Archive for August, 2005
3Com and Ingate announced today the launch of the 3Com IP Telecommuting module.
With a list price of $80 per user, the module allows enterprise users to gain access to their company’s communication network anywhere in the world they have access to a broadband Internet connection. Communication systems can include instant messaging, conferencing and VoIP services.
With regards to VoIP, users can easily establish connections from their home, hotel room or airport WiFi broadband to their home office telephone network. This will allow them to seamlessly use corporate telephony services from anywhere in the world, just as if they were in their offices. Users will also be able to forward incoming calls to their mobile, hotel or home phones instead of receiving VoIP calls over their broadband connection. While perhaps more convenient, this does have the potential to erode some of the telephony cost savings that could be achieved at a large corporation by encouraging "road warriors" to make use of VoIP services whenever possible instead of more costly circuit switched phones.
While this application is not exactly new, the 3Com’s product offers two major improvements over earlier implementations - (1) low cost and (2) easy of use. The IP Telecommuting module also incorporates high security into the package.
Speaking of 3Com, the company has an interesting VoIP white paper available for free entitle, Taking the Guesswork out of Deploying IP Telephony.
What do you think? Any comments?
Skype, which has over 51 million users, has announced that it is opening up its platform to the Web. Developers will now be able to integrate Skype with their Website or applications.
Given the size of Skype’s user base — this will now be the largest open instant messaging platform on the Internet — it should present some excellent opportunities for developers. Perhaps we’ll see some integration in the near future with Google Talk.
From the press release:
Now anyone will be able to benefit from Skype’s platform and will be able to integrate both presence and instant messaging features into websites and applications such as online gaming, e-commerce, communications and productivity tools, instantly building community and connections between people who can chat and alert others to their online availability.
More information is available on Skype’s Developer Blog.
Google has released Google Talk, its instant messaging and VoIP client.
Presently it’s in beta and only available to users of its GMail mail service. The program offers the ability to engage in VoIP calls with other users, but the interesting news is that Google has said it’s in talks with other companies, such as AOL, Yahoo! and Skype to integrate their offerings.
That last one — Skype — is most interesting from a VoIP perspective. Perhaps it indicates that Google might being offering its own VoIP service to landlines and mobile phones. By integrating with Skype, Google could offer a private label version of Skype - having Skype handle calls to traditional phone networks and sharing the revenue between the two companies.
Saturday, August 20th, 2005 | Posted in VoIP News | 1 Comment »
VeriSign has announced that it is beginning a trial of its Wireless IP Connect Service in conjunction with the University of Michigan, Northwestern University and Texas A&M.
The service will integrate cellular communications and WiFi VoIP communication using one device. Users will be able to make and receive phone calls over the schools’ WiFi networks when in range, and their phones will automatically switch to cellular service when they are out of range.
This type of integration has been forecasted for some time now, but hasn’t caught on in any major way. The primary benefits of such a service are (1) single invoicing, (2) reduced costs by using VoIP services — especially for international calling, (3) the ability to make and receive phone calls when in buildings with poor cellular reception - such as when underground and (4) it still provides all of the convenience of a mobile phone.
From the press release:
VeriSign Wireless IP Connect Service provides a single, cellular-Wi-Fi interconnection point that resolves interoperability issues within disparate networks and facilitates the delivery of end-to-end, next-generation features. The service allows cellular handsets to register as Internet Protocol devices when near a Wi-Fi signal, thus giving consumers the ability to make and receive cost-effective Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) calls. By extending existing VoIP networks for use with mobile devices, universities can create a single network capable of handling an increasing amount of voice and data traffic.
“VeriSign is leveraging its expertise in VoIP and connectivity to wireless networks to support the seamless integration of Wi-Fi, VoIP and cellular networks for universities,” said Vernon Irvin, executive vice president and general manager, VeriSign Communications Services. “VeriSign’s Intelligent Infrastructure Services, which include directory services, secure network infrastructures and telecommunications signaling experience, when combined with dual-mode handsets, will enable universities and carriers to provide users with cost-effective Wi-Fi VoIP service on campus and traditional cellular service when off campus – all with the convenience of one number, one device and one bill.”
“We’ve seen tremendous growth in the use of mobile devices by faculty, students and staff on campus,” said Andrew Palms, director of communications systems at University of Michigan. “We believe the trial services provided by VeriSign will enhance the ability of our community members to use those devices both inside and outside of buildings, and on and off campus.”
