Interop, produced by CMP Media, announced its program lineup for the 2006 Las Vegas event, which will address the growing business needs of the IT industry with over 200 sessions featuring the market's leading figures. The industry's only comprehensive IT event will focus on five key areas that are responsible for enabling business success: Security, Wireless & Mobility, Data Center, VoIP and Collaboration, and Infrastructure & Services. Interop Las Vegas will be held April 30 - May 5, 2006 at the Mandalay Bay Convention Center.

IPeerX, Inc., a subsidiary of pulver.com Enterprises and provider of VoIP peering services, announced that it has signed a hosting agreement with PEER 1 Network Enterprises, Inc., a leading provider of high-performance Internet infrastructure. The agreement marks a critical milestone in the growth of IPeerX and its separation from Free World Dialup (FWD) and IPeerX's ability to provide unfailing service to VoIP providers worldwide. IPeerX chose PEER 1 for its reliability and dedication to uptime, as well as its reach and multiple locations. VoIP providers using IPeerX's peering services will now benefit from PEER 1's uptime guarantee.

Lycos, Inc., a leading media destination for creators and consumers of quality content, announced the launch of Lycos Phone, the internet's first-ever VoIP softphone application to combine robust entertainment features, powered by Globe7.

Located at http://www.lycos.globe7.com/, Lycos now offers a free downloadable white label VoIP platform, in partnership with Globe7, fulfilling users' communication and entertainment needs by converting their laptops and desktops into second phones. With Lycos Phone, users can make free calls from PC to PC. They can also make free PC to PC video calls and receive unlimited free incoming calls from any landline or mobile phone, from around the world. Users also receive 100 free minutes of PC to landline and PC to mobile phone calls, and can earn additional free minutes through various promotional offers with Lycos Phone.

JAJAH, one of the world's fastest-growing VoIP companies, announced the launch of JAJAH US, the first low-cost VoIP service that allows users to talk phone-to-phone. With JAJAH's web-activated telephony, there are no downloads, no installations, no headsets and no expensive charges. JAJAH is the first VoIP service designed for all telephone users who appreciate a cheap call-even the "technologically challenged!"

At Spring 2006 VON, XO Communications announced an expansion of its wholesale voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) solutions, introducing a new IP voice origination service that offers service providers a scalable and cost-effective means for originating voice calls nationwide.

8x8, Inc., the Packet8 broadband VoIP (Voice over Internet Protocol) and videophone communications service provider, today announced that it has partnered with chip maker Legerity, Inc., the "V" in VoIP, to develop a turnkey Phone-Ready PC solution for PC OEMs. The solution enables PC vendors to bundle Packet8 voice and video Internet phone services with new platforms that offer simplified VoIP communications and enhanced audio and video collaboration.

The Phone-Ready PC simplifies deployment of VoIP services by allowing customers to plug their existing analog phone into a pre-configured PC and immediately begin using an Internet phone service. The 8x8/Legerity turnkey solution incorporates Packet8 VoIP service with a Legerity PCI PhonePort adapter card and Packet8 Softalk, a SIP softphone developed in conjunction with CounterPath Solutions, Inc. for use with the Packet8 residential, video and Virtual Office Internet phone services.

CompUSA announced its partnership with Bandwidth.com and Sylantro Systems to offer the first full-featured hosted VoIP service for small and medium-sized businesses in the retail industry. Businesses in need of 10 to 200 lines across a single or multiple locations can now purchase a comprehensive VoIP service solution at CompUSA.

Designed to deliver the highest levels of call clarity and reliability, as well as the most advanced features available for SMBs today, the service features Bandwidth.com's premier VoIP offering, incorporating Sylantro's Synergy VoIP platform. The combined product and service offering will be available beginning in April at CompUSA's more than 240 stores, and supported by CompUSA Techknowledgists with more than 20,000 service professionals nationwide.

EQO Communications, a market-leading mobile presence technology provider, announced immediate availability of Mobile Instant Messaging for Skype, as part of EQO's innovative Mobile Internet Phone Service for Skype product. The software is available for free as a Beta product to consumers via the EQO (pronounced "echo") web site (http://www.eqo.com) and supports more than 40 different phone handset models from vendors including Nokia, Motorola and Sony-Ericsson.

It's the last barrier to a VoIP surge in the telephony space. It's the wall between VoIP as a dominant player or a fringe technology. It's E911. Face it, solve it, and lead the VoIP category. Ignore it and fail.

At this year's Spring VON, S5 Wireless Inc. is announcing the L-Chip, a fully scaleable E911 solution for VoIP communications. The company has developed a highly reliable and inexpensive solution that will locate a 911 call from any VoIP system. Whether the call comes from indoors or out, in a 50-story high-rise or from inside a shopping mall complex, S5's L-Chip technology will capture the 911 caller's location and transmit the location information to the nearest public safety answering point.

PeerMe Inc., a peer-to-peer voice communication technology company and Hola! Media Group, LLC, a leading independent bi- lingual publisher, announced the availability of PeerMe's free voice and instant messaging technology, which will be immediately available through the Hola! bi-lingual portals (http://www.Hola-Connect.us).

Junction Networks, the business class VOIP provider announced stunning growth in the adoption of VOIP among small and medium-sized businesses. In just over the first two months of 2006, the company has more than doubled its entire 2005 call volume. To date, Junction Networks has handled over 4 million calls by customers using its SIP and IAX2 trunking service for business. Junction Networks’ trunking service was made available in January, 2005.

Netcentrex, the leading enabler of converged voice-video-data networks and next-generation services, and Tiscali GmbH, a subsidiary of Tiscali S.p.A., one of the main independent European telecommunication companies, announced that Tiscali has chosen Netcentrex IMS-based solutions for the roll-out of unbundled telephony services in Germany.

CSR PLC the wireless specialist and global leader in Bluetooth technology, announced the world's first true plug and play dongle for making wireless voice over IP (VoIP) calls. The CSR Voice Dongle 1 package incorporates all the elements required for manufacturers to produce a low cost plug and play USB dongle for making Skype VoIP calls over a Bluetooth mono headset. The first complete solution of its kind, Voice Dongle 1 will allow CSR customers to create a product which pairs automatically with the user's Bluetooth headset, integrates seamlessly with the computer's Skype software and requires no separate installation software. This benchmark design package is available now to CSR customers worldwide.

One of the most affordable and flexible Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) phones on the market is now an even more enticing option for small businesses, as a result of a price reduction announced today by Allworx (www.allworx.com).

Effective immediately, the Allworx 9112 office phone is available for a manufacturer's suggested retail price of $249, reduced 30 percent from its previous per-unit MSRP of $355 -- making it comparable to the cost of today's high-end traditional phones.

WorldGate Communications, Inc. announced that Ojo Personal Video Phones are now capable of handling VoIP services. Traditionally, consumers require a separate device - commonly referred to as an ATA - in order to receive low-cost VoIP telephone services. The new capabilities of the Ojo Personal Video Phone enable callers to access VoIP services without the use of a separate ATA.