VoIP Monitor - VoIP by Region|Middle East

VoX Communications Adds Low Cost Fixed Price Calling Plans To Vietnam And Pakistan Mobile Callers Using Its Android Mobile VoIP App

VoIP Monitor — Mon, 27 Aug 2012 21:23:51 GMT

VoX Communications has now added fixed priced calling plans to Vietnam and Pakistan via its Android mobile voice app available in Google Play. The fixed priced plans include calling to mobile phones in both Vietnam and Pakistan at a price of only seven cents a minute, which is significantly lower than prices charged by other wireless carriers.

A VoX user can subscribe entirely on the phone and choose a U.S. phone number without leaving the interface, which makes the sign up process more elegant than many competitors. The Mobile VoIP paid plans for Vietnam and Pakistan start at $6.95 for the 100 minute plan, which is a low cost of entry for a high quality and reliable VoIP service offering. VoX also offers 250 minutes for $15.95 and 500 minutes for $29.95. These plans include calls to mobile phones, which are typically a higher price than calls to land lines. New subscribers can download the app for a free 60-minute trial and make calls to any country on the unlimited calling list or sign up for the Vietnam or Pakistan specific plan.

Price comparison of calling rates to mobile phones in Pakistan and Vietnam:

Pakistan:

VoX Mobile - 7 cents a minute

Skype - 10 cents a minute

Vonage - 26 cents a minute

AT&T - 42 cents a minute

Verizon - $1.99 a minute

Vietnam:

VoX Mobile - 7 cents a minute

Skype - 13 cents a minute

Vonage - 34 cents a minute

AT&T - 57 cents a minute

Verizon - $1.99 a minute

The VoX Mobile VoIP Android App can be viewed or downloaded here

Voiceserve Signs Second Contract with A Leading Middle Eastern Carrier

VoIP Monitor — Wed, 15 Jun 2011 17:11:35 GMT

Voiceserve has entered into a contract for its Mobile VoIP Dialer with one of the largest and fastest growing mobile carriers in the Middle East with currently over 22 million subscribers. The Middle Eastern cellular phone company will offer Voiceserve's award winning mobile dialer software through a private label initiative under its own brand name. Both companies have been working on this initiative over the past several months and plan to launch the offering this month.

Under the terms of agreement, Voiceserve created a VoIP phone application, a specifically branded dialer for the carrier's mobile subscribers that enables cellular communication via Internet/3G/EDGE connectivity, for the iPhone/iPad, Blackberry, Android, Win-Mobile and Symbian mobile phones. In exchange, Voiceserve received a one-time license fee from the carrier and will receive an annual support fee per user that signs up for the newly created dialer service. Subscribers will be able to take advantage of low cost communications provided by VoIP from their cell phones, irrespective of their global location, avoiding expensive roaming fees associated with the cellular network. This significant savings is a tremendous incentive for mobile phone users to download the dialer, which is an extremely fast and simple process, especially in countries where inter-country dialing is common.

Breezecom Offers Scalability in Terms of VoIP Capacity and Destinations

VoIP Monitor — Tue, 25 Jan 2011 17:58:19 GMT

Breezecom announces that they offer scalability in terms of VoIP capacity and destinations in their wholesale VoIP service. The offer is included as one of the key features in their wholesale VoIP service package. Apart from this, the company also provides – network based on state-of-the-art Genband platform, robust quality ASR, ACD, and PDD, also their service suits carriers seeking multiple DS3 capacity.

This package is designed to give more flexibility and convenience to wholesale, retail VoIP service and smaller carriers within the services that the company provides. Therefore, telecom business owners who use the company's VoIP service package can be assured that all their voice traffic needs will be met with high efficiency and cost effectively.

The company is among the VoIP service providers that offer next-generation telecom services using high grade and popular platforms from Genband (formerly Nextone), Cisco, and Juniper. They can provide their services to carriers, mobile operators, LDI operators, Calling-card operators, broadband telephony service providers, call-centers and even small call-shop owners at low cost.

TELES and VoIPMONSTER Intensify Operations in Middle East

VoIP Monitor — Fri, 14 May 2010 17:31:50 GMT

TELES has strengthened its five year partnership with Dubai based distributor VoiPMONSTER to help provide the Middle East with dedicated and improved service and consultation.

In March 2010, VoIPMONSTER successfully completed the TELES Certification Workshop for Access Gateway Products, entitling them to provide dedicated full customer service and support to their customers.

TELES range of Access Gateway products enable service providers, system integrators, and NGN based solution developers to interconnect PSTN, VoIP, and mobile networks. The product line consists of two main families: The VoIPBOX product group provides analog, ISDN BRI, and PRI PSTN connectivity with VoIP and supports all major control and signaling protocols; whereas TELES Mobile Gateway products enable connectivity between GSM, CDMA, or UMTS networks with PSTN and VoIP networks.

