RTX is launching a combined SkypeT and landline phone. The new cordless phone, the DUALphone 4088, is being launched at ITEXPO in Miami.

The main benefit of the DUALphone 4088 is that it does not require the user to be physically connected to a PC to make VoIP calls. The caller can simply connect the DUALphone base station to a broadband connection and make Skype calls free of charge to other Skype users or have the choice of conventional paid-for landline calls worldwide.

At a time when the number of Skype calls is soaring, RTX says it expects the new handset to bring free and low cost calls to consumers worldwide. According to a recent report by telecom market research firm TeleGeography, cross-border Skype-to-Skype calls grew 48 percent in 2011, to 145 billion minutes.

Jesper Mailind CEO RTX commented, "Our new elegant DUALphone 4088 offers consumers a unique way to use Skype, bringing the benefits of wireless low cost or free calls to households across the globe at an affordable price-point. We believe there is a growing demand for dual phones from the existing 170 million Skype account holders. As more and more people use Skype our user-friendly and intuitive phone will be an attractive solution. It will also provide a business opportunity for resellers around the world."

The new handset has a colour TFT screen and superior sound quality through the use of high definition Audio. The phone system can switch between two separate Skype accounts and can be extended to four handsets per household. Standard features including call waiting, voicemail and a phone contact list of 200 numbers have been enhanced by software to show the Skype status of the user and all contacts. The design of DUALphone 4088 is suitable for the modern living room.

Vonage is allowing customers to extend their Vonage home calling plans to any phone, including mobiles. The move allows customers to use Vonage's signature unlimited international calling plans from their mobile phones to call friends and family abroad. The new service offering -- Extensions -- is free to all Vonage customers and builds upon Vonage's history of providing unsurpassed value to customers for both domestic and international calling.

Existing customers can add any U.S. phone number as an extension by logging into their online account at www.vonage.com. The extension phone number can be a cell phone, a home phone or even an office number. Once registered, the service works like a virtual calling card. Simply dial the access number and international destination number and the call is connected over the Vonage network.

Extensions works with any mobile phone, and in the next several weeks Vonage plans to offer downloadable apps for iPhone® and Android devices, enabling one-touch dialing directly from the customer's contact list.

Customers with the Vonage World plan will now have the additional flexibility of unlimited calling to more than 60 countries from their cell phones in addition to from their home phone. Those who call internationally for as little as an hour a week will save an average of $250 a year versus the best international rates from major wireless carriers.

The total service provider VoIP equipment market, including trunk media gateways, SBCs, media servers, softswitches, and voice application servers, decreased 9% from 2Q10 to 3Q10, to $511 million, according to Infonetics Research. While revenue is down for the quarter, shipments for almost all segments in the market are up sequentially.

Phone Power has acquired VOIP.com, a Voice Over IP service provider headquartered in Boca Raton, Florida. Phone Power has built a solid reputation in providing cutting-edge communications solutions to both residential and business customers. This is the third acquisition for Phone Power in the last twelve months. Financial terms of the deal were not disclosed. The acquisition grows the Phone Power customer base over 25%.

“VOIP.com is an excellent fit for Phone Power as we continue to grow,” said Ari Ramezani, CEO of Phone Power. “We are very pleased to welcome VOIP.com customers into the Phone Power family. We look forward to utilizing our combined synergies to provide all of our customers the most advanced features that technology has to offer and a world class customer service experience. The VOIP.com brand will contribute significantly to the company’s organic growth potential.”

Moving forward, the VOIP.com brand will co-exist independently with the Phone Power brand. Phone Power plans to manage the VOIP.com brand by continuing to invest in marketing, infrastructure and customer support. VOIP.com clients will gain access to Phone Power’s advanced features such as their free softphone, mobile apps, and free international calling.

Skype announces the release of Skype for Android, a client for mobile handsets, built for smartphones running Android OS version 2.1 or above. With this latest release, the majority of smart phone users globally will now be able to experience the benefits of Skype on the move using either a WiFi or mobile data connection (GPRS, EDGE, 3G). Skype for Android is downloadable for free from the Android Market or consumers can visit www.skype.com/m to find out more details about how to get the application.

Skype for Android enables users to:

• Make free Skype-to-Skype calls over WiFi or mobile data connection (GPRS, EDGE, 3G)* to other Skype users anywhere in the world using Skype’s SILK codec for CD-like audio quality.
• Make low rate Skype calls to landline or mobile phones
• Send and receive instant messages to one or a group of friends on Skype
• Synchronize contacts between Skype and the native address book and after synchronization place Skype calls directly from the native address book.
• See when Skype contacts are online and available to call or chat
• Easily import names and numbers to the Skype application from the native address book
• Receive calls on their Skype online number

AT&T announces new and existing virtual private network customers may add VoIP service to the network solution delivered over AT&T's global network cloud. This converged solution will 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 also 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.

