Articles
Asterisk is no longer just a PBX footnote:The open source PBX software is at the center of an alternative telephony marketTim Greene (Network World)While Asterisk IP PBX software can be a boon for cash-strapped businesses that need phone upgrades, the free, open source platform has also spawned a host of for-profit vendors that charge for Asterisk professional services, peripherals and software extensions and still manage to undercut the prices charged by more established IP PBX vendors.
New FCC Chief Not So VoIP-FriendlyCarolyn Schuk (Voxilla.com)Kevin J. Martin, President Bush's appointee as Chair of the Federal Communications Commission may not be as friendly to Voice over IP service provider as Michael Powell, whom Martin replaces this week.
Beginning of the End for the ATA?Carolyn Schuk (Voxilla.com)Four major Voice over IP service providers are planning to soon package IP-based cordless phone systems with their offerings.
In Emergency, Web Phone Options LimitedAnthony McCartney (Tampa Tribune)TAMPA - Switch to an Internet phone and you'll probably save some cash, but you may be giving up a crucial service: 911.
Best of the YearStaff (PC Magazine)"This system is as good as VoIP currently gets."
Let's Talk About VoIPHolly J. Morris (Washington Post Express)Are we ever sick of talking on the phone. (Sorry, Mom!) After trying out six VoIP services on both cable and DSL lines, on workdays and weekends, while surfing the Web or staring at the ceiling, this VoIP tester is turning on Do Not Disturb for the rest of December.
VoicePulse Telephone ServiceJeff Fila (DesignTechnica.com)One of the hot topics for 2004 was Voice over Internet Protocol, or VoIP, a service that allows you to use regular telephones on your high-speed internet connection and get rid of your landline service. With Vonage leading the way, several companies have emerged as important players in the communications industry, spurred on by the relatively low cost of entry to the marketplace. Piggy-backing on the existing internet and telecom infrastructure, VoIP providers are able to provide telephone service and advanced digital features at a fraction of the cost that traditional phone companies offer.
Why we need federal oversight of VoIP?Om Malik (GigaOm)This past Friday Ravi Sakaria, the chief executive officer of New Jersey-based Voice Pulse had a rude awakening. He got letters from two California cities, Burbank and El Monte, both asking the company to pay certain utility taxes because the company was offering VoIP services to some of their residents. Forget states imposing their own regulations, this is local level regulation of VoIP. And it adds a whole new wrinkle to the regulatory mess that surrounds the Internet Voice market. This really opens up a whole new can of worms, says Sakaria.
WirelineStaff (Communications Daily)Rep. Holt (D-N.J.) urged FCC Chmn. Powell to grant the regulatory relief sought in a Vonage VoIP petition as soon as possible, and find that VoIP is a service that is interstate in nature and therefore subject exclusively to federal jurisdiction. In a letter to Powell dated Tues., he said the outcome of that proceeding was of vital importance to VoicePulse, which is headquartered in his congressional district.
Rep. Holt Wants States Preempted on VoIP IssuesLynn Stanton (TR Daily)Rep. Rush Holt (D., N.J.) has asked FCC Chairman Michael K. Powell to grant Vonage Holdings Corp.'s petition for a declaratory ruling that voice-over-Internet-protocol (VoIP) services are interstate and to do so "as soon as possible."
Review of VoicePulseCraig Ellison and Oliver Kaven (PC Magazine)"We were extremely impressed with the breadth of features offered by VoicePulse and its easy to navigate Web interface."
Internet phone-service firms charge less, offer new optionsPhil Santoro (The Boston Globe)Like most married couples, Greg and Porsche Brown talk to each other every day. But she lives in Boston and he lives in Chicago. In their case, talk hasn't been cheap.
Review of VoicePulseTravis Griggs (Techware Labs)What is VoIP?
Internet Phones: Clear WinnersJeff Bertolucci (PC World)Internet phones have come a long way since the early days. A few years ago, you had to use software and a PC microphone to initiate a call from your PC to a regular phone. And you probably encountered some of the most garbled, inaudible conversations since tin can met string.
Cut-Rate Calling, by Way of the NetDavid Pogue (The New York Times)EVERY time an important piece of our lives goes electronic, much is gained, but something is lost, too. Audiophiles say that compact discs don't sound as warm as vinyl records. Home theaters are neat, but don't offer the communal fun of a movie theater crowd. And no matter how efficient e-mail may be, it can't touch the joy of receiving a handwritten letter on fine stationery, thoughtfully composed and concluding with the words "check enclosed."
Inching WestwardStaff (Voxilla)New Jersey-based Voice over IP service provider VoicePulse will be tripling the number of rate centers it serves throughout the United States over the next two weeks.
VoicePulse Goes Low BandwidthBrian Dingman (Voxilla)Voice over IP provider VoicePulse has unveiled a new bandwidth saver feature that allows users with limited upstream bandwidth to make toll-quality phone calls without crippling their internet connection or causing voice dropouts or dropped calls.
The catch to Net phone service starts with DSLMichael Bazeley (San Jose Mercury News)One of the advantages Internet phone companies offer over regular phone service is better pricing. For as little as $19.95 a month, consumers can get unlimited local and long-distance calling, plus voice mail, caller ID, call waiting and other features. Try that with your local phone company.
Some Callers Opting For Internet Phone ServiceNBC 10 (NBC)Voice Over Internet Good Deal For High-Speed Internet Users
Hot StuffAmanda Kooser (Entrepreneur)While much about the future will always be uncertain, one thing is crystal clear: There's still plenty of money to be made by smart entrepreneurs with a knack for predicting what's next. And even if you don't have a nose for what's new, our annual predictions for the hottest business ideas can help. We've done the research to help give you a clearer picture of what's in store for 2004...and beyond. In our Hot Center, we spotlight the markets, industries and trends that hold the most promise. Check out our predictions, and you're sure to find a niche that can pay off for you.
Telecom changes imperil 911 responseMichael Bazeley (San Jose Mercury News)Consumers rushing to replace their old wired phones with cellular or Internet services may find they are also leaving behind reliable 911 access.
Say Hello To The Next Phone WarDuff Mcdonald (Time)Swedish entrepreneurs Niklas Zennstrom and Janus Friiss have already shaken the music industry to its roots with their Kazaa file-sharing software. Now Zennstrom, 37, and Friiss, 27, have turned their attention to another industry: telephony.
Who Needs Phone Lines?David Lagesse (US News & World Report)Tim Kowalsky happily cut the cord to his local telephone company. No, he hasn't gone hermit--he's still making calls from home with a familiar touchtone phone. But the calls bounce magically through the Internet before reaching his Minneapolis neighbors or the local pizza parlor. And his phone bill has dropped by about $25 a month.
