VoIP Lowdown

They’re in your hand, on your head, around your ear, on your desk, on your lap, in your pocket, in your bag – wherever the eye can see, you’re surrounded by an ocean of gadgets. Yes, we live in a world that is increasingly revolving around smart mobile devices that are also called phones, portable music players that are a far cry in more ways than one from Sony’s famous Walkman of the 80s, compact computers that pack a punch in terms of power and speed, and accessories for each of these that are sometimes beyond the scope of our imagination. Gadgets have taken control - they’ve revolutionized the way we do business, the way we communicate, the way we socialize, in short, the way we live.

The Internet has spawned its own niche of gizmos, most of them related to Voice over Internet Protocol or VoIP, the technology that’s driving traditional telecom providers up the wall in despair. Internet telephony providers are making rapid inroads into the telecom sector, aided and abetted by newer and more innovative tools that sell like hotcakes as soon as they hit the shelves. For every new gadget that sees the light of day, there are hundreds that fade away into the sunset and hundreds more waiting in the wings - that’s how endless this lucrative market is. And to show you a taste of what it’s like, here’s a list that features 50 of the most mind-boggling VoIP gadgets that are around today.

Handy Handsets…

The chunky telephones that characterized the days of Graham Bell have undergone a sea of change and evolved to become sleek, cool, compact and good-looking handsets today. VoIP handsets eliminate the need for separate microphones and headsets – they provide seamless integration with the call network, so much so that you hardly know the difference between a VoIP and traditional telephone call.

1. V653.Skype VoIP Phone with Skype Navigation: Connects to your computer’s USB port and allows you to make VoIP calls using Skype. Set your own ring tones to differentiate your callers!

2. USB Sky Phone with Screen Display: Another USB-enabled phone with its own sound card that allows you to record and save conversations to your computer. Advanced digital USB streaming audio is said to enhance sound quality while the LCD allows call detail display.

3. DualPhone 3088: From the Danish company RTX, this dual mode phone supports both VoIP and PSTN calls. All you have to do is connect the base station to either a broadband router or a modem.

4. Videophones 1000 and 2000: From BT in the United Kingdom, these phones are made for videoconferencing. They use a BT Broadband Talk account, and include automatic upgrades and built-in address books. The 2000 model comes with Wi-Fi capabilities.

5. Siemens OpenStage SIP Line: “The missing link that integrates cellular, the Internet and the wired desktop,” this family of phones comprises four models that support third-party applications that are based on Java, HTML, WML, and XML. The innovative TouchGuide and TouchSlider allow easy access to the menu-driven user interface and control over the speakerphone, handset and ringer volumes.

Wireless Wonders…

It’s becoming an increasingly wire-free world, made possible by the advent of the Infra Red and Bluetooth technologies. Tired of being tied to your desk? Longing to get out but still stay connected? Then these devices are right up your street!

6. Nokia N800 Internet Tablet: A high-end device, this smartphone provides the best of video conferencing technology using Internet telephony. Comes with a high-resolution widescreen display and integrated web camera. 

7. Cisco’s iPhones: These VoIP phones made headlines because of their name – they stole a march over Apple in the iGadget terminology. Apparently Cisco had registered the name iPhone as early as the 1980s. While the two giants fight it out in the courtroom, let’s take a look at the portfolio of phones from Linksys (a subsidiary of Cisco).

Linksys CIT400 Dual-Mode Cordless Phone with Integrated Skype: The name says it all – this handset supports both VoIP and traditional telephone options. Best of all, you don’t need a computer to make calls using Skype.

Linksys Wireless-G WIP320 Phone: This one’s compatible with Skype and searches for Wi-Fi networks before it starts up completely.

8. Nokia E61: This state-of-the-art smartphone comes with both GSM and VoIP via Wi-Fi capabilities, a QWERTY keyboard, and OTAP. Over-The-Top-Provisioning allows automatic configuration through just one text message when you log in to your VoIPtalk account. Feature intelligent call forwarding that ensures you receive calls even outside Wi-Fi zones. 

9. Auvi PHIP65 Dual Mode Cordless Phone: Built using the DECT technology which enhances sound quality and cuts down interference, this model comes with a Caller ID screen and speakerphone for hands-free conversations.

10. P-2000W_V2 VoIP Wi-Fi Phone: Built by Zyxel, this phone connects VoIP calls using 802.11b wireless networks.

11. TVP-SP4BK ClearSky Kit: The conference call VoIP solution from TRENDNet, this gadget comes with a Bluetooth dongle that provides clear calls up to 300 feet. Other features worth mentioning are the large LCD and button area.

12. Calypso C1250i WiFi GSM VoIP Cellular Phone: Billed as the world’s first mobile phone that supports both cellular and digital frequencies and the Wi-Fi frequency, this video phone allows you to take pictures and shoot videos besides providing video-conferencing facilities. Connects to the Inernet at high speeds.
 
13. EZLoop VoIP Wireless Phone:Supports voice and data on the same wireless backbone, can be tailored according to user needs.

14. F1000G and F3000: Wi-Fi handsets from Utstar that include support for three-way calling, call waiting, call transfer and 802.11b/g, SIP, SDP, RTP, DHCP and TFTP.

