The Information & Communications Technology Group at Frost & Sullivan is pleased to announce its Exclusive 2007 Quarterly Webinar on Thursday, January 18, 2007 at 12:00 p.m. CST / 1:00 p.m. EST.

The foundation for voice over Internet protocol (VoIP) peering resides in the belief that there is no reason for traffic to leave the Internet protocol (IP) network. If traffic must be handed off to the public switched telephone network (PSTN), then VoIP-based providers are disadvantaged by not being able to offer certain services such as video calling and are consequently forced to compete based on pricing rather than features. Moreover, additional money is being paid out to time-division multiplexing (TDM) based service providers for interconnection and toll charges.

Highlights of the briefing include a discussion of current trends and benefits associated with VoIP peering, the VoIP ecosystem, ENUM and major market participants.

"Although VoIP peering offers service providers the ability to market innovative services, economics are generally the key drivers of any action and this is the case with VoIP peering," says Frost & Sullivan Senior Analyst Lynda Starr. "Peering enables them to interconnect and bypass the PSTN thereby saving on termination charges. As VoIP traffic increases, the need for peering will also grow."

Those interested in participating in the interactive webinar should send an email to Mireya Castilla - Corporate Communications at mireya.castilla@frost.com with the following information: your full name, company name, title, telephone number, e-mail address, city, state and country. She will send the registration details via email upon receipt of the above information.

This briefing will benefit IP and TDM service providers, infrastructure manufacturers (softswitches, session border controllers, etc.) through explanation of the drivers for VoIP peering.

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