We will be seeing a lot about UC, Unified Communications this year. That is my prediction. There will be other advances like IP PBX' like Asterisk will travel into higher plains with higher number of users, not just for SMBs. Go for Gold Asterisk.
Every One have a great communications year!
tag: UC, Unified Communications, Asterisk, , VoIP IP Telephony
Happy New Year and hope to see all of you in new year.
RavenII
tag: VoIP IP Telephony
Rebtel, the people's global communications company, today announced low cost and free international calling to and from China.
Starting Friday, December 21, residents of Shanghai can use their mobile phones to call any phone, anywhere in the world for just pennies per minute, and make free calls to friends, family, and work colleagues in 39 countries.
"Entering the Chinese market was not easy, but we're finally in -- just in time for ex-pats to call home for the holidays -- and we plan to open service in more Chinese cities in the New Year," said Hjalmar Winbladh, Rebtel's co-founder and CEO.
More than 18 million people live in Shanghai. And that doesn't include the city's 6 million migrant workers, making Shanghai one of the most populous cities in the world.
Rebtel's low-cost calls from Shanghai to the United States, for example, will cost just $0.018 per minute; $0.019 per minute from the U.S. to Shanghai. By comparison, AT&T charges $3.50 per minute to call a mobile phone in China from a mobile phone in the U.S.
Rebtel calls from Shanghai will cost $0.019 to U.K. landlines, and $0.18 to U.K. mobile phones. Using Rebtel to call Shanghai from London will be the same as from the U.S.: $0.019 per minute. In contrast, Vodafone charges $3.33 per minute to call Shanghai from the U.K.
"There are more than 10 million mobile phone subscribers in Shanghai alone, so serving just a small percentage of that market should be a good test for rolling out service to the rest of the country," said Winbladh.
Rebtel services can be used with any mobile phone without modification or software downloads. There is no charge to set up a Rebtel account. All new comers get a free 10 minute call to test the service. Thereafter, subscribers only pay for the minutes they use. Smart Calls between the 40 counties served by Rebtel are always free and only one of the two people on a call must be a Rebtel subscriber.
For more information, or to start using Rebtel services, go to http://www.rebtel.comIndependently of your mobile device type, you can from now use peoplefone for ultra cheap calls especially if you are calling abroad from Switzerland.
CONFIGURATION
(1) Enter your username and password on www.peoplefone.ch
(2) Once in your account, please click on "Edit my profile"
(3) Under " Your mobile number", enter the phone number of the mobile that you
want to use with peoplefone. Example: 0790009999
(4) Cick on "Save" at the end of the page.
UTILISATION
(1) Dial the number 044 553 2000
(2) As soon as you hear the tonality, please dial the destination number with his international prefix and add the taste # at the end. Example: 004312660050#.
If you want to program numbers frequently used with peoplefone within your mobile device with the 0445532000, please introduce a "break" between the two numbers. For Nokia devices for example, the break corresponds to a "P" that can be introduced by pushing 3 times on *.
ADVANTAGES
Using this peoplefone feature is particulary interesting if you are in Switzerland and you want to call abroad with your mobile device without to "explode" your phone bill. You only pay to your mobile operator the price of a call to a fixed line in Switzerland and the call abroad is billed to you peoplefone account at ultra low rates!
For certains mobile users paying nothing to call a fixed line in Switzerland, using this feature is even more advantageous because in this case, you are paying only the ultra law rates of peoplefone!
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Economic Times of India is reporting that India as a country set to make waves with VoIP IP Telephony as the VoIP Solutions are covering the sub continent. What was earlier the playground of one major company, MTNL, is becoming a team play arena as Other companies are looking to make profits with VoIP Solutions.
NEW DELHI: Now making calls over the internet will not be confined to just Delhi and Mumbai. The entire country will have access to the voice over internet protocol (VoIP) service in the New Year. Over half-a-dozen companies including Sterlite Optical, Aksh Optifibre, Indus Online and Smart Broadband are in the race for providing internet telephony (VoIP) on the BSNL platform. The number is expected to go up in the next few days.
BSNL had invited expression of interest (EoI) for providing VoIP service earlier this month and had asked companies to submit their proposals by December 28. The company has, however, extended the date for submitting the EoIs as new enquiries were pouring in. “We have decided to extend the date of EoI submission by at least a week,” said a BSNL official. Sources said that January 6 is likely to be the new deadline. Only four companies will be chosen by BSNL for providing the service.
Presently, MTNL is the only company providing VoIP service through a tie-up with Aksh Optifibre. This facility is limited to subscribers of New Delhi and Mumbai only because of the limited reach of the company. Initially, BSNL had plans to start internet telephony service by the end of the year. However, the move got delayed because of last minute enquiries and requests for clarifications from a number of interested parties.
Complete report,Cos set to connect India via VoIP.
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The dynamic duo talks about shaping of the VoIP IP Telephony and Unified Communications for the coming year. They also discuss the value of SIP trunking that is driving the enterprise SIP adoption. I only wish they spoke more. Follow the link to find out all the above and who will get 12 gold medals in next Olympics.
SIP Trunking Driving Enterprise SIP Adoption
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Congratulations, Digium and the People involved with Asterisk. The team had announced the one millionth download of asterisk software. I am sure I contributed to this number by a few downloads for myself, campus and some of the clients. Those clients are happy campers at Digium as well. I do not have capacity to support every client of mine that I introduce to Asterisk. So I usually get them to sign up for support at Digium.
But the numbers are rising so, I think I need to make a resolution in January. Perhaps sign up to be a reseller or consultant. Because I see the business aspect of the hobby that I am involved with. These numbers and performance by Digium only strengthen possibility of adding Asterisk and of course Digium to my portfolio of consulting that I do outside my regular work.
I was in Japan for a very short break before X-Mas and There I found that Asterisk Appliance has a very good chance of becoming "the" Open Source Telephony resource. It is due to their nature. Japanese tend to like well packaged stuff, whether it is food, gadgets or computers. I will be personally carrying one of the Asterisk Appliances when I am going back to Japan in February to install in my friends office.
Thank you again Digium! Giving me the chance point at you when business people are skeptical about open source business'
Digium News Release;
Digium's One Millionth Asterisk Download in 2007 Caps Record Year for Company
Open Source Telephony Leader Enters Next Phase of Business Growth with New Leadership Team, Products, Partnerships and Acquisitions.
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While Japan's cell phone service providers are bidding for rights to offer Apple's iPhone, NTT DoCoMo has obtained a leg up on its competitors by scoring new services from Apple's important partner,Google (NSDQ: GOOG). With negotiations under way between Apple and service providers DoCoMo and Softbank, the Nikkei news service reported from Tokyo Wednesday that Google will provide a cluster of its services for DoCoMo. Google, whose chairman Eric Schmidt is an Apple director, recently began providing important features for the iPhone in the United States. Google was reported to be offering features including search, e-mail, calendar, and photo-sharing options over DoCoMo's i-Mode Network. According to media reports, KDDI, the second largest Japanese service provider, isn't in the running to provide the iPhone in Japan. KDDI uses the much-faster and more-robust CDMA2000 infrastructure, making it difficult to adopt to the iPhone's wireless specifications. In recent days KDDI and its partners announced that their Wireless Broadband Planning K.K. has received two 2.5-GHz licenses for deployment of WiMax technology in Japan. They plan to begin offering the service in 2009. Apple, whose iPods and Macintosh computers have sold well in Japan, has indicated it will introduce the iPhone in the country in 2008. Tags:
The elusive Google Phone is coming soon, again to a gSPOT near you! My first post that got the best Digg so far (for me!); 1257 diggs and counting~ (Got Dugg again), is coming alive again. Gizmodo has posted a photo of one of the rumored prototype phones circulating around the Googleplex and else where. The OHA, Open Handset Alliance has brought together a lot of people who make mobile phones from Motorola to Samsung, 34 of them. All sporting Android, the Linux based mobile operating system.