VoIPMONSTER will be joined by TELES at their booth (3E30) at MECOM 2010 at the Abu Dhabi National Exhibition Centre, Abu Dhabi, UAE, from May 17-19.

Rebtel Introduces VoIP Services Between Pakistan and 50 Countries

VoIP Monitor — Wed, 28 Oct 2009 16:32:20 GMT

Pakistanis living in 50 countries around the world can now call friends and family in Pakistan free of charge using any phone - landline or mobile - with the introduction of Rebtel service in Pakistan.

The same goes for people in Pakistan who can now use their landline or mobile phones to call friends and family in 50 other countries free of charge, or make ultra-cheap calls to anywhere else in the world using Rebtel, the Internet phone company.

There is no charge to set up a Rebtel account. No contract. No monthly fees. And no changes whatsoever are required to the users calling plan with their landline or mobile phone provider.

How Rebtel works

Rebtel gives people local phone numbers in the country where they live that connect them directly with their friends and family abroad. That means, for example, Rebtel gives someone living in Lahore a local Lahore phone number that connects him directly to a friend or family member living in New York. At the same time Rebtel gives the friend or family member in New York a local New York phone number that connects them directly to their friend or family member in Lahore.

There's no access number to dial, no PIN to remember, or long international phone number to enter. The user only dials a local phone number where they live and Rebtel connects the call over the Internet to their loved one abroad.

Free Call: Tricky but worth it
Rebtel's standard rates to and from Pakistan are incredibly low - almost always better than calling card rates.

All calls - to landlines or mobile phones anywhere in Pakistan - from any of the 50 other countries where Rebtel is available are just 7.4 cents (U.S.) per minute.

And calls from Pakistan are equally cheap. For example, a call from Pakistan to:

Saudi Arabia is 8.23 PKR per minute on a landline, 16.30 PKR on a mobile phone
U.K. is 1.58 PKR per minute on a landline, 14.97 PKR on a mobile phone
UAE is 16.55 PKR per minute on a landline, 17.55 PKR on a mobile phone
U.S. is 1.24 PKR per minute on either a landline or mobile phone

But if those rates are still too high, Rebtel recommends Pakistanis use the Free Call service and get their international call for the cost of making a local call.

Here's how to make a Free Call: When a person in Karachi calls a friend in London, for example, they ask their friend - while they stay on the line in Karachi - to hang up in London and call right back using the local London phone number they've been given by Rebtel to reach their friend in Karachi.

When that happens:

The person in Karachi is making a local call
Their friend in London is making a local call
Rebtel connects the two local calls over the Internet, and
The international minutes are free.

Free Calls (when the person who receives the call hangs up and calls back while the original caller stays on the line) today can be made between 51 countries around the world.

Getting started with Rebtel is fast, easy and free

1. Go to http://www.rebtel.com, enter your number and a friend's number abroad.
2. Rebtel creates a local number you can use from any phone, anywhere.
3. Save the number in your mobile phone's address book and use it any time.

Agreement to Bring Cost Effective VoIP Services to the Middle East

VoIP Monitor — Mon, 17 Dec 2007 20:06:18 GMT

iTeknik announces that OMNIAT Telecom has selected the company's TeleCents Communications subsidiary to provide VoIP services to route international calls to the Middle East and other destinations worldwide. The agreement also enables TeleCents to use certain OMINIAT routes in Syria, Lebanon and Jordan for its customers.

According to TeleCents CEO Jeffrey Lauzon, OMNIAT benefits immediately from the large number of International destinations where TeleCents is able to terminate calls. In addition, TeleCents VoIP service enables OMNIAT to offer competitive international calling services to its customers with almost no additional capital investment. TeleCents' VoIP infrastructure provides immediate access to a global footprint which consists of tier one carriers routing calls to more than 200 countries worldwide.

"We launched our VoIP technologies a year ago with the idea of creating a global footprint that would provide our customers with worldwide seamless interconnectivity to multiple tier one networks," stated Jeffrey Lauzon, CEO of TeleCents. "We offer low cost routing without the large security deposits normally associated with projects of this scale. At the same time, OMNIAT Telecom is assisting us in accomplishing our goal of bringing cost effective VoIP service through our Tier One facility to parts of the Middle East. OMNIAT has some excellent routing to certain areas in the Middle East that will enhance our network. TeleCents continues to focus on growth and expand our services through quality providers like OMNIAT."

OMNIAT Telecom is based in Orlando, Florida, with services throughout the United States along with international service which can be used anywhere in the world. The company guarantees the quality of its international connections 100% of the time.

Etisalat Will Market Skye-phone in Middle East

VoIP Monitor — Fri, 01 Jun 2007 20:01:41 GMT

HOP-ON announces the first carrier deployment of its Skye-phone product to Dubai's national telephone carrier Etisalat. The distribution approval, received last Monday, completes the first phase of Skye-phones' Global Peer Program.

