Source: voipworld.wordpress.com

By Ted Stevenson
October 13, 2008

Utah-based Alianza Corp. has been developing its integrated VoIP/UC platform for some four years now, and selling it around the world to a variety of carriers, CLECs, and Internet service providers in the so-called tier two market—smaller subscriber bases. Alianza has architected its IP solution to support all types of transmission media, cable, satellite, and wireless networks.

Virginia-based DigitalBridge Communications (DBC)—an ISP whose mission is to bring broadband Internet connectivity to under-served communities—launched BridgeMAXX, if not the first, then one of the first, commercial WiMAX networks back in June of last year, followed by a mobile WiMAX deployment in June of 2008.

This week, DBC announced BridgeMAXX VOICE, powered by the Alianza platform. It may or may not be the first WiMAX-based VoIP service, but it’s the first we’ve heard of. The company is characterizing the $29.95 per month phone application as a way to "enhance its fixed high-speed wireless Internet service"—and "upgrade to better value."

See here for the full story at Enterprise VoIP Planet.

Source: voipworld.wordpress.com

It’s actually quite easy to compare VoIP providers because the technology is so new that the features that each provider offers differ quite a bit. Just like any service, you want to be sure that you get the best deal, and a program that will fit your needs and desires. Luckily, comparing VoIP providers will be quite simple and you’ll quickly be able to select the provider that is best suited to you.

The first thing you’ll want to do when you want to compare VoIP providers is find out which ones offer services in your area. You may be able to eliminate a couple providers just by looking at their areas of service. Once you eliminate the providers that just won’t work out, you’ll have to look at features and price.

One of the biggest differences between VoIP providers is the features that they can offer. Many have very easy to use routers that allow you to use a regular analog signal and digital signal when it’s suitable. Some VoIP providers only allow calls to other VoIP users, and others allow you to call anyone, anywhere, anytime.

If you make a lot of long distance calls you’ll really want to pay attention to the plans and the provider that you go with. Some VoIP providers don’t distinguish between local and long distance calls, so you basically get all your calls one month for just a service fee. Other VoIP service providers don’t allow you to make long distance calls, or they charge exorbitant fees for them. So, the amount of long distance phone calls you make may be the deciding factor in your choice for a VoIP provider.

Do a lot of research, just like you would when you are looking into any service. If you know whom you are dealing with it’s a lot easier to make an educated decision. When you determine exactly what you need then it’s just a matter of matching your needs with what is offered! Good luck, VoIP is definitely the wave of the future and it will only get easier and more advanced!

About the author:

Laura Rupert is a freelance writer who contributes to The Tech FAQ

Source: voipworld.wordpress.com

Realizing the need to integrate latest VoIP system into its web portal, Mail.Ru - a popular Russian Internet web portal, has called on Global IP Solution (GIPS) to help deliver its technology to its IM application. GIPS, based in California is a provider of IP multimedia processing, serving application developers, wired and wireless service
providers and network and telecommunications equipment vendors.The two parties have settled necessary arrangement to facilitate quick delivery of this VoIP technology and part of the agreement reached include the incorporation of the version 5.0 that will allow low and cheap calls tariff to stationary and mobile phones from the company’s portal.

Mail.Ru Agent for PC-to-PC calls, as well as telephone calls to both landline’s and cell phones and thereby attracts many users to its services. In his remarks, Jan Linden, vice president of engineering at GIPS said "We’re thrilled to add Mail.Ru to our list of leading global Internet Service Providers, who see Unified Communications (News - Alert) and
point-to-multi point communications across IP-devices as a strategic benefit for their customer base."

The company concluded that with GIPS Voice Engine’s unique capabilities, such as automated adjustments for echo, noise suppression and bandwidth constraints, his company is confident that Mail.Ru will realize an immediate dramatic improvement in voice quality and overall user experience.

GIPS

Source: voipworld.wordpress.com

As part of its strategies to make its entering to the internet telephony popular and acceptable, I2 Telecom has launched a laudable product that allows users of mobile phones in the U.S. to make cheap calls to landline phones to anywhere in the world for as low as two-cents per minute thereby allowing for more talk time while spending less on international calls.

The product is branded myglobaltalk.com and it allows users to place direct calls to their desired destinations across the globe from smartphones such as the latest of Research in Motion Ltd Blackberry e-mail phone. Other devices supported include the Samsung Electronics Co Ltd Blackjack, Palm Inc Treo and the Motorola Inc Moto Q. Arrangement is also in progress to include Apple iPhone.

Source: voipworld.wordpress.com

Yoomba is an Isreali startup firm that is integrating e-mail with VOIP. It practically converts your email address into a phone or messenger, allowing users to talk to people around the world, for free. Its only PC-to-PC voip application but on the up side it let you call your contacts directly from any e-mail application that you are using. Since most of us check our e-mails regularly integrating e-mail and voip seems a practical solution.

Yoomba works with any e-mail application such as yahoo, hotmail or gmail. Very easy to setup up and use. On Yoomba website enter your e-mail address to register, you will receive an activation e-mail, click on the activation code and yoomba plugin download will start and install automatically.