15. WLAN800I: This Wi-Fi set’s based on the Windows CE kernel and compatible with Skype, SIP services, MSN Talk and MSN Messenger. Connects to the Internet via an 802.11b/g wireless access point.

16. Kensington Vo200 Bluetooth Internet Phone: Listed on sites but not yet available for sale, this gadget fits nicely into your notebook computer’s PCMIA slot. Works only with Windows XP.

17. D-Link DPH-540 Wi-Fi VoIP Phone: Built with a cool clamshell design, this handset comes with a PsipTN-compliant tool that lets you make and receive free calls within the PsipTN network. Connects to the Web through a 802.11b/g network.

18. VP 6500 and 6000: These Wi-Fi handsets from Philips allow you not only to make and recive VoIP calls, but also stream TV to the 2.2-inch, 65,000 color screen. Calls get across using the WEP, WAP and WPA2 encryption protocols.

19. NetLink 8030 and 8020: This pair from SpectraLink claim to be “the world’s first 802.11a Wi-Fi phones.” They support 802.11a/b/g, WPA2 for increased security, text messaging through Open Application Interface (OAI), military grade shock resistance and programmable softkeys. The 8030 is water and dust-resistant and comes with rubberized grips for better durability and ergonomics.

20. AiGuru S2 VoIP Skype Handset: Set to appear later this year, this gizmo supports Skype and streaming from iTunes/WMP. The SideShow feature apparently allows you to check your mail on the display.

Mighty Mouses…

You’ve got to hand it to the guy who coined the term “mouse” for that thingamabob that helps you navigate your computer – he sure had great imagination. I mean, who would have ever associated a rodent with a computer? These devices are now being used for more than just manipulating your cursor and clicking to operate your system. Innovators are adding new-fangled features to the humble mouse to make them function as a phone and mouse – all rolled into the same small package. Whatever these VoIP mouses may or may not be, they sure are space savers on your desktop!

21. Street Mouse VoIP Handset: It looks like a car, but what it actually is is a computer mouse and VoIP handset rolled into one. Has its own “headlights” though, LEDs that light up when the phone rings.

22. Genius Navigator 380: A mouse that doubles as a clamshell phone when you wish to make or attend a call. Not only does it support GoogleTalk, Yahoo, MSN, QQ, Skype and AIM, it rolls all IMs into a single window. A cool accessory for the road with your notebook computer.

23. Sony VAIO VoIP Mouse: This one comes in a range of colors – you can pick your favorite. Claim to fame – the echo cancellation feature that provides crystal clarity in your calls! Supports Windows XP and 2000 only though, not MAC operating systems.

24. VM-01L from Skype-on: This is one trendy mouse – it has its own TFT display and buttons that are displayed when you flip it open. Comes with headphones that allow you to use the device as a regular mouse even as you talk away to your heart’s content.

Hip Headsets…

There are times when wireless headsets have people staring at you thinking you’re nuts to be talking to yourself, but these tiny earpieces are a boon when you need to both talk over the phone and keep your hands free for other activities, and keep the conversation to yourself of course. Some of them are now VoIP-enabled.

25. Sony Ericsson VoIP Kit and Headset: The HBH-PV705 headset from Sony Ericsson combined with a Bluetooth USB adaptor or a Bluetooth-enabled computer allows you to make VoIP calls using the VoIP Kit HBV-100.

26. Plantronics Voyager510 headset: Marketed as the first Bluetooth headset optimized for VoIP, this wireless device is one of the two products that Skype retails. Comes bundled with Skype software.

27. CY4638 VoIP Demonstration Kit: This demo kit for a VoIP headset combines a radio system-on-chip and signal delivery to provide a design that is easily replicated and can be marketed quickly.

28. nRD24V1 reference design: Just released by Nordic Semiconductor, this reference design for cost-effective USB dongle wireless headsets for VoIP applications “combines the company’s industry proven silicon with its applications expertise to provide a complete PC wireless headset solution” for VoIP.

Kool Keyboards…

They’re being used to do more than just type these days; you get designs that are ergonomically perfect to prevent repetitive use injuries; some come with no letters on the keys (apparently helps in typing faster); and yet others are integrating VoIP handsets into their designs.

29. A4 Tech VoIP Keyboard: Compatible with Skype, MSN, Yahoo messenger, QQ and Net2phone, this keyboard comes with the phone to the right of the keys; also has an incorporated speaker, an Audio In/Out port that allows you to connect a headset, eight Office keys and five multimedia keys.

30. USB Keyboard and Skype Handset BKBU-SKJ109/SV: This product from Buffalo bundles the handset into the standard 109-key keyboard, which in turn connects to the system through both the newer USB 2.0 standard and the phased out USB 1.1 standard.

31. Laser KB-USBBKVPU USB VoIP Keyboard: Comes with a built-in USB sound controller that eliminates the need for drivers for your speakers and microphone. Ports for headphones and microphone are located within easy reach on the keyboard. Holds 116 keys including those for shortcuts to the Internet and MS Office applications.

32. Jasco’s GE Branded VoIP Multimedia Keyboard: Winner of the 2006 CES Innovations Design and Engineering Award, this VoIP keyboard comes with hotkey software that allows you to directly control your iTunesO digital music.

