January 17, 2006

By Staff

Recently at the 2006 International Consumer Electronics Show, New Telephony sat down with Vonage Holdings Corp. CEO Jeffrey Citron to talk about the company’s progress with E911 and its plans for the future. Here are excerpts from that conversation.

NT: We have received a number of press releases from you in recent weeks about new regions added to your E911 coverage. How much of the country do you have covered?

January 18, 2006

By Staff

Andretti Green Racing co-owner Michael Andretti will return to racing to drive the Jim Beam/Vonage Honda-powered Dallara in the 90th running of the Indianapolis 500 on May 28, 2006.

Andretti, who retired from a 20-year professional driving career after the 87th Indianapolis 500 on May 25, 2003, will be part of a five-car Andretti Green Racing effort at Indianapolis that will include Dario Franchitti, Tony Kanaan, Bryan Herta, and Andretti‘s son, Marco.

January 13, 2006

By Staff

Internet-based telephone company Vonage Marketing on Thursday said it added enhanced 911 service to Maricopa and Pinal counties.

The Valley counties were part of a rollout that spanned 25 counties in 11 states. The service includes a street address to an emergency caller's telephone number.

January 13, 2006

By Staff

In tracking its nationwide progress to meet the Federal Communications Commission order that Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) service providers handle 911 emergency services, Vonage says, as of yesterday, it’s turned up enhanced 911 services in more than 1,900 official public-safety answering points (PSAPs) that field the public’s emergency calls.

Vonage Marketing, a subsidiary of Vonage Holdings, says its current U.S. figure includes recently added 911 calling capabilities in 41 PSAP call centers in 25 new counties during a one-week period, reflecting the industry’s rush to comply with the FCC order that went into effect Nov. 28, 2005. Since that time, Vonage says it has coordinated its efforts with PSAPs across the country to turn on E911 for as many customers as it can.

January 12, 2006

By Kelly K. Spors

Q: How can I find a cheap and reliable Internet phone service? -- Greear Cossitt, McLean, Va.

A: Voice over Internet protocol services may save you money, especially if you make many long-distance calls. With VOIP, calls are routed through the Internet. Depending on the plan, you either talk through the computer with a microphone or with a regular phone, using an adapter. Some services provide the equipment free. Monthly rates can vary from free (for calls to VOIP users) to up to $50 for unlimited calling and certain features. Overseas rates may cost extra, but are generally low.

January 13, 2006

By Staff

Vonage, the nation's largest provider of phone service using Voice over Internet Protocol, or VoIP, has added E911 capability for users in Fulton and Spalding counties in Georgia. The New Jersey-based company announced the upgrade Thursday as part of several others nationwide. E911 service allows callers to have their address become automatically available to emergency service providers. A lack of E911 service has been one of the worries associated with the growth of VoIP service.

January 10, 2006

By Staff

Let's say you're a small business owner, which almost by definition means you're a mobile worker. You've got VOIP service at your small office or home office, but many of your calls are by necessity taken while you're in transit, or at the airport, or at your local coffeeshop. It'd be great to be able to use your VOIP service there, too, and save those cellphone minutes -- right?

That's the general idea behind the new portable WiFi handset from Vonage Holdings Corp., manufactured by UTStarcom Inc. and called the F1000. Unfortunately, the new WiFi phone, which will work at public WiFi hotspots and retails for $129.99 ($79.99 with an instant $50 rebate), is directed almost exclusively at the consumer market, at least for now.

January 12, 2006

By Shawn Young

A slew of new phones are heading to stores aimed at the millions of people who might like to try Internet calling but are put off by the prospect of sitting at a computer to make calls or hooking a phone to an adapter.

Some of the new phones from makers like Panasonic, Motorola Inc. and Uniden America Corp. have built-in adapters and are preset to connect to popular Internet-calling services like Vonage and Skype. They communicate cordlessly with a base station that's plugged into a computer or modem. Other devices will be able to shuttle automatically between operating as cellphones, cordless home phones or phones capable of working over the wireless Internet connections at many coffee shops and hotels.

January 9, 2006

By Julian Watson

VoIP has now gone beyond the early adopter phase to reach the mass market, says Vonage chief executive Jeffrey Citron.

Global Insight Perspective

Significance: There are now more than 4 million Voice over Broad Band (VoBB) subscribers in the United States.

Implications: Vonage is confident that it can continue to achieve rapid growth in a competitive market: the company has recently raised capital to fund further expansion.

Outlook: Nevertheless, Vonage's threat could make it a takeover target.

January 5, 2006

By Tim McElligott

Although not a well-guarded secret, Vonage formally revealed its use of Sonus Networks' switching platform this week and said it will be expanding the relationship to accommodate growth in its business.

Vonage has Sonus' GSX9000 switching platform, PSX Call Routing Server, SGX Signaling Gateway, and Sonus Insight Management System deployed in its New York and Los Angeles data centers.