Flash2Voip Offers Online SIP Softphone Service

Flash2Voip offers an online SIP softphone service that allows users who do not have access to VoIP services in their home countries to make VoIP calls. This service allows the users to bypass all VoIP blocking and this could be a welcome development to those users in the UAE.
We reported about a solution offered by gtalk2voip but there are complaints that the gtalk2voip is quite advance and many users find it somewhat complex to use. Well, the solution being offered by Flash2Voip might turn out to be simple because it comes with a friendly users interface. Flash2VoIP is an unconventional and free SIP softphone. Unconventional because unlike most SIP Soft phones, it will run on any platform that supports flash.
This application can connect to any free SIP service provider or a  commercial ones and make VoIP calls. Calls are free for up to 5 minutes and if you want to make calls longer than 5 minutes you need to purchase a subscription at $5 a month.
You can sign-up for the service from their website and pay for the service on the personal account page on which you can proceed with the service sign up and payment. Flash2Voip accepts Paypal and Google Checkout. You can access your personal account page anytime by clicking on the Home icon in the top.

VoxOx has announced the launch of a new version its application that allows its users to take advantage of a all-in-one VoIP services available for downloads at no cost. This new service of VoxOx enables users to manage all of their connections and contacts in one single application, and, at the same time, provides a sophisticated global phone service for free or at low cost options.
In addition to providing Video conferencing and Fax Softphone, VoxOx latest version comes with rich interface and cool features that has a look of some originality. VoxOx offers free phone number that allows users to get free US incoming number. If you are the type that use fax services, then you would find the free fax service offer by VoxOx at no cost at all very welcomed. The company gives you a free fax number and full fax service. You can track all your faxes from VoxOx inbox. All faxes can use electronic documents like PDF/Word. You aslo get free video conference calls with the chance to call up to 3 people.
Other features include; Call Back Service, Personal Assistance Service, Reach Me Call forwarding service and with the SMS Service with your Caller ID, you can send SMS from your phone number. Your Phone number shows up to the receiver. Interestingly, they also offer a VoxOx Phone number (USA Phone number) which you can take with you anywhere and forward calls to your regular phone. This service is called VoxOx Reach Me.

Barracuda Networks announced the launch of CudaTel, a wholly owned subsidiary of the company that will bring to market the CudaTel Communication Server, a new VoIP PBX offering for businesses of all sizes.  Based on – and in collaboration with – the open source FreeSWITCH project, the new CudaTel Communication Server will feature an expansive feature set that includes conferencing, follow-me, automated attendant services, and more, controlled by an easy to use Web interface.
Speaking on the occasion, Sean Heiney, director of new product initiatives for Barracuda, stated that they are starting off with a slow release with the first boxes being shipped to qualified partners. They hope to be in full throttle by the fall. The CudaTel Communication Server technology is based directly on the FreeSWITCH code repository and is compatible with any session initiation protocol (SIP) device and provider, and can be pre-configured for use with both analog and digital telephone networks.  With an expansive feature set and no per user or phone licensing fees, the CudaTel Communication Server is equipped and priced for organizations of any size.
Heiney said the CudaTel Communication Server will be trickled into the channel, starting first with existing Barracuda partners and then widening into VoIP VARs. The voice market continues to evolve, Heiney said, and CudaTel will create opportunities for partners to sell a PBX alternative. Currently, Barracuda has roughly 3,000 partners globally. System setup takes minutes, with streamlined, automated installation of phones and devices. Configuration is intuitive with a Web-based interface. Customers can set up automated attendants, conferences, calling groups, queues, and telephone company integration, in minimal time. The Web-based user interface allows administrators to deploy phones automatically with native hardware provisioning. The CudaTel Communication Server’s Active Directory integration can quickly tie the customer phone system to an existing Windows or Novell user database and administrators can automatically deploy phones and assign extensions by group or rganizational unit.
The CudaTel Communication Server is available in four models and pricing starts at $1999 with no per user, per feature or per phone licensing fees and is available now in North America only.  Each model includes unlimited user capacity, no hard set limits,  and support for 10-250 concurrent callers, depending on model. While concluding, Heiney said Barracuda’s new CudaTel VoIP line will capitalize on eliminating some of the inherent complexities of VoIP while offering a low-cost alternative to other systems. “We’ve made probably the easiest-to-use phone system with a price point that’s going to be hard to ignore.”
Barracuda Networks Inc. built its reputation as the worldwide leader in content security appliances by offering easy to use and affordable products that protect organizations from email, Web and IM threats. Barracuda Networks has leveraged its success in the security market to offer networking products that improve application delivery and network access as well as world-class solutions for message archiving, backup and data protection.

In what seems to be a positive development to the communication sector in the country, the Bangladesh Telecommunication Regulatory Commission (BTRC) has eventually issued voice-over-internet protocol telephony licenses to internet service providers (ISPs) and this includes over 30 IP telephony licenses with the promise to release more licenses soon.
Previously, VoIP was prohibited in Bangladesh, however, the BTRC has now lifted embargo on this allowing VoIP providers to operate legally in the country. The regulatory body stated that the License covers international and domestic voice calls over internet and/or managed IP-based networks, including phone-to-phone, PC-to-PC, PC-to-phone and phone-to-PC services only. However, critics are concerned that its sudden enthusiasm to grant concessions will merely result in it allowing powerful illegal operators to get licenses, without there being a common operating platform to allow the government to trackearnings.
Well, this development has a lot of potential for VoIP Providers who operate break-in services. They can talk to a local ISP who got the license and negotiate for better rates. In doing so, access number based services like Tpad break-in numbers can now run officially. This would be a tremendous addition to the existing VOIP infrastructure. Furthermore, the regulator will issue further IP telephony licenses shortly and this would definitely hot-up competition in the system.

