Tech Watch | InfoWorld Staff » TAG: VOIP

December 19, 2007 | Comments: (0)

Asterisk passes million download milestone

TAGS: Open Source, VOIP

The open source VoIP tide keeps rolling, as InfoWorld Bossie winner Asterisk announced its millionth download in 2007 today.

Digium's open source VoIP platform continues to win over organizations on the smaller end of the spectrum, but widespread enterprise adoption remains elusive, despite Asterisk's business-worthy proposition, as noted by InfoWorld's Paul Venezia in Open source VoIP makes the business connection, a deep dive look at open source IP telephony in the enterprise.

Of course, enterprising business-class Asterisk deployments do exist. Summer Bay Resorts, winner of an InfoWorld 100 award winner, replaced its legacy PBX with a series of HP DL360 machines running CentOS and Asterisk at each of its call centers, logging more than 1 million voice minutes per month on a 13-server system, as Venezia found out in Case study: Asterisk proves its worth.

The cost benefit of going open source for IP telephony is compelling. And Asterisk offers a bevy of worthwhile business features, not to mention a deep development community. It should be interesting to see whether Asterisk can build on this momentum and push deeper into the enterprise in the year to come.

Additional resources
Open source VoIP makes the business connection
Thanks to worthwhile IP PBX alternatives such as Asterisk, open source VoIP is ready for targeted enterprise deployment
Case study: Asterisk proves its worth
Looking to expand its phone operations, Summer Bay Resorts called on Asterisk -- and the open source IP PBX delivered
Adventures in Asterisk deployment
Wherein the author rolls up his sleeves and embarks on his own open source VoIP odyssey
Interactive graphic: Anatomy of an Open Source VoIP Rollout
Screencast: Open source VoIP: Trixbox 2.0
2007 InfoWorld Bossie Awards
InfoWorld editors and reviewers award the Best Open Source Software for the enterprise
2007 InfoWorld 100 Awards
This year's recipients of InfoWorld's highest honor are shining examples of IT projects undertaken by tech leaders committed to pushing their organizations forward
Paul Venezia: The Deep End

Posted by Jason Snyder on December 19, 2007 02:41 PM

July 24, 2007 | Comments: (0)

SunRocket quick-fix: Forward calls

TAGS: VOIP

I was was one of the unlucky SunRocket customers affected by the company going belly up, leaving service -- and VoIP itself -- in doubt.

I jumped to Vonage -- patent lawsuit be damned -- and received my free VoIP box, but it takes 10 biz days to port your old number.

Not a problem. While SunRocket is dodgy at best now for full functionality, call forwarding to a virtual new number (to be replaced by my SunRocket number when porting is complete) can be done at sunrocket.com. It worked instantaneously for me.

And I assume I won't be charged for using it, given I prepaid for a year at $199 (have used it for three months.)

I am assuming my money is lost in this fiasco, but have placed a call with Sherwood Partners, which is handling the belly-up. WIll let you know, Tech Watchers, what I hear on that (holding my breathe).

For the record, SunRocketers have many options for alternative service, and all companies including Vonage are trying to grab SunRocket's share following the company's demise. (See full letter to customers below.) But judging by the coverage on TV news of this, and banter by TV anchormen and women, VoIP just got slammed a big one with consumers. One Sacramento newscaster said she was using Vonage, but it too could just disappear like SunRocket one day, "so who knows with these Internet startups" (or something like that).

Thanks, SunRocket management. You take the cake for worst handling of a matter such as this.

*****LETTER FROM SHERWOOD PARTNERS******

ear Customers,

After significant effort by the Company to avoid this result, SunRocket is in the process of closing its operations and therefore will no longer be able to provide you with the phone service that you have been accustomed to. However, this email provides you with an opportunity to sign up with select service providers who we believe will offer outstanding replacement service.

