Voip Provider Reviews

Raketu releases

its VoIP calling web application for Apple iPhone and iPod Touch. The new web-based

application allows Apple iPhone and iPod Touch users to make international calls totally

free or at Raketu’s ultra-low cost VoIP calling rates. Additionally, users can send

SMS Text Messages globally, and send email all from within the Raketu iPhone Application.

Raketu’s iPhone Application Features

Raketu’s new iPhone Application is entirely web-based and does not require consumers

to download any software. Apple iPhone and iPod Touch users can sign up and access

the service via their iPhone or iPod Touch web browser at iphone.raketu.com.

Using Raketu’s iPhone application users can:

Call Internationally For Free Or At Raketu’s Ultra-Low Cost VoIP Calling Rates –

Raketu offers the lowest VoIP calling rates internationally period. Raketu users who

sign up and make a payment of USD 9.95, USD 24.95 or USD 49.95 to their Raketu account

are eligible for up to 1200 free calling minutes per month towards iPhone initiated

phone-to-phone calls.

Send SMS Text Messages Globally – Raketu’s iPhone Application allows users to send

SMS Text Messages globally at the lowest international text rates available.

Send Email – Simply type in the destination email address, enter your message and

click send.

Read More…

Phone.com commences

operations with the introduction of IP-based phone services targeting entrepreneurs

and households. Designed as a one-stop portal for communications services, Phone.com

features new Virtual Office and Home Phone offerings with plans starting at $9.88

per month. The company is also in the developmental stages of several additional communications

technologies and anticipates adding new products in the first half of 2008.

Phone.com products provide the ability to customize a variety of phone services for

professional or personal use, and to modify their operations as needed via the user-friendly

web interface or customer service agents.

According to a recent report by In-Stat, US SOHO (small office/home office) businesses

are beginning to gravitate towards VoIP, the technology that is the backbone of Phone.com

offerings. Of SOHOs that use VoIP, 32% of respondents said it is the exclusive means

by which they communicate. In response to this growing trend, Phone.com offers flexible,

cost-effective IP-based communications services that operate from multiple locations

– home, office, or mobile phones — and which will scale with the needs of its customers.

PHONE.COM VIRTUAL OFFICE

Focusing on infrastructure requirements and budgets of small businesses, the Phone.com

Virtual Office offers sophisticated features that are also easy to use. Starting at

$9.88 per month, the Phone.com Virtual Office enables businesses to either port their

own number or request a local, vanity and/or toll-free number and then “build” a virtual

business phone system from an extensive selection of features, including auto attendant,

phone extensions, voicemail, fax services, and many other private branch exchange

(PBX)-like features and applications.

Phone.com’s Virtual Office is also appropriate for businesses with international calling

needs, whether they are based in the US or abroad. Virtual Office offers subscribers

the ability to set up a US number for clients to dial, with all calls then forwarded

to the designated international number. Additionally, calls routed to land lines in

eight countries will be charged at US domestic rates: Canada, Israel, Puerto Rico,

England, France, Germany, Italy, and Holland.

Key features of the Virtual Office service are Phone.com’s “Follow Me Calling” and

“SMS Voicemail Notification,” which can be customized for each user. “Follow Me Calling”

enables customers to forward incoming Virtual Office calls to four different numbers,

ringing each location for a set time until the call is answered. “SMS Voicemail Notification”

sends users a text message alerting them of any voicemails still remaining on the

Virtual Office system.

PHONE.COM HOME PHONE

In addition to its Virtual Office package, Phone.com offers a service for residences

called Home Phone. Using VoIP technology, Phone.com’s Home Phone product features

high-quality digital voice services with advanced features including the ability to

take your service with you upon traveling.

Read More…

TeleCents

Communications has deployed Secure

Computing Sidewinder to provide security for their traditional telecom as well

as VoIP services. TeleCents required one device to protect their entire enterprise

gateway, and Sidewinder’s powerful, scaleable solution included all the components

necessary for the secure exchange of both traditional data and VoIP calls across open

networks.

TeleCents Communications recently chose to implement the SIP application to strengthen

their VoIP offering. But with that implementation, potential security vulnerabilities

increased dramatically, making an increased level of gateway security essential. VoIP

risks are perhaps the best-kept secret on the Internet. Blinded by the promise of

reduced costs and flashy features, VoIP deployments forge ahead despite millions in

losses due to VoIP fraud and the growing trend of hackers using VoIP as a back door

into enterprise networks. It is for these reasons that VoIP security is essential.

