8x8 announces that its Packet8 Virtual Office hosted PBX small business phone system is now available on Staples.com. The Packet8 Virtual Office solution is an affordable, easy-to-use replacement for traditional PBX phone systems, allowing users anywhere in the world to be part of a hosted VoIP virtual phone solution. The service includes an auto attendant, worldwide extension dialing, business class voicemail, a full featured conference bridge and ring groups, in addition to a rich variety of other business class PBX and dial tone features not normally found on premise-based PBX systems.

8x8's Packet8 business launches of a new line of broadband agnostic, plug-and-play IP phones designed to enhance the features and functionality of Packet8 business phone services.

Developed in conjunction with Aastra Telecom the Packet8 675xi series of IP phones incorporates 8x8's advanced NAT traversal technologies to facilitate the same network-independent operational advantages Packet8 business customers currently enjoy with the existing Virtual Office business class phones and terminal adaptors. These include the ability to simply plug the phone into any public or private Internet connection and immediately make or receive calls without performing any network configuration or firewall manipulation. The Packet8 675xi IP phones also deliver enhanced equipment and service features including corporate directory display and lookup, intercom paging, shared line appearance and Power over Ethernet capability.

Packet8 has added the popular Apple iPhone to the list of over 450 mobile handset devices now supported by the Packet8 MobileTalk international calling service. Featuring mobile international calling rates such as $.01 per minute to China, $.02 per minute to the U.K., $.03 per minute to Mexico and $.059 per minute to India, the Packet8 MobileTalk service enables cell phone users to significantly reduce their international phone bills and maintain high digital voice quality while still enjoying the convenience and flexibility of on-the- go mobile calling.

Packet8 has been granted U.S. Patent No. 7,394,803 entitled "Distributed Local Telephony Gateway." The patent issued from the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office on July 1, 2008. The patent relates to IP communication systems and, more particularly, to broadband telephony services having distributed local gateways.

Since its establishment in 1987, 8x8's Packet8 has been awarded 73 United States patents covering a variety of voice and video communications, processing and storage technologies.

Packet8 announces the introduction of Packet8 Virtual Trunking, a broadband agnostic IP trunking solution that allows a business to benefit from the cost efficiencies of VoIP while retaining their existing phones and phone system hardware and optimizing the use of their existing connectivity to the Internet.

Packet8 Virtual Trunking provides companies that have already made a substantial or recent investment in phone system hardware with an opportunity to reduce recurring monthly service and toll charges by delivering digital quality dial tone service over their broadband connection rather than a separate voice circuit from an incumbent or local exchange carrier. The company's existing phone system equipment continues to provide the user feature set while the Packet8 Virtual Trunking services provide dial tone together with local, long distance and international call routing services to that equipment from the Packet8 digital VoIP network.

Packet8 announces the addition of "call queuing" functionality to the Packet8 Virtual Office small business phone service, now in use by over 11,000 U.S. companies.

With the Packet8 Virtual Office Call Queuing feature, a business can accept a greater number of incoming calls throughout the day by placing callers in a queue, rather than sending them to voicemail, when sales agents or employees are occupied with other customers. Virtual Office Call Queuing is an ideal feature for the small business that receives incoming calls into functional areas such as sales, technical support, customer service, billing and much more.

Packet8 announces it has reduced international calling rates to select countries and added Mexico to the list of overseas locations where subscribers may obtain a virtual phone number.

Packet8 subscribers can now save even more on calls to popular countries with the following new rates: $.01 per minute to China, $.059 per minute to India, $.10 per minute to Vietnam and $.13 per minute to the Philippines. These rates are available to all Packet8 business and residential customers, including MobileTalk subscribers who not only realize significant cost savings over cellular international calling rates, but also enjoy the convenience and flexibility of using their mobile phone when calling overseas. Complete details regarding international calling rates for all available locations can be found here: http://www.packet8.net/international_services/. For frequent international callers, Packet8 offers unlimited global calling plans starting at $29.99 per month.

Packet8 announced the availability of the Packet8 Virtual Office business phone system at OfficeMax retail outlets nationwide.

OfficeMax's more than 900 U.S. retail stores are now stocking and merchandising Packet8's Virtual Office hosted VoIP small business phone system with point-of-purchase materials consisting of retail brochures and in-line shelf displays which showcase the Packet8 Virtual Office business-class telephone. OfficeMax customers can purchase the Packet8 Virtual Office business phone package for just $129.99 and begin using the Virtual Office service within minutes after a simple installation and activation procedure. Subscribers who purchase Virtual Office at OfficeMax receive one free month of service followed by a discounted monthly service price of $39.99 for an Unlimited Extension.

