VoIP Now

VoIP Roundup - Thur Feb 22, 2007

AT&T + GM Do A Deal
Thanks to a deal with five-year billion dollar deal with General Motors, AT&T will be building worldwide communications services for GM. There's no direct mention of VoIP, but "voice and data applications" integration is part of the deal. [TeleGeography]

Smaller VoIP Providers Consolidating
Smaller VoIP providers seem to be following a consolidation trend, with NYC-based DeltaThree being one of them, acquiring the privately-held Go2Call.com. [Telephony Online] This is a to be expected trend, with VoIP maturing and larger businesses keeping their options open for competing.

VoIP Phones Roundup
PC Mag has a roundup of several VoIP "phones", each different from the other in look and operation. Included is Vonage's V-Phone.

VoIP Roundup - Fri Oct 20, 2006

Will They Won't They? AT&T BellSouth Decision
Last week, the US DoJ (Dept of Justice) voted favorably on a merger announcement between AT&T and BellSouth. But the FCC wasn't so happy about it, especially because there were no conditions imposed by the DoJ. Will they won't they approve? Although I hope not, I think they will, with some conditions. What do you think? Anyone remember deregulation?

Skype Gearlog
Skype now has a weblog dedicated to all manner of cool hardware and accessories for Skype, including phones, cables, headsets, mice phones, keyboard/ phone combos, and loads more. And holiday season is just around the corner.

Verizon May Spin Off Telephone Directory Division
With AOL trimming the fat and selling off several of their European divisions, they must have started a slimming trend. Now Verizon is considering spinning off their telephone directories division. They don't want to sell due to tax reasons, but a spin-off may help with their debts. I'm guessing that more telecoms are feeling the pinch due to VoIP. Though those with cable divisions may see an increase in business, what with all the triple-play and other bundled services they're now offering.

Startech Selects verso For Deploying VoIP in Nigeria

Startech Connections has selected Verso technologies for deploying its MetroNet VoIP Overlay system which includes the I-Master prepaid platform which would run over a WiMAX-based radio system enabling services to both residential and business markets in Nigeria.

The system can be deployed into a metropolitan market over any broadband medium including xDSL, cable, wireless, satellite, fiber and microwave. The integrated system also consists of the I-Master which is a real time authentication and rating engine that enables carriers to deploy the complex rating system which is required for securing new market opportunities.

Via tmcnet

Nearly Free VoIP?

One suspects that the VoIP market is already bursting at the seams with ths deluge of terminology and business models. Free VoIP, paid VoIP, ad-supported VoIP, and so on. Now I hear about 'nearly free VoIP'. In the United States, AT&T and Yahoo have jointly launched a co-branded version of Yahoo! Messenger with Voice to AT&T Yahoo! High Speed Internet subscribers and all Yahoo! users in AT&T's 13-state local service area.

At first when I read this article, I was confused. By 'nearly free VoIP', the article was merely alluding to the low sot structure of the combines' VoIP offerings.

Via betadot

Haves and Haves Not of VoIP marketing

The international growth potential of AT & T is one of the reasons which made the company stick with AT & T brand rather than SBC. It could have utilized the money spent on making headlines by providing videoconferencing in China to go head on with Vonage which has been intelligently marketing itself. There are a number of companies which want to be leaders in the VoIP industry but still they are not taking any noticeable steps to show that they want to lead in the future. If AT & T wants to be leader in VoIP service provider it should start now rather than regret later.

Via [TMCnet]

AT&T to launch major ad campaign

Post its merger, AT&T is planning a major ad campaign to celebrate the fact. The first commercial of a yearlong campaign will be launched during “Dick Clark's New Year's Rockin' Eve 2006”. tmcnet.com reports:

Subsequent ads will be deployed across a wide variety of media, including magazines, newspapers, billboards, cable TV and online venues.