Magnificent MP3 Players…

The iPod has turned the spotlight on Apple like never before. The portable MP3 player has spawned a new vocabulary for the geek set – from music to lectures, they’re all streamed straight to your ears, thanks to this snappy new gadget that’s a must-have for the hip-hop crowd. VoIP aficionados are cashing in on this cool tool’s popularity by creating MP3 players with in-built VoIP capability. Sing along with your favorite tune, or ring your favorite pal – it’s all possible with VoIP MP3 players.

33. Rimax Mystic: Pegged as the first MP3 that also serves as a VoIP headset, the Mystic retails in 512MB and 2GB sizes. Plugged into your USB port, it supports VoIP calls and also charges its batteries.

34. Median MX-400M: The music player that doubles as a VoIP mobile phone as well when connected to your computer, this product is powered by VoIP services from Callpia and MiraPhone. 

35. BOXON MP3 Player: This Korean gadget automatically connects to a VoIP application when you hook up to the Internet, and allows you to share text, music, photos and video clips with friends via a 1.71-inch full-color OLED display. The makers have also thrown in capabilities that allow you to read e-books, play videos and brush up your Korean with an English-Korean dictionary.

Advantageous Adapters…

Don’t want to buy a phone exclusively for VoIP use? Feel a bit silly using a mouse as a phone? Just too used to the regular keyboard to opt for one that incorporates a phone as well? Or just too fond of your landline handset to turn it in for a new model? All valid reasons for you to invest in adapters that convert your regular telephone to one that can be used for VoIP calls as well.

36. Packet8 Tango Video Terminal Adapter: This one does more than just let you talk using VoIP from your landline, it comes with a sleek built-in LCD screen that conjures up a videophone from your ordinary telephone.

37. VMNF300 VoIP Telephone Adapter/Router: Use this handy tool to make outgoing calls using VoIP and receive incoming calls via your regular telephone. There’s also a PSTN lifeline which uses your PSTN line to route VoIP calls when your power is out or when your Internet connection is down.

38. SkyQube and SkyQube Square: While the former works like an adapter to connect your landline to Skype, the latter allows you to make calls using your GSM network when you insert your SIM into it.

39. Lindy USB VoIP Adapter: This one comes with a microphone and headset and lets you use your computer’s speakers for other purposes. Compatible with both Mac and Windows, this adapter has a mute button that helps eliminate backtalk.

Marvelous Miscellaneous Mechanisms…

40. Laser VoIP Station with 6 Port USB Hub: Billed as a cost-effective alternative to using a Bluetooth headset, this tool can be connected to your USB port. Besides the 6 USB ports, it has plugs for a headset and microphone, and the built-in audio chip allows you to use your computer’s soundcard for other activities such as music or game sound effects.

41. IOCell PhoneDrive: This gizmo combines storage space and VoIP – it’s a USB disk that comes equipped with VoIP capability.

42. The Elegance: True to its name, this slender touch screen flat screen monitor from Igel hosts VoIP software from a flash drive plugged into a resident USB port; the application is powered by the thin client’s software. 

43. Actiontec Chatterbox: This Skype speaker phone is a USB-enabled tool that is touted as an entry-level application for conference calls. It also has a headset plug if you decide to keep the conversation private. Not too much voice clarity when more than one person talks simultaneously, but still enough if you don’t like headphones and microphones.

44. Vo300 Internet Speakerphone: From Kensington, this device has its own number pad to make dialing easier, one-touch access to Skype Voicemail and a backlit LCD that makes reading less hard on the eyes. The company is banking on the phone’s echo-cancellation feature to do the trick for them in terms of sales.

45. Logitech QuickCall USB Speakerphone: Though it looks like a pair of binoculars, there’s no doubt that this gadget is a VoIP speakerphone. The shape is apparently not for kicks, but serves a larger purpose – to remove the echo that’s a common complaint with VoIP calls. Apparently this is done using Logitech’s RightSound Technology. It uses two microphones - one on each side of the phone – to capture sound from a larger area.

46. Polycom Communicator: This Skype-certified device uses Polycom’s Acoustic Clarity Technology to provide clear sounds and voices; Ideal for VoIP use minus headphones and microphones.

47. Sky IPmate T-30: A plug-and-play adapter that allows you to forward your incoming Skype calls to or make VoIP calls via Skype using your mobile phone or landline.

48. Skype Hack: This experimental gadget allows you to enhance screen resolution of the 320 x 240 standard to 640 x 480 during video calls. Works only at your end, so the person at the other end will have to invest in one too. 

49. ARIO Q-bean: VoIP headset, wireless media remote and wireless headphones all rolled into one funny-looking gadget from LTB Audio. Comes with its own USB dongle that connects the bean to the computer via a Bluetooth-like technology that is proprietary to LTB.

50. Vonage’s Concept Router: Complete with an integrated touch screen LCD, this wireless router/VoIP adapter is just a concept so far.

Staff :: Feb.22.2007 :: Uncategorized :: Comments Off

VoIP technology has the tech geeks buzzing. It has been touted as:

- the killer of telecoms
- a solution for the third world’s communication gap
- revolutionizing factor in international business

But despite all the buzz, and the predictions that everyone will be it using it by 2009, why does it seem that every time you make a phone call with Skype the quality sucks…or that your Vonage calls constantly get dropped…or worse, that teenage hackers are stealing your personal information and bringing down the whole network?

