Japanese operator NTT DoCoMo is demanding help from Google (Nasdaq: GOOG) to help reign in what it's calling a signaling storm specifically exacerbated by an Android VoIP application that caused a major outage in its network.

The operator said the app and the way Android constantly polls the network generate massive signaling traffic.

Verizon Wireless (NYSE: VZ) suffered outages in its LTE network last year and cited similar factors.

Operators are increasingly concerned with the booming traffic demands that also are likely to accompany cloud-based services and applications like videoconferencing.

DoCoMo's outage earlier this month was the fifth outage in the past six months. It affected 2.5 million subscribers.

For more:
- see this Rethink Wireless article

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Polycom (Nasdaq: PLCM)'s RealPresence Mobile software will be shipping pre-loaded as an app on Motorola's new Droid Xyboard, the company announced today. It's the first tablet to ship preloaded with the software.

The company rolled out RealPresence Mobile, which it calls the first enterprise-class HD mobile video solution for tablets, in October. The software allows Polycom customers to connect with other standards-based video systems, including immersive video rooms, group/desktop systems, laptops and other mobile devices.

The app is already available free for iOS devices, the Motorola XOOM tablet and Samsung's Galaxy Tab. Polycom said the app has been downloaded more than 25,000 times since being introduced.

RealPresence Mobile allows users to simultaneously view content, such as presentations, in high-quality during video sessions.

"We want to enable our customer to be able to deploy across multiple platforms; we want them to have an easy choice as to what they want to use," Jim Kruger, SVP of global solution marketing told FierceEnterpriseCommunications when the app was introduced. "Having so many devices, the BYOD trend, has really made it difficult for IT departments. In many cases, they've tried to keep them at bay and not support them. This solution eliminates that problem; it allows them to manage and deploy via software."

Kruger said customers are looking to embrace mobility and tablets, which, he said, have a significant impact on business productivity.

It's a market that the company believes will see explosive growth in the short and long-term.

"The market driver is demand for mobility, and the key is tablets," he said. "The quality of the cameras, the processing power [and] the larger displays make tablets effective multipoint devices. They handle content and desktops; they make it easy to collaborate and connect into meetings."

Gartner predicts 900 million tablets will be shipped by 2015, with upward of 320 units shipped in 2015 alone. GigaOm Pro, meanwhile, said videoconferencing participation is expected to grow 14-fold to more than 140 million units over the same time frame.

For more:
- see this release

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Citrix Systems has gone mobile with its GoToMeeting product, offering Android users a free app that lets them connect to and participate in online meetings.

The company, which last month added a free HD videoconferencing component to its web collaboration product, said the app will be pre-loaded on the Droid Bionic from Motorola, the latest Android-powered device from Motorola Mobility arriving at Verizon Wireless today.

Motorola will also be pre-loading Citrix Receiver, which enables customers to access their corporate Windows apps and documents on over one billion different devices, regardless of operating system or form factor.

"(This) opens a world of choice for our customers who rely on our application for high-quality, secure and reliable web and audio conferencing," said Bernardo de Albergaria, vice president and general manager of the Collaboration, Online Services Division at Citrix Systems. "(This) announcement underscores our company commitment to helping businesses--large and small--achieve flexibility and agility in the way they work for maximum productivity and success, anywhere at anytime."

For more:
- see this release

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Dialogic is partnering with Voiceserve subsidiary VoipSwitch to develop an open standards-based mobile video conferencing solution based on the technology components commercially available from both companies.

The move to take advantage of the growing demand for videoconferencing solutions provides for SIP-based mobile video conferencing from Google's (Nasdaq: GOOG) Android and Apple (Nadaq: AAPL) iPhone smartphones using off-the-shelf smartphone video client applications, rather than non standards-compliant proprietary networks and terminals.

"Demand for mobile multimedia services is poised to continue to increase and, as it does, it is important that the right tools are available to developers to help meet this demand," said Franz-Josef Eberle, vice president and general manager of VAS and Cloud Enabling Unit at Dialogic. "We are excited that through our collaboration with a great company like VoipSwitch, we were able to develop a more accessible mobile videoconferencing tool for the developer community."

Dialogic and VoipSwitch have combined VoipSwitch's  Vippie SIP-based smartphone client application, based on Dialogic's multimedia processing software, to develop a proof-of-concept. The solution is software-based, allowing for simple delivery of scalable and reliable new services.  

Dialogic's SBC, the BorderNet 500 Gateway, is used in the solution to allow clients to make SIP calls on the Internet from anywhere and enables them to deploy the solution in hosted or cloud environments.

Dialogic will demonstrate the mobile video conferencing solution set at IT Expo West in Austin and the Rural Cellular Association Fall Expo 2011 in Las Vegas the week of September 12th.

For more:
- see this release

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Wholesale VoIP services provider VoX Communications has developed a mobile app for use on all Android mobile phones, moving out of the shadow of companies like fring and Nimbuzz, which it previously relied upon to deliver its mobile VoIP application to an Android device.

