These providers are probably the most well known as they are on display at many retail outlets across the country.  Both are low cost but have their pros and cons.  With MagicJack you pay a yearly fee for unlimited calling and with Ooma you do not BUT you pay a hefty price up front for the hardware, so similar ways of getting your cash but just different business models.

There are many options for low cost phone service for your home these days, don’t just jump at the first one you see in a retail store.  Read user reviews at WhichVoIP and make an informed decision.

We recently wrote an article, with links to Ooma and Magicjack user reviews, on this subject.  If you have time take a peek – Ooma vs MagicJack

Other useful articles: Ooma and MagicJack profiles.

Andy

So is there really a downside to this service? Well the downside is that you will effectively have to talk all day and all night to get your money’s worth, due to the high monthly rate that Vonage charges when compared to other VoIP service offerings.

WhichVoIP has run some numbers for you so check out this interesting evaluation of why Vonage is so popular and what the Vonage alternatives are for cheap international calls.

Anonymous hackers, no matter how self-glorifying, are nothing more than spineless predators. The feeling of violation after having been taken for a good chunk of cash by some keyboard operator in Maryland is not virtual… it’s visceral. Fortunately, there are several things you can do in order to assure that you don’t get hit.

At this time, VoIP standards and codes aren’t very strict — and the developing nature of the business means that there are dozens of entry points. In less-developed nations, hackers don’t even need to be very creative — they can just set up their own servers and pay off the local phone operators.

In addition to whatever steps VoIP providers do to guard against hacking and fraud, there are some steps that VoIP customers can take to boost the level of protection. Fortunately, those steps are inexpensive and relatively simple to implement.

Number one:  You must have very strong passwords. Avoid using birthdates, home addresses, and the word “Password”. Alphabetical and numerical sequences, such as “ABCDEF” and “123456,” should be avoided as well.

Number two:  Utilize the latest in encryption technology for your online exchanges of info.

Number three:  Our firewalls should always be up … and always strong.

Additionally, talk to your server host companies and VoIP providers to see what kind of top-level security they offer.

And apparently, Microsoft loves its new toy. According to one recent story, Microsoft is moving towards doing away with the middleman of installation. Now, the focus will be on a web version of Skype that will be simpler to connect with. This situation looks to attract hundreds of thousands, if not millions of users. Leave it to Microsoft to optimize profits. They are also working to integrate Skype onto the next generation of the Xbox, making it all the more ubiquitous.

It’s no wonder, then, that Skype hit 35 million calls in March and 40 million in April. They have a top quality product and a clear advantage under the Microsoft aegis. Does it look like market domination? No, not by any means. The market is not developed or entrenched enough yet. However, a betting man would definitely put money on Skype.

Name recognition, market integration, ease of use, cool features … Skype seems to have all the right ingredients. But right now, VoIP is style somewhat of a brand new technology to many everyday consumers.  There’s no telling how things might shape up. One thing is certain, however. The firms who take the biggest risks are the ones putting themselves in position for the most success. Having a unique and useful product doesn’t hurt, either.

• $58 billion global revenue in 2011 for business and residential VoIP service.
• Hosted VoIP and Unified Communication seats expected to double between 2012 and 2016
• Revenue for SIP Trunking grew by over 100% in 2011
• 178 million residential/SOHO subscribers in 2011
• T1 lines are still the most commonly used trunking service.
• No single provider dominates the SIP Trunking space

SIP Trunking provides a way to connect your IP PBX (IP based voice calls) to the outside world.  Rather than taking the expensive option of connecting to the PSTN directly you can pass the calls as IP traffic across your Internet connection to a SIP Trunking service provider, who is responsible for routing calls to and from the PSTN.  this results in significant cost savings as your calls spend most of the time as Internet traffic rather than circuit switched traffic across the PSTN.  For more information, consult our SIP Trunking section.

For full details of this informative report, visit Infonetics Research.

Andy

Songdo is meant to be an exemplary city for technology and ecological sustainability. The city has been developed to have a network that enables telepresence in every structure built around the city. Not only does this technology enable an unprecedented level of communication, the systems installed in every residence allow those living there to control their energy usage. The $35 billion dollar project includes such amenities as a plethora of charging stations for electric vehicles and an abundance of roadways that are also bike-friendly. The city even features a waste collection system which eliminates the needs for trash trucks.