With the help of numerous sniffing, fuzzing and manipulation tools available on the

Internet, VoIP and SIP technologies have inadvertently challenged traditional firewalls.

TeleCents found that Sidewinder’s SIP application defense was the answer, combining

intelligent filtering with VoIP signatures to protect SIP communications from attack,

while allowing SIP traffic to pass through the firewall without requiring action by

the user. The Sidewinder VoIP/SIP protection feature is standard with all Sidewinder

appliances so only one device is needed to protect both data and VoIP calls for the

entire gateway.

Secure Computing ensures proactive security by applying the same research and technology

for VoIP that’s used for blocking source IP addresses in Web and email transactions.

Sidewinder blocks and allows gateway access based on the reputation of both IP addresses

and domains from which each individual SIP communication originates.

Read More…

VoIP News, one of the premier VoIP industry publications has just cited Ifbyphone’s Phone-Me-Now product as one of the “Top 25 VoIP Innovations of 2007,” . Ifbyphone is a voice infrastructure and applications development company providing enterprise class voice services to Small and Medium sized Businesses and Phone-Me-Now, is the world’s first zero configuration click to call application . Read More…

Listen to this podcast and learn how to tackle these challenges of increasing complexity and heterogeneity through integrated network performance and fault management.
Published by: CA Read More…

Listen to expert, Gary Audin, discuss the pros and cons of using Asterisk for IP telephony.
Published by: Switchvox Read More…

Wireless and VoIP have joined forces. Installing a WLAN network card into your computer uses wireless technology. After installing the card, your computer will become “wireless”. This means that you will be able to enjoy an Internet connection without the use of cables and cords. VoIP is the technology that allows the transmission of audio files by transmitting them into data packets across the Internet. By integrating Wireless and VoIP a new generation of audio telecommunications has been birthed. By having a VoIP service and a wireless connection, you can enjoy the best of both worlds- wireless VoIP connections. Visit http://www.infonet.us for more articles on voip Wireless networks are activated by what is known as a “hotspot”. A hotspot is an area where there is an access point. Wireless connections are basically created by radio signals. An access point is where the network has established their main signal. It is possible for wireless users to basically “jump” from hotspot to hotspot and utilize various networks access points. The combination of Wireless and VoIP has led to another invention-VoWiFi. VoWiFi stands for Voice over Wireless Fidelity. VoWiFi has also produced the new VoWiFi phones. These phones operate like cell phones, only they use VoIP technology, (transmit over the Internet) and are wireless, operating in various hotspots. VoWiFi phones are very inexpensive to use, as is all of VoIP technology. It is much cheaper to submit audio as data packets over the Internet and it uses considerably less bandwidth. This is a reason why VoIP technology is gaining in strength and momentum. Many people are choosing the freedom that is offered by VoIP. VoIP can offer nearly free or free long distance phone calls. Since VoWi Fi operates from hotspot to hotspot or network-to-network, you may think that there are roaming charges involved. Well, this is not the cellular network that you love/hate. There are no roaming charges involved with VoIP. That’s right, you can take your VoWiFi phone from hotspot to hotspot, maintaining your connection (provided you easily go from hotspot to hotspot) absolutely free. You may be wondering why not just use cellular? Why go wireless? Well, for those who travel a lot or are consistently out of their cellular range, roaming charges will apply and can be expensive. By using your VoWiFi in hotspots while you are traveling, you can pick up a connection and make your calls for free. Be careful not to confuse a VoWiFi phone with a cordless VoIP phone. They are two distinctively different products. A VoWiFi phone will enable you to access hotspots, but a cordless VoIP phone is simply a way to have a cordless phone in your house that is compatible with your VoIP service provider. VoWiFi phones are hitting the market and companies such as Vonage are soon to debut their new VoWiFi phones. An interesting trend is the creation of the hybrid phone. If someone is a traveling salesman, or just simply travels frequently and is on their cell phone, then leave their network range- they can take advantage of the new hybrid phone. The hybrid phone, which is part cellular, part VoWiFi, will be able to access hotspots, and pick up a signal. Voila- no more roaming charges! Wireless VoIP does show promising signs towards the future and many look anxiously awaiting new products and increasing performance by these products. You will have to have a VoIP service provider before you can access VoWiFi. However, you can still find many free hotspots that will give your phone a connection. Both Wireless and VoIP are relatively new technologies that have a lot of kinks that need to be worked out. The products are hitting the market at increasing speed, while rules, regulations, and security issues seem to be taking second place. That is the nature of telecommunications technology though, and we can expect that the face of Wireless VoIP will look very different in the next few years. Major corporations are already embracing this technology, creating services, phones, hybrid phones and plans that center on VoIP while the FCC races to determine where in fact VoIP technology’s classifications lay. There have been significant issues regarding wireless VoIP and security and 911 services. Well the good news is, that while these issues are battled out, agreed upon, and rewritten, we can still take our phones and lily pad our way from hotspot to hotspot- free of roaming charges.
Author:Stephen Cox

