BroadSoft announced that Siminn (formerly Iceland Telecom) has selected BroadSoft's BroadWorks application platform to deliver residential and business VoIP services across Iceland.

Expected to be launched later this year, the Siminn VoIP offerings will address the growing demand for IP-based advanced communications services across both the residential and enterprise sectors. The BroadWorks platform can deliver VoIP services in both a fixed and mobile environment. Siminn will be launching a range of services using the BroadWorks platform, which can be tailored to Siminn's subscribers' individual requirements.

For its enterprise customers, Siminn will be using BroadWorks to complement its existing legacy Centrex and hosted PBX services. With the deployment of popular BroadWorks applications like the Assistant Enterprise and Receptionist clients, Siminn will be able to offer SMEs a communications model that will increase productivity, and enable smaller businesses to provide levels of customer service usually associated with costly high-specification PBX systems.

Thomson announces that more than 6 million VoIP telephony lines deployed by operators around the world are managed by Cirpack Class-5 voice switches from Thomson. This represents a 50% growth of users in just six months. Class 5 voice switches allow operators to provide primary line telephony with emergency numbers and legal intercept with advanced voice features such as call forwarding and call conferencing to their customers.

With the launch of its solutions for fixed mobile convergence in 2006, clients for the Cirpack switch now include large mobile operators such as SFR, as well as cable operators, ISPs and telcos. The Thomson's Cirpack voice switching platform is being used by over 85 operators and ISPs in over 35 countries.

Global Crossing has once again broadened the scope and reach of its VoIP services for customers around the world by extending its Global Crossing VoIP Local Service to six more European countries and three in Latin America. The addition of Argentina, Austria, Belgium, Brazil, Germany, Peru, Portugal, Spain and Switzerland brings to 20 the total number of countries worldwide where the service is offered.

The newly available VoIP Local Service offering complements the existing suite of VoIP Outbound and converged IP services in these markets. VoIP Local Service also is available in Denmark, Finland, France, Hong Kong, Ireland, Italy, the Netherlands, Norway, Sweden, the United Kingdom and the United States. Global Crossing VoIP Outbound services are available from 29 countries around the world and provide the consistency customers require from global services.

Ice Broadband chooses Motorola to expand its high-speed wireless broadband services to consumers and businesses across the country. Ice has expanded rapidly since its launch in 2006 delivering broadband data and voice services to areas of Ireland with little or no fixed line broadband coverage.

The quick-to-deploy MOTOwi4 solutions, which include wi4 Fixed Canopy and point-to-point backhaul products, will enable Ice to maintain the momentum of its rapid network roll-out. The high-quality VoIP communication offered by the Motorola solution was central to its selection, with broadband customers in Ireland increasingly choosing the Internet to handle their telephone calls.

Demand for broadband in Ireland is booming, said Fran Rooney, founder of Ice Broadband. Wireless technology gives us the means to quickly and efficiently create a network that will reach customers across the entire country, regardless of the quality of fixed line infrastructure.

fring together with The Cloud announced the launch of the fring mobile VoIP client, which will be specially optimized for The Cloud. The joint service facilitates fring mVoIP communication for all Cloud users, allowing them to call and chat for free to other fring users and to Skype, Google Talk, Windows Live Messenger and SIP contacts over The Cloud’s Wi-Fi networks in addition to other Wi-Fi, 3G and GPRS networks.

fring enabled phones will automatically recognize, login and register on The Cloud network so users can make free mobile phone calls, chat and access the Internet over their Wi-Fi connection with their fring and Cloud credentials automatically activated and synchronized.

Packet8 broadband VoIP and videophone communication services announce the availability of International Virtual Direct Inbound Dial numbers with area codes from nine European countries.

With these International Virtual Numbers, Packet8 residential and business subscribers can create a "virtual presence" for themselves in the following locations -- U.K., France, Netherlands, Norway, Sweden, Finland, Italy, Ireland, and Denmark. By adding a Virtual Number from these locations to their Packet8 service, subscribers enable individuals based there to reach them via a local vs. an international call. Businesses, in particular, can benefit from using an International Virtual Number to open virtual sales offices overseas and answer calls from their U.S. based location.

Packet8 subscribers can add an International Virtual Number to the service for $9.99 per month with a one-time $9.99 activation fee. Additional information about Packet8 International DIDs can be found at: http://www.packet8.net/about/features.asp/.

UK VoIP operator Group 3 Technology has unveiled details of the company’s revolutionary new web-browser based Internet Phone service called VePhone. The new service gives every User a real UK telephone number and is accessed on a standard web page with no software to download.

G3T claim VePhone is the first product in the world that allows consumers to enjoy the benefits of internet telephony without having to download any software. G3T CEO Gerry Leighton claims “For the first time in the world our users can access free telephone calls on the move from any PC in the world with access to the internet. VePhone can have the same impact on internet telephony as hotmail managed for email!”

User’s familiar with VoIP technology won’t be disappointed as VePhone loses none of the functionality of other services. Calls between VePhones are free, and savings of up to 90% are available on calls to international landlines and mobiles. VePhone is compatible with G3T’s other services and enables free calls to ePhone and NETePhone users too.

The UK Telephone Number stays with you and can be used anywhere in the world by logging in to the website. The low cost ‘Pay as you Go’ philosophy means no monthly contract or line rental which makes VePhone ideal as a second line, or use while traveling abroad.

