VoIP Week in Review from TMCnet

By Johanne Torres

TMCnet Contributing Editor

 

This week, the VoIP Minute Watch brought you news from Global Crossing, Texas Instruments (News - Alert), AT&T (News - Alert) and Vonage.

 

Global Crossing introduced on Monday VoIP Professional Services, which will extend an enhanced agreement with Avaya (News - Alert). The new set of services includes technical support, transition management and managed solutions. Common service bundles may include network readiness assessment and design, network integration and implementation, and managed VoIP PBX (News - Alert) services. Global Crossing's partnership with Avaya will also allow Global Crossing to resell Avaya's IP telephony applications, systems and services as part of a complete VoIP-based offering.

 

Texas Instruments Incorporated (TI) introduced on Tuesday a Gigabit Ethernet IP phone software and silicon system that bundles security and enhanced voice quality features for small, medium and large business VoIP users.

 

The new IP phone System-on-a-Chip (SoC) is based on a digital signal processing (DSP) platform that will allow manufacturers to market and develop new IP phones. At the heart of TI's TNETV1051 system there is a 150MHz DSP and a 300MHz RISC processor, with increased processing capability to enable higher-quality voice transmission, enhanced security features and additional software applications as required by customers.

 

AT&T announced on Tuesday the availability of the AT&T CallVantage Softphone service. The move will enable subscribers to use the telecom giant's residential VoIP calling service and features from a domestic broadband connection, at home or on the go (where E911 service is available).

 

The telecom teamed up with SIP softphone developer CounterPath Solutions (News - Alert) for this project. The Softphone service will enable users to make and receive phone calls directly through their computer. The software can be easily downloaded to a PC or laptop. It features Caller ID, Call Waiting, Voicemail, Call Logs, Do-Not-Disturb and Locate Me services.

 

VoIP-based calling service provider Vonage announced that it recently expanded Delaware's geographic area with rate centers to be used for issuing telephone numbers. From now on, these centers will be available for residents and businesses located in Camden, Delmar, Felton, Harrington, Milton, Rehoboth, Seaford, Selbyville and Smyrna.

 

Vonage also announced that it now offers service within Coral, Michigan's local area code 231. The move will enable high-speed Internet subscribers working and residing in the northern part of Maple Valley Township to receive Vonage's broadband phone service, which offers unlimited local and long distance calling and features like call waiting, call forwarding and voicemail.

 

The VoIP provider also made news when it announced that under a recently announced contract, Atlanta, Georgia-based Endeavor Telecom agreed to install VoIP services for Vonage's residential and SOHO customers in 39 cities throughout the U.S.

 

The contract initiated the new Vonage professional installation program, performed by Endeavor, making available Vonage's services to every traditional telephone in a residential and SOHO environment. The Vonage/Endeavor installation program's installation cost starts at $99.95, and also includes professional testing and quality control services.

 

Vonage ended the week by announcing on Friday that it has turned up VoIP E911 in Los Angeles, Calif. The feature automatically associates a physical address with the calling party’s telephone number. In addition to Los Angeles, Vonage recently turned up E911 at more than 125 local run emergency call centers across the U.S. in less than one month, bringing the total percentage of Vonage U.S. subscriber lines that have E911 to over 89 percent.

 

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 her columnist page.