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Tag: vonage

  • Top 3 business VoIP providers

    Many business face obstacles as they aim to become successful and profitable due to a number of things including persistent communication barriers between them and their partners. For businesses that use landlines, they find them slow and outdated. The emergence of Business VoIP providers has come at a good time to not only help businesses grow but also ensure an efficient and faster communication process.

    It is advantageous to switch to business VoIP providers. They have cheaper services than landline costs. For those with international and long distance clients, it is cheaper making calls over the Internet. These services provided by Business VoIP providers among others are aimed at maintaining new relationships.

    Voxilla.com recently announced the Top 3 businessVoIP providers. The criteria used considered additional enhancements, customer satisfaction among others to come with the list of the best business VoIP providers. The top 3 in the list are:

    RingCentral

    RingCentral has an affordable package for their clients. Their services are easy to use, quick and simple to install, as they do not involve use of hardware. Their cloud-based system offers a range of services including fax service, conferencing, call management and mobile apps. Their customer support staff is excellent.

    Vonage

    Their strategy, no installation fees and contracts, has enabled them to rank among the best business VoIP providers. Their international call rates are low and customers can use them whenever they travel. They also offer a virtual assistant, smart phone apps, and voice to email options among many more.

    Mitel

    Mitel services are best suited for small and medium sized businesses. Their phone calls are characterized by clear sound quality. Their clients do not need to worry about loss of important information as they use secure data centers. They have low rates.

    It is important to have the right company for your communication needs.

  • Verizon Signs Agreements for Four IP VoIP Interconnections despite Continuous Regulatory Issues


    Verizon has reached an agreement with four new service providers for IP VoIP program, though it has to overcome numerous regulatory challenges. The company has made agreements for IP VoIP interconnections with Comcast, Vonage as well as six other providers.

    Despite making progress on the deals, Verizon in a filing made to the FCC said that it is hoping to create an environment where service providers can deploy the services rapidly. The company holds that the commission should lead the IP transition on a natural and market driven migration of the clients to the packet-switched VoIP service from the circuit-switched TDM.

    Verizon has formulated its own agreement for IP interconnections that is hoped to provide a national structured agreement for service providers who are in need of exchanging VoIP traffic. However, the company notes that the recent regulatory decisions in Massachusetts and Michigan may interfere with the IP transition.

    The company notes that the backward looking regulations may disrupt the immense progress that has been made and is continuously being made in the industry through commercial agreements and negotiations.

    However, not everyone agrees with Verizon on the matter. The chief advocate of COMPTEL, Angie Kronenberg noted that states do not have to wait for IP interconnection issues to follow actions taken by the FCC. Kronenberg noted that states should be allowed to use their authority to address issues to do with interconnections in cases where the parties do not reach into an agreement.

  • WebRTC Gets Role in the Vonage Mobile Apps Arena

    WebRTC (Real-Time Communications) is stepping outside its comfort zone this year. Already an authority in the browser-to-browser audio and video communications industry, WebRTC has now showed up in Vonage mobile apps.

    In an announcement by Vonage this week, the open source WebRTC has been given a central role in the company's mobile app plans. According to Vonage VP of Technology Research Baruch Sterman, the company was in deep during WebRTC's Native Stack development. This is a lower-level code that is unrelated to the browser stack.

    Vonage plans to use WebRTC apps alongside its existing communications infrastructure because WebRTC is interoperable with a number of technologies that include RTP Real-time Transport Protocol and the SIP signaling protocol.

    A report by Disruptive Analysis issued in February asserts that WebRTC is likely to outperform its press clippings to date. The report says that many underestimate the true scale and impact of the company.

    This is contrary to the less positive range of reactions it has engendered — a case in point is a recent coverage of No Jitter entitled "WebRTC: Who really cares?"

  • 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.

  • 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.

  • Vonage Reports Record High Net Income of $22 million

    Vonage Holdings announced results for the second quarter ended June 30, 2011. The Company reported record high net income of $22 million and record high adjusted earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortization (“EBITDA”) of $44 million.

    Vonage generated record high adjusted EBITDA of $44 million, up from $41 million in the year ago quarter and $43 million sequentially. Income from operations increased to $31 million from $24 million in the year ago quarter and $30 million sequentially.

    Net income increased to a record high $22 million or $0.10 per share, up from a net loss of $1 million or $0.00 per share in the year ago quarter, which included $12 million in charges relating to the Company's prior debt.  This increase was driven by a $7 million increase in income from operations and a $7 million reduction in interest expense. Net income increased from $21 million or $0.10 per share sequentially. 

    Revenue was $218 million, down from $225 million in the year ago quarter due to a $3 million decline in deferred revenues related to discontinuation of activation fees and lower customer equipment and shipping revenue.  Revenue declined from $220 million sequentially, primarily due to lower activation revenue and Universal Service Fund ("USF") fees. These factors contributed to a decline in average revenue per user ("ARPU") to $30.28, down from $31.21 in the prior year and $30.45 sequentially.

    Telephony services ARPU was $30.14, down from $30.71 a year ago due primarily to impacts from lower deferred activation revenue.  Telephony services ARPU decreased sequentially from $30.23 due to lower deferred activation revenue and USF fees.

    New Products

    Vonage announced two new products during the past week:  Extensions and Time to Call.

    Extensions, a free enhancement to the Company’s flat rate, unlimited international calling plan, addresses the needs of international long distance callers by extending the value provided by Vonage’s home service plans to additional phone numbers and devices including smartphones and feature phones.

