VoIP Now

Voicemail-to-Text Application For Skype

SimulScribe's voice transcription services, which are already available for US mobile phone users, are now available for Skype users. SimulScribe is currently offering a one week free trial. Subscribers to the service will have their Skype voicemail messages transcribed using proprietary algorithms, then delivered via email or SMS text messages.

I'm wondering whether a service like this can last for long. While speech to text applications still have a ways to go, with more powerful computers coming, such ability could become native on a computer. In which case SimulScribe would become unecessary.

For that reason, I hope that their game plan is to develop an Extra for Skype, but not release it immediately. There's no reason they cannot charge for an Extra/ addon, like HotRecorder does, provided their application does far more than a similar freebie.

VoIP Roundup - Mon Feb 26, 2007

Apple TV Delayed
The shipping of the Apple iTV set-top box is being delayed until mid-March. The IPTV device allows you to wirelessly stream video content from your PC or Mac to a TV screen. I can hear TV junkie geeks everywhere going "damn!"

Some Communications Purchases
Two recent telecom purchases include Broadview Networks Holdings Inc.'s buyout of New York-based InfoHighway Communications Corp and phone maker Ericsson's plans to buyout Tandberg Television.

The Broadview combined company will serve 80,000 SMBs. Ericsson's planned purchase is in hopes of expanding their presence in the IPTV market.

How To Profit From VoIP
SmartBiz has an article with the enticing title How to profit from VoIP, which is actually an overview of Unified Messaging and presence. The crucial point of the article: it can't be done with the traditional PSTN system.

New Skype Integrations: Mindmeister

Skype is appearing in more and more web applications. The latest is Mindmeister, and web-based mind mapping tool that goes one step further than bubbl.us. Mindmeister not only allows real-time shared editing with collaborators, but you can use Skype click-to-call buttons to chat with each other during the edit process. [You can read a more focused review at Mashable.]

As a long-time, hard-core mind mapper myself, it's great that VoIP is enabling new forms of collaboration such as this. For example, there are a great many opportunities for VoIP in e-learning, and mind maps are a more intuitive way to brainstorm, teach or tutor. What I'd really like to see mindmapping combined with Learn Without Limits/ Tutors Without Limits, which does use Skype.

Now that said, standalone mind mapping packages like MindJet MindManager and Mindapp are considerably more robust than Mindmeister. And both allow publishing to a hosted web page for sharing with others. However, apps like Mindmeister allow real-time collaboration. It'll be interesting to see if a company such as MindJet who have a fairly mature tool, start offering competitve web-based collaboration tools. In other words, a convergence of functionality would be very, very nice.

What I'm really wondering, though, is when there will be similar SightSpeed integrations. They really need to open up their API.

Seinfeld's Kramer Predicted The Future Of Voice?

Didn't catch the title but in one episode of the TV sitcom Seinfeld, crazy Kramer predicts the future (2000), saying that we'll all be on permanent speed dial, and that calls will just come into our brains. This was in response to Jerry's new fling (Lauren Graham of the Gilmore Girls) putting him on her speed dial at #7, after two dates, then moving him to #9. Meanwhile, her stepmother comes after Jerry, ready to defend her #1 spot against Jerry.

Well, I'm happy to report that VoIP means never having to be a position on a speed dial, at least in soft clients. Everyone in your buddy list is #1. Unfortunately, brain-based presence features just aren't here yet, 8 years after Kramer's prediction. I guess we're waiting on a skull USB port first.

Switching To VoIP

Ted Wallingford's Switching to VoIP book from O'Reilly first came out in Jun 2005, but I noticed it being advertised on his site recently, while catching up on my reading. Now, analysts have declared at the end of 2006 that VoIP has now gone mainstream. So Ted's book might be a good one to pick up. Ted is also the author of the more recent VoIP Hacks.

I'm predicting that we'll see more and more VoIP books appearing on the market, several probably in the edit process already. But the good news for publishers and authors is that the lifecycle of VoIP books is probably going to be longer than a lot of computer-related books. My PHP + mySQL web programming book (designed by me but only co-authored) came out in Nov 2002 and was out of print by the next year because it was outdated. As long as VoIP books focus on features and hacks and are supplemented with a blog for updates, they might just stay relevant for an extra year.

The extra market that'll appear for VoIP books is in education, as more programs appear for training people in the high end of VoIP skills for niches such as IP PBX, installation, performance monitoring, load balancing, security, etc.

Video Campaigns: Can You Smell What Barack Is Cooking?

Senator Barack Hussein Obama must have the right-wing TV show hosts running scared if they're already taking xenophobic swings at his unusual name, despite his having been born and raised in the United States as a patriotic American - unlike California Governor Arnold Terminator, whom some people want to rewrite US laws for, to get him into a presidential race - shudder to think. But Obama has made a smart move: embracing web video for his campaign.

While I have a different preference for the next US Prez, I sent Senator Obama's campaign an email suggesting they follow Peter Csathy's wise recent advice about video blogging and video politicking. This was a few days ago, before I knew that the Senator is working with Brightcove on a channel. Apparently this was just before Brightcove pulled
in nearly US$60M in next-round VC funding?

At any rate, I'm paraphrasing what Peter has said: the next President will utilize Internet video better than everyone other candidate. Now if an IPTV/ video streaming company got smart, they'd create a special campaign channel and show paid content from all candidates. Just my feeling, but they could pull a great deal of web traffic and pay for it with advertising. Teaming up with Google on their Google Video or YouTube sites is one option.

Then again, it may not be necessary, as Senator Hilary Clinton, too, has just embraced online video chats. Well, let's hope that they all follow my video calling etiquette, as I'm sure no one wants to see the next President via video in their undies.

The All-New Ford/ Microsoft Car: Now With VoIP + Conferencing

Bwah ha ha ha ha. Just imagine it now: in the near future, all over North America, you'll see drivers talking to themselves.

What they'll really be doing is talking to Sync, the new automobile operating system from Microsoft, to become available in a number of Ford, Lincoln, and Mercury models starting in the 2008 model year. Like drivers don't have enough distractions such as mobile phones, now they can talk to a Ford car courtesy of Microsoft? What will Sync do when someone has a case of the road rage?

Couldn't Ford have come up with a better business partner? [NYTimes free reg needed] Like working with a company with operating system software that actually works? Microsoft's the company who in 2006 had 284 unsafe web browser days due to flaws through which malware attacks could be made (and they only issue software patches once a month). Do you really want to be driving a car that runs an operating system created by Microsoft? I'd considered a Ford for a future vehicle, but this move ensures I will never, ever buy a Ford.

Surely Stock Options Steve would have entertained the idea of an iCar. Or one of the Linuxes maybe? Ford Ubuntu. I like the sound of that: able to go where no vehicle has gone, and now with cron tables. You can grep your car. But Ford, being a fiercely loyal American car company, probably thinks Linux is for communists.