If you want you can see a little bit Android in a whole lot of videos on youtube. But if you are a programmer and if you are good, you can do more than just watch some hype videos; take the Android Developer Challenge, running from January 2nd to March 3rd 2008, which might get you $25000 for "the 50 most promising entries... that make use of Android's capabilities to deliver a better mobile experience" and further 20 follow-up awards, ten of US$275,000 and ten of US$100,000. I submitted mine!
There are also other rumors that a bunch of Google Phones will be introduced at the Mobile World Congress expo, which kicks off on February 11th in Barcelona, I will be there! and hope fully I would be able to locate the Gspot!
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If you got surprised by the new Google Reader and GoogleTalk sharing feature, a post on Google Reader may help you to get things right.
Google is looking at ways to make sharing more flexible, and in the meantime there are several ways to share items without letting all of your Google Talk friends see them (you can also add or remove friends via Gmail or Google Talk).
I do not see the big deal. You are sharing, reading publicly available feeds. I see a problem in that I don't want to bombast my friends with my silly/serious feeds!
Official Google Reader Blog: Managing your shared items
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BURLINGTON, Mass., Dec 26, 2007 (BUSINESS WIRE) -- iBasis (NASDAQ: IBAS: 5.66, +0.10, +1.79%), the global VoIP company(TM: 108.73, +1.48, +1.37%), today announced that it has been named a VoIP Leader by FierceVoIP, an honor that recognizes the top 10 companies on the cutting-edge of the constantly evolving VoIP industry. Winners are singled out for leading the industry as it explodes beyond service providers and into the fields of enterprise and unified communications.
FierceVoIP is a bi-weekly email newsletter distributed by FierceMarkets that covers news and insights on the emerging VoIP industry, providing more than 35,000 subscribers a quick, authoritative briefing on the week's top VoIP stories marketplace developments.
"iBasis is very well positioned to manage the traffic for the multitude of providers expected to blossom as voice applications are embedded everywhere," said FierceVoIP editor, Tom Burton.
In October 2007 iBasis completed a transaction to acquire KPN Global Carrier Services, the international wholesale voice business of Royal KPN N.V., the national carrier of the Netherlands. The combination makes iBasis one of the three largest carriers of international voice traffic in the world(1) and the first IP-based carrier to break into Telecom's Top Three.
"We are honored to be named a VoIP Leader by FierceVoIP, which is a VoIP industry frontrunner in its own right," said Ofer Gneezy, president and CEO of iBasis. "Our success in leveraging the efficiencies of IP for voice transport has played an important role in positioning iBasis as a powerful platform for the outsourcing of international voice traffic, which we believe will be the next big wave in international telecommunications."
The FierceVoIP "Emerging VoIP Leaders" list celebrates the spirit of being "fierce" - championing innovation and creativity, even in the face of intense competition. The complete list of exceptional companies is available today in a special Web-only issue of FierceVoIP at http://www.fiercevoip.com/story/voip-leaders-2007/2007-12-10.
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The Hardware Zone has reviewed the new Jabra GN9350, a dual function wireless headset which combines both landline and VoIP in a single package with very good wireless range.
The GN9350 main features include the ability to be linked to a PC for VoIP connections while also connected to the landline for your normal phone calls. Switching between the PC audio and the telephone line is as simple as pressing a button on the base station or the headset (though the headset only allows you to switch to the telephone line and not back).
Transitions between the telephone line and PC audio were smooth with only a slight pause between switches. The Jabra headset also provides connectivity for Digital Enhanced Cordless Telecommunication (DECT) phones which must be paired to the base station. Another function that is advertised but which we were unable to test since we were only provided with one headset, is the conference call function. The GN9350 allows up to 4 headsets to be set up in conference mode for conference calls. The GN9350 also boasts of a wireless range of up to 300ft (91.4m). Walls may restrict the signal somewhat but testing done around the office gave a decent range from which to roam about.
Hardware Zone Review.
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AudioCodes Global Channel Partner Meeting to be held on, Tuesday – Thursday, 8-10 January 2008, will let you have the opportunity to learn about AudioCodes' products and solutions at lectures given by AudioCodes' business and technology leaders.
In addition, you will meet other AudioCodes' Global Channels, AudioCodes' Solution Partners and have some fun time together!
Venue: Inbal Hotel, Jerusalem, Israel
Dates: Tuesday – Thursday, 8-10 January 2008
Agenda: Tuesday, January 8th | Wednesday, January 9th | Thursday, January 10th
Contact Center details:
+972-3-9727434 (09:00am – 17:00pm CET)
audiocodes@tlalim-events.com
Travel Planning : It is recommended to plan your journey to Israel, so to arrive not later than Tuesday, January 8th, early afternoon and leave Israel not earlier than Thursday, January 10th, at 18:00, in order to join us at all the event activities.
Cost: Training sessions & social activities will be covered by AudioCodes. Travel and accommodation fees will be at your expenses.
Hotel Booking: AudioCodes will pre-book the hotel room for you in Jerusalem at a special conference discounted rate of 332$ for the 2-night stay between January 8-10, 2008.
Dress Code: Dress code for all events activities is casual wear.
Weather: Jerusalem weather in January is chilly during the day (approx. 15°C), and colder in the evening (approx. 10°C). Occasional rain can also occur, so please dress accordingly.
Enquiries: A Contact Center has been made available for any questions and requests regarding your attendance at the channel meeting.
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The number of Chinese broadband users has hit 122 million, becoming the number one position in the world, According to an news article on Shanghai News report.
Sixty percent of the netizens surfed on the Internet via broadband, said Jiang Yaoping, Deputy Minister of the Information Industry, at a work conference of China Telecommunications Corporation on Saturday. Last year, more than 30 percent of China Telecom's income came from non-phone services, which translate to Internet Services, broadband services and rose from 5.5 percent in 2002, the report said. So VoIP services like Skype will get much attention as well.
One-third of the new broadband users are farmers, where the demand for the service is high, China Telecom officials said.
One way the or the other, once the other 30% decides to convert to broadband, it will be a hard target to hit, unless India also become a developing Country and it's farmers also decides to get broadband for themselves.
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Voxilla is reporting about a sun phone that is actually an Sun’s software stack for Rich Internet Applications (RIAs), JavaFX, which lets developers create programs that can be ported unchanged to PCs, music and video players, game consoles TV set-top boxes and…phones.
