VOIP and SIP News

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.

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.

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

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 , 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

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

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."