Let's just hope that when you have to inevitably reboot Sync, the car's engine doesn't shut off and restart. Unless you're already stuck in traffic Though the full Sync feature list is pretty impressive. Everything is voice-activated and Bluetooth-enabled, hence my quip about talking to yourself. There's VoIP, call waiting, call conferencing, a push-to-talk button in the steering wheel, and transfer of conversations from phone to car. But my feeling is that if a car company builds in conferencing abilities into their vehicles, the country has a serious workaholism problem. Can't wait until the first virus, worm or Trojan hits Sync. Color me unimpressed.

Network Physics VoIP Quality Monitors

VoIP sys admins will have another potential tool in their arsenal with new VoIP quality monitors
from Network Physics. The offering, called NetSensory Solution Insight for VoIP, works as an extension set for Network Physics' appliances. These extensions measure over 60 metrics related to VoIP call quality.

As I've pointed out before, there are many factors that affect VoIP call service, but I wouldn't have thought there were even 60 IP metrics, let alone that many that affect call quality. Things I haven't touched on before, which Network Physic's solution does, includes using the appropriate CODEC (Coder-decoder) algorithm. Essentially, there are different algorithms to compress and decompress digital audio data, and some perform on the fly better than others, depending on issues related to both network and computing resources.

The Indian Bluetooth Gambit: Or How To Cheat At Chess

Grandmaster Bobby Fischer caused a ruckus in the 1970s. when he he denounced the United States - where he grew up - and made pointed political comments. More recently, he renounced his US citizenship to avoid deportation to the US and a 10-year jail sentence. He also spoke in Iceland about President Bush's "regime". By comparison, Umakant Sharma, an Indian chess player, might be considered less trouble, merely cheating at chess using a Bluetooth device stitched into his cap. Now, this isn't the Bluetooth ski cap Motorola offers, but this certainly would be one unexpected way to use it. It's not like it's hard to configure Bluetooth headsets.

His accomplices would run chess simulations on a computer and relayed info to him. Sharma has been banned for 10 years. Maybe he can join Fischer on the fugitive lecture circuit.

Dream Phones, Voice2.0, Voice3.0

Luca Filigheddu describes "voice 3.0" for the future, and lists his dream mobile phone, inspired by an engaging post by Ken Camp. The phone would have several VoIP-related services, multiple
identities, video, configuration of availability, remotely stored contact lists, rich presence information and more. Sounds good to me. Sign me up. Except we're going to have to wait a few years for this before more than just us VoIP bloggers are using the term "voice 3.0".

For the present, I've listed my own VoIPmas wishes. Basically, I won't be happy with anything short of a Buck Rogers cellular wristwatch with WiFi for VoIP, Bluetooth (or Wibree), and a HUD (heads-up display) for video in. Not sure about video out, though the wrist watch should suffice. And so exactly what should we expect for voice 4.0? Portable Star Trek-like holodecks?

Microsoft Hearts VoIP?

You'd expect a software giant like Microsoft to have already been playing a big role in the IP communications market. But beyond the high number of users (active + inactive) of MSN/ Windows Live Messenger VoIM clients, it's hard to say they have any great involvement in VoIP and related services. They have announced this or that sort of IP communcations-related project in the recent past, but seemingly done little to compete with the dominant forces in the market (beyond launching Windows Live Messenger, which is okay, but not as good as Yahoo Messenger). But CEO Steve Ballmer indicates that they are going to change that with their new Vista operating system, come January 2007.

The Vista OS - which someone touted as not requiring anti-virus software - will integrate a variety of IP-related offerings including VoIP, IM (Instant Messaging), and video-conferencing in desktop and server applications. There will also be Microsoft PBX. * Yawn * I'm not buying it, sorry. They're late to the game (though Garrett Smith thinks otherwise) and can't offer anything new to the individual. However, the Microsoft brand name may encourage enterprise to get more involved in IP communications - so that could be a big sell for them. (In which case I do agree with Garrett.)

There was no word about whether Ballmer raged across the stage screaming like a lunatic while saying how much he loved "this company". This is your brain on Microsoft.

Think this will help your company's share price? Hmm. Could be. Dance little Ballmer, dance.

Why Switch To Asterisk IP PBX?

John Edwards lists 5 good reasons for switching to Asterisk for an IP PBX, and 9-step guide to getting started with Asterisk. Asterisk is of course open source software (OSS) so the full source code is available.

Open source IP telephony is getting a push by companies like Fonality, Digium (makers of Asterisk) and Polycom in terms of new partnerships, hardware and software. While I'm a big fan of open source, history shows a reluctance on the part of middle managers in larger enterprises to accept such software. I'm really hoping that this isn't the case with IP telephony, because such options afford robust, customizable solutions that have as much power as more expensive offerings.

If OSS IP telephony companies are smart, they'll go after the SMBs and not worry about enterprise, who'll want more "name brand" solutions from companies like Cisco or even Microsoft, who have vowed to integrate IP communcations into their new Vista operating system in Jan 2007. My feeling is that there are enough SMBs out there that would benefit OSS IP telephony, and would welcome such an option as well as the price. But since the cost and availability of "experts" who can add modules or debug problems may be a factor, solutions with a  set of plug-and-play SMB/ CRM modules will likely capture the most interest.

100 Projects For TrixBox/ Asterisk IP PBX

Nerd Vittles always has great information regarding open source IP PBXes, in particular TrixBox and Asterisk. Now Ward Mundy has put together a list of 100 projects relating to both, some on the Nerd Vittles site, and some elsewhere. (The links are not all projects; some are links to IP communications- related websites.) Categories are:

• Installing a free TrixBox server
• Installing the free Asterisk@Home PBX
• Customizing Asterisk@Home
• Asterisk server hardware
• Additional Asterisk hardware and software
• VoIP provider reviews and configuration tips for Asterisk@Home
• Securing Asterisk
• Additional Asterisk applications
• Where to turn when you need some help

Probably everything a DIY (do-it-yourself) VoIPr can think of. Great job, Ward. I wish I had the time to try some of these. They look like a heck of a lot of fun.

All I Want For VoIPmas Is SuperSkype

Skype just released their 3.0 Beta for Windows. Wow. From 2.5 to 3.0 in only a couple of months. What's this one got that's new? Supposedly Skypecasts and Public Chats, which I thought were already part of Skype. Click-to-call from websites through Skype browser extensions (for IE and Firefox web browsers). Again, this functionality already exists for Skype through other means. A more powerful user interface: new tabbing arrangements, wall paper. Skype Extras, for playing games, sharing desktops, and a whiteboard for notes during Skype calls. (Extras aren't new, but they have been integrated more tightly with the interface.) Enterprise compatibility? This should be interesting.

