ITWorld Expo Canada and The Smalltalk Industry Council are pleased to announce that Smalltalk Solutions 2006 will be hosted at LinuxWorld & NetworkWorld Canada, April 24-26, 2006, in Toronto at the Metro Toronto Convention Centre.

Smalltalk is a portable, pure object-oriented language that runs on all popular platforms. It is known for being one of the best ways to learn object-oriented programming and the best way for software developers to build applications quickly and efficiently. The Smalltalk Solutions forum is the premier event for bringing together Smalltalk users, developers, and enthusiasts.

Cablevision's Optimum Online and Optimum Voice have been named the top high-speed Internet and VoIP services in the nation by the readers of PC Magazine in the publication's 18th Annual Reader Satisfaction Survey for Internet Service Providers (ISPs) and VoIP Digital Voice Service Providers, available on newsstands this month.

For the second year in a row, Optimum Online received the highest overall rating among all high-speed Internet providers in the nation, with top ratings in the categories of speed and reliability as well. Optimum Voice received the highest overall rating in the nation, as well as top scores in the categories of sound quality and connection reliability. As part of the survey, Optimum Online and Optimum Voice were also awarded PC Magazine 2005 Readers' Choice Awards -- the second year in a row Optimum Online received this coveted distinction.

BroadSoft, Inc., a leading provider of VoIP application software, and Datatrend Technologies, Inc., a leading infrastructure solutions provider, announced a partnership to deliver a comprehensive VoIP solution for telecommunications and multimedia service providers.

The solution, which is now generally available, combines the BroadWorks VoIP application suite from BroadSoft with a turnkey infrastructure solution (based on IBM eServer BladeCenter and xSeries systems running the Linux operating system) from Datatrend.

The BroadWorks VoIP application platform provides a comprehensive range of advanced applications, including hosted PBX, IP Centrex, mobile PBX, business trunking and residential broadband services fully integrated into a single VoIP application platform. BroadWorks is uniquely capable of providing these applications with the reliability, redundancy, scalability and regulatory capabilities required to deliver carrier-class service.

Farmstead Telephone Group, Inc. announced that it installed its One IP Voice network service in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. The Company continues to roll out its One IP Voice offering in Tier 1 cities, with scheduled deployment in Dallas later this month. The Company's full-service VoIP hosted solution, when fully deployed in January of 2006, will provide local, long distance and internet service along with fully bundled hosted solutions to small and medium sized businesses. Small and medium sized businesses represent approximately 47% of gross domestic product.

The following is a help guide to some frequently asked questions regarding VoIP. This document will be expanding as we try to help answer your questions reguarding VoIP. If there is a question that you would like answered that doesn't appear on our current list, please feel free to contact us via comments to this article or by emailing us your specific question(s).

General Components Inc., a leading system provider of Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) in China, announced that it has entered into an agreement with Beijing CVC Communications Co., Ltd., a major local system contractor, to provide to China Railcom, in a pilot program, over 3,000 lines of GCI's VoIP enterprise system. In addition to standard telephone features, this system contains Internet Protocol PBX and advanced conferencing. GCI will be providing Internet Protocol soft-switch, billing software and technical engineering support for the system.

JDSU announced that its Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) test and performance management service assurance solution, called NetComplete, was selected by Saskatchewan Telecommunications to help ensure reliability, efficiency and quality of service (QoS) for SaskTel's deployment of VoIP services. SaskTel is the leading full-service communications company in Saskatchewan, Canada offering complete wireline, wireless, internet and e-business solutions via a digital network. NetComplete is a triple-play service assurance solution that combines active testing and passive monitoring of VoIP equipment.

UHS Systems, Inc. announced the launch of its UltraSec broadband network in the United States, providing high-quality security alarm monitoring transport over an encrypted, redundant Internet Protocol (IP) network.

UHS' security alarm services meet the changing needs of home and business owners that use voice-over Internet Protocol (VoIP) telephone service, allowing them to maintain critical alarm functionality. The UltraSec network provides alarm monitoring companies the capability to send and receive alarm monitoring data and integrated video alarm events over a broadband circuit, eliminating the need for a traditional telephone line.

Allied Telesyn, a global provider of secure Ethernet/IP access solutions, today introduced new VoIP Solution Bundles, arming its reseller partners with a compelling, cost-effective solution for small- to medium-sized businesses and enterprises.