The new app means users can install a VoX app directly on an Android tablet or smartphone via a download. VoX previously partnered with Nimbuzz in January on an iPhone app; it says it will launch its Android app in the Android Market within 30 days.

"We believe that this venue will give our VoIP services unprecedented exposure, as this App will be available to over 50 million Android smart phones in the U.S. alone," said Mark Richards, CIO of Pervasip, which owns VoX.

The app has features that, Richards said, gives VoX an advantage over some other apps, including Skype. The VoX app, for example, makes the VoIP service available in the phone's primary dialer with a single touch, meaning you won't have to sign on each time you use it. You can also set it to automatically register with VoX when Wi-Fi is turned on, or keep it registered for 3G, 4G and Wi-Fi; to maximize battery life, it can be set to register only when a call is made.

Richards said the company also plans to add video calling to the product by the end of the year, enabling video calling between an Android phone and an Ojo Vision video phone.

"As a nimble development technology company, we intend to produce a tablet video app that brings a product superior to Facetime to the Android Market," he said.

Mobile VoIP plans start at $4.95. VoX also offers 500 minutes for $9.95, and $29.95 for unlimited calling to the U.S., Canada and Puerto Rico.

For more:
- see this release

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Viber, a mobile application that offers users free phone calls and text messaging to other Viber users over 3G and Wi-Fi, announced the official launch of the Android version of the app, bringing Viber to millions of additional users. Viber also announced that it has acquired over 12 million active users (last 30 days) and has an impressive call traffic volume of over one billion minutes of calls per quarter.

Cisco Cius, the first Android tablet aimed at enterprise customers will be launched by Verizon Wireless later this summer. According to Verizon, the company is combining the power of its 4G LTE network with the Cisco Cius to improve "Mobile Enterprise Collaboration."

Cisco introduced AppHQ, an application ecosystem built specifically for Cisco Cius that provides new ways to create, manage and rapidly deploy tablet applications in the enterprise. According to Cisco, with the Cius, organizations can now deliver an optimized tablet with enterprise-grade security, as a natural extension of the enterprise network.

IPsmarx announced the release of Breeze, their new line of VoIP Mobile Dialers that can be used with smartphones, such as the iPhone, Windows Mobile, and Android devices.

fring announced the rollout of its network-optimized DVQ mobile video calling technology. The company’s proprietary DVQ (dynamic video quality) technology adjusts video bit rate and frame rate according to the specific device to match current network bandwidth during a call, delivering the best possible video picture quality for available bandwidth between call peers.

Two weeks after releasing fringOut that enables users to make cheap calls to any regular landline or mobile phone anywhere in the world, with rates as low as 1¢ a minute, fring announced the service is now available for Android phones.

Continuing its quest to be everywhere, Skype has made another expansion. The ubiquitous VoIP calling software is now available for all Android devices.

Today Skype launched Skype for Android to the Android Market for version 2.1 of the operating system. Previously, the software was limited to Verizon-based Android handsets, but now the low-cost VoIP client is available to all Android users across the wireless-sphere. The app offers free Skype-to-Skype calls over 3G and WiFi. Strangely, for U.S. users, the app will only allow calls made over WiFi. The limitation is a bummer for Android users who will probably lament that the ever dominating iPhone gets to have all the fun.

For more:
- read the PC World report

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Skype has just announced the release of Skype for Android, a client for mobile handsets, built for smartphones running Android OS version 2.1 or above. In the US, Skype for Android calling works over WiFi only. Outside the US the app works over WiFi or mobile data connection (GPRS, EDGE, 3G).

It's always fun to take notice when one company in our market is using another company's product. It's probably one of the ultimate votes of confidence an IP communications company can get. This week, Sonus deployed Iperia's solutions on its internal corporate networks.

The integration of Iperia products is actually one way Sonus hopes to showcase how well the two companies' products work together. Iperia unified voice messaging apps are being integrated seamlessly with the corporate communication systems for Sonus employees giving them access to them in the office, working remotely or while mobile. The company is deploying Iperia's Unified Voice Messaging, Conferencing, Auto Attendant, as well as Visual Messaging and Mobile Conferencing for Blackberry, iPhone and Android as well as the Apple iPad.

"Iperia's platform flexibility, redundancy, and rich application suite are very well suited to our communications needs and were critical factors in shaping our decision," stated Bill Scudder, Sonus' CIO in a release. "Not only is this project one of our key strategic IT initiatives for 2010, but we also plan to use this deployment to showcase what can be accomplished by integrating Sonus products in conjunction with Iperia's capabilities as part of our sales and marketing efforts."

For more:
- read the release

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Vopium, a Danish mobile VoIP calling company, released the newest version of their Android calling application. The new features are offering free calls in a couple different ways.

First off, the newest feature for the Android app will allow users to place free calls between Vopium users on Android using WiFi or mobile data networks. The application automatically detects the lowest-costing option for other calls like calls to landlines and for text messages. The application also includes instant messaging with Facebook and Windows Live Messenger. This release is a new version of their Android application which currently sees download rates of 1,000 times daily.

