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

Folks in Ventura County, California, will now receive automatic Reverse 911 calls in case of emergency. The new system works with landlines, mobile phones, VoIP and TTY. Potential uses for the system include alerting people to evacuations, hazards or water problems.

Landline numbers — both listed and unlisted — were already added to the calling list. VoIP users and cell phone users who want their numbers included need to sign them up.

For directions and more information, click here.

Source: www.voip-news.com

Did you know you can turn your iPod Touch into a VoIP phone? Lifehacker has step by step instructions.

Gigaom talks about Skype’s first quarter earnings here.

Meanwhile, Skype is getting some bad press thanks to its new CEO. Read about it on VoIP Watch.

Source: andyabramson.blogs.com

Ken Rutkowski turned me on to this story in Lifehacker.

The story provides step by step instructions for turning an iPod Touch into an iPhone of sorts that works with FreeVoIP and likely other SIP providers.

Source: snapvoip.blogspot.com

PLEASANTON, Calif. – April 8, 2008 – Polycom, Inc. [NASDAQ: PLCM], the world’s leading provider of unified collaborative communications solutions and creator of the iconic triangular conference phone, today redefines conference calling yet again. The SoundStation® IP 7000 and IP 6000—two next-generation IP conference phones—offer groundbreaking Polycom features including Polycom HD Voice™ technology and a sleek new design. The SoundStation IP 7000 is an ideal upgrade for executive offices, conference rooms and board rooms, while the SoundStation® IP 6000 is suited for managerial offices and small to mid-sized conference rooms.

As the conference phone market leader, with Polycom is the most recognized brand in conference rooms across the globe. With the introduction of these two new conference phones, Polycom redefines what businesses worldwide can expect from their conferencing endpoints as well as from new SIP-based voice over IP (VoIP) network installations in terms of performance, voice quality, price and design enhancements.

"In today’s global business environment, voice is a vital medium for business communications and phones are the primary interface for end-users," said Nora Freedman, senior analyst of enterprise networks at IDC. "Due to the sheer number of conference calls held daily, conference phones are a key segment of any organization’s end-point portfolio. Therefore, the integration of advanced IP applications and High Definition voice technology for conference phones can improve the user experience, and ultimately, make a positive impact on business communications and process."

HD Voice Fuels Call Clarity, IP Connectivity Offers More than Voice
In a recent VoIP study, Synergy Research reported that more than 73 percent of new telephony lines are expected to be IP this year, and IDC is forecasting 30 percent growth in VoIP desktop hardware over 2007. Following this trend, the new SoundStation IP 7000 and SoundStation IP 6000 expand Polycom’s IP conference phone portfolio and are the first conference phones developed to integrate open Session Initiation Protocol (SIP) with
Polycom HD Voice. Combined with HD Voice and Polycom’s patented Acoustic Clarity Technology, these phones offer unrivaled clarity for breakthrough voice quality and more productive conference calls. The new conference phones also feature Polycom’s latest radio frequency shielding technologies that "stop the buzz" created by interference from mobile phones and smartphones – a problem so widespread that 70 percent of recent survey respondents reported a willingness to upgrade their conference phones if that would solve the problem.

As high definition technologies become more prevalent throughout the communications industry, a growing number of VoIP service providers and audio conferencing services are supporting HD Voice. ZipDX, a Polycom ARENA partner, is one of the first to offer HD voice-enabled conferencing. ZipDX worked with a number of companies to test their HD conference service with the new SoundStation IP 6000 and IP 7000 conference phones.

"The combination of the Polycom SoundStation IP 7000 and the ZipDX audio conferencing service is taking collaboration to a new level," according to Bryan Newman, director of Information Systems for Okuma America Corp., a world leader in machining technology based in Charlotte, N.C. "We conference extensively among our US offices, with our distributors and customers in North and South America, and with our parent in Japan. Our recent trials with IP 7000’s and SoundPoint phones have demonstrated the benefits in recognizing voices and understanding accented speakers."