A simplified, streamlined solution, the Allied Telesyn VoIP Bundles are all-inclusive end-to-end kits that bypass the need for a PBX or complicated server set-up. The draw on Peer-to-Peer- and SIP-based technology creates a distributed, fully featured VoIP system that is resident within the phone handsets themselves.

A plug-and-play solution, Allied Telesyn's VoIP Bundles have no barriers to entry for VARs. They require no expensive or time-intensive certification and are easy to install and support. The solution offers high margins and a clear differentiation because, as an end-to-end bundled system, it is unique in the industry. Resellers can also build on the solution to offer incremental revenue via services and pull-through of Allied's complete line of voice, video and data options designed for SMBs/SMEs.

Patriot Media has deployed cable VoIP technology from Nortel to offer Patriot's Digital Phone service to more than 115,000 homes in central New Jersey. The initial deployment was accomplished in one month from shipment to in-service with the aid of Nortel Global Services.

"Adding voice capability to the Patriot Media network was a significant and critical step for us, and we presented Nortel with an extremely aggressive deployment schedule," said Jim Holanda, president and general manger, Patriot Media. "To successfully meet each of our deadlines, Nortel brought together an exceptional team of services engineers with a robust cable VoIP solution to ensure Patriot Media's Digital Phone service delivers the highest standards of quality and reliability for our customers."

Fonix Telecom, an operating subsidiary of Fonix Corp., an integrated communications carrier providing telecommunications services and value-added speech technologies, announces the availability of residential and business Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) telephone services in Georgia, North Carolina and Utah.

High-speed Internet subscribers in these three states can purchase Fonix Telecom's Fonix Fone(TM) VoIP service starting at $16.95. Fonix Fone offers local and long distance calling, including features such as call waiting, call forwarding, E-911 and voice mail. Customers may check availability and purchase Fonix Fone products online at www.fonix.com or www.fonixtelecom.com.

Qiao Xing Universal Telephone, Inc. announced that it recently obtained from a company qualified to operate VoIP telephony in China and abroad the exclusive agency rights for twelve years of research and development, production, sales and operation of VoIP telephony terminal products and other related products.

As represented, the principal customer orders of this operator of VoIP telephony business come from outside China. Following the large-scale opening-up of the China market for the VoIP business, with its first-mover advantage, this operator is poised to become one of the main operators of VoIP telephony business in China.

Quintum Technologies, a leading innovator in VoIP technologies, is announcing a new version of software for their Tenor VoIP MultiPath Switch product line.

The entire line of Tenor MultiPath Switches and Gateways will now be fully upgradable to this newest release. The most significant addition to the software is a new Tenor Configuration Wizard that automatically deploys when a new Tenor is added to the network. The Wizard dramatically simplifies the user interface to ease the installation process for the most common applications.

"The new Quintum configuration wizard has even further simplified deployment of their Tenor line of VoIP switches and gateways," said Stephen Kirby, President of S/CM VoIP in Stamford, CT. "I can now configure the Tenor products in a matter of minutes, which saves me significant time and in my opinion, sets a new standard of excellence."

GTX Global Corporation, a leading provider of innovative IP multimedia technologies that enable profitable IP communications announced that GTX Global has entered a Software Licensing Agreement with Govalin Corporation of Lugano, Switzerland, granting Govalin the right to sell and distribute GTX Global's voice and video over IP (VVoIP) conferencing software in the European Union.

"This licensing agreement with Govalin Corporation is a continuation of GTX Global's strategy to license its software to key partners throughout the world. Developing strategic relations with leading Channel Partners will allow GTX Global to achieve its goal of exponential growth, while maintaining a high level of customer service," said Curtis Garth, President and CEO, GTX Global Corporation. "Govalin has focused investments and management in the field of new technologies for the past seven years, building strong relationships with investment partners in the European Economic Union."

Airena Inc. announced the integration of its AirSet personal information management and group collaboration service with Skype to bring Internet telephony and chat to AirSet groups. AirSet's "lifeware" lets users manage all their important groups in one place through shared calendars, address books, to-do lists, blogs, and weblinks. With the Skype integration, group members can now easily speak with each other and schedule group conference calls or Instant Messaging chats using the Skype client.