VoIP Monitor - VoIP Wireless

Ooma Free Home Phone Service Cuts the Cord with New Wireless Offerings

VoIP Monitor — Wed, 14 Sep 2011 21:20:52 GMT

Ooma announces that it is extending even more freedom and flexibility to its customers with new wireless offerings.

With the first-of-kind introduction of the new Ooma Telo Air wireless adapter, the Ooma Telo can now be placed anywhere in the home within range of a Wi-Fi network. The company also announced that it is extending the availability of its Ooma Bluetooth service to all Ooma Telo subscribers to broaden the integration of mobile phones and Ooma home phone systems. Ooma Bluetooth service was previously only available to Ooma Premier service subscribers.

Ooma's first-to-market support for home Wi-Fi VoIP connectivity is made possible by Ooma's PureVoice HD technology with advanced voice compression and adaptive redundancy to overcome any signal degradation within the wireless network. More information on Ooma PureVoice HD technology is available at www.ooma.com/products/ooma-purevoice.

By using the new wireless adapter to untether the Ooma Telo from the modem or router, customers have more convenient access to their cordless phone base station, voicemail messages and other advanced features that Ooma offers. They also have the option of using the Ooma Telo as a wireless bridge for laptops and other devices throughout the home. Ooma is delivering broad home coverage and a high-quality calling experience using the latest 802.11n wireless standard combined with Ooma PureVoice HD technology, which delivers crystal-clear call quality and up to twice the fidelity of standard phone calls for a richer, more natural sounding conversation.

By adding an Ooma Bluetooth adapter to the Ooma Telo, customers gain the convenience of answering mobile phone calls on any home phone without worry of poor reception or dropped calls. It provides transmission range of up to 30 feet and supports up to seven Bluetooth devices.

Further integrating the mobile and home phone experience, Ooma also offers the Ooma Mobile HD App for Android and Apple mobile devices so customers can save money on domestic and international calls by tapping their Ooma account on the go over any Wi-Fi or 3G network.

Pricing
the Ooma Telo Air wireless adapter is available for $49.99. The Ooma Bluetooth Adapter is available for $29.99.

Ooma Premier is an optional level of service offering a suite of more than 25 advanced telephony services, including the new 911 Notification feature, and costs $9.99 per month. New customers signing-up for one-year of Ooma Premier service receive their choice of a free number port, Ooma Telo Handset, Ooma Bluetooth adapter or extended warranty.

VTech Introduces World's First CAT-iq 2.0 Certified Product

VoIP Monitor — Fri, 18 Feb 2011 15:45:01 GMT

VTech announces that its new Avant 5000 model cordless VoIP phone has become the first handset in the world to be certified as compliant with CAT-iq 2.0, a certification programme introduced by the DECT Forum only in December last year. The programme tests devices on protocol, radio frequency level and especially on audio quality, one of the key drivers of CAT-iq.

CAT-iq stands for Cordless Advanced Technology - internet and quality. It was developed to meet the demands of the new generation of IP-based services and devices. The technology enables transport of voice via broadband, making it sound more natural and "true-to-life" than the standard Plain Old Telephone Network and 3G mobile communication. The DECT Forum is the international association of the wireless home and enterprise communication industry and has been offering certification of CAT-iq products at laboratories in Germany and Norway.

The big step forward with CAT-iq 2.0 is that it enables customers to make end-to-end VoIP calls with all the extras that come with SIP telephony, including wideband voice quality, multiple lines, caller ID and synchronisation of phone books and system settings. Certified CAT-iq 2.0 handsets from different system vendors can also be used on the same certified base station. They are inter-operable with other CAT-iq handsets and gateways, and are also backward compatible to certain other DECT products.

VoIP Supply Announces Addition of New Polycom KIRK Handsets

VoIP Monitor — Tue, 25 Jan 2011 18:10:41 GMT

VoIP Supply is pleased to announce the addition of five new Polycom KIRK wireless handsets. KIRK handsets are a wireless solution, based on the international DECT standard, for any business looking to provide employees with the freedom and efficiency of being able to move freely through the workplace while maintaining continuous availability.

These new handsets were designed for specific applications - Manufacturing and Healthcare. For example, the Polycom KIRK 7020, developed for the healthcare industry, is a bacteria resistant handset with a membrane keypad for easy cleaning. Durable and dust tight, the Polycom KIRK 6020was engineered for mobility in manufacturing applications and is also water, vibration, and shock resistant.

"VoIP Supply is excited to provide even more options for Polycom's wireless solution offerings," said Garrett Smith, Chief Marketing Officer at VoIP Supply. "These systems already provide a high level of flexibility and expandability but having handsets designed with specific needs in mind opens up this low cost solution to a much larger audience."

RIM Announces BlackBerry Mobile Voice System 5 with Voice over Wi-Fi Calling

VoIP Monitor — Mon, 26 Apr 2010 17:12:42 GMT

Research In Motion announces BlackBerry Mobile Voice System 5 with voice over Wi-Fi calling. BlackBerry MVS 5 works with Cisco Unified Communications Manager to provide a business user with the ability to use their regular desk phone number and extension from their BlackBerry smartphone. With the new version 5, an employee will be able to use a single work phone number shared between their desk phone and BlackBerry smartphone and make and receive enterprise calls on their BlackBerry smartphone over a Wi-Fi connection, adding to the existing capability available over cellular networks.

An increasingly mobile workforce and the growing number of employees working from home present challenges for businesses to keep their staff accessible through their work phone number and keep calling costs under control. With BlackBerry MVS 5, calls made through BlackBerry MVS are routed through the corporate phone system/Private Branch Exchange, which helps with adherence to company policies and enables potential savings on long-distance and international roaming charges. Employees also benefit from the convenience of a single work phone number shared between their desk phone and BlackBerry smartphone. Employees can be more reachable through their work phone number and can even enjoy the convenience of extension dialing from their BlackBerry smartphone as well as the flexibility to move calls from their BlackBerry smartphone to their desk phone. It’s also easy to use since incoming calls ring simultaneously on the employee’s desk phone and BlackBerry smartphone and employees access BlackBerry MVS using the same phone interface that they are already familiar with on their BlackBerry smartphone.

RIM and Cisco have worked closely to integrate BlackBerry MVS 5 with Cisco Unified Communications Manager to deliver an enhanced user experience. The solution has been tested for interoperability and will be supported by both RIM and Cisco.

Advanced IT features built into BlackBerry MVS 5 will help to provide controlled, managed and secure use of BlackBerry smartphones with the corporate phone system. Key features include:

Wi-Fi network access controls to set which Wi-Fi networks employees can access
Network preference settings with the option of prioritizing the use of Wi-Fi or cellular for making phone calls
Authentication to help ensure that only authorized BlackBerry smartphones have access to the corporate phone system
Incoming call filtering based on allowed and blocked caller lists
A new interoperability platform has also been added to BlackBerry MVS 5 to enable telecommunications companies to offer BlackBerry MVS 5 as part of their corporate phone system offerings. RIM is working with leading companies to make BlackBerry MVS available for a range of PBX systems.

BlackBerry MVS 5 is expected to be available later this year.

Aruba Network Certifies the Wireless snom 800 Series VoIP Desk Phones

VoIP Monitor — Mon, 02 Nov 2009 17:16:30 GMT

Aruba Networks and snom announce that the wireless snom 820 and 870 VoIP Desktop Phones have been certified interoperable with multi-use Aruba 802.11n wireless LANs. Multi-use networks share wireless infrastructure among different voice, data, and video applications, and are increasingly popular because they eliminate redundancy, enhance user mobility, and significantly lower deployment and operating costs. Cost savings come in part from scaling down -- or rightsizing -- expensive wired Ethernet infrastructure in favor of low-cost, more energy-efficient Wi-Fi networks. Desk phones have traditionally been tethered to wired Ethernet connections, but the new wireless snom phones allow these connections to be rightsized, too.

Network rightsizing is a three step process in which the utilization of existing wired Ethernet infrastructure is assessed, unused or underutilized ports and switches are consolidated to lower recurring costs and energy usage, and mobile users and devices are migrated to 802.11n Wi-Fi networks. The cost savings and carbon footprint reduction obtained from network rightsizing have been demonstrated in projects large and small. Migrating desk phones from wired to wireless connections promises to boost rightsizing savings even further, while delivering the freedom to locate and move phones at will.

Industry analysts report an advancing wave of SIP-capable equipment, and the technology is the clear choice for new phone deployments. Major UC/PBX vendors now offer SIP connectivity on the station side, avoiding the need to implement multiple proprietary signaling protocols.

The snom 820 VoIP phone has been compliance-tested by Avaya for compatibility with Avaya IP Office 5.0, and features a large high-resolution TFT color display, integrated XML browser, speakerphone with interference noise suppression, secure VPN, 5-way conferencing, multiple ringtones, and up to twelve different SIP identities. The 870 VoIP phone includes a larger touch-screen display, larger address book, and additional security features.

Aruba uses wireless snom phones in its Sunnyvale HQ facility and new Rockefeller Center offices in New York City. The latter is a completely wireless VoIP deployment anchored by an Avaya IP-PBX in Sunnyvale.

V Phone: Mobile & Wireless VoIP on the Apple iPhone

VoIP Monitor — Wed, 28 Oct 2009 16:56:26 GMT

The V Phone offers a key advantage that is sure to grab the attention of users of other mobile VoIP software. Rather than locking iPhone users into working with a single VoIP provider, it lets users choose between multiple providers of their choice for voice calling. The V Phone nullifies the single provider protocol and lets users choose the most cost-effective provider for each task, a capability that is unique among such programs. In addition, the V Phone app is the first ‘open and configurable’ app to also offer SMS messaging over IP.

The V Phone’s SMS features offers two standard VoIP provider networks, as well as an option for entering the user's own provider of choice. The app’s VoIP calling and text messaging options works with WiFi, allowing for convenient coverage without the need for a SIM card. Additionally, iPhone users can now make 3G/GPRS/HSDPA VoIP calls. With an intuitive, attractive graphical user interface and simple installation steps, the V Phone makes it easy for anyone to save money and start getting more out of their mobile or cell phones.

Matrix has released a video on You Tube demonstrating to iPhone users on how easy it is to configure and use the app.

Matrix has submitted the app to Apple for approval and believes it should be available in the App Store within 2 to 3 weeks.

FreedomIQ Hosted VoIP PBX Enhanced to Support Cisco WIP310 Wireless-G

VoIP Monitor — Thu, 12 Mar 2009 19:20:02 GMT

FreedomVOICE announces that the FreedomIQ Hosted VoIP PBX has been enhanced to support use of the Cisco WIP310 Wireless-G VoIP phone. The WIP310 adds a new dimension to FreedomIQ VoIP solutions. Whether held over in an airport or doing business in a hotel lobby, mobile professionals can enjoy all of the advanced features of their FreedomIQ Hosted VoIP PBX from any location with wireless Internet access.

“The rise of sophisticated wireless networks is pushing the envelope for what can be done in the world of business VoIP,” says Eric Thomas, founder and CEO of FreedomVOICE. “The WIP310 Wireless-G from Cisco allows users of our VoIP phone systems to achieve the same functionality as their desktop VoIP phone when they’re away from their desk.”

On why FreedomIQ chose to support the WIP310, Thomas says, “The demand for a wireless IP phone is simply too great for any savvy VoIP service provider to ignore. As telecommuting continues to rise and office size continues to shrink, the flexibility and power provided by a wireless IP phone becomes increasingly valuable. We tested a variety of wireless handsets to support with FreedomIQ, but in the end Cisco’s WIP310 was head and shoulders above the rest.”

Beyond the practical benefits of using the WIP310 with FreedomIQ, the phone itself boasts many advanced features:

Backlit display and keypad
Acoustic echo cancellation
WEP wireless encryption
802.11b/g standards compliance
A USB port and base charger
3 hours talk time, 40 hours standby

Coms Launches VoIP DECT System

VoIP Monitor — Thu, 04 Dec 2008 16:26:02 GMT

Coms launched its VoIP DECT System, a fully wireless version of its VoIP business telephony service. The Coms Wireless VoIP DECT system gives customers crystal clear voice coverage from 300 meters to an area up to 64 Sq kilometres using repeaters and additional base stations. Handset battery life is also dramatically improved, allowing 150 hours of standby and 10 hours of talktime, as well as access to all the usual business telephone system features e.g. call hold, call transfer, voice mail to email, etc.

The Coms VoIP DECT System DECT Business Telephone Systems System uses a 'Base Station' about the size of a cereal box, which is installed at the user's location and connects to the internet. The Base Station essentially acts as a bridge between the telephone handsets and Coms servers, delivering a wireless signal to the handsets. This means that the service delivers the same benefits expected of a first rate business VoIP service, with the added bonus of increased mobility, ease of installation and more adaptability.

As the Coms service is internet based, any number of locations, including home offices, can be included in the same network, significantly streamlining business communications. Members of staff who move between sites need only take their handset with them. They will be registered on the new site's Base Station as soon as they are within range.

Boingo Mobile Supports Wi-Fi Enabled Sony Ericsson Smartphones

VoIP Monitor — Wed, 03 Sep 2008 17:10:35 GMT

Boingo announces that owners of Wi-Fi enabled Sony Ericsson UIQ 3.0 handsets can now download the Boingo Mobile application to get online worldwide at more than 80,000 Boingo hotspots. Boingo Mobile identifies hotspots that are part of the Boingo Wi-Fi network and automatically authenticates users. Boingo’s network includes more than 500 airports including 85 of the top 100 airports worldwide – as well as hotels, coffee shops, restaurants, cafés and retail locations.

Boingo Mobile supports Wi-Fi enabled Sony Ericsson smartphones such as the W960i, P1i; and the recently announced G900.

“An increasing number of smartphones with Wi-Fi capability are now available in the market, giving consumers the option to access their favorite phone applications over a fast and inexpensive connection,” said Jonathan Mendelson, general manager of Boingo Mobile. “Sony Ericsson customers can now experience the broadband speed and great online experience provided by Boingo Mobile Wi-Fi.”

