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Lycos Delivers Simple-to-Use Softphone for the MassesTMCnet Contributing Editor The Internet portal Lycos and VoIP service Globe7 have reportedly launched Lycos Phone, a Windows-based software program which lets users make free PC-to-PC VoIP calls.
The platform, which is based on Globe7’s VoIP software, combines IM, video chat, real-time video-on-demand and an MP3 Player. It also offers a free U.S. phone number, free fax and free voicemail to email. Lycos claims Lycos Phone is the first VoIP system to bring full multimedia support for music and video-on-demand for both professional and independent content. The platform provides free video-on-demand access to more than 300 movie trailers, business news, world sports and more. It also allows users to search the web while chatting with buddies. Users can download the softphone application at http://www.lycos.globe7.com/. New customers get 100 free minutes. After that, users will be charged 1 cent a minute for domestic calls. Varying rates apply to international calls. According to the company, the goal is to simplify Internet calling. With Lycos Phone, users don’t have to install software or purchase microphones. Web portals are increasingly adding VoIP service as a way to attract new customers. Last week, Yahoo announced its new VoIP service, which is basically an enhancement to its Yahoo Messenger service. Google (News - Alert) is also expected to soon announce its own VoIP offering. The company, which already provides “Google Talk,” a chat application, will soon unveil a new VoIP service facilitated through VoIP Inc. Although the new Lycos service only works on Windows 2000 and Windows XP, the company reports that future enhancements will support Linux, Mac OS, Palm OS and Pocket PC. “This partnership with Globe7 allows Lycos to team with a best-of-breed global platform, leveraging Globe7's real-time communications infrastructure to provide other innovative services like Internet Protocol television,” said Alfred Tolle, CEO of Lycos, in a press release. “We are in a very unique position to now provide this audio and video distribution platform to our millions of independent content creators throughout the Lycos Network.” “Globe7 was built from the ground up as a standards-based Voice-over-IP system with a wide array of voice call features such as voice mail, and integration with the existing U.S. and International telephone networks,” Tolle added. “This, in combination with our upcoming Lycos HanMail system, based on Daum’s highly successful HanMail product in Korea, will allow Lycos to leap-frog all existing communications offerings available today.” For more information about Lycos Inc. visit http://www.lycos.com/. For more information about Globe7 visit http://www.lycos.com/http://www.lycos.globe7.com/. ------- Niladri Sekhar Nath is a contributing writer from India. |