Cambridge Consultants announces that it has secured a multi-million dollar contract with Florida-based xG Technology Inc. to design and develop their next generation VoIP wireless handset. The handset is capable of wide area operation enabled by xG’s proprietary technology. The development, when complete, promises to bring considerable value to both consumers and network operators by substantially reducing the cost of rolling out a mobile network.

Following on from the successful concept development phase, under this latest contract, Cambridge Consultants will provide a turnkey development – including industrial, electronic and mechanical design and user interface software for the TX60 handset on behalf of xG Technology Inc., a developer of revolutionary wireless communications technologies.

SimplyWiFi allows you to chat and make free internet calls or low cost regular calls. It works wherever there is a broadband connection; offices, residential areas, airports, cafés, hotels and public hot spots. No laptop, headset or cables needed.

SimplyWiFi is a small and light weight phone with high audio quality and an extraordinary talk time of 10 hours and 250 hours stand-by time. Smart navigation and a simple set-up make it easy to use and easy to set up. All functions can be configured on your phone by the operator before delivery. SimplyWiFi enables you to make encrypted calls over a radio link, handle your contacts and send instant messages, besides the traditional functions of mobile phones.

The build-in WiFi functionality includes all common features such as DHCP, authentication and encryption.

With its flexible open source Linux platform, SimplyWiFi phones can be designed to fit most VoIP software and technical standards, as well as specific industrial design requirements.

Read more after the jump.

SPIRIT announces that Reigncom has licensed TeamSpirit 3.0 Voice Engine Mobile to ensure outstanding voice quality in the new iRiver W10 VoIP-enabled PMP. Previously, iRiver licensed TeamSpirit 3.0 Voice&Video Engine to be integrated into its next-generation Unit2 multimedia home entertainment and communication center.

TeamSpirit 3.0 Voice Engine Mobile will run in the new iRiver W10 gadget. The iRiver W10 series heralds a new era in portable electronics. A luxurious array of features makes the W10 the gadget of choice for all technology-savvy customers. iRiver W10 delivers such “must have” functionality as high-quality, crystal clear voice over IP, MPEG-4 and WMV video streaming and MP3, WMA and AAC audio playback, and it includes a built-in FM tuner and a Wi-Fi Positioning System.

Atheros announces that its AR6101G ROCm mobile WLAN solution was selected for the new Z-Com WP-520 Honey Pair single-mode IP phone. Sold in pairs, the new phones enable users to make free or low-cost calls using any available wireless local area network. Atheros' AR6101G, the world's only single-chip VoIP solution, allows Z-Com to offer telecom providers and retailers a highly integrated, ultra low-power design to bring voice-over-Wi-Fi to the mainstream market. Z-Com is a leading Taiwanese-based manufacturer of wireless networking equipment for service providers and home retail products. The Honey Pair phones target business and residential consumers in Europe, Southeast Asia, the Middle East and Latin America, where new IP services are emerging.

Iqua announced the arrival of the Iqua SUN (BHS-603) solar-powered Bluetooth wireless headset in the U.S. Following its successful launch in Europe last year, the Iqua SUN will have its debut at next week's 2008 CES in Las Vegas and will hit U.S. store shelves and online retail sites in January.

Based on one of the top-selling headsets in Europe, the Iqua Vogue, the stylish new Iqua SUN is small and lightweight. Even though it measures less than two inches and weighs under an ounce, it incorporates a photovoltaic cell that uses any available light - outdoors and indoors - to extend the talk and standby times of the headset.

Thrane & Thrane has licensed HelloSoft's award winning VoIP technologies for their next generation EXPLORER handset. HelloSoft provides the most optimized and comprehensive software solution for enabling VoIP on mobile handsets without having to make changes to existing hardware designs.

"We are excited to work with HelloSoft towards the essential VoIP technologies needed to expand applications on the next generation of the EXPLORER handset family," said Lars Lindgreen, Product Manager, of Thrane & Thrane. "By integrating HelloSoft's voice engine, we will be able to provide satellite users the benefits of higher quality voice coupled with superior noise cancellation which is critical for aeronautical, landmobile and maritime applications."

Vyke has entered into an agreement that will give Vyke users access to VoIP calling services from any hotspot operated by The Cloud Networks Limited ("The Cloud"). Beginning this summer, all Vyke Mobile IP users will be able enjoy seamless mobile VoIP service from The Cloud hotspots in the United Kingdom and abroad. The Cloud's 9,000 WiFi enabled wireless internet hotspots provide comprehensive coverage in a variety of public venues and 16 high density metropolitan areas such as the City of London, Canary Wharf, Amsterdam and Manchester.

Vyke views The Cloud, with its operator independent business model, dominant position in Europe and its aggressive continuing build out plan, as a key partner for executing upon its stated mobile IP telephony strategy.

Raketu announces that its RakWeb VoIP telephony services are available for use on mobile devices. Consumers who use mobile devices like the Nokia E70 that run on the Symbian operating system, Mobile Windows Smartphone models 8125/8525, and Linux-based mobile devices like the Nokia 770 will now be able to access RakWeb from their mobile handsets. RakWeb is entirely web-based and does not require consumers to download any software. Consumers simply visit www.Raketu.mobi from their mobile device Web browser, enter their mobile number, then enter the destination number, and Raketu connects the lines at a fraction of the cost of traditional calling rates.

Boingo has signed a roaming agreement with FON that will provide access to an additional 130,000 hot spot locations – more than doubling the company’s network size.