The city is located just three hours away from China and about 40 miles west of Seoul. Songdo also is meant to be another business hub for Asia. Many large technology companies, such as Cisco, have been heavily involved in the design of the city’s network infrastructure. Cisco designed the network that spans the city and is involved in supporting this network and the businesses which are making Songdo a revolutionary city. Every major building in Songdo meets or exceeds LEED’s requirements, thanks at least in part to Cisco’s network infrastructure. This network can reduce energy consumption by as much as 30%.

Other notable businesses, such as Samsung, are invested in this new community as well. Samsung chose Songdo as the location for its new venture in the bio industry. Gale International, who is partnered with the real estate firm Morgan Stanley, is the biggest investor in Songdo, contributing to 70% of the funds that have created this city. The multi-national company POSCO is responsible for the remaining 30%.

The hope is that Songdo will attract many start-ups and established companies from all over world. Songdo is a declared an English-speaking city to promote international commerce. This is necessary, as other major commerce cities in Asia, such as Tokyo, Hong Kong and Singapore, are places where English is spoken as much as the native languages. There is even a slogan – “Smile in English,” which is meant to promote the English-speaking culture.

VoIP has great potential as a spark for the economy and, as such, it ought to be given as much room as possible to develop. It appears that Gov. Cuomo recognizes and wants to put his state at the forefront of the next big communications boom. Investment in VoIP technology generally looks to be encouraged by a loosening of regulations in New York State—and everybody knows that New York’s economy is more heavily centered on investment than nearly any other governed region in the world. Focusing deregulation on cutting edge technology, such as VoIP, is a direct invitation for massive capital injections from outside investors.

Smart move, Mr. Governor … and, please keep at it. The New York Technology Council agrees wholeheartedly with us. This non-profit economic advisory group believes that his plea to council to refrain from regulating the rates or terms and conditions of VoIP services, along with his encouragement for the deployment of new technologies, is exactly the kind of leadership New York State needs in order to establish itself as prime turf for VoIP investment on all sides. They go on to note the vital role which VoIP plays in the establishment and sustenance of the numerous start-up companies which call New York State home.

What’s happening in New York should be observed and imitated all over this nation. With America’s economy in putrid stagnation, we need far less wing-clipping. VoIP is changing communications for the better, enabling far more connectivity for far less money. State governments and regulatory commissions ought to embrace this technology and both the direct and indirect benefits it brings for their respective employment numbers, GDP’s, and overall well-being.

Vidyo was co-founded in 2005 by CEO Ofer Shapiro when video-conferencing was in its infancy. He led the design for Vidyo’s patented Adaptive Video Layering Architecture which allows for a reliable connection, and for high quality without a redesign on a company’s existing network. Vidyo pioneered virtual telepresence by releasing the very first H.264 SVC based platform.

By utilizing the industry standard used for video compression in teleconferencing, Vidyo has created several successful products. The success of its business model and service history attracted much attention to them from a handful of prestigious companies—including Google, who is now partnered with Vidyo. By leveraging support from their partners, Vidyo now serves over 1,850 customers through 300 distributors and 25 service provider partners. Vidyo has teamed with additional companies such as Ricoh, Teliris, Hitachi and Shoretel to further expand their services.

One of the reasons for this growth is the release of a slew of new products by Vidyo in 2011 that are applicable to today’s video-conferencing needs. VidyoMobile™, for instance, is a simple but powerful app for mobile devices including IOS platforms as well as Android. This allows for on-the-fly video-conferencing over a cellular network, which is a fantastic tool to communicate with those working in the field. The VidyoRouter™ has seen much success as Vidyo’s hardware system for multi-point video-conferencing replacing traditional MCUs at a fraction of the cost. However, the VidyoRouter™ Cloud Edition may be the wave of the future, as many companies are beginning to shift to cloud models. This allows for all the free range offered by the VidyoRouter™ as a managed cloud service. This greatly reduces overhead and places control of the system in the hands of the people who know it best.

Once combined, the companies will function under the Vocalocity name.

Overall in the VoIP market, it is very likely that we’ll see many mergers like the ZivVa/Vocalocity one—at least for a while.

Like the bubbles in a shaken-up bottle of milk, they all tend to pop together at some point or another. But there are tons of bubbles in the bottle right now. Because there are dozens of options for consumers and few regulatory mandates, the competition is fierce. Even the most successful firms must do everything that they possibly can to stay on top… there’s no resting on laurels.

