Global IP Solutions announces the availability of video chat technology for iPhone developers to incorporate video conferencing/video chat into their mobile applications.

With GIPS VideoEngine Mobile, iPhone developers can rapidly integrate high quality real-time video chat or multi-point video conferencing into iPhone applications that resolves the issues related to IP networks such as delay, jitter and echo.

To help British Columbia enterprises and their workforces maximize productivity and avoid gridlock during the upcoming 2010 Olympic Winter Games, CounterPath is making its VoIP softphones available for free to all provincial businesses, academic institutions and government agencies in the area. CounterPath will distribute softphones through Feb. 28 and validate accounts for 60 days upon activation.

Voiceserve announces its participation as an exhibitor at the 2010 Barcelona GSMA Mobile World Congress February 15-18. This is Voiceserve first participation in the convention and is one of the only companies exhibiting a mobile VoIP dialer out of the 1,300 companies displaying their cutting-edge products and technology at the annual GSMA Mobile Congress. Voiceserve’s booth is located in the UK pavilion at Stand 1F61.

Network Equipment Technologies has acquired Evangelyze Communications's SmartSIP product line and customer base. According to NET, the SmartSIP product line includes both the SmartSIP and SmartVoIP products. SmartSIP enables UC presence and interoperability for SIP phones while providing integration for Microsoft's Office Communications Server with IP-PBXs and integration for ITSP voice providers.

SmartSIP product development and support will be led by NET's Eatontown, New Jersey, engineering team, which came with the company's acquisition of Quintum Technologies.

XConnect announces robust 2009 growth figures, demonstrating the effects of rapid global adoption of VoIP. The company also said it has launched a new London point of presence to support growing demand for cross-network interconnection of IP communications services and augment its European capacity.

XConnect revenue nearly doubled, rising 96 percent, from 2008 to 2009. Bolstering that increase were 81-percent growth in IP traffic, a 107-percent rise in routing queries to its carrier ENUM registries, and addition of 63 new service-provider customers.

8x8 announces that an update to its "8x8 Virtual Office Mobile" application which supports business voice services over 3G data connections is now available in the Apple iTunes app store for iPhone and iPod Touch models. The update to the 8x8 software application follows Apple's recent removal of restrictions preventing VoIP applications from running on 3G networks.

PortaOne announces the availability of its new PortaClient app for the Apple iPhone—an application promising new convenience to customers of VoIP service providers using PortaOne's PortaSwitch platform. PortaClient, now available at no cost in a demo version, lets iPhone end-users access their account information and usage data, check balances, manage their service settings, and even initiate low-cost VoIP calls using the PortaSwitch callback engine (callback feature disabled in demo version).

3CX announces a strategic technology partnership that pairs 3CX’s software-based IP-PBX with Berofix VoIP gateways.

The partnership ensures that both companies will commit to do ongoing interoperability testing, ensuring that customers can buy best of breed VoIP software and hardware, yet still be assured of an end to end solution supported by both vendors.

SHAPE Services announces the update of its revolutionary IM+ for Skype app for BlackBerry smartphones.The update features absolutely free Skype calls in Wi-Fi zones. The present technology carries out VoIP calls in half-duplex mode, similar to a walkie-talkie.

In addition to free VoIP calls, SHAPE Services has added the support of avatars, contact list grid, new scrollbars and other great features.

VoIP penetration among US businesses will increase rapidly over the next few years, reaching 79% by 2013, compared to 42% at the end of 2009, reports In-Stat. This penetration reflects companies having a VoIP solution deployed in at least one location.

“VoIP adopters have a good understanding of the cost savings associated with VoIP, and have oriented their limited budgets to optimizing efficiency and savings by replacing legacy TDM voice solutions,” says David Lemelin, In-Stat analyst. “With businesses opening up fewer new locations than we have seen in recent years, much of this current investment is occurring at headquarters locations where efficiencies and savings can be maximized.”

Vonage UK is offering consumers unlimited calls to India from the UK, has also proven to be a big hit with businesses that have strong connections with India.

V-plan 4i – a new concept in telecommunications

Recognising the wide-ranging and extensive business and personal ties between the two countries, Vonage was the first UK phone service provider to introduce a package offering unlimited calls to India. Since its launch in November 2009, many businesses have benefited from this innovative service. D'zine Interactive, a UK-based international brand communication and digital agency, experienced immediate benefits from the package.

Tpad announces the addition of Google Checkout to their roster of online payment options for their consumer services division. Tpad is dedicated to providing their customers in 28 countries with low-cost, superior service call packages, and the addition of this payment option further enhances the convenience of purchasing their VOIP call credits online.

Google Checkout has become a strong contender in online payment processors, allowing secure transactions for consumers integrated with fraud protection. The benefits for Tpad and its customers are numerous, starting with an increased level of security - via this partnership with Google Checkout they can purchase the services they need at each billing period without entering their information each time.

CounterPath announces an advanced version of its multimedia communications softphone, Bria 3.0. Available immediately for Windows and Mac, Bria's new features include HD video, user customization, presence alert and additional troubleshooting tools, all designed to enhance the overall user experience and the enterprise feature set.

Bria 3.0 is the first CounterPath softphone based on Windows Presentation Foundation and .net for Windows, and Cocoa for Mac, the most flexible user interface frameworks currently available. This foundation enables an unprecedented user experience, including user interface features such as transparency, extensive customization options and support for rich media.

Phone Power has deployed Acme Packet’s Net-Net 4500 session border controllers as part of a highly scalable SIP routing solution that eliminates the need for Class 4 softswitches in their network. The SBCs are also used by Phone Power at its access borders to secure and extend the reach of its hosted VoIP services to a greater number of business and residential customers. By leveraging the broad scope of functionality delivered by the Net-Net SBC, Phone Power believes it can achieve double-digit revenue growth in 2010 and beyond.

VoIP Supply announces that it’s on pace to purchase over $2 million worth of used and legacy VoIP equipment during 2010 through it equipment buyback program, Reclaim. The Reclaim program was first introduced by VoIP Supply in December of 2009 and since that time has seen the number of sell back requests continually increase.

“Through our BETA trial early in 2009 we knew that there was a need and demand for a service such as Reclaim,” stated Garrett Smith Director of Marketing and Business Development at VoIP Supply. “However since formally launching the program in December, we’ve been pleasantly surprised at the interest and activity surrounding the program.”