A VoIP network is susceptible to the usual attacks that plague all data networks:

…viruses, spam, phishing, hacking attempts, intrusions, mismanaged identities, Denial of Service (DoS) attacks, lost and stolen data, voice injections, data sniffing, hijacked calls, toll fraud, eavesdropping, and on and on and on.

The only difference is, with other technologies people take basic steps to protect themselves. With VoIP, nobody is doing so. As a result, all we hear about in the mainstream media is how vulnerable and unreliable VoIP is. And let’s face it…until people start taking the steps to safeguard their networks, this technology isn’t going to go places.

So for those you geeks who want to see the technology get broadly adopted, (and maybe fulfill some of the lofty aspirations mentioned above) start by first protecting your own VoIP network, and then helping to protect those of your friends and neighbors. Pretty soon, we can dump the “vulnerable” label and start gaining some non-techie fans.

So without further adieu, here are 25 ways to help you get started.

1. Restrict all VoIP data to one Virtual Local Area Network (VLAN): Cisco recommends separate VLANs for voice and data; this helps prioritize voice over data and also keeps traffic on the voice network hidden from those connected to the data network. VLANs are also useful in protecting against toll fraud, DoS attacks, and eavesdroppers listening in and taking over conversations. A VLAN is an effective closed circle of computers that does not allow any other computer access to its facilities; with the lack of a PC to launch attacks, your VoIP network is quite safe. Even in the case of an attack, the disruption caused is a minimum.
2. Monitor and track traffic patterns on your VoIP network: Monitoring tools and intrusion detection systems can help identify attempts to break into your VoIP network. Scrutinizing your VoIP logs can bring to light irregularities such as international calls made at odd hours or to countries your organization has no ties with (toll fraud), multiple log-on attempts like in a brute-force attempt to crack a password, or a surge in voice traffic during off-peak hours (voice spam).
3. Lock down your VoIP servers: Servers should be secured physically against both internal and external intruders who can intercept data using sniffing techniques, either within the LAN or at the ISP when data travels over the Internet. Since VoIP phones have fixed IP and MAC addresses, it’s easier for attackers to try to worm their way in. Which is why Gary Miliefsky, founder and CTO of NetClarity, recommends locking down IP and MAC addresses that allow access to the administrative interfaces of VoIP systems, and putting up another firewall in front of the SIP gateway. This will restrict incoming access to IT administrators and prevent hackers from getting in.
4. Use multiple layers of encryption: It’s not enough to just encrypt the data packets that are sent out, you have to encrypt call signaling too. Encrypting voice packets prevents voice injections where interceptors can insert their own words into the conversation, giving it a whole new meaning. Steve Mank, CEO of Qovia, cites two common methods of encryption - the Secure Real Time Protocol (SRTP) which encrypts communication between endpoints, and Transport Level Security (TLS) which encrypts the whole call process. Encryption of voice traffic should be supported by providing strong protection at gateways, networks and hosts.
5. Build redundancy into VoIP networks: Be prepared for the day DoS attacks or viruses threaten to bring your network crashing down – create a network that tolerates failures by setting up multiple nodes, gateways, servers, power sources, and call routers, and hooking up with more than one provider. Don’t stop with just putting the infrastructure in place; run frequent trials to ensure that they are working well and are ready to take over when the primary network fails.
6. Put your equipment behind firewalls: Create separate firewalls so that traffic crossing VLAN boundaries is restricted only to applicable protocols. This will prevent the spread of viruses and Trojans to servers in case clients are infected. The maintenance of security policies also becomes simpler when each firewall is considered separately. Choose networking and security vendors who support both the Session Initiation Protocol (SIP) and the International Telecommunication Union’s H.323 protocol. Firewall configurations have to be created so that the appropriate ports open and close when necessary.
7. Update patches regularly: The security of a VoIP network depends on both the underlying operating system and the applications that run on it. Maintaining patch currency for both the OS and VoIP applications is imperative in protecting against threats from malware. A study from Forrester Research urges companies to make sure they provide “added security measures for IP telephony, without assuming that vendors will respond to each and every risk that appears with patches for installed products.”
8. Keep your network away from the Internet: The University of Houston is a pioneer in this security approach – the institution has put its call manager and network out of direct access from the Internet; its IP PBXs are in a domain separate from its other servers and access is restricted.
9. Minimize the use of softphones: VoIP softphones are prone to hacker attacks, even when they are behind corporate firewalls, because they are used with an ordinary PC, VoIP software, and a pair of headphones. Also, softphones do not separate voice and data, and are vulnerable to the viruses and worms that normally infect a PC.
10. Perform security audits on a regular basis: Running checks on administrative and user sessions and service activities can help bring irregularities to light. Phishing attempts can be thwarted, spam can be filtered out so it doesn’t clog the network, and intruder attacks can be stopped.
11. Evaluate physical security: Make sure that only devices and users who are authenticated and pre-approved gain access to your network by limiting access to the Ethernet ports. Administrators are often fooled into accepting softphone devices that are not permitted on the network because hackers can easily imitate IP and MAC addresses by plugging into an RJ44 port.
12. Use vendors who provide digital security certificates: When IP phone vendors provide digital certificates to authenticate devices, users can ensure that the conversation is secure and is not being broadcast to other devices. The phones load digitally signed images to ensure that the software loaded is authentic. Verisign has been a pioneer in providing authentication certificates for wireless IP phones, in an effort to prevent “tapping” (illegal eavesdropping) and “spoofing” (illegal tampering) of conversations.
13. Secure your gateways: Configure gateways so that only those who are allowed access can make and receive VoIP calls. Lists with authenticated and approved users can ensure that others are prevented from using the lines to make free calls. Protect gateways and the LANs behind them with a combination of an SPI firewall, application layer gateways (ALG), network address translation (NAT) tools, and SIP support for VoIP soft clients.
14. Manage servers separately: VoIP call servers are often the targets for attackers because they are the heart of any VoIP network. Critical weaknesses inherent in the server include its operating system, and the services and applications it supports. To minimize the chance that hackers get at your VoIP servers, manage traffic to them separately from VoIP signaling and call traffic.
15. Sort SIP traffic: Looking through your SIP traffic and checking for abnormal packets and traffic patterns that are different from the usual will help in cutting short sessions that are not genuine. Anomalies in the syntax and semantics of SIP and events that are irregular and out-of-sequence indicate that attacks are taking or likely to take place.
16. Examine call setup requests at the application layer: VoIP calls are susceptible to hijacking by outsiders who gain access to the network. Set up appropriate security policies so that only those call setup requests that conform to them are accepted.
17. Isolate voice traffic: For external communications, rely on a Virtual Private Network (VPN). Separate your voice and data traffic to prevent unwanted ears from listening in on your conversation. According to Kevin Flynn, senior manager of unified communications for Cisco, the biggest problem for organizations is “bad stuff from the data network getting on to the voice network.” He recommends blocking PC port access to the voice VLAN.
18. Use proxy servers: Protect your network even beyond firewalls by using proxy servers to process data that comes in and goes out. Authentication and integrity are ensured when signaling messages travel between user agents and SIP proxies by integrating SSL tunnels with SIP proxies.
19. Run only applications that are necessary to provide and maintain VoIP services: The very fact that VoIP applications use data that is encrypted could lead to them being used to launch DoS attacks. Attackers can hide behind the cloak of encryption to avoid their activities from being monitored.
20. Configure applications against misuse: Prevent your network from being used to perpetrate toll fraud, phishing scams, and illegal calls by preparing a list of permitted caller destinations.
21. Add endpoint security layers: Use network admission techniques and IEEE 802.1X port-based network access controls to keep out devices that are not authorized on your LAN or WLAN. Network Access Control (NAC) applications are available from Cisco - Network Admission Control (NAC), Microsoft - Network Access Protection (NAP), and TCG - Trusted Network Connect (TNC).
22. Restrict access according to certain criteria: VoIP network administrators can set up strict admission criteria to prevent access to devices that are potentially unsafe – when they are found to be infected with viruses or worms, when they do not have the latest patches, or when they do not have the right firewalls. These devices can be redirected to a disparate network that makes them compliant and then lets them onto the main network.
23. Avoid remote management: If possible, it is better to stay away from remote management and audits; but when necessary, use Secure Shell (SSH) or IPsec (IP Security) for the purpose. Access your IP PBX from a system that’s physically secure.
24. Use IPsec tunneling rather than IPsec transport: Tunneling and transport are two different encryption modes that support secure exchange of packets at the IP layer. The use of IPsec transport encrypts only the data while hiding the source and destination IP addresses. This prevents administrators from finding out who initiated the call when they analyze traffic.
25. Secure your VoIP platform: VoIP platforms that support the clients are built on operating systems that should be “hardened” to protect the integrity of the networks that run on it and keep out cyber attacks. Disable services that are not absolutely necessary and use host-based methods to detect intrusion.

