The partnership leverages JAJAH’s open, next-generation communications platform to support the existing Yahoo! Messenger voice offering beginning in the third quarter of this year. Through this collaboration and managed service offerings, JAJAH will provide Yahoo! Messenger users with an instant Internet telephony network, merging the best of traditional and IP telephony.

“The seamless integration of web and voice interaction is clearly important to our strategic partner, Yahoo!,” said Trevor Healy, JAJAH CEO. “We are honored to be selected by Yahoo! to meet their voice needs. Through this relationship, we have the opportunity to extend our innovative global calling services with an industry leader that can leverage the power of our platform and network.” “This partnership with JAJAH will help Yahoo! continue to provide a great communication experience to our millions of Yahoo! Messenger users,” said Sabrina Ellis, vice president of Yahoo! Messenger.

“Yahoo! Messenger is one of the first communication tools consumers see and use when they turn on their computers, so it is critical that our partner mirror our commitment to our users, and JAJAH’s reliable VoIP network and proven customer- and carrier-friendly experience make it an ideal solution.” Since 2006, Yahoo! Messenger users have been able to use “Phone In” and “Phone Out” to make and receive voice calls on their PC to and from landline and mobile phones.

With low rates and premium voice quality, users can talk for hours and save on their phone bill. This deal means JAJAH will take over the provision of the telephony infrastructure, payment processing, and customer care for Yahoo!’s premium voice users who make and receive voice calls through Yahoo! Messenger.

Source: Jajah 

Posted by Dal at 10:24 AM | Direct Link | TrackBacks (0) Posted to VoIP News

Editor's Comments:  Good read, I love it when people take crusade against bad customer service.   With us being part of this free market economy you really have two options, vote with your dollars (or euro if your into that) or take up the issues and not let the corporation get away with bad service and not hear what you have to say.  Sometimes is takes a blog post, phone call or letter but make sure you get through to someone who can do something. 

Skype has just published a so-called "interview" with their new CEO. First, rather than face the press and public, and possibly have to answer some hard questions from people who have (miserable) experience with Skype, he chose to hide behind a pseudo-interview with his own publicity manager. Second, even with every softball question possible being served up to him, it is obvious that he still doesn't get it.
 

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The nation's largest telecommunications provider said most of the layoffs will be among managers, particularly in wireline operations, including local phone service and service for large corporate customers. Jobs in corporate functions in like finance will also be cut.

"Even with the reductions announced today, we expect our head count overall to remain stable this year as we hire additional employees to support growth areas like wireless and TV," said spokesman Michael Coe.

The San Antonio-based company said in a regulatory filing that it plans to take a $374 million first-quarter pretax charge against earnings due to the job cuts. The company reports first-quarter earnings on Tuesday.

The company had 309,500 employees at the end of last year. When it announced the acquisition of BellSouth Corp. in 2006, it has said it would cut 10,000 jobs over three years from the combined company to eliminate overlap. The cuts announced Friday are not part of that reduction, and is the largest announcement of job cuts by the company since then.

Despite the layoffs associated with the BellSouth acquisition, the combined work force grew by 7,000 last year, as the company built up its growing wireless and TV divisions even as land lines shrank in the face of competition from wireless and cable phone service.

Its shares fell 6 cents to $37.51 Friday.

Source: AP 

Posted by Dal at 12:39 PM | Direct Link | TrackBacks (0) Posted to VoIP News

While Wi-Fi wasn’t as broadly unlicensed in Russia as it is in most other industrialized nations, a state regulator exempted indoor use in certain bands from registration. The Mass Media agency apparently believes that it has the authority to compel this, although there’s some doubt by observers as to whether it really falls in their purview.

Setting up a home Wi-Fi network or a hotspot would require what sounds like vast amounts of paperwork, akin to putting a cell tower.

Source: WiFi Net News 

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Posted by Dal at 08:49 AM | Direct Link | TrackBacks (0) Posted to WiFi / Wireless

Polycom announced the release of the new SoundStation IP 7000 and IP 6000 IP conference phones.  Polycom features including Polycom HD Voice technology and a sleek new design. The SoundStation IP7000 is an ideal upgrade for executive offices, conference rooms and board rooms, while the SoundStation IP6000 is suited for managerial offices and small to mid-sized conference rooms.

As the conference phone market leader, Polycom is the most recognized brand in conference rooms across the globe. With the introduction of these two new conference phones, Polycom redefines what businesses worldwide can expect from their conferencing endpoints as well as from new SIP-based voice over IP (VoIP) network installations in terms of performance, voice quality, price and design enhancements.

