerable points of entry if it does not. IBM has created solutions in our Intrusion Prevention Systems designed to help prevent current and emerging threats and help keep unified communications deployments secure.”
According to the companies:
As part of the expanded alliance, the companies will jointly deliver unified communications solutions that streamline mission critical and complex communication systems, achieve rapid return on investment and improve productivity by helping to allow users to communicate anytime from anywhere, regardless of device or network. In addition, Avaya has certified the IBM Internet Security Systems’ Proventia GX 5208(TM) and Proventia Management SiteProtector SP1001(TM) as compliant with IP telephony solutions from Avaya, enabling IBM to offer comprehensive intrusion protection for Avaya Aura’s communication system.
“IBM and Avaya have had a strong alliance for more than eight years, and with this expansion, we can offer a breadth of business communications solutions and truly complimentary portfolios designed to meet client demands around the globe,” said Laurence Guihard-Joly, vice-president of Integrated Communications Services, IBM. “Together, IBM and Avaya offer robust and security rich mission critical solutions while adopting industry protocols and open standards.”