In order to assist you, we have entered into negotiations with a number of service providers. As a result of those negotiations, we have entered into agreements with 8x8, Inc., provider of the Packet8 service, and Unified Communications Corp., provider of Teleblend service to offer you the best options and we are proud to recommend the following alternatives to you. Please make your decision to move to a new service provides immediately as future service is uncertain.

8x8/Packet8

The Packet8 Internet phone service incorporates patent protected technology from 8x8. Inc., a publicly traded company in business for more than 20 years. The service works in the same way as SunRocket’s and offers a virtually identical feature set.

* No Startup Costs
* FREE activation
* FREE equipment
* FREE shipping
* FREE first month of service
* Quickly port your number at no charge

A Savings of over $100!
Click here to order (or copy and paste the following link into your Internet browser: http://getpacket8.packet8.net/sunrocket/ or call 1-800-868-0068 and mention special offer code SUNROCKET

Unified Communications Corp. / TeleBlend

The TeleBlend Internet phone service incorporates patent-protected technology from Unified Communications Corp., a privately held company in business to provide outstanding customer service and telephony products. Teleblend has been working behind the scenes already to restore and continue service for all Sun Rocket customers. The service works in the same way as SunRocket’s and offers an identical feature set with our Unlimited Transfer Plan.

* No Startup Costs
* FREE activation
* Use your existing Hardware
* FREE shipping
* FREE and Quick transfer of your current number
* UNLIMITED calling to the US, Canada and Puerto Rico

Click here to order (or copy and paste the following link into your Internet browser: http://www.teleblend.com.

Posted by Mike Barton on July 24, 2007 03:10 PM

May 14, 2007 | Comments: (0)

CCube targets Craigslist users for click to call

TAGS: VOIP

Social networking site CCube will announce on Tuesday that it is offering users of Craigslist, the popular online bulletin board, a "click to call" feature that will them to hear a pre-recorded message or speak directly and anonymously to individuals who post ads on the site.

Ccube will release a widget that lets Craigslist users post a CCube URL or "Call me on Ccube" button with their Craigslist post. The feature will allow Craigslist users to speak directly -- but anonymously, with others offering jobs or services on Craigslist. CCube users can also post a prerecorded message giving inquirers a "better feeling about that person before deciding to make contact."

"Craigslist is a 'community catalyst' that contributes real value to our community," said Mahesh Lalwani, CEO of Ccube, in a company statement. "Our new click-to-call feature and 'Call me on Ccube' buttons are designed to help create a searchable, single degree of separation for Craigslist users based on their common needs and interests - from selling products and services to finding a date."

From its origins in the Bay Area, Craigslist has cropped up in cities across the countries and has proven to be a wildly popular source for classified ads and other information. However, the site's popularity and its policy of allowing users to post ads anonymously has occasionally caused problems. In April, an unoccupied home in Tacoma Washington was ransacked by Craigslist readers who responded to a prank posting that claimed everything in the house was free for the taking. There have also been numerous reports of robberies and assaults linked to anonymous posts on Craigslist.

Craigslist is not sponsoring or otherwise involved in the CCube offering, which requires that both buyer and seller are registered on the CCube Web site first.

Posted by Paul Roberts on May 14, 2007 12:44 PM

May 14, 2007 | Comments: (0)

Wal-Mart to sell Skype gear

TAGS: VOIP

Internet based telephony got a mainstream boost on Monday, with mega retailer Wal-Mart announcing that it start selling Skype-certified gear such as headsets, handsets and Webcams.

The Bentonville, Arkansas retailer, which earned its reputation by offering violently discounted prices, says it will offer Skype-compatible headsets for under $15 and web cameras for under $25. That compares to $41 for a headset and $79 for a webcam at the Skype.com Web site.

The Skype products are part of a larger push by Wal-Mart to beef up its electronics offerings and offer more help explaining different technologies to consumers.

After pushing competitors to the brink of bankruptcy with discounted flast screen TVs over the holiday season, Wal-Mart also said it will be offering a wider assortment of HDTVs and flat panels and driving down prices, for example on 32-inch LCD televisions, to lower than $500.