Securing a VoIP network is an uphill task, especially when you consider the lack of standards and procedures in place. How secure a network is depends on the right choice of both hardware and software. Without a doubt, VoIP communications can be made more secure and reliable than regular PSTN interactions if the appropriate security measures are in place. So get out there and make the changes to your own networks…

andyhagans :: Feb.10.2007 :: Uncategorized :: Comments Off

Over the last 5 years the traditional telecoms’ share of the telephone market has shrunk significantly as upstart cellular and VoIP competitors continue to gain ground. But even more bad news is on the horizon for the likes of AT&T and Southwestern Bell; projections indicate that by 2010 more than 25% of American households will no longer even own a traditional land line.But this collapse isn’t just a case of good companies struggling because of new competitors and new technology. Rather, there are a number of ways that the telecoms actually brought on their demise…33 reasons in fact. And if you want to know why nobody is going to own a landline in 5 years, and why there is almost no hope of an AT&T turnaround, you better read this…

Were the telecommunications companies asking for it?

1. How customer-friendly and customer focused have telecommunications companies been, during their “heyday”? Apparently, not much, as this customer statement conveys, “I had been waiting for years to get CW/CID. Never got it in my area… Signed up with VoIP and had it from day 1. I have 2 VoIP providers with more features and it’s still cheaper than what I was paying for 1 Landline”

So is VoIP meeting a demand that the Telcos were too complacent to meet? If yes, then it was just a matter of time before the telecoms would have to bow down to newer concepts and technology such as VoIP. And what were their R&D departments doing anyway? Why were telecom giants not incorporating new technologies and features into their services before outsiders could come in and capture the market?