Sonim and KPN have launched the first standard’s based Push-To-Talk system. Effective today, KPN’s enterprise customers will have access to Sonim’s XP1 “tough phone” mobile telephones as Walkie-Talkies.

Sonim hopes to help wireless operators around the world replicate Nextel’s success in the United States by bringing a comprehensive, OMA standards-based Push-To-Talk system to operators and enterprises in Europe. This open approach to integrated mobile VoIP services utilizing IMS is being embraced by companies and operators across Europe, most notably with KPN, Telefonica Móviles and Dialect, a large value added reseller in Sweden.

"With Sonim’s XP1 handset and robust push-to-talk service, we anticipate a strong launch today, offering businesses an affordable group communications system that supports a uniform standard across different mobile telephones. From KPN’s point of view, Sonim is the ideal partner when it comes to supplying these services to our customers,” explains Eelco Blok, a member of the Board of Management of KPN. “Sonim offers a unique combination of Push to Talk applications and equipment, which means that we are able to offer the best and most comprehensive communications solution that is currently available on the market.”

Lumison, one of the United Kingdom’s most innovative business-class Internet Service Providers last night announced as the winner of the Best Internet Telephony Service at the 2007 ISPA awards amidst stiff competition.

The ISPAs are the UK Internet industry awards presented to people and organisations within the industry by their peers. The prestigious awards recognise and reward the best of the Internet industry and celebrate innovation and best practice, acting as a showcase for the best providers in the sector.

The Best Internet Telephony Service acknowledges excellence of service, something Lumison holds as being of prime importance. “Many businesses and consumers worry about quality of service when implementing VoIP,” said Aydin Kurt-Elli, CEO of Lumison. “We have always addressed this head-on with our customers, ensuring that they get the best possible service. This reward is proof that we have got it right.”

Skype has released details of its Skype Pro service in Europe. Skype Pro costs £1.50 a month with an £8 introductory fee for the first five months of service, while the connection fee per call is 3.3p. Britain users will be able to talk for free to landlines in the UK.

Users who sign up receive a number of discount opportunities that include: £16 on SkypeIn numbers and £4 in credit. Additionally new Pro users are offered a £21 discount on the Philips VoIP 841 phone and a £7 discount on an SMC WiFi phone.

Features:

• Video calling
• Conference calling for up to 10 people
• Voicemail
• and Skypecasts

Skype Store Europe
Skype Store USA

Users of Truphone's low-cost mobile VoIP service can now make and receive internet phone calls on their mobiles from more than 700 additional Wi-Fi hotspots in popular locations across 14 countries in Europe, following an agreement between Truphone and free-hotspot.com.

This latest roaming agreement extends Truphone users' access to public Wi-Fi. The company expects to conclude further roaming agreements throughout 2007, creating an ever-bigger network of hotspots where log-on is automatic for Truphone users.

As a special launch offer, access to free-hotspot.com's Wi-Fi network will be 100% free to Truphone users, with calls charged at Truphone's characteristically low VoIP call rates. From May 15th, calls will be billed at just 3p/minute above these rates.

VocalTec partners with Energo Complect, a leading Russian systems integrator to Extend Sales of Essentra VoIP Solutions in Russia.

VocalTec and Energo Complect will focus on the delivery of the Essentra VoIP solution to regional service providers and enterprises. The cooperation between the companies grants Energo Complect the ability to market, sell, install and support Essentra products. VocalTec’s recent class 4 certification by Infokom is expected to further enhance the market opportunity for both companies.

Germany's VoIP service provider Betamax provides corporate customers with overseas phone connections into over 449 national landline and mobile networks from EUR 0.005 per minute via www.voicetrading.com. A technological pioneer in this field, the company also provides simple and rapid installation for all SIP communications devices along with the low per-minute charges.

"While only private users were able to profit from the low costs of Voice-over-IP up to now, we have developed a suitable solution for businesses," says Gary Sherman, marketing manager at Betamax GmbH. The target group mainly consists of call centres and call shops that conduct a large number of international calls. Regardless of the number of SIP devices and extension numbers, one single account at www.voicetrading.com is enough to secure the cost advantages of this service. After registration, the access data only need to be entered once into each SIP device or router to reduce telephone expenses by up to 90%.

CounterPath comments on the recent announcement made by its customer British Telecom, the leading UK-based telecommunications provider, indicating BT has reached the milestone of one million VoIP customers. BT's VoIP offerings include the BT Broadband Talk Softphone, developed by CounterPath.

Based on CounterPath's award-winning technology and using an intuitive, BT-branded user interface, the SIP-based BT Broadband Talk Softphone allows subscribers to make low cost calls over the Internet, enjoy high-quality video calls, and use IM while managing their online presence. Additional features include simplified contact management, Hi-definition Sound and three-way audio/video conference calling.

The confirmation that BT has gained more than one million registered consumer customers for its VoIP services, made ahead of its projected spring 2007 goal, demonstrates the rising trend of Internet telephony adoption among consumers in the UK, many of whom are choosing a softphone solution.

Research and Markets has announced the addition of 2006-2007 Telecoms, Mobile and Broadband in Europe Report Italy and Malta to their offering.

This report covers Italy and Malta, together representing one of the largest and most influential telecom markets in Europe, as well as one of the smallest yet technologically proficient. Trends and developments in telecommunications, mobile, Internet, broadband, digital TV and converging media including VoIP, VoD and IPTV developments.