Standards
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LEMONADE (License to Enhanced Mobile Oriented and Diverse Endpoints) is an IETF
(Internet Engineering Task Force) protocol and working group aimed at
addressing email bandwidth issues for mobile devices, which are often
restricted in storage space for email attachments. The LEMONADE
solution includes extensions to existing email protocols (IMAP, SMTP)
designed specifically for mobile email. One feature is the ability to
"forward without download", whereby an email with an attachment could
be forwarded to another email address without the attachment first
being downloaded by the mobile device.
Isode has updated its M-Box
software to implement all of the IETF's mobile email recommendations.
They offer the first commercial email server to do so. [sources: Cellular News] The IETF also maintains the SIP signalling protocol, which is an open standard used in VoIP services to emulate the functionality of regular PSTN (Public Switched Telephone Network) calling features.
Written by ewriter on October 6th, 2006 with no comments.
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With voice quality being the differentiating factor for most organizations to choose between POTS (Plain Old Telephone System) and Internet Telephony, a motley collection of VoIP solution vendors, service providers, and system integrators have joined forces to increase the usage of voice and video over IP.
The V2oIP Quality Alliance is advocating best practices relating to the quality, reliability, and performance of voice and video over the Internet. Besides collaborating to provide information and expertise on V2oIP (voice and video over IP), these members will:
Help define requirements for network readiness, pre-deployment testing, in-service monitoring and troubleshooting, SLA definition and monitoring, and technologies for mitigating problems and enhancing voice quality.
according to the alliance’s website.
Written by pushpa27 on October 6th, 2006 with no comments.
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If you have a busy company that gets a lot of calls during the day, you
know that there can be some peak times when your telephony system can
barely handle the load. You may have a trickle of callers one moment,
and a flash crowd of callers the next. Then there's the potential that
maybe someone is running a DDoS (Distributed Denial of Service) attack
on your system, to compromise it. How does a VoIP system tell the
difference? The VoIPSec site has a thread that points to VoIP sercurity company Vodasec,
who are researching this very issue. They are working on detecting
system overloading prior to its happening, as well as distinguishing
between the two types of overloading.
Their technology is patent pending, but they do give a brief description
of how their model works. The sample graphs they display show a
distinct difference between the two types of overloading. This could
definitely be useful for the next generation of load-balancing VoIP systems, and for ensuring quality of service.
The essential principle, I'm assuming, is to study long-term behaviour
of both types of overloading and refine both behaviour models as new
data is collected. In fact, statistical analysis using MMAs (Multiple
Moving Averages), or some other trend indicator, could probably deduce
the diference. But these are not the kind of models you really want to
advertise online, or you'll have another generation of smart vishers.
Written by ewriter on October 3rd, 2006 with no comments.
Read more articles on Software and Security and Standards and Networks.
Can't vouch for this myself, but a couple who have an IT security background relate a recent incident when the wife received a call from Comcast,
and all the "lies" the rep supposedly told her about Vonage, to get her
to switch to the more expensive Comcast "Digital Voice" service. This
is an interesting read, as are the comments that follow it.
The
gist is that outsourced reps who don't know better will be willing to
read off lies about VoIP from a script. As the comments after the
article show, both cable and pure play VoIP providers will lie as they
get their VoIP marketing guns ready. I had a call last Friday from a
third-party hired by my cable Internet provider, trying to sell me the
same VoIP service under yet another non-technophile-threatening name.
I'm wondering if I should not have shooed the person away, and instead
listened to what they had to say, even for a laugh. Oh well.
I still maintain that cable providers have the advantage in the VoIP market,
but that doesn't mean they're right for everyone, especially in a
business environment. If you currently are not using VoIP and do not
know where to start, then first ask yourself these questions:
(1) Am I looking for business, residential, or SMB (small and medium business) use?
(2) Will I need e-911 services?
(3) Do I need a computer? (If you don't already have one.)
(4) Am I calling local or long-distance or both?
(5) Will I want/ have to walk around as I talk? (Do I prefer a handset or headset?)
(6) Will the other persons I call be using mobile phones, regular phones, Wi-Fi phones, or soft phones? Or a combination?
(7) How many people use the system simultaneously (peak)? Will I want to spend money on load-balancing.
(8) How many simultaneous incoming calls do I expect?
These
are a few basic questions you should know the answer to before you
choose a VoIP service. Armed with this knowledge, it's much easier to
choose a suitable service. It'll also help you to avoid paying for a telephony feature that is free elsewhere.
Written by ewriter on October 3rd, 2006 with no comments.
Read more articles on Standards and Business VoIP and Residential VoIP.
Carrier-based IP service provider One IP Voice has tied up with Intrado to market the latter’s VoIP E9-1-1 services. The subsidiary of OIPV Corporation will target the enterprise market, small and medium enterprises, large organizations, mobile workforces, and IP-powered communications service providers as its customer base. It will harness E9-1-1 management applications and VoIP to trace the physical locations of landline and mobile users to provide Local Information Services (LIS) to PSAPs. Customers are promised secure access anywhere, any time, through OIPV’s private converged IP network. IP Communications reports:
Intrado customers and partners will be able to base location information for emergency personnel deployments solely on data gleaned from the end user device, rather than requiring end users to continually update location data as they travel. The OIPV solution, combined with Intrado’s E9-1-1 services, identifies location, detects phone moves, adds, changes, and then provides call routing and delivery to the geographically correct PSAP.
Written by pushpa27 on September 28th, 2006 with no comments.
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Katie Fehrenbachr at GigaOm says
that domain names with the new .mobi TLD are now available for purchase
by members of the general public. The TLD is being promoted by a group
called dotMobi, and is aimed
at people and companies that want a dedicated website for mobile phones
and other connected devices. I have to agree with her (and with the
creator of the web, Sir Tim Berners-Lee) that maybe this isn't such a
good idea. Sir Tim says that this could fragment the mobile web.
True
that. Why should you have to go to a different URL to view web content
from a mobile device? Why can't the web server determine your device
type and dish out the appropriate content? On the other hand, instead
of dishing up different types of web page content from a .com site, if
a mobile device accesses the site, the mobile web browser could be auto
redirected to the associated .mobi domain. (That means companies better
get online and buy up all the .mobi domains related to their
trademarks, even if they have no intention of offering mobile contenet.)
It seems to me like there might be an opportunity for promoting mobile VoIP services on .mobi domains, and for smart phones to have a ready-launch icon in their operating system for such a service. By the way, dotMobi has an emulator web page (for desktop computers) so that you can see how your own web pages might look on a mobile device.
Written by ewriter on September 26th, 2006 with no comments.
