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Tech Resolutions

2006-04-05T17:27:10+00:00

April 3, 2006

By Jason Fry

As 2006 arrived, I offered a quintet of New Year's resolutions1 intended to drain the technological swamp that is the Fry household, a place where all the technology vaguely worked -- there were no viruses or malware running around loose, firewalls were up, and PCs accessed the Internet reliably, yet MP3s didn't play through the stereo, the TiVo wasn't part of the wireless network, and that network was a rat's nest of wired and wireless, gear that worked and gear that didn't.

Three months in, how am I doing? Not bad for a busy parent of a three-year-old. But not as well as I could. Here's a rundown of the resolutions, and the progress made. Or yet to be made.

V For Vonage

2006-03-31T18:42:22+00:00

March 31, 2006

By Staff

Internet phone company, Vonage, is quickly growing and proving that the Skype is not the limit. By placing calls over the Web it’s helping home businesses save a fortune on their phone bills. And it could help you too.

Vonage is a world leader in the voice over Internet protocol (VoIP) business, with over 1.4 million subscriber lines all over the world.

VoIP

VoIP technology allows people to make phone calls with their computers. Voice signals are transmitted over the Web rather than through the copper wires that have been the backbone of the telecom industry since the days of Alexander Graham Bell.

Switching to the Net Cut Jim's Phone Bill

2006-03-28T18:44:30+00:00

March 28, 2006

By Emma Lunn

We’ll soon be ringing the changes in the way we make phone calls.

Using the internet to phone family and friends is tipped to hit the mainstream this year -and it will slash bills. That's on top of the price war predicted this summer after Ofcom removed the shackles from BT and allowed them to set their own charges.

More than ten million households now buy phone services from BT's rivals. About a third of all calls are made on mobiles but calls via the internet are growing fast.

Vonage Says One Million Subscriber Lines Now Have E911

2006-04-03T18:46:59+00:00

April 3, 2006

By Staff

On Thursday, Vonage said that more than one million of its subscriber lines now have Enhanced 911 (E911) service -- a feature that automatically associates a physical address with the calling party's telephone number.

In June, the FCC gave Vonage, and all Internet-based phone service companies, 120 days to create an E911 system, and provide all of its customers, wherever they are in the U.S., with E911 service. In that amount of time, Vonage worked with local 911 centers, also known as Public Safety Answering Points (PSAPs), across the country to turn on E911 for as many customers as it could. Currently, Vonage says it continues to test and turn up new PSAPs which are VoIP-ready every day and will continue to do so until Vonage customers have access to E911.

The 411 on Internet Phones

2006-04-01T18:44:09+00:00

April 1, 2006

By Staff

Panasonic cordless broadband phone for Vonage

Vonage already boasts the most diverse product portfolio among VOIP services, including several WiFi and cordless phones. But this new one from Panasonic is our favorite--the sleek base station is one of the few that doesn't require the usual ugly VOIP adaptor box (it plugs directly into your cable or DSL modem).

Vonage: Over 1 Mln Users have E911 Service

2006-03-31T18:39:25+00:00

March 31, 2006

By Staff

Internet telephony provider Vonage announced today that 70 percent of its VoIP subscribers—roughly 1 million customers—currently have access to emergency 911 service via Vonage. Vonage's E911 service automatically associates a physical address with the calling party's telephone numbers, potentially enabling emergency responders to get to a scene even if the caller is disabled or unable to provide their location.

Vonage is also operating a national emergency call center for users of Wi-Fi phones or software VoIP clients; the national call center can route customer calls to appropriate local 911 services.

Worthwhile

2006-03-31T17:55:18+00:00

March 31, 2006

By Guy Clapperton

VoIP is simpler, and works for many firms. Alan Greensall, managing director of musical instrument distributor Synergy, is among the time-poor who wouldn't normally have considered moving to a new system because of the time spent researching, but his existing installation went badly wrong, so he used the opportunity to investigate VoIP from Vonage.

"I'd paid �2,300 the previous year, and was feeling very aggrieved by the way I'd been treated." The cost saving was considerable, he believes, but the change in the way the business operated was also useful. "It saved 50% of the landline cost but also 30% of the mobile cost." The costing structure changed completely. "There was no contract, so I had nothing to lose by trying it."

VoIP Users Getting 911 Fix

2006-03-31T17:50:40+00:00

March 31, 2006

By Allison Bruce

An estimated 200 million calls are made to 911 centers in the U.S. each year.

Historically, a 911 center received calls from its surrounding area. A person placed the call and it went to a local emergency center, which then tracked the caller's street address and phone number. Simple enough.

"When wireless came along, it turned everything upon its head. People could be calling from anywhere, anytime using these devices," said Stephen Seitz, vice president of 911 regulatory affairs for Vonage. "In the matter of VoIP, we face that same challenge, but on a national scale."

Vonage Boasts One Million VoIP Customers With E911

2006-03-30T17:38:36+00:00

March 30, 2006

By David W. Gardner

VoIP service provider Vonage said Thursday that more than one million of its subscribers are equipped with Enhanced 911 (E911) emergency calling service, which automatically links a physical address with a caller's telephone number.

Vonage and other VoIP providers were instructed by the Federal Communications Commission last year to provide effective E911 service in the wake of incidents in which callers in need of emergency help were unable to establish their locations.

Vonage, Motorola Offer Up New Router

2006-03-30T08:22:46+00:00

March 30, 2006

By Staff

VoIP provider Vonage and Motorola yesterday unveiled a four port router and two-line Internet telephone adapter configured with the former’s service. The Motorola VT2442 Internet Phone Adaptor with Router is priced at $19.99 after a rebate and is available now.

The Motorola VT2442 Internet Phone Adaptor with Router, said the two companies, powers up to two lines of Internet telephone service and supports features such as call waiting, call forwarding and caller ID. It also functions as a router, offering four Ethernet ports and a firewall for Internet security. It also incorporates Texas Instruments' TNETV1060 VoIP gateway chipset.