Douglas L Ross: VoIP

WiFi and VoIP

Mon, 21 Jul 2003 18:29:06 GMT

Agere is building a chip set solution that should make low-cost, mobile phone calls over the Internet possible by integrating 802.11b WiFs (wireless networking) functionality with VoIP (voice-over-Internet Protocol) technology in a single platform. Sample quantities are to be available in September, with volume production expected in Q1-2004. Unit pricing for complete chipsets will begin at $30 in sample quantities.

VONAGE

Tue, 10 Jun 2003 19:35:51 GMT

Vonage is claiming the first "direct-to-consumer" deal for VoIP telephony with a cable MSO.

DSL Growth

Thu, 05 Jun 2003 17:08:47 GMT

The DSL Forum announced that broadband DSL experienced its largest quarterly increase ever, adding 5.5 million new DSL subscribers worldwide in Q1- 2003. They estimate that there are now 41.3 million DSL subscribers worldwide [residential and business] and they are projecting this to grow to 200 million by 2005.

Cisco Announces TWC VoIP Win

Wed, 28 May 2003 13:59:27 GMT

Cisco announced today that Time Warner Cable "is now delivering the first Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) cable primary-line residential telephone service, Digital Phone, to customers in Portland, Maine. Using the industry-leading Cisco® Internet Protocol (IP) voice solution"

Here's the article in telephony online about this announcement. http://telephonyonline.com/ar/telecom_time_warner_cable/index.htm

Alcatel acquires ImagicTV

Fri, 16 May 2003 20:51:08 GMT

ImagicTV has a TV software platform that is deployed mainly in DSL platforms. Alcatel is acquiring them as part of their effort to complete the "triple-play" with DSL.

Broadband High Speed Data Prices Falling

Mon, 05 May 2003 15:35:20 GMT

Verizon announced that it would use promotions to lower pricing and attract new subscribers to its bundled Telephone & DSL services. Verizon's standard DSL pricing is $49.95 per month.

Promotion includes:

New subscriber promotional rate for DSL of $29.95 for the first 6 months. The promotion expires on 5/20/03.
Bundled subscribers [those who take DSL + any level of local telephony] get a discount of $15 per month from the regular DSL rate [effectively pricing DSL at $34.95 for DSL].
Bundled subscribers that take Verizon's premium $59.95 per month Veriation Freedom package (full featured plan with unlimited local and long-distance telephone) + DSL get an extra $5 per month discount on DSL reducing the DSL price to $29.95 per month.

VoIP Over WiFi

Thu, 03 Apr 2003 17:27:53 GMT

Two interesting players in the VoIP space [Calypso Wireless Inc. and VoiceTech Communications Corp. USA] announced a licensing agreement related to technology for delivering WiFi wireless VoIP services to cellular handsets. Calypso had also previously announced a large project in China ( http://www.nasdaq.com//asp/quotes_news.asp?pageName=Company%20News&;selected=CLYW&consumer=NDQ&StoryTargetFrame=_top&market=Other%20OTC&coname=CALYPSO%20WIRELESS%20INC&symbol=CLYW&cpath=20030206%5C200302060815CTXBIZ34330565.htm)

DSL Conference Says xDSL "Video Is Ready"

Thu, 03 Apr 2003 17:21:42 GMT

A premsis of this Pulver.com "Fast Net" conference is that DSL is "ready" for video.

ADC & Nuera Team on VoIP

Thu, 27 Mar 2003 15:12:36 GMT

ADC announced a deal with Media Gateway maker Nuera, here's an excerpt from their press release:

"Minneapolis - March 25, 2003 - ADC (NASDAQ: ADCT; www.adc.com) and Nuera Communications today announced the signing of an agreement that provides cable operators a true carrier-class local access IP telephony solution. Under this agreement, ADC will sell and support the Nuera ORCA® RDT-8v gateway along with ADC's carrier-class Cuda^TM 12000 IP Access Switch. ADC and Nuera have set up a joint lab in Farnborough, UK to test and verify V5.2 solutions using the RDT and Cuda and with ADC's FastFlow^TM Broadband Provisioning Manager (BPM), which supports the provisioning of PacketCable^TM-based Multimedia Terminal Adaptors (MTAs). This solution allows cable operators to cost-effectively expand the service footprint of their V5.2 capable switches over their existing EuroDOCSIS cable networks."

AOL Voicemail

Thu, 27 Mar 2003 14:41:23 GMT

AOL(r) Voicemail is a new premium service that enables AOL members to listen to their home voice messages online and their AOL e-mails over the telephone. It is accomplished using the Telco's caller ID and call forwarding features along with AOL servers to digitize and serve up voice messages as on-line files.

New Stuff At CeBIT

Fri, 21 Mar 2003 18:32:49 GMT

InforWorld article with an interesting list of the new stuff at CeBIT.

Gadgets galore at CeBIT 2003. Division between computing, consumer electronics continues to narrow [InfoWorld: Top News]

It includes a blurb on WiFi Video:

"At first glance, BenQ's WM1000 Wireless Media Adapter looked like a typical Wi-Fi access point. But looks can be deceiving. The device is designed to stream DVD-quality MPEG (Moving Picture Experts Group)4 video and MP3 music over an 802.11b wireless LAN connection, and can stream video from a PC to a television. In addition to receiving video streamed from a PC, the WM1000 can handle input from a DVD player or cable television, he said. The WM1000 will begin shipping next quarter, the company said, and pricing was not immediately available. The company, based in Taipei , will initially release the product in Asia before rolling it out to other regions. The company did not give a timeframe for worldwide rollout. "

Coalition of Broaband Users and Innovators

Tue, 18 Mar 2003 16:20:30 GMT

A fight is brewing between a Coalition of so-called broadband "users" [comprised primarily of companies interested in access to broadband for Internet e-commerce] and the Cable industry. The link is to the Coalition's recent exparte filing with the FCC