Expanding its footprint as a globally-recognized provider of Voice-over-IP (VoIP) telephony services, RNKVoIP announced that it will partner with VoIP Supply, a leading provider of VoIP hardware, software, and services, to provide a complete IP PBX package that includes equipment, telephone service and configuration for small businesses positioned to benefit from the Linksys LVS Program. VoIP Supply will also distribute RNK’s ReVoS Internet Voice Service products and services to consumers worldwide.

RNKVoIP is a participating service provider in the Linksys LVS Program, which gives small businesses a total telephone solution at a fraction of the cost of a “big business” system - but with virtually all the features and functionality.

Newrise Corporation announces the release of its (888)IZA-BIZA (492-2492) toll-free eBay auction status service. It allows both eBay buyers and sellers to track their auction status from anywhere, wherever there is telephone or cell phone access. They simply dial the number, enter in their eBay auction ID, and receive the status of their auction, including number of bids, highest bid and remaining duration. "We're a company dedicated to innovation. We always try to find easier and more efficient methods for conducting business. In today's work-anywhere and extensive travel environment, people need tools for their mobile lifestyle," said Bill Robbins, CEO.

SightSpeed, the leading provider of free and premium Internet video and voice communications services (VVoIP and VoIP) has announced the appointment of digital media veteran Ted Cohen and integrated marketing communications executive Andy Abramson to their Advisory Board.

"Ted and Andy's addition to our advisory board broadens the level of expertise and insight that a growing company like SightSpeed needs to have in order to remain ahead in an industry sector that is rapidly emerging and evolving," said Peter Csathy, SightSpeed CEO. "Both bring with them extensive industry insight and understanding along with a passion for driving new and emerging technologies to the forefront. This underscores SightSpeed's commitment to extending beyond being the leading IP-based communications company it is today and moving the company more deeply into video-centric community and commerce as well."

Telecom Industry Insider Rupert Galliers-Pratt, Chairman/CEO of Vistula Communications, Identifies Key VoIP Trends to Watch in 2006

AirGATE Technologies, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of the X-Change Corporation, has developed a VoIP add-on module for telephones in correctional facilities. Inmates make over 1,000,000 collect phone calls per day, and VoIP can provide greater efficiency and reduce costs.

Existing inmate telephones are not equipped with VoIP capability. Replacing the phones completely with VoIP enabled phone sets can be costly. AirGATE provides a cost effective way to upgrade these installed phones with VoIP modules. These modules come in two different versions: wired and wireless. Both of these modules are add-on units. The wired module requires power-over-Ethernet and the wireless module requires a power line capable of providing voltage and current to the units. The VoIP enabled telephones allow calls to be routed over local area networks and the Internet.

Over the holidays, I found myself talking to family and old friends about what I've been up too lately. I'd mention this website and they'd get a puzzled look on their face and respond, "VoIP what that"? Almost everyone had no clue what VoIP is or how it works.

So then, I'd ask them if they'd seen any Vonage commercials on TV. Still many thought they might have heard of Vongage, but weren't sure if they had. So, then being the musically inclined person I am started singing the Vonage theme song "Woo Hoo" by the 5,6,7,8's (a band).

As many of you may have noticed the news has been slightly delayed around here. I took off a few days to enjoy free time with family and friends visiting on vacation. I hope everyone had a safe and happy holiday. However the news must go on and stay tuned for some new additions coming to the VoIPMonitor website.

With an average of 500 new members per month since its launch in April, eDatingPlanet.com is rapidly becoming one of the most popular meeting places for singles on the Web. Now the site is offering free InPhonex VoIP long-distance service to its members.

For the past few months here at VoIPmonitor.net it has been vacation time. The creator of the site has been putting his efforts in elsewhere on other prominent web projects. After having the opportunity to intern and help update one of these other projects, he was kind enough to allow myself to take this one on and expand the websites potential. You can once again expect the news to be back on track with many additional features to follow.

Lastly, I'd like to say thanks for being given this opportunity and hopefully we can all enjoy the latest in VoIP news.

Several Minnesota government agencies appear to have recently decided to switch their phone system to utilize VoIP. This decision was made to allow all systems to use the same network and to make call routing a simpler task. This will lead to a reduction of roughly 15,000 phone line in the next couple of years.

vnunet reports that sales of VoIP equipment (to service providers) totaled $1.7 billion in 2004 and they expect these revenues to reach $5.9 billion in 2008.

Read the full article at http://www.vnunet.com/news/1161492.

Nimcat Networks, the premiere provider of embedded, peer-to-peer (P2P) call processing software, is announcing the availability of nimXTM for Windows. Showcased with nimPhoneTM, users can now experience all of the benefits of a nimXTM-enabled hard phone with the convenience of a PC-centric approach.

Popular Telephony, the telecommunications middleware company and creator of Peerio™ – the innovative technology for server-free, peer-to-peer communications, today at the Internet Telephony conference in Miami, FL announced that China-based Ewoophone will be the first VoIP service provider in Asia to offer PC-to-PC and PC-to-phone VoIP service using Peerio serverless technology.

VocalTec Communications Ltd., a leading telecom equipment provider offering carrier class packet voice solutions, today announced its presentation in a conference session titled "Mission Critical Considerations for Service Providers", at TMC's Internet Telephony(R) Conference & Expo Miami 2005, on February 25, 2005 at the Hyatt Regency in Miami, Florida.

Pingtel is launching a new channel program, this week, as part of its plan to foster an open-source community around VoIP.

For customers, the benefit of using open-source VoIP tools is fairly straightforward, said Gary Scroggs, partner and owner of Innovational IP Solutions, a Pingtel partner in Bothell, Wash.