“Apple and ATT created this complete user experience and then they hamstrung it,” comments Sun CTO Bob Brewin, referring to the fact that Apple strictly limits the programs that can run on the iPhone and, until recently, the device only worked on ATT’s mobile network.
“How long do you think that’s going to last?” he continues. “Already in Asia there are companies coming out with iPhone equivalents. What’s missing is the software. Coming from Sun, I’m a huge fan of open source and open standards. [Apple’s] walled garden approach has fundamental limits. In a year or two there will be a large number of competitors to Apple.”
Well Apple heads up, Unlock iPhone!
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Merry Xmas and track your presents here!
VOIP IP Telephony: Track Santa OnLine As NORAD Follows Santa,!:
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Rebtel is all over the news today. After offering 2 for 1 offer for users today, I find that now it is spreading it's VoIP wings in China. With China adding it's population to the ever expanding Internet, controlled or not, they will be using the methods of communications to reach one another and beyond. Just imagine a billion people doing so! Here is the Rebtel Press Release;
Stockholm, Sweden – December 20, 2007 – Rebtel, the people’s global communications company, today announced low cost and free international calling to and from China.
Starting Friday, December 21, residents of Shanghai can use their mobile phones to call any phone, anywhere in the world for just pennies per minute, and make free calls to friends, family, and work colleagues in 39 countries.
“Entering the Chinese market was not easy, but we’re finally in – just in time for ex-pats to call home for the holidays – and we plan to open service in more Chinese cities in the New Year,” said Hjalmar Winbladh, Rebtel’s co-founder and CEO.
More than 18 million people live in Shanghai. And that doesn’t include the city’s 6 million migrant workers, making Shanghai one of the most populous cities in the world.
Rebtel’s low-cost calls from Shanghai to the United States, for example, will cost just $0.018 per minute; $0.019 per minute from the U.S. to Shanghai. By comparison, AT&T charges $3.50 per minute to call a mobile phone in China from a mobile phone in the U.S.
Rebtel calls from Shanghai will cost $0.019 to U.K. landlines, and $0.18 to U.K. mobile phones. Using Rebtel to call Shanghai from London will be the same as from the U.S.: $0.019 per minute. In contrast, Vodafone charges $3.33 per minute to call Shanghai from the U.K.
“There are more than 10 million mobile phone subscribers in Shanghai alone, so serving just a small percentage of that market should be a good test for rolling out service to the rest of the country,” said Winbladh.
Rebtel services can be used with any mobile phone without modification or software downloads. There is no charge to set up a Rebtel account. All new comers get a free 10 minute call to test the service. Thereafter, subscribers only pay for the minutes they use. Smart Calls between the 40 counties served by Rebtel are always free and only one of the two people on a call must be a Rebtel subscriber.
About Rebtel
Rebtel is a global voice services company for individuals, small business professionals and cord-cutters inside large companies, who regularly call international suppliers, customers, partners, their workforce, or friends and family abroad. Unlike the large mobile telecom carriers that charge exorbitant rates to recoup their high costs, Rebtel offers consumers ultra-low rates for global calling by making all calls local and leveraging VoIP technologies. For more information, or to start using Rebtel services, go to http://www.rebtel.com.
Media Inquiries:
Matt Marquess
Spark PR
Tel: +1 415 321 1874 or +1 415 902 1489
Email: matt@sparkpr.com
Linda Elvelin
Rebtel
Tel: + 46 8 519 06 102 or
Rebtel (www.rebtel.com), the people's global communications company, today announced it would give new customers up to $20 through the end of the year. Customers can choose to give the money to a friend for making international calls with Rebtel, donate it to charity, or use it themselves to make low-cost calls to anywhere in the world.
"We're giving new Rebtel users $2.00 for every $1.00 they put into their account when they register and it's their call where the money goes," said Hjalmar Winbladh, Rebtel's co-founder and CEO.
The campaign begins today and runs until January 1st, 2008. Only first payments of up to $10.00 qualify for the program.
Non-paying Rebtel users -- people who have previously registered and have been using Rebtel's Smart Call service for making free global calls, or who joined Rebtel only to get a free 10 minute international call, but have never made a payment to Rebtel -- can also participate.
Rebtel is a mobile phone service that allows users to call any phone, anywhere in the world, for just pennies per minute.
Rebtel services can be used with any mobile phone without modification or software downloads. There is no charge to set up a Rebtel account. All newcomers get a free 10 minute call to test the service. Thereafter, subscribers only pay for the minutes they use. Smart Calls between the 40 countries served by Rebtel are always free and only one of the two people on a call must have a Rebtel account.
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Vonage and AT&T have decided to settle their patent dispute that we reported here;
VOIP IP Telephony: AT&T, Vonage Lawsuit Revisited. Please find small press release below.
HOLMDEL, N.J., Dec 21, 2007 /PRNewswire-FirstCall via COMTEX News Network/ -- Vonage and AT&T have entered into a definitive agreement to settle their patent dispute, the companies announced today. The companies had agreed in principle to a settlement on November 7.
Both compnies did not provide any further information in their press releases.
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Do not forget to take
advantage of generous offer from Jajah to make local and international calls free up to 60 minutes. Follow the link for instructions. Free Calls For Holidays From Jajah
VOIP IP Telephony: Free Calls, Free International Calls, From Jajah For The Holiday Season
tags: jajah,free calls, Free international calls, christmas,hanukka, kwanza, holiday, jajah direct, voip, voice 2.0
As Usual, Russel Show lead me to a 43 second presentation entitled “The Future of VoIP: CoIP, offered by Madhu Yarlagadda, Yahoo!’sDirector of Engineering.
Very Interesting,
CoIP, Communication over IP! I thought it was done when we invented the IP networks!
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I have been a follower of Skype for a long while. But was never really happy with it and on the other hand I did not use it much. I had to use it to know about it. But never liked some of their practices. I am in the forum, I ask some not so nice questions, I post articles how to remove Skype, How not to be a skype super node. I also write good things about skype if they managed to do something good, like the new video enhancement.
Yet I have managed not to get banned by Skype, may be because they can't find me on the forum ;), I guess not.
But the Video enhancement I spoke about has created trouble for some other people. The fact that it takes considerable resources to run, has kept majority of people, possibly 95% of skype users according to a post I am about to introduce, from enjoying the high definition video conversations. I happen to have brand new quad core machine and I borrowed a Logitech Webcam to test, so I did not have any problems. But this it self has managed to get one user banned from skype forums. A user who was helpful to others, who were having video problems.
The Video problem, which does not work if you do not have a logitech webcam and a powerful machine, has brought, reactions similar to take it or leave it from skype according to a post I read today on ZDNet Community. Looks like users don't like the new product that is bundled with arrogance.
The post concludes with; "
I will leave you now with a question to ponder on, is Skype a viable product for you as a person or your company considering all the current problems that there are, which I am sure will be discussed at another time by somebody else."
With the recent trouble with 207 numbers and now with this, looks like Skype is joining Big Boys like Microsoft.
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DUBLIN, Ireland--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Research and Markets (http://www.researchandmarkets.com/reports/c78022) has announced the addition of 2007 Asia - Telco Company Profiles to their offering.