Read more articles on Standards and Wireless and Networks.
Universities Banning Skype
A number of universities have
decided to ban Skype, stating that it consumes bandwidth and supposedly
is an "illegal" waste of resources. (Illegal? Seriously?) Grid
computing apps are also included in the ban at several California
universities including University of California Santa Barbara, San Jose
State University, and California State University Dominguez Hills. They
are not banning Gizmo Project or Wengo. [via Ars Technica] Several countries also ban/ block Skype, including Korea and the UAE (United Arab Emirates).
Telrex CallRex VoIP Call Recording For Cisco
Telrex claims that their CallRex version 3.1 is the first VoIP call-recording solution to be certified for encrypting Cisco Unified CallManager 5.0 calls. [via Business Wire]
SIP Trunking Makes VoIP Telephony More Flexible
Rich Tehrani reflects on how SIP trunking has made IP telephony
more flexible by reducing the amount of proprietary hardware. He points
out that not all IP PBXes are connected to SIP trunks; that over half
of them (some used by IP-based call centers) are still using PSTN trunk
lines.
Written by ewriter on September 25th, 2006 with no comments.
Read more articles on Standards and Networks and Regulation.
Avaya is offering a free download of their Custom Edition of SIP for Dummies (PDF, 2+ Mb, 74 pgs). You do have to register,
but if you want a starter guide to SIP, it's probably worth the effort.
SIP is an open standard, and it drives Asterisk IP PBXes as well VoIP
soft phones Gizmo Project and others. IP telephony systems/ software that use SIP
tend to be more affordable than proprietary systems. A VoIP system in
general is estimated to reduce business communications costs by 20-40%
- which can be enough to keep a struggling small business afloat. So if you are considering a VoIP system, you may want to at least browse this free ebook.
Written by ewriter on September 20th, 2006 with no comments.
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Digital Telephony is often referred to as VoIP or Voice over Internet Protocol. It has become one of the favorite topics most industry analysts. VoIP uses Internet-based technology to send and receive phone calls rather than the analog PSTN used by the big telecom companies. There are two types of VoIP service: Broadband Telephony and Cable Telephony. Both use Internet technologies. However, cable companies route those calls over a privately managed network whereas Broadband telephony providers use the Internet.
Broadband telephone service is significantly cheaper than cable phone service while cable phone service is considered more reliable. You may question whether cable or broadband service is better than traditional analog phone service. The answer will be simple. cable phone service is better and more reliable.
Do you know that the number of VoIP subscribers has increased significantly? To know more about it, read my previous post titled "VoIP Subscribers up 83 Per cent".
Written by Sagar on September 14th, 2006 with no comments.
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VoIP services from BroadVoice are now fully 911-compliant. This means that all customers of the broadband service provider are allowed access to emergency services by just dialing 911.
There are three levels of service being offered:
- Enhanced 911 or E911 – The physical location of callers is automatically identified by local operators. Customers in the US can subscribe to this service if BroadVoice is able to route their calls to the local Public Safety Answering Point (PSAP).
- Basic 911 or B911 – Customers will have to explicitly provide their physical location to local operators who take their calls.
- National Call Center 911 or NCC911 – Consumers can make 911 calls to national operators. They also have to provide their geographical locations.
Users in the United States who are not registered will automatically be provided NCC911 services when they dial 911. Emergency calls that are unable to be routed to local operators for E911 or B911 services will be transferred to national operators.
The company is also offering its customers the facility to notify changes in their physical addresses through its website.
Written by pushpa27 on August 25th, 2006 with no comments.
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If you can recall, the FCC mandated last year that all VoIP subscribers must have access to 911 facilities. The FCC ruling forced all broadband voice service providers to comply with the new guidelines. However, still there are few companies that have not implemented the service yet. Broadband service provider BroadVoice has announced that all its customers in the United States now have access to 911 services.
This announcement holds much significance, as the importance of 911 services has been acknowledged in the country. When a BroadVoice customer dials 911, he/she is quickly connected to either a Public Safety Answering Point (PSAP) or the National Emergency Call Center. E911 customer's physical location is identified by a local operator. Now, the customers can be easily reached by emergency personnel.
Read our previous post titled "Converged IP Video and VoIP Calling Services for BBC".
Written by Sagar on August 23rd, 2006 with no comments.
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If you are a student and want to save money over the phone calls you are making, you must take a tour of VoIP technology to lower your monthly phone calls budget. Students leaving home for college often receive high phone bill while trying to keep in touch with friends and family. VoIP phone services allow students and their parents make and receive calls at a much lower price. You will be delighted to know that traditional phone companies have started exclusive packages to deliver Internet phone solutions.
Phone-based VoIP services will allow you to place calls using a regular phone. However, users of computer-based VoIP services make calls via a computer with a microphone and headset. Which one do you find more convenient? It's up to you to decide. Here, I would like to inform you that a few providers also sell phones that allow you to make calls over the Internet anywhere within the range of a Wi-Fi signal.
Some leading companies that provide exclusive VoIP services are:
• Verizon
• Comcast
• Skype
• Vonage
Written by Sagar on August 14th, 2006 with no comments.
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What can you possibly want after something is given away free to you? Be paid for using a service! Sounds ridiculous but Globe 7 is making this offer and expecting it to not only be widely accepted but also generate revenue. This model which is aptly called the Ad-supported model that offers free VoIP minutes in exchange for watching IP video feeds. These video feeds are actually 30-60 second ad spots. When ever the VoIP user prefers to watch the ad content, his account is automatically credited with free VoIP minutes.
Global 7s ad-supported model is very different from the one adopted by Vonage. Vonage merely charges its users for the services user. Another VoIP vendor Skype gives away its service for free. Vonage has acquired about 3 million users however they have lost $190 million last year and Skype may not be able to offer every thing free forever. As such the methodology adopted by Global 7 seems to be quite appropriate and perhaps sane. As it looks now, it seems to be a win win situation for every one – VoIP user, Global 7 and the advertiser. TCM Net reports:
In the meantime, Globe7 is actively pursuing relationships with a number of hardware, software and service organizations, as well as VARs and resellers, to integrate the platform onto their product lines.
Written by Peter Poffenberger on August 14th, 2006 with no comments.
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Many people think that the SIP-based technology
will be the core building block for future enterprise IP telephony
networks, especially for call control protocols and offering features
for VoIP that are already present in existing telephony systems.
SIP, or Session Initiation Protocol,
is an IETF proposed standard to manage online multimedia sessions that
include video, voice, IM, and more. As such, there is expected to be
strong interest in the SIP market in the near future. [via CNS Magazine] Light Reading has published a new report studying the SIP market (US$900).
