Nimbuzz announces the UK launch of an application to provide mobile users and online communities with "free calls, chat and more." Nimbuzz offers an all-in-one solution for free mobile VoIP calling, conference calling, instant messaging, chat and group chat, and photo and file sending across multiple IM communities, including Skype, MSN, Google Talk, Yahoo!, AIM, Jabber and ICQ, plus 23 social networks, including Facebook and Myspace.

Once users download the Nimbuzz application for the mobile and register as a new user, contacts from their selected IM communities are aggregated into a single contact list with icons indicating real-time "presence" - which contacts are online or offline and from which communities.

Challenger Mobile has observed a consistent and marked change in attitudes toward Mobile VoIP service deployments throughout the mobile ecosystem. Both in the company's ongoing dialog with operators and service providers, and in mVoIP deployment announcements by major providers, Challenger sees the industry adopting a much more receptive stance toward Mobile VoIP service offerings since the third quarter of 2007.

Last October, Hutchison 3 (branded as 3) and Skype announced a partnership in which Skype users could sign-up for 3G mobile service on 3's network and subsequently place free Skype Mobile VoIP calls. Since that time, several major operators have announced Internet telephony service plans and strategies, including Vodafone in Germany, Samsung in Korea, FarEasTone in Taiwan and others. Others have moved more aggressively with full production service deployments, such as Singtel's Mio Mobile service in Singapore and Star Hub's Pfingo Talk. What's more, other carriers such as Sprint and DoCoMo have announced mobile VoIP-based push-to-talk applications, setting the stage for future pure-play mVoIP services.

Texas Instruments announces the newest members of its VoIP gateway silicon and software solutions that will enable equipment manufacturers to achieve higher channel densities with improved voice quality. TI's newest gateway solutions are powered by its TMS320C64x+ digital signal processor that significantly increases performance for VoIP and video encode, decode and transcode applications. The flexible architecture of TI's new solutions allows equipment manufacturers to transition to a common hardware and software architecture that scales from eight to several hundreds of channels while supporting advanced voice and video features.

Digium and Integrics have partnered around the sales and marketing of Integrics’ Enswitch to carriers worldwide. The agreement provides a route for closer technical, sales and marketing collaboration between the companies and expands Digium’s involvement in the carrier market.

Digium is the creator and driving force behind Asterisk, the open source telephony software deployed by more than 4 million servers worldwide to manage VoIP calls for businesses and individuals. More resellers, telecom professionals and software developers choose Digium’s products than those of any other open source telephony company because only Digium delivers the technical superiority, security and flexibility associated with Asterisk. Asterisk powers Digium’s family of software and hardware appliances, including Switchvox, Asterisk Business Edition and AsteriskNOW.

Raketu will extend its free VoIP calling and sms-texting promotion. Consumers can take advantage of Raketu's free international calling and sms-texting promotion when they make a pre-payment. Users who pre-pay receive up to 1200 minutes (20 hours) international calling per month for 3 months to mobile and landline phones in locations in over 40 countries around the world -- this pre-payment is not a monthly fee, it is placed in the user's account to be used for pay-for services. In addition, pre-pay users will also receive 3 free sms-text messages per month for 3 months to send to anywhere in the world. Raketu currently has the lowest calling and sms-text rates to any location globally.

VocalTec announces its participation at World VoIP Africa, May 12-15, 2008, The Michelangelo Hotel, Johannesburg, South Africa. At the event VocalTec will present its portfolio of NGN/VoIP solutions enabling the quick and smooth deployment of VoIP services. Specifically designed to meet the needs of emerging WiMAX and other Greenfield carriers, VocalTec provides end-to-end VoIP solutions together with ongoing project life-cycle management that ensure successful deployment and Return-on-Investment.

As a special gift this Mother's Day weekend, AOL calls made using the AIM Call Out service on Saturday, May 10 and Sunday, May 11 will be free. Users must set up an AIM Call Out account and add at least $5 in non-refundable call credit to get started. Users can then make as many calls as they want to more than 200 countries and will still have $5 to spend at the end of the free calls weekend.

WHEN: Users can make free calls between 6 a.m. EDT on Saturday, May 10th and 4 a.m. EDT on Monday, May 12th.

HOW: Users must have a free AIM screenname and use version 6.5 or higher of the AIM service which can be downloaded for free at http://www.aim.com. Once users launch AIM they just click on the telephone icon at the base of the AIM Buddy List to get started.

This was brought to my attention from a few helpful users posting their comments about Vonics on our VoIP Providers page. It would appear that Vonics has pulled a Harry Houdini with their website and service disappearing into thin air. Here are some recent comments and reviews of Vonics services:

From The Roadkill: Does anyone know what is going on with Vonics? They told me 2 days ago they were having Switch issues "Due to recent changes made at our switch level, one of our CLEC’s has run into problems with a very small number of Vonics subscriber phone numbers pointing to the right equipment"

Now all of a sudden I have no phone service, no way to reach them (emails have gone un-answered) any number I can find for them all seem to come up disconnected. Even the website has gone dark. (ie can't connect) Oddly I reached them yesterday and logged into the account and website yesterday. Help!!!