Speaking at an Industry event in Internet city, Dubai Mr. Mohamed Salem, chief manager of new product development, stated, "The Skye-phone service will enable Etisalat to exploit a previously underserved and untapped market in the region. The first deployment of service is expected in 3Q of this year in Dubai."

Skye-phone's unlimited market potential stems from integrated "peer-to-peer" VOIP and gaming communication offering full security. These unique features enable units to communicate free of cost and extra-territorially to global locations. Last month, HOP-ON's subsidiary, MobileGaming.eu, secured GBM as a market partner and negotiations continue pending INPI approval. Skye-phone's "peer-to-peer gaming" utility patent is expected to be approved this quarter as the company seeks development financing in foreign gaming markets. Dominique Triche, attorney with Chekhov and Legros in France, filed the patent application on behalf of the Company. Triche is certain the final approval will be presented to the public in the next few days, stating, "The patent is in process with the appropriate government agencies as required by guidelines. I can only remark the time of disclosure to commensurate with time requirements in Industrial Property application procedure." The patent application, filed in 2005, was recently acquired by MobileGaming.eu and will be securing financing to promote GPP in EU and Middle Eastern markets.

Peter Michaels, President of HOP-ON stated, "I am certain to face legal challenges in the U.S. for production of Skye-phone. The decision for immediate entry in global arenas where infrastructures require IP exclusivity for market security has allowed us to move forward with industry leaders and respected partners. Etisalat offered our company an opportunity to expand with Mobile-Gaming.eu. I am looking forward to our patent approval and the financing completion before the board meeting in July."

VoIP Overlay Solution Selected by MyTel of Pakistan

VoIP Monitor — Thu, 29 Mar 2007 20:18:35 GMT

Verso with regional partner Al-Futtaim Technologies and local partner Northtech have been selected by MyTel of Pakistan to provide the Verso MetroNet VoIP Overlay solution, including the Verso Back Office Solution, an integrated back office application that supports network administration, provisioning and billing, all riding over a WiMAX network infrastructure.

Verso offers providers entering the wireless WiMAX arena voice communications and services including VoIP, prepaid, IP Centrex and voicemail and more. The MetroNet VoIP Overlay solution, which runs over both wireless and WiMAX networks, integrates and packages a standard set of VoIP features and capabilities which includes Verso Clarent® Class-5 and Class-4 switching technologies, as well as other core capabilities and services including an optional VBO component that supports in the management of the solution.

The VBO solution monitors and controls all traffic on the network, allowing efficient route management, account status monitoring, and billing tracking. Rates and routes to and from various interconnect carrier networks can be updated dynamically, and multiple rate plans are supported. The solution also provides PIN generation for prepaid cards and corporate accounts as well as providing a web interface that enables customers to check account balances. The solution will also allow MyTel to upgrade the system to run applications such as IP Centrex.

Al-Futtaim is one of the largest corporations in the Middle East and a key distributor of Verso products throughout the region. The company has a strong presence in Pakistan and counts several carriers and providers among its customers. AFTECH established the relationship with MyTel in association with Northtech, a reseller of Verso products in Pakistan. Northtech is a system integrator with strong presence in Pakistan a robust portfolio of clients and products.

“The MetroNet VoIP Overlay can be customized to match the size of a growing subscriber base. As network usage grows, the solution can easily be scaled to ensure full functionality at all times,” said Yves Desmet, senior vice president of Worldwide Sales, Verso Technologies. “It is an ideal solution for a growing company such as MyTel in the emerging Pakistani market. WiMAX promises to be an economical solution to fill the network gap here and around the world. As the WiMAX market grows, Verso will be there with next generation network enabling technology to help meet the needs of this new marketplace.”

“MyTel is working to provide the people of Pakistan with the latest in advanced and affordable integrated communications services. Both AFTECH and Verso have proven they have the expertise to provide fast and easily integrated solutions in this quickly evolving communications market. Plus, Verso offers us an application bundle that is value-added and revenue producing that will help us remain competitive,” said Nawab Ali, Manager, Business Development, MyTel.

VoIP Infrastructure Upgrades to Kuwait

VoIP Monitor — Wed, 06 Dec 2006 18:51:44 GMT

INX announces that it has been awarded an infrastructure upgrade contract for the 160th Signal Brigade, US Army, Kuwait.

The 160th Signal Brigade, US Army, Kuwait, is the permanently assigned unit responsible for all Army communications for locations in Southwest Asia for Kuwait, Qatar, and Afghanistan. With Voice over IP (VoIP) taking hold in region as a result of the Voice over Secure IP initiative implemented by the Defense Information Systems Agency and the certification of Cisco Systems VoIP products by the Joint Interoperability Test Command lab, the Army is now moving forward with infrastructure upgrades that are required in preparation for VoSIP communications implementation.

The infrastructure upgrade project is for the network headquartered in Camp Arifjan, Kuwait and will replace existing Local Area Network equipment that has reached an end of life status. The contract award represents approximately $628,000 in products and services revenue for INX, including Cisco network switches, routers, Voice over IP upgrades and implementation services.