"In today's global business environment, voice is a vital medium for business communications and phones are the primary interface for end-users," said Nora Freedman, senior analyst of enterprise networks at IDC. "Due to the sheer number of conference calls held daily, conference phones are a key segment of any organization's end-point portfolio. Therefore, the integration of advanced IP applications and High Definition voice technology for conference phones can improve the user experience, and ultimately, make a positive impact on business communications and process."

HD Voice Fuels Call Clarity, IP Connectivity Offers More than Voice

In a recent VoIP study, Synergy Research reported that more than 73 percent of new telephony lines are expected to be IP this year, and IDC is forecasting 30 percent growth in VoIP desktop hardware over 2007. Following this trend, the new SoundStation IP 7000 and SoundStation IP 6000 expand Polycom's IP conference phone portfolio and are the first conference phones developed to integrate open Session Initiation Protocol (SIP) with Polycom HD Voice. Combined with HD Voice and Polycom's patented Acoustic Clarity Technology, these phones offer unrivaled clarity for breakthrough voice quality and more productive conference calls. The new conference phones also feature Polycom's latest radio frequency shielding technologies that "stop the buzz" created by interference from mobile phones and smartphones -- a problem so widespread that 70 percent of recent survey respondents reported a willingness to upgrade their conference phones if that would solve the problem.

As high definition technologies become more prevalent throughout the communications industry, a growing number of VoIP service providers and audio conferencing services are supporting HD Voice. ZipDX, a Polycom ARENA partner, is one of the first to offer HD voice-enabled conferencing. ZipDX worked with a number of companies to test their HD conference service with the new SoundStation IP 6000 and IP 7000 conference phones.

"The combination of the Polycom SoundPoint IP 7000 and the ZipDX audio conferencing service is taking collaboration to a new level," according to Bryan Newman, director of Information Systems for Okuma America Corp., a world leader in machining technology based in Charlotte, N.C. "We conference extensively among our US offices, with our distributors and customers in North and South America, and with our parent in Japan. Our recent trials with IP 7000's and SoundPoint phones have demonstrated the benefits in recognizing voices and understanding accented speakers."

"The enhanced audio quality of the Polycom phones, combined with the advanced conferencing features of ZipDX, have made our calls more productive and we are exploring rolling the technology out in additional locations," continued Newman. "Whether it's training, selling, or managing, it's important that our message gets through clearly, and that we hear and understand what people are saying to us. With ZipDX and Polycom HD Voice technology, our conferences are a snap to set up, start on time, have the highest audio quality, and are secure and easy to manage."

"With the introduction of our new open SIP HD Voice conference phones, we're helping customers make the most of their VoIP network investments by delivering HD Voice communications on a platform that brings value beyond voice," said Sunil Bhalla, senior vice president and general manager of Polycom's voice communications solutions division. "Our customers will reap the benefits of a new level of communication with more productive, engaging conference calls."

The SoundStation IP 7000 Features include:

 -- The industry's first up to 22 kHz CD-quality HD Voice for lifelike clarity and intelligibility.

-- Large high resolution display and processing power for IP applications, transforming the conference phone into an applications platform for the conference room. Includes LDAP corporate directory access, three-way visual conferencing in HD Voice and an open XHTML micro-browser for third-party application development and integration. The conferencing application enables users to see the names of the participants and add, delete, mute or place individual callers on hold during the call.

-- Multi-unit connectivity with the ability to "daisy-chain" two units, offering greater microphone pickup, louder volume, and multiple call control points within one conference room.

-- 20-foot (6-meter) microphone pickup range to hear participants in all corners of the conference room. Even greater coverage is available through optional expansion microphones.

-- Seamless integration with Polycom HDX high definition visual communications systems is expected later this year

-- making launching a high definition video conference as easy as dialing a conference phone. -- Power over Ethernet connectivity(1) to reduce cable clutter in conference rooms

The SoundStation IP 6000 is a price/performance breakthrough for managerial offices and small to midsize conference rooms. With pricing comparable to similar analog conference phones but with much higher acoustic performance and IP functionality, customers who are migrating to SIP-based VoIP technology can now fully leverage the power of their IP infrastructure.

The SoundStation IP 6000 features:

-- Polycom HD Voice with up to 14 kHz audio for remarkable clarity and intelligibility.

-- 12-foot (3.6-meter) microphone pickup range for full room coverage in offices and small to mid-sized conference rooms, with optional expansion microphones also available.

-- High resolution backlit display for vital call information and multi- language support. The platform also supports the delivery of web-based content to the display for third party application development and integration.