But to clarify, the Skypecasts are now browsable. Search for a Skypecast then join in. The Public Chat host can moderate conversation and reject or ban users. Public chats are promotable as links in email, web pages or Skype mood messages.

What'd be really cool, though, is built-in recording, with aim to satisfy podcasters. That means searchable meta tags on recordings (a la HotRecorder). Plus the ability to post the podcast to a weblog on the all of the popular blog platforms. There is Skype Recorder v1.2, which is free and activates automatically, but it doesn't have those extra features that would be great for podcasters.

Suggestion to eBay/Skype: buy HotRecorder and hire a team to do weblog posting integration work as well. At that point, I would actually pay for the Skype soft client (provided I can use Paypal, your sister company, to do so).

So, St. Niklas (Zennstrom), all I want for Xmas is a super Skype that does all of the above. Oh yeah. And the ability to mobile Skype from my PalmOS-based Palm Treo 650 running on CDMA EV-DO cellular wireless Internet access. I'm not asking much, am I?

Recording Multi-Person Conversations For Podcasting

Nick Wilson over at Performancing.com asks about "the quickest, cheapest way to do high quality multiple stream podcasts." Meaning, in this case, recording a VoIP conference call and publishing it to a website as a podcast.

There are hosted services and even some that let you initiate a conference call from their website. For example, Gabcast offers free podcast creation and hosting, but there are some limitations. There are toll-free numbers for the US, but in other places, you might have to pay for a long-distance call.

But in my opinion, the quickest, cheapest way to pull off a multi-person podcast is, arguably, with Skype. For a free solution, a Skype conference call will work fine provided a few factors are satisfied:

1. Everyone is using Skype. I.e., not landlines or mobile phones in use.
2. You shut down any unnecessary apps on each participating computer. (For best call quality.)
3. You all have a broadband connection and are not talking during a busy period locally (late afternoon, mid evening, before midnight).

There are a few other tips for better VoIP call quality.

For recording the calls, there's HotRecorder (HotRecorder.com, US$14.95) which is even geared for podcasters. There's a search function based on the text that you attach to each recording. HotRecorder, if it's running on your PC (Windows XP, 2003, only for now), will automatically start recording when a call comes in on Skype, or you activate it. HotRecorder works on Skype conference calls as well.

For a completely free solution, use the Audacity (audacity.sourceforge.net) audio editor (with support for Cubase VST plugins) to record the call. Audacity has to be manually started, but it's easy to edit your audio track afterwards - something HotRecorder does not feature. Audacity runs on Windows, Mac OS X and GNU/Linux.

Also see VoIPcasting: recording VoIP and Podcasting.

Voice Applications: You'd Better Recognize

One hot voice application space that will be useful in biometrics is voice recognition [Unified Communications]. It's likely less disconcerting to users than, say, fingerprinting, palm vein scans, or facial recognition. This type of app has been around for quite some years, but accurate voice recognition has been waiting expectantly, ready to be called upon - something that's only now happening due to more powerful computers. And there is the potential to use it in mobile phones in the future - at least in my estimation.

To my knowledge, voice biometrics is hypothesized as being accurate - i.e., that human voices are unique enough that they can be used for user authentication purposes in mobile payment, secure access, or other applications. If this is indeed true, or at least sufficient for most authentication purposes, say coupled with a verbally-administered PIN code or password, then all that remains is the horsepower needed for mobile handsets. We live in interesting times.

Nokia Opens US Mobile Apps Research Center

Palo Alto, California, is the home of the new Nokia Research Center. Nokia has a three-agreement with Stanford University to jointly work on research projects for "collaborative mobile computing and applications". The four areas that their research will focus on are:

• Context-aware content and communities.
• Wireless grids.
• Advanced user interfaces and visual media.
• Innovation radio and sensor networks.

Nokia recently bought an RFID company, and with research into wireless grids and sensor networks, it's possible that they will work on crowdsensing applications. In such apps, each mobile phone would have an RFID chip capable of sensing some environmental condition, such as moisture or heat. Each handset would be a node on a wide grid. If such apps are feasible they could revolutionize local/ regional weather reporting, possibly even traffic reporting.

The research center will initially employ 35 researchers, with plans to expand to 100 or more. Nokia recently introduced a new wireless protocol called Wibree, which is a low-power connectivity protocol designed for small objects and possibly mobile phones. Whether Wibree will play a role in the Palo Alto research center is unclear. They have also been planning VoIP on their line of mobile phones for quite some time.

[additional sources: Press.XTVWorld]

Ahead Of The VoIP Call Center Curb

While some call centers are still considering the use of VoIP, others are already on it. CampusUSA Credit Union installed their VoIP call center system five years ago, and did it in a single weekend. [SearchCRM] The key thing to rapid VoIP deployment is having a plan, of course - knowing what quirks to expect. While companies that have no phone system at all have an easier time of a switch over to VoIP, a relatively quick install can be done.

Small companies have an advantage. But larger companies and/or those with existing phone systems can reduce deployment time - whether for a call center or just a business IP telephony system. If you treat a VoIP system install as a software project, then planning and design should be 50-80% of the time spent. Do you know what network capacity you will need? Peak support hours? Backup systems? Call recording requirements? Start with a list of your required functionality and go from there.

VoIP Support Services Market To Grow

New research from IDC suggests  [CertCities] that the VoIP support services market will reach nearly US$1.3B by 2010. The growth will come partly from the use of non-proprietary VoIP software, which a single company will not have a stranglehold on in terms of services.

This would suggest that OSS (open source software) IP PBXes such as Asterisk will have a huge role to play in the coming years. Since the cost of startup is so much lower for IP telephony, there is likely to be a boom in the number of companies offering plug-and-play add-ons for Asterisk and other OSS VoIP solutions, as well as support. And since the support can be conducted using the solutions themselves (voice calling, video calling), support costs are lowered as well. Look into the future, and voice-recognition -activated animated avatars might be handling the support calls.

VoIP For Telecommuters

If you watch Jon Stewart and The Daily Show, you know that the United States hit 300 million people in October. As you might know, The Daily Show is a humorous look at World and US news. But VoIP providers are smiling, not chuckling. As total workforce population grows, daily traffic becomes an increasing nightmare in many cities and even towns. More people are telecommuting for work, or working at home. And VoIP is being promoted towards this particular niche of the residential market: the telecommuter.

Especially happy are the cable companies, who are promoting the benefits of their services over other types of broadband Internet connections. Since telecommuting typically requires an Internet connection throughout the day, the old slow 56K modem over dialup just isn't going to cut it for work. Some companies will pay for broadband installation in their telecommuting employees homes. Then there's the work-from-home types with their own business, who could loosely be classified as telecommuters (for lack of a more accurate term).

Telecommuting in either case requires communication with others, of course, and thus the potential for added long distance calls and costs. VoIP in both voice and video forms can save them a considerable amount of money over regular phone lines and mobile phone services. And cable companies are hoping to get a fair share of converts from dialup.