AT&T VoIP portfolio is also certified for interoperability with leading industry providers of IP-PBX systems, including Microsoft, 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.

VoIP calling plans include unlimited local and "on-net" long-distance calling, as well as "off-net" long distance international calling, and provide the local calling features customers have come to expect such as: caller ID, voice mail, conferencing, local number portability and E911. Customers are able to monitor and manage their network through AT&T BusinessDirect, an award-winning Web-based suite of secure, interactive tools which allows customers to perform a multitude of functions from network monitoring and performance optimization, to customer service and bill management.

Business customers want a single network and platform to deliver voice, data, video and applications to their end-users. VPNs are quickly becoming the strategic platform to deliver on the goal of a networked enterprise -- anytime, anywhere, reliable, and highly secure networking. With AT&T's VPN portfolio, businesses can use a single infrastructure (their VPN network) to connect branch offices, headquarters, remote users, and third parties such as suppliers and customers.

Remote workers and road warriors have the same functionality as their co-workers in the company's headquarters or branch-based co-workers through the VPN network. They have seamless access to business functions, applications and intelligence, including customer service to order processing, procurement, and now, voice services, over a single network, including the same voice mail and the corporate dialing plans,

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

There are over 100 service providers offering business VoIP services in EMEA and new ones being added every quarter, according to “EMEA Business VoIP Services Leadership Matri,” a new report recently released by Infonetics Research.

Vonage introduced the Vonage Mobile application for Facebook. This new service 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, with a single touch.

The downloadable application is free to get and free to use. 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 the service works over Wi-Fi and 3G /4G networks in most countries.

The new service is easy to use. 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.

How does the Vonage Mobile Application for Facebook work?

The Vonage Mobile application is simple. It's simple to download, and so simple to use that we have eliminated the need for dialing altogether. To get started, the user:

• Downloads the app from the iTunes Store, Android Market, the Vonage fan page on Facebook or vonage.com/talkfree.
• Enters Facebook ID and password (one time only).
• Views Facebook contacts after they are automatically loaded. They'll be grouped by friends who can be called for free and friends available for instant messaging on Facebook. A Vonage logo will appear next to the names of friends who have downloaded the app.
• Invites additional Facebook friends to get the app at the Vonage Fan Page on Facebook or vonage.com/talkfree.
• Touches a friend's name from the Call Free list to make a free call anywhere in the world; no need to be online.
• Rings the phone for incoming calls, even if the application is closed.

This new service continues Vonage's commitment to be the leader in low-cost communication services that connect individuals and social networks through any broadband device, worldwide. 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.

fring announces that it is being forced to stop its 4 years of Skype interconnectivity following threat of legal action. Skype’s anti-competitive ambush comes in the wake of fring’s mobile video calling on iPhone 4 launch, which continues to set the standard in rich mobile internet communication.

Since its foundation in 2006, fring’s rich mobile communications have been available to both fring users and open 3rd party networks including GoogleTalk, SIP, Twitter and, until now, Skype. However, despite fring expanding its network capacity over the last days to serve its enlarged user base, Skype is refusing to allow fring to restore connectivity to Skype. Accordingly, fringsters will no longer be able to communicate with their Skype friends the way they want, but can invite their Skype friends to join fring and enjoy unrestricted mobile video calling from any mobile phone, chat and voice services without restriction to a user’s mobile operator and the freedom to choose internet connectivity (3G/4G/WiFi).

“We are disappointed that Skype, who once championed the cause of openness, is now attempting to muzzle competition, even to the detriment of its own users” said Avi Shechter, fring’s Co-Founder and CEO “We apologize to our users for the impact of Skype’s bullying and we will be happy to reconnect with Skype once Skype reverses their decision.” Avi continued, “We believe in communication openness and know that users will continue to vote with their mobile phones – opting for fring’s innovation, clarity, honesty and openness”.

fring’s newest version is now available for download from fring’s website here and from appstores.

Skype announces the launch of the new version of its iPhone application. Available to download from the Apple App Store today, this update allows iPhone users to make and receive Skype-to-Skype calls, and to call mobiles and landlines around the world at very low rates for the first time over their 3G data connection.

