Free and unlimited calls to US and Canada for 4th of July Weeked

Locaphone is offering free and unlimited calls to USA and Canada to all of its new and existing customers during the 4th of july weekend. Calls made to these countries from any country in world will be completely free and can be for as long as you want.
This offer starts from midnight on Saturday morning on the east coast of Canada and last until the end of Sunday in Alaska. This is their way of being part of the independence day celebration. So if you an existing Locaphone user enjoy the free calls and if not you can signup for localphone at http://www.localphone.com/.

Nonoh cuts rates for some destinations

Nonoh users can now pay less to call some destinations than they used to. Betamax decided recently to reduced the rates for these destinations. The affected destinations and the rates are as follows:

• Ghana Fix 3,5 ct/min
• Iran Mobile 8 ct/min
• Malaysia Mobile 1,5 ct/min
• Mauritania Mobile 10 ct/min
• Panama Mobile 4,5 ct/min
• Senegal Mobile 10 ct/min

Complete info about all nonoh rates are available at http://www.nonoh.net/en/calling-rates.html . These are good offers for those who call the affected destinations often. Feel free to leave a comment here if you know of any voip provider that offer rates better than the ones above.

Free International Calls to Several Countries from Australia

A lot of companies are already offering access number based voip calls whereby a user dial a local number, enter the international number they wish to call and get connected to that number. These services enables users to make international calls at local rates or free ( if there local call are free or included in their unlimited plan) to several countries around the world. For this service to work providers must have access numbers in all the countries they operate, which means they must have physical presence there one way or the other and this limitation mean that providers can only provider access number for some limited number of countries. So wherever such numbers are available we bring it to the attention of our readers so that they can take advantage of it. Access based voip service is really useful because it enables you to access your voip service from your mobile phone irrespective of where you are.
This post is to introduce Callr to our readers living or visiting Australia and need to make international calls. Callr provide access number based VoIP service that enables users to make free international calls to about 70 countries around the world. The list of the free countries include traditionally non-free countries in terms of voip calls such as India, Bangladesh, Vietnam etc.
Anybody who lives or visiting Australia can use Callr by calling their access number: 0404446663 from their landline or mobile phones. Providers in Australia offer package deals which can gives free minutes to call mobiles phones across Australia, these packaged minutes can be used to call the access number making the international calls completelly free.
We hope Callr access number based VoIP service will help you save on international calls. The complete list of free countries is available at http://callr.com.au/ . If you live in Australia and use this service, feel free to share your experience with us here.

Chillitalk Offers Cheap VoIP Calls

Chillitalk has been advertising their new VoIP calls rate for a while now. The company is offering cheap VoIP calls rate they believe it's relatively cheap in comparison with what is obtainable in the market today. ChilliTalk is a UK based calling card provider that offers decent rates across the world.
To access ChilliTalk, you need to buy their vouchers (which have the PIN). You can buy the vouchers online or from physical shops (displaying the sign e-pay or payzone). After you have purchased the voucher, you can make calls like any other calling card. You need to dial the local access number and then your PIN to be able to make calls. If you do not want to go through the process manually, you can follow the process described earlier to use calling cards smartly.
ChilliTalk offers some decent rates to various countries. For example, you can call India for 1p/min, Bangladesh for 2p/min, Pakistan for 3p/min, etc. You can find a complete list of rates here. The Betamax clones (e.g. ActionVoIP, SmartVoIP) obviously provide better international rates, but if you do not want to deal with Betamax, these are some very good rates.

Skype Launches New VoIP Calls Plan for India

Skype India 300 plan is a new product that is targeted at customers in India to enable their customers to make cheap calls to india. Although the calling rates of Skype have always been on higher side, still a lot of people use Skype. With the new 300 plan, a lot of people would be able to make cheap VoIP calls at lower rates. This new plan offers 300 minutes to call india landlines across india for €9.95(€11.44 incl VAT). Effective rate gets to around 5.9 cents/minute (0.059 USD). we know the job rate is really high. Call any time of the day, any day of the week. No long-term contract.
The 300 mins of speak time run from the initial to the final day of any monthly monthly calendar month. If you make make use of up all of your mins inside of the single monthly monthly calendar month your subsequent subscription squeeze will be active from the initial day of the following month.
Click Here to check out the Skype India Plan.

