LightEdge Deploys Acme Packet for Delivering Hosted Unified Communications Service to SMBs

-Acme Packet(R) (NASDAQ: APKT), the leader in session border control solutions, today announced that LightEdge, the leading hosted services provider dedicated to the communications and IT needs of small and medium-sized businesses (SMBs), has deployed Acme Packet's Net-Net(R) session border controller (SBC) to deliver its recently-announced Hosted Unified Communications, a new service based on BroadSoft's BroadWorks(R) Voice-over-IP (VoIP) application platform as well as Microsoft Solution for Hosted Messaging and Collaboration. LightEdge deployed Acme Packet SBCs to simplify new customer activation and enable "click-to-call" functionality in tandem with the BroadSoft platform.

The LightEdge service provides one platform for voice, email, instant messaging and calendaring, allowing a user to collaborate in real-time within the office and outside the office. Hosted Unified Communications is part of the LightEdge Connected Office suite of products, and helps SMBs more easily and cost-effectively obtain unified communications (UC) as a hosted service. LightEdge Connected Office suite includes Microsoft Exchange Server 2007 for hosted email, BroadSoft BroadWorks Hosted PBX VoIP, Microsoft Office Communications Server 2007 for instant messaging and presence, Microsoft Live Meeting and Microsoft Windows SharePoint Services 3.0. The solution can be purchased incrementally or as an entire integrated bundle to support a business' e-mail, calendaring, conferencing, voice and collaboration needs.

Acme Packet's Net-Net SBC was deployed in the LightEdge network to help simplify the process of activating new customers. The SBC's ability to enable seamless communications for LightEdge customers by mediating and controlling signaling flows between SIP phones and LightEdge service elements reduces interoperability issues, leading to shorter service activation cycles with fewer trouble tickets and higher customer satisfaction.

The Net-Net SBC also works in tandem with the BroadSoft platform to enable "click-to-call," a feature of the LightEdge service that provides end users with the ability to initiate or receive VoIP calls simply by clicking a button on their desktop. Because the Acme Packet SBC can effectively manipulate SIP messages, LightEdge can offer click-to-call or other features that boost productivity and improve the business communications experience for LightEdge customers.

"Our customers expect strong ease of use from our Hosted Unified Communications service," said Jeff Springborn, president and COO of LightEdge. "Acme Packet's SBCs enable that while giving us the ability to offer a very high-quality integrated user experience."

"The integration of hosted voice with existing desktop applications offers a huge opportunity for increasing overall business efficiency," said Dino Di Palma, vice president of sales and business development at Acme Packet. "LightEdge's use of our SBCs further validates the business benefits of supplementing basic VoIP and UC functions with advanced session border control."

About LightEdge

LightEdge is the only hosted services partner fully dedicated to the providing a full breadth of communications and IT services to small and medium-sized businesses looking for a better way to focus on their core business, not the technology that supports it. For more information, visit www.lightedge.com.

About Acme Packet

Acme Packet, Inc. (NASDAQ: APKT), the leader in session border control solutions, enables the delivery of trusted, first-class interactive communications--voice, video and multimedia sessions--and data services across IP network borders. Our Net-Net family of session border controllers, multiservice security gateways and session routing proxies supports multiple applications in service provider, large enterprise and contact center networks--from VoIP trunking to hosted enterprise and residential services to fixed-mobile convergence. They satisfy critical security, service assurance and regulatory requirements in wireline, cable and wireless networks; and support multiple protocols--SIP, H.323, MGCP/NCS and H.248--and multiple border points--interconnect, access and data center. Our products have been selected by more than 635 customers in 92 countries, including 29 of the top 30, and 89 of the top 100 service providers in the world. For more information, contact us at +1 781.328.4400, or visit www.acmepacket.com.

Acme Packet Safe Harbor Statement

Statements contained herein that are not historical fact may be forward-looking statements within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933 and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934. Such forward-looking statements may relate, among other things, to our position in the session border control market, our expected financial and operating results, our ability to establish and maintain intellectual property rights, our ability to build and grow Acme Packet, the benefits and advantages of our products, including any enhancements or new features, services and programs, and our ability to achieve our goals, plans and objectives. Such forward-looking statements do not constitute guarantees of future performance and are subject to a variety of risks and uncertainties that could cause our actual results to differ materially from those anticipated. These include, but are not limited to: difficulties in growing our customer base, difficulties leveraging market opportunities, difficulties providing solutions that meet the needs of customers, poor product sales, long sales cycles, difficulty developing new products, difficulty in relationships with vendors and partners, higher risk in international operations, difficulty managing rapid growth, and increased competition. Additional factors that could cause actual results to differ materially form those projected or suggested in any forward-looking statements are contained in our recent filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission, including those factors discussed under the caption "Risk Factors" in such filings.

The names of actual companies and products mentioned herein may be the trademarks of their respective owners.

SOURCE: Acme Packet, Inc.