-- Power over Ethernet connectivity to reduce cable clutter in conference rooms

The new conference phones are being certified with Polycom's more than 25 SIP-based call control platform partners including 3Com, BroadSoft, Digium, Interactive Intelligence, Sylantro, and other Polycom VoIP Interoperability Partners (VIP).

Pricing and Availability

The Polycom SoundStation IP 7000 is available today through Polycom's certified channel partners starting at a list price of U.S. $1,299.00. The Polycom SoundStation IP 6000 will also be available through Polycom's certified channel partners later this quarter starting at a list price of U.S. $899.00. For more information, visit www.polycom.com/go/soundstation_ip.

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NW35, the new MIT graduate residence that will be named Ashdown House when it opens this fall, will not have analog phone lines in the rooms. Residents who want room phones will need to purchase a voice over IP phone and Internet phone service.  But NW35 will have four network ports per pillow — at least twice as many as in the current Ashdown House.

The change reflects changing telephone usage patterns. Director of Housing Dennis J. Collins said that he believes most students today have cell phones for communicating with friends and family. To that end, NW35 will be “cell-phone friendly.” Housing is “putting in cell phone repeaters to ensure cell phones will work everywhere,” Collins said.

The MIT campus is increasingly moving towards voice over IP, said Steven R. Winig, manager of the Relationship Management Program at Information Services and Technology. VoIP is a technology that transports telephone calls digitally over a computer network. Traditional phone service operates on a separate analog network.

Collins said that the decision to provide extra network ports instead of an analog phone port “really was not about the money.” Rather, he said, Housing wanted to “build for the future.”

Collins said that the four network ports would provide access for two computers, a VoIP phone, and a possible future IP television service. Residents will be free to use the ports however they want, he said.

Rooms at NW35 will still have coaxial cable connections for standard MIT cable television service.

The rooms in the existing MIT dormitories, including the current Ashdown House, provide either one or two network ports per pillow.

They also have analog phone lines that can receive all incoming calls and can place outgoing calls to on campus phones as a standard service. Residents in these dormitories may order full phone service — including unlimited local calls, access to long distance services, and voice mail — for $17 per month.

Click Here to Continue Reading 

Posted by Dal at 08:46 AM | Direct Link | TrackBacks (0) Posted to VoIP News

JAJAH announced that it is building on its current Apple iPhone call-back offering by participating in the iPhone Developer Program to create possibly the first native global VoIP application. The new global VoIP application is expected to be available this summer, close to the iPhone 2.0 software release.

Since the iPhone launch in June 2007, JAJAH provided its web-activated telephony solution on a custom-tailored Website for this groundbreaking device. Already widely adopted by callers seeking international calling abilities without the need for global plan, JAJAH is accessible via the integrated Safari web browser at http://iphone.jajah.com.

The new JAJAH Mobile VoIP client for the iPhone will enable two ways to make free or low-cost global calls to any phone in the world: 1) JAJAH's known callback service ideal for low bandwidth locations and 2) the sole use of a Wi-Fi network. This blended VoIP application assures premium call quality and affordable international calling rates at any location. With Wi-Fi support, all international and long-distance callers will be able to place calls via airport hotspots, coffee shops or any other desired Wi-Fi location.

"JAJAH was one of the first in line to support the launch of the iPhone. Now with the release of the iPhone SDK, we are excited to develop a native VoIP application that will improve productivity and enhance the communication capabilities of mobile professionals with added security," said Frederik Hermann, Director, Global Marketing. "JAJAH adds global mobile VoIP functionality and with enterprise level support, soon companies will give employees a choice of an iPhone vs. the BlackBerry."

JAJAH has already proven its Mobile VoIP client capabilities enhancing the world's first mobile broadband operator EMobile with a pre-installed native VoIP client on all of EMobile's EM One handheld devices.

Posted by Dal at 07:54 AM | Direct Link | TrackBacks (0) Posted to VoIP Software

This new benefit, built into the latest versions of its triangular conference phones now delivers users a clearer and more productive conferencing experience by eliminating the annoying buzzing noise caused by interference from nearby cellular devices.  RF interference affects the millions of conference phones, regardless of manufacturer, that are currently installed in businesses around the globe.

Polycom has built multiple layers of robust protection to help avoid the adverse effects of RF interference.  The conference phones have been vigorously tested to validate superior performance in high-RF environments.  In addition, Polycom is a founding member of the American National Standards Institute (ANSI) committee responsible for developing industry standards to prevent this type of radio interference.

All of Polycom's analog conference phones are now shipping worldwide with the new RF shielding technology, with no changes in price or part numbers.  This includes the SoundStation2, SoundStation2W, SoundStation VTX 1000, VoiceStation 300 and 500 product lines. 