While other types of VoIP providers might promote themselves as well (they'd be crazy if they didn't), my money's on cable, simply because of the triple play they can offer: TV, Internet, VoIP. A convenient package. On the other hand, don't count out other types of broadband providers. If someone is working at home part or all of the week for their employer (as opposed to running their own business), the broadband service may be paid for.

Consider that in the average North American city, operating costs (office space, electricity, equipment leasing, telecommunications) for each employee is $40-60 per square foot per month, maybe more. Many employers would be happy to spring for broadband access for the occasional/ regular telecommuting employee - especially since their telecom costs are lowered, and there are even free or inexpensive video-conferencing options.

That may mean, for accounting purposes, that the employer wants a separate billing account for the broadband connection and any VoIP services. If an employee already has cable (TV or TV and Internet), they may have to get a second connection for work. Putting in a second cable line may or may not be an option in some areas. Which may mean that other VoIP providers, such as highspeed dialup or satellite types, may still be contenders in the market for VoIP for telecommuters.

[additional sources: Computerworld Networking, Telephony Online]

Video Politicking - Reach-Out Campaigning

Gadget Trail has a list of ten ways to use VoIP that you probably didn't think about [link below]. One of the tips, #4, suggests volunteering with you fave political party, then using Skype to make free outbound calls (to landlines) to registered voters in swing states. What a briliiant way to campaign without spending loads of money. Rock the vote. Save the campaign money instead to pay for the nasty, mudslinging TV commercials. I suppose you could post them on YouTube as well.

Go one step further and use videblogging using SightSpeed (or Skype). Or hold live video interviews that anyone can join in on. Even one-on-one video campaigning could be effective, as Peter Csathy discusses [link below].

The politician that captivates the web-savvy group, and maybe even uses something like Skypecasts or video-conferencing in SightSpeed or IPTVbroadcasts, is a person whose message will get out there, and who has a chance of running for high office. But that person will also be under intense scrutiny, so the best course of action is utilizing a "permission list" to send campaign videos to, if they're precorded. Consider also using "SkypeMe" buttons on a campaign website.

Whatever you do, don't follow step #10 at Gadget Trail to connect the White House with Cuba. Unless you're at a public computer that doesn't require signup of course :)

[sources: Digital Media Update, Gadget Trail via VoIP Telephony Service]

Enterprise: Ways To Marry Skype With IP PBXes

Not too long ago, Pika Technologies announced their bridging solution for Skype and Asterisk, perfect for enterprise use. And there's also VoSKY's solution which combines Skype and an IP PBX, aimed at SMBs. They even have a VoSKY Skype Call Center. And I won't pretend to know exactly what this does, but last week, Instant Solutions released their ChanSkype Skype channel driver for Skype. But from what I gather at O'Reily Emerging Telephony and other sites, it seems like you can use it to run Skype clients off of an Asterisk IP PBX. They tested it off of a Dual Xeon 3.0 Ghz with 6 Gb of memory. Hmmm. Wonder if it might also function as part of a Mac Mini IP PBX, since both Skype and Asterisk can run on one.

Build Your Own IP PBX?

Okay, don't get mislead by that title, but if you saw the slick iBlue IP PBX made from a Mac Mini and don't want to pay 3,000 Euros, Ted at MacVoiP mentions that in his new book VoIP Hacks, there are instructions on how to make your own. In fact, you can even use the open source SIP-based Asterisk IP PBX software. Save even more by using any USB stick; an iPod to boot the system is not necessary. Don't know what a Mac Mini costs, but I'm guessing if you can make your own iBlue-type of IP PBX, it'll cost you far far less than 3,000 Euros. I gotta find me an Apple store somewhere. And a bookstore. And lock myself away to for some VoIP DIY (do-it-yourself) projects.

Skype For Business VoIP?

The jury is still out on this one, as far as I'm concerned, but things are looking up. Skype generally has high call quality, and even polls users after a pc-to-phone call. Then there's Pika Technologies VoIP bridging solution for Skype clients and the Asterisk IP PBX, which holds great potential for business use: inexpensive calls in a great interface, coupled with a great SIP-based IP PBX. Then there's the customer testimonials. According to Jerald Downs, owner of a US-based fruit company

In the past all my business was done by e-mail. Now I use Skype a lot to keep in touch with my growers -- it increases the lucidity and trust between us and it's clearer than any landline.

Well said. Successful business relationships rely a great deal on human interaction. VoIP offers an interaction that supplements face-to-face meetings. And I know from personal experience that high-quality calls seem to engender more trust than when you have to put up with rattle and hum, crackle and pop.

So any VoIP solution that can satisfy the above conditions for business use has an advantage over all others.

[sources: ZD Net Australia]

Tips For Easing Enterprise VoIP Deployment

In the Oct 2006 issue of Networks & Servers, Mary Shacklett provides some valuable tips for easing the deployment of VoIP in the enterprise. Since the majority of businesses have little experience with VoIP installations, integrators and resellers have to be sought out, and each one is not the same as another in their skills. And it's not just about the lowest perceived price of a system.

Choose a person or team that will willingly make you aware of all the aspects of deploying VoIP, walk you through the process, and suggest what is best for your company, even if it means a hybrid VoIP/ PSTN system - a pure VoIP system is not always the best, especially for an established company, who might experience significant downtime if their entire telephony system were to be replaced.

Now That's What I'm Talking About: Custom Voice Mails

Not long ago, I was bellyaching about wanting a way to produce different voicemail messages for different callers (based on caller id). In fact, some other blogger mentioned something about wanting one voicemail message for his girlfriend/ wife (both?), another for business contacts, and yet another for friends and family. Well YouMail lets you do this. Their initial application rollout is for Verizon, Cingular and T-Mobile cellular subscribers only. Currently, there is only Windows support, with Mac coming soon. More details at YouMail. (As I'm not a subscriber of any of the above providers, I can't test it.)

I'm guessing that even if YouMail doesn't get into the VoIP niche, someone else will come up with similar features for soft phones. I mean, it can't be that hard. All soft phones already know who is calling, if the caller is at least on a soft phone. Now since I have not explored VoIP soft phone and VoIM voicemail all that much, I may have just missed the fact that some of them already have customized voicemails. I'm wagering that if Asterisk cannot already do this, that it wouldn't be all that hard to do so.

[sources: MobileCrunch, Technology Evangelist]

Bluetooth File Transfer Capabilities

The Bluetooth SIG (Special Interest Group) has declared October as "Bluetooth Transfer Month". They are promoting the fact that Bluetooth can be used to transfer digital content wirelessly between enabled devices including phones, computers, PDAs and other devices. Any two devices with Bluetooth capability and memory have the ability to transfer files to each other. (Whether they actually can is dependent on whether manufacturers have made the functionality available to users.) [via Wireless IQ]

Sample applications include passing digital business cards between phones and PDAs, capturing TV or stage show information from digital billboards and posters, sharing photos and music, and more.  A stage version of the Lord of the Rings included a promotion where special subway posters allowed people to download ringtones using Bluetooth. Obviously, there could be some very interesting social applications.