8x8's Packet8 videophone and mobile VoIP communication services has been granted U.S. Patent No. 7,339,604 entitled "Videoconferencing Arrangement Having Multi-Purpose Digital Still Camera." The patent issued from the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office on March 4, 2008.

The patent relates to a videoconferencing system with a modular terminal that includes a conventional digital still camera coupled to an input port of the system.

Since its establishment in 1987, 8x8 has been awarded seventy-two (72) United States patents covering a variety of voice and video communications and storage technologies.

Packet8 broadband VoIP, videophone and mobile VoIP communication services, has been granted U.S. Patent No. RE40,054, which is a reissue of United States Patent No. 6,483,532 entitled, "Video-Assisted Audio Signal Processing System and Method."

The patent relates to an arrangement for controlling audio signal transmissions for a communications system that includes a microphone and a video camera. The reissued patent is dated February 12, 2008 and contains eleven new claims which strengthen the Company's intellectual property rights related to this invention.

Since its establishment in 1987, 8x8 has been awarded 71 United States patents covering a variety of voice and video communications and storage technologies.

Packet8 is offering a limited quantity of free, lifetime monthly service plans for early subscribers of the Packet8 MobileTalk mobile international calling service. Effective immediately, this special first come, first served offer entitles any residential or business customer who signs up for a MobileTalk account to free activation and monthly service, a savings of $9.99 plus $9.99 per month for new Packet8 subscribers and $4.99 per month for existing subscribers, for the life of their MobileTalk subscription. These customers can simply download the MobileTalk application onto their cell phone at no charge and pay no recurring monthly service fees other than low per-minute rates associated with the overseas destination of their calls.

Packet8 videophone and mobile VoIP communication services announce a receipt of a new order from SupportSave Solutions. The order calls for SupportSave to expand its use of 8x8's Packet8 Virtual Office hosted iPBX phone services over the next year, improving the company's in-house telecommunications network.

Under the terms of the order, SupportSave will increase the usage of Packet8's iPBX solution from seventy-five phone lines to more than 150 extensions over the next ninety days. Using Packet8's technology, SupportSave expects to have five hundred to one thousand networked lines in service within the next twelve months.

Packet8 introduces the Virtual Office Tango Video Terminal Adapter, a convenient and affordable desktop videoconferencing solution that enhances the functionality of the Packet8 Virtual Office hosted iPBX phone system, now in use by over 10,000 U.S. based small businesses.

In addition to unlimited local and long distance calling, enterprise class PBX features and on-demand hosted call center capabilities, Packet8 Virtual Office subscribers can now experience the valuable benefits of worldwide videoconferencing directly from their personal Virtual Office extension. These include a reduction in travel expenses and time spent out of the office, increased worker productivity, more efficient and effective meetings, better support for remote workers and the ability to maintain close day to day contact with important clients.

Packet8 announces the launch of a no obligation, no fee trial program that lets customers of any U.S.-based wireless carrier experience the dialing simplicity and call quality of the Packet8 MobileTalk mobile VoIP international calling service at no charge.

Introduced in late 2007, the Packet8 MobileTalk service removes the barriers associated with existing carrier, calling card and call back services that often discourage the use of cell phones for overseas calling. These include obstacles such as costly per minute rates, poor call quality, cumbersome dialing procedures and unreliable service availability.

Packet8 announced that as of the end of the December 2007 quarter, more than 10,000 U.S. based small to medium sized businesses are now subscribing to Packet8 Virtual Office hosted iPBX phone services.

The Packet8 Virtual Office service is an affordable, easy-to-use replacement for traditional PBX phone systems, allowing users anywhere in the world to be part of a hosted VoIP virtual phone solution. The service includes an auto attendant, worldwide extension dialing, business class voicemail, a full featured conference bridge and ring groups, in addition to a rich variety of other business class PBX and dial tone features not normally found on premise-based PBX systems. Packet8 Virtual Office reduces an organization's total cost of ownership for telecommunications services because of its minimal initial investment combined with unlimited worldwide calling to other business extensions and Packet8 subscribers, unlimited local and long distance business calling in the United States and Canada and access to Packet8's low per-minute international calling rates to overseas wireline and mobile phone numbers.