Written by ewriter on August 9th, 2006 with no comments.
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BBC viewers have reason to smile. They will soon get a converged 3G, IP Video and VoIP Calling Services on BBC programs. All New Video has launched a series of such services for BBC. The services will allow increased interactivity between BBC viewers and News television programs. BBC viewers will be asked to call into the show from their phone, PCs and 3G mobile video phones.
Once connected, the participants will be greeted with an interactive media response. Then they will be offered the choice of recording a video or voice message for the show. Isn't it interesting? Once the services are launched, it is bound to generate interest among viewers.
Written by Sagar on August 8th, 2006 with no comments.
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ShoreTel Inc. is the fastest growing IP PBX company in the world and it now got even bigger courtesy banking sector. The company has announced that the growing numbers of banks are using IP phone system provided by ShoreTel. It promises to quantify the customer service for productivity, unify communications and virtualize resources across branches for smooth sailing of administrative and management affairs.
ShoreTel has already earned itself a few clients in the retail banking sector like the Missouri's Union Bank, Wisconsin's Community Bank & Trust, and Alabama's Citizens Bank. ShoreTel is providing its unique distributed phone system with built-in presence intelligence, workgroup and hunt group functionality. These features are known for typical find-me, follow-me capabilities for unflinching connectivity.
Banking industry thus streamlining its customer service and unifying various branches with ShoreTel IP telephony platform where single system would span to multiple sites, enabling virtual receptionists and workgroups. There is a provision of intuitive user and management interfaces that accommodate constant change and rapid growth.
The only thing how customized the services would be for banks. Each bank will be guided by its own unique needs and the challenge would lie in servicing them. According to one of the banks served through ShoreTel exudes confidence of its service. It says the chances for customers reaching us through telephone have increased and so is the confidence of the customers on us.
ShoreTel also creates a single virtual call center for customer service where any employee of a bank's branch (anywhere) can plug into the call center and take calls, thus simplifying call routing process. Can we call it a success story? No… not many are dropping guns yet!
Written by Peter Poffenberger on July 30th, 2006 with no comments.
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Michael Kanellos sums up the value of using RebTel's VoIP service
very nicely: instead of losing your unused monthly cell phone minutes,
use them in international or other long-distance calls using RebTel.
They create a bridge service by creating a dedicated local number that
saves the caller long distance charges. For $1/week, that's not bad if
you tend to put off long-distance calls because of cost.
BT (British Telecom) has been laying out plans to get into the internet telephony business (i.e., VoIP). They're looking to have one million internet phone customers in the next year. The company was formerly a monopoly and originally concerned about VoIP, but has changed its stance.
A Taiwanese government web page says that Taiwan is preparing for a VoIP explosion. The output value of VoIP-related products
rose to US$460+ million in 2005, up from about US$370 mln and US$262
mln in the previous two years. A government-funded research institute
has set up the ViTA (VoIP Taiwan) Forum to set up VoIP product certification standards in that country.
Arcosoft is offering VONaLink SoloRecord recording software
for SIP-based VoIP phone systems, including Vonage. Either soft or hard
VoIP services are supported. Calls are recorded in .WAV or .MP3 format,
and an audio watermark can be audio to prove non-tampering.
Robert Poe of VoIP News shows why IP PBXs are going to replace their TDM counterparts in the enterprise.
Written by ewriter on July 28th, 2006 with no comments.
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According to comScore [via TechCrunch
and others], it appears that the Google Talk IM does not have all that
many users. Google Talk is a distant fourth in the list of IM clients.
The top three spots are taken by MSN Messenger, Yahoo Messenger, and
AIM. We're not talking total number of downloads, just number of users.
These
numbers indicate that, as of May 2006, there are only just over 339
million IM users of all flavours, out of over 900 million Internet
users worldwide. MSN is at the top with about 60% of the market and
Google Talk has only 1%.
The numbers appear to be for text IMs only. Consider that for Skype, I've been numbers like 250 million (PDF, 1 page) and 280 million downloads, and 100 million
registered users (which was passed in early May 2006). Google is
nowhere close to neither Skype nor the top text IM clients. Note: the
TechCrunch article points out that the comScore numbers do not include
the embedded version of GTalk within GMail. Some GMail users apparently
prefer to use the native IM.
Some of the above IMs (in fact, possibly all - I don't know much about AIM) have direct VoIP (PC-to-PC) capability. Windows Live Messenger and the latest Yahoo! Messenger now have VoIP ability as well.
Regardless, the numbers suggest that Skype has to be able to keep up, especially with the announced IM alliance
between Microsoft and Yahoo! When their respective IM's become
compatible, together they'll have over 83% of the IM market (using
current numbers).
With that kind of market share, don't have to swallow their pride and use the open source Jabber/XMPP,
but it sure would be nice. That's what Google, Trillian, and several
other lesser-known IMs use. Can you imagine an Internet where you can
choose your fave IM/ VoIP soft client and connect to anyone? Skype,
MSN, Yahoo, AIM, Google Talk.... Nice.
As for Michael Arrington's suggestion (at TechCrunch) that Google come up with a strategy to grab more market share, I recommend they buy Vozin Communications. Their Talqer soft client turns Google Talk into a true VoIP client.
From
my point of view, once all the technical kinks are worked out of VoIP
services, including e911 and improved call quality, every person on
Earth who uses a phone will be using a straight or hybrid VoIP phone or
soft client. If they were to all become intercompatible, then these
usage numbers might be perceived as meaningless - especially by the
marketing engines of the larger companies. This would be a reason for
them not to work towards compatibility. Too bad, because we could use
more IM/VoIP network intercompatibility.
Aside: If you do a Google Search for "how many Skype users worldwide", you can see how fast Skype downloads increased in 2005. Or you could read Jean Mercier's post at SkypeJournal
(about downloads in the US and Canada), which suggests that the number
of downloads needs to be filtered for previous users who were upgrading
one or more times since they first downloaded Skype.
Written by ewriter on July 25th, 2006 with no comments.
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The Federal Communications Commission has set August 1 as the deadline for VoIP telephony providers to comply with the federal Universal Service Fund (USF) reporting and contribution regulations. This regulatory concern mandates telecommunication service providers who offer interconnected services to contribute a part of their interstate telecommunications revenues towards subsidizing federal services like basic phone facilities in rural and far-flung areas and Internet access in schools and libraries.
With the extremely tight deadline looming large, VoIP carriers and providers will have various issues to resolve before they can comply with the FCC regulation.