"The enhanced audio quality of the Polycom phones, combined with the advanced conferencing features of ZipDX, have made our calls more productive and we are exploring rolling the technology out in additional locations," continued Newman. “Whether it’s training, selling, or managing, it’s important that our message gets through clearly, and that we hear and understand what people are saying to us. With ZipDX and Polycom HD Voice technology, our conferences are a snap to set up, start on time, have the highest audio quality, and are secure and easy to manage."

‘With the introduction of our new open SIP HD Voice conference phones, we’re helping customers make the most of their VoIP network investments by delivering HD Voice communications on a platform that brings value beyond voice," said Sunil Bhalla, senior vice president and general manager of Polycom’s voice communications solutions division. "Our customers will reap the benefits of a new level of communication with more productive, engaging conference calls."

Product Features
The SoundStation IP 7000 introduces a new, sleek design that redefines the look and feel and performance of the traditional conference phones. Features include:

• The industry’s first up to 22 kHz CD-quality HD Voice for lifelike clarity and intelligibility.
• Large high resolution display and processing power for IP applications, transforming the conference phone into an applications platform for the conference room. Includes LDAP corporate directory access, three-way visual conferencing in HD Voice and an open XHTML micro-browser for third-party application development and integration. The conferencing application enables users to see the names of the participants and add, delete, mute or place individual callers on hold during the call.
• Multi-unit connectivity with the ability to "daisy-chain" two units, offering greater microphone pickup, louder volume, and multiple call control points within one conference room.
• 20-foot (6-meter) microphone pickup range to hear participants in all corners of the conference room. Even greater coverage is available through optional expansion microphones.
• Seamless integration with Polycom HDX high definition visual communications systems is expected later this year – making launching a high definition video conference as easy as dialing a conference phone.
• Power over Ethernet connectivity¹ to reduce cable clutter in conference rooms.

The SoundStation IP 6000 is a price/performance breakthrough for managerial offices and small to midsize conference rooms. With pricing comparable to similar analog conference phones but with much higher acoustic performance and IP functionality, customers who are migrating to SIP-based VoIP technology can now fully leverage the power of their IP infrastructure.

The SoundStation IP 6000 features:

• Polycom HD Voice with up to 14 kHz audio for remarkable clarity and intelligibility.
• 12-foot (3.6-meter) microphone pickup range for full room coverage in offices and small to mid-sized conference rooms, with optional expansion microphones also available.
• High resolution backlit display for vital call information and multi-language support. The platform also supports the delivery of web-based content to the display for third party application development and integration.
• Power over Ethernet connectivity to reduce cable clutter in conference rooms

The new conference phones are being certified with Polycom’s more than 25 SIP-based call control platform partners including 3Com, BroadSoft, Digium, Interactive Intelligence, Sylantro, and other Polycom VoIP Interoperability Partners (VIP). For more information on the Polycom VIP Program, visit www.polycom.com/vip.

Pricing and Availability
The Polycom SoundStation IP 7000 is available today through Polycom’s certified channel partners starting at a list price of U.S. $1,299. The Polycom SoundStation IP 6000 will also be available through Polycom’s certified channel partners later this quarter starting at a list price of U.S. $899. For more information, visit www.polycom.com/go/soundstation_ip.

Source: www.voip-news.com

British VoIP fans have a new and affordable option.

Sipgate has released a mobile VoIP phone at a bargain price of GBP59 (that’s British pounds). The Pirelli DP-L10, a dual mode mobile phone, runs on GSM and WiFi. It can also be used on any network due to a free SIM-lock.

The Pirelli DP L10 can run on either cellular service or as a VoIP telephone via a WLAN. Ithas a color display, a built-in VGA camera and a 500-entry phone book.

It can be ordered through Sipgate’s website.

Source: www.voip-news.com

PC Magazine is having a free VoIP webcast on April 24 at 11 a.m., PT called VoIP Phone Systems for Today’s Small and Medium Businesses. It will be hosted by Dell and Fonality. To register, click here.