Skype-to-Skype calls on 3G will be free for a trial period which will run until the end of 2010. Details of pricing will be announced in the coming months and will be in line with Skype's commitment to providing customers with great value. Skype-to-Skype calls over WiFi will still remain free.

Additional new features of the Skype for iPhone application include:

• Near CD-quality sound for Skype-to-Skype calls using wideband audio on iPhone 3GS or 2nd generation iPod touch and onwards.
• Enhanced call quality indicator, which will help customers choose the best moment to call.
• Improved start-up time
• Rapid access to the dial pad from the home screen

The new version is compatible with the iPhone, iPhone 3G, iPhone 3GS, iPod touch and iPad. Skype requires iPhone OS version 3.0 and above.

Calling functionality is available on iPhone, iPhone 3G, iPhone 3GS and 2nd generation iPod touch onwards. iPod touch requires a compatible headset with a microphone.

The Skype for iPhone application is available to download for free from the App Store on iPhone and iPod touch.

Verizon Business introduces Global Fixed Mobile Convergence, a new service that can significantly reduce mobile phone roaming charges for European workers who make and receive calls outside of their home service area.

The new service also offers a universal phone number with "find me/follow me" capabilities to reach employees on a wireline or mobile phone for immediate attention, reducing the number of voicemails and spurring productivity.

Using advanced software from MobileMax, Verizon Global Fixed Mobile Convergence determines cost-effective routing for mobile calls. The service dynamically directs calls to either Verizon's cloud-based global voice-over-IP communications platform, powered by Broadsoft, or to the customer's mobile network service if that is the more cost-effective option. This is particularly powerful in helping to contain roaming costs for workers placing and receiving calls outside of their network coverage area, or when making international calls from their home country.

Verizon Global FMC is available immediately to Verizon Business customers in nine European countries: Belgium, France, Germany, Ireland, Italy, the Netherlands, Spain, Sweden and the United Kingdom. In addition, enterprises headquartered in the U.S. and Asia-Pacific can also take advantage of the offering for employees based in this initial service area.

The new enterprise solution works with an array of mobile devices across most GSM-based mobile operator networks located throughout the initial service area. As a result, new and existing companies can achieve cost-savings for international mobile calls without any additional capital investment and without changing mobile operators or company-issued handsets.

Verizon Global FMC will be integrated next month with the company's VoIP platform, enabling more advanced capabilities afforded by PBX office phone systems and cost savings opportunities for Verizon Global FMC customers who are also Verizon VoIP customers. By combining the power of voice over IP in a mobile, wireless environment, individuals will be able to activate the same familiar office phone features directly from their mobile handset.

Verizon Business' unified communications and mobility consultants can help businesses prepare for and employ Verizon Global FMC in the context of their overall UC&C and mobility strategies. The new service complements Verizon's comprehensive suite of unified communications and collaboration solutions, and is being integrated with Verizon Managed Mobility to simplify management of a multitude of global devices, expenses and applications across multiple carriers around the globe.

In a separate announcement Tuesday (May 11), the company introduced Enterprise Mobility as a Service, a cloud-based solution for businesses to more simply and cost-effectively manage and use mobile devices to access corporate resources.

UM Labs announces support for Skype for SIP. This means that Organisations can now use the UM Labs SIP Controller to simplify the task of linking their corporate PBX to the Skype for SIP service. Skype for SIP offers a number of compelling benefits, including free inbound calls from any Skype user and low cost local numbers for inbound and outbound calls in over 25 countries. A Skype for SIP link requires that the corporate PBX accepts inbound SIP calls over the Internet. The UM Labs SIP Security controller monitors these calls protecting the corporate PBX from a wide range of security threats, many of which are not blocked by a standard Firewall.

UM Labs SIP Controller's current product release 1.4 has been successfully tested - inbound and outbound calls - with Skype's SIP beta program. Current customers can download a Skype for SIP application note from the UM Labs website.

The UM Labs SIP Controller provides significant benefits to any enterprise looking to Skype-enable their PBX. These include:

• The UM Labs controller simplifies the process of setting up a Skype for SIP connection. Its service enablement features ensure that SIP requests are presented in exactly the format that Skype needs.
• The UM Labs controller means that a company with any SIP capable PBX is now able to connect to Skype for SIP even if that PBX cannot itself meet Skype's connection requirements.
• Skype for SIP requires that the company's PBX is connected to the internet, so the SIP specific security provided by the UM Labs product is essential. Standard firewalls cannot block the wide range of SIP security threats that can compromise a corporate PBX.

