VoIP Week in Review from TMCnet: From Legal Brawls to Scored Deals

By Johanne Torres

TMCnet Contributing Editor

 

This week, the VoIP Minute Watch brought you news from Verizon, Vonage (News - Alert), AT&T (News - Alert), Alcatel (News - Alert), Nortel (News - Alert) and Lucent.

 

This week had a pretty interesting start thanks to VoIP-based calling service provider Vonage Holdings and Verizon Communications. Vonage was slammed on Monday with a lawsuit filed by Verizon (News - Alert) for alleged patent infringement. Specifically, the lawsuit from Verizon Service Corp. and Verizon Laboratories Inc. alleged that Vonage had infringed on seven patents related to VoIP technology, reported the Associated Press.

 

On the other hand, Vonage Holdings Corp. made its own announcement about the alleged accusations that day. The VoIP-based calling service provider noted in a statement that it had indeed been served with a patent infringement lawsuit, along with its wholly owned subsidiary, Vonage America, Inc., filed by Verizon Services Corp. and Verizon Laboratories, Inc. relating to VoIP technology.

 

Verizon Business also announced this week that it introduced VoIP Security Assessment Service, to manage and identify security risks associated with VoIP-based technologies. The new offering, supported by a Verizon Business team of nearly 300 expert security pros, tackles the growing worry over VoIP security at a time when more and more companies are deploying the IP-based technology.

 

The telecom giant also made news on Thursday about a partnership that will now allow Wal-Mart shoppers at 549 of the retail giant's stores across 24 states to soon get connected with Verizon Online DSL when they visit the stores' Wal-Mart Connection Center departments. The stores will have specially trained workers dubbed Wal-Mart Connection Center associates at the 549 stores to help shoppers use an automated ordering system that checks eligibility for Verizon DSL service and then lets them quickly place their order. A three-step, do-it-yourself installation kit will be shipped directly to the customer once the order is completed.

 

AT&T announced this Monday that it scored a voice and data contract from the Wayne Township Fire Department, which serves Marion County, Ind. and which will make the telecom giant the company's primary communications provider.

 

The new five-year contract called for AT&T to replace Wayne Township Fire Department's existing wireless system with a dedicated, managed Ethernet system to optimize both voice and data traffic. The implementation of AT&T OPT-E-MAN service and an Integrated Service Digital Network Primary Rate Interface (ISDN PRI) will provide connectivity among the fire department's seven locations, and will provide increased security and reliability through the converged network infrastructure.

 

Following the enactment of a competitive video agreement Monday by the North Chicago City Council, AT&T of Illinois announced on Tuesday that it will be upgrading telecommunications services for consumers and local businesses in North Chicago, including the introduction of new broadband technology and a new choice for video service.

AT&T is investing in North Chicago to upgrade its communications network to provide “switched IP” or Internet Protocol-based video services including AT&T U-Verse TV, high speed Internet access and, in the future, VoIP services. This initiative will push fiber optics further into neighborhoods and provide an additional choice for video and entertainment to local consumers.

 

Alcatel announced this week that Triple T Broadband and Jasmine Telecom Systems tapped the French technology provider for its core IP/MPLS Routing and DWDM infrastructure to roll out triple- play services by the end of this year. The new, multi-million Euro contract is expected to build the first phase of its next-gen network nationwide including Bangkok and its metropolitan area.

 

Cable broadband systems operator Suddenlink Communications announced on Wednesday that it be using a VoIP system from Nortel to provide a suite of telephone and multimedia services to its customers. The system is comprised of network design, as well as integration, management and maintenance services from the Nortel Global Services portfolio.

 

The move will enable Suddenlink (formerly Cebridge Connections) to expand its telephony services with the acquisition of cable systems from Cox Communications and Charter Communications. According to Suddenlink, this new network will provide VoIP-based telephony services to the company's national customer base from California to North Carolina, and will include conversion of approximately 30,000 telephony subscribers acquired from Cox.

 

Lucent Technologies announced this week that it was tapped by Telefónica de España to increase the performance management of the European telecom's application servers and all network traffic using Lucent's VitalSuite Application Performance Management software. Lucent will provide Telefónica Sistemas, the European telecom's IT department, which is responsible for managing Telefonica's worldwide network, with VitalSuite performance management agents that monitor key applications and system resources. By using software agents and scripts, Telefónica's IT group will be able to increase the performance of its application servers and systems resources throughout its entire, global network.

 

There you have it folks, another exciting week in the VoIP industry! Stay tuned and read the VoIP Minute Watch for the latest news…

-----

Johanne Torres is contributing editor for TMCnet and Internet Telephony magazine. To see more articles by Johanne Torres, please visit Johanne's columnist page.