Press8 Releases VoIP iPhone App


Press8 has released a Voice over Internet Protocol App for the iPhone so that customers can make and receive cheap calls on their smartphones.

In doing so it joins the market for existing VoIP iPhone apps by companies such as 3CX.

Industry research by the Insight Research Corporation showed that more than two thirds of all workers use wireless and mobile computing.

Like the 3CX phone system for Windows, Press8 is a VoIP PBX system which runs phone systems over the internet.

The company is based in Austin, Texas, and has been in operation for three years and serves a number of SME's and SMB's.

Transferring these benefits to an app allows for mobility and a number of remote features. These features mirror those advantages of being in an office such as call forwarding and call attendant.

Tamara Field, the President of Press8 Telecom, said: "Maintaining phone system communications is important for all types of businesses.

"Our new app caters to employees who are on the road. The Press8 Telecom iPhone App allows employees who are reluctant to travel to do so in the most efficient way possible while keeping in contact with the office.”

The Press8 Telecom iPhone App can also be bought and downloaded via iTunes onto an iPod, iPod Touch, or iPad.

US School Saves Money with VoIP


A school managed to save large amounts of money by using Voice over Internet Protocol technology.

The Minooka Grade School District in Illinois has installed VoIP telephony to keep parents informed about changes to their schedule.

Superintendent Al Gegenheimer said: “We saved money and at the same time improved our Internet, to make communciation with parents and other shools much easier."

For instance if the school is closed due to snowfall, they can set up an automatic voice mailbox with emergency school closing information.

The process is instigated as soon as the superintendent makes the decision to close.

That saves the school from having to call each of the parents individually, which could cost up to $40,000 per year.

Then each parent can instead make the call, pressing 5 to get information. The time saving is also notable, saving the school around four hours of administration for every closure.

This plan is all part of a district wide upgrade to an IP telephony service.

It gives the school increased bandwidth from 2 megabits to 100 megabits for fast and efficient communication. And all that is actually cheaper than paying for two different internet and phone lines.

VoIP Progress in 2010


Companies continued to upgrade their communications networks to VoIP solutions in 2010, seeing it as an important part of their business future.

And despite the high demand prices have stayed low, according to a Fiercevoip contributor.

VoIP growth has been at its highest levels since 2008. Mike Dolan explained that this was unsurprising as many SME's and SMB's view VoIP as "mission critical".

80% of businesses with 1,000 or more employees are now using at least one cloud computing service.

He stated: "With 2010 being such a strong year for IP communications, I am sure we are all looking forward to what 2011 will bring."

In addition the technology is proving attractive to individual consumers.

But some parts of the world are still proving resistant to VoIP.

At the beginning of the year the Telecommunications Regulatory Authority opened the door to VoIP in the United Arab Emirates (UAE), but companies such as Skype are still not offering their full service there.

Rouzbeh Pasha, the Skype Middle East director, said:"Skype is not in discussions with the UAE's TRA.

"Generally speaking, we're always excited when people use Skype regardless of where they are."

Skype connects people from all around the world through video and voice calls via multiple mobile devices.

Skype wary of VoIP Competitors


Since Skype went down just before Christmas, the Voice over Internet Protocol service will be nervously looking over its shoulders at other competitors.

Skype went down for a whole day due to a server outage on December 22, and it is not the first time that it has happened.

It is bad news for the company which is trying to get an Initial Public Offering as it plans to attract more revenue, especially business custom.

The Skype competitors include the VoIP service Fring, which Skype has already blocked in the past to try and limit its threat.

Fring offers low cost VoIP calls and their VoIP app on Android has proved very popular. Fring was one of the first companies to allow mobile video calls via 3G and wi-fi to other Fring users.

Many people with a gmail account will also have access to Google Voice, and the call phones feature has many benefits including easily access to your entire contact system and call forwarding.

Another new service is not too appealing given that you have to listen to some ads before you use it. Nevertheless Freephone2phone allows 10 minutes of free international calls, which is a great deal.

Skype 3G went live in May as one of a number of Mobile VoIP apps created for smartphones. In October it was released for Android via wi-fi.

Make VoIP calls on Gingerbread



Lifehacker has just produced a useful guide to making VoIP calls on the Android 2.3 smartphone, an OS otherwise known as Gingerbread.

The service uses SIP trunking and Voice over Internet Protocol and works without the use of any 3rd party apps. Therefore you can make low cost calls over your own data network.

Commenters had a few things to say. For instance Gingerbread appears to offer calls to/from other SIP accounts without ringing the actual phone numbers. Therefore you can only make calls to other SIP accounts not to landlines via that SIP account.

Another said that Droid X did not have the right features for this to work. Yet more people wanted to know if the VoIP calls were compatible with Google Voice.

3CX Greece New Year Training


3CX, the award winning phone system for Windows, will run New Year Partner Training sessions in Greece.

They will be held in conjunction with Share Sectron which is a 3CX distribution partner in Greece.

The two day seminar will take place from January 7 to January 9 at the Pelion Resort in Portaria.

All registered 3CX Partners are invited to join Sectron for free training on the 3CX Phone System.

However the event can only hold 20 attendees so you are advised to book early as it is likely to be popular.

