Philips has released a whole lot of new VoIP phones recently, and I found a page with many of them listed. Many of which are compatible with Skype and Windows Live Messenger.

The perks of using this type of phone instead of your hard phone are many, but I think my favorite has to be the cost factor. If you are using Skype, then it *can* be free. However, I would reccomend purchasing minutes that you can use to call to hard lined phones. Also, for $5, you can get a phone number so people can call your skype phone from their own normal phone.

Check ‘em out, you’re sure to get a damn good deal.

Voip Phones

After corresponding with Mexuar for a few weeks now, I have taken a peek at what they are doing with this “Click-to-Call” campaign. They will be using a web application that will connect users to phone lines using their computer. Think of it as a web-based softphone.

I can see how this could be very very useful for people who travel the world for their company. This will cut down a whole lot of expense that the companies normally spend on telephone services.

Also, from what I understand, this “Click-to-Call” functionality won’t be available from any of the larger vendors, like Cisco, for months to come. Go ahead and check it out.

Mexuar Launches the Mexuar Corraleta Technology SDKâ„¢
for seamless VoIP development of
“Click-to-Talk” applications
New Java-based solution delivers browser- and platform-neutral,
free IP call capabilities for commercial websites

Astricon USA 2006, Dallas: booth 118

Mexuar Communications is today launching the Corraleta Technology SDKâ„¢, an innovative new solution that enables rapid development and deployment of VoIP click-to-talk applications for online businesses.

The Corraleta Technology SDK™ enables deployment of click-to-talk functionality on the website of any size of business. With this feature, any website visitor can use their web browser and PC to make free calls and talk with sales or support staff in the company’s contact centre.

The Corraleta Technology SDKâ„¢ takes users from a web page to a VoIP call with a live customer service agent within 10 seconds. These calls are pure IP from the web browser to the customer contact centre PBX and are free, irrespective of the location of the caller or contact centre.

The Corraleta-developed application can be used to initiate port 4569 IAX calls to the contact centre via a button on a web page using just their headset and microphone, or can trigger a callback from the contact centre to the user’s chosen telephone. Application examples include sales and support services for online merchants; emails embedded with click to call functionality; and pay-per-call online banner advertising

The Corraleta Technology SDKâ„¢ uses Java to deliver VoIP across multiple browsers and 3rd party white label applications, providing tight, platform-agnostic integration between traditional phone systems and core business applications, whether on the company internal network or on the Web. This contrasts with rival solutions that use ActiveX and work only with Windows platforms and the Internet Explorer browser.

Source

According to Keynote System’s third VoIP Competitive Intelligence Study, VoIP call quality has improved across the board since the company’s last study in December 2005. But Keynote said there is still room for improvement in the MOS and audio delay.

The research company measured the performance of leading VoIP providers Continue reading →

Source

Last year small and medium sized businesses spent nearly $2.1 billion on telephone service, about half the amount spent by large corporations, reports the Wall Street Journal.

While the number is almost half that of the big players, the SMB sector is where folks are most dissatisfied with their phone service, making them ideal customers from a burgeoning ranks of VoIP service providers. Unlike consumer market, SMBs buy more than one phone, and are happy to spend more (as long as its less the old phone company) and are more long term customers. No wonder, everyone from M5 Networks (the one I use) to Covad, everyone wants a piece of this action. Smaller providers “have cracked the code to a degree,” John Macario, president of Boston-based consulting company Savatar tells WSJ1, and points out that the cost savings message resonates with the smaller businesses. Venture capital investors are savvy to this trend and have been funding start ups that address this opportunity. Fonality2 and Digium3 are two examples of companies that are riding the SMB trend with Asterisk4.

Today, Whaleback Systems announced that5 it has raised $7.5 million in Series B round of financing from Castile Ventures, Egan-Managed Capital and Ascent Venture Partners. Roger Walton, a partner at Castile Ventures in a press release says, “No small or medium business wants to become its own phone company.”

While, the trend remains strong, a nagging worry is that there will be too-many of these SMB focussed VoIP providers, which can result to price wars, and market confusion. Many of these service providers have to show their value proposition beyond cheap calls.