Business News Holding

Category: voip

  • Obi202 VoIP Adapter Allows for Free Local Calls

    A company called Obihai Technology has created the Obi202, a VoIP adapter that, when used in conjunction with Google Talk gives consumers the ability to make unlimited free local calls. Google will allow the service to run free of charge through the end of the year, and the Obi202 can be bought for a mere $75 on Amazon.com.

    The crux of the Obi202’s visibility comes through their partnership with Google Talk. There are many other VoIP adapters on the market, but with the Obi202, a user doesn’t even need a computer to make or receive calls. In addition, it will work with any standard telephone. You plug the device into your router, and you’re basically ready to use the service.

    VoIP-List.com: extensive catalog of voip providers, available software and hardware resources

    Google has allowed free local calls with Google Talk since the summer of 2010, and they’ll continue to do so through the end of the year. At the end of each year they made an announcement about continued free service. So users will have to take a wait and see approach, as Google may end up offering another year of free local calls in the eleventh hour.

    Basic calling isn’t the only thing the Obi202 can do. Hop on your Android or iOs-powered device and download the OBiON app. It’s free as well, and will give you a fantastic additional service, the ability to bridge calls from your cell phone. That means even if you have a tablet or an iPod device with network service, you could then use it to make calls. And with a bit of extra code work, you could even receive incoming calls as well.

    Reviewers have been more than pleased with the latest version of the Obi202. The voice quality is impeccable, the router they ship is solid, and you can connect two different phone handsets and set up as many as four different VoIP accounts. It plugs right into a USB port, and can be connected to a hard drive that will then link into the router. Basically, it allows you to create your own cloud storage service, and you can link it up with Google Drive or Dropbox for added features.

  • Global VoIP Revenues on the Rise

    It seems as if 2012 will go down as a turning point in the rise of VoIP. According to a recent report by industry analyst Visiongain, global VoIP revenues will reach $65 billion in 2012.

    Telecom companies are probably going to be the biggest losers, as VoIP giants like Skype continue to increase market share and revenues. Mobile providers are doing their best to buck the trend, but it seems consumers, enjoying the inexpensive service and expanding capabilities of VoIP providers, are determined to move their business.

    The global financial picture remains murky, and VoIP service has built their reputation on cheap, reliable video and audio calling. Add that economic uncertainty to the increasing proliferation of tablets and smartphones, and you’ve got a situation where VoIP should only continue to grow.

    VoIP-List.com: extensive catalog of voip providers, available software and hardware resources.

    Visiongain authored a report that takes a look at the next five years in the VoIP market. According to their analysis, the potential for growth is limitless, and it is only missteps in strategy that could sink emerging and established companies. With an increasing user base and significant revenues, VoIP services can no longer be threatened by traditional operators. In fact, it is telecom companies that are facing the need to adapt.

    The detailed report brought together nearly sixty graphs, tables and charts to back up the accrued data. Visiongain projected market trends both internationally and in five particular regions. The report also took a look at some of the market’s leading companies, and interviewed key leaders in the VoIP landscape.

    Anyone interested in the changing trends, or considering investing in a VoIP provider would be wise to take a look at the compiled data. Elements of the report can be downloaded free of charge from the Visiongain website.

  • Users Complain of Spotty Google Talk Services

    Google spends an awful lot of time and money advertising some of their services, and Google Talk, featured on Gmail and Google+, receives a large percentage of that attention. Yet any users who attempted to use Google Talk on the east coast of the United States and around the world during one day last week disappointedly met only dead air.

    The service drop occurred just before 7AM EST, and continued for the next six hours. During that time, none of Google Talk’s VoIP services or video conferencing capabilities were available. Google hopped on their sites to report that they were aware of the problem, and that it was impacting a majority of their users. They promised swift action, which then took much of the day to materialize.

    Issues like these are one of the only things keeping VoIP companies from expanding their dominance even further. People need reliable telephone service, and many Google customers are businesses. Losing voice, chat and video services for more than half a day could be devastating if the timing is poor.