The schedule for the event is:

07-11-2011
19:00 – 19:15: Welcome and Introduction
19:15 – 19:30: 3CX IP PBX for Windows: Why?
19:30 – 20:30: Successful selling of 3CX Phone Systems

08-11-2011
09:00 – 09:30: Overview of 3CX Administration System – V9
09:30 – 10:30: Setup 3cx PBX server
10:30 – 11:00: Coffee Break
11:00 – 12:30: Setup Hardware Phones and Patton Gateways
12:30 – 13:30: Lunch Break
13:30 – 14:30: 3CX User Portal, 3CX Phone & 3CX Assistant Overview
14:30 – 16:00: Setup 3cx Hotel module

09-11-2011
09:00 – 10:30: 3CX Installation Troubleshooting Practical Training
10:30 – 11:00: Coffee Break
11:00 – 13:00: Sip Server and DNS services
13:00 – 14:00: Lunch Break

Voice Embraces Cloud with 4G


Voice communications are set to move into the cloud with the assistance of 4G.

That is because a single standard for LTE voice has now been agreed for 4G.

Therefore there is more incentive for carriers to invest in wireless services in the future. Along with the wireless service WiMax, carriers can make an investment in IMS.

According to the director of Broadsoft, David Walters, the communications market is changing with a proliferation of 'VoIP application servers that sit in carrier networks, leveraging SIP trunks to serve enterprises and SMBs.'

However those characteristics may now be taken into the cloud. Voice will become more and more like another IT service which can be purchased.

Mr Walters explained: "This provides a big opportunity to help value-added resellers package voice services in the cloud, creating a crisp business model in the process."

The upshot is a world where customers can gain PBX functionality for their mobile phones.

Tribair Creates VoIP Community


Claims by Tribair that it will create the world's largest Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) community demand that we stand up and take notice.

From its base in Canada, this recently launched company is creating a global network of VOIP hotspots where members turn their WiFi connection into shared hubs.

Therefore Tribair aims to be more than just a service provider.

The CEO of Tribair, Eric Reiher, said: "We want to make communications a rewarding experience, both socially and financially. Tribair leverages the network effects inherent in phone conversation to build a user contact base."

He add: "Smartphones are feature rich but the costs of multimedia messages, roaming or long distance is punishing. On the other hand Tribair can save you money."

Hotspot owners can actually make revenue from their VoIP hub via the long distance calls of other users. Calls are made using WiFi or 3G.

With one fifth of the revenue up for grabs, this is a revolutionary, decentralized concept.

It works by use of an app which is available on various smartphones including the Android and the iPhone.

Once you have downloaded the app there is a starter credit of 25 cents, and astonishingly this could get you a 17 minute call to more than 50 countries worldwide.

These smartphone rates claim to be 45 per cent cheaper than Skype.

All you have to do is open the WiFi router and the application automatically displays worldwide Tribair free WiFi networks.

Calls between members use only data, not airtime, which means savings on and roaming charges.

VoIP over 4G in 2011?


Many dedicated VoIP users have been wondering whether they will get a faster service and better quality of call over 4G next year.

Yet the handset and application developers have been slow to act, partly because no final standard for VoIP over 4G has yet been defined.

Right now 4G is being used for data channels on dual mode devices as well as faster mobile Internet connections.

However good news is at hand and before the New Year a number of companies will expand into 4G and unified communications.

They include the Verizon Wireless LTE network and Clearwire with 120 million people taking advantage of it is WiMax network.

One of the big developments of 2010 is that SIP trunking is now ubiquitous and this is offered cheaply as part of many VoIP services. It is also a main part of the VoIP portfolio offered by cable companies.

Fring VoIP Earns 10K Per Day

Despite only costing one cent per minute, Fring's Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) service is so popular that the company is reporting earnings of $10,000 per day.

Known as the fringOut voice calling service, this VoIP product has only been live for a couple of months.

Yet mobile VoIP is clearly the future, say company representatives and customers are endorsing it with their wallets. However, these earnings do not take operating costs into account.

A spokesperson said: "fringOut VoIP calls are as cheap as one cent per minute, but we are seeing a huge consumer vote for mobile VoIP. "

Fring is an peer-to-peer mobile VoIP app for smartphones such as iPhone and works on various IP telephony networks. All fring calls are routed to a PSTN termination server and VoIP gateway. Calls destined to PSTN and GSM networks pass through a circuit switch, possibly Session Initiation Protocol.

Calls to VoIP users continue through the VoIP gateway to their destinations. Support for DTMF dialing is available for Symbian devices.






Death, Taxes and VoIP

If death and taxes are the only certainties in life, it was only a matter of time before Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) would see increased taxes.



A few years ago the National League of Cities pushed for a raise in VoIP tax rates, having sensed a profound change in the telephony industry.

According to a report on TMCNet, VoIP is an easy target for governments which are seeking to rise revenue in these cash-stricken times.

They are already losing much of the tax income from traditional methods of telephony, which six years ago was estimated at $22 billion annually.

Although internet based services are always harder to tax, as far as regional authorities are concerned it is vital to find a way. But higher taxes will in turn mean higher prices for consumers.

2011 is the expected date for the VoIP taxes in American states such as California, so it will be interesting to see whether they slow the rapid industry growth.

However the government is banking on the fact that low cost calling via VoIP will prove as indispensable to consumers as cigarettes and alcohol.

Garrett Smith, the director of marketing and business development at VoIP Supply, said: "The market for VoIP is stable and VoIP equipment is selling strongly despite the recession. "










Nimbuzz gives HD VoIP

Nimbuzz has just launched high-definition Voice over Internet protocol (VoIP) calls for Android 2.0.2.