To help promote the file transfer abilities of Bluetooth, devices that are capable of this will have an "Experience"  icon on the device and packaging. But with VoIM becoming more common on cell phones, Bluetooth file transer usage might increase without the promotional campaign - if the ability is built into the next generation of VoIM clients, for short-range transfer.

Quantizing Voice Data For VoIP Applications

One of the great benefits about VoIP and IP telephony in terms of business use is that a voice call now becomes data. What that means, amongst other things, is that a VoIP system adminitrator can manage user accounts invidually or in groups. Access can be given to voice-related data - such as call recordings - in the same manner that computer file access can be given. It also means that a group of people can be given access to long-distance calling, file transfer, application sharing, or what have you, with relative ease. While traditional telephony offers some of these group-access features, VoIP telephony makes it fairly easy to implement advanced features without special phone lines or equipment. As well, VoIP calls are treated as a computer resource, so security is easier to implement.

VoIP As A Teaching Aid

VoIP is increasingly being used in a number of ways that traditional telephony never could. One such way is in online tutoring. Using either a VoIP or VoIM soft client, you have access to a host of free (or inexpensive) functionality ideal for remote teaching: text chat, voice chat, file sharing, video calling, conferencing. Some soft clients, such as AIM Pro, also have the ability to do desktop application sharing. There are even a number of options for collecting payment for your time: Ether or Skype + Jyve.

If you plan to tutor online, using VoIP or VoIM software is an ideal way to supplement the learning experience. See more details at 8 reasons to use VoIP and VoIM in teaching.

Protect Kids With IMSafer

VoIP blogger Alec Saunders talks about a new Instant Messaging monitoring tool for parents that has been created by his friend Brandon Watson. Called IMSafer, it would run in the background on a computer, discreetly monitoring IM text conversations and using lexical analysis to determine if the person talking to your child might be a sexual predator. The analysis techniques used are the same used by law enforcement.

I have no children myself, but this is a wonderful idea. It's unfortunate that we need these things, but we do. And with VoIP use becoming more widespread, maybe someone can marry voice-to-text translation with something like KishKish lie detector for Skype and come up with something that can protect people from vishers.

More VoIP Advantages Over Traditional Telephony

The Yankee Group has a report suggesting that soft phones (Skype, Gizmo Project, Sightspeed, Hullo) and IMs (Windows Live Messenger, Yahoo Messenger, Aim Pro, Google Talk) are moving into a new voice applications such as click-to-call, an area that tradtional telcos and cellular carriers just cannot follow into easily.

Click-to-call and other VoIP SOA (service-oriented architecture) offerings are gaining in popularity with service providers. Google is already planning a click-to-call service with eBay. Adobe plans to embed VoIP into Flash media players, which are fairly common on some websites - especially with the rise of embedded streaming video in personal and professinal weblog-style websites.

[sources: VoIP Magazine]

SkyNET: Single Geek Male Finds Single Toll-Free VoIP Number

Well, I didn't find it, exactly. After I posted my Single geek male seeks single toll-free number article, Michael Steverson from SkyNET-tel.com posted a comment saying that they can do what I was asking for right now: a single 800 VoIP number. Do my eyes deceive me? Really?

The deal is US$9.99/month for a Personal 800 Number. That has to be teamed with the One Cent Plan, which is $4.99/mth. Calls are then $0.01/minute. While I haven't been as much of chatty kathy lately, if I were to resume my old talk habits of 800+ minutes per month, well that'd still only be 14.98 + 8.00 per month. My old toll-free number cost me about $35/mth, if I remember correctly. So even if I used 1000 minutes per month, that'd still be just under $25/month. There's also the unlimited plan of $23.99/mth (first month free) or the unlimited business plan of $39.99/m.

Coupled with a personal 800 number, that's not a bad deal at all, if I can find a reasonable VoIP call-in number plan and suitable area code, then I'm set. The 800 number requires a local number, but if I can get a local area code with VoIP when I move to the big city, then I'm good. (That might be a problem, as most popular VoIP services do not cover the city I'm moving to, including SkyNET, from what I can tell.) But the 800 toll-free number is apparently good for 36 international locations. People from all of these locations can call the number as if it were local. Man, am I excited. I can finally enjoy vishing and annoying telemarketing calls from all over the world.

Sounds like a deal. Currently, most of my voice chat minutes are local. I've been taking advantage of Skype's SkypeOut free calling promo in North America, to test quality and generally freak friends and family out with my pc-to-phone calling. On the other hand, I did say I was moving. I would still need a soft phone Call-In number for the new locale. If I find one, basically for not more than what I used to spend only a regional 800 number, I can get pretty much what I was looking for: a single toll-free 800 number, not counting a local number. (SkyNET will have their own soft phone in the future. Just a suggestion, but guys/ gals, base it on SIP, so that it can communicate with users on Gizmo Project, iPhox, and others.)

Incidentals: There's a shipping charge of $25 for the free SkyBOX, which I assume is a VoIP adapter for the broadband connection. They're charging sales tax, even though it's the Internet. Maybe it has to do with where I am. And there's a $19.99 activation fee. Okay, I'll stop being a cheapskate. This still seems like a pretty good deal

I'm listening to Roy Orbison, the man with the soothing golden voice, right now as I write this. So maybe I'm a bit sentimental at the moment, but this might just be the beginning of a beautiful VoIP relationship. Thanks, Michael. The only things that worry me are (1) the secure HTTP server certificate on their website has expired. So I hope they'll fix this before I decide to commit to a serious relationship. And for those of you that don't use credit cards, like myself, they accept payment by Paypal. I'm not moving just yet, but when I do, I'm itching to try this. Although if Skype ever gets real mobile support going, I'll have a grand time combining Skype and SkyNET.

Skype From Mobile: SoonR - Take 2

Song Huang from SoonR responded in detail to my original post about Sooner, as well as a post about soft VoIP for mobile devices. SoonR is an application that lets you not only make Skype calls from your mobile phone or PDA, but it also lets you view your desktop applications. Apparently it can render all kinds of information on your phone including Powerpoint slides, AutoCad and Illustrator drawings, and PDF documents.

Except that I couldn't get it to work, other than being able to view my desktop's folders. I couldn't get a simple text file, nor could I use the Skype feature to phone a friend. Actually, I could, but when SoonR called my cell, I was still on data mode and it went to voicemail. So the friend I was trying to call heard my voice mail instead of me.