Foremost will be the decision to differentiate between interstate and international revenue, followed by the consideration to disable VoIP capabilities if customers are not using them. The second deliberation stems from the fact that the FCC considers a VoIP service facility that “is capable†of making or receiving two-way calls over a public telephone network to be “interconnectedâ€, irrespective of whether the customer uses the service or not. They will also have to distinguish between telecommunications and information services.
Written by pushpa27 on July 23rd, 2006 with no comments.
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The Federal Communications Commission’s (FCC) rule mandating VoIP service providers to deliver E911 (enhanced 911) services is not being followed by all the 200 Internet telephone companies in the US. While some like SunRocket and ViaTalk adhere to the rules strictly, others do not offer the E911 service to new customers who have the service on their landlines, a few like Broadcom do not offer the service at all, and yet others like MyPhoneCompany.com leave it to the discretion of the customer.
Providing E911 services to customers entails VoIP providers to allow them to hookup directly to emergency personnel who receive the number and address of the caller’s location. The only exception to the FCC rule concerns the provision of VoIP services to areas that do not support 911 services even for landlines.
Vonage is one of the companies that says it provides only 911 services in some parts of the country, where you have to explicitly provide the emergency staff with your phone number and physical address. MyPhoneCompany.com says it offers its customers the option of signing up for E911 services which carry the one-time activation fee and a fixed payment every month.
The provision of E911 services across the country depends on the 6200 public safety answering points (PSAPs) that take care of all emergency calls. With phone companies blocking access to some PSAPs, Internet telephony providers are prevented from offering E911 services in certain locations, alleges Jim Kohlenberger, executive director of the Voice on the Net Coalition, which represents the VoIP industry.
But there is hope for VoIP providers in the form of HR 5252 and S. 1063, two Congressional bills that are under consideration, and if passed, will mandate traditional phone companies to provide access to and sell 911 service to Internet telephony providers.
Written by pushpa27 on July 10th, 2006 with no comments.
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Realtime Publishers and Integrated Research have joined hands to ease the burden of VoIP deployment with a new VoIP manual. Realtime Publishers is a specialist in corporate sponsored ePublishing. Both companies have jointly released "The Definitive Guide to Successful Deployment of VoIP and IP Telephony." The new guide provides technical and non-technical professionals with practical insights into the specific steps they need to take for the successful implementation of VoIP and IP telephony. Each chapter will provide tips and information through audio podcasts. These audio podcasts will be recorded by author Jim Cavanagh and will be syndicated via the Realtime Nexus Digital Library podcast series.
According to IP Communications -
"The Definitive Guide to Successful Deployment of VoIP and IP Telephony" includes chapters on the IP telephony lifecycle, planning and assessment, design and pre-deployment testing, migration, ongoing operations, optimization and assuring success.
Written by Sagar on June 29th, 2006 with no comments.
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VoIP technology is taking a big leap towards integration with data applications. The day is not far off when VoIP is embedded in ERP and CRM applications, a move that will allow employees to make VoIP calls at the touch of a button without leaving the environment of the application they were working in. Integrating VoIP with other applications of a business so that information can flow seamlessly between business processes with the added bonus of the human voice aspect in addition to email and text is the next step for VoIP vendors, according to Gartner’s managing vice-president, Bob Hafner.
Joan Vandermate, vice president of product marketing at Siemens, believes that in another four years, voice presence will be embedded in applications. Siemens and Germany-based StepAhead Software are already working on such a product. SAP and Oracle are not far behind – they are also involved in talks with VoIP vendors to offer this capability. IP Communications reports:
Voice communications are headed toward becoming part of an overall software architecture incorporating voice, Web conferencing, e-mail, and IM. Microsofts next version of Live Communications Server incorporates voice and Web conferencing. The people we talk to are looking for a distributed software architecture that allows for intermingling of Web conferencing with instant messaging and call management rules, says Zig Serafin, general manager of Microsoft unified communications.
Written by pushpa27 on June 28th, 2006 with no comments.
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TerraSip S.A. has developed a standard, which provides VoIP users with a simple way of making CRM systems, address books and other applications CTI compliant. The new function allows the user to initiate a telephone call by following a link to an Internet address. This address can be configured as a link from other applications or Internet pages. TerraSip's SIP-free button represents a very effective implementation of this new technology. The button also provides a way of accessing a VoIP account at no extra cost. When the customer enters the telephone number in the relevant space of the web page, a return call from the provider is generated. Verivox has published an article on the Same Topic.
Interested users can find the details describing the ‘URL-Dialing’ interface on the TerraSip website. TerraSip is developing further applications using the relevant standard such as an interface for Microsoft Outlook or VolP communication simply using a browser without a VoIP compliant end device.
Written by Sagar on June 22nd, 2006 with no comments.
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Nortel has entered the VoIP industry with the launch of VoIP, Ethernet, WAN and wireless LAN that target companies with five to 250 users. The involvement of VoIP will bring significant changes in the Nortel's business communications. Nortel will now use its new Business Communications Manager (BCM), which is based on SME-focused VoIP switch. Besides having migrated to Linux from the Windows server platform, BCM has features such as security management and applications.
BCM 4.0 supports Session Initiation Protocol (SIP). The SIP trunking makes it possible to connect the box into a SIP-based VoIP service from carriers. The box includes an SME contact center package with call routing features and Nortel's unified messaging software. BCM 4.0 now has a new application that allows administrators apply operating sysem and VoIP software patches. My adsl has published an article on the Same Topic.
Another management upgrade is the addition of Proactive Voice Quality Monitoring - a technology developed by Nortel and VoIP management company, NetIQ - which measures the quality of voice calls on an IP telephony network and provides tools to troubleshoot and configure network settings to improve quality over LAN or WAN links, Nortel says.
Written by Sagar on June 15th, 2006 with no comments.
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QUALCOMM Inc., which develops digital wireless communications products and services based on Code Division Multiple Access (CDMA) and other technologies, has come out in flying colors in the field tests it conducted to demonstrate the quality and capacity of its mobile VoIP calls across various test environments such as mobile, pedestrian, and fixed. As many as 62 calls concurrent calls were placed over CDMA2000 1xEV-DO Rev. A. With EV-DO Rev. A, session initiation protocol (SIP) and other advanced technologies are used to achieve quality on par with landline calls in VoIP sessions. VoIP For SMB reports:
The full mobility success of these VoIP field tests represent another step toward the convergence of IP and mobile data services with landline wide area IP networks, as QUALCOMM helps bring its customers' IP Multimedia Subsystem (IMS) strategies to fruition. Operators will be able to efficiently merge their wireless and wireline networks based on IMS, allowing them to realize unsurpassed cost and operational efficiencies over current deployments.
