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  • Skype Launches Channel Partner Program in the U.S.

    Skype has announced the introduction of the Skype Channel Partner Program to help businesses who are looking to use Skype for their collaboration and communication needs.

    According to Skype, the goal of the program is to establish a qualified network of channel partners in the United States that can assist companies interested in using Skype “to improve their productivity and optimize their communication costs.”

    Through the Skype Channel Partner Program, qualified Channel Partners will receive training, sales and marketing collaterals, customer tracking and reporting tools, as well as support and account management from Skype.

    Once trained and certified by Skype, the partners will be equipped to provide their own consulting, installation, configuration, maintenance and support services to business customers who wish to use Skype’s business solutions, including the Skype Business Client, Skype Manager and Skype Connect.

    Channel Partners will help businesses set up Skype and buy and use Skype products. For example, they will help Skype Manager customers use and manage the Skype Business Client on their desktop and mobile phones via business accounts or connect their existing private branch exchange (PBX) or Unified Communications (UC) systems to Skype using Skype Connect.

    They may also sell third-party hardware and software for use with Skype. Channel Partners will not be reselling any Skype products to customers; all Skype products will be bought directly from Skype.

    According to Skype, already twenty VARs and system integrators have been enrolled in and trained as part of the program and have started marketing and selling their own services and third-party hardware and software for use with Skype’s business solutions.

    Skype said will also work with manufacturers of the IP-enabled PBX and UC systems that have already been certified as interoperable with Skype Connect to introduce the Skype Channel Partner Program to their existing channel partners.

    Related news
    Skype Connect 1.0 Officially Launched
    Skype Now Available on Verizon Multimedia Phones on the BREW Platform
    Skype for iPhone Now Supports Multitasking, No Charges for Calling Over 3G
    Skype For SIP Now Available in Beta

  • Leading Technology Companies Announce HD Voice Initiative in the U.K.

    XConnect, Polycom, BroadSoft and Dialogic announced an initiative to promote the adoption of high-definition voice by service providers in the United Kingdom.

    Through workshops and cooperative communication and marketing, the HD initiative is designed to raise awareness and educate service providers about the benefits of HD voice and help them resolve implementation challenges.

    As part of the initiative, XConnect announced that the XConnect Global HD Voice Federation is now open to HD voice-enabled service providers globally, following its successful launch in the United States.

    First to join from the U.K. are service providers Simwood, SureVoIP and thevoicefactory.

    The federation enables the exchange of HD voice calls among all participants, all interconnecting through XConnect’s carrier hub and routing through phone-number lookups via its carrier ENUM registry.

    The companies joining XConnect in the initiative are market leaders in their sectors of the HD voice ecosystem. Polycom set an early stake in the ground through its SoundStation IP conference phones and SoundPoint desktop phones featuring Polycom HD Voice technology. BroadSoft is the leading global provider of IP-based communications services to the telecommunications industry. Dialogic is a prominent provider of multimedia and signaling technologies and platforms.

    HD voice enables users to experience clearer, higher-quality and more effective voice communication through the use of wideband codecs on IP networks. However, in most cases, to benefit from improved sound quality, callers must be on the same network. XConnect says they have established the HD federation to allow cross-network support for HD voice and potentially for multimedia IP-based services, such as presence and video.

    “The U.K. is ripe for HD voice due to increasing migration to IP and the quest among service providers to differentiate their offerings and deliver greater value to their customers,” said XConnect CEO Eli Katz.

    He added, “We are delighted to have facilitated the world’s first cross-network international HD voice calls via a federation – a step that paves the way for global mass-market adoption of HD voice.”

    Explaining why his company has joined the HD federation, thevoicefactory CEO Martin Sims said: “We realise that to compete effectively where broadband is a given, we have to move ahead of the pack. In a business market where many different languages and accents are the norm, high-definition voice will help us add value to our services.”

    Related news
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    Goober Introduces New HD Voice and 6-Way Video Conferencing Solution
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    XConnect Offers Trial of High-Definition Calling

  • SoliCall Releases Personal PBXMate for SMB’s and Private Users

    SoliCall, a provider of real time noise reduction and echo cancellation solutions for voice calls, has announced the release of a personal version of its enterprise level PBXMate product.

    The PBXMate is being used by organizations to improve audio quality in their VoIP network. Now it will also be available for individuals who are using SIP phone (or SoftPhone) looking to improve audio quality.

    According to the company, with the Personal PBXMate all parties will enjoy a high quality audio during VoIP call. “This is another step to make our solutions accessible for all users. Both small businesses and individuals will now be able to enjoy the technology that has grasped roots and became popular among large corporations”, said Adam Moore, Director of Media Relations at SoliCall.

