StarVox Communications announced that it has upgraded its domestic VOIP network using Veraz Networks' latest Class 4 software release for ease of provisioning and managing service level agreements (SLAs) with business customers. Veraz's softswitch controls the StarVox network, with its media gateways distributed throughout the network. Significantly, the upgrade enables StarVox to offer businesses the premium voice quality that they are used to, using SLAs that guarantee the Quality of Service for VoIP.



The expansion of its domestic VoIP network to most major metropolitan areas in the U.S. brings long distance and toll free calling within reach of over 80% of business sites, and local phone service to over 50% of business sites. For sites with broadband access, StarVox offers dedicated termination for intrastate, interstate and international calling, supporting both traditional "TDM last mile" and enhanced "VoIP last mile" services.

"We applaud StarVox's mission to provide high quality next generation network services to the small and medium sized business markets and we appreciate that StarVox has chosen to work with us to achieve it," said Doug Sabella, President and CEO of Veraz Networks, Inc. "StarVox's roll-out of converged IP-based applications on a nationwide basis supports our vision of using the Veraz softswitch and media gateways as the core components of next generation service provider networks. We look forward to a mutually beneficial relationship."

"Having Veraz Networks as our softswitch and media gateway supplier gives StarVox the most advanced and flexible next generation network in the market," said Doug Zorn, StarVox's president and CEO. "This means we can meet our goal of offering businesses the most advanced next generation network solutions."

"This network was designed from the beginning to meet the voice quality and voice network reliability standards that exist in the traditional voice network," said Steve Holden, StarVox's General Manager of Network Operations, who originally built the network to meet carrier class design criteria. "Based on my extensive experience at MCI in managing traditional voice networks, I knew we needed a network of comparable quality for businesses to switch to IP-based voice services on a large scale. I believe this network has achieved the needed level of quality."

Doug Zorn continued, "We are very pleased to have Steve Holden and his team as part of StarVox. Our company is unique in that we have extensive VoIP network operations experience as well as extensive IP-based application design experience. This allows us to offer businesses a complete solution with in-house expertise on all of the components."