According to Song's response to my problems with SoonR on my Palm Treo 650, it appears that I missed a few details. Treos are problematic, especially on EV-DO networks. (At least, I think that's the issue. Palm devices using Microsoft Pocket PC don't have the problem.) SoonR allows you to set a delay so that you can switch from data over to phone mode. I missed that. But then, I missed that setting for a few apps. Delays are how Mino Wireless and EQO Mobile both get around the Treo data network problem. (Though at least Mino's is automatic, and EQO might be as well.) So if you are having similar problems with SoonR on Palm OS-based smartphones/ PDAs, try configuring the delay setting.

Now I guess I have to add SoonR to the growing list of VoIP/ voice apps that I have to try or re-try. But assuming that it will work for me now, with all the features it has, it's an incredibly cool application. At least in theory. While it'd be very nice to have access to apps like Outlook, Powerpoint, Illustrator, and PDF, it's like I said about Cognos announcement about running their business intelligence software on Blackberry devices. Basically, the app may be cool, but all of them suffer from the fact that mobile devices typically have such small viewing screens.

What I'd like to see - although I am a geek - is a HUD (heads-up display) that I can connect to my PDA, and a simple interface - possibly a wired glove (maybe even RFID) to actually interact with the application as simply as possible. This is about the only way I'd care about running complex apps or viewing complex data on the go. (That and a better cellular data plan.) Even my relatively large Palm Treo 650 screen won't cut it for me.

Single Geek Male Seeks Single Toll-Free VoIP Number

The VoIP Girl and others recently cancelled their Vonage account. VG is switching to something else. What VoIP service did she switch to? She hasn't decided yet, but it appears she has some choices, including using a virtual number call-forwarded to her softphone. She wants a local number (to her).

This approach could be interesting, but I'd want a single toll-free VoIP number. A few years back, just after I stopped working for a large telecom, I paid for a personal 800 toll-free number through their cellular division. It just happened that I did a lot of commuting: live in one city, work in two others, meetings for personal projects in others, hang out with friends in yet another, promote bands in still more. All in a single day or week. I didn't want people to have to spend a fortune trying to call me.

At first, I had a local cell phone number, but if I took that phone with me out of town and someone called me from my hometown, then it became a long distance charge for them. Then I got a second cell phone but with an area code in the city I spent most of my work day in. But that didn't quite work either. I then switched to a regional 800 toll-free number and my friends and business contacts were very happy. It only cost me about $35 per month, which beat the $200-300+ that I would have spent calling everyone myself. Except some weird politics developed between two big cellular providers and the 800 numbers on mobile phones option was cancelled in my area.

This was a whlie ago. Now I work almost completely from home, and don't travel much at present. Anyone I know that's geographically separated from me has a computer and I talk to them via IM (Instant Messaging), email, or a VoIP soft phone. Most of the time. But being the nomadic wanderer that I am, I'm planning to move yet again. Anyone I know locally right now would want to call me at my new town via a regular phone, not from a soft phone. (Don't ask. Maybe it's something in the water, but I can't convince anyone I know locally to get a soft phone. They don't mind IMs; soft phones they don't understand, or maybe don't like. Oh the shame.)

That means, to save everyone the long distance charges that would occur, I'd want a single call-in number linked to a softphone. Sure, I'll still have my Palm Treo 650, but it'll have a new local number after I move. I want something that isn't going to cost people money. Sure, Gizmo Project has a free 775 area code-based number, but that doesn't give you toll-free - as far as I can tell from the area 775 FAQ.

What I want is a single VoIP plan with a toll-free number attached to a quality soft-phone. Could be wrong, but I don't think anyone has that yet. This means that I'll probably have to get a landline (haven't had one in over 10 years) with an 800 number and forward it to a VoIP Call-In number. This isn't quite the same as VoIP Girl, since she wants a local number. I don't. I plan to be doing a lot of travelling before the end of this decade, for business and pleasure, and a single (toll-free) VoIP number would be best, for friends, family, and contacts. Of course, if I could get this number for fully-functioning mobile VoIP on my Palm Treo, I'd be even happier, and gladly pay for it. And before the end of the decade, please. Then I wouldn't have to worry about which VoIP soft client everyone was using.

Speaking of toll-free numbers, TipMonkies points to a site called Hardtofind800numbers.com. Speaks for itself, I think.

VoIP Roundup - Fri Sep 29/06

Should Web Traffic Be Prioritized?
Matt Brunk at VoIP Loop considers the types of web-based traffic and makes an argument for why certain types of traffic might need to be prioritized, especially since media convergence is pushing a lot of public services into IP-based access.

Testing Your VoIP And IMS
Ixia has just announced their IxVoice software for testing VoIP and IMS (IP Multimedia Subsystem) protocols. via Light Reading] IMS is a core part of media convergence. That is, offering a variety of media over via Internet Protocol (IP), and communication between networks.

Telepresence Via Video VoIP
Be Here is offering their TotalView "VoIP Collaboration Phone" which gives a full-room view for conference participants. TotalView was announced at DEMOfall 2006 earlier this week. [via VoIPLoop]

Skype File Transfer: Unusal Uses

Have a Skype-certified mobile device but no appropriate USB cable handy? You might be able to transfer files to the device using Skype's file transfer feature. Skype Blogs has a post about a reviewer who managed to transfer music files to a Sony Mylo media player and wireless Skype VoIP phone via file transfer. (Sony didn't send him an USB cable.)

You can also use this feature to transfer files between two of your own computers. Really, that's no different than if you were just sharing files with someone else. I work daily on both my laptop and desktop computers for overlapping purposes and have two different Skype accounts, and two different Google Talk and GMail accounts. (Google Talk recently got the file transfer feature.)

I suppose I could just as well use either of my wired or wireless networks and Windows Explorer for a file transfer, but this is easier because I don't have to expose my directories to sharing, and then unshare them each time. My home network stays secure. BTW, here's a link if you want a quick overview of various Skype features.

Let The Embedding (of VoIP) Begin

There's a lot of buzz the past few days about Adobe working on some VoIP project, possibly to embed VoIP from within a flash video player. Om Malik is credited with breaking the story. Bruce Stewart, Tom Keating, Ken Camp, Phil Wolff, and no doubt others have weighed in on the news.

Maybe it's Friday, when I tend to be jaded and play devil's advocate, but I don't see this as particularly surprising or big news. Isn't this really kind of an extension of click-to-call VoIP? At the least, it's embedded VoIP which, while a hot subniche, is already working from web browsers, Microsoft Outlook, and other programs.

But at least with those programs, there's some semblance of relevance for having VoIP-calling, as a phone number will be part of the information. Even if a Flash video has an extra tag for a phone number, how ubiquitous is Flash anyway? (Despite what the other VoIP bloggers are saying.)

Every web design site I've read in the past year cautions people to go easy on Flash-driven content because it's not indexable in the search engines. And it takes time to load, which drives away visitors on slower connections (not everyone has broadband yet).