It’s easier for the well-established communications companies to get along these days. They’ve already got the capital, and, in typical fashion, they’re using a good chunk of it to position themselves as close to the top of the food chain as possible. A lot of this strategy involves the development of new VoIP technology in-house. But more typically, it involves making strategic buyouts of smaller, more innovative and hungry VoIP tech firms. This is an ideal scenario for the smaller firm, whose mastery of a niche and proprietary genius tends to command a premium for acquisition. You saw this when Skype acquired Qik last year.

Then you’ve got the big mergers between major firms, which – when they start happening – will indicate that we’re getting into a more standardized market. The rumored Verizon / Skype merger, a scent which started to drive the hounds crazy back in January, would be a huge deal. Millions upon millions of users would likely be affected by such a merger, and the two companies would need to seriously consider the best, most seamless approach to navigating future interface strategy. No major merger in consumer electronics can possibly work to great profit without giving long and serious thought as to what the future holds.

In the meantime, we still have a wild, wide open market, despite ever inevitable regulation and standardization.

The M5 Communicator, part of the M5 Unified Communications Suite in ShoreTel’s Cloud Division, was recently launched and has been available for free to all existing M5 clients. The various features — such as peer-to-peer video chat, file transfer, screen-sharing capabilities and “presence” (the ability to see where their colleagues are on the phone) — are available as an application that is accessible from a user’s desktop.

These new functions take the M5 solution to a different level altogether, making the UC suite an attractive proposition for companies which want to adopt UC without making too great an investment.

The hosted UC market appears poised for continued growth and Gartner has evaluated the current market to be $700 million, which is expected to boom at a 36% compound growth rate to $2.2 billion by 2015. Shoretel is planning to share part of this growth in UC solutions through M5.

ShoreTel Chief Executive Officer Peter Blackmore has said that M5 brings a “proven hosted UC solution to the company.”  Blackmore found M5 to be a viable proposition:  The company had a low-churn rate, a good per unit revenue generation, low customer acquisition cost and experience in management and maintenance of 24/7 data centers.

ShoreTel is based in Sunnyvale California and is a provider of simple unified business communications solutions that are cost-effective and efficient. The company has regional offices in Austin, Texas; New York; Maidenhead, United Kingdom; Sydney, Australia; and Singapore.

Virtual Office also incorporates ease of access from any location with the help of an IP phone, computer, web browser or any kind of mobile device. The new features and functionality of the Virtual Office would make business communications easier and simpler, and result in better productivity and performance, according to 8 x 8.

Some of the features include 4-call capability for Polycom IP phones, plus a dialing function that enables users to pre-figure contact lists and call-forwarding, and a chat session window that can be taken from the Virtual Office browser to stand alone for better usage.

On the collaboration functionality, the feature has been upgraded to include scheduling of a web conference, a whiteboard facility with tools. The feature also includes the ability to draw and make notes on the content-sharing side, and the ability to save the screen as a PNG file. There are also innovative tools for video-conferencing, the current craze in tech trends. The video panel of the Virtual Meeting or Virtual Room can be utilized to extend the content-sharing area and juxtapose video and content panels for better access and visibility. In short, the Virtual Office UC solutions and business phone service has been transformed by 8×8 to become an invaluable asset in business operations as far as communications are concerned. The system enables streamlined, seamless and user-friendly collaboration to improve productivity and performance.

Based in Sunnyvale, California, 8×8 offers voice, video, mobile and unified communications solutions for organizations of all sizes and needs.

But a similar fate may await cable services in the near future. Standard and Poor (S&P) has stated, in a recent report, many customers may terminate their cable connections — just as they have terminated their landline service — due to economic constraints and rising prices. The exorbitant cost of cable television service is another major factor.

Cable service providers can survive this downturn within the residential communications segment by focusing on the business communications segment of the market.

Meanwhile, the S&P report reveals that 80% of U.S. homes have a pay-TV service and have to dole out around $135 each month for it. Yet, people have become more cost-conscious and are looking at ways to segregate diverse services to retain what they wish to enjoy. The growth of the cable VoIP sector is slowing down as the boom in residential demand is grinding to a halt, with consumers looking for alternatives like smartphones and other VoIP options.

In addition, the S&P report says that the drops in cable service would be similar to the landline downturn, as consumers are aware of other services such as VoIP, Skype, and the new option: wireless. The trend toward wireless phones, in lieu of landline phones at home, was noticeable a couple of years ago. Nearly 30% of U.S. homes have only wireless phones, according to the Center for Disease Control and Prevention’s 2010 study.

Wireless has emerged as the most popular method of utilizing voice services. Wireless revenue in 2012 would reach the figure of around $335 billion, while the fixed network would manage about $132 billion. Wireless is now accountable for 66% of the total revenue in the U.S. market.