For a monthly, flat-fee, Boingo Mobile is a fast and inexpensive connectivity option for multimedia mobile applications such as VoIP calls, video streaming, and file uploading and downloading. Boingo Mobile subscribers enjoy unlimited usage for only $7.95, €5.95 or £3.95 per month, with no per-minute or per-megabyte fees, no contracts and no cancellation penalties. Sony Ericsson customers receive the first month free when they sign up at http://mobile.boingo.com/se.

Airspan Introduces WiMAX for 1.4 - 1.5 GHz

VoIP Monitor — Thu, 24 Jul 2008 18:29:27 GMT

Airspan introduces a new Broadband Wireless solution that supports the frequency bands from 1.4 - 1.5 GHz. The solution includes base station equipment and a suite of subscriber devices including models with support for Voice over IP and WiFi.

A complete end-to-end solution, Airspan's new product offering includes the MicroMAX Base Station and EasyST, ProST, and ProST-WiFi subscriber units, all compliant with the IEEE802.16d standard. The solution also works with other band-independent Airspan products, including VoIP and WiFi extensions for EasyST and ProST, as well as VoiceMAX -- the company's unique solution for enabling VoIP QoS over a WiMAX network.

Legacy TDM radio relay systems in 1.5-GHz were often deployed for voice by operators with universal service obligations. Now, many countries are pursuing universal service obligations for broadband. With this solution, Airspan provides a broadband product in the same frequency and, with VoiceMAX, provides lifeline quality voice service that the users of these legacy systems have come to rely on.

sipgate Offering the Pirelli DualPhone DP-L10 for £59.00

VoIP Monitor — Tue, 08 Apr 2008 19:23:49 GMT

Sipgate is currently making mobile VoIP affordable for everyone - via Dual Mode Mobile Phone (GSM/Wifi) and is offering the 'Pirelli DP-L10' for a sensational GBP59. Because of its free SIM-lock, the Pirelli can be used by any cellular customer. Orders can be placed at sipgate's Online-Shop at sipgate.co.uk/shop for everyone even for those who are not sipgate VoIP customers.

On one hand, the 'Pirelli DP L10' is a GSM-Triband mobile phone, on the other hand it is a VoIP telephone which permits a mobile Internet telephony via WLAN. Therefore, up to five WLAN-Hotspots can be securely set up. Users can decide at the push of a button whether or not to converse via cellular or the less expensive VoIP. Incoming calls are automatically signalized by both networks. If no WLAN hot spot is available, calls to the local number of the VoIP account can be fowarded to the mobile telephone number. To easily set up the configuration of the VoIP and WLAN parameter, sipgate provides a customized quick-start guide.

Among other things the 'Pirelli DP L10' has a colour display (65K colours), a VGA camera and a phone book for 500 entries. Additional features include SMS, MMS, WAP 2.0 and E-Mail that even synchronizes contacts with Outlook. Securing the WLAN connection is through WEP, WPA or WPA2. The battery allows for a talk time up to four hours and a stand-by time of up to 180 hours. Moreover, the Pirelli is really lightweight at only 98 grams and just as handy as a normal mobile telephone measuring 10,5 x 4 x 1,4 cm.

Tpad Launches Mobile VoIP on Nokia WiFi Mobiles

VoIP Monitor — Wed, 26 Mar 2008 21:05:26 GMT

Tpad announces the availability of a free SMS text service that will automatically setup a WiFi enabled mass-market mobile phone that will bring free or ultra low cost mobile VoIP calls to millions.

The SMS text service is currently configured for Nokia's latest E and N series phones and will be constantly updated when leading mobile phone producers such as Samsung and Motorola release their brand new WiFi phones later this year.

Mobile calls between Tpad users are free worldwide if the calls are routed over their WiFi Connection. All other PSTN calls from the user's WiFi mobile to any other landline or mobile in the world will be charged at the usual low Tpad VoIP rates.

This SMS text service has been designed to remove the need for complicated set up procedures. At Tpad, set up is easy and fast, customers simply create a free mobile account and then they will automatically receive a free SMS text that will configure their phone's SIP settings with Tpad.

Tpad integrates seamlessly with the phone using the existing address book, so there's no need to retype your contacts. Once set up to use a WiFi hotspot, the mobile connects automatically next time the phone is in range.

The beauty of this service is that no special software is needed, as it uses the inbuilt software that Nokia already has pre-installed. This ensures that there will be full compatibility with trouble free usage.

Linksys Unveils New Wireless-G iPhone

VoIP Monitor — Tue, 18 Mar 2008 21:30:24 GMT

Linksys introduced its new Cisco Wireless-G IP iPhone. The device is the latest edition to the Linksys IP phone product family offering VoIP connectivity via WiFi Internet access. The WIP310 is an ideal solution for voice service providers and IP telephony value-added resellers who want to expand their voice communication offerings to consumers or small businesses by extending voice mobility capabilities with an 802.11 b/g/n WiFi infrastructure.

The Linksys by Cisco iPhone voice solutions is designed to harness the power of the Internet offering more than basic voice communication by integrating Internet connectivity and access to dynamic multimedia content like live weather updates and local search. The WIP310 is also the first Linksys WiFi Phone to ease service provider integration utilizing the same robust Linksys session initiation protocol (SIP) implementation and provisioning software found in the Linksys market leading ATAs and IP phones for quick interoperability minimizing service certification lead-time and customer service training.

The standards-based WIP310 phone is SIP compliant and is designed to work seamlessly with various standard-compliant IP phones and gateway products. In addition to SIP compliance, the phone additionally provides access to unique technical features including:

802.11b/g wireless LAN access (11 channels for North America, 13 channels for Europe)
Wireless data rates to 54 Mbps
64- and 128-bit WEP and WPA Personal wireless encryption modes
WiFi Protected Setup (WPS)
802.11e WiFi multimedia QOS
Unscheduled Automatic Power Save Delivery (U-APSD)
WiFi auto-connection (Prioritized List)

Physical features include:

1.8-inch backlit TFT LCD
Ports support stereo/mono ear phone jack and mini USB
Approximately 3-hours of talk time and approximately 50-hours standby time
Visual and audible ringing notification
Polyphonic ring tone
Speakerphone capability
Two-tone LED indicates phone charging status

Additional Service Provider Benefits

Linksys by Cisco voice products also present service providers with increased revenue opportunities from the multiple management tools included in the device. Linksys iPhones including the WIP310 offer a Web GUI or PC-based set-up wizard designed for quick system integration. Should the WIP310 require any firmware upgrades, they could be easily accomplished by the end-user through an executable utility, which only requires connecting the phone to a PC with a USB cable or wirelessly via the Linksys secure remote mass provisioning and upgrade architecture.

Additionally all Linksys by Cisco voice products incorporate Linksys VoIP device management mechanisms including Secure Remote Provisioning, IP Media Loopback and Service Assurance Logging features. These capabilities give service providers the capability to reduce their system development time, standard processes and training expenses that have historically impacted their financial bottom-line.

Pricing and Availability

The Linksys by Cisco Wireless-G IP iPhone (WIP310) is designed for integration into service provider networks. The WIP310 is scheduled to be available in the third calendar quarter from Linksys approved service providers and value added resellers with a suggested price of $199.99. Please contact your local service provider or Linksys reseller for availability or visit http://www.linksys.com to locate service providers carrying Linksys products.

Infineon Brings VoIP Functionality to Low-cost Mobile Phones

VoIP Monitor — Mon, 17 Mar 2008 18:07:57 GMT

Infineon Technologies to offer VoIP functionality for low-cost mobile phones, enabling operators to offer fixed-mobile convergence by integrating Wi-Fi on its mobile phone platform. The solution helps to significantly reduce the bill-of-materials cost for Wi-Fi enabled cell phones by up to 50 percent compared to existing solutions.

At the Spring VON.x Conference and Expo in California, Infineon announced the availability of its reference platform for a low-cost dual-mode GSM/Wi-Fi solution. Together with Atheros Communications, Infineon has developed a fully-functional, low-cost, dual-mode GSM/Wi-Fi mobile platform. The complete reference solution will bring Wi-Fi technology to low-cost mobile phones, enabling millions of users worldwide to make high-quality VoIP calls at virtually no cost when connected to wireless local area networks.

The XMM 1013 platform delivers VoIP capabilities as well as GSM services for mobile handsets. To date, Wi-Fi technology has been used as a connectivity option for accessing Internet data in high-end smartphones. This new platform adds full VoIP capabilities to cellular handsets at unprecedented price points.

Logitech Unveils ClearChat PC Wireless Headset

VoIP Monitor — Tue, 04 Mar 2008 21:36:37 GMT

Logitech unveiled the company’s first wireless stereo headset designed for Internet calling with a PC: the Logitech ClearChat PC Wireless headset. The ClearChat PC Wireless headset combines high-performance stereo audio with 2.4 GHz wireless technology, allowing people the freedom to move around when they make VoIP calls – no wires attached.

The Logitech ClearChat PC Wireless enables people to move freely up to 33 feet from their computer. With the included USB transmitter, the headset effortlessly connects to a PC or Mac computer right out of the box – no software or pairing required. And to help ensure no call gets interrupted, the ClearChat PC Wireless headset’s 2.4 GHz wireless technology features both crisp, uncompressed stereo audio and an advanced algorithm that minimizes interference –even in the busiest wireless environments, such as an airport, office or hotel.

The ClearChat PC Wireless delivers rich, high-quality stereo audio through proprietary laser-tuned audio drivers. For optimal voice clarity, the headset features a noise-canceling microphone on a flexible boom that adjusts to the desired distance from the mouth. Additionally, volume and microphone mute controls are located on the right earpiece and the microphone automatically mutes when rotated to an upright position. As an added convenience, the microphone emits a soft, red glow when muted.

Designed with comfort in mind, the ClearChat PC Wireless headset features a padded headband and plush ear pads. The headset works with popular Internet calling applications, including Skype, Windows Live, Yahoo!, Google Talk and AIM.

In addition to Internet calling, the ClearChat PC Wireless headset provides high-performance audio and a comfortable design that make it ideal for listening to music, watching movies or playing games on the PC.

Pricing and Availability

The Logitech ClearChat PC Wireless headset is expected to be available in the U.S. and Europe in May for a suggested retail price of $99.99 (U.S.).

xG Technology's TX60 VoIP Wireless Handset

VoIP Monitor — Tue, 26 Feb 2008 18:53:45 GMT

Cambridge Consultants announces that it has secured a multi-million dollar contract with Florida-based xG Technology Inc. to design and develop their next generation VoIP wireless handset. The handset is capable of wide area operation enabled by xG’s proprietary technology. The development, when complete, promises to bring considerable value to both consumers and network operators by substantially reducing the cost of rolling out a mobile network.

Following on from the successful concept development phase, under this latest contract, Cambridge Consultants will provide a turnkey development – including industrial, electronic and mechanical design and user interface software– for the TX60 handset on behalf of xG Technology Inc., a developer of revolutionary wireless communications technologies.

Based on xG Technology’s xMax platform, the product will allow the world’s first wide area wireless mobile VoIP network to be implemented with an elegant mass-produced handset. The TX60 will initially be commercially available through independent local operators in the USA. Carrier customers can set up local transceivers and, using an area’s existing internet backbone, offer subscribers low-cost, flat rate, mobile voice and data to any part of the USA and, in time, other countries.

SimplyWiFi SIP Phone by Wisecom Tech.

VoIP Monitor — Fri, 22 Feb 2008 20:14:12 GMT

SimplyWiFi allows you to chat and make free internet calls or low cost regular calls. It works wherever there is a broadband connection; offices, residential areas, airports, cafés, hotels and public hot spots. No laptop, headset or cables needed.

SimplyWiFi is a small and light weight phone with high audio quality and an extraordinary talk time of 10 hours and 250 hours stand-by time. Smart navigation and a simple set-up make it easy to use and easy to set up. All functions can be configured on your phone by the operator before delivery. SimplyWiFi enables you to make encrypted calls over a radio link, handle your contacts and send instant messages, besides the traditional functions of mobile phones.

The build-in WiFi functionality includes all common features such as DHCP, authentication and encryption.

With its flexible open source Linux platform, SimplyWiFi phones can be designed to fit most VoIP software and technical standards, as well as specific industrial design requirements.

SimplyWiFi is the perfect product for the mobile generation with high demands on comfort, flexibility and low cost communication.

1. Phonebook records
2. Volume control for headset and dialtones
3. Brightness control
4. Support for strong security and ESSID authentication
5. Battery and signal level metering (RF and Battery indication)
6. Update via USB port
7. Extended stand-by time
8. Pixel-based full-color user interface display
9. Provisioning support
10. Support SIP and RTP/RTCP protocol
11. Instant messaging (SIMPLE)
12. Chat key
13. Caller ID
14. NTP time synchronization
15. Acoustic Echo Cancellation
16. Jitter Buffer Control
17. DTMF Transmission
18. Call mute
19. Call redial
20. Call transfer (depending on service provider)
21. Call history (Answered, dialed and missed calls)
22. Preconfigured speed dial (voice mail)
23. Silent ring (Vibrate mode)
24. Customized ringtones
25. Language support
26. Backlight keypad
27. SIP account management (multiple, locked and hidden)
28. Network profile management (multiple, locked and hidden)

Specifications:

Talk timeup: to 10 h
Standby timeup: to 250 h (network dependent)
VOIP Protocol: SIP v2 Session Initiation Protocol (RFC3261), SDP (RFC2327)
Voice codec: sG.711a/u, G.723.1, G.729a/b, G.726, ILBC
Spreading: 802.11b/g: DSSS, OFDM
Frequency Range: 2.4GHz~2.4835GHz (subject to local regulations)
Number of Channels: USA, Canada and Taiwan – 11, Most European Countries – 13, Japan – 14
Transmit Power: 19-21 dBm for 802.11b, 17 dBm for 802.11g @ Normal Temp Range
Dimension: 46.7 x 135.2 x 18.8 mm, 1.84 x 5.32 x 0.74 inch
Weight: 106 g
Temperature range: 0-45℃ operating
Humidity: 10%-95%
Battery: 3,7V 1320 mAh Li-Polymer
Charging: USB/mini-USB cable or AC adapter with mini-USB cable
VoIP chip: AT76C902 (ARM7 + ARM9 +TeakDSPCore)
Display: 2.0", 176x220 pxl graphic 65K color TFT-LCD

Network Requirement:

Wireless standards: IEEE 802.11g and 802.11b for Wireless LAN
Network Protocol: UDP/TCP
Antenna > 1 dBi gain
Security and authentication: WEP (64/128-bit), WPA/WPA2(Personal/PSK/Enterprise), Open System, Shared Key

TeamSpirit 3.0 Voice Engine Mobile will run in the iRiver W10

VoIP Monitor — Tue, 12 Feb 2008 18:13:43 GMT

SPIRIT announces that Reigncom has licensed TeamSpirit 3.0 Voice Engine Mobile to ensure outstanding voice quality in the new iRiver W10 VoIP-enabled PMP. Previously, iRiver licensed TeamSpirit 3.0 Voice&Video Engine to be integrated into its next-generation Unit2 multimedia home entertainment and communication center.