UM Labs is a pioneer and leader in Voice over IP and Unified Messaging security. The company markets a family of cost effective SIP Security Controllers that easily and securely connect VoIP systems used by enterprises, government, and communications service providers to the public internet. Confidentiality, integrity, and authenticity of VoIP are critical considerations for most businesses. Driven by lower bandwidth costs and the promise of increased flexibility, VoIP is quickly becoming a critical tool in the business-to-business landscape. Significant growth in SIP

Trunking and consolidation of voice and data traffic over the public internet are raising new security and interoperability concerns that were previously overlooked. To solve these problems, UM Labs has developed a family of cost effective SIP Security Controllers which can be easily plugged into existing networks to enable SIP connectivity, security and voice encryption.

Skype announces it has selected tekVizion Labs as the independent and objective verification and testing service to run the Skype for SIP Interoperability Certification Program. In addition, Skype and tekVizion Labs together announced a number of third-party IP PBX and gateway solutions to have been newly awarded Skype for SIP interoperability certification.

The following are some of the recent IP PBXs and gateways for small- and medium-sized businesses to have passed tekVizion Labs’ testing and been certified as interoperable with Skype for SIP:

• AudioCodes Mediant 1000 Multi-Service Business Gateway: This gateway offers the ultimate flexibility and modularity, supporting the use of Skype for SIP with many types of TDM PBXs, Key Systems and IP PBXs. It can be integrated with a company’s routing, firewalling, enterprise session border controllers and application hosting capabilities..
• Grandstream GXE502x IP PBX: This all-in-one IP PBX delivers a converged business communication solution to SMBs, especially those companies with less than 30 seats per location.
• Grandstream GXW4xxx Analog Gateway: Designed for compatibility with traditional analog PBX/key systems, as well as for full interoperability with leading IP-PBXs, softswitches and most SIP-based environments, this gateway will enable SMBs to integrate traditional communications systems with Skype for SIP and efficiently manage communication costs.
• VoSKY SSG: This PBX-to-Skype for SIP gateway will enable SMBs to connect any legacy analog PBX or key system to Skype.

SMBs can now take advantage of the cost savings provided by Skype’s low-cost global calling rates when employees call landlines and mobiles around the world through their IP PBX, legacy PBX or key system or UC solution that has been certified as Skype for SIP interoperable. A company can also receive inbound voice calls from any of the more than 521 million registered Skype users around the world via a global click-to-call button on its Web site. These Skype calls are received by the existing PBX or UC system and are handled or directed in the same way as any other inbound caller. If a company buys and associates online Skype numbers with their interoperable PBX or UC system, it can also receive inbound calls through Skype from business contacts and customers calling from landline and mobile phones.

Hardware or software vendors interested in scheduling Skype for SIP interoperability testing for their IP PBXs and gateways or UC systems should visit the tekVizion Labs Web site. Businesses interested in learning more about Skype for SIP should visit www.skype.com/business/products/pbx-systems/sip/.

Verizon is offering three new VoIP and Internet packages available through the Verizon Global Wholesale division. The offers are designed to respond to the rapid growth of VoI in the small and medium business realm and the resulting demand for powerful high-speed Internet connections. In addition, the offers support Verizon Global Wholesale customers' marketing efforts to small and medium sized businesses.

NEC IP PBX and SIP Gateway Solution

The first new package combines Verizon's SIP Gateway Service with associated router hardware. SIP Gateway Service transports VoIP traffic between packet-based IP networks and the traditional telephone network, allowing Verizon Global Wholesale's customers to give small and medium-sized businesses a quick and easy way to get into the VoIP world.

In addition to providing access to Verizon's expansive IP local network and its telephone number inventory, wholesale customers can offer small and medium-sized businesses a new NEC UNIVERGE SV8100 IP PBX and its associated installation and maintenance bundle at a discount, simplifying the setup and lowering the cost of entry into the IP market. This enables small and medium-sized businesses to work with a single vendor, receive one bill, and gain access to a feature-rich VoIP solution that delivers cost reductions and the promise of increased productivity.

Both the SIP connection and the NEC UNIVERGE SV8100 PBX are priced at a discount with this new simple, feature-rich package. The service and hardware discounts expire on June 30.

Internet Dedicated T1 Package

The second new package, Internet Dedicated T1, also combines discounted service and hardware. It provides a high-capacity connection for 30 or more users and is designed for transmitting high-volume e-mail traffic, transferring large files, or hosting Web sites from virtually anywhere.

The package, based on T1 technology, combines 24 channels of broadband signal into a 1.544 megabit per second (Mbps) service, with customer equipment available to enable the service. Quality of service assurance is offered as an option, at an additional cost. QoS is important for businesses that consolidate voice, video and key business applications onto a converged IP network.