Read More: Big ad campaign to usher in new AT&T

Difficult times for PSTNs

As VoIP goes from strength to strength, traditional telecom providers are no longer thinking in terms of achieving profits from long-distance telephony. AT&T lost more than 30% of its consumer long-distance consumer customers by the end of 2004. vonmag.com reports:

Consumers stopped worrying about the phone numbers they called and instead moved to manage their minutes on their calling plans.

Read More: 2006: The Death of Long-Distance Profits

AT&T wins contract from Littelfuse Inc.

Littelfuse Inc. has awarded a three-year networking contract worth $ 1.8 million to AT&T. Littelfuse manufactures electrical components and circuit protection products. Littelfuse will acquire a global IP VPN that will enable better communication. The MPLS platform provided by AT&T will assist in the planned migration of Littelfuse from traditional telephony to VoIP. webwire.com reports:

The new technology offers Littelfuse significant cost savings, including unlimited toll-free calling between branch offices and a system design that can be scaled to precisely fit Littelfuse’s growing business.

Read More: Littelfuse Launches Global VoIP with AT&T

AT&T service for Patelco

Patelco Credit Union is one of the largest credit unions in the US and has 37 branches countrywide. It will make use of network services provided by AT&T Inc under a three-year contract. Patelco will obtain NVPN services that will ensure the security and reliability of MPLS-based IP network connections used for linking the various branches, ATMs, and service centers across the United States. Patelco will also get network management and VoIP services from AT&T.

Hyatt Select LLC

Hyatt Select LLC has awarded a $ 4.8 million networking contract to AT&T. AT&T will provide data, voice, and Internet services to 146 locations in the US. tmcnet.com reports:

"AT&T offered us a high-quality solution that complied with our aggressive network integration plan and timeline for Hyatt Place," said Tom O'Toole, senior vice president, strategy and systems for Global Hyatt Corp.

Read More: AT&T Connects Hyatt's 146 Properties for $4.8 M

AT&T and the InterContinental Hotels Group

The InterContinental Hotels Group has commissioned AT&T to deploy an IP VPN for the Candlewood Suites Hotels. tmcnet.com reports:

The project will enable the 76 Candlewood Hotel locations to now access the core hotel operating system over a secure, privately managed net with a lower equipment and maintenance cost.

Read More: AT&T IP Connects InterContinental's 76 Hotels

SBC Communications Inc. and AT&T

The new entity that will result due to the merger of SBC Communications Inc. and AT&T will be known as AT&T. According to Edward Whitacre Jr., CEO, SBC Communications, the new company will endeavor to provide the next generation of communication and entertainment services and given its history and lineage, AT&T was an appropriate name to have. At the close of the merger, which is expected to take place by the end of 2005, network integration will be initiated.

At close, the new company will unveil a fresh, new logo. After completion of the merger, the transition to the new brand will be heavily promoted with the largest multimedia advertising and marketing campaign in either company's history, as well as through other promotional initiatives. At close, the company will also announce the stock market ticker symbol it intends to use.

Read More: SBC Communications to Adopt AT&T Name

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

AT&T, NetGear Work on WiFi VoIP Handset

A report out of India indicates that AT&T and NetGear is working with Intoto Solutions to create a wireless VoIP handset that would be available by the end of the third quarter of next year.

From Cyber India Online Limited:

Intoto Solutions CEO, Sathyen Iyengar informed, "We are working closely with our partners like AT&T and NetGear to come out with Wi-Fi based VoIP phones. "He elaborated that such devices are basically cordless phones, which gets connected to an access point through 802.11 b enabling it to transmit voice over the Wi-Fi network.

"These handsets would target the business enterprises wherein the conventional phones could be replaced with Wi-Fi enabled cordless sets that use VoIP to make calls."

Read more: Wi-Fi powered handsets to debut in '05

AT&T and Linksys Form VoIP Partnership

Beginning later this month, AT&T and Linksys will offer VoIP to home users across the United States. The service will be available to AT&T's CallVantage customers.

