January 26, 2006

By Staff

Vonage Holdings Corp. has launched virtual phone numbers in several European countries, including Austria, France, Ireland, Italy and Spain.

Vonage Chairman and CEO Jeffrey Citron told New Telephony earlier this month in an exclusive interview, “We will continue to evaluate other opportunities in Europe and Asia-Pacific, but we are exploring where go now.” The company already offers virtual phone numbers and direct inward dial numbers in the United Kingdom.

The new numbers, available to Vonage subscribers in the United States, Canada and the United Kingdom, are priced at $9.99 ($11.99 Canadian) or £5.99. The numbers receive incoming calls only.

January 26, 2006

By Johanne Torres

Now subscribers to Vonage VoIP-based calling services will be able to have Western European virtual numbers. The VoIP provider announced on Thursday that it made available virtual numbers with area codes from Austria, France, Ireland, Italy and Spain. The move will enable European friends, family and business associates residing and working within these nations to now call U.S.-based Vonage customers for the price of a local call.

Vonage virtual phone numbers are inexpensive secondary numbers that ring to your primary Vonage line. These numbers are available to Vonage subscribers in the U.S., Canada and the U.K. for $9.99 USD, $11.99 CAD and pounds Sterling 5.99 GBP per month respectively. These numbers receive incoming calls only.

In the news, we'll tell you about a billing error Vonage quickly corrected, and about some technical VoIP tests a leading testing service has just performed and where Vonage rated very high. We'll also examine two new Vonage Forum threads that both discuss multiple phone lines.

January 25, 2006

By Beth Potter

Denver-based Qwest and other sellers of Internet-based phone service in Colorado are ready for Round 2 against city governments in a battle over at least $80 million in yearly tax revenue.

State Rep. Matt Knoedler, R-Lakewood, is sponsoring a bill drafted with Qwest's help to keep Internet phone service tax- free in Colorado. A similar Knoed ler bill in the 2005 legislative session failed by one vote.

"This bill would protect businesses from burdensome taxation and regulation and could place Colorado's high-tech economy at an advantage nationwide," Knoedler said.

The bill is up for a vote by the House Finance Committee on Feb. 1.

Vonage, the nation's largest Internet-based phone-service provider, also opposes taxation on its service, a spokesman said.

January 25, 2006

By Russell Shaw

Somehow this news flew under my radar but Vonage is gearing up to offer an extensive, in-home installation and repair service.

The service, which I predict will be quite popular among new Vonage users is currently available only in the close-in parts of the New York/New Jersey metropolitan area.
Vonage, though, says the in-person service - provided by authorized service reps rather than Vonage employees- should be in 50 metro areas this summer.