The equipment offered in this package is either a Samsung Ubigate iBG 1000 for data-only applications or a model 1003 for data and voice services combined. The discounts on service and equipment expire on March 31, 2011.

For small and medium-sized businesses with a larger appetite for Internet access, a third new promotional offer features Internet access with an Ethernet connection at either 5 Mbps or 10 Mbps. This Internet Dedicated Ethernet service is discounted and bundled with a Samsung iBG1000 router, the cost of which is credited back over the initial year of service.

Targeted at businesses that intend to consolidate voice, video and key business applications onto a converged IP network, this offer delivers a single-vendor solution that end-user customers can leverage to fit their business model. The Ethernet service discount and the monthly credit offer for the cost of the router are scheduled to expire on March 31, 2011.

Skype and Verizon Wireless announce a strategic relationship that will bring Skype to Verizon Wireless smartphones in March. The new Skype mobile product enhances Verizon Wireless' smartphones for users who have data plans by offering a new way to call around the globe, while also giving hundreds of millions of Skype users around the world the opportunity to communicate with friends, family and business colleagues in the United States using Verizon Wireless.

The two companies have created an exclusive, easy-to-use Skype mobile offering for 3G smartphones. Verizon Wireless 3G smartphone users with data plans can use Skype mobile to:

• make and receive unlimited Skype-to-Skype voice calls to any Skype user around the globe on America's most reliable wireless network;
• call international phone numbers at competitive Skype Out calling rates;
• send and receive instant messages to other Skype users; and
• remain always connected with the ability to see friends' online presence.

Initially, Skype mobile will be available on millions of best-selling Verizon Wireless 3G smartphones with data plans, including the BlackBerry Storm 9530, Storm2 9550, Curve 8330, Curve 8530, 8830 World Edition and Tour 9630 smartphones, as well as DROID by Motorola, DROID ERIS by HTC and Motorola DEVOUR.

John Stratton, executive vice president and chief marketing officer for Verizon Wireless, said, "Skype mobile on Verizon Wireless changes the game. For Verizon Wireless' more than 90 million customers, Skype mobile adds great value because we're effectively giving customers with smartphones and data plans the option to extend their unlimited calling community to hundreds of millions of Skype users around the globe. And you're not limited to using a single type of phone; we'll have nine smartphones ready right at launch in March."

Josh Silverman, chief executive officer of Skype, noted, "People want to take their Skype conversations with them wherever they go, whether it's on a PC, TV or increasingly mobile phones. Verizon Wireless will give U.S. consumers the best Skype experience on mobile phones and will truly change the way people call their friends and family internationally."

Vonage UK is offering consumers unlimited calls to India from the UK, has also proven to be a big hit with businesses that have strong connections with India.

V-plan 4i – a new concept in telecommunications

Recognising the wide-ranging and extensive business and personal ties between the two countries, Vonage was the first UK phone service provider to introduce a package offering unlimited calls to India. Since its launch in November 2009, many businesses have benefited from this innovative service. D'zine Interactive, a UK-based international brand communication and digital agency, experienced immediate benefits from the package.

With offices in the UK, US and India, D’zine uses Vonage’s service to communicate between offices and with their customers. “Since we signed up with Vonage our team has been able to communicate more closely and frequently; collaboration is deeper and more creative when we’re not watching the clock,” said Vernon. “It has transformed the way D’zine does business and makes the company look more professional.”

Broadband – the new phone line for calling with or without a computer

VoIP works by using your Internet broadband connection rather than a standard landline to make international calls, but you don’t even need to use a computer to make a call – with a simple add-on to your normal landline phone, VoIP calls can be made using an ordinary telephone.

V-plan 4i is what the international business community has been waiting for.

AT&T announces it now serves 1 million AT&T U-verse Voice digital home phone lines. The milestone comes two years after AT&T introduced the advanced VoIP service, which is now available to millions of homes across 22 states.

AT&T U-verse Voice is a next-generation digital voice service delivered over the AT&T U-verse IP network. More than 67 percent of new U-verse TV customers bundle U-verse Voice service.

AT&T added 248,000 U-verse TV subscribers in the fourth quarter of 2009, totaling 2.1 million U-verse TV subscribers nationwide and adding 1 million U-verse TV customers in the last year alone.

Since the commercial launch of U-verse Voice in January 2008, AT&T has continued to enhance the service and expand availability to provide more choices for consumers. U-verse Voice is now available in all 120 markets that offer U-verse TV, giving consumers another option for their home phone services.