Source: Smart House 

Posted by Dal at 04:53 PM | Direct Link | TrackBacks (0) Posted to Polycom

"In light of the [wireless] industry's embrace of a more open wireless platform, it would be premature to adopt any other requirements across the industry," Martin told a receptive crowd at the annual CTIA Wireless Conference.

"Thus, today I will circulate to my fellow commissioners an order dismissing a petition for declaratory ruling filed by Skype." In February 2007, Skype asked the FCC to apply the Carterfone rules to wireless networks. The Carterfone decision, handed down in 1968, opened up the Bell network to devices not produced by the AT&T wireline network, paving the way for devices like answering machines, fax machines, computer modems, and early dial-up Internet.

Skype argued that the wireless industry has limited subscribers' ability to run certain software communications applications on their mobile phones, and disabled phones and features to thwart competition – all in violation of the Carterfone principles, Skype said.

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Posted by Dal at 04:48 PM | Direct Link | TrackBacks (0) Posted to Skype

Because PhyNet extends standard Internet Protocol (IP) technology from the enterprise infrastructure to the sensor network mesh and out to individual sensor nodes, those nodes can communicate directly with any other IP devices on the enterprise network regardless of their connection medium (IEEE 802.15.4 radio, 802.11 Wi-Fi, Ethernet, etc.). The PhyNet platform also applies to the IP-based WSN the vast body of standard and well tested IP tools for interoperability, management and security, eliminating the need to deploy dedicated and unproven schemes.

The PhyNet platform's tiered architecture includes:

PhyNet is well suited for a broad range of large-scale applications, including energy management, compliance and safety enforcement, environmental monitoring, and emerging energy-generation technologies.

Click Here to Continue Reading 

Posted by Dal at 11:40 AM | Direct Link | TrackBacks (0) Posted to Wireless Hardware

Los Angeles voters have imposed a 9 percent tax on Internet phone calls, known as VoIP (Voice over Internet Protocol). VoIP calls had been tax-free in the city.

Voters also enacted a 1 percentage point reduction in the tax on all other phone calls, from 10 percent to 9 percent. Most phone calls are still made over traditional wireline or wireless phones, but Internet phone service is a rapidly growing segment of the telephone market.

Measure S appeared on the February 5 ballot in Los Angeles and won by nearly a two-thirds margin. Voters were promised if they supported Measure S, the tax money would go toward police protection.

Critics of the new VoIP tax say there is no guarantee any of the money will go to police or other public safety services, as the proceeds will simply go into the city's general fund.

Tax Called Illegal

Last fall, Congress passed a seven-year extension of the federal moratorium protecting Internet access services from federal, state, and local sales or excise taxes. President George W. Bush signed the bill November 1.

Huffman said Measure S was sprung on voters with almost no notice, which bothered several taxpayer and business organizations, including VICA.

"We were disappointed at how the Los Angeles City Council placed this measure on the ballot. It came out of nowhere," said Huffman, leaving almost no time for opponents to muster arguments against it.

Huffman said association members are also upset the new VoIP tax was proposed barely two weeks after the Los Angeles City Council granted 20 to 25 percent pay raises for all city employees, making them the highest-paid city employees in California.

City officials should have simply acknowledged they needed more revenue to pay for those high salaries and benefits instead of arguing it was a matter of public safety, Huffman said.

"It's a matter of honesty," Huffman said. "They should have been upfront with us."

Los Angeles city officials said public safety was the central issue behind Measure S.

"In the past, large cities have been able to rely on the state and federal government to assist in providing necessary funding for public safety. Today, however, the state of California and the federal government have allocated far less money to all cities and particularly to Los Angeles for public safety, education, and traffic relief, which is why Measure S is essential," said William Bratton, the city's police chief, in a guest editorial in the February 3 issue of the Los Angeles Daily News, urging voters to support the measure.

An especially annoying provision of Measure S for Huffman is the inclusion of a 50 percent tax break for telemarketers.

"Telemarketers will pay half of what everyone else will pay," Huffman said. "This offends a lot of people. If anyone should pay this tax, it's telemarketers.

Source: Heartland 

Posted by Dal at 11:23 AM | Direct Link | TrackBacks (0) Posted to VoIP Politics

 

Many Asterisk users and integrators choose to run their PBX on off the shelf Intel or AMD-based servers from the likes of Dell and Supermicro, while neither of these manufacturers target the Asterisk marketplace per se. Here’s a quick overview of some of the hardware choices out there if you are looking to deploy open source telephony in your home or business.

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