    The Personal PBXMate runs on Windows XP, Vista and Windows 7.

    Some of the key benefits of the Personal PBXMate:

    • Server Side Echo canceller (AEC) – your voice will never be echoed back at you. The server side AEC cancels echo before it reaches your ears.
    • Client Side Echo canceller (AEC) – no need to use headset or hold the handset anymore.
    • Server side noise reduction (NR) – shield your ears from irritating street noise / wind noise etc.
    • Client side noise reduction (NR) – make professional calls from your home office without exposing the other party to your ambient noise.
    • Automatic Gain Control (AGC) – makes sure the volume of the call is always set to a comfortable level.
    • Automatic call recording – your calls are automatically recorded using synchronized mode that overcomes network delays & buffering.
    • Key statistic indicators are displayed to help you measure the quality of the calls.

  • Nokia N8 Offcially for Sale at the end of September

    Nokia finally announced that Nokia N8, the company’s long-awaited, flagship handset, will be on-sale in the last week of September for £429 SIM free or on contract from £35 per month.

    The Nokia N8 introduces a 12 megapixel camera with Carl Zeiss optics and Xenon flash, HD-quality (720p) video recording, film editing software and Dolby Digital Plus surround sound.

    Among the features of this Symbian^3 smartphone are:

    • On-demand Web TV (CNN, E! Entertainment, Paramount and National Geographic and others)
    • HDMI connection
    • Navigation with Ovi Maps
    • Up to three personalised home screens
    • Integrated social networking: all social networks in a single app
    • Flick scrolling and pinch-to-zoom
    • Ovi apps
    • 3.5 inch widescreen (640 x 360 pixels) capacitive touch
    • 6GB mass memory + micro SD card slot, 135MB internal memory, support up to 32GB memory cards
    • 1200mAh BL-4D battery

    "The Nokia N8 is perfect for creating and sharing great content in high-definition, using HDMI out to connect to your TV as well as hot-USB swap. We’re making it fun and easy to capture and share memorable moments on the go," said Mark Loughran, General Manager, Nokia UK.

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  • Cell Phone Antenna Troubles? Radio Frequency MEMS Come to the Rescue

    Help may be on the way for iPhone 4 users frustrated by dropped calls with the arrival of Radio Frequency Microelectromechanical Systems (RF MEMS), semiconductors that can improve the performance of antennas in cell phones, according to the market research firm iSuppli.

    Long plagued by technological hurdles and other disappointing setbacks, RF MEMS are finally ready for the big time, with revenue projected to double in 2010 and more than triple in 2011, as the analysts say.

    From slightly less than $4 million in 2006, global RF MEMS revenue is anticipated to climb to $8.1 million this year—and then surge to $27.9 million in 2011, according to iSuppli. By 2014, revenue will reach a whopping $223.2 million—a far cry from the industry’s extremely modest beginnings.

    “More than 50 percent of cell phones shipped in 2014 will feature some form of front-end-module tuning using RF MEMS technology,” said Jérémie Bouchaud, principal analyst for MEMS and sensors at iSuppli.

    “The implementation of RF MEMS switches and varactors in mobile phones could help boost the performance of smart phones like the iPhone 4, which made news headlines recently because of a problematic antenna that resulted in dropped signal strength. RF MEMS are also ideal for impedance matching of the Power Amplifier,” he said.

    Although other technologies will address antenna issues, including SoS FETs and BST varactors, MEMS deliver the best performance in terms of insertion loss.

    According to iSuppli analysts, RF MEMS switches have been used in small volumes in instrumentation applications because of their small form factor and excellent RF performance. However, despite initial promise, they failed to take off on a large scale because of myriad commercialization and technological obstacles. All that is about to change as RF MEMS technology begins to realize its potential because of strong product offerings from a number of major suppliers.

    The report finds that Seven firms are sampling RF MEMS products.

    California-based WiSpry Inc. and Japan’s TDK-Epcos are offering RF MEMS for high-volume cell phone applications. On another front, U.S. firms Analog Devices Inc., Radant Technologies Inc. and XCOM Wireless Inc.—in cooperation with relay manufacturer Teledyne Technologies Inc.—as well as Japanese supplier Omron Corp. are targeting high-end applications for testing and instrumentation such as ATE and RF test. U.S. startups Radant MEMS and MEMtronics focus on defense applications.

    "In particular, interest is growing among mobile handset manufacturers on how RF MEMS can be used for the front-end tuning of cell phones to improve antenna performance, given the advent of new wireless standards like LTE for 4G technology. WiSpry—which has garnered several design wins for its MEMS varactors—is expected to commence volume production by the fourth quarter this year," said Bouchaud.