Russian Company, a Competitive Carrier, Selects VocalTec for VoIP

VocalTec Communications Ltd. (NasdaqCM:VOCL), a global provider of carrier-class multimedia and voice-over-IP solutions for communication service providers, announced today that Russian Company, an alternative carrier in Russia, selected VocalTec's technology to further develop its VoIP network. Through this collaboration, Russian Company can now seamlessly connect their legacy telephony network with VocalTec's new packet based network. The deployment was achieved in partnership with Sintera, a leading Russian systems integrator.

As part of their VoIP infrastructure, Russian Company will deploy VocalTec's Essentra(TM: 65.81, 2.11, 3.31%) BAX, an application server enabling the delivery of residential and hosted enterprise VoIP services to their subscriber base. In addition, Russian Company will utilize VocalTec's Essentra(TM: 65.81, 2.11, 3.31%) CX, a scalable carrier-grade media gateway controller, to enable the termination of their IP traffic to the PSTN as well as for the termination of legacy PABX traffic to PSTN by CX (IUA and M3UA).

VocalTec is one of the first telecom vendors to receive comprehensive Class-5 certification for its VoIP softswitch solution, including certification for local node deployments under the new requirements issued by the Russian Ministry of Communications. This deployment provides further validation that VocalTec's Essentra solution meets all mandatory quality, functionality, legal and interoperability requirements, for commercial deployment throughout Russia.

"We are very much impressed by VocalTec's high-quality solutions," said Alexander Astrahanchev, General Manager at Sintera. "We rely on VocalTec's ability to quickly respond to our customers' needs, allowing us to bring cutting-edge communication services. VocalTec enables us to remain at the technological forefront of VoIP by its continuous introduction of new and improved applications to the marketplace."

"We look forward to expanding Sintera's service offering with our end-to-end solutions, as well as leveraging Sinetra's deep knowledge of the Russian market to increase our presence in the region," said Ido Gur, President and CEO of VocalTec. "Russia is a strategic market for VocalTec and I strongly believe that Sintera's experience as a leading systems integrator in Russia coupled with VocalTec's capabilities in VoIP technology is a winning combination."

About Sintera

Sintera LLC operates in the market of network and telecommunication equipment as a supplier of system solutions for over 6 years. We have successfully carried out large projects in the Sverdlovsk, Tyumen and Kaliningrad areas, the Primorye Territory, Kazakhstan and other regions of Russia, as well as in nearby foreign countries.

We distinguish ourselves by a high degree of flexibility in our approach to project implementation. Our key concept is to search for an optimum solution along with the customer in terms of its technical realization and functionality, and in terms of the financial investment. Our task is not only to deliver equipment, but to help our customers choose the option that will provide them with the optimal return-on-investment and serve as a reliable tool for developing our customers' business.

Having agreements with leading manufacturers and equipment suppliers such as VocalTec, Siemens, 3Doe, IPS and others, we are able to offer solutions that maximize and accurately corresponds to our customers' needs, beginning with data transmission, network and communication equipment, and concluding with transport infrastructure and power supply systems.

www.sintera.ru

About VocalTec

VocalTec Communications (NasdaqCM:VOCL) is a global provider of carrier-class multimedia and voice-over-IP solutions for communication service providers. A pioneer in VoIP technology since 1994, VocalTec provides proven trunking, peering and residential/enterprise VoIP application solutions that enable flexible deployment of next-generation networks (NGNs). Partnering with prominent system integrators and equipment manufacturers, VocalTec serves an installed base of dozens of leading carriers including Deutsche Telekom and Telecom Italia San Marino. VocalTec is led by a management team comprised of respected industry veterans.

www.vocaltec.com

Bigfoot's Latest Lag-Fighting Card Aims at VOIP

Bigfoot Networks introduced its latest card designed to fight network latency on Monday, the Killer Xeno, with an eye toward improving VOIP communication in network games.

Two versions of the card will be available: the Ultra, with 256 Mbytes of on-board RAM, will sell for $179.99; the Killer Pro, with 128-Mbytes of RAM, will be priced at $129.99.

The Pro version be sold both as an option on Alienware systems and resold under the eVGA brand, Bigfoot said. The Ultra version will only be sold under the Bigfoot name, at least for now. Both are PCI Express cards.

"The worldwide online gaming market is rapidly growing, and with more gaming customers come more customer requests, demands and needs. Alienware works to stay ahead of the curve and Bigfoot Networks helps us do this," said Frank Azor, senior vice president and general manager, Alienware, in a statement. "The Bigfoot Networks' Killer Xeno gives us the proven technology needed to guarantee customers' ultimate online gaming experience."

Bigfoot's line of cards attempt to smooth out what the company claims in an ongoing problem with network latency, which can affect the transmission of data packets and potentially affect online games. The latest Xeno cards address a growing trend in online gaming: using voice chat to communicate with teammates and taunt opposing players. The cards' network processing unit chip bypasses the Windows networking stack and hooks into the game itself; Bigfoot claims the cards are compatible with "all games".

