VoIP Now

SunRocket Uses Oryx/NEXT from uReach

SunRocket, an IP provider, has partnered with uReach to provide American households with a platform with enhanced voice mail features and access.

According to Phone Plus:

SunRocket is using Oryx/NEXT, an open source VoIP platform, from uReach Technologies Inc., a communications application provider.

SunRocket IP home phone service now allows users to define how they want to receive voice mail alerts, whether via SMS, e-mail or instant messaging. Some telephones also support message-waiting lights. Oryx/NEXT also automatically sends voice mail audio files to e-mail and lets users check messages from the Web.

Read more: SunRocket Uses uReach VoIP Platform

FCC: No State Taxes or Regulation for VoIP

The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) has announced that states will not have the right to regulate or tax VoIP providers. Regulation and taxation will be left up to the federal government because VoIP service is an interstate service.

VoIP Gear Sales Up 69% in Q3

A new report released today by Infonetics Research indicates that sales of VoIP gear, including voice application servers, session border controllers, and softswitches, were up 69% in the third quarter.

According to Networking Pipeline:

[Kevin] Mitchell, who is an Infonetics managing director, noted that telephone-service providers are still spending billions on traditional voice switching, although they would prefer to be spending more on VoIP and less on legacy infrastructure. [...]

Voice-application servers are beginning to sell in ever-increasing numbers, he added. The leading suppliers in voice-application servers are Cilantro, Broadsoft, and VocalData, in that order of volume.

Read more: Report: Subscribers Continue To Push VoIP-Gear Growth

SBC To File TIPToP Tariff with FCC

SBC Communications is preparing to file a tariff with the FCC to introduce True IP to PTSN (TIPToP), a new VoIP service.

According to Networking Pipeline:

TIPToP service is a time division multiplexed (TDM) telecommunications service featuring switched circuit interfaces specifically designed for use by a VoIP provider to connect traffic from its IP end users to end users of the circuit-switched network.

According to SBC officials, TIPToP service is not a mandatory offering but voluntary. VoIP providers who choose not to purchase TIPToP service may use other services, "to the extent permitted by existing tariffs and prevailing law, to connect traffic from their customers to the circuit-switched network," according to SBC.

Read more: SBC To File Tariff With FCC For New VoIP Service

Enterprises Save Big with Nortel, ShoreTel VoIP

A new study conducted by Nemertex Research concludes that large business enterprises can save between $9,600 and $28,000 annually per site by implementing VoIP service.

According to Networking Pipeline:

The study, "Convergence: Reality at Last," by Nemertex Research, asserts that startup costs are dependent on a number of variables, include enterprise size and which vendor companies chose to supply the VoIP solution. It found that size does matter, and that the average initial cost of a VoIP deployment, including hardware such as IP PBXs and handsets as well as planning an implementation services, was $525 per user in deployments of 1000 users or more, and $763 in deployments of 100 users and less.

ShoreTel and Nortel offered the least-expensive start-up costs, while Avaya and Cisco prices were the highest.

Read more: Survey: VoIP Can Save Enterprises From $9,600 To $28,000 Per Site

SBC Announces Residential VoIP Service

SBC has announced that they will launch residential VoIP service in early 2005. The service is currently being tested in Los Angeles, Chicago, Dallas, and San Antonio.

According to the press release at Business Wire:

The service will use IP technology and a DSL Internet connection to deliver not only voice calling but also other enhanced features, such as a Web-based portal and advanced call- management capabilities that make it easier for customers to manage their communications.

"When we fully launch our service early next year, consumers will be able to choose between traditional and traditional plus next- generation voice services from SBC companies," said Randall Stephenson, SBC chief operating officer. "Over time, we expect that VoIP will be a preferred voice service because of the features and benefits this technology enables."

Read more: SBC Communications Announces Launch of Residential VoIP Service; Another Step Forward in the SBC IP Transformation; Full-Scale VoIP Service Rollout Planned for Early 2005

AT&T VoIP Service to Challenge Vonage

AT&T is planning to offer unlimited local and long-distance voice over IP service  nationwide beginning next month in an attempt to challenge VoIP provider Vonage for control of the market. By the end of 2005, AT&T expects to have 1 million homes and businesses as VoIP customers. According to CNet News:

The forthcoming AT&T service, called AT&T CallVantage, will cost between $30 and $40 a month, Martine said. Features will include the ability to forward voicemail to anyone on the Internet and a "locate me" service to let users forward calls to any or all of their phones, the company said Wednesday. AT&T had previously announced that its Internet phone service would include unlimited local and long-distance calling and international calling for a per-minute fee.

Read more: AT&T to launch VoIP nationwide

VoIP Applications Market Share Growing

Private VoIP services such as Skype are threatening to run the traditional telephone operators out of business. A new study in Europe indicates that by 2008, about 13% of the western European voice market will be controlled by VoIP operators.

According to VNUNet:

According to the latest report from UK research firm Analysys, over 50 million broadband users in the region could be using private VoIP by 2008.

"The recent rapid take-up of one VoIP application variant peer-to-peer VoIP using free downloadable software from providers such as Skype raises the possibility of the appearance of a critical mass of private VoIP users that could unleash a significant structural change in the voice market by the removal of a large proportion of PSTN revenues," said report co-author Stephen Sale.

The report found that home users are increasingly turning to VoIP for longer calls to friends and family, the core telephony business of fixed-line incumbents.

Read more: VoIP rings death knell for traditional telephony

FCC to Rule on VoIP Next Week

The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) announced yesterday that it would rule next Tuesday on whether or not voice over IP (VoIP) communication is an interstate service.

According to internetnews.com:

The decision is considered critical to the future development of the emerging Voice over IP (define) industry, which hopes to avoid negotiating rates with 50 separate state governments.

In particular, the FCC will be ruling on a request by independent Internet telephony provider Vonage that would classify the business as an interstate information service, which is no different from applications, such as e-mail. Such a ruling would put VoIP beyond the taxing and regulatory reach of the states.

Read more: FCC to Decide VoIP Fate Next Week

ABI Research: WiFi VoIP Will Prevail

Phil Solis, senior analyst at ABI Research says that the ultimate goal of ubiquitous WiFi is pushing Vonage, SBC, and other companies into delivering VoWi-Fi, or wireless VoIP.

According to the press release at Business Wire:

He points out that Vonage will soon offer dedicated VoWi-Fi handsets that will allow users to place VoIP calls wirelessly, either through their home Wi-Fi access point, or, in partnership with Boingo Wireless, through any of Boingo's network of public Wi-Fi hotspots (they have 11,000 worldwide). [...]

Motorola is expected to release dual (cell/Wi-Fi) handsets for corporate use by the end of 2004 or early 2005. Falling chip prices will see consumer models follow soon after.

Read more: Convergence to Drive VoIP via Wi-Fi, according to ABI Research