Skype, a division of auction giant eBay, is estimated to have between 170 million and 190 million users worldwide, and has been looking to expand its reach in recent months beyond basic Internet telephony, adding features designed to facilitate interaction between Skype users.

Posted by Paul Roberts on May 14, 2007 12:14 PM

May 01, 2007 | Comments: (0)

Vonage files to vacate patent ruling

TAGS: VOIP

VoIP vendor Vonage has filed a motion to vacate a U.S. District Court decision that it had violated Verizon patents, in light of a U.S. Supreme Court ruling this week.

In a statement released to InfoWorld, Vonage said that the patent case should be retired based on the High Court's new standard of obviousness.

"Vonage has asked the appeals court to send the decision back to the lower court to retry the invalidity case based on the Supreme Court's disavowal of previous rigid standards for determining when an invention is obvious to warrant patent protection. The U.S. Supreme Court unanimously adopted this new test yesterday in the KSR v. Teleflex case," the statement reads.

Verizon sued Vonage last June, alleging the VoIP provider had violated seven of its patents involving the packet-based calling technology.

Full story

Posted by Paul Roberts on May 1, 2007 01:30 PM

April 06, 2007 | Comments: (0)

WSJ: Judge's ruling puts Vonage on Ice

TAGS: VOIP

A ruling from a Federal Judge on Friday prohibits Internet-based phone company Vonage from signing up any new customers and could be a death sentence for the company if it is not overturned on appeal.

The Wall Street Journal reported Friday that U.S. District Court Judge Claude Hilton ordered Vonage to stop signing up new customers until it has stopped using Internet calling technology owned and patented by Verizon Communications.

The order follows an injunction against Vonage, in March, which ordered the company to stop using the Verizon technology after a jury found that Vonage had violated three Verizon patents.

Verizon sued Vonage over the patents in June, 2006, just weeks after the company issued an Initial Public Offering.

According to the report, Vonage has pledged to appeal the ruling, which a company lawyer said would cut off oxygen -- new customers -- that Vonage needed to survive. Judge Hilton said that the company would need to post a $66 million bond for that appeal.

Failing victory on appeal or a technology fix that replaces the Verizon patents, Vonage will soon face an existential dilemma: how to service its millions of customers without the benefit of being able to add new customers to its rosters.

Posted by Paul Roberts on April 6, 2007 08:59 AM

February 01, 2007 | Comments: (0)

Interoperability key in 'iPhone' talks

TAGS: Apple, Gadgets, Intellectual property, VOIP, Wireless

The Cisco-Apple iSaga took a conciliatory turn today as the companies returned to the negotiation table to hash out an agreement over the coveted iPhone moniker.

In a tersely worded joint statement, the companies stated "Apple and Cisco have agreed to extend the time for Apple to respond to the lawsuit to allow for discussions between the companies with the aim of reaching agreement on trademark rights and interoperability." (The emphasis is mine; more on that in a moment.)

As you may recall, the captain of the iPod Mothership (i.e. Steve Jobs) announced plans [Video] at MacWorld to beam down an iPod cellular phone called the iPhone.

Shortly after, Cisco cried foul and filed a lawsuit against Apple for copyright infringement, arguing that it has held the trademark for the name iPhone since 2000. The company released VOIP phones with that name through its Linksys brand last year.

Cisco argues that Apple was well aware that it owned the iPhone name and noted that prior to Apple announcing its own iPhone, it had approached Cisco on several occasions to discuss usage of the moniker.

In the lawsuit, Cisco asked for Apple to cover its legal fees and to surrender all profits eventually made from iPhone sales. The lawsuit also demanded that Apple eradicate all promotional materials associated with the iPhone.

However, since filing the lawsuit, Cisco CEO John Chambers has said the company is not looking for money; rather, it seeks "interoperability, or the ability of the Apple phone to work smoothly with Cisco product," according to bizjournals.com.

