Source: www.voip-news.com

Fluke Networks has acquired Viola Networks. The network performance management company didn’t say how much it said for Viola, a VoIP management company.

According to Network World:

The deal brings to Fluke Networks the technologies and source code the now-defunct Viola Networks used to underpin its NetAlly product line. NetAlly offered such products as its Lifecycle manager, which was designed to determine problem areas in LAN and WAN infrastructure before a VoIP implementation goes live, as well as monitor production environments for VoIP quality and performance. Viola formerly competed with Fluke Networks, as well as with products from Apparent Networks, NetIQ and Brix Networks.

Source: gigaom.com

Source: andyabramson.blogs.com

If you are in the UK you may want to take a serious look at the new pricing for the mobile data dongles from Hutchison 3G (aka Three).

The price of the dongle has been halved and the plan prices are very tasty.

Now, what makes 3G data interesting to me is this 3G/4G data router that has Voice QoS built in. By combining a new HSUPA router, and unlimited data plan and a data card like the new Sierra Wireless HUSPA 880/881 wireless modems, you could just about have all the VoIP you need wherever you go.

Source: www.voip-news.com

UK police are jumping into the 21st Century. The South Yorkshire police department in England will soon be sporting a new VoIP communications system.

According to Computer Business Review:

It will begin the transition to Siemens HiPath 8000 SIP-based unified communications softswitch this summer, migrating 5,500 staff and phones across 90 sites to the combined system.

Kevin Battersby, network manager at South Yorkshire Police, said: “The main business reason is financial, we are running two separate networks for voice and data. The data network has been upgraded in the last couple of years, so we now have this nice big beefy data network, but a separate voice network. By getting rid of the separate voice network and moving it all over to one we realized we could save money.”

Source: andyabramson.blogs.com

It looks like BT’s OpenZone has added Starbucks rival Caffe Nero to their growing list of locations.

I’ve been in Caffe Nero and enjoyed their coffee more. Now I’ll have one more reason to linger around the storefront cafes when in London.

Source: www.voip-news.com

There’s been some huge raises in IP PBX in the UK market. IP PBX desktop extensions in the United Kingdom  rose 40 percent in the fourth quarter of 2007, according to a study by MZA. Nearly 750,000 PBX extensions were installed in that time frame.

Cost remains an impediment  for small businesses though.

Read about it here.

Source: www.theregister.co.uk

New UK service Voixio is to offer free national or international phone and video calls to internet users. The catch? For every call you first have to watch an ad or commercial.

Voixio was set up by London-based Requestec, which specialises in web 2.0 communication applications, including high definition video calling from within a Flash client. Its team has worked for Nokia, Demon Internet, JP Morgan, and Symbian.

The new service is simple to use. There is no need to install software, and the interface - called Zenon - is fully Flash-based and will detect the webcams and microphones available on your computer.

Users can make calls to domestic and international landline and mobile telephone numbers, to other Voixio users, or any SIP address. Conference calls between Voixio users are free. Video calling to 3G mobile networks is also possible, and phone calls can be made to standard email addresses.

The service was announced last November at World Telemidia in Prague, but will officially launch on 1 April.

The service has been available for internet users to try out, but Voixio has temporally disabled it. "Many people abused the service by getting as many accounts as possible," a spokesman told The Register. "We need to sort that out first."

Depending on advertising and destination, a free call lasts at least 15 minutes, though 3G videocalls will be limited to 60 seconds. Extra time can be bought through PayPal.

Users will have to submit their sex, age, and interests, while "built-in" geo-location enables advertising to be targeted even further, the company promises. "

Although most ad funded free call projects so far have failed, Voixio believes there is enough interest to attract advertisers. ®

Source: andyabramson.blogs.com

In what can be seen likely as way T-Mobile will play in the USA when they get their 3G up and running this year, over in the UK T-Mobile just added free hotspot access to their Web N’ Walk 3G service offering, and in essence, have created a WiFi/3G bundle. This is the first I’ve heard of any mobile operator creating this type of offer and shows a keen sense of understanding that there is a market which always wants to stay connected.

It also lets me think that there may be a forthcoming 3G/WiFi Voice play coming from them that builds upon the T-Mobile@Home play that they are already offering in the USA.

I have used the Web N’Walk service on a pay as you go/pre-paid customer and like it.

Source: voipcentral.org

Freshtel, the ASX listed VoIP service provider and technology developer, announced about the plans of launching its own retail VoIP service and co-developed internet phone products, with Binatone, in the UK.

Freshtel said that previously it was working with Binatone, a global telephone handset manufacturer to co-develop the Internet telephone handsets.

The products would be distributed through Binatones existing retail network in UK.

Freshtel will generate the revenue not only on sold hardware but also on the pre-configured Freshtel Internet Phone account. Freshtel is already providing a wholesale named ‘white label’ VoIP service in the UK which is branded and retailed by supermarket giant Tesco.

Via: iTwire