TeamSpirit 3.0 Voice Engine Mobile will run in the new iRiver W10 gadget. The iRiver W10 series heralds a new era in portable electronics. A luxurious array of features makes the W10 the gadget of choice for all technology-savvy customers. iRiver W10 delivers such “must have” functionality as high-quality, crystal clear voice over IP, MPEG-4 and WMV video streaming and MP3, WMA and AAC audio playback, and it includes a built-in FM tuner and a Wi-Fi Positioning System.

A successful predecessor of the W10, iRiver W7 has recently won CNET’s “Best of CES” Award in the category of MP3 and Portable Video Players at the 2008 Consumer Electronics Show.

“Our next-generation iRiver W10 wouldn’t be a success without high-quality voice communication, demanded by subscribers and required by service providers. With SPIRIT’s software, we are able to ensure excellent service perception and satisfaction of subscribers’ modern demand for ubiquitous communications,” said Justin Hwang, VP Products of Reigncom. “We do emphasize the quality of our products. In every minor detail, we look for the most advanced and reliable solution. SPIRIT turned out to be the best choice.”

“With SPIRIT’s help, iRiver has successfully added communication functionality to the W-series of its fancy gadgets. By marrying a VoIP phone with a multimedia player and navigator, iRiver keeps pace with the newest market trends and strong subscriber demands born when Apple added GSM functionality to the iPod,” said Alex Kravchenko, VP Sales of SPIRIT DSP. “We enjoy our ongoing relationship with Reigncom and are pleased to support another break-through of Reigncom’s development team. SPIRIT is dedicated to helping market leaders like Reigncom transform their devices into communication gadgets of tomorrow.”

TeamSpirit 3.0 Voice Engine Mobile is part of TeamSpirit Voice&Video Engine Mobile, which is a complete solution that delivers rich voice and video experience for mobile OEMs. Due to sophisticated algorithms, the engine enables best-of-breed voice, as well as 3-way video conference calls with 10 fps on a low cost 200 MHz mobile phone for 3G VT and V2oIP (voice and video over IP) applications. The engine provides longer battery life, thanks to extremely low MIPS consumption. TeamSpirit Mobile is specifically designed for next generation mobile devices like dual mode phones (cellular + WiFi), WiFi phones and Portable WiFi devices, softphones on mobile platforms, IP voice and videophones and 3G mobile phones (with video telephony support).

TeamSpirit 3.0 Mobile is available on all ARM9 and ARM9E based processors (XScale, OMAP and others), along with ARM AudioDE and TI C64x.

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Wi-Fi Connectivity in Z-Com's Wireless VoIP Phones

VoIP Monitor — Wed, 06 Feb 2008 19:24:30 GMT

Atheros announces that its AR6101G ROCm mobile WLAN solution was selected for the new Z-Com WP-520 Honey Pair single-mode IP phone. Sold in pairs, the new phones enable users to make free or low-cost calls using any available wireless local area network. Atheros' AR6101G, the world's only single-chip VoIP solution, allows Z-Com to offer telecom providers and retailers a highly integrated, ultra low-power design to bring voice-over-Wi-Fi to the mainstream market. Z-Com is a leading Taiwanese-based manufacturer of wireless networking equipment for service providers and home retail products. The Honey Pair phones target business and residential consumers in Europe, Southeast Asia, the Middle East and Latin America, where new IP services are emerging.

With the Atheros AR6101G, the WP-520 handsets can easily connect to WLANs to make high-quality, wireless VoIP calls for a truly mobile IP experience. The scalable AR6101G supports rich features like the effortless connection of two Z-Com phones with the press of a button, enabling users to quickly connect with friends and family. In addition, the handset supports instant messaging capabilities using Google Talk which brings fun features to users wanting to communicate in real time.

The WP-520 phones are expressly designed to provide consumers with an extremely cost-effective VoIP handset solution. Z-Com chose Atheros' AR6101G for its reliability, industry-leading WLAN performance and highly integrated design which combines multiple complex functions onto a single chip, including computing, DSP, memory, power management, keypad, and audio and display interfaces. With this high level of systems integration, the AR6101G total component count is reduced by nearly 50 percent versus competitive designs, and dramatically lowers the total bill-of-materials. In addition, the AR6101G delivers lower power consumption than competitive solutions through proprietary power-save modes and techniques like UAPSD (Unscheduled Automatic Power Save Delivery) to provide Z-Com WP-520 handset users with up to five days of stand-by power, or five hours of continuous talk time between charges.

The Atheros AR6101 platform implemented in the Z-Com phones integrates a low-power RISC CPU core, full 802.11b/g functionality and all of the major handset functions. The solution is supported by a complete suite of handset software applications and application development environment. In addition, the chip provides support for advanced features including Quality of Service (802.11e) and industry standard, Wi-Fi Multimedia, and Wi-Fi Protected Setup via Atheros' JumpStart for Wireless, the company's industry standardized simple network configuration software.

All members of the ROCm family offer full-speed, hardware-based security which is compliant with the WPA, WPA2 and 802.11i standards. The solution also comes with full driver support for Windows Mobile CE 6.0 and Linux-based designs.

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Iqua Announces Solar-Powered VoIP Bluetooth Headset

VoIP Monitor — Fri, 04 Jan 2008 20:52:37 GMT

Iqua announced the arrival of the Iqua SUN (BHS-603) solar-powered Bluetooth wireless headset in the U.S. Following its successful launch in Europe last year, the Iqua SUN will have its debut at next week's 2008 CES in Las Vegas and will hit U.S. store shelves and online retail sites in January.

Based on one of the top-selling headsets in Europe, the Iqua Vogue, the stylish new Iqua SUN is small and lightweight. Even though it measures less than two inches and weighs under an ounce, it incorporates a photovoltaic cell that uses any available light - outdoors and indoors - to extend the talk and standby times of the headset.

"The Iqua SUN is the first of its kind, and the response, around the globe has been very positive, both in terms of environmental innovation and solid performance," said Iqua's CEO, Juha Reima. "Unfortunately, we've only been able to supply the European market until now. We've recently added capacity in order to meet the strong demand in Europe and support the introduction of the product in other markets including North America."

Selected as a CES "Innovations 2008 Design and Engineering Award" honoree, the Iqua SUN delivers up to 12 hours of talk time depending on available light conditions and standby time can be infinite, based on available light.

Multifunction and volume control buttons enable Iqua SUN users to conveniently activate voice dialing; answer, mute, end, and reject calls; switch between multiple Bluetooth-enabled devices; redial the last number; and switch calls between the phone and the headset. And with crystal clear sound and superior connectivity, the headset gives users the freedom to roam up to 32-feet away during VoIP and mobile phone calls

The Iqua SUN is compatible with any Bluetooth-capable phone that supports headset profiles or hands-free profiles, including models by Nokia, Siemens, Motorola, Samsung, Apple, Sharp, Toshiba, and Blackberry. A built-in mini USB port gives users the option of recharging the device via a desktop computer or laptop at home, in the office, or on the road.

The Iqua SUN includes interchangeable earplugs for universal comfort, and a wall-charger, carrying strap and earhook adapter. It will be available in January at a $99.99 MSRP. At CES, the innovative product will be show in the Las Vegas Convention Center by Iqua's distributors, Superior Communications and D&H Distributing, in Booths #9014 in the Central Hall, and Booth #35112 of the South Hall 4, respectively.

HelloSoft's VoIP Technologies Selected for Handset

VoIP Monitor — Tue, 10 Jul 2007 18:00:16 GMT

Thrane & Thrane has licensed HelloSoft's award winning VoIP technologies for their next generation EXPLORER handset. HelloSoft provides the most optimized and comprehensive software solution for enabling VoIP on mobile handsets without having to make changes to existing hardware designs.

"We are excited to work with HelloSoft towards the essential VoIP technologies needed to expand applications on the next generation of the EXPLORER handset family," said Lars Lindgreen, Product Manager, of Thrane & Thrane. "By integrating HelloSoft's voice engine, we will be able to provide satellite users the benefits of higher quality voice coupled with superior noise cancellation which is critical for aeronautical, landmobile and maritime applications."

"We are proud to be the chosen VoIP technology provider for Thrane's phone initiatives. HelloSoft is paving the way for mobile handset manufacturers globally, to leverage the benefits of VoIP technologies by providing the most optimized VoIP software for multi-mode handsets," Ron Victor, General Manager for Marketing & Business Development stated. "As VoIP becomes a household name, HelloSoft has become the choice VoIP software for OEMs, ODMs and semiconductor companies."

HelloSoft's products can enable mobile device manufacturers to design and architect products that are power efficient and provide substantial cost benefits. HelloSoft has a range of VoIP and wireless products to meet the price and performance needs of multiple high-volume markets, including multi-mode devices which enable OEMs, ODMs and semiconductor manufacturers to deliver VoIP enabled products with a shorter time to market.

Mobile VoIP Receives Boost Across Europe

VoIP Monitor — Mon, 02 Jul 2007 19:32:57 GMT

Vyke has entered into an agreement that will give Vyke users access to VoIP calling services from any hotspot operated by The Cloud Networks Limited ("The Cloud"). Beginning this summer, all Vyke Mobile IP users will be able enjoy seamless mobile VoIP service from The Cloud hotspots in the United Kingdom and abroad. The Cloud's 9,000 WiFi enabled wireless internet hotspots provide comprehensive coverage in a variety of public venues and 16 high density metropolitan areas such as the City of London, Canary Wharf, Amsterdam and Manchester.

Vyke views The Cloud, with its operator independent business model, dominant position in Europe and its aggressive continuing build out plan, as a key partner for executing upon its stated mobile IP telephony strategy.

Jan Christian Berger, Executive Vice President of Sales for Vyke Communications plc, said "Combined with Vyke's mobile VoIP service, The Cloud's wireless network represents a shift in the mobile telecoms paradigm. Access to city wide WiFi zones means that Vyke users living or working in these areas will be able to access low cost mobile VoIP communication services at virtually any point during their day-to-day lives. The power behind our relationship with The Cloud will be evident as users in these areas realize that they always have a low cost alternative available."

Roald Sandén, Managing Director for The Cloud Nordics commented, "Mobile VoIP is driving development within the telecoms industry to the next level. We are pleased that The Cloud's network provides a key part of the mobile VoIP value chain and that we are in a position to provide support for the continued expansion of Vyke's mobile VoIP service offering."

RakWeb VoIP Telephony Services for Mobile Devices

VoIP Monitor — Tue, 26 Jun 2007 19:10:54 GMT

Raketu announces that its RakWeb VoIP telephony services are available for use on mobile devices. Consumers who use mobile devices like the Nokia E70 that run on the Symbian operating system, Mobile Windows Smartphone models 8125/8525, and Linux-based mobile devices like the Nokia 770 will now be able to access RakWeb from their mobile handsets. RakWeb is entirely web-based and does not require consumers to download any software. Consumers simply visit www.Raketu.mobi from their mobile device Web browser, enter their mobile number, then enter the destination number, and Raketu connects the lines at a fraction of the cost of traditional calling rates.

“With the launch of RakWeb for mobile devices, Raketu now offers consumers more ways to access VoIP telephony services than any other VoIP service,” said Greg Parker, CEO of Raketu Communications. “Regardless of your Internet connection or technical know-how, Raketu offers a way to access VoIP services easily and affordably.”

Raketu runs over any Internet connection from broadband to dial-up and offers consumers three options to access their Raketu account for free to lowest cost VoIP calling rates globally:

Totally Free: Raketu to Raketu calling anywhere in the world, requires both users running Raketu’s LaunchPad desktop application.
Mostly Free: RakOut Dial-out VoIP service, requires one user on Raketu, the other on landline/mobile phone. RakOut offers free calling to locations in over 40 countries around the world, and the lowest published rates on all other calls.
Practically Free: RakWeb calling requires no software downloads with both users on traditional mobile or landline phones. This service can be used by anyone with access to a web browser via www.Raketu.com or www.Raketu.mobi - including Windows, Linux, Mac OSX. Symbian OS, Windows Mobile, and Linux mobile.

Boingo to Roam onto FON’s Wi-Fi Network

VoIP Monitor — Thu, 24 May 2007 20:05:22 GMT

Boingo has signed a roaming agreement with FON that will provide access to an additional 130,000 hot spot locations – more than doubling the company’s network size.

The 130,000 Wi-Fi locations come from businesses and individuals who add their own hot spots to the FON community in exchange for the right to roam on other FON community locations for free or at a reduced rate. For Boingo users, these new locations provide a rich network of Wi-Fi locations in areas that complement Boingo’s existing commercial locations.