This report presents 13 profiles of selected major telecommunications companies in Asia. Each profile provides a descriptive overview of the business of the particular company as well as the latest available financial and operational statistics.
This publication contains overviews of the companies that have been attracting most attention in the region. The reports contain historical financial and operating data on each of the companies covered.
The companies covered are as follows:
Bharat Sanchar Nigam Limited (BSNL)
India’s state-owned BSNL holds around 85% of the country’s copper wire local loop networks. It is the largest telecom operator in India, providing basic fixed-line services nationwide, except for the cities of Mumbai and Delhi. BSNL lost its exclusive rights to local access and national telephony in 2001. To compensate for reduced revenues, it built a national GSM network and entered the mobile sector, becoming one of the country’s biggest GSM operators. BSNL also entered the international telephony market in February 2003. In April 2004, the government moved to unbundle BSNL’s copper network to encourage the growth of broadband ADSL access. The company has been attracting considerable attention through its launch in 2006 of a ‘mega tender’ for 45.5 million mobile lines and the supply of 3G equipment. For the company overview, see chapter 1, page 1.
China Mobile Limited
China Mobile has the world’s largest mobile subscriber base (over 300 million) and the largest geographically contiguous mobile network. Listed on the New York and Hong Kong stock exchanges since 1997, China Mobile has been facing competition from cheaper city-based PHS mobile services offered by the country’s two big fixed-line operators. In preparation for 3G services in China, the company submitted its application for a WCDMA licence in July 2005. In an important strategic move, China Mobile finalised its purchase of China Resources Peoples Telephone Company in Hong Kong in 2006, renaming the subsidiary China Mobile Peoples Telephone Company. For the company overview, see chapter 2, page 12.
China Netcom Group
China Netcom is the second largest fixed-line operator in China. The group owns 30% of the country’s fixed-line infrastructure and serves 35% of its fixed-line customers. As part of its infrastructure it has a 360Gb/s IP backbone network and acquired the Asia Netcom submarine cable network. Its services include PSTN and VoIP telephony, the ‘Little Smart’ PHS service, broadband Internet access, leased lines and VPNs. With an IPO in November 2004, it was the last of the major telcos in China to go public. In 2006, the company sold 100% of Asia Netcom for US$168 million. For the company overview, see chapter 3, page 25.
China Telecom Corporation Ltd
China Telecom is the principal provider of local, domestic and international voice and data services, dial-up and broadband Internet access in 20 of the 31 regions in China. The company commenced operations in September 2002, then went public on the HKSE and NYSE in November of that year, after the government split the original state-owned China Telecom into the China Netcom and the current China Telecom. Revenue growth engines have included the company’s PHS mobile service and its broadband Internet service. In mid-2005, China Telecom signed a landmark cooperative agreement with ZTE to provide the world’s largest fixed-line Next-Generation Network in China covering 30 provinces. In 2006, the government selected China Telecom (together with China Netcom and China Mobile) to build pre-commercial 3G networks based on the locally developed TD-SCDMA platform. For the company overview, see chapter 4, page 39.
Hutchison Whampoa Ltd
Hutchison Whampoa, a huge Hong Kong based conglomerate, has become heavily involved in telecommunications and is now a serious global player. As well as its Hong Kong business, it has a presence in a growing number of countries throughout Asia, Europe, Australasia, the Middle East, Africa and South America. Specialising in mobile communications, the company has invested billions in 3G licences and infrastructure and has been at the forefront of the global 3G roll-out. Branded ‘3’, it launched the world’s first UMTS 3G to market in 2003, in UK, Italy and Australia. With a slower take-up than expected, the company could be forced to sell more assets to finance its international 3G rollout, or substantially modify its 3G strategy. For the company overview, see chapter 5, page 53.
Japan - Major Operators - Overview & Statistics
Japan has been active in regulating its telecommunication industry to reduce the monopoly of NTT, and to introduce more effective competition. This has been effective in increasing the number and size of competitors, reducing prices and introducing innovative telecoms applications. This report gives a brief overview of the operating environment within Japan, and describes the major players – NTT, KDDI and SoftBank – as well providing historical financial and operating data on the companies. (Note: The history of these companies up to the present is described in a separate report.) For the country overview, see chapter 6, page 69.
PCCW Ltd
PCCW has been Hong Kong’s dominant fixed-line telco provider since it acquired the incumbent, Cable & Wireless HKT, in 2000. The company is Hong Kong’s largest ISP offering broadband ADSL access and multimedia content including pay TV channels. In January 2005, China Netcom reached an agreement with PCCW on the purchase of a 20% stake in PCCW for US$1 billion. The relationship between China Netcom and PCCW continued to evolve with the forming of a joint broadband venture in mainland China in 2006. The year 2006 also saw PCCW as the continuing subject of investor interest, as Macquarie Bank of Australia and US investment company Texas Pacific Group (TPG) publicly competed to buy PCCW’s phone and media assets for about US$7 billion. Both companies abandoned their takeover attempts after strong resistance from China Netcom. Major PCCW shareholder Richard Li increased his stake in PCCW after the collapse of the sale. For the company overview, see chapter 7, page 79.
Singapore Telecom (SingTel)
Listed on the Singapore and Australian Stock Exchanges, SingTel is majority-owned by the Singapore Government. SingTel is the leading provider of fixed-line, mobile and Internet services in Singapore. With a small, saturated and competitive home market, SingTel has significant offshore interests, which now contribute a majority of its revenue. Its main subsidiary is Optus in Australia. Others include Telkomsel in Indonesia, Globe Telecom in the Philippines, Bharti Telecom in India and AIS in Thailand. The company has significant investments in international submarine cable networks, satellite systems and data centres. In 2006, SingTel’s Optus acquired 100% of Virgin Mobile in Australia. For the company overview, see chapter 8, page 93.
StarHub Pte Ltd
StarHub provides voice and data services over fixed, mobile and Internet platforms. After a period of strong growth, the company has passed MobileOne to take second position behind SingTel in the mobile market and is now closing in on the incumbent. StarHub has deployed an IP-based network to serve corporate customers and has been building a nationwide network to serve the residential market. In April 2001, the operator was awarded a 3G mobile licence and launched a 3G service in 2005. Singapore Cable Vision merged with StarHub in July 2002, renaming itself StarHub Cable Vision, providing cable TV and broadband services. The operator’s broadband base represented over 50% of the residential broadband market in Singapore by end-2006. Households subscribing to StarHub’s triple play services grew by 72% during 2006. or the company overview, see chapter 9, page 106.
Telekom Malaysia (TM)
Listed on the Kuala Lumpur Stock Exchange, state-controlled TM is the country’s telecommunications incumbent. Despite market deregulation in 1994, the company continues to dominate the fixed-line voice, data and Internet sectors. In April 2003, it acquired number two GSM mobile operator Celcom. In January 2004, it launched a 3G service using the WCDMA standard. Its ISP, TM Net, is one of the largest in Southeast Asia, with ADSL exchanges installed throughout the country. Its international arm, TM International, has telecom investments, mainly mobile, in India, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, Thailand and Cambodia, with evolving plans to expand into other parts of Asia. Reinforcing its focus on Asia, TM sold its remaining businesses in Africa in 2006. For the company overview, see chapter 10, page 118.