MegaConference is an innovative, cloud-based video conferencing service that enables direct communications on a pay-as-you-go plan for business enterprises. This enhances sharing and collaboration, regardless of location or timeframe. The VaaS solution works on the Polycom RealPresence platform, which is a total, interoperable software solution for universal video collaboration. The MegaConference service enables the scalability, reliability and security that is needed to deliver VaaS solutions to SMB’s and other business enterprises.

VNPT opted for the Polycom RealPresence Platform as the software infrastructure as it enables integration with diverse unified communications, social networking applications, and business deliverables in an efficient manner. Business organizations in Vietnam would now have access to a secure, reliable, flexible, and cost-effective collaboration tool to help in business operations. The VaaS service is available in four packages, which address the various requirements of companies of different sizes and industries.

“In the current competitive landscape, businesses are tasked with finding the most efficient and cost-effective ways to increase productivity and accelerate operations at a faster pace than ever before. MegaConference is the right video solution to deliver not only cost savings for our customers, but also provide a higher level of flexibility and productivity that supports business growth.” said Mr. Pham Duc Long, Vice Director of VNPT HCMC.

Video collaboration is gaining popularity in Asian countries and in newer markets like Vietnam. A recent market survey by Forrester revealed that 55% of companies in the APAC region used video conferencing and 84% of them have set up video facilities or plan to do so within the next 12 months.

The BCC950 ConferenceCam — the all-in-one audio and video conference cam launched by Logitech International — is much more than sheer good looks. It combines an HD webcam with a high-quality, full-duplex speakerphone in one USB device. The motorized camera also can pan, tilt and zoom via a control pad on the device, or via a remote control which also can be used to answer calls, end calls, adjust the volume and mute the microphone.

The webcam is optimized for Microsoft Lync and is also Skype Certified, but can be used with most UC and video systems. The camera has a 78 degree view and a 180 degree video pan capability, support for 1080 p, 30fps HD through plug-and-play UVC H.264 video technology. The camera also features a speakerphone at its base. The camera weighs just 20 ounce, making it totally portable. It can be connected to a laptop (it’s Mac or Windows compatible) through a USB port.

The BCC950 is being marketed in a different way by Logitech, as it will be sold only through resellers and channel partners. The price is almost three times that of the other high-end webcams of Logitech at $249.99. The BCC950 is expected to be available worldwide beginning in May.

Eric Kintz, Vice President and General Manager of Logitech for Business was clear about the strategy for the BCC950. “Traditionally, we design for the consumer market and then go to the business market where a product had applicability. We want to increasingly design products for the business environment and target them at unified communications deployment”, he said.

The company is setting up network Points of Presence (POPs) in crucial parts of America to connect them to their high-capacity bandwidth facilities. Telesphere expansion is poised to improve all aspects of its network to provide the best scalability, performance and availability of its services to business enterprises across the nation and beyond. The objective is to get the business of companies with multiple locations, together with those that have personnel working from homes or on the move with their smartphones, laptops or other mobile devices.

The plans include the establishment of POPs in Atlanta, Chicago, Dallas, Los Angeles and Portland to augment the extensive nationwide network. Customer locations are connected to the POPs using a slew of technologies which include Ethernet over fiber, Ethernet over copper, DS3, NxT1, DSL, cable, and many others. The expansion program would reinforce the company’s standing as the biggest provider of a diverse range of high-technology, all-IP corporate communications solutions in a hosted, cloud-based environment. These systems enable business enterprises to function with total privacy, security and online supervision of tailor-made communications services.

Telesphere’s cloud-based Unified Communications as a Service (UCaaS) provides a much more economic and cost-effective system for companies than the traditional services offered by telephone companies, equipment vendors or Internet Service providers.

Telesphere Chief Executive Officer Clark Peterson was upbeat about the expansion plans. “Clearly, our strength and our chief selling point is our ability to provide unparalleled Unified Cloud Communications solutions over a national network, with its breadth and capabilities, supported by our own proprietary back-office system that has been designed specifically to serve the Cloud Communications industry,” he said recently.

MAS 4.0, based on Mitel’s Freedom Architecture, is also available as a virtual solution and is specifically designed to manage the many problematic areas in IT companies and business users. MAS 4.0 enables organizations to customize the solution to their particular communication needs. Equipped with innovative web-based collaboration and mobility solutions, MAS 4.0′s single application interface helps to enhance natural communication and sharing between colleagues and associates, irrespective of location or device.