The 130,000 Wi-Fi locations come from businesses and individuals who add their own hot spots to the FON community in exchange for the right to roam on other FON community locations for free or at a reduced rate. For Boingo users, these new locations provide a rich network of Wi-Fi locations in areas that complement Boingo’s existing commercial locations.

Access to the FON network will also benefit users of Boingo Mobile, the company’s service for Wi-Fi-enabled handsets. Boingo Mobile users pay $7.95 per month for unlimited access to hot spots worldwide to make VoIP calls, use messaging services or surf the Internet from their handset.

Plantronics put the pedal to the metal with the launch of the Sound Coach, a 44-foot long mobile marketing unit designed to educate and train Plantronics' valued channel partners and end-users on the benefits of wireless headset solutions in the office, at home and on the go.

The Plantronics "Sound Innovation Experience" tour includes:

• self-guided iPod audio tours that highlight Plantronics' legacy of sound innovation, headset technology fundamentals and emerging trends driving headset usage for both businesses and consumers,
• product demonstrations that feature Plantronics' newest corded and wireless solutions for use with office, home and mobile phones, and for popular applications such as, Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP), Unified Communications and PC and console gaming,
• an immersive presentation focused on current headset market opportunities with tips on identifying the ideal Plantronics headset, and
• a brief Q&A session with a Plantronics specialist to receive a certificate of completion confirming their education on Plantronics' award-winning offerings.

The Plantronics Sound Coach's first stop is at the VoiceCon Spring tradeshow, March 5-8, 2007 in Orlando, Florida. The Sound Coach will then visit numerous cities in Florida before driving across the U.S.

As more consumers turn their backs on traditional landline telephone service, analysts see Internet telephony going mainstream in the next two years. Projections indicate there will be 32 million Internet phone lines while traditional residential landlines will fall from about 114 million last year to about 88 million by 2009, according to Gartner Research.

Ohio-based Slane Telcom is capitalizing on this trend by acquiring Wireless Internet Service Providers (WISPs) and deploying Motorola's Canopy wireless broadband technology to deliver high-speed Internet and Internet telephony services across the U.S. Slane's 2006 acquisition of a partial ownership stake in Plannet Group of Columbus, Ohio positioned the companies to offer Ohio's first completely wireless transport system offering Voice Over Internet Protocol (VoIP) Services. The company intends to replicate this model in all planned acquisitions.

According to John O'Connor, Slane Telcom partner and CEO of Celerity Networks, the flagship WISP of Slane's holdings, Motorola's award winning technology offers speed and reliability levels that are difficult to duplicate in traditional cable and phone delivery systems. "The big benefit is our ability to serve rural markets and underserved pockets in the urban landscape that until now have had no viable option for high-speed Internet and Digital Voice services."

Jinan Yinquan Technology – a wholly owned subsidiary of China VoIP and Digital Telecom introduced to cellular subscribers the added ability to make calls using Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP), connecting via any available wireless fidelity (WiFi) network.

The new service will mean subscribers can save money on long distance calls using VoIP. In addition, callers using the WiFI/VoIP service will not pay roaming charges outside their home area.

“Our WiFi/VoIP cell phone supports dual SIM cards,” said Li Kunwu, President and CEO of China VoIP & Digital Telecom Inc. “One is for the VoIP number, the other is for the common GSM/CDMA cell phone network.”

In addition to savings on roaming fees, Mr. Li added, “Calls between WiFi/VoIP cell phones are free of charge. So users may save up to 80 percent on their long distance call fees while enjoying the same mobility and portability convenience of regular cell phones.”

Parrot is introducing Bluetooth convenience to corporate boardrooms, offices and conference rooms with the launch of its new high-performance Bluetooth wireless speakerphone.

Called the Parrot CONFERENCE, the speakerphone features Parrot’s proprietary advanced digital signal processing technology with full duplexing for clear, echo-free conversations in both small and large rooms. Its three highly sensitive microphones provide complete 360-degree voice pickup and a powerful 5-watt speaker allows conversations in normal voice levels for all participants.

“With over 100 million registered users of Skype worldwide, professionals will be able to enjoy a high-quality conference speaker in an untethered way,” says Henri Seydoux, founder and CEO of Parrot. “Our new Parrot CONFERENCE transforms our innovative Bluetooth expertise from our automotive and home product lines to bring convenience and ease of use to the office.”

LignUp Corporation announces that Color Broadband has expanded its wireless voice-over-IP (VoIP) services, which are powered by the LignUp Communications Application Server.

Color Broadband, Southern California’s leading business VoIP and wireless broadband provider, offers a full suite of solutions for delivering data and voice over a hybrid WiMax and WireLine Broadband network. Based on its retail success providing LignUp-powered VoIP services direct to business customers, the company is now offering wholesale VoIP services to building management firms (eSmart program) and service providers (eVoice program). The services create new revenue streams for both Color Broadband and its wholesale partners.

Linksys unveiles its iPhone family of Voice over IP (VoIP) solutions. The iPhone family of handheld devices harnesses the power of the Internet to enhance voice communications, integrate compelling information services, and deliver access to multimedia. In short, Linksys iPhones voice solutions and products give consumers the ability to do more with their phone than talk.

"As the next generation of handheld devices, Linksys iPhone voice solutions and products are changing the way people communicate with their friends, family and colleagues. They enable compelling internet services, allow consumers to know when their contacts are available for calls, and offer access to personal content like music, movies and live video cameras." said Mike Pocock, Linksys senior vice president and general manager. "The development of the iPhone family demonstrates our flexibility in selecting the right partnerships, feature sets, and product designs to exceed the demands of even our most connected customers to whom the Internet is no longer a destination, but an inextricable part of their lives."