This move has been in the works since May 2010 when Google paid 68.2 million dollars for Global IP Solutions.

The writing was on the wall. They wanted the real-time video and voice over IP processing tech company to produce apps for the Android operating system with the use of GIPS technology.

Now users can benefit by making high-definition video and voice calls using the HD voice codec. They can also enjoy high quality calls and fewer dropped calls.

The app has a revamped profile system with a ‘My Profile’ page. There is a new interface and contact list. Meanwhile the app can run straight from an SD card so that users can save smart phone memory.

Nimbuzz plans to launch the HD voice app for the iPhone and Symbian smart phones as well as for personal computers.

Nimbuzz has recently had various conflicts of commerce and opinion with Skype and the app can be seen as a VoIP direct competitor to this market leader.

The Nimbuzz HD voice and video app is now available on the Android marketplace.


Visual Voicemail and Windows VoIP

The recently released Windows phone 7 will not only offer Voice over Internet protocol (VoIP), but also a number of interesting features such as visual voicemail.

This would allow users to go through their voicemails without having to use the automated command system, and instead see the messages which are waiting for them.



It is thought that the features, including VoIP, are in the underlying OS and will just need to be turned on via the release of an update.

Microsoft has already announced that it is releasing the second Windows Phone 7 update in February, so this could be when these features get unlocked.

Before that there will be a January update which will fix 'glaring omissions' such as the absent copy and paste fixture.

Furthermore excited customers can expect support for the Microsoft SkyDrive, whih is a cloud-based virtual hard drive, and turn by turn GPS navigation.

It is thought that the January update will require the connection of the Windows 7 smartphone with your PC, which is unusual.

By February all will be forgettoen as users revel in updated API's for apps, VoIP features and generally improved opportunities for multi-tasking.

There is no release date for the third update for the Windows Phone, which will actaully see it classified as Windows Phone 8, but expect to see significant improvments, especially in the internet explorer browsing department.

Mobile VoIP Apps Have Promise

Mobile Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) apps have promise in terms of cost savings but will take time to deliver as they need excellent internet performance.

Not only do these Mobile VoIP Apps need constant broadband or wireless access, but they are still associated with some security risks.



Market researchers at GfK Singapore said that while companies such as Viber could offer cheap domestic and international calls, the need for Wi-Fi or 3G meant that traditional VoIP bundles were still a more practical option. 
 
General manager at GfK Singapore, Shirleen Kok, said: "Mobile VoIP apps such as Viber offer free calls for users which is a good cost-cutting option. However their reliance on wireless networks, data and hardware specifications make them less appealing compared with the traditional bundled minutes offered by telcos."

She explained that the three main telecommunications companies in Singapore could offer affordable data plans with bundled VoIP. These are expected to increase along with smartphone subscriptions. 
Another analyst at the IDC Asia-Pacific practice group said that these apps could allow customers to make free calls if they were not overly concerned about the voice quality. That drawback will prevent Mobile VoIP Apps from having significant enterprise growth at this early stage.

Businesses will be more concerned about issues such as security and reliability while requiring extra features
such as voice mail.

Because this is hard for app developers to achieve, carriers with a good knowledge of back-end mangement will be preferred. They can also provide service level agreements (SLAs) on latency and bandwidth which makes them more reliable.



VoIP via Skype now available on Nokia

Skype has millions of users worldwide but the figure is constantly growing.

The VOIP application will now be updated to include extra support for Nokia mobile and smartphones.

A Skype spokesperson said: "The new upgrade makes it easier to do many things. Users can add a profile
photo or contacts, navigate and set their mood message.

"The app is easy to share just by recommending it to other friends with Symbian handsets."

Previously Skype was mainly available on Symbian phones but not necessarily models by Nokia.

However the “Skype for Symbian” upgrade supports 31 different Nokia phones including the N8, E5 and C7, according to the Skype blog.
Reaction to the upgrade has been favorable so far with eBay alone comenting that the app provided cystal clear sound, even if you have a slow internet connection.


The Skype app for Nokia has also been updated so that the interface fits on larger screens.

The download is free from the Skype site.















Verizon Introduces VoIP in Switzerland

Verizon Business has introduced VoIP  in Switzerland to add to its European VoIP portfolio.

The VoIP product service-level agreemen was previously only available in the United States of America.

The European VoIP portfolio will allow small and medium-sized enterprises, as well as large companies, to make and receive domestic and international calls cheaply.



Meanwhile the company has certified Cisco VoIP and unified communications to work with Verizon IP Trunking in both Europe and America.

Therefore Verizon customers can make use of web conferencing, presence and other UC solutions. By offering these services in the cloud they can be made use of on a pay-per-user basis.

Anthony Recine, the vice president of communications solutions at Verizon Business, said, "Verizon Business continues to expand and enhance its VoIP offerings to create a powerful unified communications and collaboration platform for multinational enterprises.

"By expanding our VoIP portfolio in Switzerland, introducing a comprehensive VoIP service-level agreement and certifying the latest Cisco Unified Communications system with world-class IP Trunking, we continue to advance VoIP for our worldwide customers."



By next year an SLA is to be launched for VoIP services in Europe which will increase the mean opinion score guarantee to four and introduce a four-hour mean-time-to-repair metric.

Verizon Business customers can use the certification of Unified Communications Manager with Cisco Cube.


Verizon IP Trunking customers can use Cisco Unified Border Element, an enterprise-focused session border controller, to enable enhanced collaboration applications and improve network connections. 