Written by pushpa27 on June 13th, 2006 with no comments.
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Although VoIP (Voice over Internet Protocol) technology has been adopted across the organizations, there have been some concerns over the security and infrastructure. For this reason, cable companies have always preferred specialized VoIP providers to meet their objective of complete customer satisfaction. According to the findings of an independent survey conducted by SupportSoft, customers of cable companies are satisfied with VoIP service. However, a substantial percentage of the respondents admitted that a technician used to visit their home within three months of the initial service installation due to problems with the service.
VoIP customers of cable providers are confident about the reliability of VoIP technology. Majority of US subscribers prefer to receive multiple services from a single provider. The multiple services include a combination of VoIP and broadband access. About 80 percent of cable and VoIP customers surveyed said that they receive their broadband service from their cable service provider.
More Information: Read Here
Of the 39 percent of users who expressed a problem during the upload or download of data, 59 percent said that the most common problem was that their voice transmission was hard to understand.
Written by Sagar on May 31st, 2006 with no comments.
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Bell Canada, Nortel and New Heights Software have introduced the bell Canada Personal Communication Manager system (PCM) which is a PC based soft client combo of voice, multimedia communications and messaging which has been integrated into a single interface that can be used in office or while working remotely.
The PCM offered by Bell Canada enables laptop users to undock their machine and carry with them the same telephone and messaging service and profile which can be used at their corporate desktop. It also enables users to initiate calls and multiparty conference sessions can be conducted with just a point and click.
Via [VoIP for SMB]
Written by gautam.chabbra on May 27th, 2006 with no comments.
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Cedar Point Communications has announced that its SAFARI C3 Multimedia Switching System will be certified for Arbinet's PeeringSolutions managed VoIP peering service. Cedar Point Communications is an integrated VoIP switching technologies provider for the cable and telecommunications industries. SAFARI C3 Media Switching System is a PacketCable-qualified solution that supports legacy circuit and PacketCable voice services.
Arbinet's PeeringSolutions enables VoIP service providers to set up and manage direct VoIP peering relationships with selected partners. Customers can establish direct peering relationships and exchange VoIP traffic with a broad range of service providers. Service providers can obtain a full termination service enabling them to reach the major mobile and fixed-line destinations.
Certification of SAFARI C3 will assure global VoIP providers that the Cedar Point switch will integrate with PeeringSolutions' automated interface. SAFARI C3 is PacketCable-qualified and future-architected to fit within an IMS core network infrastructure. It allows network operators to leverage their initial equipment investment in voice. New applications can be integrated into SAFARI C3, or can be accessed via third-party application servers.
Written by Sagar on May 22nd, 2006 with no comments.
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T-Mobile has banned VoIP from its super 3G data network. The reason sighted by the company is poor quality. Earlier it was said that the move was a commercial decision but in a statement issued on Wednesday, the company stated that VoIP technology was not of high level quality so that it could provide a good customer experience on the T-mobile network.
The company also stated that there might be a change in the situation in the future but as of now in the interests of its customers it was necessary top restrict the use of VoIP technology.
Via ispreview
Written by gautam.chabbra on May 12th, 2006 with no comments.
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Protecting wireless networks is no longer a matter of choice in Westchester County New York but mandatory, thanks to a new law that has been passed to this effect. With this, this county becomes the first place in the US where such a law has been put in place.
What this means is that commercial businesses where customer information such as social security number, credit card numbers, or bank account numbers are passed over a wireless network should take necessary steps to protect such information. County executive Andy Spano emphasized, “We know there are many unsecured wireless networks out there, and any malicious individual with even minimal technical competence would have no trouble accessing information that should be kept confidential.â€
The new law mandates that businesses that use wireless networks should install a network firewall and disable SSID broadcasting. The same has to be complied in six months from now. Failing to do so will invite a fine and a second defaulting will invite a higher fine. While this new bold step displays all the right makings of a good law, the county officials are aware that enforcing it effectively is not going to be an easy task.
Andy Spano also pointed out “It would be nice if these businesses took the necessary steps on their own to ensure their networks were kept secure, but the sad fact is that many don’t. That’s why we’re taking it one step further and making it a law,â€
This step by the county officials towards to ensuring wireless security is definitely a step in the right direction. The rest of the United States and other European and developed nations can surely emulate this move. How effectively they manage to ensure compliance is an administrative problem that the county will have to find solutions to.
Written by shiama on May 5th, 2006 with no comments.
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If there were an emergency at home, most Americans would instinctively reach for a phone and dial the number that would bring help - 911. The fact that someone at the other end would answer the call asking you for a brief description of the crisis has instilled a degree of confidence in this system. The call center dispatcher also gets to see on the screen in front of them where the call emanated from.
Enter 21st century and with the coming of age or VoIP technology, more and more subscribers are opting for use of the VoIP phones. Skype and Yahoo! AT&T have their own phone system for their subscribers. However one drawback with this that’s now emerging is the fact that dispatchers experience difficulty in pin pointing the caller’s location.
According to Bernadette Lauer, spokeswoman for the Office of Emergency Management in York County, often times the dispatchers screen only displays a blank line or a series of zeros. This problem is caused due to the fact that a 911 call made over the Internet sometimes gets directed to the incorrect call center.
Traditional phone services have generally associated a particular phone number with a fixed address. Portable interconnected VoIP services enable consumers to take their home or business phone service almost anywhere. Because certain interconnected VoIP services can be used from virtually any broadband connection, the location of the caller cannot automatically be determined.
For now the numbers of such VoIP originated calls may not be too many. However one thing is for certain – the number will go up with the years and therefore there is an inescapable need to resolve this problem lest a genuine calls gets missed or unattended. The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) has imposed Enhanced 911 (E911) obligations on providers of “interconnected†VoIP services. This requires the VoIP providers must provide caller identification and location information to the call-answering center. After all when the next call may be from a victim whose life is at stake, every second spent in identifying the caller counts.
Written by shiama on April 30th, 2006 with no comments.
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The US House of Representatives Subcommittee on Telecommunications recently passed a bill which gives all VoIP service providers access to critical Enhanced 911 (E911) infrastructure. The bill grants access to selective routers, databases, numbering resources and other essential elements for the provision of E911 for nomadic VoIP services.
Access to E911 is a major worry for VoIP providers like Vonage, all this while. The passing of the bill ultimately benefits the consumer. Moreover, all voice service providers can also access the infrastructure they need to offer enhanced 911 to their customers.
Via Yahoo Finance
Written by gautam.chabbra on April 8th, 2006 with no comments.