U-verse customers benefit from flexible triple- and quad-play bundles. Customers can choose from multiple combinations of U-verse TV, U-verse Voice, U-verse High Speed Internet and AT&T wireless plans that offer significant savings and integrated features. As of the end of 2009, more than 90 percent of U-verse TV customers bundle High Speed Internet, and more than 75 percent of U-verse TV customers have a triple- or quad-play.

U-verse Voice customers also enjoy unmatched calling features that provide deeper integration across their bundle. For example, customers have a single, combined voice mailbox for convenient access to their AT&T U-verse Voice and AT&T wireless messages. They can also view their call logs on their PC or their TV screen, and initiate a call from their PC or TV. Last fall, AT&T started a market-by-market rollout of Caller ID on TV, which lets U-verse TV and Voice customers view caller ID and voicemail notifications on their TV screen.

Skype is opening up the Skype for SIP beta program to allow businesses of all sizes to utilize Skype for SIP with their existing SIP-based PBX or Unified Communications systems. By using Skype for SIP, companies can save money on calls around the world, while also changing how customers globally reach them.

A company’s IT administrator just creates and registers a Skype Business Control Panel for the organization and then follows the instructions to configure Skype for SIP to work with its existing SIP-enabled communications system. This Web-based tool allows a company to control its Skype usage from a single point and enables centralized billing, easy allocation of Skype Credit, subscriptions and online numbers to users, as well as reporting about both usage and spending. Furthermore, it gives companies the ability to manage internal employee accounts, including who uses Skype and who doesn’t and what features they can use.

Key Features

Skype for SIP beta enables businesses with interoperable PBXs to:

• Place calls to landlines and mobile phones worldwide from any device connected to a SIP-enabled PBX or UC systems via Skype;
• Receive and manage inbound calls from Skype users worldwide on SIP-enabled PBXs by either connecting the company Web site to the PBX via Skype click-to-call buttons or purchasing online Skype numbers; and
• Manage Skype calls using existing PBX or UC system features, such as call routing, conferencing, phone menus and voicemail; no additional downloads or training required.

Pricing and Availability

Companies using Skype for SIP must purchase a monthly channel subscription from Skype 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. Incoming Skype calls to the SIP-enabled PBX or UC system are free of charge to the Skype user. Calls to landlines and mobiles made using Skype for SIP are billed at Skype’s standard per-minute calling rates (a connection fee may apply).

As part of the Skype for SIP open beta program, Skype has created a low introductory price for the monthly channel subscription of just €4.95 / $6.95 per channel.

ViaTalk is allowing children across the country to connect to Santa free of charge this holiday season via telephone, and directly deliver their Christmas wish list to the big guy and his helpers at the north pole (that's you mom and dad!). Additionally, one lucky child will be selected at random to have their wish list granted for free courtesy of ViaTalk, a $300 in value!

To connect your child to the north pole, simply enter on the site the number you will be calling from and your e-mail address. After your child calls, a recording of their wish list will be delivered to your e-mail in-box for you to listen to at your convenience.

The parents of one lucky child will be contacted on Dec. 20th, 2009, and will receive a $300 Amazon.com gift card to help make their child's holiday wishes come true this holiday season.

This free service is available nationwide to customers and non-customers alike, simply by signing up at http://santa.viatalk.com, so be sure to tell your friends and family!

Current ViaTalk customers can access the north pole directly by clicking on Santa himself in their account control panel. Happy Holidays from the entire ViaTalk team!

Esna Technologies has added Skype VoIP/Video support to its market leading unified communication desktop software, UC Link. As part of its ongoing goal for interoperability and Rich communication and collaboration tools, Esnatech has integrated its UC Link desktop software with Skype VoIP and Video services for enhanced real-time communication services. Users of the Esnatech Telephony Office-LinX UC platform will have their live Skype VoIP & Video status tied into existing office infrastructure and applications so other users can see if they are available or not, on their office telephone, or off the network. It will bridge the Skype VoIP/Video world with Enterprise telephony and Groupware status.

The benefits to enterprise users are they can integrate their daily business communications with Skype VoIP & Video and start using the popular application for daily business use. Co-workers and customers will know their true availability and status and using the Esnatech UC link desktop software communicate in the most efficient and collaborative manner. Users can in one click initiate Live Secure IM, Live desktop to phone voice calls, Ad Hoc group conference session and Live Skype VoIP and Video Session.

Skype support will be part of the upcoming UC Link desktop software for the esnatech UC server Telephony Office-LinX expected in Q1 2010. Esnatech will commence beta trials in December/January with its partners.