Vietnam Posts & Telecommunications Corporation (VNPT)
VNPT is Vietnam’s incumbent state-owned telecom carrier, having held a virtual monopoly on all services including fixed-line, mobile, data, Internet and satellite. The government has licensed other state run operators, which provide some competition, mainly with domestic and international VoIP telephony and ISP services over VNPT’s network. VNPT operates the country’s two main GSM mobile networks and a PHS mobile city network. VNPT’s growth areas are in mobile and ADSL Internet services. The government had announced plans to restructure VNPT, opening up for greater private investment in the sector at an early date. In 2006, VNPT announced that it was aiming to install 29 fixed telephone lines for every 100 people by 2010. For the company overview, see chapter 11, page 133.
For more information visit http://www.researchandmarkets.com/reports/c78022.
Research and Markets
Laura Wood
Senior Manager
Fax: +353 1 4100 980
press@researchandmarkets.com
TORONTO, ONT – December 21, 2007 — With more than three million iPhones expected in consumers hands by the end of 2007, Voice 2.0 company Talkster is delivering an early holiday gift to iPhone users: simplified group conference calling all over the globe for the cost of a single local call.
Although the intuitive iPhone comes with a simple method for adding additional people into an existing conversation, the process becomes tedious and complex when adding a third, fourth or fifth caller to the conference. With the Talkster service, iPhone users simply go to http://i.talkster.com to set up their group call. They enter the names and phone numbers of the people they want to call and click invite. Talkster generates a local phone number for each of the call participants and distributes the new number via text message. This one-time process generates a permanent number that callers can save in their address book and use any time they want to talk to this same group of people.
In addition to creating the easiest way to conference call a group of friends, this single number connects up to five friends anywhere in the world for the price of a single local call. When adding multiple friends to a group call using the native iPhone interface callers are using up multiple minutes including one for each caller in the group, with even higher costs when calling friends internationally. With Talkster, all group calls even those that include international numbers are as simple as dialing one local number, and minutes for just that single call are used. The iPhone solved some of the complexities of conference calling by adding the simple plus sign to the dial pad for adding callers, but when you are setting up a call for more than two people, the built-in iPhone method can be a complex process with multiple call, hold, merge steps for each caller, says James Wanless, co-founder and COO of Talkster. Talkster has made group conference calls as easy as dialing one phone number. Couple the ease of use with the fact that Talkster group conference calls are free, and it's clear to see that iPhone users with friends and family around the globe have something to celebrate this holiday season. Talkster is able to offer callers free long distance, international, and group conference calls from any kind of phone by subsidizing the cost of calls with advertisements. Callers listen to a single 10-second audio ad at the start of each call and then can talk as long as they like with free calling service and no talk time limits in more than 30 countries around the globe. Eliminating the complexity and cost of group conference calls, Talkster is publicly available today at http://i.talkster.com from the iPhone or http://free.talkster.com from any other mobile phone with a standard web browser.
News Source (Word File)
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This one-of-a-kind reference that will show you how to take advantage of the applications and services that allow your iPhone to become a live extension of your home or office computer. Clear step-by-step instructions teach you how to convert any form of home, office, or online media -- dusty LPs, movies on DVD, spreadsheets, databases, presentations, downloadable books, as well as music and video. Written by wildly popular technology expert and Chicago Sun Times columnist Andy Ihnatko, this book is designed to work for both Mac OS X and Windows users. From uploading Web pages to downloading television shows and a variety of documents, including Microsoft Word, Excel, and PowerPoint documents, the iPhone does much more than make phone calls, play music, and send e-mail. iPhone Fully Loaded teaches you how to fully exploit the power of the iPhone. Full-color throughout, this book will walk you step-by-step through both common and uncommon tasks so you get the most out of your iPhone.
Author Info:
Andy Ihnatko is one of the best-known Mac experts and author of the critically acclaimed The Mac OS X Tiger Book as well as iPod Fully Loaded. He has written for nearly every publication with "Mac" in its name and is currently technology columnist for the Chicago Sun-Times.
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MINNEAPOLIS, DECEMBER 18, 2007 – A major challenge in sending faxes directly to the desktop is designing a fax server to understand the various phone systems’ (i.e., PBXs) codes for where to send the fax. PBXs vary in the way those codes (i.e., DTMF digits) are presented, and it is up to the fax server to adapt to them. Multi-Tech® Systems, Inc., a leading data communications and telecommunications technology company based in suburban Minneapolis produces a line of FaxFinder® fax servers that, so far, have been interfaced to over 40 PBX models.
To operate, the Multi-Tech FaxFinder is connected to a PBX via a standard analog port and to the company’s Local Area Network (LAN) by a built-in 10/100BaseT Ethernet® interface. The call comes in as a DID (Direct Inward Dialing) number and the PBX converts the number to DTMF (Dual Tone Multi-Frequency) tones, which define the destination location or extension on the network. The PBX then sends the DTMF signals along with the actual fax data to the FaxFinder. The FaxFinder translates the DTMF digits into an email address and converts the fax into a PDF or TIFF file. The file and email address are then sent to an email server for delivery to the correct desktop. That final location can be anywhere in the world that has an email address. The Multi-Tech FaxFinder is a very easy and straightforward method of implementing unified fax and email communications.
"This solution does not require expensive new equipment or extensive upgrading of your existing infrastructure," states Mike Kydd, Vice President of Sales for Multi-Tech Systems, Inc. "It only requires that your PBX be able to transmit DTMF signals and fax data through an analog port to a FaxFinder fax server, and that the FaxFinder be able to interpret the DTMF signals properly. To find out if your PBX can work with the FaxFinder please contact us and we will let you know if you to can unify your fax and email communications as easily as adding a Multi-Tech fax server."
The FaxFinder fax server is a turnkey solution that connects to an analog port(s) of a PBX capable of DID-to-DTMF conversion. It converts faxes to PDF or TIFF files allowing received faxes to be emailed and to send faxes from any application that can print. Available in one-, two-, four- and eight-port models (FF120, FF220, FF420 and FF820 respectively), it includes a Web server interface for configuration and management, and synchronizes addresses with Microsoft® Outlook® email. The FaxFinder fax server can schedule delivery times and build faxes from multiple documents using multiple applications.
Multi-Tech Systems is an ISO 9001:2000 certified global manufacturer of telephony, Internet and device networking products connecting voice and data over IP networks. Multi-Tech Systems has 75 U.S. patents and numerous international patents. Contact Multi-Tech in the U.S. at 800/328-9717 or +763/785-3500, via fax at +763/785-9874, EMEA at T: +(44) 118 959 7774 (UK) or T: +(33) 1 49 19 22 06 (France), or via fax at F: +(44) 118 959 7775 (UK) or F: +(33) 1 49 19 21 00 (France) or at http://www.multitech.com.
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According to ACMA, Australian Communications and Media Authority's research report, Australia is still a wide open market with willing customers. So get your marketing gear Mates and hit the road.
The research found that 81 per cent of Internet households were aware of VoIP but only 15 per cent of respondents (being persons 18 years and over) and 13 per cent of small and medium enterprises (SMEs) had used a VoIP service.