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With VoIP emerging as a cost-effective alternative to traditional telephony, most organizations are migrating to calls over the Internet. As a result, they also have to contend with provision of emergency communications services for 911 and other critical number calls through VoIP technology. Though the Federal Communications Commission had set November 28, 2005 as the deadline for VoIP carriers to provide 911 services, none of them are fully compliant yet.
The Internet Engineering Task Force (IETF) is presently involved in an effort __ Emergency Context Resolution with Internet Technologies (ECRIT) __ to finalize a technical solution for the 911 problem which will allow police and other emergency rescue workers to locate and respond to 911 calls placed from IP telephones.
The ECRIT group is attempting to set standards for handling IP-based emergency calls that support voice, text and video messages. As part of the process, they will identify the requirements, terminology to be used and the security issues concerning the protocol. Most importantly, they will explain how to place the location of the call, and how to route them to the nearest public safety call center, by using either a protocol that uses domain name registries or one that uses web services.
ECRIT is also working on providing a global identifier for emergency calls so that international travelers can dial local emergency services on their IP mobile phones. This will involve converging over 60 global emergency call numbers into one identifier, says Marc Linsner, chair of the ECRIT working group and a consulting engineer with Cisco.
Existing IP networks and emergency call centers must have their technology components upgraded to support ECRIT, to make and receive emergency IP calls. IP phones should be able to determine their location information and route it through the service providers’ proxy servers to the nearest emergency call center. But till the time ECRIT comes up with a fully-compliant standard, service providers and organizations are using proprietary workarounds to handle IP-based emergency calls.
Written by pushpa27 on April 5th, 2006 with no comments.
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VoIP is bringing about a revolution in the way call centers are being run. New pathways are being hewn by routing calls to the agent best suited to handle the situation at hand and by employing staff members who can work from remote locations and still managed and monitored from a central location. Call transfers and conference calls are now possible without a break in service or prolonged waiting periods. Communication is made more effective by the amalgamation of CRM technologies that facilitate the recording, storage, and retrieval of customer transactions. These records are linked with the customer database and browsers and screen pop-ups render the latest customer information to the agent’s screen, so that the level of service provided is enhanced.
Written by pushpa27 on April 4th, 2006 with no comments.
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Mobile IP telephony is termed as a roadmap for most operators. The arrival of bigger companies will not have a negative impact on the mobile industry. Instead, it will help the mobile industry march into a powerful IP environment. Recently, Nokia launched a new handset called the Nokia 6136. The new phone features integrated VoIP over Wi-Fi using Unlicensed Mobile Access (UMA) technology. UMA is the cornerstone of fixed mobile convergence and allows operators to offer live roaming between GSM and unlicensed wireless networks, particularly Wi-Fi and Bluetooth.
VoIP could allow mobile operators an opportunity to provide communications services over the fixed network. The fixed mobile convergence theme continued in different shows and forums organized to promote IP telephony and mobile convergence. Deutsche Telekom launched T-One, a converged fixed mobile service using Nokia N80 and E60 devices. These GSM phones will also operate in VoIP mode on DSL, W-CDMA and Wi-Fi networks. The devices will offer VoIP calls from T-Mobile hotspots or via their users' home Wi-Fi networks.
VoIP is used with other fixed mobile convergence services. They utilize SIP to set up calls irrespective of bearer channel and allow the user to have a single number for the device. Some mobile VoIP clients are not based on UMA, but they tend to be Internet-based and offer very little in the way of quality assurance. The instant messaging suite, Office Communicator launched by Microsoft has VoIP capabilities in its mobile version.
Some people argue that VoIP is a substantial threat to mobile operators' voice revenues. However, VoIP could allow mobile operators an opportunity to provide communications services over the fixed network. In some services, any mobile operator could team with a broadband service provider and offer a service. The fixed-to-mobile substitution trend is a boon for mobile operators. It targets broadband home users and tighten mobile operators' grip on the voice market.
Written by Sagar on March 20th, 2006 with no comments.
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Philip Zimmerman is the creator of the popular Pretty Good Privacy e-mail encryption scheme. He has come up with an application that aims to provide a similar level of protection for VoIP phone calls. Called Zfone and available as a beta for Mac OS X and Linux, the application handles encryption and decryption of VoIP calls without the need for a central server or authentication. Zfone works with the major VoIP protocols and appears simple to use. Both parties of a call need to have the application installed in order for the encryption to function.
If one party is running the application, the call will be handled like regular, unencrypted VoIP traffic. If Zfone is running on both ends of a call, a key will be generated with each call and every packet encrypted and decrypted in real-time. A simple looking GUI indicates whether or not the call is secure. Zimmerman has submitted the ZRTP protocol, which sets up the cryptographic key agreement to the Internet Engineering Task Force for ratification as a standard.
In addition, he has created a Zfone software development kit so that developers can integrate ZRTP functionality into both softphones and VoIP hardware. Zfone seems to be an effective solution for the VoIP users. VoIP is growing in popularity as it is cheap and easy to configure. It is being pushed by both cable and traditional phone companies as part of the triple play of voice, video and Internet.
VoIP traffic can be tapped and eavesdropped on where as it is not easy to tap a traditional line. There are programs available that allow those with access to a network carrying VoIP traffic to listen in by converting the packet data into something as simple as a WAV file. The availability of the ZRTP SDK may be crucial in determining how widely VoIP encryption scheme will be used. It is currently suitable only for PC-to-PC calls on Macs and Linux machines.
Written by Sagar on March 15th, 2006 with no comments.
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Netrake, provider of session controllers, announced that networks based on the company's nCite session border controllers now support 3.5 million SIP subscribers of VoIP traffic. The company also accomplished a wireless milestone with more than 1 million subscribers installed on the Security Gateway UMA/GSM-based platform.
Session Border Controllers are network elements that control signaling and media across network domains and borders, executing the peering and security functions necessary for real-time communications. Netrake’s nCite is targeted towards consumer VoIP providers who handle more individual subscribers than competing solutions.
Read More: Netrake Achieves Milestone in VoIP Subcribers
Written by Sagar on March 15th, 2006 with no comments.
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VoIP permits users to make telephone calls using a computer network over Internet. It converts the voice signal from the user's telephone into a digital signal that travels over the Internet. Then it converts it back at the destination point to enable the call originator and receiver speaks and hears calls. The calls travel using the regular phone number.
The UK-based regulator, Office of Communications (OFCOM) gave its own version of VoIP as a generic term that refers to a technical standard. This standard enables the transmission of voice traffic in whole or in part. It is transmitted over one or more networks, which uses the Internet Protocol (IP). OFCOM also stated that VoIP traffic could be passed on either by privately managed network or public Internet.