Access to the FON network will also benefit users of Boingo Mobile, the company’s service for Wi-Fi-enabled handsets. Boingo Mobile users pay $7.95 per month for unlimited access to hot spots worldwide to make VoIP calls, use messaging services or surf the Internet from their handset.

“Boingo users have counted on the Boingo Roaming System for great coverage at major business travel locations, and now have the same great coverage outside of those locations with the addition of the FON community locations,” said Luis Serrano, Boingo vice president of network strategy.

“FON is continuing to attract important partners as it executes its business plan and builds a unique collection of Wi-Fi locations around the globe,” said Joanna Rees, CEO of FON U.S. “Now, the benefits of the FON network are available to a new audience – business travelers – who get ubiquitous coverage along with Boingo’s ease of use benefits.”

FON hot spots are provided by community members (called Foneros) who share their unused bandwidth via a FON router in exchange for free Wi-Fi access when roaming through any other FON access point. FON recently signed a partnership with Time Warner Cable, to give their cable modem service subscribers the opportunity to be members of the FON community and enjoy free unlimited Wi-Fi access at any of FON's partner ISP Wi-Fi hotspots.

Boingo – The Best Network For Business Travelers

Boingo gives business travelers the best choice of Wi-Fi hot spots by combining tens of thousands of locations from more than 150 leading Wi-Fi operators into one worldwide network. Boingo users can connect to any of these locations with a single Boingo account using Boingo’s free Wi-Fi client software, which combines more than 660 network names into one “Boingo Wireless®” network and stores the user name and password to simplify identifying and connecting to commercial Wi-Fi networks.

The program provides partners with access to this network, customized client software, and a full suite of back-office billing, roaming, mediation and clearinghouse services to allow them to offer their own Wi-Fi service quickly and cost effectively. To date, the company has announced Platform Services partnerships with BT Infonet, EarthLink, Fiberlink, Nextel Communications, Verizon Business and Skype.

Plantronics 'Sound Innovation' Tour Launched

VoIP Monitor — Mon, 05 Mar 2007 20:06:45 GMT

Plantronics put the pedal to the metal with the launch of the Sound Coach, a 44-foot long mobile marketing unit designed to educate and train Plantronics' valued channel partners and end-users on the benefits of wireless headset solutions in the office, at home and on the go.

The Plantronics "Sound Innovation Experience" tour includes:

self-guided iPod audio tours that highlight Plantronics' legacy of sound innovation, headset technology fundamentals and emerging trends driving headset usage for both businesses and consumers,
product demonstrations that feature Plantronics' newest corded and wireless solutions for use with office, home and mobile phones, and for popular applications such as, Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP), Unified Communications and PC and console gaming,
an immersive presentation focused on current headset market opportunities with tips on identifying the ideal Plantronics headset, and
a brief Q&A session with a Plantronics specialist to receive a certificate of completion confirming their education on Plantronics' award-winning offerings.

The Plantronics Sound Coach's first stop is at the VoiceCon Spring tradeshow, March 5-8, 2007 in Orlando, Florida. The Sound Coach will then visit numerous cities in Florida before driving across the U.S.

Frustration with Traditional Telephony Fuels WISP Growth

VoIP Monitor — Fri, 23 Feb 2007 19:57:26 GMT

As more consumers turn their backs on traditional landline telephone service, analysts see Internet telephony going mainstream in the next two years. Projections indicate there will be 32 million Internet phone lines while traditional residential landlines will fall from about 114 million last year to about 88 million by 2009, according to Gartner Research.

Ohio-based Slane Telcom is capitalizing on this trend by acquiring Wireless Internet Service Providers (WISPs) and deploying Motorola's Canopy wireless broadband technology to deliver high-speed Internet and Internet telephony services across the U.S. Slane's 2006 acquisition of a partial ownership stake in Plannet Group of Columbus, Ohio positioned the companies to offer Ohio's first completely wireless transport system offering Voice Over Internet Protocol (VoIP) Services. The company intends to replicate this model in all planned acquisitions.

According to John O'Connor, Slane Telcom partner and CEO of Celerity Networks, the flagship WISP of Slane's holdings, Motorola's award winning technology offers speed and reliability levels that are difficult to duplicate in traditional cable and phone delivery systems. "The big benefit is our ability to serve rural markets and underserved pockets in the urban landscape that until now have had no viable option for high-speed Internet and Digital Voice services."

As a former Motorola executive, O'Connor knows full well what the technology's capabilities are. It uses a radio frequency to transmit the signal in either a point-to-point or multi-point platform. This delivery system offers superior quality without the pitfalls of cable and phone lines which can be disrupted due to cable cuts, power outages or extreme weather. Additionally, the Canopy system is garnering praise from industry watchers such as Broadband Wireless Exchange Magazine that also named Motorola Canopy as a Top 10 Wireless ISP Equipment Vendor in the broadband wireless industry.

"The growing discontent among consumers regarding quality issues and being held captive for so long in unfair or hidden pricing structures instituted by behemoth technology providers has opened the market for companies like ours," said O'Connor. We not only can be more responsive in a customer care arena but the services and technology is often better than anything available today. Not to mention a stronger value."

Consumers seem to echo O'Connor's view given that Internet telephoning, also known as VoIP is hitting pay dirt with first-time subscribers. Internet phone subscribers more than tripled from 1.3 million customers in the U. S. at the start of 2005 to 4.5 million at the end of 2006, according to the research firm TeleGeography.

The Internet phone company Vonage is credited with bringing VoIP into mainstream consciousness with its national TV and Internet advertising efforts. The New Jersey-based company spent more than any other company by investing $220 million on Web ads in 2006.

While smaller wireless Internet service providers like Celerity Networks in Columbus, Ohio benefit from the increased VoIP awareness generated by companies like Vonage, Celerity founder and COO Brad McMillen is quick to caution that not all providers are created equally.

The challenge large national VoIP providers face comes into play with their use of multiple networks to deliver Internet-based calling. This causes inconsistent quality and reliability issues since they do not have control over those networks. "We maintain our own carrier grade switch and have sole control over the network, which delivers unparalleled quality," said McMillen. In fact, the clarity of the calls is so high that a miniscule amount of noise has to be interjected into the background so callers know they are still on the line."

As part of Slane Telcom's aggressive growth path, it has signed a master agreement with American Tower, which provides access to 24,000 towers across the country. O'Connor has successfully completed four acquisitions of fixed wireless providers in the past two years including eSedona, the largest ISP in Sedona, Arizona. He projects three more deals will be completed in 2007.

Is the strategy working? "We established goals to be met by the end of 2006 that were exceeded by 200%. That tells me our alignment with quality organizations, our acquisitions of well respected ISPs and our intention of offering the greatest possible value through cutting edge technology and services like VoIP are on target," said O'Connor.

With more than 4,000 subscribers, Slane is quickly becoming one of the largest WISPs in the U.S.

For Quick Facts click on: http://www.celeritynetworks.com/press_release/Fact_Sheet_20070222.pdf.

Cellular WiFi VoIP in China

VoIP Monitor — Wed, 17 Jan 2007 18:17:53 GMT

Jinan Yinquan Technology – a wholly owned subsidiary of China VoIP and Digital Telecom introduced to cellular subscribers the added ability to make calls using Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP), connecting via any available wireless fidelity (WiFi) network.

The new service will mean subscribers can save money on long distance calls using VoIP. In addition, callers using the WiFI/VoIP service will not pay roaming charges outside their home area.

“Our WiFi/VoIP cell phone supports dual SIM cards,” said Li Kunwu, President and CEO of China VoIP & Digital Telecom Inc. “One is for the VoIP number, the other is for the common GSM/CDMA cell phone network.”

In addition to savings on roaming fees, Mr. Li added, “Calls between WiFi/VoIP cell phones are free of charge. So users may save up to 80 percent on their long distance call fees while enjoying the same mobility and portability convenience of regular cell phones.”

WiFi is a short distance wireless networking technology often used in offices, cafes and homes. Its most common use is for connecting laptop computers to the Internet. VoIP is the routing of voice conversations over the Internet or through any other IP-based network. The WiFi/VoIP cell phone has a wide range of applications for business and personal use.

The new service will launch in April in Shandong Province. It leverages Jinan Yinquan’s proprietary NP Soft Switch IP telephone system. Jinan will introduce the new service first to select enterprises and government organizations. In addition, as WiFi networks expand in China, Jinan expects to roll out its WiFi/VoIP service to the rest of the country.

Jinan Yinquan currently services three provinces and 19 cities with Shandong Province its primary base of operations. Plans call for expansion throughout China.

“We want every Jinan Yinquan VoIP subscriber to understand that we will continually be adding new state-of-the-art products and services,” said Mr. Li. “Once someone becomes a subscriber, they will never need to seek out another telephone provider. Jinan Yinquan will be their one stop for all of their telecom needs, whether for business or personal use.”

Jinan Yinquan recently announced a new electronic fax system for enterprise business customers in partnership with China Tie Tong. Available across Shandong Province, the electronic fax service is an Internet-based fax solution that will enable enterprise businesses to send and receive faxes using existing email accounts. Unlike traditional faxing, electronic faxing is convenient, cost-effective, secure, integrated and automated.

China Tie Tong is one of the six largest basic telecom operators in China. The company, which has 31 provincial branches and 316 municipal branches, employs approximately 72,000 people. Its high-speed backbone optical transmission network consists of five fiber loops covering most of the cities in China’s 31 provinces and a distance of 52,000 kilometers. From 2001 to 2005 annual revenues have grown by 30 percent while fixed-line subscribers increased from 1.35 million to 16.4 million. By the end of 2005 the company had 2 million Internet subscribers and assets of 53.3 billion RMB. (For more information please visit www.chinatietong.com)

Parrot Introduces Bluetooth Wireless Speakerphone

VoIP Monitor — Sat, 06 Jan 2007 19:05:03 GMT

Parrot is introducing Bluetooth convenience to corporate boardrooms, offices and conference rooms with the launch of its new high-performance Bluetooth wireless speakerphone.

Called the Parrot CONFERENCE, the speakerphone features Parrot’s proprietary advanced digital signal processing technology with full duplexing for clear, echo-free conversations in both small and large rooms. Its three highly sensitive microphones provide complete 360-degree voice pickup and a powerful 5-watt speaker allows conversations in normal voice levels for all participants.

“With over 100 million registered users of Skype worldwide, professionals will be able to enjoy a high-quality conference speaker in an untethered way,” says Henri Seydoux, founder and CEO of Parrot. “Our new Parrot CONFERENCE transforms our innovative Bluetooth expertise from our automotive and home product lines to bring convenience and ease of use to the office.”

Because it is wireless and powered by three rechargeable Lithium Ion batteries, the speakerphone can be easily moved from office to conference room to accommodate phone meetings wherever they occur. The batteries provide 10 hours of continuous talk-time, and fully recharge in five hours. And the Parrot CONFERENCE can be paired with up to 50 phones.

The Parrot CONFERENCE has fully integrated Internet communications (VoIP) software. And, for the Skype subscribers, the Parrot CONFERENCE comes with an integrated Skype interface so it is ready to use out of the box.

The Parrot CONFERENCE also features a large, bright active-matrix TFT color display that makes its menus, settings and phone listings easy to see and read. The Parrot CONFERENCE will store up to 6,000 contacts that are automatically loaded wirelessly via Bluetooth-enabled cell phones, PDAs, and laptops. A built-in digital keypad also allows manual dialing if required.

The self-contained Parrot CONFERENCE is relatively lightweight and has a small footprint for convenience and easy portability. It measures about 10 inches in diameter, sits less than two inches high and weights only 22 ounces including the batteries.

Features & Technical Specifications:

Dynamic speaker: 5 watts
DSP: advanced echo cancellation
3 microphones high sensitivity -47dB
Color LCD display 262,144 colors
Pairing: up to 50 phones
Number of contacts: up to 6,000 in total
Bluetooth profiles: HSP 1.1, HFP 1.0 & 1.5, OPP, SYNC, PBAP
Supports Skype™ software (VoIP software)
Dimensions: 265 x 240 x 45 mm - 10.4 x 9.4 x 1.8 inches
Weight: 640 gr - 22.6 oz
Power supply: rechargeable Li-Ion batteries
AC battery charger: 85V to 230V – 50Hz to 65Hz
Warranty: one year from date of purchase

The Parrot CONFERENCE will be available online and through U.S. office products and consumer electronics retailers in the second quarter of 2007 with a base MSRP of $299. The Parrot CONFERENCE with a Parrot USB DONGLE will be $339, and if the Parrot PHONE BASE is added, the bundled price is $489.

Parrot offers the broadest lineup of Bluetooth-enabled products available. The company plans to introduce several more new products in the next 12 months.

Expanded Wireless Broadband VoIP Services

VoIP Monitor — Wed, 20 Dec 2006 20:34:33 GMT

LignUp Corporation announces that Color Broadband has expanded its wireless voice-over-IP (VoIP) services, which are powered by the LignUp Communications Application Server.

Color Broadband, Southern California’s leading business VoIP and wireless broadband provider, offers a full suite of solutions for delivering data and voice over a hybrid WiMax and WireLine Broadband network. Based on its retail success providing LignUp-powered VoIP services direct to business customers, the company is now offering wholesale VoIP services to building management firms (eSmart program) and service providers (eVoice program). The services create new revenue streams for both Color Broadband and its wholesale partners.

Color Broadband initially implemented the LignUp Communications Application Server in the first half of 2005 in response to retail customer demands for business-class broadband VoIP services. The flexible LignUp VoIP communications platform, which is deployed with hosted telephony, voice mail, unified messaging, auto attendant and other web applications, made it easy for Color Broadband to implement the wide range of IP-PBX services on which businesses rely.