The findings are included in the research report, The Australian VoIP Market, which presents the findings of research into the supply and demand of VoIP services in Australia.
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After writing about Santa on Skype, I just found a news release from QWest stating that following the tradition since 1955, NORAD is tracking Santa, The Worlds Fastest Flying Object.
In the Spirit of Service® this holiday season, Qwest provides the voice network for NTS so children of all ages can call for real-time tracking information for Santa Claus during his important flight. The program is managed by NORAD and U.S. Northern Command Public Affairs Office at Peterson Air Force Base, Colo.
Starting at 2 a.m. MST on Monday, Dec. 24 to 2 a.m. MST on Tuesday, Dec. 25, the toll-free phone lines will be open at 1-877-HI-NORAD for children to speak directly with one of more than 750 volunteers at NORAD who are tracking Santa.
NORAD has tracked Santa since 1955 when an advertisement in a Colorado Springs newspaper had misprinted the phone number to call Santa. Children who dialed the wrong number instead reached Col. Harry Shoup, the commander on duty in the Air Operations Center. Rather than hanging up, Col. Shoup had his operators “find the location of Santa Claus” on their radars and reported the information to every child who called that Christmas Eve.
Qwest Communications International Inc. (NYSE: Q) announced it is continuing its support of the North American Aerospace Defense Command’s (NORAD) mission of aerospace warning and control as it tracks Santa Claus during his annual flight around the world starting next Monday.
To complement top U.S. and Canadian military technology, including satellite, radar and fighter jets, Qwest will provide the voice network for the NORAD Tracks Santa (NTS) Operations Center in preparation for Santa’s launch from the North Pole on Dec. 24.
“NORAD provides aerospace security for North America 365 days a year. But on Christmas Eve, it performs the additional mission of tracking Santa around the world,” said Maj. Stacia Reddish, the project officer for NTS.
“The advantage Qwest can give to NORAD as it executes this important mission is that our network is way faster than Santa – and the jet fighters,” said Diana Gowen, senior vice president and general manager of Qwest Government Services.
This tradition has continued and grown every year since. In 2006, the NTS Web site received nearly 1 billion hits from 210 countries and territories, and the NTS Operations Center received nearly 500,000 telephone calls.
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DENVER, Dec. 19, 2007 – Qwest Communications International Inc. (NYSE: Q) today announced it received an $8.3 million contract from Energy Enterprise Solutions (EES) to upgrade the voice network at the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE). EES is the principal Information Technology support services provider for DOE headquarters facilities in the Washington, D.C. metropolitan area.
The upgrade is for the department’s dual headquarters located in Washington, D.C. and Germantown, Md. Qwest will transition the federal agency’s existing voice switch to a Nortel Communications Server 2100, an IP-enabled communications server that is scalable from 5,000 to 200,000 ports. The switch upgrade allows DOE to maintain existing investments in Time Division Multiplex (TDM)-based voice services while transitioning to full Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) capabilities over a period that is suitable to its needs.
To support the switch upgrade, the contract also includes a Qwest QWave® network solution to be deployed between the two DOE headquarter locations. QWave is a fully managed, private, point-to-point service delivered over a state-of-the-art dense wave division multiplexing (DWDM) network at speeds up to 10 gigabits per second (Gbps). In addition, QWave provides DOE with redundancy to protect the network against unexpected failures.
“Network migrations can present numerous challenges in terms of risk, reliability, continuity of operations, and performance,” said Diana Gowen, senior vice president and general manager of Qwest Government Services. “Qwest has extensive experience in successfully upgrading both infrastructure and switches and has teamed with Nortel Government Solutions to enable the Department of Energy to meet its communication needs now and for years to come.”
In addition to DOE headquarters, Qwest has installed and provisioned voice network modernizations at the department’s major facilities in Oak Ridge, Tenn.; Los Alamos, N.M.; and Richland, Wash.
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Yes, Halina Mugame at Skype DevZone interviewed Santa, for real on Skype!;
"Which country are living the most talkative children?
They see to have alot to talk about on Christmas island.
Is it true that you need Logitech webcam to get a High Quality Video of Santa and multicore processor?
Yes thats true, as it happens we’re using these from a box load that fell off the back of a sleigh we found parked out back.
Does the elf that coded the falling snow animation on your website that cause uncommonly high processor load get any presents this year?
Everyone gets presents around here we are all good!
Do you play an angry Santa as well?
Only when we get a bad Skype connection.
See even Santa gets angry when the quality is bad. But be aware that the Santa Halina interviewed is a real person behind the phone or in front of the webcam. The Santa1to1.com was born out of a father who had to struggle in a line to get his child meet Santa. You do not need any explanation but just look at Santa's grotto in any shopping mall.
I think it is a neat idea. Parents or friends simply login to santa1to1.com and book either a Live Phone call from Santa or a Live Video call from Santa. Once you’ve reserved your appointment with Santa, he will call your child at the selected time. Santa1to1 encourages parents to also include details on the child to help Santa personalize the call, as it will lend more realism to the call or meeting, as after all Santa is expected to know these things!
Tags:Andy Abramson at VoIP Watch lead me to Top 25 VoIP Innovations Of the year at VoIP News. It is pretty interesting so I am going to let you go read it yourselves. Since Andy has mentioned some additions, I would go there as well. The suggestions, although I do not agree with all 25 of them, (Just because I wanted to add some!) very neat. I learned about some company I did not know before. VoIP News.
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Jeff Pulver has made his annual predictions for 2008! and they are better than ones he made before ;)! I enjoyed reading it and found myself nodding my head in agreement with 8 out of the 10 predictions that wraps FCC, Washington Politics and policies, TV, Writers Strike, facing the facebook and traditional media and beyond.
Join him also at PulverTV, (I am going there to hear about one of my fathers favorite bands, Led Zeppelin.)
Tags: Internet TV, Led Zeppelin,VoIP, FCC, Public Policy, Facebook, Social Media, Jeff Pulver
Jackson, Mississippi – December 18, 2007 – XFONE, Inc., a multinational diversified communications services company, announced that it has signed subscription agreements for approximately $33.4 million in non-secured debt and equity to finance the acquisition of NTS Communications Inc. (NTS). The bonds are rated A3 by Midroog Ltd., an affiliate of Moody’s.
Guy Nissenson, President and CEO of XFONE, stated, “This financing, combined with the previous $5.85 million equity investment by various investors as well as $6.6 million in new equity from certain NTS shareholders, provides a solid capital structure for the closing of the NTS acquisition in January. This combination of debt and equity resulted in favorable interest rates and a strong combined balance sheet with over $40 million in equity. We look forward to closing the acquisition and driving growth and enhanced profitability in 2008.”
The aggregate subscription amount will be held in escrow pending consummation of the acquisition of NTS and, with respect to the equity investment, also the approval from the American Stock Exchange and the Tel Aviv Stock Exchange (“TASE”) for the listing of the shares, including those underlying the warrants. Shareholders approved the acquisition and the related issuances of common stock at the December 17, 2007 Annual Shareholder Meeting and the acquisition is expected to close in January pending final receipt of regulatory approvals where appropriate.