    Time to Call provides low-cost, easy to use international calling on smartphones around the world.  According to the company, it is the first downloadable mobile application that allows pay-per-call international dialing to more than 190 countries. To promote its global launch, the Company is providing a free international call to everyone that downloads the application. This mobile application, designed for iPhones, allows consumers to make international calls of up to 15 minutes while avoiding high prices and roaming fees charged by traditional telecommunications carriers. The service is available in 87 countries around the world.  Time to Call provides direct payment through iTunes.

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  • Vonage Announces Successful Completion of Refinancing

    Vonage has announced the successful completion of its planned refinancing. According to the company, the new $200 million, five-year term loan facility provides Vonage with "a more efficient capital structure" and is the result of the its solid financial and operating performance highlighted by EBITDA and free cash flow generation of $150 million over the past twelve months.

    The company completed the refinancing on December 14, 2010, replacing its first, second and third lien debt totaling $194 million which carried interest rates ranging from 16% to 20%. The new lower cost facility will be accretive to 2011 net income by approximately 45% and will reduce interest expense by $20 million from 2010 (assuming constant LIBOR).

    According to Vonage, the new loan bears interest at LIBOR plus 8%, with a LIBOR floor of 1.75%, and carries far less restrictive covenants than those under the prior facility, providing the company with "enhanced operating and financial flexibility to invest for future growth and value creation." The new facility is pre-payable at par, allowing the company to retire debt with cash from operations at any time.

    Total interest expense savings from the Vonage’s recapitalization efforts throughout the year, which include prepayment at par of $41 million in debt, totals $116 million if the loans were outstanding to maturity. Vonage exits the refinancing with a clean balance sheet, low leverage of 1.5 times debt to last twelve months EBITDA and more than $70 million in cash.

    "Today’s announcement of our successful refinancing begins a new and exciting chapter in Vonage’s history," said Marc Lefar, Vonage’s Chief Executive Officer.

    "This transforming event, combined with our strong cash flow and the stabilization of our customer base, provides a very strong platform on which to continue to build the future of Vonage," he added.

    Vonage also said that upon completion of the refinancing, all third lien notes were converted into 8.3 million shares of the company’s common stock. The remaining charges associated with the retirement of the first, second and third lien debt, totaling approximately $60 million, will be recorded in the fourth quarter.

    Banc of America Securities LLC acted as lead arranger and bookrunning manager for the term loan Facility. Deutsche Bank Securities Inc. and Citigroup Global Markets Inc. acted as co-arrangers for the term loan facility.

    Related artciles
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    Vonage Goes Mobile: Wi-Fi and Cellular Networks Low Rates Calls Available

  • Vonage Mobile App Provides Free Wi-Fi / 3G Calling For Facebook Users Worldwide

    Vonage has just introduced the Vonage Mobile application for Facebook, a new service that allows users to make free mobile calls to all of their Facebook friends who have the app, anywhere in the world, directly from their friends list.

    The downloadable application is free to get and free to use. According to Vonage, the new service enhances the ability to connect with Facebook friends through the addition of voice calling.

    It is available for iPhone, iPod touch and Android devices and works over Wi-Fi and 3G /4G networks in most countries.

    “The new service is easy to use,” says Vonage. The app works with a user’s existing community of Facebook friends, so there’s no need to remember screen names or to input numbers. The application eliminates dialing – users can just click on a friend and start talking. When placing a call, the friend’s profile picture and status update display on the screen.

    "The Vonage Mobile app for Facebook is a tangible example of our commitment to deliver extraordinary value and a better communications experience for individuals and their social networks, across broadband-enabled devices, around the world," said Marc Lefar, Chief Executive Officer of Vonage.

    "This is just the start. In the future we will expand on this service to include a wide range of integrated voice and messaging services that change the way people communicate," he added.

    The application can be downloaded from the Android Market in 48 countries and from the iTunes Store in 87 countries. Users who don’t have an unlimited data plan should check with their carrier to see if any charges apply.

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    Vonage Goes Mobile: Wi-Fi and Cellular Networks Low Rates Calls Available

  • Vonage Goes Mobile: Wi-Fi and Cellular Networks Low Rates Calls Available

    Vonage has launched Vonage Mobile, its first mobile calling application for smartphones. This free downloadable application provides seamless, low-cost international calling while on Wi-Fi or cellular networks.

    It’s available for download on the iPhone, BlackBerry and iPod touch.

    The app works with the existing mobile plans, what lets you keep your number, mobile device, existing contacts and mobile service provider.

    Vonage Mobile does not require any access numbers. You simply enter an international number or select a contact from the existing contacts on your iPhone or Blackberry, hit send and the app does the rest.

    When you dial an international number from your mobile device, your call is routed through the Vonage network. That way, you get their international rates and only use local minutes under your regular carrier’s plan.

    Obviously the app doesn’t support SIP calls over EDGE/HSDPA. International calls you make while being out of WiFi range but still having voice service, will be redirected to a local access number in the US – you’ll be then using your existing provider’s minutes while being charged Vonage Mobile’s discounted worldwide calling rates.

    "Our new mobile app is an important step in establishing Vonage as a software technology company that enables high-quality voice and messaging across any device in any location, providing great value over any broadband network," said Marc Lefar, CEO of Vonage.

    The company assures in the fourth quarter 2009, they will enhance the app to include the Vonage World plan that was introduced for home service in August. This enhancement extends the ability to make unlimited calls to over 60 countries for one flat monthly fee (at this moment – $25).

    According to Mike Tempora, Senior Vice President of Product Management for Vonage, when developing Vonage Mobile, the company focused on creating a more convenient alternative for customers who use calling cards or Wi-Fi only applications.