Both cards include a firewall, VoIP chat and bandwidth control; the Ultra version also includes an onboard status monitor.
Sourse: http://www.pcmag.com

Skype to run beta of VoIP service for business over SIP, IP switches

Skype Technologies SA announced today a beta version of its popular voice-over-IP service for businesses that have IP-based switches running on the Session Initiation Protocol.

The Luxembourg-based company said the beta is open to a limited number of developers and others who can apply at its Web site. Pricing for the new product, called Skype for SIP for Business, will be announced when the software launches later this year, said Chris Moore, senior product manager at the Skype for Business unit.

Skype, founded in 2003, is a subsidiary of eBay Inc. and has 405 million registered users who use Skype software to communicate for free through voice and video calls and instant messages. Skype's revenue is generated through premium offerings such as calls made to and from land lines and mobile phones and text message services.

Moore said Skype for SIP gives companies the opportunity to connect their standard IP voice switches from Avaya Inc., Cisco Systems Inc. or other vendors to Skype, as long as they use a SIP interface.

"We're leveraging our infrastructure for Skype In and Skype Out services and opening an interface to enterprises to connect that provides a very resilient network," Moore said.

The new software is intended to allow a company to offer free inbound calls from Skype clients so that anyone can call free of charge from anywhere in the world. "It's like a replacement for a business 800 service," he said. Once the callers to a business connect to the business voice switch, its call distribution and voice-mail services can be used as in any other call, he noted.

In addition to eliminating costs for calls to the home office by employees traveling abroad, the software will also allow the 405 million registered Skype users to call for free.

Skype does not provide emergency 911 services on its system, and the same approach will apply to the new Skype for SIP service, a spokeswoman said. Any emergency calls would be subject to the standards and policies set in the enterprise IP switch.
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Sourse: http://www.computerworld.com

New US ‘VoIP carrier’ Zer01 to offer unlimited voice and data for $70

And we thought the MVNO-fad was done and over with.

A new quasi-MVNO (Mobile Virtual Network Operator) is set to start offering its no-contract, unlimited rate plans in the US, using AT&T (NYSE: T)’s network as its surrogate communications backbone. Unified Technologies Group has announced that they will be offering all-you-can-eat wireless service under the “Zer01″ carrier brand - just don’t go calling them an MVNO. Instead, Zer01 prefers to be called a “VoIP carrier.” Whereas traditional MVNO’s use another carrier’s wireless infrastructure and leases network time at wholesale rates, Zer01 will be using their own VoIP infrastructure to ferry wireless communications and data.

Zer01 will be launching its network during CTIA Las Vegas 2009, which kicks off April 1. The not-quite-an-MVNO carrier will offer no-contract wireless plans that boast unlimited voice minutes and unlimited data usage for just $69.95 a month. An extra $10 per month gets you unlimited international calling to no less than 40 countries. In lieu of requiring a contract, Zer01 will charge a one-time $30 activation fee to new customers.

Zer01 says subscribers may bring their own GSM phone for use on the network. Otherwise, Zer01 offers three HTC smartphones - the HTC Touch Diamond, HTC Touch 3G and HTC TyTn II (AT&T Tilt).

zer01 mobile offering New US VoIP carrier Zer01 to offer unlimited voice and data for $70

Wireless carriers have been pushing the limits of how cheap they’re willing to go with their unlimited wireless services. Boost Mobile recently lowered the floor with a $50 unlimited plan that gives value-wary customers unlimited voice, messaging, and data usage without requiring a contract. MetroPCS (NYSE: PCS) followed suit with a new BlackBerry (NSDQ: RIMM) rate plan that offers unlimited voice, messaging, internet, MMS, and BlackBerry email (BIS) for just $60 a month. Alltel recently announced a $40 unlimited 3G laptop data plan offered to Alltel customer with family plans.

Zer01 uses some sort of proprietary VoIP technology to ferry communications, which supposedly allows the carrier to keep costs low. “Zer01 Mobile is not a new mobile virtual network operator (MNVO). We are a new communications carrier. For many years now, we’ve been developing our VMC Technology and I’m looking forward to premiering our new Zer01 Mobile service at the upcoming CTIA Wireless event,” says Ben Piilani, CEO, Zer01 Mobile. It’s unclear how reliable Zer01’s network will prove to be.

The entrance of Zer01 onto the unlimited wireless playing field highlights the industry’s gradual move to lower-cost, all-you-can-eat wireless services. The trend should give consumers enough choice to foster continued competition, which should hopefully drive costs even lower.

Zer01 has clarified its service as a VoIP carrier. Zer01 bypasses carrier-switched networks and routes all network communications through a VoIP system and to a virtual private network that accesses the internet, allowing the carrier to provide cheap, truly unlimited voice and data service.