The Company signed definitive agreements for the issuance of non-secured debt of approximately $25.4 million to financial institutions in Israel. The bonds will be linked to the Israeli Consumer Price Index (CPI) and will bear 9% interest, also linked to the CPI, until the start date of the bonds’ listing for trade on the TASE at which point the interest rate for the unpaid balance of the bonds will be reduced by 1% to an annual interest rate of 8%. The Company intends to take immediate actions to list the bonds for trading on the TASE. The purchasers of the bonds will also receive an aggregate of 956,020 warrants to purchase XFONE common stock at $3.50 per share, with a term of four years.
The Company also raised approximately $8 million through the issuance of 1,300,000 units to parties affiliated with Gagnon Securities as well as Richard L. Scott Investments. Richard L. Scott Investments LLC, agreed to purchase 800,000 units, each of which consists of two shares of common stock and one warrant at a price of $6.20 per unit, for a total subscription amount of $4,960,000. Certain investors who are affiliated with or are customers of Gagnon Securities LLC agreed to purchase an aggregate of 500,000 units, for a total subscription amount of $3,100,000. The warrants are exercisable for a period of five years from issuance at a price of $3.10 per share.
On August 23, 2007, XFONE announced the signing of a definitive agreement to acquire NTS Communications, Inc., a premier provider of integrated voice, data and video solutions, headquartered in Lubbock, Texas with approximately 47,500 residential and business customers. NTS serves a diverse and stable customer base that includes financial institutions, energy companies, medical enterprises, and governmental and educational entities. NTS has invested over $23 million in developing a Fiber-to-the-Premise platform, which enables unique economies and allows NTS to provide a voice, data and cable “triple play” offering to residential and business customers.
For the first nine months of 2007, on an unaudited pro forma combined basis, adjusted XFONE, NTS and Auracall revenues totaled $85.8 million with approximately $11 million in EBITDA.
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TOKYO (Reuters) - Apple Inc is playing mobile operators NTT DoCoMo Inc and Softbank Corp against one another on selling the iPhone in Japan, where it would vie with some of the world's most advanced phones.
Apple is in talks with both DoCoMo, Japan's top carrier, and number three Softbank about launching the iPhone, but both have balked over the share of subscriber revenue that Apple is demanding, sources at the Japanese companies said on Tuesday.
Apple Chief Executive Steve Jobs met DoCoMo President Masao Nakamura in San Francisco earlier this month, a company source said.
Read more at Reuters.
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Voice on the Net Coalition Europe, which includes large suppliers like Google, Intel, Microsoft, and Skype, was launched on Friday to respond to regulatory proposals made by the European Commission a month ago.
One of these proposals would require that voice over Internet Protocol providers enable calls to emergency services. The U.K.'s telecommunications regulator, the Office of Communications, has since mandated that such access must be made available by September 2008.
In its statement, the coalition claimed that the "premature application" of emergency call rules to Web sites, click-to-dial services, one-way public switched telephone-network voice services, and other VoIP services that are not a replacement for traditional home or business phone services "could actually harm public safety, stifle innovations critical to people with disabilities, stall competition, and limit access to innovative and evolving communication options where there is no expectation of placing a 112 call."
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Andy over at VoIP Watch is asking everyone not to forget the Call Of The Year! Fred Graver, formally of VH1 and iotum, have brought out a novel concept for using the power of social media, the web and VoIP to ring in the New Year. The New Year's Eve Conference Call application which Alec Saunders unveiled on facebook last night.
I already added myself and come join the New Year Party!
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It seems Vonage does not get a break. I wonder why these people go after cable companies that seem to be the leading VoIP provides, (Vonage comes third) or are they all complient? Vonage has gone through multiple law suits by leading telecom companies, 1, 2, 3.
Rich Tehrani reports that the Vonage's latest patent fight is with Nortel, a company who says Vonage is infringing on twelve of its patents.
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VoIP Ranking for Q3 has been released by ISP Planet. Here are the First five and follow the link below to find full report and more info. Looks like cable providers becoming the next Ma Bells.
1 | Comcast Digital Phone* (circuit switched customers not counted) | 3,774 | |
| 2 | Time Warner Digital Phone* | 2,610 | |
| 3 | Vonage | 2,500 | [November 8, 2007] Press Release |
| 4 | Cox* (business and residential) | 2,300 | [November 27, 2007] Press Release |
| 5 | Skype (paid VoIP only, customers worldwide, date of this number unknown) | 1,800 | [July 27, 2005] Press Release |
When ever some one talks of the dearth of WiMax, it comes alive somewhere in the world. This time it seems to be a viable solution in Germany
TAUNUSSTEIN, Germany, Dec. 17 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Motorola, Inc. today announced that NeckarCom Telekommunikation GmbH, an innovative German telecommunications provider, has launched its commercial Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) service following the successful implementation earlier this year of a WiMAX network in the Ulm region of Germany by Motorola. The flexibility of the Motorola WiMAX solution has enabled NeckarCom to easily integrate all of its current standard voice services across the WiMAX network and offer a new combined voice and data solution, quickly and effectively.
"We completed the roll-out of the WiMAX network in the Ulm region in October, which enabled us to offer wireless broadband data services in an area where fixed-line broadband services were not possible," said Mr. Juergen Herrmann, managing director, NeckarCom Telekommunikation GmbH. "We are now extending our services to offer VoIP, transforming communications in the region. The breadth and quality of Motorola's WiMAX product portfolio will support NeckarCom as we expand and bring further next-generation communications tools and services to our customers."
"WiMAX is significantly disrupting traditional broadband business models and challenging providers to think about how they roll-out new communications networks and services in both metro and rural areas," said Joe Cozzolino, corporate vice president & general manager, Motorola Home and Networks Mobility EMEA. "The Motorola WiMAX network that NeckarCom chose to deploy a few months ago is already transforming its communication capabilities in the Ulm region. We are thrilled to be working with such a forward-looking provider as NeckarCom. Together, we are demonstrating the key benefits that WiMAX offers for voice and data communications today and in the future."
Customers in the Ulm region now benefit from a high-quality, low-cost, complete communications package from a single provider. NeckarCom's integrated voice and data service was the first 802.16e WiMAX-based offering in Germany and is based on Motorola's WiMAX technology. WiMAX 802.16e is a future-proof standard which can support fixed, nomadic, and mobile voice and data services and will allow NeckarCom to build a next-generation portfolio of communication offerings on its current WiMAX network.
Further information can be found at www.neckarcom.de
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MOUNTAIN VIEW, Calif. -- December 17, 2007 -- A new telephony startup came out of stealth today, aiming to become "Silicon Valley's first phone company." Ribbit, unveiled a new platform for developing telephony services and a new business model for serving the new global telephony market. In addition, the company formally announced a diverse team of technologists, business leaders and a community of third-party developers that it has recruited over the past two years to execute on its mission.
The company also unveiled some of the first applications from its partner and 600-plus developer community, including an integration with salesforce.com. The first applications illustrate the kind of innovation that the company hopes to deliver to both the consumer and business marketplace.
"The world doesn't need another phone company," said Ted Griggs, co-founder and CEO at Ribbit. "What it needs is new kind of phone company, one that liberates voice from its current confines -- devices, plans and business models -- and more readily integrates into the workflow of our professional and personal lives. We've been working hard these first two years to put together the right team, technology, and business model to meet this opportunity, and we're finally ready to go to market."