A Review of PidiPompi Long Distance VoIP Calls

Among the few options available through which cheap VoIP calls can be made to Asian subcontinent is the PidiPompi VoIP calls. This company is offering cheap calls bringing stiff competition among the few companies in the continent and they include Actionvoip, smartvoip and nymgo.
Pidipompi.com is one of the fastest growing “Long Distance Phone Cards and Calling Cards Telecommunication Companies”, routing millions of minutes of voice calls across the world. It is primarily a access number based Long distance phone service operating from NJ,USA.The company uses Secure and Efficient business models that allow customers to get the best communication services for lower costs. Customers can make purchases instantly and securely either online, or through phone orders. It claimed to have one of the best infrastructure to ensure that their customers are connected to your dear ones without fail, in the first attempt itself. Pidipompi.com provides most reliable 24 x 7 communications, using well-established infrastructure. They offer 0.90 cents to India Mobile if you top-up with $5 credit and use a Local Access Number. The toll-free access numbers is also provided but then the calling rates shoots up to 1.9 cents per minute. Calling India landline is about 1.1 cents per minute.

Ecessa Launches ClariLink WAN Link Controllers for Reliable VoIP

In a bid to provide more reliable VoIP services to its small and midsized enterprises, Ecessa has released a new ClariLink family of WAN link controllers, the first WAN link controller with specialized SIP-application management for reliability over the WAN. ClariLink enables SIP traffic to be deployed reliably across multiple WAN and/or service provider networks for redundant link connectivity and automatic real-time failover.
The ClariLink ensures that businesses and users keep call and data sessions active even in the case of a service provider outage. This implies that if a VOIP session is ended because of a network problem, the call is automatically sent to another link, with little to no interruption. ClariLink functions as a front-end controller, managing multiple WAN links and balancing bandwidth capacities to improve the quality of service (QoS) characteristics of VoIP calls.
The appliance employs the company's real-time failover capabilities to maintain call and data session, as well as keep these sessions alive in the face of service provider outages. The converged package includes a SIP Proxy, SIP Registration Server and Network Address Translation (NAT) Proxy which work to intelligently route traffic through a WAN and service provider networks.
ClariLink ensures application and call integrity by making sure that all traffic persists to the correct destination, providing real-time session failover even in the event of an outage. A common problem businesses face with SIP communications is traversing NAT. The new ClariLink WAN link controller functions as the primary NAT device and addresses the issues with the NATing of SIP traffic – enabling SIP traffic to go over NAT environments successfully.
Applying inbound and outbound failover capabilities to ISIP traffic over a WAN essentially eliminates the problem of dropped calls and having to redial, says John Addington, director of technical services for Ecessa. "It is a big step in terms of the resiliency of VoIP," he noted.