Regarding the award, Roger Haney, Vice President of Sales, Federal Division for INX commented, "Beginning with the initial VoSIP system that we installed in Iraq for CENTCOM in 2004 that continues to operate effectively and expand under our supervision, we continue to broaden our presence in Southwest Asia and we anticipate further expansion in this market as the need for network upgrades and voice/data convergence solutions increases with the Army’s Voice over Secure IP initiative."

Efonica VoIP Products and Services at GITEX 2006

VoIP Monitor — Wed, 08 Nov 2006 21:24:27 GMT

Fusion Telecommunications Intl will showcase its innovative line of Efonica VoIP products and services at the 26th Annual GITEX Exhibition to be held in Dubai, UAE from November 18th - 22nd. Nearly 120,000 people are expected to visit the exhibits from over 60 countries, including a number of Fusion's current and potential premium service distribution partners from key markets around the world.

"Fusion is very happy to continue to drive worldwide consumer awareness and further enhance our subscriber experience with our participation in this year's GITEX," said Matthew Rosen, President and CEO of Fusion. "The Middle East represents a key market for Fusion, and we believe GITEX is an important forum for Efonica's innovative service offerings and an opportunity to further drive value by growing our worldwide Internet community."

"We have spent years developing our Efonica products to meet the needs of consumers in the emerging markets and are pleased to showcase these innovative product offerings at GITEX," said Roger Karam, President of Fusion's VoIP division. "With the launch of our advanced Efonica suite of VoIP services earlier this year, we have experienced great success in growing our subscriber base throughout the Middle East. The greater Middle Eastern area represents a significant market for Efonica and we believe our growing number of distribution partners there will be pleased with the innovative premium service offerings demonstrated at the event."

Efonica offers subscribers its patent-pending worldwide Internet area code, which when dialed allows subscribers to speak with each other for free. Subscribers can simply register their existing landline or mobile telephone number as their Internet telephone number and immediately begin to make calls to and from any combination of PCs, Internet phones, wifi phones, and regular telephones (with a SIP adapter), connected to a wireless, broadband or dial-up Internet connection. Efonica also offers a full suite of premium features designed to enhance a subscriber's communications experience. Consumers can subscribe to Efonica by visiting www.efonica.com and completing a free and easy registration process.

Efonica VoIP Services in Jordan

VoIP Monitor — Tue, 24 Oct 2006 17:54:21 GMT

Fusion, a global VoIP service provider, announced that its Efonica Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) products and services will soon be available in Jordan with the creation of Fusion Jordan. As the Company continues to strengthen its worldwide market reach, Fusion has signed an agreement to secure the exclusive use of a license to offer a full suite of Efonica VoIP services throughout Jordan. With a population of over five million and nearly 400% growth of Internet users over the last five years, Jordan represents a key market experiencing dramatic growth among Internet communities in the Middle East.

Through this new endeavor, Fusion will build on its long-standing local distribution partnerships in the region and drive sales of its premium paid Efonica VoIP services by offering subscribers an opportunity to communicate with their friends and family throughout the world. To further enhance Efonica's regional and global market reach, Fusion will offer customized premium Efonica VoIP service plans for Jordanian residents and communities around the world.

Fusion has been successful in growing its international subscriber community due to Efonica's innovations, ease-of-use and cost-effective products and services. The worldwide Internet area code(TM), developed by Fusion, is providing a simple and universal method for Efonica customers to retain existing calling patterns and place calls by simply adding "10" to the beginning of existing landline or mobile telephone numbers.

"We are pleased to begin operations in Jordan in the very near future," said Matthew Rosen, President and Chief Executive Officer of Fusion. "We believe our Efonica suite of advanced VoIP products and services will deliver exceptional value and performance to the people of Jordan and Jordanian communities around the world."

"With Fusion Jordan, we plan to increase sales of Efonica through our established and growing network of distribution partners," said Roger Karam, President of Fusion's VoIP division. "We will continue to form strategic alliances with Jordanian retailers and align with key Internet properties, in order to increase the points of sale for Jordanians, as well as to connect the Jordanian communities around the world in a way that is simple and cost- effective."

Efonica offers consumers the ability to call each other using their existing landline or mobile telephone numbers. Calls can be made to and from any combination of PCs, Internet phones and regular telephones (with a SIP adapter), connected to either a wireless, broadband or dial-up Internet connection. The service was introduced incorporating Fusion's patent-pending worldwide Internet area code, which combined with a subscriber's existing telephone number, further simplifies the process of making a call. Consumers subscribe to Efonica by visiting http://www.efonica.com and completing an easy registration process.

Telecom Egypt Transition to VoIP

VoIP Monitor — Thu, 15 Jun 2006 19:37:15 GMT

Zhone Technologies, Inc., the first company dedicated to building total-delivery solutions for voice, data, video and entertainment services worldwide, announced a major project with Telecom Egypt, who will deploy Zhone's MALC Broadband Loop Carrier Technology to provide VoIP and Data Services for various parts of their Network.