2. A classic example of how “outsider” vendors are meeting a demand that telcommunications companies could and should have; is GotVoice – a company that lets you access your home and cell voicemail via the web. Blogger Ted states, “How can I have access to my home and cell voice mail from the web and through email? If we had telephone companies that knew how to build services that customers wanted, this wouldn’t even be a question. But there is NO innovation going on at the phone company (fill in your favorite one, or AT&T if you are reading this after they have bought everyone else). Thus companies like GotVoice can come along and fill in the niche.”

3. While some telecoms are waking up to the fact that they better brush up their act if they want to continue existing, how well are they adapting? According to the article, ‘Pure VoIP Vs. Telecom VoIP: Guidance From VoIP.com,’ “… the telephone company’s VoIP is roughly $33 and dedicated VoIP providers are $20.”

If VoIP is more cost effective for providers, why are the Telco VoIP rates higher than those of the the dedicated IP providers? The article highlights, “The simple answer might be that it’s easier to give consumers a break if you’re not shoring up a century’s worth of copper wire losses with new technology revenue. One way to do that is by squeezing premium prices out of VoIP consumers. A common practice is to offer very basic VoIP plans with few features and limited calling areas, prompting users to upgrade to more expensive plans. In comparison, companies that focus solely on VoIP solutions tend to offer more comprehensive feature sets and expansive calling areas for substantially less than their competitors.”

They were asking for it, weren’t they?

What else makes VoIP more attractive than the traditional service? Is it cost, is it better technology, or is it a combination of factors?

It’s Cheaper!

4. Can the telecoms even begin to fathom the concept of competition within free – that’s right – free international phone calls? Well, VoIP companies can – and they even have a business model that makes it profitable!

There’s Raketu (40 countries), futurephone.com (50 countries), and then there’s Skype’s free SkypeOut promotion (2 countries – US and Canada).

5. Free phone adaptor shipped anywhere in the world, for just $6.99/month and you get cheap VoIP minutes? Check out iConnectHere’s (deltathree) newly launched “World Plan.”

Why VoIP is a better technology anyway…

6. Raketu’s peer-to-peer (p2p) technology eliminates problem areas such as the security issues associated with supernodes (older VoIP technology). This allows the highest quality of VoIP calling and the highest call-completion. In essence, VoIP is evolving everyday – and it will only get better with time aka the evolution of PCs into laptops.

7. All iConnectHere service plans offer a Virtual Calling Card which allows customers to make calls from toll-free access numbers in 27 countries. They also offer a PC-to-Phone softphone client, which you can use instead/in addition to the phone adaptor. Other value-add features include voicemail, caller ID, 3-way calling, advanced call forwarding and real-time call records.

8. Pingtel, a provider of open source, Linux-based enterprise VoIP solutions, and Voxbone, a provider of international VoIP origination services have completed interoperability testing between their respective offerings. “As a result of this certification, customers can select Pingtel’s SIPxchange IP-PBX VoIP software solution in combination with Voxbone’s call origination services and thereby benefit from cost-effective calls routed to a SIP-based device (IP-phone, IP-PBX, etc.),” states blogger and VoIP expert Tom Keating.

R&D – Evolving Models; New Launches

9. Packet8 maintains a strong focus on evolving better and newer products. While the original Packet8 Videophone was retailed at $299, the new soon-to-be launched Packet8 will be priced at $150.

This new Packet8 portable model, besides being smaller and lighter than the current model, supports the H.264 standard, features a jog-wheel similar to an iPod for navigating the menu screens, and will allow you to hook up your home analog cordless phone. Keating states, “The new videophone is actually more like an ATA (analog telephony adaptor) with a video screen and camera added on top.” The gist is that in the coming months and years, you will see better VoIP products at even better prices.

10. Switchvox, a provider of IP-PBX phone systems for small- to medium-sized businesses (SMBs), has just launched Switchvox v2.6 at the recent Internet Telephony Conference & Expo. Features include Call Recording Backups, More Reports, Dial by First Name Directory, One Touch Agent Login, Improved Updater, Complex Network Support, and VoIP Provider Compatibility.

11. Skype continues to evolve its current technology - the next major release of Skype, Skype 3.0 beta will be launched in mid-November.

12. Web-based VoIP for Mac and Linux will be available soon.

13. Want to dream about a VoIP enabled future? How about this? “A host of brand new, VoIP-enabled cell phones will soon be ready for action. Imagine driving to work, receiving a call on your cell phone from a client, and then continuing that call on the corporate Wi-Fi network as you walk into the front office. all without any interruption to your call-in-progress. The cell network will just “hand off” the call to your Wi-Fi network” (O’Reilly Network)

But what about voice quality and call completion issues?

14. “A large-scale VoIP study from Keynote Systems concludes that VoIP audio quality is improving, and in some cases exceeds that of the traditional phone network—so long as you’re making calls within the US,” says Nate Anderson (Some VoIP services surpass traditional phones). He adds, “VoIP from the cable companies actually surpassed the traditional phone network in reliability, meaning that the service was more often available and connected calls without dropping them. Cable providers also led the way in audio quality; the top firm in Keynote’s study actually turned in an MOS of 4.24, above most “real” phone networks.”

This superior MOS is a result of PacketCable, an IP multimedia transmission system optimized for cable plant. However, this does not apply to all VoIP providers - those who simply run standard VoIP connections over a cable modem do not see the same results.