VoIP the Final Frontier



Cisco Systems has boldly gone where no other VoIP company could go.

The incorporated company used an Internet router in orbit to make the first VoIP telephone call from space. No terrestrial infrastructure was used to route the call.

The experiment was part of the Cisco Internet Routing in Space (IRIS) program.


Cisco stated: “The use of satellites for such calls will make them more efficient. Software such as the Intelsat 14 can be upgraded from the ground while the router is in orbit."

VoIP iPhone Apps Prove Popular


Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) apps for the iPhone are proving popular and Viber has reported over 1 million downloads in the first few days of its service.
VoIP allows you to make low cost calls and is employed by companies such as 3CX which has also released free VoIP app for the iPhone. The 3CXphone can be used in conjunction with, or as a replacement for, a deskphone.
Along with Viber, 3CX offers a threat to Skype by allowing you to make low cost calls from anywhere worldwide.
The Viber app will automatically scan your mobile contact list to see which other contacts have Viber for free calls. No registration is required and the service runs as soon as your mobile is turned on without having to log in.
All in all you get high quality calls without being bombarded by adverts.

3CXPhone 5 adds video, BLF to free soft phone in Smartphone Look

3CX’s popular free business soft phone does Unified Communications and becomes ‘Zero Admin’

London - November 30, 2010- 3CX today announced a new version of its popular free VoIP soft phone for Windows, 3CXPhone 5. New features added to 3CXPhone 5 include standards based video support, multiple SIP profiles, BLF and the ability to provision and manage all soft phone installations network wide. 3CXPhone 5 will remain completely
free.

UK VoIP Subscriptions Rise


More UK consumers are subscribing to Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) solutions.

A report published by the watchdog Ofcom shows that the VoIP market in the United Kingdom increased by nearly a third - 27 per cent - between 2006 and 2009.

That translates to a two per cent increase in VoIP subscribers per hundred Brits. It is evidence of a greater worldwide trend which has seen total VoIP usage rise steadily year on year.

However the UK is still lagging behind other European countries in terms of VoIP uptake.

10 per cent of Germans use the technology, which allows you to make low cost calls from PC to PC, or from computer to landline and mobile. In France the number is slightly higher at 15 per cent.

The study states that slower UK growth is because voice lines often come with bundled voice calls.

These include unlimited offers which are similar to the managed VoIP offers in other countries.

While global VoIP lines have doubled over the period UK fixed telephony revenues have increased by three percentage points.

3CX and Orbtalk make VoIP Partnership


3CX , which makes software-based VoIP phone systems for Windows, has partnered with Global service provider Orbtalk.

Orbtalk is helping the 3CX Phone System to provide unparalleled levels of support and value through ISDN grade SIP Trunking. This optimises 3CX IP PBX solutions.

Paul Byrne, Operations Director at Orbtalk, said: "This partnership has huge potential, offering a joint cost saving solution. 3CX is an excellent alternative to expensive providers such as Avaya and Cisco."

He added: "We have worked with 3CX to provide their resellers an automated Trunk and Numbering Solution. We can also offer recurring monthly residuals on the minutes and channel charges.”

3CX and Orbtalk customers gain number portability with various Internet Protocol and traditional service providers. There is also seamless provisioning of SIP Trunks and Numbering Solutions for resellers and customers in line with the 3CX product promise.

Stephen Corrigan, the Channel Manager for 3CX, said: “Our partnership with Orbtalk is an exciting development. It provides a global service which has been certifed as fully interoperable with 3CX.”

Orbtalk is seeking to partner with International voice and data resellers for the resale of its SIP Trunk channels and UK and International Numbering solutions. Interested parties should contact sales@orbtalk.co.uk

3CXPhone 5 includes Video Support


A new 3CXPhone 5 version has been released. The popular and free VoIP soft phone for Windows will now include multiple SIP profiles, standards-based video support and BLF. There is also the ability to manage all softphone installations network-wide.

Nick Galea, the 3CX CEO said: “The softphone is now a serious desk phone option for businesses. These free phones save on administration and are easy to manage. With 3CXPhone 5, softphone installations can be easily provisioned network wide. 3CXPhone is also very easy to setup as a remote extension, allowing users to connect to the company phone system from anywhere."

The new features in 3CXPhone 5 include video support so that video calls can be established with the click of a button.

Multiple profiles can be registered against VoIP providers or multiple PBX’s simultaneously. This allows seamless connection to multiple offices and the ability to make or receive calls from different VoIP providers on a single 3CXPhone install.

Furthermore:

■BLF – monitors other extensions and transfer calls with a single click
■Speed dials – configure
■FREE – no license fees
■Supports G.711, GSM and iLBC codecs
■STUN support for NAT/firewall traversal
■Jabra headset support
■Works with 3CX Phone System, Asterisk and popular VoIP providers

VoIP Solutions for London Schools


Two London schools will welcome Voice over Internet Protocol solutions in order to save costs on calls and improve administration.

The VoIP solutions will be installed at schools in Barking and Dagenham as part of the Building Schools for the Future (BSF) programme.

The Borough of Dagenham and Barking has signed a contract worth £4.5 million with RM.

This specialist IT education supplier is providing wireless networking and interactive learning technology. RM will also give VoIP support during the length of the contract.

Together they will form a new communication system so that school employees can collaborate quickly and effectively.

The RM CEO Terry Sweeney said: "We have been in contact with Dagenham and Barking for a long time so it is great news to work with these BSF sample schools."