    VoIP-List.com: extensive catalog of voip providers, available software and hardware resources.

    The timing of the Google Voice crash was also quite strange in that it occurred on the same day that Twitter crashed for several hours. Of course they couldn’t be related, but that’s millions upon millions of dissatisfied users.

    Before Twitter went down, reports were surfacing there that the Google Talk delays were seen not only in the United States and the UK, but actually all around the world. Google did not give a reason for the issue, only promising to resolve it expediently. Hours later, they were able to solve the problem.

  • Skype Questioned on Privacy Policy Changes

    Recent media reports have accused Skype’s management of changing their privacy policy following their sale to Microsoft, in an effort to help law enforcement agencies keep tabs on video and voice calls. Mark Gillett, Skype’s chief development and operations officer, recently took to the internet to refute those claims, in a statement released through the company’s blog.

    Various media reports have surfaced in recent weeks, claiming that Skype has altered their service architecture in such a way that it is easier for law enforcement officers to monitor incoming and outgoing calls. But Gillett declared in his blog post that the privacy policy changes had nothing to do with that, and would be completely contrary to the company philosophy.

    Gillett did not mention the specific media outlets questioned, but frankly denied the reports, and also refuted the claim that the changes came down from Microsoft staffers. The referenced changes involved the addition of what Skype calls “supernodes”, a directory distribution that helps Skype users find each other through the service. Gillett also mentioned that these changes went into effect well before Microsoft declared they were buying the VoIP giant in 2011.

    VoIP-List.com: extensive catalog of voip providers, available software and hardware resources.

    Since Microsoft acquired Skype, they’ve been working to consolidate the supernodes, which had been spread across outsourced cloud servers and dedicated Skype data centers. The goal was to bring them all together with Microsoft, not to work with law enforcement in any structured way.

    The issue came to light after an article appeared in The New York Times reporting that law enforcement across the United States submitted more than 1.3 million information requests from the nine major cell phone carriers in United States. The majority of those records were turned over after a subpoena was issued, but some were relinquished due to “emergencies”, without requiring any legal documentation.

  • Rebtel Competes With Skype in the Windows Phone Market

    Rebtel is the largest VoIP service in the world after Skype, and has been working hard to close that gap in recent months. This week they took another large step towards further industry dominance, with the launch of a Rebtel app specifically for the Windows Phone. It will be free for all users when downloaded through the Windows Marketplace.

    Rebtel has a massive network of local phone numbers, available in upwards of fifty countries. Their app allows customers to make VoIP calls internationally at an incredibly affordable rate. Rebtel already had apps available for all iOS devices, as well as tablets and smartphones running Android technology, and the release of a dedicated Windows app now means nearly all American customers can take advantage of their cutting edge service.

    VoIP-List.com: extensive catalog of voip providers, available software and hardware resources.

    Andreas Cernstrom, Rebtel’s CEO, announced the new product offering in a press release. He feels they have the most comprehensive group of mobile computing VoIP apps in the world. According to their studies, international calls can be made for 98% off standard phone service, while working through customers wireless phone plans, and not by utilizing data plans. That’s a huge distinction, as customers on many networks have a huge amount of traditional minutes, but limited data plans that made heavy VoIP usage immensely expensive.

    The Rebtel app for Windows phone not only allows inexpensive calls to any phone in the world, regardless if the receiver is running a Rebtel app, but it integrates the phone’s address book as well. International text messaging is available, for roughly 60% off standard rates, and the quality of the calls is elevated by the reliance on cell phone minutes, not data connections. The company expects Windows phone to gather larger and larger shares of the market as Microsoft unveils their latest operating system, built with the mobile app market firmly in mind.

  • Vonage Granted New VoIP Patent

    Vonage has long been an industry leader in cloud-connected communications, with more than 2.4 million current subscribers. This week, the company announced it had been granted a new patent, U.S. Pat. No. 8,223,720. This latest patent, called “Systems and Methods for Handoff of Mobile Telephone Call in a VoIP Environment”, gives users who make VoIP calls on a mobile device the ability to continue the call while moving from one wireless data connection hub to another, without ever dropping the call.