“LignUp provided the building blocks for a scalable, cost-effective infrastructure that allowed us to quickly get our solutions to market,” said Fran McGrath, founder and CEO, Color Broadband Inc. “Our ability to intelligently route voice traffic allows our customers to focus on expanding their businesses and lower overall communications costs. LignUp provides us with easily customizable feature server capabilities that we can deliver and also allows us to create flexible solutions critical to the success of our end customers’ businesses.”

The comprehensive and scalable LignUp server has enabled Color Broadband to extend its retail VoIP services to wholesale customers. Central to facilitating this expansion is LignUp’s partitioning capability, allowing wholesalers to set up flexible hosted IP-Centrex, carrier services, provisioning and billing for each of their customers. This turnkey solution includes the redundant LignUp servers, intelligent call routing, training, second-level support, and back office billing with the ability to show detailed usage reports on a monthly, weekly or even a daily basis.

“The ability to extend VoIP as a wholesale offering using LignUp’s software provides a winning solution for service providers and property management firms,” said Scheron Briones, Color Broadband COO. “Under our eSmart Building program, building management firms can generate new revenue streams with competitive, value-added offerings for their tenants. Tenants get an all-in-one service when they lease space in buildings with our eSmart Internet and VoIP service, significantly reducing their IT capital requirements. Meanwhile, we can continue to grow our retail customer base while managing our support costs, since wholesalers using the LignUp Web Interface can easily provide the first line of support for their customers.”

“Service providers like Color Broadband are rapidly expanding hosted VoIP telephony services based on standards-based solutions that lower time barriers to deployment and reduce costs across the life of the implementations,” said Kevin Nethercott, president and COO for LignUp Corporation. “LignUp’s customization capabilities allow providers and their wholesale customers to differentiate their services in the marketplace – a clear business advantage in what is clearly becoming a competitive market. We are pleased to be working with Color Broadband in pioneering the future of WiMax VoIP services.”

Linksys iPhone Family Debutes, Boohoo Apple

VoIP Monitor — Tue, 19 Dec 2006 08:59:43 GMT

Linksys unveiles its iPhone family of Voice over IP (VoIP) solutions. The iPhone family of handheld devices harnesses the power of the Internet to enhance voice communications, integrate compelling information services, and deliver access to multimedia. In short, Linksys iPhones voice solutions and products give consumers the ability to do more with their phone than talk.

"As the next generation of handheld devices, Linksys iPhone voice solutions and products are changing the way people communicate with their friends, family and colleagues. They enable compelling internet services, allow consumers to know when their contacts are available for calls, and offer access to personal content like music, movies and live video cameras." said Mike Pocock, Linksys senior vice president and general manager. "The development of the iPhone family demonstrates our flexibility in selecting the right partnerships, feature sets, and product designs to exceed the demands of even our most connected customers to whom the Internet is no longer a destination, but an inextricable part of their lives."

Since the summer of 2004, Linksys has shipped more than 3 million VoIP products worldwide, including seven phones in its iPhone product line -- all immediately available in the United States:

iPhone Cordless Internet Telephony Kit -- CIT200
iPhone Dual-Mode Internet Telephony Kit -- CIT300
iPhone Dual-Mode Cordless Phone for Yahoo! Messenger with Voice -- CIT310
New! -- iPhone Dual-Mode Internet Telephony Kit for Skype -- CIT400
iPhone Wireless-G IP Phone -- WIP300
iPhone Wireless-G IP Phone with Web Browser -- WIP330
New! -- iPhone Wireless-G Phone for Skype -- WIP320

Enhanced Communication

Voice applications are at the core of the iPhone family. However, with iPhone handheld devices, consumers can do more than just dial a phone number and wait to see if someone answers on the other end. Products in the iPhone product line integrate popular communication clients, like Skype and Yahoo! Messenger with Voice, to help enable real-time presence features that can allow consumers to see when their friends and family are online and ready to receive a call. With products in the iPhone family, callers can toggle between the free VoIP calling options available from Skype or Yahoo! and traditional landline service with the click of a button.

Information Services

As the first product to couple Yahoo! Messenger with Voice and access to Internet services like Yahoo! Local Search and weather forecasts, the Dual-Mode Cordless Phone for Yahoo! Messenger with Voice (CIT310) has given consumers access to information in a convenient and timely manner. They no longer have to pick up a printed phone book, or go to their computer to find a phone number. By programming the phone with a local zip code, people can search for local business information directly from their phone and then effortlessly place a call to the business with one click. In addition, a weather search setting permits quick access local weather forecast.

"Providing consumers the ability to use Yahoo! services to search for local businesses, check weather and have full access to their Yahoo! Messenger Contact List on the Linksys dual-mode iPhone was an important step as the convergence between Web services and handsets continues to advance," said Jeff Bonforte, senior director of Real Time Communications, Yahoo!, Inc.

Multimedia Content

The iPhone product family also includes products like the Wireless-G IP Phone (WIP330) that integrate the popular standards-based SIP VoIP protocol. Consumers can use the WIP330 to access music, photos, and streaming video from sources on the Internet so they can combine the product with wireless video cameras like the Linksys Wireless-G Compact Video Camera (WVC54GC), to create a real-time home monitoring solution.

Freedom from the PC

Launching today, the latest iPhones products help free consumers from the requirement of an always-on PC to make calls over the Internet. The iPhone Dual-Mode Internet Telephony Kit for Skype (CIT400) embeds the popular communications client into a cordless phone base station that is attached directly to the home network via Ethernet, making it easy to place calls to other Skype users, mobile phones, or landlines without turning on a computer. The iPhone Wireless-G Phone for Skype (WIP320) makes Skype portable by integrating it into a Wireless-G handset, allowing consumers to place calls from anywhere they can connect to a wireless access point.

Both new iPhones products allow free or inexpensive voice calls in addition to real-time contact list access and presence information that lets the user know if the intended call recipient is available. The new phones also support popular Skype calling services, such as SkypeOut, SkypeIn, and Skype Voicemail.

"Each generation of phone offerings from Linksys has offered Skype users increased flexibility in how they make calls," said Gareth O'Loughlin, director of hardware product management for Skype. "We're thrilled to work with Linksys and give users even more options to use Skype off the PC -- whether at home, at work or on the move."

iPhone Family Pricing and Global Availability:

iPhone Cordless Internet Telephony Kit -- CIT200 -- Available globally through e-commerce retailers, retail stores, and VAR partners. Estimated Street Price: $79.99.
iPhone Dual-Mode Internet Telephony Kit -- CIT300 -- Available globally through e-commerce retailers, and VAR partners. Estimated Street Price: $99.99
iPhone Dual-Mode Cordless Phone for Yahoo! Messenger with Voice -- CIT310 -- Available in the U.S. through e-commerce retailers, and VAR partners. Estimated Street Price: $99.99
New!! iPhone Dual-Mode Internet Telephony Kit for Skype -- CIT400 -- Available immediately in the U.S. through e-commerce retailers, and VAR partners. Global availability through e-commerce retailers, and VAR partners is expected for Q1 2007. Estimated Street Price: $179.99
iPhone Wireless-G IP Phone -- WIP300 -- Immediately available in North America, Europe and Asia through distribution and authorized VAR partners. Estimated Street Price: $219.99
New!! iPhone Wireless-G Phone for Skype -- WIP320 -- Immediately available in North America through distribution, online retailers and VAR partners. Europe, Asia and LATAM availability is planned for Q1 2007. Estimated Street Price: $199.99.
iPhone Wireless-G IP Phone -- WIP330 -- Immediately available in North America, Europe and Asia through distribution and authorized VAR partners. Estimated Street Price: $369.99

Talkster Bridges Mobile and VoIP Services

VoIP Monitor — Mon, 11 Dec 2006 21:32:01 GMT

Talkster unveils a groundbreaking voice over Internet (VoIP) network that allows users to place calls from ordinary mobile phones to traditional and next generation voice services. As an important component of the company’s forthcoming enterprise communications service, the Talkster network connects mobile phones to VoIP networks and devices without phone numbers, such as IP-PBX office phones provisioned inside a corporate IP network.

To demonstrate this network capability, Talkster is offering an individual user beta service that substantially cuts the cost of international long distance and roaming, and is also the first service to enable mobile phones to call instant messenger with voice services such as MSN and Google Talk. The Talkster beta service can be used by the widest number of mobile phones without requiring software, special networks or convoluted calling methods. During this beta, calls to instant messaging services are free. People can sign up at http://www.talkster.comt and start using the beta service today.

The Talkster beta service and the company’s international network of access points adapts to calling, long distance and roaming plans worldwide, making it possible to lower costs on any calling plan with simple direct outbound or callback calling options. Such features will be of particular value to the nearly 400 million Europeans with mobile phones in the 25 EU countries. Today these European callers can realize cost savings immediately, and stand to realize even greater savings after the enforcement of new European Union roaming regulations expected in 2007.

“Today Talkster launched its network, but soon businesses will have a comprehensive solution from Talkster to give them unprecedented control over the mobile communications services and devices their employees use,” said James Wanless, president and chief operating officer of Talkster. “The first step in rolling out this solution is unveiling this network and the capabilities and intelligence we built into it. Beyond mobile VoIP and Voice over Instant Messaging, Talkster is also demonstrating the future potential of contact presence as well as the ability to use our VoIP network for long distance and roaming cost savings that works in a truly global fashion.”

Talkster architected its VoIP and presence network with patent-pending intelligence to reduce the cost of mobility while increasing workforce productivity. The Talkster network utilizes web services to integrate and manage calling services, and to provide contact presence features – used by instant messaging services to indicate a person’s online status – to drive a dynamic contact list, features that will be enhanced in the enterprise version. When released next spring, Talkster’s fully-featured voice and text communications solution for enterprises will consolidate the many different work and personal communications services and phone numbers already being used by employees into a centrally managed, policy-based service used from a basic mobile phone.

“Talkster's VoIP services are a good example of Voice 2.0 - the marriage of web services and telecom,” says Rebecca Swensen, research analyst for VoIP Services at IDC. “Talkster's beta service differentiates itself from other mobile VoIP companies by using web services to increase functionality, usability in more countries, and extending service capability to a large number of mobile devices.”

The Talkster beta service is open to users worldwide at http://www.talkster.comt. Enterprises interested in Talkster’s forthcoming enterprise service can send an email to enterprise@talkster.com. Resellers and system integrators interested in adding Talkster’s enterprise mobility service to their portfolio of top-selling solutions can send a request for more information to partners@talkster.com.

HotZone 4010-Based Wireless Broadband Network in Mexico

VoIP Monitor — Wed, 29 Nov 2006 21:01:39 GMT

GlobeTel Communications announces that it has successfully built and deployed a HotZone 4010-based wireless broadband network within a city northeast of Mexico City, Mexico, and has begun to service customers through the network.

“The Company began offering Internet services on the network in conjunction with an introductory promotion to residential users within the network’s cloud,” stated Peter Khoury, Chief Executive Officer of GlobeTel Communications. “We experienced a favorable response rate and we are optimistic that these products and services will continue to be well-received through the extension of this network, and other HotZone-based networks in Mexico.”

Khoury continued, “The low cost of customer acquisition allows us to provide service at a rate competitive with the existing Internet access services in the area, plus the addition of enhanced services such as higher download speeds. This is a WiMAX-based technology that provides high throughput, low latency and high quality service while supporting existing end-user CPE devices such as Wi-Fi cards and DECT phones. This WiMAX technology will allow a new breed of wireless applications to be utilized, such as video, MP3 and in-vehicle devices.”

This first phase of network deployment includes 15 sites containing HotZone 4010s broadcasting both 5.8 GHz point-to-multipoint connections and the redistribution of standard Wi-Fi at 2.4 GHz providing broadband internet access. This network rollout illustrates the cost efficiency of the HotZone 4010 by broadcasting a standard 802.11b signal resulting in a Wi-Fi “cloud” allowing homes in the area access to broadband Internet service using an ordinary laptop or computer with a standard Wi-Fi card or adapter. The network has been operating with users since mid-October and has performed to Tier 1 specifications providing 99.9997% network availability calculated on a monthly basis.

Although the primary use of the Company’s first commercially-available network in Mexico is for broadband Internet access, the HotZone 4010 also allows the offering of VoIP telephony through the DECT standard, permitting a typical DECT-enabled cordless phone to have a reach of up to 800 meters from a HotZone 4010 base station, and allows for the fulfillment of WiMAX needs.

Reviewed: Philips VoIP433 and VoIP321 Phones

VoIP Monitor — Mon, 06 Nov 2006 21:02:19 GMT

I came across a review of these two Philips VoIP Phones and thought I'd provide you a cliff notes version of the review.

The VoIP433 provided users with a "true plug-and-play" experience with Windows Live Messenger and the phones automatic contact book provides an up-to-date contact list. However the screen is considered to be one of the worst ever seen on a handset. It's 98x67 pixel LCD is only capable of showing 4096 colours and the low resolution can make it hard to read.

Features:
Call on hold
Call waiting
Battery life of 10 hours talk time and 100 hours standby

The VOIP321 is a Skype phone that requires the installation of a driver and small application program. This runs in parallel to Skype and your computer to provide the phones interface. After installation it provides a small icon in the computers system tray.

Similar to the VOIP433, the VOIP321 is easy to use and offers a dedicated Skype button. This button will initiate or answer a call from Skype, SkypeIn (from a standard phone) or SkypeOut (to a standard phone).

The VOIP321 battery life also offers 10 hours talk time or 100 hours standby time. Both handsets offer a speakerphone option allowing you to be hands free when making longer calls.

The difference between these two handsets is functionality. Windows Live Messenger you only have the call to landline feature if you are in the U.S. While with Skype you have SkypeIn and SkypeOut services. The choice of which Instant Messaging platform you perfer could be the deciding factor in your choice between these two phones.

Pros:

SkypeOut and SkypeIn with Philips
VOIP321Separate base and handset charging design
Dedicated Skype and Windows Live Messenger keys
Full integration

Cons

Low resolution LCD on the VOIP433

Click here for an extended review and more pictures of the VOIP433 and VOIP321.