UC Link desktop software is a rich multi-OS desktop unified communications software that delivers Rich Presence, Mobility, messaging for the Telephony Office-LinX unified communications platform. This Esnatech UC server is already tightly integrated with all major PBX's and VoIP services as well it provides Mobile UC services to RIM Blackberry, Apple iPhone, Google Android, Windows Mobile & Symbian devices. It can be deployed as a standalone UC solution or an integrated application to existing PBX's and messaging solutions such as Octel voice mail platforms.

Skype announced the selection of Net-Net OS-Enterprise session border controllers from Acme Packet for its Skype for SIP beta offering. Acme Packet is the leader in session border contro solutions and the sole SBC partner for the Skype for SIP beta program.

Skype’s deployment of Acme Packet’s SBC simplifies the interoperability and feature compatibility of the Skype for SIP beta offering with enterprise IP-PBX equipment and next-generation unified communications platforms which utilize the SIP standard. As a result, Skype for SIP will allow those enterprises with an on-premise IP PBX to take advantage of an innovative IP-enabled communications tool and to benefit from end-to-end interoperability. The implementation of an SBC by Skype as part of the Skype for SIP beta program also enables the delivery of high-quality, real-time interactive communications, while minimizing the exposure to risks for those companies who sign up for the trial.

Skype for SIP will allow many companies to reduce their costs by making outbound calls to landlines and mobiles worldwide at low Skype rates from devices connected to their existing SIP-enabled PBX systems. It will also allow organizations to receive inbound voice calls to their PBX from the more than 400 million registered Skype users around the world via a global click-to-call button on their Web site. In addition, if they buy and associate local online numbers with their PBX, they can receive inbound calls to the PBX from landline and mobile phones via Skype.

Vonage launches Vonage Mobile, its first mobile calling application for smartphones. Vonage Mobile is a free downloadable application that provides seamless, low-cost international calling while on Wi-Fi or cellular networks. Once downloaded, the service saves customers more than 50% on calls to dozens of countries versus the rates charged by wireless carriers while providing far more convenience than calling cards. Vonage Mobile will be available for download on the iPhone, BlackBerry and iPod touch at www.vonage.com and the iTunes App Store later today.

With Vonage Mobile you can call around the world from home, a Wi-Fi hotspot, or while traveling around the country. Vonage Mobile is easy to use. There are no access numbers or new phone numbers to give to friends and family. Simply enter an international number or select a contact from the existing contacts on your iPhone or Blackberry and hit send. Vonage does the rest.

This app will give customers exceptional per-minute rates to any country they want to dial. In the fourth quarter 2009, we will enhance the app to include the popular 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 to mobile users, giving customers the choice to pick the plan that fits them best.

Vonage Mobile beats the competition on value, convenience and ease-of-use

• Rates are better than traditional wireless and landline carrier rates
• Lets you make calls while on Wi-Fi or cellular networks, providing full mobility
• Uses your existing contact list - just click and dial - no extra steps
• Utilizes your existing cell phone number so the people you call will recognize who is calling
• Real-time balance updates and the ability to automatically replenish funds in your account
• No more trips to the store to buy calling cards, no 800 numbers or access codes, and no connection charges

AT&T U-verse is using the most advanced technology to revolutionize what Atlanta area consumers can do with their home phones. AT&T announces the availability of AT&T U-verse Voice in parts of Atlanta and the surrounding counties, bringing consumers a next-generation digital voice service delivered over the AT&T U-verse Internet Protocol network.

AT&T U-verse Voice is available to eligible U-verse TV customers in the Atlanta area, and brings together your home phone, wireless, broadband and TV services — all on one bill — with unique features that provide a new level of integration, convenience and control.

Since introducing AT&T U-verse in Atlanta in May 2008, AT&T has continually made the service available to more customers on an ongoing basis. AT&T U-verse TV, U-verse High Speed Internet and U-verse Voice services are available today in parts of metro Atlanta and surrounding areas including, Athens/Clarke, Barrow, Butts, Camden, Clayton, Cobb, Coweta, DeKalb, Douglas, Fayette, Floyd, Forsyth, Fulton, Glynn, Gordon, Gwinnett, Hall, Henry, Jackson, Jasper, Lamar, Madison, Newton, Oconee, Paulding, Pike, Rockdale, Spalding, Troup and Walton Counties.