ADtran NetVanta7100 IP-PBX Gets Certification for Deployment with Covad

ADtran's NetVanta7100 IP-PBX has been certified for deployment as part of Covad's Integrated Access service. The combination of ADTRAN’s highly integrated, feature-rich NetVanta 7100 with Covad’s SIP-based Integrated Access service provides a high-quality, cost-effective solution for converged voice and data services for Small and Mid-Sized Business (SMB) and enterprise end users.
Covad’s Integrated Access service is an affordable, all-in-one phone and Internet service designed for businesses with up to 35 employees per location. The service is delivered over a powerful voice-optimized T1 line and utilizes SIP trunking to support a wide range of IP digital and analog PBXs.
The Adtran Netvanta 7100 VoIP system is different from other SMB VoIP solutions in that it bundles many business VoIP functionality into a single box, according to the company. Thus, it allows SMB’s to save on cost, human resource and skills, easing up the setting up and maintenance tasks and costing about 40 percent less than existing PBXs used with other hardware like routers and switches.
The NetVanta 7100 provides high-performance and industry-leading feature integration. In addition to a full-featured IP PBX, the NetVanta 7100 provides a multi-service access router, gateway, Wireless Access Point (WAP) controller, Virtual Private Networking (VPN) and security features, and innovative Voice Quality Monitoring capabilities, along with a 24-port Power over Ethernet (PoE) switch. As with all NetVanta products, the NetVanta 7100 comes with an industry-leading warranty and best-in-class technical support.
Covad's Integrated Access service is an all-in-one phone and Internet service designed for businesses with up to 35 employees per location. The service is delivered over a voice-optimized T1 line and utilizes SIP trunking to support a range of IP digital and analog PBXs.
"Covad and ADtran have successfully tested the NetVanta 7100 and found it to work well with Covad's Integrated Access service," commented Jake Heinz, vice president and general manager, Covad VoIP. "This combination offers SMBs and enterprise customers an affordable, all-in-one phone and Internet service delivered over a high-performance, feature-rich platform," also said Heinz.
"We are pleased to be certified for deployment with an industry leader such as Covad," stated Dennis Gatens, director of strategy, ADtran Enterprise Networks Division. "This combination of hardware and services from two industry leaders offers customers proven quality and reliability to address all of their voice and data needs."

Mu Dynamics Receives $10 Million to Boost VoIP Robustness Testing Solutions

Mu Dynamics has received a boost from investors who donated an estimated amount of $10 million to help accelerate its rapid market expansion plans, particularly among Tier 1 Network operators and its vendors. The funds will accelerate the company’s rapid market expansion, particularly among Tier 1 Network operators and their vendors. Mu now has more than 100 active deployments worldwide. The financing was led by Focus Ventures and previous investors Accel Partners, Benchmark Capital and DAG Ventures. According to a statement by general partner with lead investor Focus Ventures, “Given the six-digit costs associated with even a single hour of downtime in any operators' networked applications or even SaaS offerings, there is a significant worldwide market opportunity for Mu's systematic, automated and proactive approach to pinpointing potential sources of failure in IP-based infrastructures. The company's track record with leading global operators is among the reasons we're so bullish about our investment in Mu." Mu’s award-winning solution, the Mu-4000 appliance, is widely adopted globally at more than 100 installations within global service providers and their strategic vendors. The Mu solution automates the detection, isolation and elimination of a wide range of weaknesses in IP-based networks and supplier products. This methodical and proactive approach maximizes network operator service availability and network uptime. With the Mu-4000, service providers can proactively eliminate many sources of costly downtime, avoid reputation damage, ensure customer satisfaction is maintained at the highest levels possible, and reduce costly customer churn. In his own address about this development, the CEO of Mu Dynamics Dave Kresse, said that the Mu solution was evolved to address a broader set of problems faced by customers that focus on the challenges posed by service, application, and network downtime. “’Dynamics’ better describes the value proposition of our solution’s ability to detect sources of potentially costly downtime before our customers experience outages that result in revenue loss and customer churn. With a significant new round of financing backed by some of the most prestigious venture capital firms in the industry, and continued strong customer adoption from leading global network operators and their vendors, we are poised for even greater success moving forward,” he explained. Mu Dynamics proactively eliminates the high cost of service, application and network downtime. Mu's solution automates a systematic and repeatable process that identifies hard-to-detect sources of potential downtime within IP services, applications, and underlying networks.

Pingo cuts VoIP Calling Rates to Mexico in Half

In order to help its custormer stay in touch with their family members and friends in Mexico, the VoIP arm of iBasis, Pingo has decided to cut in half the calling rate to Mexico. This assistance is coming in wake of the recent outbreak of N1H1 (Swine) Flu which has resulted in airlines cutting back on flights and companies temporarily closing their doors creating communication hardships for Mexican businesses and families. The 50% rate cut is effective till the end of May and the company hope this will help its customers stay in touch with family, friends and business associates.