    The patent was approved more than half a year after Vonage filed it, and the new technology should make a huge difference for customers who require more dependable VoIP service.

    Vonage has zeroed in on the mobile market, as have many technology giants in computing and software. The company recently released a mobile app for both Android and iOS-powered devices, giving users the ability to text and call other Vonage app users around the world completely for free, and in full high definition. International calls can also be made, even if the receiving party doesn’t have the Vonage app, after the payment of a small fee.

    Vonage is best known for connecting VoIP users around the world with consistent service, all while offering the same number and quality of features customers have come to expect from traditional phone service. They currently offer a World calling plan, giving users unlimited calls to over sixty countries for a small monthly fee. Vonage also offers call forwarding and call waiting, as well as visual voicemail, all included in the package. The mobile app works on all wireless data networks, and the service can be purchased either online or through a wide range of retail stores.

  • Skype Working Out Instant Messaging Bug

    Skype has long set the standard for both video conferencing and VoIP communications, as their products were one of the first to cross operating systems, and is now the VoIP option integrated with social networking giant Facebook. But many consumers have run into issues in recent weeks, as instant messages sent over Skype have been accidentally sent to the incorrect contact, creating a host of awkward situations. Luckily, Skype is moving quickly to address the problem, so their millions of customers can rest easy that things should soon go back to normal.

    Skype first became aware of the glitch on a user forum. The misdirected IM’s became an issue any time Skype crashed in the midst of an instant message session. The last IM sent would accidentally go to a different contact once the user logged back into his account. Although Skype was incredibly apologetic about the bug, they announced they didn’t feel it has affected a large number of users, and shouldn’t dissuade anyone from trusting their VoIP needs to the service.

    VoIP-List.com: extensive catalog of voip providers, available software and hardware resources.

    Not only is the situation rather unique, but it also only impacted particular iterations of Skype. The versions in question seem to be Skype 5.8 for Mac, Skype 4.0 for Linux, Skype 5.10 for Windows, and Skype 1.2 running on Windows mobile devices. Customers were asked to upgrade to the latest version, which should solve the issue. Skype also took the opportunity to fix the File Sending option on their desktop software, so that users with a FAT32 hard drive can now save files consistently.

    Skype has risen swiftly in the VoIP world, further buffered by their purchase by Microsoft last year. Skype will come built-in on Microsoft’s newest Windows release, Windows 8, and will integrate seamlessly with Microsoft Office 2013 when it heads to market next year.

  • New Smartphone App Gives Verizon Customers VoIP Capabilities

    South Carolina-based Zipit Wireless launched a new app, one they expect to help healthcare professionals deliver faster, more complete aid to their patients than ever before. It’s called Zipit Enterprise Critical Messaging Solution, and it has grown out of an exclusive partnership with Verizon.

    The new app will launch in over one hundred healthcare facilities in the United States, and will give professionals the ability to send a tracked communication in ten seconds or less. That level of speed means faster decision-making for patients in critical health and better access to current patient and treatment information, potentially leading to higher quality care and saved lives.

    The app will be available on Android and iOS devices, and works like a next generation pager. Users can send alerts, launch a two-way communications window, and create pages tagged with various levels of priority. The Vice President of Verizon Connected Healthcare, Peter Tippett, feels it may forever transform the healthcare industry. His excitement stems from the idea that technology can enable professionals to better care for their patients through instant connectivity and the sharing of information at unprecedented speeds.

    Hospital professionals are already sounding off on the app’s viability and real-world applications. They feel it brings accountability along with information access, as the app creates a detailed log of all communications, whether voice, text or page. But Zipit Wireless feels that the app provides a unique opportunity for other industries as well. Any field that needs quick, clear and accountable communication, such as the manufacturing or hotel industries, will find it streamlines their IT processes, saving their company and their customers money and time.