Find out how to deploy a better phone system for less money and how to do it right
Published by: Switchvox Read More…

 Small businesses, home-based businesses, and self-employed individuals have been turning to internet telephone service (also called broadband phone or VOIP) in droves. What is the attraction? As a self-employed, telecommuting, small-business-owning freelance writer, I can provide some insight. I switched my business to internet phones early in 2005. Despite a few hiccups, I’m not going back to landlines. Internet phone service has too many advantages, which I’ll describe for you. I also have some tips for avoiding possible rough patches. VOIP Internet Phone Small Business and SOHO Advantages VOIP Advantage No. 1: Look bigger. * If your small business has to seem large, a virtual PBX with a dial-by-name directory might help. These systems cost thousands to install. But many VOIP companies let you rent this service for less than a hundred dollars a month. * Give each member of your team their own outside line. With most VOIP companies, each line costs around $10. * Get one or more 1-800 numbers at around $10/month. VOIP Advantage No 2. Freedom of movement. * Freedom to travel. When I went to Sacramento to visit a friend, I ended up extending my stay to a whole month. I couldn’t have done that without regular phone access. With VOIP, my Massachusetts number follows me wherever I go. * Tropical adventures. I regularly work with a virtual assistant company that takes phone calls on their Quebec phone number everyday. That wouldn’t be so strange except they’re in the Philippines. They’re using the same small business VOIP phone service sold right here in North America. True, VOIP companies don’t generally guarantee their services will work outside the country of purchase. But the internet is the internet, whether in Fargo or the South Pacific. With the growth of broadband to virtually every non-pariah nation on earth, your second office really could be in a tropical paradise–or year-round ski resort. Isn’t that the freedom you hoped being your own boss would bring? * Telecommuting. Feel a cold coming? Work from home! With VOIP, even the receptionist may be able to telecommute! * Voicemail by email. You don’t have to be by the phone to get voicemail. This is the perfect service for busy people and email addicts. Bonus: the message (in a file similar those used on MP3 players) can be stored indefinitely. Internet Phone Advantage 3. Cost * Make lots of calls? Many VOIP providers’ unlimited-calling plans cost just $20 to $80 a month. * Features such as call waiting, caller ID, hold, call forwarding, and multiple ring-to numbers are usually costly extras with landline service. With most VOIP services, those are built-in features. SOHO VOIP: Tips for Making it Work for Your Business SOHO VOIP Tip 1. Test internet phoning out before committing. Yes, some VOIP connections are so scratchy and patchy they sound like cell phones. That’s usually because of a problem in the internet connection. Such problems may not be apparent in ordinary web browsing and file downloading. Go with a service that has a 30-day money-back guarantee. Try VOIP out where you live and work. Make sure to try inbound and outbound calls. Small Business Internet Phone Tip 2. Phoning from a laptop. With VOIP telephones, you don’t need a computer. But you can use your computer as a phone. A piece of software called a “softphone” uses your computer’s speakers and microphone. If your laptop is running too many programs at once, calls will deteriorate. Higher-end laptops shouldn’t have this problem. SOHO Internet Phones Tip 3. Go with an established VOIP company. You don’t want to lose your telephone service and possibly your number. Yet only a few VOIP companies have roots before 2000. Choose a service with deep enough roots to survive a VOIP industry shake-out. Small Biz Internet Phoning Tip 4. Choose a provider carefully before putting the number on your business cards. Switching VOIP companies is at least as much of a pain as switching landline phone companies. In fact, there is typically no outward number-portability. You can bring a number in, but good luck taking it with you. Researching in early 2005, I found no nationwide VOIP services officially offering outward number portability. Choose a VOIP provider with a 30-day money-back guarantee. Test the service out thoroughly. One thing is likely: you may want to switch VOIP providers, but you won’t want to go back to landline.
Author:Joel Walsh