The project combines Zhone MALC with Nortel CS2K Softswitch and ATM network technology, allowing circuit switched voice to move onto the pure packet network transparently to end users in terms of service availability, call quality and billing. Zhone's MALC also provides a proven roadmap for the delivery of new voice, video and data services such as ADSL2+, VDSL2, PON, Ethernet and IP Video.

Eng. Dawlat El Badawy, Vice Chairman for Project Planning, Telecom Egypt said: "The Scope of this Project is to install a Nortel CS2K Softswitch along with the Zhone MALC as access concentrators in the TE network. This will allow TE to provide its customers with voice services including both POTS and VoIP Services."

"The Introduction of the MALCs in our network will allow TE to support its current voice services needs based on a next generation platform as well as investigating future access services, delivery options and network optimisations, which will result in more value added services to TE customers," Eng. Badawy added.

Telecom Egypt has a fixed line customer base in excess of 10.6 million subscribers, which makes it the largest fixed line provider in the Middle East and Africa. The migration will initially only apply to voice services, with other services under future consideration.

The MALC BLC supports the full range of subscriber voice services including POTS, Specials, T1/E1 and VoIP. TDM traffic can be converted to packet at the MALC for transport across the IP network. Since the MALC supports both TDM and packet voice, service providers can deploy today to serve existing services and cut over to packet voice under software control on a port-by-port basis. Dual TDM and packet uplinks are also supported, providing similar flexibility for the migration of trunking facilities.

At the central office a MALC configured with an integrated voice gateway may be used to provide a GR-303 / V5.2 interface to existing local exchange switches. Service providers can migrate traffic to IP transport networks while continuing to leverage legacy switch facilities.

Mike Scheck, EVP Worldwide Sales for Zhone Technologies commented, "This is a major win for us in the region and plays to the strengths of our MALC product, which allows carriers to transition the network at a pace to suit themselves."

"The ability to migrate without disruption while still leveraging existing switching and exchange infrastructure is a major benefit to our carrier customers and the modular nature of MALC allows the process to be scaled without compromise," Scheck concluded.

Lingo VoIP Phone Service Starts Offering to Israeli Markets

VoIP Monitor — Thu, 15 Jun 2006 19:25:43 GMT

U.S. Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) phone service provider, Lingo, announced that its customers will now have the opportunity to add local phone numbers in Israel to their VoIP phone service. Lingo is offering phone numbers associated with Israel's most densely populated business and cultural center, Tel-Aviv. This enables the thriving U.S. Israeli-American community to stay in touch with family and business contacts in Israel without the high cost of overseas calling.

Phone numbers associated with Tel-Aviv have been made available to new and existing Lingo VoIP customers. Israel, which has a large immigrant population in the U.S., is a top fifteen calling destination for Lingo customers.

With this announcement, Lingo subscribers can now select phone numbers from over 300 major U.S. markets, and international phone numbers from over 30 cities in 14 foreign countries -- more domestic and international coverage than offered by the other major U.S. VoIP providers.

Now, U.S. Lingo customers, who have relatives or colleagues residing in Israel, can select a phone number for use with their VoIP service that is "local" to Tel-Aviv, Israel. Then, their family and friends in Tel-Aviv can use the phone number to place a call to the Lingo customer at the price of an in-country, local call.

With today's announcement, Lingo "International Universal Numbers" are currently available for the following cities outside of the continental United States:

* Argentina - Buenos Aires

* Australia - Adelaide, Brisbane, Melbourne, Perth, Sydney

* Brazil - Belo Horizonte, Curitiba, Florianopolis, Fortaleza, Sao Paulo, Rio de Janeiro

* Canada - Toronto, Vancouver

* Guatemala - Guatemala City

* Hong Kong

* Israel - Tel-Aviv

* Italy - Milan, Rome

* Japan - Tokyo

* Mexico - Mexico City, Monterrey, Guadalajara

* Puerto Rico - Caparra (San Juan)

* South Korea - Seoul

* Spain - Madrid, Valencia, Barcelona, Tenerife

* U.K. - London

Lingo customers may sign up online for two additional phone numbers on their Lingo VoIP service. In addition to selecting an International Universal Number for Israel and other countries, they also have the opportunity to transfer their existing phone number to their new Lingo VoIP service, or to select a U.S. Universal Number from over 220 area codes.

LINGO CALLING PLANS

Lingo VoIP phone service plans, all offering unlimited phone calls to other Lingo subscribers, and all made available free for the first month, include:

Home Plans

* Unlimited Plan for $21.95 - Unlimited calling to U.S., Canada, Puerto Rico and Western Europe, plus all calling features.

* Basic Plan for $14.95 -- 500 outgoing calling minutes to U.S., Canada, and Puerto Rico, plus all calling features.