The primary features of Mitel’s MAS 4.0 are:

• Easy and instantaneous web-based collaboration without any client downloads;
• Instant Messaging and Dynamic Presence on mobile devices with total security assurance;
• Simplified Administration;
• Extended Virtualization; and
• Increased Scalability.

Ron Wellard, Executive Vice President and General Manager of Mitel Communications Solutions, believes that today the IT manager “has too much going on to waste time with difficult-to-manage solutions.” He also feels that “if it’s too hard to collaborate, end-users will look to other solutions and productivity will suffer.” In this scenario, Mitel’s new unified solution is developed to relieve these serious, operational issues.

“UCC simplicity and ease-of-use is critical to adding value in an enterprise — both for the end-user and for IT,” Wellard also said.

Mitel, based in Kanata in Ontario, Canada, is a global provider of business communications and collaboration software and services. The Freedom Architecture enables the flexibility and ease-of-use that companies need for operational efficiency in the competitive business environment of today. Mitel delivers a powerful suite of collaboration and communication functions through a cloud-based software channel that augments the office experience regardless of location or device, and is tailored to meet specific business requirements.

The service will also include:

• Be Anywhere: Calls follow workers in the office and on the go via push/pull between devices, which don’t have to disconnect and then reconnect a call.
• Voicemail-to-email: Voice messages are copied to a worker’s email.
• Telephony Toolbar: A downloadable client that enables click-to-dial and service management from within Microsoft Outlook, Internet Explorer and Mozilla Firefox.
• Business Voice Continuity: Redirects calls to back-up numbers if there is a power outage or other on-site issues.
• Multi-Location Simplicity and Commonality: On-net calling between sites using extensions, unified calling experience, and the ability to add new locations quickly and share call-handling (receptionist, hunt groups and auto attendants) across offices.

The service is a result of Comcast’s purchase of New Global Telecom in 2010. It is a clear strategic ploy to develop and expand the services offered to businesses and expand its market penetration. Bill Stemper, President of Comcast Business Services, stated that the service will allow for further flexibility, “Businesses, especially those with a distributed workforce, need a reliable and consistent voice solution that allows their ‘on-the-go’ employees to stay connected anytime and anywhere.”

Comcast plans for the Business VoiceEdge to expand its service availability nationwide by the end 2012.

Skype

Perhaps the best-known of this group, Skype, also happens to have one of the most reliable and solid VoIP apps on the market. The only necessary caveat is that the app must be downloaded by all parties involved and account must be made. With Skype instant messaging, voice, and video calls are all available. The app can also make calls to landline numbers, although this specific feature is a premium paid service. The app is available on all the major platforms, except Blackberry, as well as on desktops. Most recently, the app is set to finally debut on Windows Phones.

Tango

Tango is very similar to Skype in many ways, voice and video chats are all capable. The major difference between Tango and Skype is that no account is necessary for sign-up. The app automatically detects which contacts have Tango and allows for instant communication. The app is available on Windows Phones, Androids, iOS phones and desktops.

Jajah

Jajah allows for mobile-to-mobile phone calls and messaging via their free app. Like Skype, an account must be set up on their website in order to use the service. Jajah also currently has Facebook feature in beta development where you can make calls to Facebook friends. Jajah is available on all the major platforms including Blackberry.

There are more apps available on the market that may be the perfect fit for you. More VoIP apps are sure to be developed, announced, and tweaked in the near future.

The main advantage of the videoconferencing platform is the low investment for users and which is relative to the fact that the technology can be utilized on any normal laptop. The Department of Education in New South Wales has been using a beta version of the iSee platform and is now planning to launch it in more rural areas. The technology could bring down costs in schools substantially from 100’s of thousands of dollars to just some hundred dollars on a yearly basis. The next company in line to adopt the iSee technology is the major global IT provider Infosys who will implement the videoconferencing platform in its 11 campus locations across the world, including the Global Education Centre in Mysore, India. The Global Education Centre is the biggest corporate university in the world which is where Infosys plans to mass deploy the iSee platform.

The iSee platform is also being tested for widespread distribution in other markets such as real estate and banking, which would both benefit from the new videoconferencing technology. It is expected that by the second half of this year, it would be available for usage on several devices in addition to just PCs.

CRC Chief Executive Officer Warren Bradley is upbeat about the iSee platform and its benefits. “[Soon] It can be used either with a multi-touch, backlit screen or it can be projected straight on to any table anywhere or just projected on to a piece of cardboard and rolled out,” he said recently.