Here’s the highlights:

During this free, interactive event, technology experts from Dell Inc. and Fonality will address the following:

• Critical business challenges and how a phone system can address them;
• VoIP technology – what it is and what it offers
  • Manage voice and data on one network
  • Reduce intra and inter office toll charges
  • Eliminate technician expenses with moves, add, and changes
  • Tool to better manage customer interactions and experience
• Phone systems vs. phone service
• Fonality phone system features and functionality

For other great resources for choosing a VoIP provider for small businesses, click here.

Source: www.theregister.co.uk

You’ve got to feel a bit sorry for German VoIP phone outfit snom, which has asked customers not to call it following an evidently troublesome office relocation.

The firm’s contact page explains: "We moved to our new offices on March 6, 2008, and unfortunately our phone lines have still not been connected (as of March 12, 2008). We ask for your understanding."

The landing page concludes: "Please note that you will not be able to reach us by phone."

Sadly, it appears the might of the cutting-edge technology that is VoIP has been rendered impotent by a good, old-fashioned telecoms cock-up. Bless. ®

Source: snapvoip.blogspot.com

Polycom, Inc. (NASDAQ: PLCM), the world’s leading provider of unified collaborative communications solutions, today announced a new model in its SoundPoint® IP desktop phone line, the SoundPoint IP 560. Recognizing that more enterprises are deploying Gigabit Ethernet (GigE) networking infrastructures to deliver new productivity enhancing applications that require more bandwidth, the new SoundPoint IP 560 enables full GigE data transmission between the network and an end-user’s computer, enabling a single IP connection to support the desktop. In combination with Polycom HD Voice(TM) technology, the SoundPoint IP 560 is the ideal solution for enterprises that demand the best call experience and are either deploying or considering deploying advanced applications requiring a high-bandwidth network infrastructure.

"The ability to move large amounts of data quickly is critical to enhancing our workforce productivity and providing services faster to our customers," said Mat Greener, senior director of IT, Manatron, Inc. "We chose Polycom SoundPoint IP 560 because it is the best SIP phone with universal interoperability, GigE support, and the amazing Polycom HD Voice."

"A growing number of our customers want to increase productivity and expand services by using high-bandwidth applications such as video at their desktop," said Joseph A. Staples, senior vice president of Worldwide Marketing for Interactive Intelligence Inc. "As a GigE-capable SIP phone, the SoundPoint IP 560 satisfies this need. We applaud Polycom for helping us continue to deliver to our customers the most innovative enterprise IP telephony solutions on the market."

In addition to its GigE support, the SoundPoint IP 560 delivers a clear and unrivaled lifelike audio experience with Polycom’s high definition voice technology — Polycom HD Voice. A key component of HD Voice is the use of a standard wideband voice codec (ITU standard G.722), which enables high definition voice transmission. As adoption of wideband voice accelerates, enterprises benefit most by investing in IP endpoint that support G.722 wideband calls. Polycom HD Voice also includes its patented Acoustic Clarity Technology which provides market leading noise reduction, echo cancellation and full duplex speakerphone capability.

"GigE and HD Voice are emerging technologies that will dramatically improve the way our customers communicate," said Sunil Bhalla, senior vice president and general manager of Polycom’s Voice Communications Solutions division. "With the SoundPoint IP 560, Polycom provides solid investment protection by delivering an IP telephony solution that is fully equipped to leverage these two new technologies."

In a typical office installation, a network cable runs from the wall jack to the IP phone and a second network cable runs from the IP phone to the PC. The speed of the network connection to the PC is limited by the fastest speed that the IP phone supports. In a GigE environment, the phone must support GigE switching at full line rate in order for the PC to have the benefit of full GigE connectivity. The SoundPoint IP 560 features a dual-port GigE switch that eliminates any network bottleneck between the edge switch and the PC.

The SoundPoint IP 560 has four-lines and includes advanced SIP features and capabilities, such as shared call/bridge line appearance, busy lamp field (BLF), presence, text messaging, and buddy lists. It includes an integrated XHTML micro-browser that enables users to take advantage of productivity-enhancing Web-based applications.

