VoIP shows the way
You know you've hit the big time when you get your own show. Well, VoIP now has its own show, and the latest iteration was the recently held VON Spring 2006 confab, in San Jose, Calif. At least it seems that way, since much of the information being disseminated from the IP communications show is VoIP related. And there was news aplenty from the VoIP industry's growing number of participants attending the show.

• TNS (Transaction Network Services) and BroadSoft teamed up to provide Calling Name (CNAM, a data base service) to service providers operating BroadSoft's BroadWorks VoIP application platform.
• Legerity, Inc. and Mindspeed Technologies, Inc. showed off their VoIP processing for 48 standard phone lines within an IP Multimedia System (IMS, which is hot, too) infrastructure.
• Anritsu Corp. expanded its test and monitoring portfolio to include some "powerful" VoIP features for its InterQuest Analyzer, which tests for VoIP interoperability.
• Ditech Communications integrated Telchemy's VoIP performance monitoring technology into its Packet Voice Processor voice processing platform.
• And Covergence partnered with Centillium Communications to deliver what the companies are touting as "the industry's first comprehensive consumer and residential VoIP security solution."

Anritsu's InterQuest analyzer is designed to test VoIP service.

Though not exactly all household names, these companies and many more like them are deepening their presence in the VoIP space, and is a clear indication of the expanding VoIP market and the supporting technology, equipment and software providers that are committing to VoIP.

And why not? A meteoric rise is expected of the VoIP market in the next five years, with one research group predicting a 400 percent uptick by 2008 (New Paradigm Resources Group).

And profits will abound, New Paradigm says, with low underlying VoIP costs and Internet giants such as AOL, Microsoft, Google and Yahoo! moving into the market, creating greater margins and a bigger bundle of services.

All that remains is that pesky VoIP business model. Once it gets its own show, VoIP should not only hit the big time, but elevate to international star status.

—Craig Kuhl, IP Capsule Editor, and CED Magazine Contributing Editor

SES Americom secures IPTV delivery
SES Americom will protect content protection via its IP-Prime distribution platform via the NDS Group, VideoGuard conditional access platform and Synamedia IPTV software.

The combination of VideoGuard and Synamedia encryption and security capabilities will provide protection from the origination at the SES Americom IPTV broadcast center in New Jersey, to telco video hubs and IP set-top boxes throughout home communications networks, the companies said.

Tut upgrading to MPEG-4
Tut Systems, Inc. said it is scheduled to upgrade four triple play providers and their existing IPTV headends to MPEG-4 AVC over IP. The upgrade is the third phase of new technology in the IPTV market, which began with MPEG-2 over ATM, then MPEG-2 over IP.

Why the upgrade? The MPEG-4 headend should improve picture quality and lower the required bandwidth needed for HD channels.

Leadtek's XTP8830 -- H.264-based Triple-Play Videophone.

Leadtek tweaks videophone software
Leadtek's IP broadband videophone, XTP 8830, is getting a boost from Trolltech's Qtopia software, the companies said. The videophone is capable of supporting triple play technologies, including video telephony, streaming, VoIP and online browsing, and can be adapted to all IP-based networks.

The upside? Qtopia is designed to make the development of a feature-rich IP videophone faster and more efficient.

SightSpeed and Roxio in the mix
SightSpeed Inc., a provider of free and premium Internet video and voice communications, and Roxio, a digital media software developer, have agreed to a multi-channel distribution agreement, the companies announced.

SightSpeed plans to extend its market reach by using Roxio's channel expertise. Roxio in turn will co-brand and distribute SightSpeed's application through its e-commerce channel.

CompUSA expands Bandwidth
CompUSA is partnering with Bandwidth.com and Sylantro Systems to offer a hosted VoIP service for small and medium-sized businesses in the retail industry.

Businesses in need of 10 to 200 lines across single or multiple locations can purchase VoIP service at CompUSA, which will include Sylantro's Synergy VoIP platform and Bandwidth.com's business communications service.

What's the big deal? The VoIP service aimed directly at the small and medium-sized business market is reportedly the first of its kind by a retailer, and a clear indication that the SMB market is expanding.

TNS takes InfiniRoute to VoIP
Transaction Network Services, Inc. (TNS) a network and data communications provider, has acquired InfiniRoute Networks Inc., a VoIP peering services provider.

The acquisition includes InfiniRoute's VoIP Direct and will allow TNS traditional carriers and next-generation service providers with direct network interconnectivity using public or private IP packet networks, the companies added.

And TNS's take on the acquisition? It solidifies its position as a player in the VoIP market.

Earthlink, Covad building the bundle
Earthlink and Covad, a provider of broadband voice and data communications, are expanding their VoIP and high-speed Internet access bundle to eight additional cities.

And Earthlink will help to foot the bill by providing $50 million in debt and equity financing to fund the additional network build-outs in Atlanta, Chicago, Los Angeles, Miami, New York City, Philadelphia, San Diego, and Washington, D.C.

Covad's line-powered voice access marries the "last mile" of traditional telephone copper wiring with Earthlink's VoIP features via DSLAM (Digital Subscriber Line Access Multiplexer) technology.

The upside? Covad and Earthlink say customers will enjoy a higher quality service since their calls will be delivered over the companies' managed national networks rather than the public Internet.

Legerity interfaces with Avaya
Legerity, Inc. will provide Avaya, a provider of business communications applications, systems and services, with its voice interface VE880 VoicePort and Le79112 Voice Control Processor, the companies announced.

The combination is meant to simplify Avaya's design process and allow the company to update its IP Office expansion modules, the company said.

RCN hits Mach 20
RCN Corp. will address consumers' need for speed with a phased rollout of a 20 Mbps (downstream), starting in Falls Church, Va. and Woburn, Mass.

RCN's zippy MegaModem Mach 20 delivers up to 20 Mbps downstream and up to 2Mbps upstream. The service is designed for consumers and small businesses that require faster downloads of music, movies and digital photos as well as faster upstream speeds for gamers and telecommuters.

But just as important: It should add value to RCN's current triple play service.

IP telephony is hot. Especially in the SMB (small- and medium-sized business) market, says research group InfoTech. Demand for IP telephony solutions has grown 36 percent in station shipments between 2004 and 2005. U.S. revenues subsequently reached $1.4 billion. Over the next five years, the market is projected to grow at an annual rate of 19 percent, with total revenue exceeding $3 billion in 2010.