In addition to the free WiFi and mobile data calls to other Vopium users, the company is giving out 15 minutes free worldwide to new users who sign up. 

In June the company recieved a large infusion of cash to grow. Taking in $16.5 million from investors, the company plans to expand internationally with its services.

For more:
- read the release

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Just about everyone is embracing Android these days. (Except for Nokia.) CounterPath has just announced their Android app for their VoIP softphone, Bria.

CounterPath released an iPhone 4 version of Bria back in August. It features the ability to call numbers right from the phone's contacts as well as switch between calls, merge and split calls and perform attended and unattended transfers. The app supports calls over 3G and WiFi networks, is SIP-compliant and it can work with equipment from vendors like Alcatel-Lucent, Ericsson, BroadSoft, Metaswitch, Avaya, and Cisco.

CounterPath is demoing the Bria Android app at Metaswitch Forum 2010. Check it out if you are at the event or wait till October for the official release.

For more:
- read the article

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fring has just introduced fringOut, a new service that enables users to make cheap calls to any regular landline or mobile phone anywhere in the world, with rates as low as 1¢ a minute. Rates for Canada and UK are even lower -- 0,6¢ and 0,7¢, respectively, US calls starts at 1,2¢ per minute.

Vonage has chosen AudioCodes and MailVision's VoIP Mobile Access Solution (VMAS) to support their new mobile applications.

The VMAS is a mobile VoIP solution available to iPhone, iPod touch, Nokia, Samsung, HTC smartphone systems, so although the release didn't go into details, I would guess we should be seeing new Vonage apps for iOS4, Android and Symbian. The solution enables service providers to offer low cost calls with significantly improved voice quality.

Vonage recently launched an app for Facebook to allow Vonage users connect to each other through their favorite social network.

For more:
- read the release

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A new Vonage application will make connecting with friends on Facebook even easier by allowing users to connect and make calls to each other through the VoIP service using their mobile phone.

The new application is available for both iPhone and Android phones for Vonage customers with a Facebook account. Users do not need to even use phone numbers to make the calls using the application, they simply select their Facebook friend who has Vonage and the application and they can make the call. One interesting feature is that calls from the application will still go through even if the customer on the other end doesn't have the app open as the calls will still ring on the phone.

A lot of services are coming out with VoIP apps for the mobile, but this one is interesting because we are treading into new territory connecting your VoIP service, your mobile phone, and your social network into one seamless communication universe. Not bad.

For more:
- read this post at PCMag

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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.

fring just announced the release of the world's first mobile video calls over internet on Android devices.
Android device owners now join Nokia (Symbian S60) and iPhone/iPod touch users who are already making free mobile video over internet calls with fring.

With Google's recent purchase of Global IP Sound (GIPS), the company is expanding its IP communications applications arsenal. One interesting area where GIPS comes in handy is in video chat.

Apparently, GIPS recently released a video calling engine called VideoEngine which aims to deliver high quality voice and video to PC softphones, Unified Communications (UC) applications and mobile devices. In April, GIPS announced that they were "first-to-market with GIPS VideoEngine for Android, which provides mobile developers the vital building blocks for integrating video conferencing/video chat into applications running Google's Android mobile operating system." The GIPS software accounts for delay, packet loss, bandwidth limitations and echo to ensure that video conversations dynamically adjust with WiFi or 3G cellular network conditions in order to deliver quality video calling.

The new software offering seems to be an excellent reason for Google to snatch these guys up when you look at where Google plans to take its Android and other communication plays.

For more:
- read the release
- read this blog post

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Ringio, a new company founded by a group of long-time SaaS and Telephony Executives, has launched a new service for small and mid-sized businesses that brings them a combination of CRM and telephony functionality that until now has been available only through call centers and enterprise-level telephony systems.

Sure you can already get Vonage calls on your iPhone and Blackberry, but what about the whole other part of the mobile world owned by Google? Finally, Android phones on T-Mobile and AT&T are getting a Vonage application.

The Vonage application provides high-quality, outbound international calling over WiFi and cellular networks in addition to free domestic calls over WiFi. Users can choose between Vonage World Mobile with unlimited international calling to more than 60 countries, or Vonage Mobile Pay-Per-Use.

Michael Tempora, senior vice president of product management for Vonage hinted that we'll eventually see VoIP calls over the data networks, but more and more it looks like we really might be waiting until 4G to get the true functionality we want. "We are focused on ensuring that our customers can enjoy all the benefits of their Vonage service from any location using any device that can access the Internet. We will continue to expand our offerings in 2010 to include a robust set of voice and messaging services that utilize Wi-Fi and 3G wireless networks," said Tempora in a release.

For more:
- read the release

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Global IP Solutions, a provider of HD voice and video processing solutions, announced yesterday another first-to-market with GIPS VideoEngine for Android, which provides mobile developers the vital building blocks for integrating video conferencing/video chat into applications running Google’s Android mobile operating system.