VoIP 'to be embedded in websites'

An innovative new application is to allow VoIP call services that can be embedded in websites, it has been announced.

Californian firm Ribbit has reportedly developed technology which allows developers to create applications that allow for the making and receiving of calls using Flash.

These can then be integrated into a website's layout and allow visitors to make a call to the site owners for free over the net.

Costs for the service will be billed to the website owner monthly, depending on how much it is used by website visitors.

A developer can take telephony out of our sandbox and bring it to where you live," said Crick Waters, Ribbit's vice president for strategy and business development.

He highlighted the use of the service by four developers in the creation of Facebook services and pointed out that SalesForce.com has signed up to use it as a web-based customer relations management system.

However, the service is still undergoing testing and is currently only available in the US for a subscription of $25 a month.