Features, features!

15. The newly released Skype v2.6 beta constitutes these features:

• Click to call ordinary phone numbers on any website (optional install)
• Find and join Skypecasts in the Live tab.
• Share your links in mood message.
• Search the web with the Google Toolbar (optional install)

16. The Fritzbox Fon Wlan 7050 is an ADSL VoIP router with built-in PBX (private branch exchange) that allows you to make calls over both the conventional telephone network and the Internet. “You can connect up to three analogue telephones and, for those of you with the right equipment, up to eight ISDN phones. Ten simultaneous SIP-based VoIP numbers can be configured, with dialling rules applied to automatically select the cheapest tariff,” states reviewer Paul Monckton.

17. Draytel Vigortalk is just right for hassle-free VoIP calls using a standard phone. Reviewer Will Stapley (Personal Computer World) describes Vigortalk as, “Simple to set up; cheap… decent VoIP adaptor that’s painless to set up and use.” “This is a hardware VoIP adaptor that sits between a standard phone and your Ethernet router.” It’s perfect for those who were sitting on the fence and avoiding VoIP for fear of setting-up hassles.

18. Your mobile phone is adapting to and incorporating VoIP: “One of the very cool things about the Nokia E61 is that right out of the box it can handle SIP VOIP calls. Setting this up was surprisingly easy, though manual in nature.”

19. How does Rebtel make international calls cheap for you? The company assigns a local number to you and your calling party in each of your local countries and then you simply call that local number (using your unlimited local calling from your phone plan) and Rebtel flips the call to VOIP and then switches it back over in the respective local international market.

“While this is not for everyone, if you know someone overseas, this is a great way to still maintain the use of your existing phone system, but save massively on international calls. It’s much easier to explain to a parent or grandparent as well as you do not need a computer to make a call - you simply call a new number for your friend.” (Rebtel - globally local VOIP for your mobile)

20. Talkster is another promising company in the FMC market. Blogger Luca Filigheddu states, “When you click on a contact in your Talkster address book (that you can populate from the web), the Talkster web application “asks” your mobile phone to call a local PSTN number which corresponds to the contact you’re calling. The most interesting point here is that, unlike services like Rebtel, there is just one unique number (corresponding to a local gateway) which is dialed, always the same for all your contacts, and you don’t have to remember it, because it’s automatically dialed by the Talkster’s web application.”

21. At www.mozillavoip.com you can find the collection of VoIP extensions and plugins for the Mozilla suite by Abbeyphone Labs.

22. Actiontec’s VoSky Exchange 9040/80 can be connected to your company PBX in order to make and receive calls from your normal telephone to Skype users (for FREE) or to other fixed or mobile phones taking advantage of Skype’s rates. “VoSKY Exchange is the first Skype-certified solution that enables businesses of 10 to 300 employees to take full advantage of Skype’s VoIP service. The product requires no changes to existing PBX equipment, phones or user PCs; can be installed in two hours; and allows users to make and receive Skype calls on their regular office phones instead of using a PC and headset.” – Luca Filigheddu’s blog

23. Voicepulse: Voicepulse’s ‘America Unlimited’ and ‘Local Unlimited’ plans include features such as scheduled do not disturb, anonymous call block, call filters, and telemarketer blocks.

24. Vonage, a key player in the VoIP market, offers free calls to Europe.

25. “VoiceWing isn’t just a phone service, it’s a communications center that can streamline your calls. Because it functions through your broadband connection, it offers oodles of calling features and capabilities unimaginable with traditional phone service:” - Verizon

26. GloPhone : Besides the free phone calls, benefits include free unlimited PC to PC calling worldwide, click2call directory, calls from your laptop, among others.

27. “Truphone is an all SIP solution to the problem of providing a converged mobile phone: a mobile phone that also works in your home over wireless LAN. The main alternative to SIP is the UMA (Unlicensed Mobile Access) specification. UMA technology encapsulates GSM traffic in one or more wireless LAN protocols, transmits it over the unlicensed network and then converts it back into GSM protocol.”

28. “Legerity’s Wireless products combine silicon integration and software flexibility to tap into the ever-expanding broadband data pipe.”

What are the other applications of VoIP?

29. Vivox recently announced their “one million free minutes” promotion. It enables the 3D virtual world “Second Life” users to speak to each other via their phones using PC VoIP to landline termination (PC-to-PSTN).

30. Teamspeak, used extensively by the online gaming community, offers a scalable VoIP application which enables many users to simultaneously speak to one another. Teamspeak has approximately 1 million online users (compared with Skype’s 3 million). Considering that online gamers often spend hours per day playing online games, Teamspeak may actually have more users online on a daily basis than Skype.

31. Hurricane help through VoIP?: “Voice-over-Internet Protocol (VoIP) technology helped Allstate Insurance Co. weather hurricanes Rita and Katrina in the Gulf Coast region, enabling quick setup of two offices for displaced agents and claims adjusters who took calls from storm victims…”

32. VoIP and the Red Cross: “Imagine what it must be like to attempt a phone call in the littered wasteland that was once the central Gulf Coast of the United States…” asks the eweek.com article entitled, ‘VOIP to the Rescue.’ Though the Red Cross uses the services of ham radio operators that provide weeks of unpaid labor, they need more. And the more is VoIP – “In this case, the Red Cross uses VSATs (very small aperture terminals) to provide the critical links.”