Nevertheless, while I may not like that Adobe bought out Macromedia, it's an interesting idea and I wish them luck with the Flash-VoIP features. It could certainly be useful for live help sites that want to add VoIPability. [Note: After I wrote this low-key diatribe, I read Tom's piece, which says the Flash player has already had VoIP capability since early 2002. That's a surprise to me, but I still maintain my jaded opinion.] On the other hand, click-to-call types of embedded VoIP applications just might make soft VoIP clients obsolete.

Online Music Collaboration, VoIP Chatting, and Social Networking: Rype

About two years ago, I was helping a young musician develop some confidence in his guitar-playing abilities. (I had spent several years booking bands for shows and promoting local musicians in the past, so I decided to help this immensely talented young man.) Because we worked conflicting schedules at the time, we oftened chatted using MSN Messenger. in text mode. At that point, I'd forgotten that Messenger had rudimentary VoIP (pc2pc only) capabilities.

When my friend, A, initiated a voice chat, I was impressed. At least for a few seconds, until I realized how crappy call quality was (probably mostly due to my then poor wireless signal). But he pulled out his guitar across town and played for me some of the new songs he'd composed. I reviewed them with him. Despite the quality issue, it was quite a heady experience.

Fast forward a couple of years and VoIP call quality has improved - at least for some soft clients. I lost touch with A, because of his strange work hours, and last I heard, he was a bit disheartened about not being able to collaborate and thus gave up writing new songs. (Unfortunate, because he has the talent to be the next John Mayer or Dave Matthews, his fave.)

His biggest problem was finding people to collaborate with when he was actually at home, on his computer, too tired to go meet with anyone to jam in person. Well, budding musicians will be happy to know about Rype, a desktop application that appears to be the ultimate tool for musical collaboration in the global village.

Rype is from guitar.com, but it's not quite available yet, so what I'm telling you is based on the wee bit of text at the site, and the screenshots. And it really looks impressive. Rype will let you record, edit, and produce music, and has a built-in social network. So I assume that regardless of where you are, you'd be able to find someone awake to collaborate with. And when you do finish a song, you'll be able to sell them on iTunes. Brilliant or what?

This is one of those "killer" apps VoIP, and I can't wait to get my hands on it, even if it costs money. (No indication either way.) And if it's as good as it looks, or maybe even if not, it'll probably spawn a dozen copycats/ competitors. First it was online games using VoIP, now this. What's next?

[Found via Skype Journal, but the actual permalink doesn't work, so I haven't supplied it.]

LumenVox Speech Recognition Engine for Asterisk

Asterisk Business Edition will now be including [Asterisk VoIP News] the Speech Starter Kit and Speech Engine from LumenVox at no extra cost. Or you can get the Kit and Engine for US$245 if you're an Asterisk open source community member. Speech processing solutions can be built over the Speech Starter Kit. (LumenVox also has a number of other voice processing packages, including Speech Tuner and Speech Assistant. Their Speech Engine received a Best of Show award at TMC's Internet Telephony Conference earlier this year.)

This is good news for anyone wanting to build advanced voice data applications for VoIP systems using Asterisk, based on the open source VoIP standard, SIP. In fact, this Speech Engine could spur the development of inexpensive voice-triggered CRM (Customer Relationship Management) applications for SMBs and even SOHOs, not to mention enterprises. And now that Pika Technologies just built a seamless integration package for Skype and Asterisk for enterprise use, I can see some pretty sophisticated VoIP call center solutions being created as well. Call Center/ IVR and CRM in a box anyone?

By the way, you can try out the IVR demo for ordering a pizza or checking the weather. Neither my SkypeOut call nor a call from a cordless phone seemed to register too well, but the "woman" for the pizza demo is pretty darn funny. So since she psychically knows where I live, I should be getting a gigantic pizza in about a half hour.

Online Role Playing Games Add IP Communications

RPGs (Role Playing Games) are a type of online game that involves multiple players online at the same time. MMOGs (Massively Multiplayer Online Games) have been popular for several years and have spawned a whole subculture. One acquaintance of mine would play for up until 30 hours straight when he was out of work. Now, as a baker, he has to get up early and can't play as often. But on his days off, he's back to the mega-sessions, playing up to 15-20 hours straight.

One of things he repeatedly asked me to check on (before I started writing about VoIP) was a way for his clan (forgive me if that's the wrong term) to be able to talk to each other simultaneously without paying a fortune for some company's subscription fee. Now that was last year, before I knew about free VoIP conferencing. But his clanmistress was ultimately happy with her choice. However, their choice was not integrated into the game they were playing - meaning that while playing the RPG, they would have to use a separate web browser window (or tab) to start a conversation using another service.

Enter a new generation of RPGs, with integrated VoIP. A new RPG, Fallen Earth, by Icarus Studios, will have IP communications integrated right into the software. Another company, BigWorld, is producing a new RPG development suite which will have VoIP capabilities built-in. Both are a couple of new customers [Mass High Tech] for Vivox Inc.'s integrated IP communications platform and development software.

While there are a growing number of voice data applications, I believe this is a new direction for VoIP. I'm not otherwise aware of any of the more popular online games having this ability. Though I wouldn't be surprised to see, in a few years, RPGs with video capability and even video avatars, where a person appears as their character, in real-time. And then a whole new generation of sleep-deprived players will be swept in.

Enterprise VoIP: Pika Combines Skype and Asterisk

Big news on the enterprise VoIP front. Pika Technologies, Inc., a Canadian call center services company, has come up with a solution that seamlessly combines Skype and Asterisk. Free plus free equals free. Get more details on Bill Campbell's post at Skype Journal, or the Pika press release.

Wow. It's amazing how flexible Skype seems to be, considering it's not open source like Asterisk. Regardless, anyone with a small business should be salivating at this news. This sounds like the perfect enterprise VoIP soution, both for SMBs (aka SMEs) and large enterprises. And here even Skype was saying last November about how it wasn't suited for enterprise use. Pika (and Asterisk) save the day. Expect to see an aftermarket of solutions and hardware for Pika.

Large-Scale Enterprise VoIP Migrations

As VoIP systems grow in favor with enterprises, the size of projects also seems to increase. Take, for example, a commercial bank in China, the Agricultural Bank of China (ABC).They have over 50,000 branches and plan to consolidate their regional call centers into a single VoIP call center. [ Sci-Tech Today via Asterisk VoIP News]

ABC has a fairly hefty list of requirements, including: switchover to PSTN lines, if the need arises, and no change or upgrade to the existing IP network. Already over 100 offices have completed the switch - in just 30 days. There is no indication in the Sci-Tech article of how much ABC is spending on the project, but with assets of US$250B, it's probably worth it to the bank if the rollout reduces their phone bill and saves money in the long-term.