Written by Sagar on March 12th, 2006 with no comments.
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Carriers plan to challenge voIP poachers with services to win back defecting small businesses and test the market's economics. Several VoIP service providers and established firms such as Google and Skype have made concreted efforts to win over small businesses with hosted VoIP services. Skype announced a program that targets small businesses in the United States. The new service is very lucrative and is expected to gain popularity in the market.
However, the major carriers opt for regional Bell operating companies and they are expected to strike back. Several such carriers are evaluating hosted VoIP offers. They are doing their market research to understand the types of customers who are leaving for these types of solutions. Also, they are focusing in developing offers to prevent these customers from defecting to these new entrants in the market.
Telecommunications carriers and multi-system operators or cable operators will test whether companies that host Internet voice services can sustain their economics in the face of stiff competition. Companies such as Vonage have had a free ride and some early success. But the carriers are going to contain this. Today, the main objective of the companies is to acquire and keep customers at a favorable cost. In the past few weeks, CEOs of the major carriers have spoken up about the prevailing unfair business situation, where VoIP application providers have generated huge amounts of traffic and built multimillion-dollar businesses on the broadband network.
The carriers have lobbied before the federal government to allow them to impose a tax on some of these companies so that they can contribute to the investment required to upgrade the network. The suggestion was opposed by consumer groups and other lobbyists. The battle between established carriers and VoIP application providers is not limited to the United States. It has become a global battle.
Written by Sagar on March 12th, 2006 with no comments.
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According to an independent study conducted by Nemertes Research, ShoreTel Inc has been given full marks for its value, troubleshooting, easy installation and overall performance. This is for the third year in a row that IT professionals have ranked ShoreTel ahead of companies like Cisco, Avaya and Nortel. This year it beat those companies by a bigger margin as compared to last year.
According to Robin Gareiss, Nemertes’ executive vice president and senior founding partner:
It’s rare to have a single vendor dominate ratings in any technology category for three years in a row.
via [TMCnet]
Written by gautam.chabbra on March 7th, 2006 with no comments.
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It is true that making phone calls over the Internet is cheap. Most people who tried to take advantage of the cheap calling rates of Internet telephony have experienced problems. These quality issues included dropping of calls or speech delays. However, there are some steps that could be taken to improve the quality and consistency of Internet telephony. In the last one year, Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) has become the buzzword in the communications industry. It has replaced the regular/traditional telephone service. There are several VoIP service providers who are trying to lead the VoIP revolution.
Even if a person does not have a broadband connection, he can still save a fortune by using VoIP service for long distance calls. A broadband connection will provide the user more consistent and reliable call quality. However, similar results can be obtained using a dial up account if some guidelines are followed. All VoIP service providers are different. All of them do not support dial-up users. Companies such as Vonage do not opt for dial up connections. The providers that do not support dial up usually support high-speed connections.
Closing the programs that are running in the background will ensure higher call quality. If the user is using windows, he can right click and close all open non-essential applications that are shown in the taskbar. If the user is using Windows XP and there are other users logged on, he needs to log off before trying to make a call. It is necessary for the user to be aware of what he is doing while making a call. If he overloads the limited data capability, the call quality may suffer. Other activities that will compete for bandwidth are Instant Messaging, email checking, web camera, surfing the Internet or downloading any software or files.
It is very essential to scan the system frequently for Viruses and Spyware. These programs can tie up the browser and Internet connection. It may also slow down the system and affect the call quality. It is preferable to scan the system every month to ensure that the anti-virus software remains updated. There are several companies who provide anti-viruses and spywares.
Written by Sagar on March 6th, 2006 with no comments.
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Mobility is one of the key themes of 2006 with many organizations implementing mobility strategies in place. The big challenge will be getting it right as it comprises a wide range of technologies from wireless handheld devices, mobile applications, wireless networks and VoIP over Wi-Fi. Virtual and collaborative technologies such as instant messaging will enable remote workers to become more productive. They are also critical to most mobility initiatives.
The SMB sector has always regarded sophisticated devices as hard working tools to improve productivity. There are several companies that are trying to enter into the competition. They are stepping up its efforts to win more small and medium-sized business customers. They also try to improve productivity, which is leading the mobility charge. Business consultants are focusing exclusively on small/home office and small-to-medium sized enterprises.
Written by Sagar on March 5th, 2006 with no comments.
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The growth of VoIP technology in the past one year suggests that VoIP has come of age. However, analysts believe that VoIP could take 20 years to see off the old steam telephone. The slow phasing out of the old PBX phone shows that a long network infrastructure needs to change completely. It might take 15 to 20 years to completely phase out the traditional telephony system.
If the predictions are to be believed, by 2010, 10 Gbits/sec links to the desktop over copper lines would be available. However, 1 Gbit/sec would be sufficient for most links between company premises and metropolitan trunk lines. Mobile roaming will be transparent and robust with the support of VoIP technology. It is also predicted that video calling from handhelds will be widely available and largely unused.
Written by Sagar on March 4th, 2006 with no comments.
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E911 solution has become a major concern for the VoIP providers after the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) asked the service providers to comply with the order to have E911 services in their network. Intrado recently partnered with Cordia Corporation, GlobeNet Carrier Services, GlobeTel Communications Corp. and Vonics Digital to provide efficient E911 services. The above companies chose the Intrado V9-1-1 Services to support their plans to comply with the FCC VoIP E911 order. Intrado V9-1-1 Services enable voIP service providers to meet their 9-1-1 obligations.
The system supports the provision of a Master Street Address Guide validated address. It directly connects to the 9-1-1 call taker's computer screen via the native 9-1-1 network. The MSAG serves as a municipality's 9-1-1 address database and is used to determine how to dispatch help to a specific location. According to Intrado sources, it has partnered with more than 35 VoIP service providers in order to provide E911 services. TMC Net reports:
"We are pleased that these VSPs have chosen Intrado to provide this essential service to their subscribers," said Stephen Meer, Intrado chief technology officer and co-founder. "VSPs continue to send a clear signal that they understand and value the comprehensive coverage the Intrado V9-1-1 Services provides."
Written by Sagar on March 4th, 2006 with no comments.
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Telcordia announced that it was awarded the 2006 "Frost & Sullivan Award for Product Innovation" for contribution to VoIP interoperability product development and innovation. This award is a perfect reward for Telcordia's commitment and advances in IP Multimedia Subsystem (IMS) and VoIP technology.
