VoIP Monitor - VoIP Providers|MSN Messenger

Free Conference Calling for Windows Live Messenger by Vapps

VoIP Monitor — Thu, 25 Jan 2007 18:47:47 GMT

Vapps announces an alliance with Windows Live Messenger to offer free conference calling services to the 255 million users of Windows Live Messenger through a convenient activity.

Windows Live Messenger, the next version of MSN Messenger, is the world's largest easy-to-use consumer instant messaging service that allows people to connect with others in real time, expressing themselves in a rich, convenient and fun way. Users of the conference calling plug-in will be supplied with a conference bridge number as well as participant codes for use by up to 500 participants simultaneously. A variety of services will be available through the conferencing activity including, standard call management (volume control, muting, participant announcing, conference locking and recording) along with sophisticated moderator features for Web-based on-demand call control.

The conferencing activity will allow users of Windows Live Messenger to enhance their instant messaging experience and enable them to connect simultaneously through voice conferencing with their growing network of friends, family and colleagues.

"The evolution of conference calling has taken a giant leap over the last 12 months with the adoption of conferencing services by consumers using the internet as their communications platform," said Ben Lilienthal, CEO and co- founder of Vapps. "We are pleased to have the opportunity to extend our services to users of Windows Live Messenger and offer premium conferencing capabilities to the growing number of users across the Web."

Windows Live Messenger is free to download and is available in 26 languages and is used in more than 60 countries.

Nimbuzz Goes Live With Mobile Calls

VoIP Monitor — Wed, 17 Jan 2007 18:58:14 GMT

Nimbuzz launches its voice enabled mobile and PC clients, designed to support more than 500 mobile phone models and Windows XP/2000 for the PC client. Additionally, Nimbuzz is now also made available for all Internet capable mobile phones where users cannot or will not download software to their phones. Instead they simply use their mobile browser.

Nimbuzz is free to download. No monthly charges. No credits needed. Nimbuzz users just pay the lowest local rate to their mobile operator. The mobile service is available in 35 countries.

Nimbuzz is now mobile connected to Google Talk and MSN / Windows Live Messenger for Chat and Voice. This means that mobile Nimbuzz users can call their buddies on these communities on their PC against their cheapest local rate. They Chat with them on their mobile for free.

With Nimbuzz you can also make international calls from your mobile to other mobile phones at the cheapest local rate. The only condition is that both phones have the Nimbuzz software installed. Nimbuzz eliminates the high roaming tariffs operators are charging!

The product is full of additional features: mobile-to-mobile calls (also at local cost), free (Group) Text messaging and the ability to place Group Calls on the fly with up to 5 buddies (either Nimbuzz, GTalk or MSN Live Messenger). Mobile connected parties pay local cost, PC connected parties pay nothing.

"This release is a major step towards our next goal: connecting all major VoIP-communities on the Internet with the mobile for Chat, Voice and various Messaging services", stated Evert Jaap Lugt (CEO). "Nimbuzz is now testing the Yahoo!, AIM, ICQ and Skype connectivity, wait and see".

MSN Messenger Integrated with DIDX.net Service

VoIP Monitor — Wed, 08 Nov 2006 21:15:05 GMT

DIDX.net, has integrated with Microsoft MSN Messenger using gtalk2voip services.

DIDX is the DID exchange of choice for 3250+ telecoms from 200+ countries. DIDX began with 100 members in August 2005. One of the most disruptive, practical VoIP services in the 21st century, DIDX is created and maintained by Super Technologies, Inc.

The MSN interconnection makes Super Technologies the first company in the world to offer phone lines on Microsoft MSN Messenger and the opportunity to empower more individuals and industry than ever with DID from Africa, Asia, the Americas, Australia, and Europe.

“We predicted the ever-increasing demand in the world market for DID versatility at our startup in 1999. We have made it our mission to cater to this demand. Most of all, we are excited about the un-imaginable number of opportunities available to our thousands of global telecom partners to benefit from this deal,” says Suzanne Bowen CEO, Super Technologies, Inc.

Customers can own African, American, Australian, European, and Asian phone numbers (DID = Direct Inward Dialing) on their Microsoft MSN Messenger, freedom for mobility and flexibility.

Super Technologies, Inc.'s DIDX service is poised to offer similar interconnections for other exciting programs such as Google Talk, Gizmo Project, Free World Dialup and Skype.

The service will be offered through the DIDX’s retail number sales web site on www.virtualphoneline.com. Measures are in process to add the module to wholesale DID engine, www.didx.net.

MSN Messenger is a service and product of Microsoft Corporation. Google Talk is a service and product of Google, Inc. Skype is a service and product of Skype Limited. All services and products mentioned are property of their relative companies.

Orange Cellphones Gain Access to Windows Live Messenger

VoIP Monitor — Thu, 19 Oct 2006 13:44:47 GMT

"Orange and Microsoft have struck a deal under which Orange's 135 million European cellphone customers will be able to exchange instant messages with the 240 million Windows Live Messenger IM users around the world."

The service is accessible from either an Orange mobile or PC and provides customers with all of Oranges portal services. These services include: email, blog, ring tones, logos and access to the Windows Live services. The Orange PC application also provides PC-to-PC free VoIP calls, video calls and send SMS.

New VoIP Handsets for Skype and MSN Messenger

VoIP Monitor — Wed, 28 Jun 2006 14:56:20 GMT

You can read more here how Philips Electronics is teaming with Skype and Microsoft Corp. to present two new Internet telephony phones, the Skype VOIP321 (pictured) and Windows Live Messenger VOIP433.

The devices were shown first time during the CES 2006 in Las Vegas, and showcased again during the Philips’ 2006 CE Line Show/Holidays.