Motorola Launches T31 Series for Windows Live Messenger

Motorola has stormed the VoIP market with its T31 series, a cordless phone to make free phone calls to anyone on MSN Live Messenger. This phone has a base stationlinks which can connect to a computer for placing calls over Windows Live Messenger service and has got a phone jack for the purpose of placing standard PSTN calls.
The handset features a speakerphone, alarm clock, support caller ID with visual call waiting and is capable of displaying online Messenger contacts on a color LCD, along with a choice of four wallpapers. It also offers a private phone book that can store up to 80 names with three numbers per name, handset-to-handset intercom, 16 ringtones, and voicemail indicator.
The market price for this phone is almost hundred dollars. It makes use of DECT frequency for the purpose of providing up to ten hours of talk time. The Motorola T31 system is assigned to a regular landline, not through a VoIP carrier. It does work with Vonage and other providers but is not exclusive of.

Nortel Further Extends Momentum in Carrier VoIP Market

By signing-up some 1500 customers new regional carriers across the U.S., Nortel has extended its Communication Server (CS) to more than 135 customers globally. Among the largest regional carriers to select Nortel's CS 1500 solution are Hancock Telephone, ArkWest Communications, Venture Communications Cooperative and Dakota Central Telecommunications.
This IP multimedia softswitch gives regional subscribers and small and medium sized businesses (SMBs) a low-cost but highly-reliable solution for providing traditional voice services, as well as multimedia applications like IPTV, fiber to the premises, and end-user Web portal access.
The low-cost but highly-reliable Nortel IP multimedia softswitch solution provides traditional voice services as well as multimedia applications like IPTV, fiber to the premises, and end-user Web portal access. Samih Elhage, president, Carrier VoIP and Applications, Nortel noted that this announcement indicates that the value their carrier VoIP and multimedia solutions are resonating with customers. Elhage also said that the CS 1500 brings the latest voice and multimedia applications to regional carriers at a very affordable price. Nortel recently announced the new release of the CS 1500, which has added new revenue generating applications like unified messaging, single number service, subscriber Web portal and on-demand conferencing.
Hancock Telephone of Hancock, New York, is the first independent telephone company to install a Nortel CS 1500 softswitch and IP network in the state of New York. With the CS 1500, Hancock Telephone will be able to drive new voice revenue from both residential and SMB subscribers with advanced VoIP applications like single number service and unified messaging. To ensure seamless service for their subscribers, Nortel will provide Hancock Telephone with all the products and professional services required to completely design, build and manage their entire network.
Nortel's CS 1500 is deployed using a host and satellite softswitch model allowing Arkwest to converge their telephony and IPTV services in the most cost effective and least disruptive way for their subscribers. Nortel’s CS 1500 solution will benefit all the new regional carriers. The solution will allow Hancock Telephone of Hancock, New York, to drive new voice revenue from both residential and SMB subscribers with advanced VoIP applications like single number service and unified messaging.

SEC Accuses VoIP Inc.’s Former Execs of Lying to Investors

The Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) has accused VoIP Inc. executives of being dishonest with investors as regards to the truth state of the industry. After confirming that the company’s former executives have engaged in fraudulent activities, the SEC suspended trading of VoIP Inc.’s shares – which last moved on April 9 for .0004 cents. SEC announced the temporary suspension, pursuant to Section 12(k) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 (Exchange Act), of trading of the securities of VoIP, Inc. of Altamonte Springs, Florida at 9:30 a.m. EDT on April 13, 2009, and terminating at 11:59 p.m. EDT on April 24, 2009.
The Commission temporarily suspended trading in the securities of VoIP because of questions that have been raised about the lack of current and accurate information concerning the securities of VoIP because it has not filed not filed an Annual Report on Form 10-K since Dec. 31, 2006 or periodic or quarterly reports on Form 10-Q for any fiscal period subsequent to its fiscal quarter ending Sept. 30, 2007. The Commission cautions brokers, dealers, shareholders, and prospective purchasers that they should carefully consider the foregoing information along with all other currently available information and any information subsequently issued by the company.
In a complaint filed in Miami, the SEC said Osvaldo Pitters and Terrell Kuykendall recorded more than $1 million in “fictitious” revenue between November 2004 and May 2005. The SEC wants Pitters, Kuykendall and Ivester to forfeit the money they made from their alleged illegal activity, pay civil fines and be permanently barred from serving as officers or directors of any publicly held company, this the SEC argued would help sanitized the system and cautioned anybody that might want to step-in to their shoes.