The new phone has been tested and certified to deliver comprehensive interoperability and extensive feature support with Polycom’s growing list of over 25 SIP-based call control platform partners including 3Com, BroadSoft, Digium, Interactive Intelligence, Sylantro, and other Polycom VoIP Interoperability Partners (VIP). For more information on the Polycom VIP Program, visit www.polycom.com/vip.

Pricing and Availability

The Polycom SoundPoint IP 560 is planned to be available in North America, Europe and most of Asia-Pac this month through Polycom certified channel partners for a MSRP of U.S. $469. For more information about the SoundPoint IP 560, please visit the Polycom web site at www.polycom.com/voip.

Source: snapvoip.blogspot.com

We Got this phone for some of our remote office users, (Very Remote, like Europe and Asia!) and the results are very positive, and makes me want to exchange my 7920 to this one. Instead of me telling about the phone now, I am letting the Product Manager of the product, Bernard Lee introduce the phone. I will write a summery later on after our users have had enough time to use the phone and I could ask for more information. Here is Mr. Bernard Lee….

Source: snapvoip.blogspot.com

The SPA962 VoIP telephone will appeal to businesses using a hosted IP telephony service, an IP PBX, or a large scale IP Centrex deployment, with it’s array of features.

Here are some features that stand out;

• Full featured six line business class IP Phone supporting Power over Ethernet 802.3af
• Connect directly to an Internet Telephone Service Provider or connect to an IP PBX
• Dual switched Ethernet ports, Speakerphone, Caller ID, Call Hold, Conferencing, and more
• Appealing Four Inch, True Color Liquid Crystal Display (LCD)

I like the fact that it has a color Screen!Standard features on the SPA962 include six active lines, dual switched Ethernet ports, 802.3af PoE support, a high resolution color display, speakerphone, and a 2.5 mm head-set port. Each line can be independently configured to use a unique phone number (or extension), or can be configured to use a shared number that is assigned to multiple phones. The power supply for the SPA962 is sold separately and will be required if PoE functionality is not implemented.

Comprehensive Interoperability and SIP Based Feature Set
Based on the SIP standard, the SPA962 has been tested to ensure comprehensive interoperability with equipment from VoIP infrastructure leaders enabling service providers to quickly roll-out competitive, feature rich services to their customers. With hundreds of features and configurable service parameters, the SPA962 addresses the requirements of traditional business users while leveraging the advantages of IP telephony. Features such as easy station moves, presence, and shared line appearances (across local and geographically dispersed locations) are just some of the many advantages of the SPA962.

Carrier-Grade Security, Provisioning, and Management
The SPA962 uses standard encryption protocols to provide secure remote provisioning and unobtrusive in-service software upgrades. Linksys secure remote provisioning tools include detailed performance measurement and troubleshooting features, enabling network providers to deliver high quality support to their subscribers. Remote provisioning also saves service providers the hassle and expense of managing, pre-loading, and re-configuring customer premise equipment
linksys

Source: snapvoip.blogspot.com

Click on the image to see a larger version

Yamaha Corporation (Hamamatsu, Shizuoka) is set to bring, conference Phone, "PJP - 25UR" to the market shortly in Japan.
The VoIP Conference Phone sports a built in echo canceler. The Yamaha PJP-25UR includes an USB 2.0 FULL Speed interface to be connected with a computer, one analog input, one analog output in the form of stereo mini- jack, Connector for optional AC adapter (PS-AC1).
The system also has a 12 mini microphones (3X4 Microphone arrays) and two microphone arrays are on movable arms reducing the requirement of getting close to the phone when speaking. The Phone also has HiFi speakers and also capable of attaching additional speakers if necessary. The system also includes software for Microsoft Windows Vista/XP Professional/XP Home Edition.
The VoIP Conference Phone will cost 63,000 Yen or $550 roughly.

Translated press release.