* Lingo Link for $7.95 -- Unlimited calling between Lingo customers from anywhere in the world, plus all calling features.

Office Plans

* Business Unlimited Plan for $49.95 -- Unlimited calls to U.S., Canada and Puerto Rico, plus a dedicated fax line and great calling features for small businesses.

International Plans

* International for $34.95 - Unlimited calling to U.S., Canada, and Puerto Rico plus 300 minutes to over 30 international countries.

* Asia International for $34.95 -- Unlimited calling to U.S., Canada, and Puerto Rico plus 300 minutes to many Asian countries, and all calling features.

VoiceXML Hosting to Europe and the Middle East

VoIP Monitor — Mon, 08 May 2006 13:49:53 GMT

Voxeo Corporation, the leading provider of standards-based Interactive Voice Response (IVR) and Voice-over-IP (VoIP) platforms, and MAP Telecom, a leading IVR hosting provider in Europe and the Middle East, announced a multi-year strategic partnership whereby Voxeo will provide the IVR infrastructure for MAP Telecom's current facilities in Europe and four planned facilities in the Middle East.

The partnership twins the award-winning Voxeo Prophecy platform, the world's only 100% VoiceXML-compliant platform, with MAP Telecom's expertise in serving enterprise customers with multiple language needs across Europe, the Middle East and Africa. As well as giving customers the choice to move from MAP Telecom's legacy platform, the partnership provides for MAP Telecom's 2,500 developers' migration to a new and expanded multi-language developer community portal based on the Voxeo Evolution site. MAP Telecom will also continue to promote access to its platform using Skype.

"This deal cements MAP Telecom's position in the forefront of VoiceXML hosting in Europe," said Jon Alcantara, COO of MAP Telecom. "Our enterprise customers demand best-of-breed technology and require features such as CCXML and call center support. We have evaluated all of the leading VoiceXML providers, and Voxeo is clearly our first choice. We are delighted to offer customers a more fully-featured platform, greater scalability and second-to-none reliability."

"We are flattered that such a respected name in the industry has chosen to move its customers to the Voxeo platform," said Jonathan Taylor, Voxeo's CEO. "This partnership is a key part of Voxeo's efforts in Europe and the Middle East, and MAP Telecom is better placed than any to capitalize on the wave of new opportunities in these markets."

The Voxeo platform will be operational in MAP Telecom's facilities in the South of France starting this month and will be rolled out across facilities in Lebanon, Saudi Arabia, Jordan and Egypt, among others, over the next 24 months.

Verso Hosts VoIP Solutions Seminar in Cairo

VoIP Monitor — Thu, 02 Mar 2006 21:53:24 GMT

Verso Technologies, Inc., a global provider of next generation network solutions, announced it will host a VoIP solutions seminar at the Ramses Hilton Hotel in Cairo on March 6, 2006. The event is co-sponsored by Cairo-based technology distributors Laroncom and NourConsult, which recently formed an alliance to become a key distributor of Verso products in Egypt.

Featured speakers include Stefan Schoofs, sales director, Verso Technologies, Dr. Mohamed Sakr, managing director, Laroncom, and Hussein Nour Eldin, managing director, Nour Consult. The two-part seminar will include business strategies sessions for decision makers as well as technical sessions targeted to engineers.

The Verso VoIP solutions seminar addresses employees from ISPs and large enterprises as well as telecommunications consultants, providing information on the latest VoIP technology and products available in Egypt. The speakers will provide an overview of both carrier and enterprise-focused softswitch technologies, compression devices for converged networks, as well as bandwidth optimization and content management tools to maximize VoIP resources.

"The Egyptian telecommunication market is in its early stages of liberalization and the end of the fixed-line monopoly on January 1, 2006 has opened up new opportunities for competitive service providers," said Stefan Schoofs, director of sales, Verso Technologies. "Throughout the country, opportunities exist to deploy next generation networks (NGN) solutions and converged IP-based voice and data services, an area of Verso expertise. Egypt is now a key emerging market for Verso," he added.

Verso and its partners will present an overview of products that have been successfully implemented throughout the EMEA region. These include Verso's MetroNet VoIP Bundle solution, an integrated offering consisting of Verso's softswitch technologies, media gateways and value added features and services and NetPerformer, SIP-based voice and data routers that enable carriers to create digitally converged networks. The speakers will also give an overview of Verso's Clarent Softswitch Class 4 and Class 5 Call Managers, demonstrating how softswitch technology can provide cost effective and scalable solutions for emerging VoIP providers. Additionally, attendees will learn more about NetSpective, a reliable Internet content filtering solution that maximizes bandwidth optimization and effectively blocks P2P applications such as Skype.

Viper Networks Enters into Talks for Middle East Expansion

VoIP Monitor — Thu, 16 Feb 2006 19:34:17 GMT

Viper Networks, Inc., a leading innovator in voice-over-Internet protocol (VoIP) products and services, announced that it has entered into negotiations with Saudi Al-Terais Co. Ltd. of Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, to work through the details of expansion into the Middle East market with a high-profile and well known business in Riyadh.