Sigma Systems Offers VoIP Fulfillment Solutions to New Customers

Sigma Systems is set to offer three new customers in North America its residential and business VoIP services fulfillment solutions. While revealing this new development, the company pointed out that the recent turn of event will boost their stand in the market. Sigma Systems offers the provision of advanced IP service fulfillment solutions and these include order management, provisioning and activation of residential and business VoIP, Triple, Quad and All-Play services. These customers are using Sigma's Commercial Voice and Residential Voice solutions to provision, activate and manage VoIP services. Sigma's Commercial Voice Solution was named an OSS "Product of the Year" by Internet Telephony Magazine in January. Last year, the magazine honored the Residential Voice Solution with the Product of the Year award. By adopting Sigma Systems services, communications service providers are able to deliver integrated voice, video, broadband, content, all-play and commercial service bundles from a standards-based, platform. The service fulfillment solutions also speed up service creation, drive automation, decrease operational costs, and expand new revenue streams. Sigma's Service Management Portfolio enables the provisioning, delivery and management of integrated offerings, including TV, phone, broadband and wireless services. Sigma's Residential Video Solution was named a finalist for the 2009 IPTV World Series Awards for Best IPTV Service Delivery Platform. According to the company,Sigma has deployed its award-winning voice over IP fulfillment solutions at: a quad-play carrier for business VoIP services targeting small and medium businesses (SMBs). This operator also uses Sigma’s Service Management Portfolio for its broadband and residential VoIP services. The residential and business VoIP services are delivered on the Nortel CS2000 softswitch; a cable operator for business VoIP services delivered over the BroadSoft BroadWorks softswitch. Sigma also manages the operator’s residential VoIP services, which are delivered on Nortel’s CS2000 softswitch and a top-10 cable broadband operator for residential and business VoIP services offered on Nortel’s CS2000 softswitch. Sigma Systems is the proven global leader in delivering advanced IP service fulfillment solutions. Sigma's powerful solutions enable the world's Communications Service Providers (CSPs) to Deliver a Rich Consumer Experience through communications and entertainment services over any access technology to any device.

Verizon Unveils Latest Version of Hub Phone

Verizon has proven again that it really meant business and remains relevant as far as VoIP business is concerned. The company has launched the a new Verizon Hub, a VOIP-based, Linux-powered home phone service last. The Verizon Hub plugs into a home broadband line and acts as a VOIP Phone, family calendar, limited Web browser, messaging center, digital picture frame. The Verizon Hub is an 8-inch, 800x480 touchscreen device for surfing, checking the weather & traffic, and more. It also allows users to make PSTN phone calls via its POTS connection (no VoIP ), access email, search the web, view a calendar, stream music from the web, and view photo images from a digital camera - essentially making it double as a digital photo frame when not in use and it has a single DECT 6.0 cordless phone. One very important thing that people are often confused. Buying the device for $200 binds you on a two-year $35-monthly-fee contract with Verizon. This makes it less economical than other services, especially in these times of economic challenge. Besides, Verizon Call Assistant gives you most of what the phone gives you for free, to be used on a PC.