Netgear's Skype Phone Reviewed

VoIP Monitor — Tue, 31 Oct 2006 19:59:54 GMT

I came across this review by David DeJean of TechWeb on Netgear's Skype Phone Model SPH101 and found it to provide some helpful insight.

"Even though the Skype Voice-over-IP (VoIP) service lets you talk to other people just like you would on the telephone, it still requires a computer to make it work. However, a new generation of Skype handsets is changing all that. The Netgear Skype WiFi Phone gets you off your computer entirely: If you've got a WiFi network and this handset, you've got all the equipment you need."

3Com 3108 Wireless Phone

VoIP Monitor — Mon, 23 Oct 2006 20:40:57 GMT

The 3Com 3108 Wireless Phone allows users to roam a building or campus environment and stay connected with customers, partners and co-workers while utilizing VoIP, wireless email and data applications. The 3Com 3108 Wireless Phone delivers reliable and secure voice communications over any standards-based IEEE 802.11b/g wireless LAN infrastructure.

Features:

Sleek clamshell flip form factor with a high-quality color display
Keypad and intuitive four-way cursor lets users manage calls
Access their phonebook
View call logs and view e-mails
Personal settings, such as ring tones, speed dials and connectivity settings, can be configured on the phone or via a Web browser-based management tool.

"The 3108 wireless phone is also the newest addition to 3Com’s broad portfolio of IP phones. It works with 3Com NBX and 3Com wireless networking solutions as part of a complete VoIP solution. 3Com VCX is scheduled to support the 3108 wireless phone in early 2007. The phone is currently available through 3Com channel partners and distributors at a list price of $415 USD."

>>

Talkster to Offer Mobile-to-VoIM Calls

VoIP Monitor — Mon, 16 Oct 2006 20:48:14 GMT

Talkster Inc. announced that it has retained Mobility Public Relations as its agency of record. Mobility Public Relations was selected because of the expertise their team has in the wireless industry having managed media and analyst relations activities for such companies as Cisco Systems, iPass and the Wireless Industry Partnership (WIP).

"Mobility Public Relations blew us away when they presented the program they are building for Talkster," said Maria Puccio, vice president of marketing at Talkster. "Very quickly the team at Mobility Public Relations created precise product positioning and messaging. It's fair to say that Mobility PR is playing a major role in transforming our business."

Talkster is the first company to offer mobile-to-voice over instant messaging (VoIM) calls which can be placed to MSN Messenger, Google Talk and Gizmo Project IM services for free using any mobile phone with a browser, over any network and without requiring software. Talkster's mobile communications service also lets users place low-cost, carrier-grade long distance calls to any landline, mobile phone or voice over Internet (VoIP) phone -- including VoIP phones without direct dial numbers.

"Talkster is an exciting company with innovative technology and a lot of energy," said John Giddings, principal at Mobility Public Relations. "One of the challenges we will face is differentiating Talkster from a growing field of startups that do only small pieces of what Talkster does. Talkster understands that public relations is a core business function and has dedicated the time to work with us in building an aggressive communications program."

Wireless VoIP in the USA and Western Europe

VoIP Monitor — Mon, 09 Oct 2006 18:51:04 GMT

Research and Markets (http://www.researchandmarkets.com/reports/c43156) has announced the addition of Forecasting the Commercial Impact of Wireless VoIP in the USA and Western Europe to their offering.

Forecasting the Commercial Impact of Wireless VoIP in the USA and Western Europe answers your key questions:

What are the barriers to the adoption of wireless VoIP services? How and when will these barriers be overcome, and what will drive adoption?
What contribution will wireless VoIP make to the total (fixed and mobile) voice market, in terms of traffic volume and revenues?
What will be the relative contributions of VoIP over 3G, WLAN and BWA?
How will wireless VoIP usage and revenues compare to fixed voice services?
How will the evolution of 3G networks affect the migration from circuit-switched voice services to VoIP?
What actions should operators, service providers, vendors and VoIP software providers take to seize the opportunities that wireless VoIP presents and overcome the risks?

There is growing interest in delivering VoIP services over a range of wireless technologies (including 3G, WLAN and WiMAX). However, there is still uncertainty over the extent to which it will be adopted and the impact it will have on the usage and revenue of voice services in general. Such services offer significant opportunities and risks for network operators, equipment vendors and a number of other organisations. The central question addressed by this report is: what will be the impact of wireless VoIP on the overall voice market, and when? The report provides detailed forecasts of traffic volumes, revenues and ARPU for mobile and fixed voice services for the period 2006–15, segmented by wireless technology type (cellular, WLAN and BWA), and by circuit-switched and VoIP services.

Who should read this report

Mobile network operators: senior managers who wish to understand the strategic implications of wireless VoIP for future investment plans can quantify the opportunities and threats that wireless VoIP presents (including its impact on network traffic mix, revenue and investments) and identify appropriate actions that capitalise on opportunities afforded by cellular VoIP and mitigate the risks from third-party wireless VoIP services.

Existing and potential VoIP service providers including BWA operators, mobile virtual network operators (MVNOs), internet service providers (ISPs), VoIP software developers and service providers: corporate strategists and business development managers who wish to understand and quantify the revenue opportunities from wireless VoIP services can identify the actions required to exploit them.

Cellular equipment vendors: research and development teams and product managers who need to understand how and when cellular VoIP services will become mainstream can identify the necessary cellular infrastructure and services that VoIP providers will require and anticipate the technologies that will maximise the success of wireless VoIP services and gain revenue from new VoIP-enabled products.

Alternative wireless equipment vendors: senior executives who need to understand the potential for VoIP services on WLAN and BWA platforms can develop appropriate solutions based on long-term forecasts.

Financial analysts and investors: can gain insight into when wireless VoIP services will become a mainstream commercial proposition and use the forecasts for quantitative evaluation of future revenue streams, according to different types of wireless network.

Topics Covered

Summary

1 Players in the mobile industry must assess the impact of wireless VoIP in the context of overall strategy

2 Mobile network operators and end users will be critical players in determining the success of wireless VoIP

3 Improvements to cellular radio technology will create the long-term business case for mass-market wireless VoIP services

4 The dominance of cellular VoIP services will constrain wireless VoIP on alternative networks to niche opportunities

Figures and tables

The following companies are cited in the report:

- Atmel - Cisco - Ericsson - IPWireless - Qualcomm Flarion - Motorola - Skype - SprintNextel - Verizon Wireless

For more information visit http://www.researchandmarkets.com/reports/c43156.

JAJAH Promises Free Global Calls from Mobile Phones

VoIP Monitor — Wed, 27 Sep 2006 14:15:45 GMT

JAJAH unveiled the JAJAH Mobile Suite, which allows consumers to make free long-distance and global calls directly from their mobile phones. The service is the latest milestone in JAJAH's ongoing mission to become the first, true global communications company by providing consumers with the smartest, cheapest and most innovative communication services around the world. With 2.5 billion-plus people who use mobile phones as their primary communications device, the JAJAH Mobile Suite vastly expands the company's global footprint.

"JAJAH is one of a very few leaders in telephony providing unique solutions to the global marketplace," said IDC analyst William Stofega. "By enabling consumers to make free and cheap calls to anyone in the world -- over any mobile device -- JAJAH is helping to change the way people think about global communications."

"People around the globe have become familiar with JAJAH, the simplest and cheapest way to make long-distance and global phone calls," said JAJAH co- founder Roman Scharf. "Now you can make long-distance and global calls directly from your mobile phone without having to dial a special number, find a hotspot, use a calling card, sign a new long-term contract or even pay to register. It's not only the cheapest way to do long-distance and global calls, it's also the smartest and the easiest."

JAJAH co-founders Roman Scharf and Daniel Mattes will present the mobile suite tomorrow at DEMO, the premier conference for emerging technologies. The JAJAH Mobile Suite will allow virtually any mobile phone to make JAJAH calls. Starting with Symbian and Java-based J2ME phones and soon with innovative text messaging and smart-phone/browser solutions. Combined, JAJAH enables virtually any cell phone, regardless of carrier, manufacturer or existing agreement to make JAJAH calls. JAJAH works with customers existing mobile phones and plans -- no new number, no new agreement.

JAJAH mobile is seamlessly integrated into the JAJAH desktop solution allowing consumers to manage their account directly on the JAJAH web site. To use the service, you first need a JAJAH account, which is free and without obligation. Customers go to http://www.jajah.com/ to register and to check mobile availability details.

"We think our solutions have the potential to change the communication industry," said JAJAH co-founder Daniel Mattes. "We are not just about low- cost, we are also rapidly innovating. By combining the Internet with regular phones, we have been able to create compelling new types of solutions, like JAJAH Conference Calling, scheduled calls and 'one-click' calling directly from inside the most popular computer applications. As long as our customers continue to find our solutions useful, we see no limit to how far this can grow."

VoIP Innovator Launches Service for Mobile Phones

VoIP Monitor — Thu, 21 Sep 2006 04:45:55 GMT

Voice communications technology company PeerMe, Inc. launched its free service designed to allow users of Sprint EVDO mobile phones to make free unlimited calls. PeerMe CEO Tom Lasater says, "Sprint has the best EVDO network in the U.S., but at the same time they have the highest churn in the industry and they signed up fewer new users than any of their competitors this year. We are giving them the ability to use their technological edge to become the leader in the U.S. wireless market."

PeerMe uses VoIP technology to enable mobile phone users to communicate with each other from anywhere in the world to anywhere in the world for free. Instead of paying exorbitant rates for "peak hour" calls or overseas connections, users can make unlimited calls from their cell phones while only paying a small monthly fee to their wireless carriers.

"Nobody in the cell phone industry has done a marketing campaign touting the tremendous cost savings that can result from using peer-to-peer voice on a wireless broadband mobile device. Carriers are probably scared of cannibalizing their revenues, but let's look at the real cost of offering this service. Most people pay a flat fee for what is basically unlimited talk time within the U.S., so PeerMe usage is going to affect revenue from overseas calls," according to Lasater. "The reality is that the erosion of revenue from overseas calls already happened in the 1990s. Sprint should do a massive advertising campaign touting their EVDO-enabled devices as the solution for outrageous communications costs. Sprint could not only crush its mobile competitors with this strategy, they could also blindside the DSL and fixed-line broadband industry."

Wireless VoIP Phone Based on UniFi, Single-Chip WiFi

VoIP Monitor — Tue, 12 Sep 2006 07:05:34 GMT

CSR launched UniVox, a VoIP phone based on the company's UniFi single-chip WiFi technology. CSR has designed UniVox to enable manufacturers to produce wireless phones for residential use at the lowest cost, and lowest power with up to 20 hours talk time and 400 hours standby time from typical handset batteries, using latest generation access points. CSR is providing UniVox customers with schematics, layout and bill of materials (BOM) as well as royalty-free design software. To ensure the lowest cost, CSR has designed UniVox to be highly integrated, so the total cost of components listed in the BOM is under $20 with electronic bill of materials (eBOM) totalling less than $15. CSR is demonstrating and sampling UniVox today, and expects a full production-ready UniVox example design by the end of the year.

"Untethering VoIP calls from PCs is exactly what consumers want, and for wireless VoIP phones to succeed both power and pricing have got to fall", said J. Gerry Purdy, Frost & Sullivan's VP and Chief Mobile Wireless Analyst. "Only lower prices and long battery life will drive widespread adoption; CSR's UniVox handset reference design should help ODMs achieve those goals."

CSR has built UniVox around its UniFi-1 Portable chip to provide a design for a low cost, low power VoWiFi (Voice over WiFi) phone. UniFi-1 is CSR's 802.11b/g single-chip WiFi silicon and offers the industry's lowest power consumption whilst in a chip-scale package that allows a very small footprint (6x6mm). CSR has also designed its own MAP (Multimedia Applications Processor) into UniVox, combining a low power RISC based applications processor with high performance DSP function, audio CODECs and echo cancellation; as well as intelligent power management. To ensure high voice quality, UniVox supports 802.11e and WMM-SA to provide optimised and prioritised quality of service (QoS), eliminating potential latency or jitter. UniVox also supports 802.11i to add enhanced levels of security.

UniVox benefits from the lowest power embedded WiFi solution in the industry. Utilising WMM-PS mode with a compatible access point will also provide handsets with advanced power-save mechanisms for extended battery life. This means that instead of the standard 1500mAh battery providing 8 hours talk time and 250 hours standby, WMM-PS can extend talk time to a potential 20 hours, and standby time to 400 hours.

UniVox is a secure platform preventing unauthorised use or eavesdropping. Support for 802.11i, WEP, WPA and WPA2 security standards means UniVox based phone designs will be compatible with standard wireless router protocols. UniVox can also be pre-configured with IP and gateway addresses, allowing ODMs to produce branded 'out of the box' VoWiFi phones specific for broadband or VoIP service providers. CSR's UniVox uses SIP (Session Initiation Protocol) version 2, the widely adopted open standard for initiating voice or video calls across internet connections. UniVox can also be configured (at the production stage) to support the alternative IAX2 protocol, depending on the requirements of the VoIP service provider.

The DSP co-processor inside CSR's applications processor includes the company's own CVC (Clear Voice Capture) echo cancellation software, which combined with the prioritised QoS, gives the end-user the maximum sound quality at the lowest cost. UniVox has a default MMI (Man Machine Interface) included; a software development kit can be used to further configure the phone's interface and to add additional audio CODECs if required.

Simon Finch, VP WiFi Strategic Business Unit, CSR, commented, "UniVox based phones are the next step in the evolution of VoIP phones that are set to replace the residential phones we use today, such as DECT." Finch continued, "We designed UniVox in the knowledge that VoWiFi phones on the market today are just too expensive and power hungry to drive wider consumer adoption. UniVox was designed from the ground up with the intention of enabling phone ODMs to produce high quality, very low cost and low power phones for the mass market."