Source: voipworld.wordpress.com

The Indian based Bharat Sanchar Nigam Ltd (BSNL) has entered into a contract agreement with Cable & Wireless based in the UK in order to enable the two parties share asset for the improvement of each other’s services.One of the issues agreed upon is the sharing of networks and telecommunication infrastructure that will offer them mutual benefits which include expansion of BSNL network to reach the global community.

Source: voipworld.wordpress.com

Users can now log on to HearMe website to enjoy the company’s new version of its online video conferencing tool branded HearMe 3.1. Designed to provide video/audio conferencing, desktop and application sharing, and as well as online browser-based meeting rooms; the new version 3.1 is also a browser-based tool but I utilizes ActiveX
controls to effectively perform and require less hardware.

Source: voipworld.wordpress.com

If you have at one point or the other searched for a social networking site online, you probably might have come across social.im, an instant messaging client that allows it users to IM all their friends on the Facebook site, a very popular social networking site, and other similar sites. Well, the news is that iSkoot has taken over the ownership of the services offered by Social.im

Source: voipworld.wordpress.com

The Apple iPhone 3G is now available in India following a successful launch of the product in the country last Friday but unlike other places such as Europe, some parts of Asia and the US where such a similar launch were marked with huge crowd, very few people turned out to purchase the device. In the India capital, only four people
reportedly turned out to buy the device at one of the Vodafone.

Source: voipworld.wordpress.com

By Traci Patterson
CedMagazine

In the past year, cable telephony subscribers have increased by nearly eight million worldwide, according to a new report from In-Stat.

Growth in North America has been particularly strong as cable operators near the end of their transition to VoIP-enabled network architectures, In-Stat’s report found.

“Current priorities for cable telephony service providers are expanding the availability of their service and attracting business end-users, especially small- and medium-size businesses,” said Mike Paxton, an In-Stat analyst.

In-Stat’s research, “34 Million Subscribers: Worldwide Cable Telephony Services Continue to Expand,” found that:

As mentioned above, the Pivot JV involved cable operators Comcast, Time Warner Cable, Cox Communications and Advance/Newhouse (Bright House Networks), which were working with Sprint Nextel to offer the Pivot wireless service. In April, it was announced that the cable operators were done with Pivot (story here).

In-Stat’s research covers the worldwide market for cable telephony. It discusses the business case for cable telephony services, discusses the availability of the service and examines specific network architectures, In-Stat said. In addition, it updates leading cable TV operator telephony deployment strategies and presents the results of a U.S. cable telephony subscriber consumer survey.

The research also provides forecasts for worldwide cable telephony subscribers, VoIP cable telephony subscribers and installed cable telephony lines through 2012, and it forecasts cable telephony service revenues and “Voice-over-Broadband” cable telephony subscribers over the next five years.

Source: voipworld.wordpress.com

ShoreTel has been awarded the ’Best Overall VoIP Provider’in the fifth annual Memertes PilotHouse Awards for Unified Communications & Collaboration.

ShoreTel emerged as the overall best following opinions poll conducted for customers to assess VoIP vendors’ performances. In all, the opinions and experiences of426 customers were examined against 24 VoIP vendors and the overall result came in favour of ShorTel.

The vote was conducted in an Olympic gymnastics style voting system,where winner amassed the most points or votes. ShoreTelgot a total score of 4.22 out of a possible maximum high score of 5.0.

Among the parameters considered during the vote are the kind of technology used covering the underlying software, platforms, intelligence and standard compliance; product features focusing on handset and switch capabilities; solution experience focusing on the ability to understand business requirements and craft solutions that meet customers’ needs.

Source: voipworld.wordpress.com

The business case for adopting voice over internet protocol (VoIP) telephony systems grows more compelling every day.

In addition to the long distance savings, the equipment costs less, and does more. Moves, adds and changes are much easier. System monitoring is straightforward, and the usage reports are richer. And, most importantly, companies can leverage their existing IP networks to achieve an integrated voice and data platform.

Features, such as videoconferencing and unified messaging, offer tools that can transform the way a business operates.

While there are real pitfalls to watch for the momentum of VoIP seems unstoppable, say experts who have managed numerous installations.

This has been made possible by the emergence of very high speed, rliable IP networks.

As Jocelyn Philbrook, vice president of corporate marketing and investor relations at Westford, MA based Sonus Networks puts it, "What we’ve seen in the past five years is the quality assurance and high speed bandwidth that are able to support multiple types of communications-video, voice, data-very rapidly and with a high degree of quality throughout the network."

Early adopters have already worked through various telephony strategies and have started to move steadily to VoIP-based solutions with consolidated voice and data networks, reports Roberta Fox, Principal at Mount Albert based Fox Group Consulting.

But the pace of change has been incremental. This has led to a prevalence of hybrid systems as companies slowly replace legacy TDM (time-division multiplexing) systems with IP based systems. "VoIP has become the de facto standard on net new locations, but we’re not seeing people rip out legacy TDM systems and replace them with IP telephony," said Fox

Itbusiness.ca