Betamax launch Telbo unlimited VoIP service. Unlimited calls to US/Canada for just $1 a month and more

At last the people at Betamax seems to have decided to adopt a business model that a lot of us in the voip blogosphere has been proposing to them for a very long time. I have always mentained that the best approach for Betamax is to offer a subscription based service which give customers unlimited calls to several destinations for just a small monthly fee instead of launching tens of applications offering unlimited free calls that they can not substain without trying to make money through unethical business methods. Recently they launched Telbo under the business name Dellmont Sarl, but it does not take a rocket scientist to know that Telbo is from them. Telbo bear all the signature of Betamax voip applications such as voipbuster, voipcheap, voipraider etc. I am not suprised they feel a need to rebrand but Telbo is a good idea and its what they should have done a long time ago.
If you have ever used any of Betamax voip applications then you know allready what Telbo is like. Apart from the name and color of GUI is just like any other Betamax products. The only major difference between Telbo and othe betamax products is that Telbo is a subscription based voip service. There are two subscription options, the Unlimited USA and Canada and Unlimited World. With the Unlimited USA and Canada, you make unlimited calls to any phone in USA and Canada for just $1 per month. The unimited world lets you make unlimited calls to 36 countries around the world for just $5.95 monthly subscription fee. The rates to other countries are still about the lowest in the voip market. Considering the superior audio quality of Betamax services, these are quite good deals for what they offer. I hope now they will provide some customer support which has been completelly missing in their other voip services.
If you want more information about Telbo or you want to try it out, visit www.telbo.com.

Guest Post: Relieving Stress The Luxurious Way

No doubt technology advancements have been phenomenal so far but people love it for the fact that it makes their lives so relaxing and easy. And given that they have the cash to spend, tech can make their lifestyles luxurios as well. This certainly wasn't possible a decade or two ago. You can setup your home in such a manner than you can get a better than a five star hotel feeling.
Even though everyone has their own way of setting things up to reach their comfort zone, one upbeat way which was recently seen in a magazine was as follows. With a hot tub setup in the backyard or balcony, yes it does start with a hottubs believe it or not, facing a LCD TV is a sure shot hot way to kick things off.
Next buy a linksys wireless router and get WiFi running through your house. This will ensure that your laptop, emails and browsing are well connected to the world while you sit back and relax in your hot tub. But this is just the warm up phase. Though by doing this you have ruled out almost a million reasons to get out of the hot tub. From sending or checking important emails to simply ordering food.
Next with a little bit more investment you can setup up wireless media as well and listen to some jazz or whatever else catches your fancy. To get in the zone fully, setup a nice pair of BOSE 7.1 Surround Sound Speakers. Though this may cost a few hundred bucks easy. Finally if its the football season you are in luck. Turn on the TV (might want to hook one up across hot tub) put it on mute and get ready for laid back easy going football night.
So as mentioned earlier, this really wasn't possible a decade ago (well not possible now for everyone either since it's probably really expensive to setup). Back then Wifi internet was too expensive to setup let alone the wireless media, TV's weren't as portable, surround sound systems didn't even come close to the quality we get today and finally hot tubs weren't even very affordable at a hot tubs spas let alone homes.
With something like this setup, no ones going anywhere for a while .

Thoughts about Skype's SILK giveaway.

There has been lot of positive reviews ever since Skype decided to share its new wideband auido codec nicknamed SILK with the world for free. SILK debuted last month with the release of Skype 4.0 for windows, it is the default audio codec for Skype-to-skype calls. According to Angela Gunn of BetaNews, "It scales its bandwidth usage in real time between 6 Kpbs and 40 Kbps, and in 'superwideband' (best) mode samples at 24 KHz. Likewise, bit rate scales from 6-40 Kbps as dictated by connection conditions."
SILK is definitely an improvement over existing audio codecs, it increases audio quality without increasing the bandwidth usage and the improvement can be noticed on the latest version of skype, Skype 4.0 for windows. The question then is that why is skype giving up what is potentially its competitive advantage ?. The answer is not far fetched as most analysts agreed that the main reason is that it will enhance skype's effort in encouraging device manufacturers to integrate skype more into things like smartphones, cell phones and mobile internet.
It is estimated that Skype now have an installed base of about 500 million majority of which are desktop computer users. So the company has been trying really hard to make sure that its service are installed in as many devices as possible and giving away SILK royalty-free will surely help in that direction.