Microsoft and MCI Join to Provide Consumer PC-to-Phone Calling

VoIP Monitor — Tue, 13 Dec 2005 05:45:41 GMT

Here is the official press release of the Microsoft and MCI joining to provide Windows Live Messenger with PC-to-Phone calling.

Microsoft Corp. and MCI Inc. announced a global, multiyear partnership to provide software and services that enable customers to place calls from a personal computer to virtually any phone. The solution, MCI Web Calling for Windows Live Call, will be available through Windows Live Messenger, the upcoming successor to MSN Messenger, which has more than 185 million active accounts around the world. The solution combines Windows Live software, advanced voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) capabilities and the strengths of MCI's expansive global network to give consumers an easy-to-use, convenient and cost-effective way to stay connected.

MCI and Microsoft are testing the service as part of a Windows Live Messenger limited beta with subscriptions initially available in the United States, and expect to jointly deliver the PC-to-phone calling capabilities to France, Germany, Spain and the United Kingdom in the coming weeks. Once subscribed to the service, customers can place calls to and from more than 220 countries with rates starting at $.023 per minute to the U.S., Canada, the U.K. and Western Europe during the beta testing period. Upon sign-up, MCI Web Calling customers will receive up to one hour of free calls. Final pricing will be determined when the product officially launches in 2006.

"Our new Windows Live PC-to-phone voice feature requires a partner that shares our vision for connecting people globally. We are thrilled to work with a proven global technology provider like MCI to provide the bridge between PCs and phones with high-quality voice services that enable people to communicate more easily, conveniently and inexpensively," said Blake Irving, corporate vice president of the MSN Communication Services and Member Platform group at Microsoft. "Our customers are going to love this."

"MCI Web Calling harnesses the power of MCI's expansive global network with VoIP technology to support high-quality, cost-effective PC-to-phone voice connections around the world," said Patty Proferes, senior vice president of Mass Markets and Corporate Advertising for MCI. "This is a terrific example of the expanded MCI and Microsoft strategic relationship as the two companies continue to develop and deliver next-generation services for our customers."

Instant Messaging: More Than Text

The ability to see a contact's presence information and send real-time text messages has spurred the growth of instant messaging (IM) services. Today, MSN Messenger customers can communicate with those people that matter most to them through text IM and free PC-to-PC voice and video features, and augment their communications with rich personal-expression features and activities.

The Microsoft and MCI technology builds on Microsoft's PC-to-PC voice investments, and will enable customers to call from a PC to phones around the world, including mobile phones, by simply clicking on an entry within their contact list in Windows Live Messenger or typing a phone number into the Windows Live Call softphone, taking the instant messaging experience to a new level. Windows Live Messenger builds on MSN Messenger to help people develop even deeper connections with the people they care about through a variety of experiences -- from communication to sharing information. Interested parties can learn more about Windows Live Messenger at http://ideas.live.com.

Customers will be able to sign up for MCI Web Calling via the Windows Live Messenger client. MCI will manage customer registration, terminating calls, customer account management, customer support and billing for the PC-to-phone voice service, and will work closely with Microsoft on delivering a high- quality software service and customer experience. Customers will purchase prepaid calling time from MCI in $5, $10 or $25 blocks for use with the service.

Windows Live Messenger Beta Anticipated this Week

VoIP Monitor — Mon, 12 Dec 2005 23:52:42 GMT

I'm excited to hear Microsoft Corp. is expected to make Windows Live Messenger instant-messaging service available to beta testers this week. Testers report that invitations were sent out from Microsoft for the selected beta testers. It has been said Microsoft will be including additional VoIP capabilities in the first Windows Live Messenger release. Sources report Windows Live Messenger users will have the capability to place calls both domestic and internationally from PC-to-Telephone with incredibly low rates. Microsoft will deliver this in conjunction with MCI Inc. sources said, "MCI will then sell users blocks of VoIP time".

Microsoft Makes Ripples with Acquisition of Teleo

VoIP Monitor — Wed, 31 Aug 2005 18:55:45 GMT

Microsoft Corp. announced it has acquired Teleo Inc., a provider of voice over Internet protocol (VoIP) software and services that enable the placement of phone calls from PCs to traditional phones and that deliver this technology in unique ways through a variety of software and Web applications. Microsoft expects to combine the technology and expertise of Teleo with the existing VoIP investments of MSN to further develop products and services that connect consumers to the people and information that most matter to them. Financial details were not disclosed.

Founded in 2003 and headquartered in San Francisco, Teleo is a privately held company whose initial planned service offering, also called Teleo, was designed to allow customers to use their PC to make phone calls to cell phones, regular phones or other PCs. Through its integration with Microsoft Outlook and Microsoft Internet Explorer, the Teleo service was designed to facilitate click-to-call dialing of any telephone number that appears on-screen, for example through a Web site or via search results or e-mail.

VoIP technology already is prominently featured in MSN Messenger as well as other Microsoft products and services. Microsoft plans to incorporate and expand upon Teleo technologies, integrating them into the infrastructure that supports MSN and ultimately projects delivering new VoIP consumer applications in future releases of MSN services.

"Teleo has great technology to deliver superior VoIP quality and an excellent overall customer experience," said Blake Irving, corporate vice president of the MSN Communication Services and Member Platform group at Microsoft. "This acquisition opens up infinite opportunities for Microsoft to enable even more relationship-centric communications experiences for our customers in the future."

Members of the Teleo executive team will continue to work closely with MSN following the acquisition, and a number of Teleo product developers are expected to join the MSN ranks.

"It's going to be very exciting to see Teleo software extended into MSN products and services that millions of consumers worldwide rely upon every day for their information and communication needs," said Wendell Brown, co-founder of Teleo. "The union of our respective technologies and talents has the potential to deliver great value to customers."