One of the free long distance offers we reported here is the 1-800-FREE-411 that allows users to make free and cheap international calls in the USA. Another company is offering a similar service that would allow users to make free long distance calls but they would have to listen to some advertisements first before they could use the service.
PHAD Communications, as the company is called, a direct response advertising company, places ads on the phone line before each call is completed. The service provides domestic calls within the continental US. All the caller needs to do is listen to a short commercial and then receive a free long distance call of up to 10 minutes.
PHAD is claiming that its service is easy to use and works best with a fixed phone line. To access the service customers dial 1-800-980-PHAD (7423), or 1-800-981-PHAD (7423) for Spanish, enter a destination number and listen to up to 30 seconds of audio commercial messages. Customers’ calls are then immediately completed and credited with 10 minutes of free call time. There is no limit to how many times you can use the service.
PHAD makes use of technology that reads the area code and exchange of the originating call and inserts an appropriate audio advertisement. This allows geographic targeting of a demographic. Target marketing to the location of the customer is a proven method of generating higher levels of interest and response to the advertisement’s content. Kindly tell us your comments about this service if you have tried it before.

VoIP users who patronize Skype might be compelled to search for another alternative to make phone calls over the web if the legal issue it faces are not decided in its favor. The decision  is being made by the parent company,  eBay, could be forced to close Skype if it can’t renew a license for peer-to-peer communication technology that underpins the popular internet phone service.
eBay has been embroiled in a raging legal battle with the original founders of the technology. The company bought the underlying technology for more than £1 billion in the year 2005 from Joltid, a company owned by Skype’s founders, Janus Friis and Niklas Zennstrom.
In the meantime, eBay said it has begun developing an alternative to the technology at the center of the dispute with Joltid. However, such software development may not be successful, may result in loss of functionality or customers even if successful, and will in any event be expensive.
Amidst this legal issue, Skype has announced the expansion of its Skypein service to include South Africa, Netherlands and Malta to the Skypein country where you can get a Skypein number. SkypeIn allows Skype users to receive calls on their computers dialed by regular phone subscribers to a local Skype phone number. Users in Canada would still have to wait until the company decides to open up the service to them and let us hope that the legal issue is decided in its favor.

Handset owners who have windows installed in their gadgets can take the advantage and use the cool features offered by Google Voice. Many have not yet enabled the service because Google Voice doesn’t officially have any google voice application for windows mobile and the app which is only available for BlackBerrys and Android phones, will allow users to make calls directly from their phones.
All those who have Windows 6.1 installed on their handsets could also make use of the Google Voice service by following this simple set up. First they need to download Calling Card 2.0 designed for Windows Mobile at a token price of $4.99. Having done that, you’d have to set up Calling Card 2.0 downloaded with Google Voice by input the following parameters in the provided space:
Name: GoogleVoice
Access# 101202303p2 (GVnumber; p=pause; 2=dialout)
Insert: none
Pin: # (Google Voice needs a # in the end)
Insert: none
Intl. Access: blank
Dial Sequence: Phone#+Pin
Once you are done, you can now save the setup and activate it.  You would, however, need to restart your phone before your set up could be effective and you start using the applications.

Since the time Google Voice was launched, it has attracted many users from all over the US and it has even attracted media interest for sometimes now. This was partly due to the fact that it offers one of the innovative features available in the market today when it comes to VoIP services. However, the service is only available for US users and VoIP users from the rest of the world would have to wait until Google decides to open up the service to the rest of the world.
3Jam is an equal service that might strain up competition for Google Voice and it looks like a perfect substitute for users in the US and the rest of the world. 3Jam offers almost the same feature as that of Google Voice and including the ability to have one phone number ring multiple phones, as well as an online interface for managing voicemail and text messages. The 3Jam service works on any phone through text message commands or through any internet enabled phone through a browser. The application also comes in the form of a download which will speed up the texting process.
Here are the features that come with 3Jam; 3Jam gives you a virtual number just like google but they also give you the chance to own number as 3jam number. Signing up for the service is easy. Just select an area code where you want a number and 3jam will display a series of available numbers from which you can pick. Other features include call routing that save with simultaneous ring to phones, Skype and more; Visual voicemail which reads the transcription; you can receive and respond to SMS by email.
A major weakness of 3jam’s service is its complex pricing structure, 3jam charges a monthly fee ranging from $4.99 per month for a 12-month contract, to $8.99 per month on a monthly basis. Additional minutes, SMS and even transcriptions of voice mails (over the first 30) cost extra. By comparison, the Google Voice service does not currently charge a monthly fee, or fees for calls and SMS messages in the U.S.
Google Voice charges for international calls at rates that are competitive with other VoIP services. So 3jam has some things going for it, but it still lags behind Google Voice in some key areas. 3jam lacks many of Google Voice’s more advanced features. We would like to hear from you which service you prefer and what you think about the service.