Nortel and Followap Enhance IMS Services

VoIP Monitor — Thu, 07 Sep 2006 18:13:08 GMT

Nortel has selected Followap's Presence technology to power its IP multimedia subsystem (IMS) portfolio to unprecedented levels of personalization, mobility and security in communications.

IMS is designed to deliver uninterrupted, seamless communications regardless of network, making it possible for interactive services such as instant messaging, VoIP, push-to-talk and multimedia gaming to follow users in real-time as they roam across wireless, wireline or cable networks. Presence technology is an essential component of IMS that enables networks to be intuitive, allowing users to specify their availability and willingness to communicate via the network and device of their choice.

Presence technology enriches communications by providing real-time information about the status of subscribers. This information can include a range of details from whether a device is on or off, through to more advanced information about users' availability such as indicating whether they are driving or in a meeting. Presence can provide visibility on how best to communicate with other subscribers whether by text, voice or IM. Presence-enabled applications will allow subscribers to enjoy services such as multi-player gaming, location services and chat room dating. For example, gamers will be able to receive real-time status updates on whether their contacts want to play/chat and who is available online.

"IMS has enjoyed significant momentum across the industry as service providers look to this new standard and architecture as a means of enhancing their ability to become more service-agile by developing an array of new and innovative combinational services," said Tom Valovic, director of VOIP Infrastructure at IDC. "Leveraging new combinations of capability to advance mobile IM and presence such as that exemplified by Nortel's partnership with Followap is the kind of approach that can help service providers develop the necessary building blocks to improve communications and drive fixed/mobile convergence."

"Nortel is committed to delivering an open, standards-based IMS solution, which is essential for service provider success," said Sita Lowman, business leader, IMS, Nortel. "Followap's impressive presence technology for personalized, mobile and secure multimedia communications together with Nortel's IMS core technology and SIP application expertise is a powerful combination for positioning service providers to deliver a more personalized and enjoyable communications experience to subscribers, no matter where they are or what device they may be using."

Followap's Presence Platform (iFollow PSP), incorporating Followap's Presence Server and Group List Management Server (XDMS/GLMS), will power presence enabled IMS-based applications, allowing operators to presence-enable their existing services and design future services.

Dotan Volach, CEO at Followap said, "Presence is the personal enablement communication choice of the future and is a key component needed to seamlessly orchestrate integrated communications. Followap is pleased to be working with Nortel, one of the industry's leading providers of carrier VoIP/IMS technology, to deliver flexible, next-generation mobile services."

The iFollow PSP collects and broadcasts in real-time subscribers' availability and willingness to communicate to other subscribers and services. Such status information is displayed and updated immediately through the device's address book using Followap's XDMS/GLMS. The iFollow Presence Platform (PSP) will be integrated into Nortel's IMS Core solution, which is responsible for authenticating users and setting up IMS sessions using Session Initiation Protocol (SIP). Once a session has been set up and user availability communicated through the iFollow PSP, data transfer will be handled by the appropriate media server or application.

The iFollow Presence Platform is standards-based, supporting OMA, IETF, 3GPP and OSA/Parlay standards. Using iFollow PSP, operators can quickly generate significant incremental revenues by incorporating meaningful presence information into existing and new value added services. iFollow PSP powers fixed-mobile converged (FMC) networks across mobile and fixed, public and private, voice and data networks.

For more information on this announcement, please listen to the Nortel/Followap podcast at www.nortel.com/podcast.

Nortel's IMS solution is access-aware and supports 3GPP (IMS), 3GPP2 (MMD), Packet Cable 2.0 and TISPAN standards. Nortel ranked number one in the global markets for service provider softswitches and gateways for the first half of 2006, according to Synergy Research Group. Nortel is currently engaged in IMS trials with leading operators in wireline, cable, CDMA and GSM/UMTS markets. Nortel is sponsoring GMI 2006, the world's first massive 'real network' trial of multi-vendor interoperability of the IMS service framework. For more information about this event, see www.gmi2006.com.

Wireless is Trend Setting Regarding Implementation of VoIP

VoIP Monitor — Thu, 10 Aug 2006 19:57:13 GMT

AMITELO Wireless SL, located in Campanillas-Malaga, a 100% subsidiary of AMITELO AG (Zurich), continues the geographical expansion of its IP-network at the Costa del Sol, Spain. The company provides broadband services to, amongst others, the specific areas of Coin, Ojen and East Marbella. This represents the second implementation phase of the network connection program and services rural areas to the rear region of Marbella and in the city of Malaga itself. The services are also provided in the hinterland.

This is an area of major development and housing expansion with a current total of 300.000 corporate- and private customers, expanding continuously. AMITELO is aiming to capture 10% market share of this market segment. This would reflect a turnover volume of EUR 30 Mio. This expansion is a forward looking base for company growth in the Spanish market.

The IP transmission technology integrates modern voice- and data service and permits the use of continually developing AMITELO end customer products, such as VoIP-services and ADSL-broadband services. Customers of the targeted region are currently obliged to use GSM (global system for mobile communication) and GPRS-technologies (general packet radio station) for using data services in this region. AMITELO Wireless has also completed its own developed 'hotspot' technology to be available to any customer requiring broadband services on the southern Spanish coast, under the coverage of the AMITELO-network on a pre-payment basis. The AMITELO -'hotspot' technology differs from other offerings in that pre-paid credits can be used either for conventional Internet usage or for VoIP-telephony calls, utilising an integrated Softphone on the login page. Typical usage rates for the service are EUR 18.00 per day for the broadband service and VoIP-calling related to consumption and destination. The present network coverage has a market potential of approx. 300.000 potential users for this specific service.

AMITELO is pre-contracted by the local council for the region of Malaga's industrial parks in order to provide broadband services to approximately 100 industrial units each, with average installation prices per unit for broadband ADSL-Services of EUR 590.00 for business customers with monthly recurring revenues of EUR 45.00-EUR 120.00 per business customer, dependent on consumption and required services. Also under this contract are the provision of broadband and associated services to the local council itself, its main offices and remote locations.

Further signed contracts relate to the provision to a national Spanish property developer of broadband and VoIP services to 1200 private dwellings (Housing Units) currently under construction, with further installations to other developments under negotiation. Typical installation prices per dwelling are EUR 149.00, these installations are paid by the constructor prior to customer occupancy, with recurring monthly revenues of EUR 25.00 - EUR 45.00 direct from the customer / subscriber.

Recently a contract with a noted Spanish hotel chain has been signed for AMITELO`s services. Prior to serving the whole hotel chain, a pilot project for two hotels, actually being in the construction phase is planned.

Parallel AMITELO is also involved in consultation for the internal network installations for the hotels, the current budget for the AMITELO installations for the whole communication including the necessary end-units is EUR 70'000 per hotel. AMITELO generates a monthly service fee from each hotel of EUR 500 plus the VoIP-telephone consumption accounts, estimated with 50.000 minutes per calendar month with an average revenue of 0.12c per minute.

After the first weeks with starting network operations of the new parts, several hundred signed contracts arrived at the sales offices of AMITELO. This reflects the high demand for broadband-ADSL-services in the regions, served by AMITELO and is an indicator for the attractive potential for turnover generating with this new services.

BlueAnt's X5 Stereo Bluetooth Headset

VoIP Monitor — Mon, 07 Aug 2006 22:42:58 GMT

Loaded with everything for the digital connoisseur, the newly released wireless multi-function BlueAnt X5 Stereo Bluetooth Headset is packed with multiple features to stream stereo music from an iPod, mobile phone, PDA, MP3 player or computer as well as taking calls and using voice over internet (VOIP) applications. Sleek, stylish, compact and fully portable, this all-rounder is a must for professionals on the move, gamers and those who want quality stereo streaming in the office, at home or while traveling.

It features Advanced Audio Distribution Profile (A2DP), a revolutionary new music technology which allows users to send CD quality stereo music from one device to another without using wires.

BlueAnt Wireless General Manager of U.S. Operations, Peter George, says, "The X5 puts a whole new spin on integration between devices, giving you the freedom to use the wireless X5 across a range of applications such as gaming, mobile communication and listening to your favorite tunes."

The X5 can pair with up to 10 devices and also supports Audio Visual Remote Control (AVRCP), Headset and Handsfree profiles and operates easily within a range of 30 feet. It offers 12 hours of talk time and up to 200 hours of standby time.

The X5 also features:

-- An included Bluetooth Audio Streamer capable of streaming wireless music to the X5 from any audio output*.

-- AVRCP Bluetooth profile allows remote control of Windows Media Player, Winamp, WinDVD and other compatible music player applications, using buttons on the X5 Headset.

-- One touch redial/answer function and the ability to answer calls from a mobile phone while listening to music.

-- 3.5mm line-in jack on the audio streamer for connection to iPod, MP3 player or any other audio device with a 3.5mm audio output (cable included in box).

-- A detachable microphone enabling hands-free conversation via your mobile phone or VOIP program.

-- Charging options include two USB cables to plug into PC/Mac as well as an AC charger.

-- A compact removable rechargeable battery which lasts for more than 12 hours.

-- Use the Audio Streamer without a battery by plugging into a USB port.

MSRP - $139.99

For a list of available retailers, please refer to: www.myblueant.com/wheretobuy_online.htm

For product images, please visit our image gallery at www.myblueant.com/gallery.htm

Nationwide Deployment Program of Mobile VoIP

VoIP Monitor — Tue, 18 Jul 2006 19:02:26 GMT

xG Technology, LLC announced the launch of a nationwide deployment program of xMax, the first ever mobile Voice over IP (VoIP) service. Starting today, the company is accepting applications for its xMax Domestic Dealer Program and will award exclusive territories to regional carriers for deployment of mobile VoIP services. The first systems will be online in the first quarter of 2007.

"xMax provides an unprecedented opportunity for regional ISPs, CLECs, local communications carriers and entrepreneurs by reducing the cost of deploying wireless broadband to the point where they can compete with traditional communications companies," said Rick Mooers, Chairman and CEO of xG Technology. "With xG Technology, an xMax regional carrier could deliver a carrier-grade quality mobile VoIP service for thousands of dollars, not the millions that other technologies require in capital network and spectrum licensing costs."

Leveraging xG Technology's patented technology, xMax delivers the industry's first true mobile VoIP with unsurpassed speed, reach and ease of deployment. By using unlicensed wireless spectrum, xMax eliminates the need for multi-million dollar licensed airwaves and, on average, delivers three times the range of other wireless technologies with comparable power and antenna height.

The xMax Domestic Dealer Program presents regional service providers with the opportunity to deploy a city-wide mobile VoIP service to subscribers with lower cost, higher quality, and greater coverage than existing technologies that are limited to hotspot coverage only. "Preliminary response has been tremendous," said Frank Peake, head of Sales and Marketing. "Competitive providers that are interested in reaching their customers directly rather than relying on incumbent providers' networks have shown particular interest in locking up exclusive territories."

By curbing the expensive start-up and operational costs typically associated with the communications industry, xMax provides for the first all-IP networks to be built economically and profitably from the ground up. In addition, the xMax system will in time expand from mobile VoIP to mobile broadband.

Mooers added, "With our program, xG Technology will be rolling out xMax on a region-by-region basis with the end goal of a ubiquitous xMax mobile VoIP service across the U.S."

About xMax Domestic Dealer Program

xG Technology provides its dealers with a comprehensive mobile VoIP carrier model.

Key features of the program include:

-- Low network deployment costs;

-- Exclusive territories;

-- Wireless IP service independent of the PSTN and cable networks;

-- Affiliation with a national brand; and

-- Comprehensive marketing and distribution support.

To request an exclusive territory application, please visit www.xgtechnology.com or contact Frank Peake at (941) 954-8701 or via e-mail at frankp@xgtechnology.com. Applications will be accepted and considered on a rolling basis until all territories are assigned.

Mindspeed Announces Wireless Software Suite for Comcerto

VoIP Monitor — Mon, 26 Jun 2006 21:33:19 GMT

Mindspeed Technologies, Inc., a leading supplier of semiconductor solutions for network infrastructure applications, announced a comprehensive wireless software suite for its Comcerto voice-over-Internet Protocol (VoIP) processor family.

Mindspeed's new wireless software solution and integrated Comcerto processors offer the industry's most highly optimized platform for implementing GSM/W-CDMA and CDMA media gateways with support for IP multimedia subsystem (IMS) and fixed-mobile convergence applications.

"The convergence of IP-based voice, video and data with mobile access, as well as the increased adoption of 3G technology, is driving a new generation of more cost-effective and compelling subscriber services," said Raouf Halim, Mindspeed's chief executive officer. "Our comprehensive wireless software suite builds on our core wireless codec technology and works with our wireline and cable software offerings, allowing Comcerto customers to rapidly expand into these exciting new market opportunities."

In addition to IMS and fixed-mobile convergence, Mindspeed's wireless Comcerto software suite provides full support for VoIP over wireless access networks, high-speed wireless data access and multi-purpose 3G and WiFi/WiMax services.

The Comcerto processor platform was designed to support wireless services, and integrates both packet and signal processing into a robust and flexible architecture that includes advanced voice signal processing and high-quality echo cancellation. It provides all necessary media stream processing and transport layer building blocks to enable telecommunications equipment to seamlessly transmit highly secure, carrier-class-quality voice, video and data across both wireless and wireline networks. This frees equipment manufacturers to focus on product differentiation at the application layer.

Product Details

Mindspeed's new wireless software suite builds on the company's earlier Comcerto software offerings and its proven wireless codec portfolio, while adding all necessary protocol stacks and other packet-processing software to ensure interworking with 3G, 2G+ and WiFi networks. It also adds voice quality improvements, supports all ATM and IP networks and provides a roadmap to future wireless codecs.

