Popular social communities are adopting VoIP telephony to better serve users with new instant communication features based on the latest VoIP technologies. With services such as free worldwide calling, conference calling, instant messaging (IM), online presence display and more, users are now interacting in real-time with friends rather than by posting static text replies. Today LiveJournal, one of the web's leading online communities hosting over 10 million users, became the first major social network to roll out integrated voice and instant messaging software for their users, SIPphone Inc. announced. The new software is available as a free download at www.livejournal.com/chat/download.

Raketu, the global internet communications, information and entertainment company, announces their 2 new global promotions:

- "Try Dialout For Free" promotion which allows users to try RakOut (Raketu’s dialout service) to call locations in more than 40 countries* for free and,

- Free unlimited calling to locations in more than 40 countries* around the world to pre-paid RakOut customers.

Earlier this year, Skype announced free calling to North America. Now, Raketu makes it easy for anyone with an internet connection to have free calling worldwide including North America.

Verizon Business announced the successful deployment of IP voice and data communications systems at The Queen Elizabeth II Conference Centre (QEIICC) in London. The QEIICC is using IP Integrated Access, part of Verizon Business' global VoIP services, to support advanced conferencing communications services.

The QEIICC, a conference and exhibition venue situated in the heart of Westminster, is an executive agency of the newly-created Department for Communities and Local Government, and one of the first government agencies to migrate its voice services to a voice-over-Internet-protocol (VoIP) system. The venue regularly hosts high-profile public and private-sector clients, such as the Confederation of British Industry, the California Institute of Technology and the Russian Business Federation.

deltathree, a leading provider of Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) hosted communications, announces that its Consumer Group, iConnectHere, has unveiled the World Plan, a new calling service bringing users around the world enhanced quality of service, extremely low by-the-minute rates and reduced monthly fees.

iConnectHere launched the World Plan to offer a VoIP consumer solution with an advanced feature set designed specifically for international end users who require the highest quality of service and lower international rates. The World Plan includes a free phone adapter shipped anywhere worldwide, an option to choose a telephone number from 12 different countries and low international calling rates, all starting at just $6.99 per month.

As reported in Andy Abramsons VoIP Watch blog yesterday about Sony's Mylo and T-Mobile. "Interestingly enough, SONY has cut a deal with T-Mobile that begins in November which provides a years' free access at hotspots."

Upon further investigation I found, "Starting in mid-November 2006, mylo communication devices will get online access for no charge at more than 7,000 T-Mobile HotSpot locations in the United States, including many Starbucks coffeehouses, Borders Books and Music stores, FedEx Kinko’s Office and Print Centers, Hyatt Hotels & Resorts, Sofitel and Novotel hotels, Red Roof Inn locations, the airline clubs of American, Delta, United and US Airways and select airports."

You will have to download mylo communicator that will allow the device to log into these T-Mobile hotspots at no charge to the user during the promotion. Mylo allows you to send instange messages with Google Talk and Yahoo! Messenger when connected to a T-Mobile hotspot, or any 802.11b wireless network. It also comes pre-load with Skype software allowing you to make Internet calls.

Mylo Communicator is currently available online at sonystyle.com for $350 and at Sony Style retail stores and authorized dealers.

SMC Networks' WiFi phone for Skype will now be able to make Internet-based Skype phone calls when within range of a Cloud hotspot. When the calls are from another Skype users the calls are entirely free. However calls to fixed and mobile users will be at a substantially reduced cost of Skypeout minutes. The phone also provides its users with access to their Skype accounts and contacts.

"The Cloud currently has some 8,500 hotspots in the UK, Germany, the Nordic countries and The Netherlands. It also operates large scale networks across the City of London, Canary Wharf, Amsterdam and seven other UK cities and two London boroughs."

Citynet has expanded its Digital Phone service to southern West Virginia after successfully introducing it over the summer to the Charleston area, as well as in Indiana, Ohio and Pennsylvania.

Digital Phone can cut in half many West Virginians' monthly phone bills by offering residential customers both local and long-distance service for $24.95 a month using proven technology that has already benefited Citynet's business customers.

"This type of phone service has been widely available in other parts of the United States and other nations, but until recently, its availability in West Virginia and parts of neighboring states has been limited," Citynet President Jim Martin said. "Citynet is out to change that by making Digital Phone service available to most areas in those four states."

iBasis, the global VoIP company, announced major enhancements to Pingo, its online prepaid calling card service. Now customers around the world can purchase the Pingo service with international credit cards, make payments in four currencies, view Pingo rates in more than 38 other currencies, and interact with the Pingo website and hear automated voice prompts in five languages.