"We look forward to collaborating with teachers and pupils in these two schools to deliver engaging and exciting learning technology."

VoIP Growth in Israel

VoIP is driving market growth in Israel according to a new study by Pyramid Research.

The company found that the Israeli markets would benefit from multiplay and and 4G services over the next five years as opposed to increased penetration rates. The wide availability of broadband is also a driving factor.


The sector is currently worth $6.9 billion US dollars but is forecast to increase to $7.1 billion US dollars by 2015.



Kerem Arsal, an analyst at Pyramid Research, said: “As the ability to offer multiplay services becomes more important in the Israeli market, operators look for mergers or partnerships that will allow them to expand their product ranges. Therefore differentiation through discounted bundles and value-added services becomes vital."
He added: “With 85 per cent of households having fixed broadband access and the proliferation of 3G networks by all mobile players, the market is ripe with opportunities for convergence and multiplay offers."
The report predicts increased opportunities for convergence once IP-based 4G and LTE networks roll out and data usage gains importance. Pyramid Research predicts LTE network subscriptions will increase to 12 per cent by 2015.

Israel has a highly competitive VoIP market both for vendors and operators. That is why multiplay offerings are particularly popular. Meanwhile impending licenses for MVNOs and WiMAX will provide further opportunities to virtual network enablers. Much depends on the Ministry of Communication timetable.




YouGov to conduct VoIP survey

YouGov, the British polling organisationis to conduct a survey of the broadband market which includes enterprise VoIP and video capabilities.

The idea is to find outwhat level those services are at and how much satisfaction United Kingdom customers are getting from said products.

A recent poll by BE Wholesale found that 72% of UK businesses thin they would be improved by having a more reliable and faster internet connection.


Marek Vaygelt, who is YouGov head of technology, consumer and telecoms consulting, said: "As consumers become more tech-savvy, Internet Service Providers need to manage network performance and subscriber satisfaction."


Helping YouGov will be internet speed measurement specialist Epitir. Meanwhile a consumer panel of around 300,000 people will also be involved in the study.

Users will be asked to give their opinions on issues such as performance, value and overall satisfaction of hosted IP telephony web-surfing and video streaming.

The findings of the Broadband Report will be published in the first quarter of 2011.



Guide to 3CX Version 9 Released

A new book is out to give guidance on the latest release of the 3CX VoIP phone for Windows.

Kerry Garrison, a 3CX Certified Professional who is vice president of Strategy for 888VoipStore, has written the book titled 3CX Version 9.

This is a comprehensive book on installing, configuring, deploying, maintaining, and even selling 3CX-based phone systems.

The chapter for resellers gives tips and techniques to close more sales and improve profitability. It is also good for end-users so that they think through deployment plans thoroughly.

Other chapters cover such topics as “Designing a good call flow”  and "Deployment Planning” as well as a look at best 3CX practices.

The 3CX Version 9 book is completely up to date with its material covering even the latest service pack 4 release. Until the end of November you can get 15% off the normal price



3CXPhone for iPhone Released


3CX, which produces the award-winning VoIP phone for Windows, has now released the 3CXPhone for iPhone.


After getting the go-ahead from Apple, the 3CXPhone for iPhone is available immediately via the Apple Appstore. It can also be used on iPad and iTouch devices which run iOS 4.0 or above.

The 3CXPhone for iPhone works as a SIP client and allows customers to make and receive 3CX Phone System calls by use of Wi-Fi or 3G Internet connectivity. Calls will work out cheaper thaan on an expensive wireless phone.

Using your existing extension credentials it can be operated in combination with a deskphone so that calls ring both on your deskphone and iPhone.

3CXPhone for iPhone also works with other SIP standards based PBXs, as well as numerous VoIP Providers.

It is easy to configure 3CXPhone for iPhone for use with 3CX Phone System so that extension settings are automatically provisioned.

3CXPhone for iPhone was tested in a limited beta program. You can contact 3CX with any feedback or questions.



China Drives VoIP Demand

The research analyst Infotech has said that China is a driving force in the VoIP market by increasing supply, which in turn lowers prices.  

The directing analyst for VoIP at Infonetics, Diane Myers, stated: "The number-one story in 2010 for the carrier VoIP  market is China, where conditions are driving volumes up and pushing prices down.

"Large network transformation projects are underway in China, so demand for equipment is very strong. But at the same time vendors are willing to push the pricing limits to get strategic accounts."

Looking at the third quarter of 2010, the report found that every product category except media servers was impacted by pricing pressures. Therefore even though shipments were up for most segments, total worldwide revenue was impacted negatively.

Infotech believes that solid VoIP growth will only come about through a migration to all-IP networks, such as Session Border Controllers.

Furthermore the Asia Pacific region is the only region which is expected to post revenue growth in 2010 for service provider VoIP equipment.

Other points of interest:

 - The total service provider VoIP equipment market, including trunk media gateways and voice application servers, decreased by nine per cent from the second quarter to the third quarter 2010.

- Although revenue is down, shipments for almost all segments in the market are up sequentially

 - In the third quarter Genband leads the combined carrier VoIP and IMS equipment market for worldwide revenue





Early Xmas for Google VoIP Customers

Search giant Google has given an early Christmas present to its Gmail customers.
Google is offering free calls in North America until the of 2010 through the Gmail 'Call Phones' VoIP service.

The service is on view for users in the US and Canada when they log into the chat window, and all you have to do is click and accept the terms and conditions.