Viper Networks CEO Farid Shouekani commented, "We have entered into negotiations with Saudi Al-Terais Co. Ltd in Riyadh to potentially accelerate Viper Networks' expansion in the Middle East. The negotiations are focused on each element of sales, marketing, technical, plus a dedicated presence in the market."

Mr. Shouekani continued, "Our objective is to finalize a Letter of Intent as soon as possible and then move into the final agreement phase. The Saudi market is one of the world's largest and fastest growing, and a dedicated presence in the market is our objective for the benefit of our shareholders and investors around the world. We look forward to announcing an executed Letter of Intent, as well as the financial impact to the Company shortly."

If you would like to be added to Viper Networks' Investor list, please send to ir@vipernetworks.com

Consumer VoIP Offering in India

VoIP Monitor — Mon, 30 Jan 2006 19:12:46 GMT

Vistula Communications Services, Inc., a global supplier of flexible and reliable Voice over IP ("VoIP") services to major telecommunications carriers, cable operators and Internet Service Providers, announced that it has partnered with HFCL Infotel Ltd. (HITL), the first private telephony operator in Punjab, a region in Northern India and the east side of Pakistan, to launch the first niche consumer VoIP service in India.

Under the terms of the agreement, Vistula will integrate its V-Cube VoIP platform with HITL's network, giving HITL a turn-key consumer VoIP service to market to retail and business clients. The system will be fully hosted and managed by Vistula. HITL is expecting to launch the Vistula-enabled VoIP service in Q1 2006. Additionally Vistula will be providing HITL with a pre-paid calling card solution which will give customers the ability to easily pay for international calls from virtually any computer terminal. The cards will be available at various retail outlets across Punjab initially and subsequently to other markets across India.

"The combination of Vistula's proven success in the VoIP industry, the fact that we can expect to launch the service within weeks of signing the contract and the calling card solution, which we believe has a great potential in India, were the most exciting propositions for us in choosing Vistula," said Mahendra Nahata, Chairman of HITL. "With Vistula's help we'll be able to bring the first niche VoIP service of its kind to India that will certainly attract customers both domestically and internationally. We are confident of an excellent customer response to this service which will be initially marketed to more than 300,000 of HITL's already large subscriber base in Punjab."

Vistula's V-Cube based system will provide HITL with a customer web portal, soft-phone downloads and full VoIP on-net and off-net capabilities. In addition, V-Cube's new billing capabilities will also integrate seamlessly with HITL's existing billing platforms. Vistula will be building and managing the system for HITL as well as providing them with round the clock support.

"We are delighted to have been selected by HITL as their supplier of VoIP services to this market. HITL is a rapidly growing telecommunications company in India with a state-of-the-art network in Punjab. Their knowledge and expertise in providing telecommunication services will ensure a successful and timely implementation of this project. India's VoIP market is valued at nearly $2.8 billion, and by fully leveraging our V-Cube platform, HITL will be well positioned to capture a sizeable chunk of this underserved market," said Rupert Galliers-Pratt, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, Vistula Communications. "This project with HITL is the latest in a string of major global deals and effectively supports our position as one of the leading suppliers of VoIP services and solutions to major carriers and Internet Service Providers around the world."

Israel's First Provider to offer Commercial VoIP

VoIP Monitor — Tue, 17 Jan 2006 23:19:41 GMT

Juniper Networks, Inc. announced that 012 Golden Lines, a leading independent Israeli communications service provider, has selected Juniper Networks M-series routing platforms, VF-series session border controllers (SBCs) and integrated security devices for its new VoIP (voice over IP) network. 012 Golden Lines is the first service provider in Israel to be granted a government license to provide broadband-based voice services to customers, and selected a comprehensive Juniper Networks solution to ensure the quality, reliability and security of its voice and data communications services. The network has been installed by Juniper's local partners TNN and Ness Technologies.

"As the first provider in Israel to offer commercial VoIP, it is imperative that 012 provide the highest quality VoIP services to attract and maintain customers from the outset," said Yaakov Nadvorni, Vice President, Marketing at 012 Golden Lines. "The Juniper Networks solution works together to provide the security, reliability and performance to ensure our VoIP service will operate with the same quality and reliability as traditional phone service."

012 Golden Lines provides private customers with a wide range of Internet services, including cable, wireless and ADSL broadband Internet access, and also offers a variety of payment-based video on demand (VoD) content through its 012FUN portal. 012 is currently introducing its VoIP services on a limited basis, and will gradually extend the service to its entire customer base, enabling VoIP calls across the business and residential sectors. As part of the VoIP line of products, 012 also provides IP-Centrex to business customers.