  • Skype Connect 1.0 Officially Launched

    Skype on Monday announced the official launch of Skype Connect 1.0, formerly known as Skype for SIP. Previously available in beta, Skype Connect delivers a business solution that enables IP-enabled private branch exchange (PBX) or Unified Communications systems to connect to Skype.

    According to the company, by using Skype Connect, businesses can now:

    • Make outbound calls from desktop phones to landlines and mobiles worldwide billed at Skype’s standard per-minute calling rates
    • Receive inbound calls from Skype connected users worldwide by placing Skype’s Click & Call buttons on their Web sites
    • Receive calls from landlines or mobile phones in the corporate PBX using Skype’s online numbers that have been purchased separately
    • Manage Skype calls using existing PBX or UC systems’ features such as call routing, automatic call distribution, conferencing, auto-attendant, voicemail, call recording and logging.

    David Gurlé, VP and general manager of Skype for Business said that based on internal research, in the first quarter of 2010, approximately 37% of Skype users reported that they use Skype for some business or business-related purposes.

    "Our team’s goal is to empower businesses of all sizes and types with rich communications tools to unleash their productivity, while reducing their telecommunications costs. […] Skype Connect seeks to enable our customers to reduce their phone bills, while protecting their investment in existing telecommunications equipment,” said Gurlé.

    Skype Connect already has over 2,400 active global customers and it’s now certified to work with PBX and UC products from Avaya, Cisco, SIPfoundry, ShoreTel and other OEMs.

    The solution also works with older TDM PBXs or Key Systems which can now add Skype calling capabilities through third-party IP gateways from AudioCodes, Grandstream and VoSKY.

    Companies using Skype Connect are charged a monthly channel fee of €4.95 / $6.95 per line. This is based on the number of concurrent calls being made or received. Each channel allows for one inbound or one outbound call at any given time. Calls to landlines and mobiles made using Skype Connect are billed at Skype’s standard calling rates worldwide.

    Relating articles
    Skype Now Available on Verizon Multimedia Phones on the BREW Platform
    Skype for iPhone Now Supports Multitasking, No Charges for Calling Over 3G
    Skype Names David Gurle to Lead Skype for Business Team
    Skype For SIP Now Available in Beta

  • Orange Launches Mobile HD Voice in the UK

    Orange announced that they are launching mobile High Definition Voice, which is now available nationwide at no extra cost for all UK Orange customers with an HD voice enabled handset.

    According to Orange, HD Voice reduces background noise and decreases perceived distance between callers by providing crystal clear calls. “Reducing the background noise, hisses and crackles of normal mobile calls, HD Voice also excels in noisy environments,” the company said.

    This will come as a relief for a third (32%) of Brits who blame background noise including road works or noisy chatty friends as the biggest disturbance in conversations (research conducted by Opinion Matters between 13/08/2010 and 16/08/2010).

    Orange HD Voice is available at no extra cost to all Orange mobile customers who take a HD Voice enabled handset. From launch, the Nokia 5230, Nokia X6, Nokia E5 and Samsung Omnia Pro will be HD Voice enabled with further manufactures expected to offer HD handsets in the coming months.

    All HD Voice enabled handsets will be labelled with the Orange HD Voice logo, helping customers to easily recognise those devices that support the new Orange HD Voice service. HD Voice demonstration units will also be available in Orange shops.

    According to Orange, HD Voice also opens up new opportunities for better ways of working in business. “The arrival of HD Voice is hotly anticipated by the broadcasting industry, which believes that the service could reduce its reliance on expensive ISDN lines and the need to ferry guests to studios for interviews. Other industries that will benefit significantly from HD Voice include those with significant background noise like the construction and manufacturing industries,” the company said.

  • Google Introduces Gmail Call

    Starting yesterday, Gmail users can call any phone right from Gmail. The new service is integrated into the web-based email client and enables to call anywhere in the US and Canada for free and get low rates for other countries.

    According to Gmail Blog, calls to the U.S. and Canada will be free for at least the rest of the year and calls to other countries will be billed at our very low rates. “We worked hard to make these rates really cheap, with calls to the U.K., France, Germany, China, Japan—and many more countries—for as little as $0.02 per minute,” said Robin Schriebman, Software Enginee at Google.

    Dialing a phone number works just like a normal phone. Just click “Call phone” at the top of your chat list and dial a number or enter a contact’s name. If you have a Google Voice phone number, calls made from Gmail will display this number as the outbound caller ID. And if you decide to, you can receive calls made to this number right inside Gmail.