They are then presented with a phone number dial pad which is similar to the one found on VoIP services like Skype.

Until the end of the year they can make unlimited free calls within North America and purchase pre paid credits for international calls.

Initial feedback on the service has been excellent with no disconnections and clear quality reported. There were also comments on the ease of use provided through the Gmail contact book. However some users have had difficulty locating the offer which they claim disappeared.






Nortel and Genband VoIP Row

A row has erupted between Nortel and Genband about purchasing their VoIP solutions.

The Nortel carrier applications and VoIP solutions unit is known as CVAS and originally a deal was struck to sell CVAS to Genband 182 million dollars.

However although it is thought that the deal was finalised in February, Nortel has now claimed that Genband is trying to "improperly and drastically" reduce the purchase price by 40 million dollars.

A company statement said: "Genband has attempted to disregard the clear terms of the original sale agreement."

Nortel filed for protection from creditors nearly two years ago and is trying to maximise all business investments to keep up payments to them.
But on the other side Genband is asking the US Bankruptcy Court in Delaware to arbitrate on the matter.

Genband initially offered 300 million dollars for CVAS. There was a 'stalking horse' deal which would have resulted in an auction but without any other bidders the unit fell to Genband by default.


VoIP App has Severe Bug

The Line 2 VoIP for the iPhone 4 and iPad has a serious bug which causes it to keep ringing even after the call has been answered.

That much has been confirmed by Toktumi when the firm sent a warning email to its customers. Toktumi, has made Apple engineers aware of the issue, which  they classify as severe as it affects all of their VoIP applications. They have apologized and vowed to fix the bug. One report from a beta tester has even said that the bug is now fixed.

On finding the bug Toktumi asked users not to upgrade to iOS version 4.2. This is because when Line2 is running in the background the continuous ring problem occurs. However if you do not use Line2 on any VoIP social calling apps the Toktumi service will not be affected.

Since the most recent iOS beta - GMSeed build - this issue was still not resolved, but the company has promised to email its customers with updates.

There have also been delays with the Apple golden master version of iOS 4.2. This is because Wi-Fi connectivity for the iPad is not what it should be.

VoIP Fuels Ashes Feud

Talk between Australia and England at the moment tends to centre around the upcoming cricket duel for the Ashes.

But while the cricket is being played out from Brisbane to Sydney, young people in Australia may be crowing to their English counterparts over cheap internet calls.

Research is showing that increasing numbers of young people are using Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) in Australia as well as fixed and mobile phone lines.


The ACMA Report showed that one in three young Australian adults aged between 18–24 choose not to connect a fixed-line telephone when they moved out of their parents home.

While that may not sound surprisingly the figure has risen by a third in only one year.

Although figures are much lower when you consider the population as a whole, 14% of people are now using mobile devices which is a 40% increase since last year.

Amazingly the figure for VoIP is slightly higher at 16%. That means that just under 2.9 million Australians use VoIP services such as Skype at home so they can make cheap calls.

But the transition towards a complete VoIP environment is still a long way off, at least while older generation are still around. 97% of Australians who are over 65 rely on a fixed line phone.

The ACMA Chairman, Chris Chapman, said: ‘The increasing functionality of mobile devices and VoIP is underpinning the importance of technology to the lifestyles of many Australians. That includes handset innovations such as the smartphone,  internet-enabled mobile devices and tablets."












3CX and Phonzo offer complete VoIP PBX solution in Norway and Sweden

Nicosia, Cyprus and Oslo, Norway - 12 November 2010 - 3CX, the international developer of the award-winning 3CX Phone System for Windows has completed full interoperability testing with VoIP service provider Phonzo and announced today a strategic partnership providing a fully integrated VoIP solution for SMB markets in Norway and Sweden.

VoIP E911 Tax Increase

The US senate has just passed a bill to raise taxes on E911 in Washington. Hardly any surpirse there as taxes are going up left, right and centre around the world.

E911 is the emergency phone provisioning which allows people with problems to be quickly located by the emergnecy services by address. However the tax increase, effective on january 1, 2011, will also effect Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) services.

VoIP is defined as real-time, two-way voice communication that requires a broadband connection and Internet protocol-compatible customer premises equipment. VoIP permits users to receive and terminate public switched telephone network (PSTN) calls.

The Substitute Senate Bill 6846 authorized a 5-cent increase of state E911 tax and a 20-cent increase of county E911 tax.

These taxes usually apply to land lines and cell phones but have now been extended to interconnected VoIP phone services. Subscribers will pay the taxes to their telephone providers.

The tax applies only to the number of VoIP lines on an account that are capable of simultaneous unrestricted outward calling to the PSTN.

Only Clark and Yakima counties in Washington are not applying the full increase to the county E911 taxes, charging 50 cents instead of 70 cents, while Yakima is not applying the tax to VoIP services at all.









VoIP Cuts Down Commuting


A study has suggested that unified communications technologies such as Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) are helping to cut down on commuting times.

One of the beauties of VoIP is that it allows people to work remotely as they can make cheap calls from any location and be consistently accessible.



The amount of commuters in the United Kingdom is now lower than at any time in the last decade according to statistics compiled by the Trades Union Congress (TUC).

The TUC general secretary Brendan Barber said: "After years of increasing journey times it is great to see that the number of hours spent commuting to work is finally falling."

The Labour Force Survey shows that on average British people spend just under 48 minutes getting to and from their place of work every day. However in 2006 this figure was 52 and a half minutes.