As the H1N1 flu virus continues to surface in cities and towns across the United States, officials are encouraging businesses to examine their operations and construct a strategy for maintaining business continuity in the face of a potentially absent workforce. Bolstering telecommunications infrastructure with a hosted IP telephony solution like the 8x8 Virtual Office business phone service is one way a company can maintain its day to day operations even when employees are forced to remain home due to office closings or school shutdowns.

On September 18, 2009, the U.S. Chamber of Commerce released "It's Not Flu as Usual," an H1N1 preparedness guide written to provide businesses of all sizes with suggestions on how to keep employees healthy and maintain business operations during the upcoming flu season. "Absenteeism would be the central issue for businesses to wrestle with during a pandemic," said Ann Beauchesne, the Chamber's vice president of National Security and Emergency Preparedness. "Business leaders and managers should focus on reducing the transmission of the H1N1 flu in the workplace -- including encouraging sick employees to stay home -- and maintaining business continuity."

The U.S. Chamber of Commerce guide encourages businesses to establish policies and practices, such as flexible worksites (e.g., telecommuting) and flexible work hours (e.g., staggered shifts) to increase the physical distance between employees and others if local public health authorities recommend the use of social distancing strategies. The Chamber also advises companies to ensure they have the information technology and infrastructure needed to support multiple workers who may be able to work from home.

According to IP communications service provider 8x8, Inc., one way to facilitate a work from home, business continuity strategy is to put a flexible, Internet-based phone system in place that has the capability to, on the drop of a dime, accommodate a mobile, geographically dispersed workforce.

"Deploying a hosted IP telephony solution like 8x8 Virtual Office is one very simple, but significant, step a business can take to ensure business continuity within their telecommunications architecture," said 8x8 Chairman & CEO Bryan Martin. "Many of our customers have built their business continuity procedures around the plug and play capabilities of our service, and the capability and low cost of deploying backup phones and services to a contingent workforce at locations remote to their primary operations. These phones and the contingent workforce would be deployed in the event that primary operations are unable to continue due to the number of absent employees during an H1N1 outbreak at the workplace."

Hosted IP telephony solutions incorporate VoIP technology and use ordinary broadband Internet connections, instead of old-fashioned PSTN copper wire alternatives tied to premise-based PBX hardware, to transmit phone calls and enable business class calling features. Because these Internet connections are ubiquitous and not limited to a specific physical or geographic location, employees can access their company's phone network from any broadband-enabled location, whether it's a home office or regional office located anywhere in the world. IP telephony users can simply unplug their IP desktop phone from one Ethernet jack and plug it into another without losing any of the features or functionality of the service.

"Businesses today are relatively uneducated about the choices they have when it comes to telecommunications services and the associated costs," Martin continued. "Advancements in IP technology now allow companies to function in ways they never imagined possible for less than half the cost of their existing legacy solution. Given the potential effects of an H1N1 outbreak and the subsequent need for a nimble and timely response, now might be the best time for companies to examine the capabilities, effectiveness and cost of their current business phone solution."

Skype announces the beta version of Skype for SIP has been certified as interoperable with the Cisco Unified Communications 500 Series for Small Business. This will enable small and medium-sized businesses who manage their networking and communications needs with this affordable UC solution to communicate more efficiently by directing their outbound calls to mobiles and landlines via Skype, while also allowing them to receive inbound calls from Skype users.

Interoperability with Skype for SIP means that small businesses can take advantage of the cost savings provided by Skype’s low-cost global calling rates when their employees call landlines and mobiles around the world. A company can also receive inbound voice calls from any of the more than 480 million registered Skype users around the world via a global click-to-call button on its Web site. These Skype calls are received in the Cisco Unified Communications 500 Series solution and can be handled or directed in the same way as any other inbound caller. In addition, if a company buys and associates online Skype numbers with their Cisco Unified Communications 500 Series solution, it can then receive inbound calls via Skype from business contacts and customers calling from landline and mobile phones.

The Cisco Unified Communications 500 Series platform is part of Cisco’s Smart Business Communications System which continues to expand having just added a new set of IP phones with high definition audio, a unified threat management device as well as support for third party application integration, including products from healthcare, automotive and insurance industries.

Certification testing of Skype for SIP with the Cisco Unified Communications 500 Series for Small Business was conducted by tekVizion Labs, an independent test facility in Richardson, Texas, which specializes in IP communications interoperability testing.

Cisco VARs will need to register for the Skype Service Partner Program and pass an online certification exam to qualify to configure the Cisco solution to support Skype for SIP, as well as to support those business customers who may already be using the Cisco Unified Communications 500 Series for Small Business and want to integrate Skype for SIP into their present communications solution.