    “We’ve been testing this feature internally and have found it to be useful in a lot of situations, ranging from making a quick call to a restaurant to placing a call when you’re in an area with bad reception,” said Schriebman.

    Google is rolling out this feature to U.S. based Gmail users over the next few days, so they will be ready to get started once “Call Phones” shows up in their chat list (they will need to install the voice and video plug-in if they haven’t already). But according to Schriebman, Google is working on making this available more broadly.

  • AT&T Adds IP Voice Services to Virtual Private Network Services

    AT&T announced that new and existing virtual private network (VPN) customers may add VoIP service to the network solution delivered over AT&T’s global network cloud.

    This converged solution is said to enable customers to consolidate their separate voice and data networks, reduce equipment and maintenance costs, and simplify migrating these complimentary capabilities to a common, secure infrastructure.

    By migrating to a common infrastructure, customers are able to take advantage of additional applications as AT&T makes them available, such as unified communications capabilities.

    The AT&T VoIP portfolio is certified for interoperability with leading industry providers of IP-PBX systems, such as SIP Trunking services qualified for Microsoft Office Communications Server 2007 R2, providing support for businesses planning to incorporate a comprehensive unified communications solution in the future.

    The company’s portfolio of VoIP services includes AT&T IP Flexible Reach, a SIP trunking service, which "allows businesses to continue to use the capabilities of their existing IP-PBXs, optimizing their equipment investment."

    AT&T Voice DNA, another product in the VoIP portfolio, is a fully hosted network-based service with advanced features, applications and management tools for customers.

    AT&T customers can access their VPN using virtually any access technology, such as mobile, Wi-Fi, DSL, dial-up and Ethernet.

    “Voice service is as mission-critical for businesses today as it’s ever been, and customers expect their VoIP service to perform as well as their traditional telephone service,” said Shawn Conroy, vice president, AT&T Business Solutions.

    "Adding voice to the network cloud gives customers the ability to determine their optimal level of security, architecture, cost and performance objectives — key differentiators for AT&T,” he said.

    According to AT&t, Today, the company offers Multi-protocol Label Switching (MPLS)-based services to 163 countries over 3,800 service nodes, and operates 38 Internet data centers around the world. These assets enable AT&T to provide customers with globally-consistent access to capacity and features – when and where they need it most.

    Related articles
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  • Silicon Labs and Beceem Partner on WiMAX VoIP Gateway Reference Design

    Silicon Laboratories announced that it has partnered with Beceem Communications, WiMAX solutions vendor, to deliver a VoIP broadband gateway reference design for 4G-WiMAX service providers.

    The WiMAX VoIP gateway reference design is based on Beceem’s recently introduced BCS5350 single-chip WiMAX customer premises equipment solution. It also incorporates Silicon Labs’ Si32176 ProSLIC devices to provide the interface that enables the use of traditional home telephones for VoIP services over WiMAX.

    “With its market-leading low power consumption and small footprint, Silicon Labs’ Si32176 ProSLIC is the perfect complement to our high-performance, single-chip WiMAX CPE solution,” said Aditya Agrawal, senior director of marketing at Beceem Communications.

    “The highly integrated reference design streamlines the development process, giving manufacturers greater flexibility and faster time to market in the increasingly competitive 4G marketplace,” he added.

    The reference design uses Silicon Labs’ Si32176 ProSLIC integrated SLIC/codec devices to add one or two telephone ports to a 4G-WiMAX broadband gateway. Beceem’s highly integrated BCS5350 device implements the entire PHY, MAC and RF functionality of a mobile WiMAX terminal on a single chip.

    The broadband gateway solution enables WiMAX service providers to deliver broadband and fixed-line telephony service wirelessly to subscribers as an alternative to wired broadband services such as ADSL or VDSL over telephone wires, data over cable service interface specification (DOCSIS) over coaxial cable and passive optical networks (PON) using optical fiber.

    According to Carlos Garcia, vice president of Silicon Labs, semiconductor solutions from Beceem and Silicon Labs will enable WiMAX gateway vendors to deliver products with the high performance, low cost, low power consumption and small size that their customers demand.

    According to Infonetics Research, the WiMAX market is rebounding from the recession and showing positive signs of growth, with major rollouts underway in the US, Japan, Russia and India. “We forecast around 125 million WiMAX subscribers by 2014, with 20 to 25 percent of them using VoIP over their WiMAX connection,” said Richard Webb, principle WiMAX analyst at Infonetics Research. “WiMAX operators will need a broad range of VoIP-enabled devices to serve this growing need.”