The Ribbit Platform: Liberating Voice from Its Current Confines
At the core of Ribbit's technology offering is a sophisticated, open platform that enables developers to bridge the worlds of traditional telephony and the Web. The Ribbit SmartSwitch™ - evolved from a Lucent-tested CLASS 5 softswitch - and open Flash/Flex-based API (application programming interface) enables non-telephony developers to quickly build innovative, rich voice applications and integrate them into web sites, communities and applications. By connecting voice from any Flash-enabled browser to the PSTN (public switched telephone network) and new VoIP (voice over IP) networks, over 750 million computers become the next generation of phones with developers deciding how they work. With an assortment of back-office and service delivery infrastructure, the platform also enables developers to not only build services, but sell them as well.
"It's a very innovative idea -- not only does Ribbit provide developers with a way to easily integrate voice into almost any kind of Web application, they will also provide a platform for testing and selling new services," said Will Stofega, Research Manager, VoIP Services at IDC. "Ribbit's arrival comes at a time when telephony and computing are truly converging."
The Ribbit Community -- Business Leaders, Tech Leaders and Third-Party Developers
Ribbit has organized a diverse team of business leaders, technologists, partners and over 600 third-party software developers. The executive team boasts talent from a broad range of markets and disciplines, from traditional telephony, enterprise software, Web-based software development and open-source. Technology partners include Salesforce.com and Adobe, a catalyst in helping to mobilize the Flash and Flex developer community, one of Ribbit's core constituencies. The partner and developer communities have been deeply engaged in building the first applications on Ribbit's open platform, a few of which are now coming to market, including a workflow integration with salesforce.com.
In the first quarter of 2008, the Ribbit for Salesforce workflow integration will be available for salesforce.com customers via the AppExchange. "Ribbit is a great example of the new breed of innovative partners that salesforce.com is working closely with to deliver the potential of the Force.com Platform," said Clarence So, Chief Marketing Officer at salesforce.com. "Mobile voice in Salesforce workflow is a combination that is sure to bring productivity breakthroughs to many Salesforce customers."
The Ribbit Business Model -- Serving the Long Tail of the New Telephony Market
In the first quarter of 2008, Ribbit will open its service to consumers featuring the first innovations from its developer community. Also in the first quarter, the company will sell commercial and enterprise packages to developers selling services that utilize the Ribbit platform. Both the consumer and the enterprise markets will be key areas of focus for Ribbit as it continues to engage the developer community. One market in particular -- small-to-medium size businesses -- holds special promise.
"Ribbit's founding premise is that voice is valuable, and particularly valuable when mobile-web-and fixed-communications are merged into and made part of business work flow. Most companies focus on lower cost dial tone and pre-packaged features. Already in our work with our partner and developer communities, we've found an untapped need for voice in high-value workflow applications," said Crick Waters, co-founder and VP of Strategy and Business Development at Ribbit. "We firmly believe that there's a long-tail market for high-value telephony applications, and we're building the infrastructure that enables these applications to be delivered."
MOUNTAIN VIEW, Calif. -- December 17, 2007 -- A new telephony startup came out of stealth today, aiming to become "Silicon Valley's first phone company." Ribbit, unveiled a new platform for developing telephony services and a new business model for serving the new global telephony market. In addition, the company formally announced a diverse team of technologists, business leaders and a community of third-party developers that it has recruited over the past two years to execute on its mission.
The company also unveiled some of the first applications from its partner and 600-plus developer community, including an integration with salesforce.com. The first applications illustrate the kind of innovation that the company hopes to deliver to both the consumer and business marketplace.
"The world doesn't need another phone company," said Ted Griggs, co-founder and CEO at Ribbit. "What it needs is new kind of phone company, one that liberates voice from its current confines -- devices, plans and business models -- and more readily integrates into the workflow of our professional and personal lives. We've been working hard these first two years to put together the right team, technology, and business model to meet this opportunity, and we're finally ready to go to market."
The Ribbit Platform: Liberating Voice from Its Current Confines
At the core of Ribbit's technology offering is a sophisticated, open platform that enables developers to bridge the worlds of traditional telephony and the Web. The Ribbit SmartSwitch™ - evolved from a Lucent-tested CLASS 5 softswitch - and open Flash/Flex-based API (application programming interface) enables non-telephony developers to quickly build innovative, rich voice applications and integrate them into web sites, communities and applications. By connecting voice from any Flash-enabled browser to the PSTN (public switched telephone network) and new VoIP (voice over IP) networks, over 750 million computers become the next generation of phones with developers deciding how they work. With an assortment of back-office and service delivery infrastructure, the platform also enables developers to not only build services, but sell them as well.
"It's a very innovative idea -- not only does Ribbit provide developers with a way to easily integrate voice into almost any kind of Web application, they will also provide a platform for testing and selling new services," said Will Stofega, Research Manager, VoIP Services at IDC. "Ribbit's arrival comes at a time when telephony and computing are truly converging."
The Ribbit Community -- Business Leaders, Tech Leaders and Third-Party Developers
Ribbit has organized a diverse team of business leaders, technologists, partners and over 600 third-party software developers. The executive team boasts talent from a broad range of markets and disciplines, from traditional telephony, enterprise software, Web-based software development and open-source. Technology partners include Salesforce.com and Adobe, a catalyst in helping to mobilize the Flash and Flex developer community, one of Ribbit's core constituencies. The partner and developer communities have been deeply engaged in building the first applications on Ribbit's open platform, a few of which are now coming to market, including a workflow integration with salesforce.com.
In the first quarter of 2008, the Ribbit for Salesforce workflow integration will be available for salesforce.com customers via the AppExchange. "Ribbit is a great example of the new breed of innovative partners that salesforce.com is working closely with to deliver the potential of the Force.com Platform," said Clarence So, Chief Marketing Officer at salesforce.com. "Mobile voice in Salesforce workflow is a combination that is sure to bring productivity breakthroughs to many Salesforce customers."
The Ribbit Business Model -- Serving the Long Tail of the New Telephony Market
In the first quarter of 2008, Ribbit will open its service to consumers featuring the first innovations from its developer community. Also in the first quarter, the company will sell commercial and enterprise packages to developers selling services that utilize the Ribbit platform. Both the consumer and the enterprise markets will be key areas of focus for Ribbit as it continues to engage the developer community. One market in particular -- small-to-medium size businesses -- holds special promise.
"Ribbit's founding premise is that voice is valuable, and particularly valuable when mobile-web-and fixed-communications are merged into and made part of business work flow. Most companies focus on lower cost dial tone and pre-packaged features. Already in our work with our partner and developer communities, we've found an untapped need for voice in high-value workflow applications," said Crick Waters, co-founder and VP of Strategy and Business Development at Ribbit. "We firmly believe that there's a long-tail market for high-value telephony applications, and we're building the infrastructure that enables these applications to be delivered."
Ribbit headquarters are located in Mountain View, CA. Ribbit has received investment from Alsop-Louie Partners, Allegis Capital and KPG Ventures. For more information about Ribbit, please visit www.ribbit.com.
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