According to internetnews.com:

To take advantage of the nationwide VoIP service, which lets users make telephone calls over their broadband Internet connection, users will need to have broadband Internet access at home—either DSL or cable—and then purchase a Linksys Wired Router with 2 Phone Ports or a Wireless-G Router with 2 phone ports. The Ethernet version is currently available directly from AT&T, and Linksys expects that all versions will be available at retail outlets such as Staples, Best Buy, Circuit City and Office Depot later this month. The routers will also allow users to network several computers while simultaneously talking over their high-speed Internet connections.

Read more: Linksys, AT&T Team for Consumer VoIP

AT&T, Vonage Reduce VoIP Costs by $5

Shortly after AT&T announced a $5 decrease in monthly VoIP charge, Vonage followed suit by also dropping their monthly VoIP service price by $5, thereby remaining $5 cheaper than AT&T.

According to Tech Web:

With the new prices, AT&T's monthly charge is $29.99, while Vonage's price is $24.99. Both services are similar, offering local and long-distance service in the U.S. and Canada, in addition to a host of advanced features, such as call forwarding, which can be managed over users' PCs.

"Over the past five months, we've noticed a trend in the industry away from calling certain minutes local and others long distance," said Vonage chairman and CEO Jeffrey Citron, in a statement.

Read more: Both AT&T, Vonage Cut VoIP Prices By $5.00

AT&T VoIP Innovation and Interoperability Program

AT&T is currently working with a number of application developers, equiment manufacturers, and chip providers to deliver new capabilities to the VoIP market. The name of the program is the VoIP Innovation and Interoperability Program.

According to NewsFactor Network:

In the long run, AT&T hopes to spur the development of VoIP-enabled devices ranging from chipsets and telephone adapters to telephones, game consoles, set-top boxes, routers and modems.

Participating companies have been working with AT&T to certify their products as being AT&T VoIP-service compatible. They include chip makers Broadcom, Centillium, Intel and Texas Instruments; equipment manufacturers D-Link, Linksys, and Netgear; and PBX vendors Alcatel, Avaya, Cisco, Nortel Networks, Siemens and Sonus Networks.

As the number of VoIP deployments rises, interoperability becomes more of an issue to service providers like AT&T, especially for their enterprise customers, Yankee Group senior analyst Danny Klein told NewsFactor.

Read more: AT&T Builds VoIP Alliance

VoIP to Lead Business Voice Traffic

A new report by AT&T and the Economist Intelligence Unit (EIU) titled "Voice over IP Comes of Age" states that VoIP will become the standard for voice traffic.

According to CRN:

The EIU surveyed more than 250 senior executives and found that 43% were either using or planning to implement VoIP within the next two years, while a further 18% expected to deploy the technology in the long term.

Executives' interest in the technology is driven both by the perceived cost savings in network consolidation and by the wide range of possible IP telephony services and applications. While an overwhelming 87% of respondents cited telecommunications cost savings as an important factor in the decision to implement VoIP, an equally impressive 71% were motivated by the ability to deploy advanced IP telephony features.

Read more: Survey: VoIP To Become The New Standard For Voice Traffic

Vonage, AT&T Offer Virtual VoIP Phone Numbers

With AT&T's Simple Reach plan, customers can dial long distance at local rates. Vonage has recently introduced the ability for VoIP customers to acquire virtual phone numbers from Mexico City.

According to the Chicago Tribune:

"VoIP is absolutely going to kill institutions we are familiar with," said Barnich, former chairman of the Illinois Commerce Commission. [...]

This year AT&T said it would stop marketing traditional local and long-distance phone service to residential customers and instead would actively promote VoIP. It is doing so by offering unlimited VoIP calling in the United States, Puerto Rico, Canada and the U.S. Virgin Islands for just $20 a month for the first six months and $35 thereafter.

Read more: Long-distance takes local route