SS7 still Relevant in the communication Industry

Signaling System Number 7 also known as SS7 is a set of telephony signaling protocols which are used to set up most of the world's public switched telephone network telephone calls. The main purpose is to set up and tear down telephone calls. Five years ago industry pundits prophesied the death of SS7 by now. That was premature. Granted, SS7 is no longer the only signaling protocol in town and there are more efficient ways of supporting new IP opportunities, but attempts to rip-out and replace SS7 in its entirety over-night would be disastrous. There are certain functions that are better fulfilled by SS7, and will continue to be so in the short to medium term, but it is the ongoing evolution of IP, in contrast with the solid but staid SS7, that makes it the signaling technology of the future.
SS7 has been the gold standard underpinning the world's telecommunications signaling infrastructure for over 20 years, but IP provides operators with the tools to exploit the emerging revenue opportunities and make significant cost savings. This makes the migration from SS7 to IP inevitable, but the ways in which operators are approaching this process are as varied as they are complex. Timing, approach and the business case for making the transition are rarely consistent from one operator to the next, yet these are the vital elements that will determine the extent of the project’s long-term success. Get it wrong and they will fall behind the competition. Some have even argued that SS7 is too old, too expensive and not advanced enough to cope with the changes that were predicted to revolutionize telecoms such as convergence; a move to all IP; and increased video consumption over the Internet. However, as Robin Kent, director of operations at Adax Europe explains, SS7 hasn’t laid down and died.
While many predicted its demise, SS7 now underpins the delivery of many so-called ‘next generation’ fixed and mobile services. There is no doubt that IP offers a more cost-effective infrastructure than SS7 and is better equipped to deal with the demands of the 21st century network. By the same token there are already significant market opportunities for the savvy operator to exploit with this technology in place. Value-added services are a clear example of a killer revenue opportunity. Staple mobile functionality such as voicemail and SMS has already been complimented by roaming, MMS and, more recently, video calls. Those operators with the most flexible infrastructure will be in a far stronger position to add and develop new services and stay one step ahead of the competition.
Emerging markets also offer huge opportunities. As identified at last year’s 3GSM World Congress, the expansion of mobile usage in Brazil, Russia, India and China (BRICs) continues unabated and it is estimated that the second billion global mobile users will accumulate in less than a quarter of the time taken to build the first. Throughout other parts of the globe mobile usage also continues to grow. A report by technology research group Gartner in November 2005 showed that global mobile phone sales in the third quarter have risen by the greatest proportion for four years (22 per cent).
The report also estimates sales will hit 810 million by the end of 2005 and highlighted a 40 per cent growth throughout Eastern Europe, Africa and the Middle East. The lower cost of implementing and running an IP infrastructure compared to SS7 means that smaller operators are able to take advantage of the new technology and capitalise on these emerging market opportunities before the larger operators have a stranglehold.
The days of relying on SS7 are not over, all will not be for a long time to come. As indicated from the emerging markets like India, China, Brazil and Africa which will drive continued growth in SS7 as a result of a possible expansion in the number subscriber base.

IFA Firms Cautioned Over Fake Sales

There is indication that some unethical communicartion providers are taking advantage of the regulations enacted by Financial Services Authority (FSA) to scam IFA firms by asking them to install new telephone systems, costing as much as £30,000 in order to comply with the new regulations.
In a statement by Séan Ryan, a director of major supplier of telephony equipment 500 Limited, who said it is very important for IFA to seek for the correct interpretation of the regulations. He said lack of understanding of the new regulations meant that some unethical suppliers could take advantage of the situation and push some companies who did not require the new equipment into unnecessary purchases.
Citing the recent installation of an upgrade undertaken by 500 Limited to the Hertfordshire law firm, SA Law, which not only met the conditions of the new regulations, but vastly improved the firm’s productivity, Ryan said the new system from 500 Limited allowed SA Law to not only install a more efficient system, but to save money via lower rentals of lines and calls that were much cheaper. This system is claimed to comply fully with the new regulations.