From Freddy: "Same problem here - no service. Website gone. Can't ping any of their addresses. Looks like they vanished. Good Luck. They suck big time. Luckily I only have 2 months left."

From Russell: "Vonics has vanished... Yesterday my phone died. For the last 2 months I have been unable to reach them via phone or email. Their website is gone too. Now I am left with 15 months of service and no phone."

Overall just looking at users comments on Vonics it would appear this companies service has been very hit or miss and usually a miss. You can read all the users comments and reviews posted on our VoIP Providers page.

Orb Networks announces the world's first way to stream live TV to the iPhone and iPod touch. For the first time, iPhone users can enjoy the immediacy of live sporting events and fast-breaking news on their phone.

"TV on the iPhone is now real," said Joe Costello, CEO of Orb Networks. "Steve Jobs may think that buying shows from iTunes is the same as watching TV, but iPhone users know better. When the NBA playoffs are on, you want to see the game, live, wherever you are. Free."

Vonage announces results for the quarter ended March 31, 2008. Revenue for the first quarter 2008 grew to a record $225 million, up 15% from $196 million in the first quarter 2007 and up 4% sequentially, driven by an increase in subscriber lines and higher average revenue per user.

For the first quarter of 2008, the Company reported a GAAP net loss of $9 million or $0.06 per share, down from a loss of $72 million or $0.47 per share reported in the first quarter 2007. Adjusted operating income was $8 million in the quarter, a significant improvement from an adjusted operating loss of $58 million in the year-ago quarter and adjusted operating income of $3 million sequentially.

Verizon Business is expanding its use of technology to help U.S. military personnel based in Iraq stay in touch with their families at home. The company, for the fifth consecutive year, is providing free calling for Iraq-based troops May 8-14 in honor of Mother's Day; June 12-18 for Father's Day; and July 2-8 for Independence Day. The calls home are made possible through a state-of-the-art Verizon Business mobile communications vehicle currently deployed in Iraq.

Face-to-Face Reunions

Verizon Business also is teaming with Cisco, Wal-Mart and the USO to provide free video connections between two bases in Iraq and two Wal-Mart stores. Verizon Business is providing the Internet protocol connections for Cisco's lifelike immersive video technology, known as Cisco TelePresence. Special Cisco TelePresence rooms are available at Wal-Mart stores located near Camp Pendleton, Calif., and Fort Drum, N.Y., between April 2 and July 6.

Packet8 announces it has reduced international calling rates to select countries and added Mexico to the list of overseas locations where subscribers may obtain a virtual phone number.

Packet8 subscribers can now save even more on calls to popular countries with the following new rates: $.01 per minute to China, $.059 per minute to India, $.10 per minute to Vietnam and $.13 per minute to the Philippines. These rates are available to all Packet8 business and residential customers, including MobileTalk subscribers who not only realize significant cost savings over cellular international calling rates, but also enjoy the convenience and flexibility of using their mobile phone when calling overseas. Complete details regarding international calling rates for all available locations can be found here: http://www.packet8.net/international_services/. For frequent international callers, Packet8 offers unlimited global calling plans starting at $29.99 per month.

Fonality announces that Technology Marketing Corporation named the Fonality application HUD a 2008 TMC Labs Innovation Award winner presented by Unified Communications magazine. HUD (Heads Up Display) extends the enterprise functionality of Fonality’s already low-cost and easy-to-use phone system for small and medium-sized businesses.

The latest version of HUD features Fonality’s unique presence-detection system, dubbed FindMe with Boomerang Mobile Integration. FindMe detects employee keyboard and mouse movements and makes call routing decisions according to where the system detects the individual’s presence. Once calls have arrived to mobile devices, calls can be recorded on the mobile device or even “boomeranged” back to the office switch.

Personal IP communications is the future of real-time communications for the individual user. This market segment is categorized into three areas including Web-based services, portals, and mobile thin-clients. Together, IDC forecasts these categories will represent more than $5 billion in annual spending in 2012.

At the forefront of the evolution of "voice as an application" are new Web services platforms from vendors like REBTEL or iotum. Voice is becoming embedded in sites, applications, and other services, sometimes by third party developers but also by the original provider. Web-based personal IP communication comes in many shapes and sizes, ranging from widgets and applications for social networking sites, to Web sites that initiate the bridging of calls.

VoiceNetworkx announces its entry into the public marketplace. Completing the entry into the public marketplace is the next step in VoiceNetworkx strategic positioning, marketing, development and growth as one of southern California and North America's fastest growing providers of wholesale telecommunications and broadband services.

VoiceNetworkx is a Data and Voice over Broadband Technology Company based in the Inland Empire region of Southern California. VoiceNetworkx' focus is to develop and market VOIP products and services, and internet technologies applications across the Americas. The Company's model is based on the development of distribution channels for business applications and services. VoiceNetworkx focuses research and development on the business trends that signal opportunity for positioning technology products and services for the Small and Mid-Size Businesses as well as select government and multinational enterprise size clients, and provides a robust architecture and quality of service that no traditional DSL provider can deliver.