The Adapting Telco?

33. AT&T’s CallVantage is offering plans that are as attractive and competitive as the VoIP companies’ plans. We just might see a turnaround!

Conclusion

So does this mean that the telecom giants are finally waking up? It’s true that VoIP services like Vonage and Packet8 are beginning to force the big phone companies to rethink their service offerings and, more importantly, bring their prices down.

“… it’ll be a while before the VoIP companies will have phone companies cowering in fear, but they are offering more services to keep their customers instead of seeing them walk away without a fight. The arrogance of the big phone companies is beginning to wear off, and true competition will emerge for voice services and eventually the consumer will win out.” (VoIP services giving traditional bells a pause)

What this means is that all these changes are ensuring that the consumer is the winner. And that’s good news isn’t it?

andyhagans :: Feb.10.2007 :: Uncategorized :: Comments Off

Gautam posts in The VoIP Weblog that a number of tutoring companies are using VoIP as a tool in their teaching. When it comes to a good soft phone or VoIM (Voice over Instant Messaging) client, you can’t beat it as a teaching aid for remote tutoring. You have voice, text, file sharing, and in the case of some VoIM clients such as AIM Pro (amongst others), desktop application sharing. What’s more, al that functionality is inexpensive or free.

Quite by coincidence, I spoke to someone over the weekend who wants to be a math tutor for one of my web properties. We discussed how we’d go about it. And while I haven’t decided 100%, I’m leaning towards either Ether or a combo of Skype and Jyve. The latter incorporates the Skype soft phone. Ether gives you a free extension, but calls are directed to whatever phone you specify. The same tutor asked me if one of her friends could tutor English the same way. As I have a TESOL certificate, I’m now trying to devise a VoIP-based English study program. (Both are high school students and would teach at a level below their skillset. They already tutor people in person, so doing it online would just be an extension of that.)

If you’re thinking of ways to use VoIP for your teaching, consider the functionality you have at your disposal:

• (1) Free or inexpensive voice calling. Speaks for itself.
• (2) Video calling. Depending on which VoIP or VoIM client you use. (Skype, Sightspeed.)
• (3) Text mode chat. This is a great simultaneous supplement to a voice conversation.
• (4) File sharing. At the end of the lesson, you can send over a PDF file.
• (5) Application sharing. Need to run through a lesson in, say, Powerpoint? Or maybe you are teaching programming and want to share your code editor. It’s great for when voice and text aren’t enough. (Aim Pro.)
• (6) Conferencing. Want to keep costs for students down? Teach in conference mode. Sightspeed has video and voice conferencing. Skype has voice conferencing.
• (7) Language translation. On-the-fly translation hasn’t been perfected yet, but there is an experimental project that comes close. The ULRTMT (Universal Language Real-Time Message Translator) is only for translating text mode chats in Skype. It’s supposedly a bit colloquial in the translation, but it might work for you, for both Roman-letter languages, CJKV (Chinese, Japanese, Korean, Vietnamese), amongst others.
• (8) Upfront payment. If you are using Jyve or Ether, you can specify payment upfront, via Paypal. Is this convenient or what? (Hopefully someone will come up with something similar for Sightspeed so that you can use their video-conferencing mode.)

What’s not to like about this method of remote tutoring? It’s free or inexpensive in nearly every functionality you could want. If you can’t teach in person, VoIP and VoIM clients are the next best thing. A general methodology is as follows:

• Use Ether to advertise your availability, or Jyve + Skype’s “presence detection”. This basically means tha when you tell Jyve to indicate that you are available, your Jyve buttons on your website reflect that independently of your Skype availibility status.
• If you are using Ether, your rates are already set and paid for before the call comes through to your regular or VoIP-based phone number. If you’d prefer they use Skype, then Jyve lets you set your rates.
• Review a previous lesson if necessary.
• Conduct your lesson through a combination of the functionalities listed above.
• End the lesson off by sharing a pre-written PDF of the lesson’s salient points.

Use a methodology like this for remote teaching and tutoring, and the value you add for a student will likely keep you very, very busy. Just keep in mind that not all countries have access to Paypal.

andyhagans :: Feb.10.2007 :: Uncategorized :: Comments Off

Microsoft is going to make inroads into iPod market by including VoIP to its new Zunes iPod. Zune is a digital media player. However, Microsoft sources confirmed that the digital media player will challenge Apples’s iPod. The product will have software and download services. To know more on this issue, you can refer to the news article titled, “ Microsoft ‘Zune’ iPod Challenger Confirmed by Redmond“.

The addition of VoIP will make it a Wi-Fi phone. According to Microsoft sources, the device will include built-in Wi-Fi. Microsoft is also planning a project called FonePlus that combines a phone with basic computer functions. The company wants to add these functionalities to its Zunes iPod. As the device already has Wi-Fi capabilities, it will not be difficult to add VoIP to it. It also has built-in audio features. Another interesting aspect of the device is that Microsoft is planning to give the device social networking capabilities. If you are looking for a good quality iPod with excellent features, Zunes iPod may fit into your scheme.

andyhagans :: Feb.10.2007 :: Uncategorized :: Comments Off