As the Internet becomes faster and VoIP communications constantly improve there is less need for employees to be at their desks in the office.

That is why between 2006 and 2008 there was a 291,000 increase in employees working from home. By working remotely the commuter travel hours were cut down by 232,000 hours of travel per day in 2008 alone.

At the same time as the study came out research by unified communications provider Cisco Systems showed that 60% of employees think it is no longer necessary for them to work from the office.

3CX & Phonzo provide VoIP solution


3CX has gone into a strategic partnership with Phonzo to provide a fully integrated VoIP solution for SMB markets in Norway and Sweden.

The integrated solution gives two different calling plans to fit customer needs. One plan is based on low monthly costs and pay-per -call while the other plan allows free unlimited calls within Norway, Sweden, the European Union and the United States. Call prices to other international destinations are among the lowest in Norway and Sweden.

The 3CX CEO, Nick Galea, said: “3CX is pleased to work with a leading VoIP provider in Norway in order to offer our customers an exceptional end-to-end VoIP solution.
He added: "Existing 3CX Customers can use our IP PBX with Phonzo internet telephony services safe and knowledge that the solution has been tested and comes with full support from both companies”.

While 3CX is known as the international developer of the award-winning 3CX Phone System for Windows, Phonzo is a leading next generation telecommunications service provider in the Scandinavian countries of Sweden and Norway.

The two companies have now completed full interoperability testing with Phonzo becoming a 3CX Supported SIP Trunk provider. Therefore the Phonzo SIP Trunk configuration is built into the latest of 3CX software.

That means that businesses which are already using 3CX VoIP phone branch exchange (PBX) for Windows can now have an integrated solution, making use of Phonzo’s high quality IP telephony services.

The CMO at Phonzo, Petter Tidemand, said: “We are proud to partner with this leading software developer of VoIP PBX’s.
"Together with 3CX we will increase awareness of VoIP business benefits in Norway and Sweden, while offering a reliable and cost-effective solution which is easy to install and manage”.

3CX Releases VoIP Update


The Microsoft phone system for Windows 3CX has just released the service pack 4 for version 9 of their VoIP product.

Service Pack 4 will upgrade your 3CXPhone System V9 to build 14901. It can be downloaded in around 10 minutes from the 3CX Winforms Management console / Service pack updates, depending on the speed of your server.

The update allows consumers and enterprises to perform all IP phone management functions from within the 3CX Management Console.

Features include a new IP Phone Provisioning node with improved provisioning templates to provide better support for the IP Phone features.

Furthermore there is the ability to upload new firmware to IP Phones with service Pack 4. The idea is to save on administration time, especially if you using different phones in the network.

Just follow some simple instructions for the update -

1) Add the firmware you want to deploy in the IP Phone Provisioning > Firmware node.
2) Go to the Phones node to select the phones firmware upgrade.
3.Select ‘Upgrade Firmware’ and click OK to start the upgrade.
4.The firmware will be uploaded the phone will be rebooted after the upgrade.

For further information on the service pack 4 visit 3CX.

Imperfect Skype VoIP Android App

Skype has acknowledged some of the faults in its original VoIP app for the Android by releasing an update.

Based on user feedback a number of changes were made to Skype for Android 1.0. These included support for 240x400-pixel and 320x240-pixel (QVGA) screen resolutions and for the hardware back button. One of the major changes has been to make the app use less battery when it is inactive.



Yet the new Skype VoIP telephony app for Android smartphones is far from perfect according to CNET.

"The response to changes based on user feedback has been lukewarm overall. Although Skype
has done work to improve stability, some known issues remain. For instance, Skype links do not open automatically in the native browser for Android 2.0 and 2.1 phones. Moreover speakerphone issues still exist for some phones in the Galaxy S series."
For a full list of the known issues with the VoIP app for Android look on the Skype website.



































VoIP Cheers Britons

With another cold winter setting in t he British are firmly under the weather at the moment.
Unemployment is soaring and so are taxes, while trains are predicted to get even more crowded than usual.



Yet there are reasons to smile as the cost of phone calls continue to get cheaper. VoIP provider Skype is using the UK Internet week festival (which started on November 8) to offer free access to its low-cost call service for as many people as possible.

While there are many technology conferences in America, this is the first to take place in the UK and the tech heavy hitters will all be there including Google and Yahoo.

As part of their access pay-as-you-go, Skype is providing free WiFi access. Normally Skype users have to pay to top up their accounts in order to make calls which are not just between PCs, i.e computer to landline. But right now such calls are free as long as you are in a Skype WiFi hotspot.

This may be part of Skype's bid to attract more users as they look to prepare an initial public offering (IPO). Currently only 8 million users of Skype pay for the service even though there are more than 100 million users worldwide.

There is also good news for Brits who live in the Channel Islands with the roll-out of new fibre-optic broadband.

The Jersey Telecoms Group is investing £11 million on upgrading the Channel Islands infrastructure in order to double the broadband speed over the next couple of years. Fast broadband means better VoIP.

Graeme Millar, the CEO of Jersey Telecoms, said: “We hope to make the Channel Islands a world class telecommunications hub for Europe, which in turn will create new job opportunities and boost the economy of the Islands.”

Justice Department on to VoIP Fraud

The United States Justice department is trying to stay one step ahead of Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) fraud even though the constant development of new technology makes this almost impossible. 


Through the National Institute of Justice (NIJ), the Justice department is formulating forensic tools to analyse VoIP,  mobile devices and the cloud computing system as a whole.
This is because the FBI details has recently reported a number of VoIP scams as criminals use the technology to remain untraceable.