Interworking with 3G networks is provided via Iu/NbUP protocol stacks, while 2G+ interworking is supported via TFO and circuit-switched data (CSD). IMS capability is also included to support wireless and wireline convergence. For WiFi interworking, Mindspeed has provided software for Unlicensed MobileAccess (UMA). To improve wireless voice quality, Mindspeed's patented intelligent transcoding technology eliminates the transmission delays inherent with typical transcoding implementations that require multiple transcoding steps as wireless traffic moves between wireless GSM and CDMA handsets and wireline phones.

Mindspeed has an extensive wireless voice heritage and has made significant contributions to developing industry standards including the discontinuous transmission (DTX) of speech in CDMA2000(R) systems, as well as GSM AMR technology resulting in the 3GPP AMR-NB codec for W-CDMA networks.

Mindspeed's Comcerto processor is field-proven in multiple CDMA wireless networks throughout the Asia Pacific region, and will be deployed in major North American GSM/W-CDMA networks beginning in 2006.

A pioneer in the development of complete system-on-chip and bundled software solutions for today's wireline VoIP media gateways, Mindspeed earlier this year added a VoIP-over-Cable software suite specifically designed for cable networks in combination with its Comcerto processor family.

Mindspeed's Comcerto processors combine high-performance digital signal processing (DSP) cores and a packet- processing engine with industry-standard streaming packet interfaces to provide a high-density VoIP system-on-a-chip.

Comcerto processors offer telecommunications equipment manufacturers a simple and cost-effective solution for designing complete systems capable of transporting carrier-class voice across both wireless and wireline networks, and are ideally suited to the convergence of voice and mobile technology in next generation, VoIP-based telephony applications.

The Comcerto wireless software offerings are available in both CDMA and W-CDMA versions. The SWO-002-CDMA and SWO-003-WCDMA are each available now for a one-time licensing fee of $75,000.

Largest Hot Zone in Joliet, Illinois

VoIP Monitor — Tue, 30 May 2006 21:13:56 GMT

Proxim Wireless, Inc., a global provider of broadband wireless equipment and wholly-owned subsidiary of Terabeam, Inc., announced that it is exclusively providing the broadband wireless equipment to power a public Wi-Fi, voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP), and secured merchant transaction processing network at Bronk's Corners, a 275,000 square foot retail, office, and restaurant open-air center located in Joliet, Illinois. The network is being designed and installed by ITP Wireless, Inc., a licensed Illinois Wireless Internet Service Provider (WISP) and Proxim Wireless Platinum Partner. Bronk's Corners will be Joliet's largest Wi-Fi hot zone.

ITP Wireless will be installing Proxim Wireless' new ORiNOCO AP-4000MR outdoor wireless mesh access points to support the campus-wide network. In a mesh network, nodes provide Wi-Fi access to end users while also connecting to each other to share bandwidth, identify fastest routes around the network, and enable complete redundancy. The advantages of Proxim's mesh products include: the enterprise-class features of the ORiNOCO Wi-Fi platform; two radios, with one handling Wi-Fi access and the other handling the mesh backhaul; and multiple operating frequencies to mitigate interference. These products also include quality of service (QoS) which supports the differentiated transport of VoIP.

"We chose ITP and Proxim Wireless because of their established track records of providing turnkey wireless network solutions, outstanding technical support throughout Illinois, and their collaborative, creative approach to help solve problems. For example, we captured the idea of disguising the wireless equipment in a unique clock tower, which satisfied the City of Joliet and provides a distinguished landmark for the center," summarized Shawn Adams, Vice President of Marketing for developer Ardmin Properties.

"Wi-Fi is a proven technology for broadband Internet access, and, with enhanced features such as mesh networking, quality of service, and robust authentication and encryption, Proxim's ORiNOCO product line has allowed us to offer even more applications such as secure transaction processing and voice services," said Chuck Brown, Bronk's Corners Account Manager, ITP Wireless.

"Proxim Wireless is proud to deliver this solution for an advanced open air center like Bronk's Corners," said Amit Malhotra, Proxim Vice President of Marketing. "Our unparalleled reputation for wireless technology leadership and world-class support, and ITP Wireless' strengths in delivering total solutions, are continuing to enhance communications throughout Illinois."

Florida's First Citywide Wireless Mesh Network

VoIP Monitor — Mon, 22 May 2006 19:59:20 GMT

Strix Systems, the leader in high-performance wireless mesh networking, announced that Citi WiFi Networks has selected Strix's Access/One Outdoor Wireless System (OWS) to create Florida's first public/private partnership by deploying a citywide wireless mesh network in the city of Dunedin. This robust and highly scalable network will provide wireless broadband Internet access to Dunedin's businesses, city offices, marina, tourists, and 38,000 residents. Already 25 percent complete, the network is expected to spur economic development and reduce the city's fixed costs. Upon completion the city's wireless mesh network will cover 10.4 sq. miles.

"Citi WiFi partnered with Strix because its multi-radio, multi-RF approach to mesh networking is extremely scalable and affordable, it gives us many deployment options, and it will allow us to add more services in the future," said Frank McCarthy, president of Citi WiFi Networks. "We believe that the advantages of Strix's approach boil down to containing the cost per square mile, which allows for cost effective deployment of services and enables us to capture the maximum possible service revenue per square mile. If you want to deploy broadband service now and add IP, multimedia, and VoIP applications in the future, you have to build a network today that can deliver the throughput and low-latency to support such applications tomorrow."

Even before the network became operational, reaction to it was enthusiastic. Hundreds of subscribers signed up for the new service, at no obligation, via a pre-subscription link on Citi WiFi's web site. This helped the company to determine the best locations for installing nodes and test for signal strength outside each residence as the nodes went up. Citi WiFi anticipates a healthy take rate from residences, mobile professionals such as real estate agents, and owners of boats at the local marina, as well as from tourists, since the price for access is less than the price of access at hotels.

The City of Dunedin will use Strix OWS to connect the city's dozen or so buildings for less than the cost of a wired network. The network will also make city inspectors and other mobile employees more productive by enabling them to access the fixed network via VPNs. The water department, the biggest component of the city infrastructure, is considering replacing the city's aging water meters with wireless meters. The Strix OWS will allow Dunedin to backhaul the meters' output to the water department, eliminating the need to read water meters on site.

"Dunedin is an excellent example of how Strix OWS can address the widely varying communications needs of a municipality's constituents," said Jim Mooreland, vice president of worldwide sales at Strix. "Citi WiFi is taking advantage of the power, flexibility, and scalability of our solution to build a wireless mesh network that meets current needs and can keep evolving to meet future needs."

Strix OWS Selected After Extensive Testing

Citi WiFi Networks performed extensive testing on mesh networks from five different vendors before selecting Strix's solution. The company was particularly impressed with the ability of Strix OWS to maintain a high node-to-node throughput and low latency across multiple hops. Other vendor products tested in the same multi-hop configuration could only provide 1 Mbps service and several could provide no bandwidth at all after only three hops, while the Strix OWS maintained high performance levels all the way through. One Mbps capacity is sufficient for email but not for high-bandwidth services such as IPTV and other multimedia applications. Nor is 1 Mbps sufficient to support seamless hand-off for roaming. Strix also offers Citi WiFi a great deal of flexibility with regard to antennas, configuration, and network design, all very important considerations in Dunedin, which has many large mature trees that can obstruct radio signals.

The Dunedin network is unique in that the Strix nodes are installed on utility poles owned by a private power company, Progress Energy. Citi WiFi broke new ground by entering into an agreement with Progress Energy to place nodes on its poles. To date, wireless mesh nodes have been installed on light poles owned by municipalities, which thus have the freedom to place nodes wherever they wish.

"Citi WiFi's ultimate goal is to create ubiquitous Wi-Fi coverage in Pinellas County, where Dunedin is located; all over the Tampa Bay area; and across the State of Florida," said Mike Sheaffer, COO of Citi WiFi Networks. "We're working with several cities in Florida and recently ranked first in West Palm Beach's invitation to negotiate for a wireless mesh network."

Atmel Embeds RADVISION SIP In VoIP Chipsets

VoIP Monitor — Tue, 16 May 2006 21:59:26 GMT

RADVISION, a leading provider of multimedia conferencing, communications platforms and development tools, announced that U.S.-based Atmel Corporation is licensing RADVISION's SIP toolkit to be used on Atmel's product line of wireless and wired Voice-over-IP (VoIP) processors.

The toolkit will be used to bring advanced VoIP capabilities to Atmel's VoIP processor devices that are targeted at embedded applications such as enterprise VoIP WiFi and wired phones and VoIP enabled home routers. Atmel's silicon products with RADVISION's SIP embedded will be used by tier 1 and tier 2 OEMs and original design manufacturers (ODM) that design and develop wireless VoIP handsets for the Enterprise, SOHO, Service Provider and consumer markets.

The use of the RADVISION SIP toolkit will enable Atmel to roll out products that have the high performance, stability and interoperability required for the business and home environments. The highly integrated architecture of Atmel's VoIP processors allows lower cost, lower power consumption and higher performance than other solutions in the market today.

"Atmel is a leader in the design and manufacture of advanced semiconductors that are optimized for use in the embedded VoIP device market with strict requirements for performance and long battery life consideration," said Adi Paz, Senior Director of Product Management and Marketing for RADVISION's Technology Business Unit. "Their choice of our award-winning and high performance SIP toolkit with minimal memory footprint is further validation of the success of our SIP products."

"The RADVISION SIP toolkit has provided Atmel and its customers the greatest assurance of worldwide interoperability with various call managers, SIP servers and hardware and software switches," said Richard Bisset, Product Marketing Director for Atmel's Multimedia and Communications Group. "We chose RADVISION's SIP toolkit because of its high interoperability with other products on the market and its high performance. This allows Atmel's solutions to overcome one of the big barriers that face many other solutions in the market place today. We were especially pleased with the fact that the toolkit provides all the necessary SIP and SDP services, such as encoding, sending, parsing and receiving SIP messages over UDP, TCP and TLS, managing SIP calls and transactions. We found the product easy to use and were able to integrate SIP into our VoIP processors in a surprisingly short amount of time. As such, we are very pleased with our decision to license Radvision's SIP software," concluded Mr. Bisset.

SkyPilot Networks One of the ''Fierce 15'' Wireless Companies of 2006

VoIP Monitor — Wed, 10 May 2006 23:07:30 GMT

SkyPilot Networks announced that it has been named to FierceWireless' annual Fierce 15 list. This distinction honors SkyPilot Networks as one of the top 15 emerging wireless companies for 2006. FierceWireless is an internationally recognized email newsletter for the wireless industry, provides more than 73,000 executives in over 100 countries a quick, authoritative briefing on the day's top wireless stories and markets.

"SkyPilot Networks has proven itself as a true Fierce 15 winner by providing wireless mesh solutions that enable service providers, municipalities and public safety agencies to rapidly deploy VoIP, public and private Wi-Fi access, video surveillance, and other wireless applications," said Lynnette Luna, editor of Fierce Wireless. "With more than 200 customers in 40 countries, SkyPilot Networks is well-positioned to grow into the future with Wi-Fi and WiMAX."

SkyPilot's wireless broadband technology combines carrier-class reliability with exceptional performance, security, ease-of-use, and cost effectiveness. By delivering a scalable mesh networking architecture, the company's mesh infrastructure and customer premise equipment significantly reduce the time to design and deploy new broadband networks. SkyPilot's product family also integrates seamlessly with existing network systems and management tools that extend and scale existing service more simply at lower costs.

"FierceWireless is a highly respectable and well-read news outlet in the global wireless market," said SkyPilot CEO Bob Machlin. "The industry depends on FierceWireless to provide the most up-to-date news along with the trends and happenings on a daily basis. It is therefore, an honor to be selected as a member of the Fierce 15 by such a reputable news outlet."

The Fierce 15 celebrates the spirit of being "fierce" - championing innovation and creativity, even in the face of intense competition. The complete list of Fierce 15 companies is available in today's issue of FierceWireless and on the FierceWireless Web site at http://www.fiercewireless.com.

MobileVoIP Convergence Solutions

VoIP Monitor — Wed, 10 May 2006 06:57:07 GMT

Net2Phone, a recognized provider of global VoIP (Voice Over Internet Protocol) solutions for service providers, and BridgePort Networks, a leader in MobileVoIP convergence, announced today that Net2Phone selected BridgePort Networks' MobileVoIP convergence architecture for its telecommunications partners. Net2Phone's telecommunications partners will now be able to offer a joint landline - mobile solution to their customers using BridgePort Networks' MobileVoIP convergence solution.

Net2Phone's deployment of BridgePort Networks' software will enable Net2Phone partners to provide an easily implemented MobileVoIP service to their subscribers. With this service subscribers will be afforded a single number voice and messaging communications experience using dual mode cellular/Wi-Fi mobile phones that work seamlessly in either network environment. By integrating BridgePort Networks' core convergence infrastructure software, the NomadicONE Network convergence Gateway with its VoiceLine(SM) solution, Net2Phone will be able to offer its partners a turnkey MobileVoIP solution.

"Working with BridgePort Networks gives us the capability to allow our customers to rapidly go-to-market with MobileVoIP converged services," said Net2Phone CEO Liore Alroy. "Our ability to integrate fixed mobile convergence into our existing VoIP solution solidifies the value of Net2Phone's turnkey VoIP solution for service providers."

BridgePort Networks works with leading companies such as Net2Phone to develop service provider offerings that quickly bring to market end-to-end solutions for MobileVoIP convergence. BridgePort Networks' NomadicONE product family allows mobile providers, fixed providers, broadband cable providers and MVNOs the ability to support single phone number voice and data services that can provide a seamless experience no matter the network - mobile, broadband, Wi-Fi, Wi-Max, etc.

"Net2Phone's international presence will enable the quick adoption of MobileVoIP convergence by service providers both mobile and broadband in many markets," said Mike Mulica, President and CEO, BridgePort Networks.

BridgePort Networks and Net2Phone are both active members in the MobileIGNITE industry association for interoperability of fixed mobile convergence applications. Visit the MobileIGNITE website at www.mobileignite.org for additional details.