By Sharla Sikes
VoIP may have started with the little guys—even Vonage is little compared to telecommunications behemoths like Comcast—but once it became an established communications product, all the big boys jumped on the bandwagon.
Nothing like tailgating on someone else’s risk, eh?
Whatever your view of current VoIP industry developments, it’s plain that cable internet providers, particularly [...]

By Sharla Sikes
A recent study by the Yankee Group suggests that VoIP usage among consumers may experience continued growth in the next few years. The consulting and research firm estimates 37 million subscribers will choose VoIP for home communication services.
Yankee bases its estimate on 2006’s growth rate of 125 percent, with 9 million new subscribers [...]

By Sharla Sikes
By now everybody’s heard about SunRocket’s collapse last week. With 200,000 former VoIP users scrambling to find new phone service, it’s not surprising that some of them are returning to a traditional land line.
Whether it’s a portent of things to come is anyone’s guess, but those who like to play it safe might [...]

By Sharla Sikes
The telecommunications industry is lawsuit happy these days, with Qwest a new target for a patent-infringement suit from patent firm Rates Technology, Inc.
 RTI alleges that Qwest’s OneFlex broadband voice service violates patents it has held for years. RTI has demanded an injunction to prevent Qwest from selling VoIP services, and recall previously [...]

By Sharla Sikes
With mobile VoIP getting closer to a product that works for everyday use, at least in the United Kingdom and across Europe, cellular phone providers might be getting a little worried. Lawsuits have flown, including a new one between Truphone and T-Mobile.
UK-based Truphone was granted a preliminary injunction July 19 forcing T-Mobile to [...]

By Sharla Sikes
A new startup gained lots of media attention with its announcement of free VoIP calling. ooma Inc. plans to offer a $399 gadget for free, unlimited domestic VoIP calling for customers with broadband Internet service.
“It’s nothing like anything a carrier can do currently,” CEO Andrew Frame said. “Once you own the box, you [...]

By Sharla Sikes
Two other VoIP providers have been named to fill the shoes of vanished VoIP company SunRocket (who still hasn’t taken down its web site).
8×8 has reached a deal with the company handling the liquidation of SunRocket’s assets. The agreement allows former SunRocket subscribers to transition to 8×8 VoIP service without startup costs and [...]

By Sharla Sikes
VoIP provider SunRocket appears to have shut its doors. Though the company’s web site still appears active, a recording at the company’s phone line states “We are no longer taking customer service or sales calls.”
SunRocket, which had 200,000 subscribers in April, fired an unknown number of executives and staff members on June 29, [...]

By Sharla Sikes
Dating went high-tech when the plethora of web sites popped up to help those longing for romance find the right kind of partner. Or partners … At any rate, dating site eHarmony recently boosted the techno-geek side of its services when it added VoIP calling to bring romance seekers together.
eHarmony’s VoIP service [...]

By Sharla Sikes
HelloSoft, a manufacturer of VoIP technologies, recently presented its new technology for WiMAX system-on-chip designs.