Stephen Riley, a forensic examiner for the FBI Computer Amalysis Team said: "Forensic tools for cell phones are in their infancy. There are lots of different phones, carriers and cables so it is a nightmare trying to keep up."

Nowadays a frightening amount of information can be kept on smartphones in the form of emails, SMS and VoIP conversations. Although VoIP networks are secure if properly protected, this can be difficult for law enforcement officers who need to access that information, especially in the case of planned terrorism attacks. 
Therefore the NIJ is now looking for forensic tools for mobile cellular devices, VoIP communications and Vehicle Computer Systems as well as data forensics for the Cloud Computing Environment.

Their funding for this project is not likely to exceed half a million dollars, though in the case of long term projects one million dollars may be allocated to help fight against VoIP and mobile device crime.

Vopium Offers Free Worldwide SMS

The Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) service Vopium is now offering free SMS messages worldwide.

Vopium is providing the app in an effort to promote their low cost calling and messaging services to more international markets.



A number of Asian counties are now served including Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Bhutan, Brunei, Cambodia, India, Indonesia, Japan, Laos, Pakistan, Malaysia, Mongolia, Nepal, the Philippines, Singapore, Sri Lanka, Taiwan, Thailand and Vietnam.

You can send a free text to any of these countries from anywhere in the world using Vopium. Although they are not free you can also make cheap VoIP international calls to these countries and others.


You just download their application from the Android Market Place and follow the easy installation process.
Vopium works on any personal computer or mobile device using Wi-Fi capability. If you are on a mobile network your provider may charge a small subscription fee, but otherwise the service is free.

More Men use VoIP Apps than Women


Men are more likely to use Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) apps than women, according to a new study by Harris Interactive.

While 30% of men said that they would use a VoIP app on a personal computer to make low-cost international calls, the corresponding figure for women was only 19%.


While 10% of men say that they use VoIP apps to make calls on a mobile device, the figure for women is very low at only 2%.

The figures between men (16%) and women (11%) for video calling are not so disparate. However 42% of men were here pay for video calling on services such as Skype, compared to only 24% of women.

Does the study actually have any practical use? Well it may confirm that men are still geekier and more comfortable with technology on the whole. If that was the case then companies would do well to try and target their VoIP apps and VoIP app marketing towards women.

However I am less inclined to read anything into it. That is probably because my girlfriend and my sister are both far better at getting to grips with new technology than I am. So the results of my own personal study are somewhat contradictory...

China VoIP Review





A new report on the VoIP market in China has just been released.

It gives an overview of supply and demand for Voice over internet Protocol technology in this huge Asian country.

The China Sourcing Report: VoIP Products 2010 shows that VOIP exports from China are increasing. This will be interesting news for CEOs in the industry, whether they are seeking to invest in these technologies or even if see them as competition to their own offerings.

China suppliers are taking advantage of the tough economic times in the West to present small and medium sized enterpises with cost saving alternatives to their current business models. More companies in Europe and America are similarly switching to cost saving VoIP channels to reduce their expenditures.

Mobile and wireless VoIP markets are particularly strong and 100% global growth of the industry is predicted each year leading up to 2014.

The report covers the key VoIP devices manufactured in China by the 15 main suppliers. That includes routers, IP phones, gateways and PBXs with both wired and wireless VoIP analysed. As well as in-depth profiles there are colour pictures of all the latest Chinese VoIP products available.

VoIP helps Feed the Hungry

Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) is increasingly being used by organisations as well as consumers and enterprises.

While hospitals have found that VoIP and unified communications can be used to save lives, charities are now coming to the same conclusion.

Food for the Hungry has now implemented a VoIP solution courtesy of 8x8 Inc. The Christian relief organisation has deployed a Virtual Office VoIP phone service in order to to make it easier to communicate between domestic and international offices, while saving costs at the same time.



Food for the Hungry chose 8x8 for its flexibility and low operational expense. The system allows the charity to use a number of toll free numbers and fax extensions for field offices in far and wide locations including the UK, Bolivia, Guatemala and Haiti.



Republicans give VoIP message

American president Barack Obama famously became the first black leader of the United States and he relied to a large extent on innovative technology to do so.

For instance social networking potential was maximised to attract young voters, as were entertaining YouTube videos.




With the Democrats struggling and mid-term elections approaching, it seems that many Republicans have used Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) to get the upper hand.

VoIP has been used in party politics since 2006 to engage voters and gather data on their voting habits. In 2008 the Republican Congressman Peter Roskam won a thin majority on the back of a data-led VoIP campaign.
Today incumbent Democrat Congressman Jim Moran is facing stiff competition from former US Army Colonel Patrick Murray.

The Democrats thought they were safe with a large lead and an opponent who had little money to spend on television and radio spots.

What they did not count on was the Murray team purchasing 30 VoIP phone and internet lines. That allowed them to make hundreds of calls a day to canvass votes without having to spend much money.

Furthermore to collect data on target voters, volunteers for the Murray team could ask structured questions and record their answers digitally into the campaign database. Since the VoIP campaign has been launched, Murray has made huge gains on Morgan.

The political adviser for Murray, Andy Bookles said:  “People are captivated by how tight this race has become. We may not have spent incredible sums of money but our targeted VoIP investment has provided the data to make informed decisions. It has allowed us to allocate campaign resources to where they will have the most impact on Election Day.”