The Telcordia VoIP Routing Registry facilitates inter-carrier VoIP calling, a feature that's increasingly motivating consumer adoption of IP-based communication services. The solution is part of the Telcordia(R) Maestro(TM) IMS Portfolio, a powerful set of wireless, wire line and converged products, services and applications that enables service providers to offer any service, over any network, via any device.
Read More: Telcordia VoIP Routing Registry Receives 2006 Frost & Sullivan Award for Product Innovation
Written by Sagar on March 4th, 2006 with no comments.
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Untill recently, service providers have been charging the public for a non-service. Now the situation has been changed to a great extent. Domestic service providers are in a different position now. Selling service customers want to clear the mess as soon as possible. Many people will agree that new business models based on services are very crucial to revive a deteriorated economy. Consumers are accustomed to paying for enhanced services such as Caller ID, call waiting, and even the mysterious-sounding non-published service. It essentially grants an unlisted number of services that can cost a few dollars a month.
Many people, who spend lots of time in meetings, don't want to miss phone calls. But there is no universally adopted, automated and easy way to assure that phone calls can follow the users perfectly. Perhaps service providers should help corporations install Wi-Fi telephony networks. This service should be delivered after the caller comes into a central auto attendant so that corporate greetings can be leveraged. Selling software as a service to manage Wi-Fi telephony is a unique idea.
Wi-Fi networks and even Bluetooth networks that are powered by Bluetooth access points are beginning to emerge in organizations. Coupling a PDA as a GUI with a Bluetooth or Wi-Fi phone or headset replaces the need for a PBX with extensions. Perhaps tying systems like this into IP Centrex will yield some revenues for those service providers intelligent enough to pull it off. To get a taste of what companies are already doing in this space, it is necessary to check out the different aspects of this technology.
The merger of SIP devices and wireless endpoints will undoubtedly open up new opportunities as well. SIP makes IP telephony easier to use than traditional telephony. In this age of widespread instant messaging adoption, it is really nice to allow endpoints that chat to offload to voice. People will pay for this sort of service if sold properly.
Written by Sagar on March 2nd, 2006 with no comments.
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Internet phones may be catchy gadgets, but they can be trouble in an emergency. Voice over Internet Protocol converts voice sounds into digital signals that travel through the Internet instead of an analog phone lines. VoIP will work anywhere if there is an Internet connection. Unlike a standard phone, calls cannot be traced to a fixed address by emergency telephone operators.
Once the VoIP subscriber changes locations, 911 dispatch centers are unable to determine their locations. There have been issues when people called 911 using VoIP and ambulances have been dispatched to a different city. The Canadian Radio-Television and Telecommunications commission (CRTC) ruled against regulating the Internet in 1999. In an attempt to remove the 911 glitches, the CRTC ruled that VoIP providers had to send their 911 calls to a third party call center that would reroute calls to the local dispatch center.
Written by Sagar on March 2nd, 2006 with no comments.
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Advanced Micro Devices (AMD) Inc. has served Skype Technologies a legal notice demanding documentation relating to a new Skype feature for Intel-only machines. The new feature in Skype 2.0 enables 10-way voice conference calls only on machines powered with Intel dual-core processors. For users of all other computers, the maximum number of people to be hosted on a Skype conference call is five. When Skype and Intel announced the deal earlier, Skype claimed that Intel's chips had the performance required to host a 10-person call. AMD refutes this claim and said that the 10-way calling feature was disabled for users of AMD computers.
The Skype 2.0 software runs a CPU ID check to see which processor is sitting in the motherboard of the PC. If that CPU is not an Intel dual core chip, the software disables the 10-way feature. If the consumers have AMD processors in their PCs, they will be permitted to run 10-way call at some point. COMPUTER BUSINESS REVIEW ONLINE reports:
AMD's subpoena seeks any analyses or documents that would show proof of such a comparison. AMD also is demanding all documents, electronic and paper, relating to its dealings with Intel since the beginning of 2000.
Written by Sagar on March 2nd, 2006 with no comments.
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The VoIP market is undergoing rapid expansion in the recent years. More and more standards are being ratified for VoIP coders and signalling protocols. AudioCodes is a key originator of the G.723 VoIP compression standard. It enables the new voice infrastructure by providing innovative, reliable and cost-effective Voice over Packet technology and Voice Network products to network equipment providers and system integrators.
AudioCodes provides its customers with a diverse range of flexible, comprehensive media gateway and media processing technologies. It is based on VoIPerfect, a best-of-breed, core media gateway architecture. AudioCode's customers include the leading global telecom and data network equipment providers. AudioCodes voice network products feature media gateway and media server platforms for packet-based applications in the converged broadband and voice services market.
Written by Sagar on March 2nd, 2006 with no comments.
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IP Convergence has become the hottest happening in the communication industry now. The year 2005 was a very eventful year for growth of broadband telephony. VoIP registered a massive growth with more and more companies adopting the technology in their communication networks. Traditional telephony and PBX system are being rolled out in a phased manner to give way to Internet telephony and IP PBX. The enterprise telephony market continues its steady transition from circuit switching to packet switching technology. According to a research study, the worldwide TDM system revenue fell 15 per cent between 2004 and 2005. However, IP PBX revenue rose 23 per cent.
If the current trend continues, the Enterprise Telephony sector may soon become the most important revenue-generating sector in the future. The combined global TDM and IP PBX systems revenue totalled $8.1 billion in 2005. This is a 12 per cent increase over the corresponding period in 2004. The sector is expected to grow 43 per cent between 2005 and 2009. It will reach $11.6 billion as the organisations continue to move to VoIP. The IP PBX revenue will jump 82 per cent while TDM revenue will plunge 88 per cent.
The IP PBX market grew beyond the expectations of the industry analysts. This is a healthy trend from the global perspective. IP PBX revenue growth accelerated in 2005 in many parts of the world. Most of the revenue came from EMEA, Asia Pacific and Central America/Latin America. While the US and Canada led the market in American region, China, Japan and India dominated the market in Asia. North America lost revenue share in 2005 as things slowed down. It showed just four per cent revenue growth in 2005. In EMEA, Alcatel emerged as the leader in the fourth quarter of 2005. It also emerged as the overall leader for the full year. Siemens bagged the second spot in EMEA.
North America struggled to generate revenue in IP PBX market. Nortel led the North American IP PBX market in line shipments for 2005. Although there were other companies, Nortel got the lion's share. Hybrid PBXs accounted for 65 per cent of 2005 PBX revenue. TDM accounted 23 per cent of PBX revenue and pure IP accounted 12 per cent. Hybrids and pure IP devices will continue to increase market share until 2009 at the expense of TDM equipment.
Written by Sagar on March 1st, 2006 with no comments.
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