Missoula Plan Deadline Extended

The National Association of Regulatory Utility Commissioners (NARUC) has one more month to respond to the intercarrier compensation reform plan, known as the Missoula Plan. NARUC said that due to the number, length and variety of initial comments an extension is  needed to ensure state commissions continued full participation. The FCC agreed that providing additional time to file reply comments would facilitate the development of a more substantial and complete record in the Missoula Plan proceedings. The deadline was changed from December 11, 2006 to January 11, 2007.

 

Verizon Business VoIP Portfolio Goes International

Verizon Business announced the availability of its full VoIP portfolio for the international market, offering a full suite of VoIP solutions on a single integrated network-based VoIP platform. New enhancements to the portfolio include a Managed IP PBX service, extended European availability, local language interfaces, local ringtones and additional access methods. The full portfolio offers customers a way to transition their voice and data services to IP technology at their own pace regardless of their stage of IP implementation.

Portfolio availability has now been extended to six European countries (adding Belgium and Luxembourg to the U.K., France, Germany and the Netherlands), with customers now also supported by local-language customer Web interfaces and local ringtones.

In addition, a greater variety of access methods, including BRI PABX connectivity for IP Integrated Access, as well as Ethernet and DSL access for all VoIP network services, has broadened the connectivity choices available to large enterprise customers with sites of varying sizes.

Visit: http://newscenter.verizon.com/press-releases/verizon/2006/verizon-business-announces.html to learn more.

 

FCC Rules on BPL Classification

The FCC has declared Broadband over Power Line (BPL)-enabled Internet access service to be an information service. The order places BPL-enabled Internet access service on an equal regulatory footing with the other broadband services, such as cable modem service and DSL Internet access service.

The Order finds the transmission component underlying BPL-enabled Internet access service is "telecommunications," and the provision of this telecommunications transmission component as part of a functionally integrated, finished BPL-enabled Internet access service offering is an information service. This approach is consistent with the framework the Commission has established for cable modem service and wireline broadband Internet access service.

For additional information, visit the FCC's website at http://www.fcc.gov or read more at http://hraunfoss.fcc.gov/edocs_public/attachmatch/DOC-268331A1.pdf

 

VoIP Pricing Deregulated in Canada

The Canadian government over-ruled the Canadian Radio, Television, and Telecommunications Commission (CRTC) and ordered the deregulation of VoIP pricing. This frees the incumbent telcos to offer VoIP services at or below costs allowing incumbents to compete with the cable companies on price. The incumbent operators are currently operating under a price cap regulated regime.

Minister of Industry Maxime Bernier said that the CRTC is being told to start deregulating 'access independent' VoIP services. Therefore, this will not affect facilities-based VoIP services that do not require a broadband connection. The decision will likely bring lower prices for consumers and increase competition between incumbent telcos and cable companies. However, it is expected to have a negative impact on virtual service providers such as Vonage.

To read Seth Wallis-Jones' article in CED Magazine in its entirety visit: http://www.cedmagazine.com/article/CA6393579.html?text=canadian+commission+deregulates+voip+pricing

 

Yahoo! Messenger and Linksys Hook-Up

The Linksys Dual-Mode Cordless Phone for Yahoo! Messenger with Voice (CIT310) gives consumers the flexibility to make and take VoIP calls using Yahoo! Messenger with Voice as well as place and receive phone calls using their traditional landline/PSTN connection.

Customers subscribing to Yahoo! Phone Out can use the cordless phone to make an Internet-based call to any traditional or mobile phone. With the use of the USB base station, the phone gives subscribers the freedom to take their Yahoo! Messenger with Voice calls away from the PC and into other rooms, just as they do with mobile or cordless phones. Customers also have the flexibility to instantly switch over from VoIP to a traditional landline phone service with the touch of a button.

For details visit: http://www.linksys.com/servlet/Satellite?c=L_News_C2&childpagename=US%2FLayout&cid=1162877648965&pagename=Linksys%2FCommon%2FVisitorWrapper

 

Sprint Nextel Establishes Another Cable Relationship

Sprint Nextel announced a five-year agreement with Suddenlink Communications, the eighth-largest cable operator in the United States. The new contract awards Sprint Nextel the right to facilitate Suddenlink's residential telephone service targeted to 2.2 million households in Suddenlink franchise areas, including approximately 30,000 existing residential voice subscribers migrating to the Sprint Nextel solution. Approximately 1,000 small business customers also will be migrated to the Sprint Nextel VoIP Network as a result of this transaction.

Sprint Nextel now serves cable companies with a cumulative reach of more than 30 million homes passed. Cable telephony service is available to customers across 1,200 rate centers and 22 states today and will expand to 43 states in 2007. The new five-year agreement marks Sprint Nextel's continued expansion into the cable market, creating a revenue stream with strong growth potential. Sprint Nextel plans to continue to use its telecom assets and communications expertise to expand its delivery of telephony solutions to the cable industry.

As part of the agreement, Sprint Nextel will carry local and long-distance traffic for Suddenlink residential and commercial customers and provide turnkey telephone services such as enhanced 911 services, network interconnection facilities and a full suite of other local exchange carrier services.  From the customer's perspective, their inbound and outbound calls will continue to be seamless and provide the same quality of service they would expect from their local telephone company.

The phone service launches in 2007 and will be announced on a market-by-market basis.

 

New Wireless Broadband Advisory Firm Cuts Through Industry Hype

Novarum, a wireless technologies advisory firm, recently launched strategic consulting and testing services for organizations involved in the design and deployment of wireless broadband networks including system integrators, service providers, venture capital firms, carriers and municipalities. The Novarum Wireless Broadband Review will provide objective information on the performance, service availability and ease-of-use of next generation wireless networks based on real world testing.

 "We are cutting through the industry hype and gathering data about these networks to help cities, service providers and vendors make informed decisions about the deployment of wireless networks" said Co-founder and Managing Director Ken Biba.

Novarum's ongoing multi-city survey evaluates the performance and availability of networks based on WiFi, WiMax and 3G cellular technologies. Initial Novarum findings for the first six cities (Anaheim, Galt, Palo Alto, Santa Clara, Sunnyvale and Cupertine, California) include:

• Metro Wi-Fi, on average, was more available than true 3G and delivered twice the performance of 3G data services

• Cellular data services are more mature, easier to use and deliver a more consistent user experience than Metro Wi-Fi today

• The EarthLink Feather service in Anaheim was the best Metro Wi-Fi Service in Q3

• The HSDPA cellular service in Santa Clara provided the best 3G data service in Q3

For more information, please visit http://www.novarum.com/pressrelease1114.htm