So initial project costs alone shouldn't always be the determining factor in deciding whether to switch. Return on investment is often far more important. Consider that Virgin Entertainment Group of N. America saved US$700,000/year in long-distance costs after they switched to VoIP. Their cost is estimated at $330K for year 1, and a total of around $1 milion. However, they have plans to utilize the network in ways which will ultimately give them a good return in terms of savings.

SMEs (Small and Medium Enterprises) shouldn't fear these project costs, though, as there are a variety of options for IP telephony systems. As mentioned in other posts on this site, knowing what functionality you intend with an enterprise VoIP system will take you a long way towards determining what type of software and IP phones you'll really need.

More On-The Fly Language Translation

New software designed for laptops, intended for Army and medical personnel in Iraq, translates English-Arabic audio conversations in near real time. The software, called IraqComm, records spoken words, translates them, and plays the translations. The process takes a few seconds. The predecessor to IraqComm was a handheld device called Phraselator. [via Technology Review]

While IraqComm is currently for military evaluation only, it is also intended for a variety of other users. It shows the potential market for automated language translation tools. It certainly would be nice to have something like this for Skype which, to my knowledge, only has something like ULRTMT, that translates text nearly on the fly.

On-The-Fly Language Translation?

I've posed the idea before: how nice it would be for a VoIP data application that provides on-the-fly language translation. Well, there's already such a plugin for Skype in beta format. It's called ULRTMT - Universal Language Real-Time Message Translator. [Mathemagenic via Skype Journal]

Although before you get too excited, it's for text conversations only. Surprisingly though, it handles a whoppingly big list of language conversions. I didn't count, but there's probably close to thirty translations, some of which don't even involve English. And the software supposedly works on both active and archived Skype text chats.

Unfortunately, as Mathemagenic indicated, it takes a bit of effort to install. Follow the instructions carefully and it actually does work. Use Internet Explorer. (I didn't try Firefox browser, because the actual translation window runs in an IE browser window. Don't forget to bookmark the link; there doesn't seem to be a trigger from within Skype.)

I tested the service with English-to-Japanese and English-to-French on archived chats. Then I ran Skype on two different profiles on two computers, with one set to French language (although this isn't necessary for languages that use the Roman alphabet).

Unlike most Skype plugins, the meat of the service runs in a browser window. [Like I mention above, the instructions mention IE Explorer, so that's what I went with.] After refreshing the translation browser window, I selected the active conversation on my desktop - the computer with the so-called English speaking user. Then I typed simple French greetings on my laptop. The translation window immediately showed both my French text and the English version. The desktop's Skype chat window, however, showed the French text as typed from the laptop's Skype session.

Verdict: Unfortunately, the Japanese translation does not use the Romaji letter set, and my knowledge of the other three Japanese letterforms has disintegrated with disuse. So I don't know how accurate the translation is. The French-to-English translation, however, is reasonably accurate, if a bit literal. I assume other translations will undergo the same problem. It's part of the reason why machine translation of a language is generally a last resort if a human translator is unavailable. Still, it's a nice start, so bravo to ZOverLord for a great effort, and to a product that just might one day be the closest thing to an IM Universal Translator. At least in text mode.

Show Me The Money In VoIP - Still More Thoughts

Telesyte reports that Australian PSTN telcos will lose more than US$5 in revenue for every US$1 earned. [via 21Talks] So even if they start offering VoIP services, their overall revenue will go down.

As mentioned in our Show Me The Money... In VoIP and More Thoughts posts, the money seems to be in hardware - both handsets and adapters - and integration. But as Fonality is showing, there may also be some revenue potential in VoIP PBXes.

Fonality is a company that makes Asterisk-based IP-PBX systems. While Asterisk itself is free, Fonality's PBXtra has additional features aimed at enterprise. In fact, this is why they are purportedly tops in the Asterisk PBX market. [via GigaOm]

Overall, though, this is still a young market providing a valuable and essential service. Since the service is mostly free or inexpensive, it's everything else associated with the service that will provide revenue opportunities. But my proverbial money's on VoIP data applications. 

VoIP Roundup - Fri Aug 18/06

Skype has released version 2.1 beta of their client for PocketPC smartphones, which will actually work on either Windows CE or Windows Mobile 5 devices. [via The VoIP Weblog]

The question of how VoIP calls get routed to their proper destination over the Internet depends on several methods, none of which are standardized. Some people think that this hinders adoption of VoIP for enterprise. So a set of protocols called ENUM (tElephone NUmber Mapping) was devised which is tied directly to domain names or IP addresses in really clever, simple way. Read more at Extreme VoIP.

I'm not the only who makes nearly all of my calls via VoIP or a cell phone. Phoneboy does so as well, but uses Gizmo Project whereas I use Skype for the free SkypeOut in Canada and the US. Although the pc2phone  call quality of Skype (and other soft clients) is pretty bad, as Phoneboy points out.

But using Gizmo does have some shortcomings, too. Go have a read (it's short) about how he got around a not being able to mute his handset during an 800 number-based conference call.

Examples of VoIP Data Applications

Martin Geddes talks about an telephony industry mag called Receiver (sponsored by Vodafone). In his write up, he speculates on the idea of your voicemail being able to distinguish who a call is from, giving different people a different message.

Of course, if you've followed any of the recent posts here about data applications being where VoIP could really shine, you know that it's more than possible - probably already available. (I'm still looking).

In fact, since VoIP-based CRM (Customer Relationship Management) software can presumably retrieve customer records based on who is calling, I can't see why Martin's idea can't be implemented. That means you could have a single VoIP call-in number, usable on a Wi-Fi phone, to conduct all your conversations, business or pleasure.

Of course, in the scenario Martin was talking about, nightclubbing, you'd need widespread Municipal Wi-Fi if VoIP was to be in the equation.

AppCritical VoIP Assessment Tool For SMBs

A new troubleshooting tool from Apparent Networks will help assess VoIP network problems prior to deployment. AppCritical already exists, but a new version aimed at SMBs (Small and Medium Business). [via eWeek]'

The tool is said to have a low-startup curve and requires little training. But at US$40,000, I can't see a lot of SMBs - especially those falling into the "S" category - being able to afford this. What I do see happening is for VoIP solutions integrators/ consultants purchasing the tool and hiring themselves out. Less headache and cost for SMBs.

InnovAlarm VoIP-based Alarm System

It's always nice to see VoIP being used in unique new ways, and that's exactly what InnovAlarm is doing. Imagine home and security alarm systems, but which use Skype or another soft client instead of regular phone lines. The service is in pre-beta. [via Read/Write Web]

The only drawback with this application is that your computer has to be turned on. I'm wondering if there's a market for a similar solution using phone2phone with a VoIP bridge, using hardware such as Digifone's plug'n'play adapter. Phone2phone VoIP calls generally seem to have better quality.

There's obviously a perception that there is a market for InnovAlarm's method. In fact, Read/Write Web reports that the company will be getting $10 M