"To be commercially successful, VoIP services require low latency and low jitter, high availability, and first-class reliability and quality -- in other words, they demand secure and assured networking," said Eddie Minshull, executive vice president, Worldwide Field Operations, Juniper Networks. "012 recognized the importance of these requirements, and Juniper Networks is very pleased to deliver the comprehensive solution to underpin 012's ground-breaking network."

012 deployed the M-series multiservice routers in the core of its network to provide advanced IP/MPLS capabilities and to deliver voice-specific quality of service (QoS) policies. Multiple VF-series session border controllers work alongside the M-series router to provide advanced security features, service assurance, and hosted NAT traversal functionality. The NetScreen-200 series firewall/IPSec VPN security devices combine a Stateful Inspection firewall with Deep Inspection technology for application-level protection and denial of service (DoS) mitigation functions.

Pakistan's National Carrier Chooses iBasis for International Voice Service

VoIP Monitor — Mon, 19 Dec 2005 22:03:14 GMT

iBasis, Inc., a leader in international long distance, VoIP, and prepaid calling cards, announced that Pakistan Telecommunication Company Limited (PTCL), the national carrier of Pakistan, has interconnected with The iBasis Network for international VoIP services. The interconnection enables PTCL to route international voice traffic over The iBasis Network, the leading global VoIP network, as well as complete calls for iBasis over its extensive network in Pakistan.

PTCL has taken advantage of the iBasis DirectVoIP interoperability solution to implement a direct IP connection between its Huawei IP Backbone infrastructure and iBasis' global VoIP network, which comprises direct routes to more than 100 countries. Huawei is one of many iBasis DirectVoIP Certified equipment providers, which simplified the process of interconnecting the PTCL infrastructure to iBasis' Cisco Powered network.

With the encouragement of the Pakistani government, PTCL is continuing its technology leadership by moving forward with VoIP. Through the interconnection with iBasis, PTCL is helping Pakistani people at home and abroad benefit from the lower costs of VoIP while receiving toll-quality international service. iBasis is benefiting from PTCL's extensive resources in the country and gaining greater capacity, quality, and cost efficiency for its traffic to Pakistan.

"PTCL is an innovative incumbent carrier embracing the benefits of VoIP to enhance the Pakistan's communications capabilities," said Ofer Gneezy, president and CEO of iBasis. "We look forward to helping them to expand their VoIP services even while we leverage this relationship to grow our traffic to Pakistan."

VoIP Helping Move India Towards Golobalization

VoIP Monitor — Mon, 29 Aug 2005 19:08:27 GMT

Adiance Technologies became one of the latest Indian firm to launch VoIP service early last month, Mr. Kushal Sanghvi, Director, Adiance Technologies quoted that “Adiance Technologies had entered into VoIP research a couple of months back . Adiance has now entered into the market by offering complete N2N solutions.”

During our interaction with Mr. Sanghvi he quotes that “In the present fast growing industry every company is making effort towards globalization and believes that giving faster and better support to the customers can attain globalization and VOIP is one of the products. VoIP is helping companies in taking their steps towards globalization. Company runs not only by getting business from customers but also on employees. Voice over IP helps employees in getting instant access to the data irrespective of the location. Customers are also able to deploy network with less upfront costs or with extensive in-house expertise, so it is preferred not only by business but also by an individual.”

VoIP solutions offered by Adiance Technologies are an open source ready to be deployed for any VoIP based service provider. Adiance claims to have an entire in-house VoIP team set u which has been continuously doing research activities and developing niche technologies to provide advance solutions to the market.

For more details contact support@adiance.com or visit their website http://www.adiance.com

Israeli Service Provider Deploys Juniper Networks M-series Routing Platform

VoIP Monitor — Wed, 24 Aug 2005 17:37:25 GMT

Juniper Networks, Inc. announced that Israeli Internet and communications service provider smile Internet Gold has deployed Juniper Networks M-series routing platforms in the core of its broadband network. The routing platforms, supplied by elite J-Partner Netcom, are being used to expand the network and to provide business and residential customers with a range of high-performance, secure and reliable broadband services, including Internet access and voice over IP ( VoIP ).

M-series multiservice routers allow service providers to deploy new income-generating services quickly and efficiently. The M-series high-performance platform reliably supports Layer 2 services, including ATM, Ethernet and Frame Relay; full Layer 3 services; and a combination of firewall and data encryption.

Max Bloomberg, CTO of smile, said: "We chose Juniper's routers because of their excellent reliability. At such a critical point in our network infrastructure, we could not tolerate crashes in service, and therefore the natural choice was the reliable routers of Juniper Networks."

Smile's purchase follows Juniper Networks' proven success in providing infrastructure and security solutions in advanced IP networks for other communication service providers in Israel.

"The smile communications network is positioned in the technological vanguard with the advanced equipment used in its IP network," said Eddie Minshull, vice president of operations for EMEA. "We are delighted that as part of the company's policy to select best-in-class, Juniper Networks has been chosen to be a central part of the network infrastructure."