VoIP News: January 2009

Businesses introducing VoIP technologies are able to achieve a better work-life balance for their employees, a leading expert claims.

Writing in the Aberdeen Press & Journal, Converged Communications business development director Andy Pearson described VoIP as the "technology of the century".

He explained that this is because it can deliver significant cost benefits and provide a more unified communications infrastructure.

However, Mr Pearson added that the technology can also deliver a personal benefit for employees by providing an "invaluable tool helping users strike a work-life balance".

"Calls can be directed from your office direct-dial number to your home, while business calls made from your home can be added to your office phone bill and give the appearance, to the customer, of originating from within the office," Mr Pearson explained.

"For businesses starting out, VoIP can help create a 'virtual office' - giving the illusion of a permanent office base when the reality is that everything is home-based."

However, Light Reading's VoIP Services Insider has warned that VoIP providers should learn the "hard lessons" of past telecoms security problems as the technology evolves.

Posted on: 2009-01-30, in: General VoIP

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The government has confirmed its intention to ensure that every household in the UK can access broadband of a minimum speed of 2Mbps by 2012.

Unveiled yesterday, Lord Carter's interim Digital Britain report has studied the future of domestic technical infrastructure, as well as the media and public service broadcasting.

"We will develop plans for a digital Universal Service Commitment to be effective by 2012, delivered by a mixture of fixed and mobile, wired and wireless means," the report said.

"Subject to further study of the costs and benefits, we will set out our plans for the level of service which we believe should be universal."

Culture secretary Andy Burnham unveiled the report to MPs and said that universal broadband roll-out would generate a competitive low-carbon economy in the UK for the next decade.

Mr Burnham explained that the government wanted to "give parents the information and tools to protect [their] children from inappropriate content".

He added that the plans could also potentially involve establishing a digital rights agency to monitor and combat internet piracy.

Gordon Brown said that building an effective fibre network was as essential as the creation of new "roads, bridges and trains were in the 20th century".

Posted on: 2009-01-30, in: Broadband

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Despite it facing financial difficulties, British Telecom (BT) has announced that it plans to push ahead with broadband fibre roll-out plans.

The telecoms giant previously unveiled a mission to provide broadband of up to 40Mbps to ten million households by 2012.

However, around £1.5 billion has recently been wiped from BT's share value, alongside £340 million being paid out from the BT Global business division following a review of contracts.

This has prompted fears that the £1.5 billion fibre-to-the-cabinet (FTTC) roll-out programme would be affected.

Speaking at the World Economic Forum annual meeting, BT chief executive Ian Livingstone told Reuters that he didn't think BT's financial position would hinder the investment.

"We still have strong plans to invest in fibre in the UK and also, actually, to still expand our global presence," he added.

Despite this, the operator has also hinted that it will require favourable regulatory conditions in Lord Carter's upcoming Digital Britain report to play its part in universal service provision.

Posted on: 2009-01-29, in: Broadband

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Mobile
VoIP provider fring has teamed up with online radio streaming website Last FM for a new interactive service.

By using VoIP infrastructure, the company is offering a radio add-on application which is designed to encourage users to connect and share experiences online.

This includes communicating in real-time via instant messages or VoIP calls, as well as listening to a wide range of radio channels.

Speaking at the launch, fring co-founder and chief executive Avi Shechter said that the new service "achieves several important goals".

"Firstly, it provides our users a rich, dynamic and compelling mobile internet experience, in this case based on music, and the opportunity for friends to share it in real-time with their friends," explained Mr Shechter.

"Secondly it represents the next stage in fring's planned evolution - a centre of gravity shift from simply aggregating and providing mobile internet communication tools, towards providing a platform for friends to enjoy rich and dynamic mobile experiences together, with tools such as voice and instant messaging being just one part of the story."

Founded in 2002, Last FM now claims to have over 21 million active subscribers located in around 200 different countries.

Posted on: 2009-01-29, in: General VoIP

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A pilot programme launched in Scotland could bring the advantages of high-speed broadband to two remote communities in the Shetland Islands.

Residential and business customers on the island of Fetlar and in the village of Vidlin have previously suffered with unreliable and slow broadband connections.

However, Shetland Islands Council (SIC) has invested £100,000 in a three-year pilot programme with broadband carrier Thus to provide an ADSL service of 2Mbps, reports the Shetland News.

Local businesswoman Helen Erwood welcomed SIC's investment in the broadband trial and stated her belief that this will boost local businesses.

"It demonstrates an appreciation that Shetland needs to considerably improve its future commitments to having communications networks that adequately support e-business activities," Ms Erwood explained.

"Businesses like ours, which are based and staffed from Shetland, but with clients mostly in Europe and the US, need to be able to compete on a level playing field with mainland companies if they are to continue to thrive within and support the local economy."

The pilot project will use capacity from the existing Pathfinder programme, which establishes 8Mbps connections to all SIC buildings and offices.

Posted on: 2009-01-28, in: Broadband

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