Interoperability, of course, is the operative word here; you may recall, it was part of Cisco and Apple's carefully worded press release. While all the hype about the iPhone has drawn attention to Cisco's Linksys-branded version (a product I'd wager few people had been aware of prior to the skirmish with Apple), the promise of having compatibility with Apple's oh-so-juicy end-user iBlank line is potentially more lucrative to Cisco than simply having Apple's iPhone disappear (or be renamed) all together.

Specifically, as noted by Stephen Lawson of the IDG News Service:

According to published reports, Cisco would have been willing to license the iPhone name in exchange for Apple making the handset interoperate smoothly with Cisco's products. Linksys is the biggest seller of consumer Wi-Fi access points and is expanding its home product line into the voice and entertainment realms. Apple's iPhone is equipped with Wi-Fi and includes audio, photo, and video player software.

Posted by Ted Samson on February 1, 2007 11:48 AM

August 09, 2006 | Comments: (0)

Telepresence gets real

TAGS: Future tech, IM/Collaboration, VOIP

Cisco CEO John Chambers announced earlier this year that telepresence would be a multi-billion dollar product line for the company in coming years.

Cisco's not the only major player investing in the technology. HP has already injected telepresence-like features into its Halo Collaboration Suite. The companies may be on to something. Over the next decade, telepresence technology will find its way into virtually every major Global 5000 company, according to a report released today by Human Productivity Lab (HPL) titled "Telepresence, Effective Visual Collaboration and the Future of Global Business at the Speed of Light."

(HPL, by the way, bills itself as both an independent research company and a consultancy for the telepresence industry. The paper was sponsored by ATK Services, Destiny Conferencing, Digital Video Enterprises, HP, MedPresence, Polycom, Telanetix, and Teliris -- all players in the telepresence industry.)

As the HPL defines it, "telepresence is the science and art of creating visual conferencing environments that address the human factors of the participants and duplicate, as closely as possible, an in-person experience."

Deployed in telepresence studios, the technology employs high-speed IP audio and video, enabling users from disparate locations to hold meets as if they're virtually in the same place.

That may sound a lot like video conferencing, but HPL cites some advantages of telepresence: "life-size remote participants, fluid motion, accurate flesh tones, studio quality acoustics and lighting, true eye-contact or the approximation of eye-contact, and immersive and/or mirrored environments that establish a consistency-of-quality among disparate locations."

Those benefits aside, the report declares there's a potential cost savings to be had using telepresence in favor of having employees travel to far-off destinations. Travel expenses, of course, can vary greatly from company to company, so your mileage may vary.

To give a sense of the potential costs of telepresence, though, the report says the "solutions from HP and Teliris can run north of $10,000 dollars per month, per location. Deploying a site to an international location with limited fiber optic capacity can run as high as $40,000+ per month."

In addition to creating virtual board rooms for traditional meetings, the report states that "specialized telepresence solutions have been developed for diverse applications such as neurological operating rooms, pharmaceutical research and film production."

The HPL's report can be downloaded from here.

Posted by Ted Samson on August 9, 2006 04:33 PM

April 26, 2006 | Comments: (0)

Phishers take to VOIP

TAGS: VOIP

updated | The latest phishing example takes the social engineering of online fraud to the next level by using Internet telephony to copy a bank's automated voice system to steal customers' passwords, and other sensitive information.

Cloudmark, which intercepted the attack, said it was a new style of attack, having started this month.

But with the low-cost of VOIP, and the fact that a bank's interactive voice response system was virtually copied, it seems this could be the next big thing in phishing as people learn not to trust links sent to their in-boxes.

The use has not been widespread, but with the concept well ant truly in the wild it seems it will be soon.

With Sender ID and other email authentication systems under way, is it time for a phishing-fighting caller ID handset that cross checks numbers in a blacklist database?

Or maybe just a dose of healthy skepticism for any phone number sent by e-mail along with any e-mail address.

Posted by Mike Barton on April 26, 2006 11:15 AM