With the new features, Pingo becomes a global prepaid calling product, bringing to international markets the same competitive rates and convenience features that have fueled its growth in the U.S. Also, Pingo announced that it has reduced calling rates to 125 countries by as much as 30 percent. The enhancements and rate reductions make Pingo the most competitively priced, easy-to-use service of its kind, providing consumers in the more than 35 countries where Pingo is available a convenient way to save money on international calling.

Vonage America Inc., a subsidiary of Vonage Holdings Corp., a leading provider of broadband telephone service, announced that it is partnering with AccuWeather.com, The World's Weather Authority, to offer free U.S. weather forecasts for Vonage customers in the United States. Vonage subscribers can call 700-WEATHER from any Vonage enabled device and get current weather conditions, 5-day forecasts and severe-weather warnings provided by AccuWeather.com. Customers can access weather forecasts for business or vacation travel simply by entering any U.S. 5-digit zip code.

Atreus Systems, the leading supplier of provisioning software for VoIP, IMS and advanced IP service bundles, announced that Bitflow VoIP Inc., has selected Atreus' IP Service Provisioning Software to speed the deployment of its wireless and residential VoIP service offering.

"As we continue to expand our customer base nationally and internationally we'll require scalable and cost-effective solutions that will help us successfully deliver and manage wireless and VoIP offerings," said Alexandre Sennett, CEO, Bitflow VoIP. "Atreus provided us with an extensible provisioning solution for BroadSoft, which will help us meet the growing demand for our service offerings by streamlining operations and business processes while providing self-management capabilities to our customers."

Talkster Inc. announced that it has retained Mobility Public Relations as its agency of record. Mobility Public Relations was selected because of the expertise their team has in the wireless industry having managed media and analyst relations activities for such companies as Cisco Systems, iPass and the Wireless Industry Partnership (WIP).

"Mobility Public Relations blew us away when they presented the program they are building for Talkster," said Maria Puccio, vice president of marketing at Talkster. "Very quickly the team at Mobility Public Relations created precise product positioning and messaging. It's fair to say that Mobility PR is playing a major role in transforming our business."

TurboPhone is a new company in the telecommunications industry with a unique approach to marketing their services.

"I’ve got a great deal on my phone service, you ought to take a look at it too", are the words Gabe Castillo, President of TurboPhone Communications, hopes to hear thousands of satisfied customers say over the next few months.

TurboPhone Communications, LLC announced the official launch of their Digital Telephone service, available throughout the US and Canada.

Digital telephony, also known as Broadband or Voice-over-Internet-Protocol (VoIP) is a rapidly growing market. There are currently, an estimated 6 million VoIP subscribers in the US and that number is expected to grow to over 25 million in the next 5 years.

Far Reach Technologies announced that it will be launching mobile VoIP and Broadband services in 76 markets across 8 states in the US. The networks and handsets will be produced by xG Technology and the services will be branded as xMax. “xG’s technology is the greatest technical advance in RF communications in 100 years. The xG systems will enable us to offer in-demand broadband services at lower rates, and a path to 4G services in 2008,” said Russ White, president of Far Reach Technologies. The first system launch will occur in March, 2007 in Volusia County, Florida. The additional launches will take place in the second quarter of 2007. Far Reach’s deployment has been funded with $100 million by the multi-billion dollar US based Phoenix Foundation and underwritten by a major UK based bank.

Nominum, the leading provider of network naming and addressing solutions, is pleased to announce that both Georges Smine, Senior Director Product Marketing and Patrice Hervouet, Technical Sales Director EMEA from Nominum, will be presenting seminars at IP'06. IP'06 runs 17 and 18 October 2006 and is being held at Earls Court in London.

xchange and Switch and Data present a new live Webinar "How to Plug Into the Emerging VoIP Marketplace" focusing on how a VoIP provider can take advantage of the emerging VoIP ecosystem for cost-efficient, diverse and rapid service delivery. Webinar attendees will learn the components and value proposition of the VoIP ecosystem, discover how to quickly plug into the new VoIP marketplace, understand how a neutral VoIP marketplace can reduce costs, increase reliability and accelerate your VoIP implementation as well as understand how VoIP peering can reduce costs and speed delivery.

How to Plug Into the Emerging VoIP Marketplace
A Live Webinar From xchange and Switch and Data
Wednesday, Nov. 15, 2006 2:00 - 3:00 p.m. ET