Source: www.voip-news.com

Subscribers of Iristel can now get an exclusive virtual Algerian phone number from Algeria Connect, a new VoIP service of Algeria Telecom. That means that calls from Algeria can be made to subscribers anywhere in the world as if they are located right down the street.

“Algeria Telecom is committed to providing our subscribers with high-quality, low-cost solutions, enabling them to stay connected with family and friends on a global basis,” said Dr. Moussa Benhamadi, CEO of Algeria Telecom. “The Iristel Inbound DID solution effectively closes the gap between the PSTN (public switch telephone network) and VoIP networks to maintain the quality digital signal our customers have come to expect from Algeria Telecom, while allowing a limitless amount of concurrent incoming calls and lowering our monthly costs.”

According to the companies:

Iristel’s Inbound DID service is designed for calling card companies, VoIP carriers, inbound call centres, competitive local exchange carriers (CLECs) and virtual carriers requiring a local presence in multiple locations around the world. The service is designed for consumers, carriers and businesses that need to originate high-quality local calls from various international locations, in a cost-effective manner

“We are excited about our new alliance with Algeria Telecom and the possibilities it offers Iristel subscribers and partners around the world,” said Dr. Akram Benalia, President of Iristel Algeria. “This partnership allows Iristel and Algeria Telecom to provide customers with VoIP solutions in compliance with the highest IP telecommunications industry quality standards combined with an international level of customer service.”

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Source: www.voip-news.com

There’s a new VoIP phone from Hulger that is brass and solid American walnut. At $300, it’s pretty pricey too.

And dude, this thing is a total throwback from the 80s. I swear I had a plastic on just like it. ‘Cept this one is real wood and all. And that makes Wired feel like it’s more like a wood box from shop class.

A snippet:

Hulger’s new VoIP phone reminds me of nothing more than the wooden pencil cases we were forced to make in shop class — chunky, square boxes which would stab you in the hip every time you hoisted your satchel, and so badly put together that my pencils would invariably affect a complete escape in the short trip between classes.

Yea, could be that too.

Source: www.voip-news.com

Tollgrade Communications, Inc. has two new solutions for cable operators — CMD-EL, a DOCSIS-based end-of-line RF monitor, and CQM (that stands for Call Quality Manager), a network-based IP test element that enables cable operators to pre-qualify, verify provisioning and remotely troubleshoot a variety of digital voice services.

“With the introduction of these new testing solutions, we now offer cable operators and MSOs network coverage from the node to the end of the line,” said Michael Mills, Tollgrade’s Cable Product Marketing Manager. “This full range of coverage provides visibility into all of the advanced services offered to subscribers and is targeted at isolating system troubles and reducing ‘mean time to repair.’ By targeting the most frequent dispatch calls we enable effective pro-active monitoring of an operator’s entire network.”

The solutions will be demoed at SCTE Cable-Tec EXPO 2008, which is being held at the Philadelphia Convention Center from June 24-27.

Source: snapvoip.blogspot.com

The Wall Street Journal carried an article about Google Powered Phone, (Google Phone, Gphone) today. But the Journal is basically saying what we have been saying for some time now, first article here, and then the update here, both with photos that were mocked up Google phone. Even the first article got DUGG. Of course Google’s support of open Broadband, Open access to 700MHz spectrum may have had something to do with Google Phone.

The article cites unnamed sources as saying Google has been talking to Taiwan’s HTC and South Korea’s LG Electronics about making phones that will run the Google mobile OS.
But I am yet to find a real Gphone photo.
Google might select T-Mobile, supposedly the most consumer-friendly of the major U.S. cellular carriers, as the Google phone’s wireless operator of choice. The Google based phones are expected to wrap together several Google applications like its search engine, Google Maps, YouTube and Gmail, that are already available on some mobile devices. The most radical element of the plan, though, is Google’s push to make the phones’ software "open" right down to the operating system, say Linux!, the layer that controls applications and interacts with the hardware. That means independent software developers would get access to the tools they need to build additional phone features.
WSJ Article

Source: snapvoip.blogspot.com

Geemodo: While Zune battles iPOD, VeriZon fights with LG VX8500 (LG-KG800)