The global market for consumer VoIP services has arrived, with total VoIP subscribers worldwide at 16 million in 2005, and projected to grow to more than 55 million in 2009, reports In-Stat (http://www.in-stat.com). But despite an impressive 62% year-over-year subscriber growth rate in 2005, few consumers have ever heard of the term "VoIP," the high-tech market research firm says. This indicates providers have to continue to educate the public, and that there is considerable room for market growth.

"Competition in broadband access services is the key driving force behind VoIP market development," said Keith Nissen, In-Stat analyst. "In addition, multiple waves of new entrants, ranging from broadband ISPs and cable MSOs, to Google and eBay will play significant roles."

Sandvine Incorporated, world leader in intelligent broadband network management solutions released new VoIP figures based on data aggregated from its North American and European broadband service provider deployments.

Broadband service provider-branded VoIP rollouts were extremely successful in 2005 and have taken the lead in terms of share of VoIP minutes.

For this study conducted in November and December 2005, aggregate data was collected and analyzed from Sandvine's North American and European broadband customer networks where Sandvine is deployed. The data highlighted the VoIP traffic trends of more than 700,000 broadband households from a group of service providers with over 6 million subscribers.

Wizzard Software is pleased to announce that WizzTones is now available to everyone via internet download. WizzTones is a new, easy-to-use software application that works in conjunction with Skype, the leader in free VoIP solutions. WizzTones provides Skype users a simple and convenient way to create, manage and use multiple ring-tones for a compelling, personalized online telephone experience.

WizzTones allows Skype users to assign every individual on their Skype contacts list a distinct ring-tone, provide people with the freedom to walk away from their computers and still be able to distinguish who is calling. "We give people the ability to use more then one ring-tone, this makes ring-tones useful as well as colorful," says Andy Apter, Research Analyst for Wizzard Software. "The ring-tone market for cell phones generated $4.0 billion worldwide and it is estimated that in the U.S. alone, cell phone ring tone revenue should pass the $1.0 billion mark in 2007. Our research indicates that the VoIP market for ring-tones should grow substantially in the next several years as well."

Intrado Inc., a global provider of integrated data and telecommunications solutions and a leader in VoIP 9-1-1 services, announced that it will expand Intrado V9-1-1 Services to include offerings for the enterprise market. Intrado V9-1-1 for Enterprise addresses the challenges faced by enterprise telecommunications managers in supporting applicable regulatory and employee safety requirements.

Vonage announces the availability of service in Bethalto, East St. Louis, Edwardsville, Highland and Troy, Illinois.

High-speed Internet subscribers working and residing in southern Illinois can now take advantage of Vonage's broadband phone, which offers unlimited local and long distance calling and popular features like call waiting, call forwarding and voicemail for one low, flat monthly rate. Vonage customers living near the confluence of the Mississippi and Missouri Rivers can now keep their current numbers or choose telephone numbers within the popular (618) area code.

The Voice Commerce Group announced the launch of its latest version of WhitePhone, the next generation of VoIP technology that uses advanced voice functionality to help online businesses improve sales and customer retention. Whitephone enables any website to integrate voice services into their offering and offers a range of new technologies including…

• A white label voice enabled browser with feature rich communications functionalities -- including voice mail, video mail, free PC to PC calls, and low cost calls to telephones globally
• 'CastAlive' -- broadcasting of text, audio and video to opt in groups
• 'Click-to-talk' -- allows end users to click to call a sales representative direct before they buy

Skype teams with Warner Music Group to provide users ringtones."In a first-of-its-kind agreement between a major music company and the leading Internet communications company, Warner Music Group Corp. announced it will make available master recordings from WMG's roster of world-renowned recording artists as ringtones to the more than 74 million registered users of Skype, who benefit from unlimited voice and video calls for free over the Internet."

Vonage Marketing, a subsidiary of Vonage Holdings Corp., a leading provider of broadband phone service, announced the availability of service in Bethany, Cincinnati, Hamilton, Harrison, Lebanon and Middletown, Ohio.

High-speed Internet subscribers working and residing near the Ohio River can now take advantage of Vonage's broadband phone service, which offers unlimited local and long distance calling and popular features like call waiting, call forwarding and voicemail for one low, flat monthly rate. Vonage customers in the southwestern corner of Ohio can now keep their current numbers or choose telephone numbers within the popular (513) area code.

Vistula Communications Services, Inc., a global supplier of flexible and reliable Voice over IP ("VoIP") services to major telecommunications carriers, cable operators and Internet Service Providers, announced that it has partnered with HFCL Infotel Ltd. (HITL), the first private telephony operator in Punjab, a region in Northern India and the east side of Pakistan, to launch the first niche consumer VoIP service in India.

Cordia Corporation, a global communications service provider, announced that it has successfully launched VOZSIP a fully integrated Spanish language VoIP service. As an integral part of Cordia's plans to expand its addressable market globally, VOZSIP will provide the approximately 330 million Spanish speaking people in the world with the opportunity to enjoy the benefits of Cordia's VoIP service offerings in their native language.

Net2Phone, a leading Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) provider, is announcing a partnership to provide VoIP services to Atlantic Broadband, a cable television multiple systems operator. Atlantic Broadband's Phone Service and its Triple Play package are now available in an area of central Pennsylvania, where it serves 145,000 subscribers.

That holy grail of wireless/IP convergence, the seamless handoff of a dual-mode phone call from a Wi-Fi network to a cellular network, is still a rare phenomenon in most places. But we are taking small steps towards it now, in the form of a new class of specialized Wi-Fi access points designed to support voice-over-IP.

Connected to a VoIP network and phone service, these access points provide VoIP's cheaper services to cellular phone users within range of their Wi-Fi transmitters. They may also offer better-than-cellular indoor coverage.

Vonage Marketing, a subsidiary of Vonage Holdings Corp., a leading provider of broadband phone service, announced the availability of service in Bend, Hood River, Prineville, Redmond and the Dalles, Oregon. High-speed Internet subscribers working and residing near the Deschutes River can now take advantage of Vonage's broadband phone service, which offers unlimited local and long distance calling, with popular features like call waiting, call forwarding and voicemail for one low, flat monthly rate. Vonage customers near the Cascade Mountains can now keep their current numbers or choose telephone numbers within the popular (541) area code.

Netcentrex, the leading enabler of next generation converged voice and video solutions, announced the release of its Voice over Broadband Starter Kit (VSK) for the Americas market. The VSK is a cost effective entry level platform designed to meet the needs of new VoIP Service Providers.

Netcentrex' VSK is an affordable platform optimized to deliver the full suite of Netcentrex voice and multimedia applications for residential or business customers. It can deliver these services over DSL, Cable, Fiber or Broadband wireless. VSK comes with a complete administrative and provisioning environment for rapid service deployment and end-user customization. Operators will be able add a wide range of revenue generating video telephony and multimedia services.

Vonage Marketing, a subsidiary of Vonage Holdings Corp., a leading provider of broadband phone service, announced that it has turned on emergency 911 service in over 2,200 PSAPs across the country. In less than a week, Vonage equipped over 200 calling centers in more than 35 new counties, with 911 calling capabilities.