  • Sonetel to Give All Customers iNum Numbers From Voxbone

    Voxbone announced today that Sonetel, a Swedish VoIP provider with users in more than 200 countries, has begun giving all of its subscribers free iNum numbers from Voxbone. The agreement to provide iNums expands Sonetel's relationship with Voxbone, which has provided the certified reseller more than 17,000 geographical phone numbers since 2010.

    iNums are global phone numbers that Voxbone launched in 2008 to support IP communications. Using the international number range of +883 5100 assigned to Voxbone, iNums enable a customer to establish a local presence in new locations with a single, portable number. By providing every customer an iNum, Sonetel will extend the subscriber's range of free calling to include communications with all other iNum users, anywhere in the world.

    Sonetel offers a free hosted PBX solution that is particularly popular with small and medium businesses (SMBs) in price-sensitive regions, such as Africa and Asia. The company then upsells those customers on call termination and Voxbone-provided premium origination services. Together, Sonetel and Voxbone help business owners cost-effectively add local phone numbers, as well as launch virtual offices in any country where they see a market opportunity.

    Sonetel has begun providing iNums to its more than 40,000 existing users and will assign them to the 200 to 300 customers that sign up for service each day. In the process, Sonetel is helping enhance the value of iNums by expanding the number of businesses and other organizations worldwide that can be reached for free via iNums.

    iNums are distributed and routed by a growing list of service providers. Where not routed by a local provider, iNums also can be reached by the iNum initiative's local access numbers in 45 countries.

    "Sonetel's decision to provide free iNums to all of its customers is the latest example of increasing adoption of these flexible, global numbers that support IP communications features," said Voxbone CEO Rod Ullens. "The addition of iNums to Sonetel's innovative freemium PBX solution will enable a business to create a professional, global presence quickly and cost-effectively."

    "The iNum concept is ideally suited to the needs of our SMB customers and a natural complement to our existing offerings," said Sonetel CEO Henrik Thomé. "Providing free iNums will add value to our solution, making it easier for our customers to drive global growth."

  • Vonage Reports First Quarter 2012 Results

    Vonage announced results for the first quarter ended March 31, 2012. Reflecting the company's previously stated plans to increase investment in its strategic growth initiatives, Vonage reported adjusted earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortization of $32 million which includes $7 million in growth initiative funding.

    Adjusted EBITDA is down from $40 million sequentially and $43 million in the year ago quarter. Similarly, income from operations was $21 million, a decrease from $28 million sequentially and $30 million in the year ago quarter.

    Net income was $19 million or $0.08 per share excluding adjustments(1), a decline from $26 million or $0.11 per share sequentially, and a decline from $23 million or $0.10 per share in the year ago quarter.

    GAAP net income was $14 million or $0.06 per share, down from $350 million or $1.55 per share sequentially due to a one-time non-cash income tax benefit recognized in the fourth quarter, and down from $21 million or $0.10 per share a year ago.

    Revenue totaled $216 million, flat sequentially and down from $220 million the prior year.

    Marc Lefar, Vonage Chief Executive Officer, said, "Our financial results were consistent with previous guidance as we increased investment in our strategic growth initiatives. Our core business is stable and generated EBITDA which was in line with recent quarters."

    Vonage also announced its first international partnership with Globe in the Philippines. The partnership marks a significant milestone in Vonage's strategy to expand its services beyond North America and the United Kingdom. The company remains actively involved in discussions with several prospective partners and expects to announce additional alliances before the end of this year.

    On April 18, 2012, Vonage announced key milestones for its Vonage Mobile and Extensions products. Launched in February 2012, the Vonage Mobile app surpassed one million downloads in approximately eight weeks, with usage now approaching 10 million minutes per month. Since launch, the company has steadily updated the app to enhance ease of use and performance and has implemented new releases for iOS and Android addressing top priorities including connection quality, latency load times when opening the app and battery life. Most recently, the company yesterday updated the app to enhance its messaging capability to allow photo and location sharing and sharing of the app with friends on Facebook and Twitter.