VoIP: many different things to different people

by Stuart Corner

Sunday, 17 June 2007

Page 1 of 2 ! According to Market Clarity's "Aussie VoIP List" -  a frequently updated list of companies in Australia providing VoIP services - there were 260 such organisations at 04 June 2007. However this list embraces all those from the very small to the very large providing very different types of services. The list includes 'true VoIP' players of which the best known, and largest example, is Engin. It has a high profile thanks to extensive, and costly marketing (now ably assisted by 33 percent shareholder Seven Network) and it owns and operates the underlying network which carries its service. It is responsible for the management and operation of that network and for the systems needed to provision services and to bill and service customers. Many other providers are simply sales and customer service organisations that rely on networks provided by wholesalers such as ISPhone and Symbio Networks. Such organisations rarely disclose the retail VoIP providers that they support. In the case of Symbio Networks its most high profile reseller, ASX listed My Net Fone is well known as it is closely linked to Symbio with which it founders, shareholders and directors. Also, most of the major ISPs now offer VoIP services. In some cases providing all the technology themselves and in other case reselling services from the likes of ISPhone and Symbio. However these services are generally marketed only to their own customers and available only to customers of their broadband services. Then the picture gets even more complicated when you look at the range of being offered: from a fairly simple voice service over the Internet to full-blown hosted IP telephony, also know as IP centrex in which the full gamut of business telephone services traditionally provide by a PABX, key system or an old-world centrex service is replicated by technology within the service provider's network and deliver via voice over IP. VoIP feature << First page <   1 2 Next page > Last page - Post your comment >>

 

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