Product summary

The pros: Skype 2 is free and easy to install and set up. New features such as videoconferencing; toolbars for IE, Firefox, and Outlook; contact groups; mood messengers; and avatars, sounds, and ring tones are added.

The cons: When using SkypeOut and SkypeIn, Skype 2's voice quality is not that good.

Though Skype 2 has a poor voice quality when calling landline phones, it's still one of the best free VoIP services around, and its new Skype Video feature makes it even better.

I found this VoIP review comparison chart of the 4 most recommended VoIP provider.

They have good features, pretty good sound quality even if you have slow internet connection, low prices, etc. but there is a very big problem with its customer service.

Customer service is very bad. These people in India don't even have any clue how to provide service to its customers at all. All they do is read same script and blame every thing else.

Also, Vonage seems to be adding additional charges to the monthly bill some line items include Regulatory Recovery Fees , Federal universal service surchage. These items are not charged by other VOIP providers such as AT&T Call Vantage service.

XE Mobile posted a message on its web site today stating that the company will cease operations and shut down entirely on December 31st. On that day, phone service will stop, and all user accounts will be canceled.

Without funding and no customer support XE Mobile had no option put to cease its operations.

Karlsruhe, Germany-based ComBOTS will connect your PC or landline phone with others around the world for free, or at least for no extra charge on top of whatever you already pay for broadband service. ComBOTS’s Web site is unclear about whether you can originate calls using your mobile, but you can certainly call other mobile numbers from your PC or landline. That said, communication options from your mobile include photo and other file transfers, chat, text messaging, and emoticons. Pro: Rich-media chat messages including audio and video. Con: Apparently can’t originate mobile calls.

Gizmo Project is an open-source VoIP softphone that enables free or minimally expensive calls worldwide. Its spinoff, SIPphone.com, is a startup offering more complex, business-oriented tools that use Gizmo’s protocols, including PSTN (public switched telephone network) gateways, voice mail and SIP (Session Initiation Protocol)/PSTN network peering. Gizmo features Call In and Call Out (similar to SkypeIn and SkypeOut). typically for 1.9 cents per minute, instant messaging, and the ability to record conversations or map where caller and receiver are located. Pro: Available for Windows, Linux and Mac platforms. Con: Umm...

Google Talk comes in two flavors: a widget to use from a Google site (with Flash 8.0) and a 1.5MB download. It integrates directly with a user’s Google Personalized Homepage, and the Google Talk application automatically loads your contacts from a Gmail account, speeding setup time. Unfortunately, the Google Talk Client currently works only with Windows and BlackBerry devices, although Google promises Linux and Mac OS X versions in the future. Pro: Interfaces available in a dozen languages, including British English. Con: Google Talk does not connect with landline phones or mobiles.

iChat has many of the same features as Skype, excellent voice quality and ready integration with iSight video cameras. It is also less of a bandwidth hog than Skype. The current version, iChat AV for Mac OS X 10.4, is the next best thing to being at a conference table with your co-workers, enabling razor-sharp videoconferencing with three others or audioconferencing with nine. In October, a new version of iChat will accompany the release of OS X 10.5 and add more bells and whistles; see this demo to find out what it can do. Pro: Extremely crisp audio and video built into every Mac. Con: You need a Mac.

Jajah offers the chance to make entirely free PC-to-PC VoIP calls and a limited number of free calls to and from landline phones. You visit Jajah’s Web site, then enter your phone number and the number you want to call. Your phone rings and you answer, after which your recipient's phone rings and Jajah completes the call.

Jajah operates on an honor system that allows you about 1,000 minutes per month of free calls because other Jajah users pay to use the company’s premium services (such as business accounts, calls to non-Jajah users and some foreign calls). Go over that limit, and Jajah will ask that you purchase some premium services; if you don’t, you may be cut off (and remember, they have your phone number). Pro: Mac-friendly, with a plug-in that connects Jajah calling with the OS X Address Book, plus an Outlook plug-in that is in beta. Con: Ceiling on free calls limits usefulness for high-volume callers.

If your company has some IT experts lying around, consider WengoPhone, an open-source application being developed through OpenWengo.com. WengoPhone Classic provides voice and video over IP, while the WengoPhone NG project currently underway completely rewrites Classic to be more modular, extensible and VoIP-provider agnostic. Pro: Open-source. Con: Probably unusable by the nonprogrammer.

ooVoo lets you videoconference with up to six people at onc, and send out video messages rather than emails if your fingers are numb from typing. Although it’s currently available only for Windows users, ooVoo’s conferencing setup looks strikingly like iChat’s, and the company is now developing Mac-friendly software. ooVoo sells several compatible third-party cameras, headsets and speakerphones and runs its own servers, making a Skype-like outage less likely. Pro: Makes video-spamming friends easy. Con: Friends can spam you back.

SightSpeed emphasizes free PC-to-PC voice calling and videoconferencing, and its $4.95-per-month Pro service adds video-mail recording and multiparty videoconferencing. Available for Windows and Mac. Pro: MySightSpeed feature allows voice and videoconferencing via browser with non-SightSpeed members (although both parties require Internet Explorer 6 or higher; see demo here). Con: ooVoo does most of the same things for free.

Ontario, Canada-based Softroute Corp.’s Vbuzzer allows PC-to-PC voice VoIP-based calling, faxing and videoconferencing for free, with nominal rates for completion to landlines and mobiles worldwide (typically 1.5 cents per minute to the U.S., Canada and China and, 1.7 cents per minute to other countries). Pro: Works with relatively old computers (minimum 500 MHz chip speed). Con: Currently available only for Windows 2000 and XP.

VoipBuster provides free calls — for a price. In what may be a mistranslation from the original German, VoipBuster advertises that if you buy credits, (called “Freedays”) you can then make up to 300 minutes per week of “free” calls to landlines in three dozen countries, plus mobiles in the U.S., New Zealand, Puerto Rico and Hong Kong. Go over that 300-minute limit, and you pay VoipBuster’s normal rates, which are still quite cheap at 1.2 eurocents per minute including VAT. Pro: Very cheap rates for toll calls. Con: Confusing idea of “free.”

Today MetroPCS announced that seven wireless telecommunications markets will receive EV-DO-based 3G. MetroPCS won the 3G spectrum in 2006's AWS auction. Three existing markets, Detroit, Dallas and Los Angeles, will see their service upgraded to EV-DO from 1xRTT. MetroPCS is also launching four brand new markets with 3G. They are Boston, Las Vegas, New York and Philadelphia. The EV-DO 3G network will allow MetroPCS to offer more advanced data services, including unified communications and video mail. MetroPCS did not provide a timeframe for the 3G roll-out.

Virgin Mobile USA announced that all new customers, as well as existing customers who upgrade to new handsets, will now be able to activate their phones over the air. Phones are programmed automatically and don't require users to enter information or get help from customer service. The service should help Virgin Mobile USA speed up customer activation times and reduce customer support costs.

more at Mobile Tech News

In response to Verizon Wireless' announcement last week that it would open up its network, AT&t made it known that it is opening up its wireless network to outside devices.

The problem how with this announcement is that it's always how AT&T worked. AT&T users have always been able to use almost any GSM phone on the company's network and swap SIMs. The announcement is more of a PR offensive. That may be because of the push by the FCC to require carriers on the 700MHz spectrum to provide open access to their networks. Or it might be to get in on the love being shown Verizon and Google for their embrace of "openness."

Whatever the motivation, though, all these changes on behalf of the major cell carriers are good news for consumers.

This is a list of commercial voice over IP network providers, arranged alphabetically with no restriction to region.

* Adams Cable
* AIM Phoneline
* AIM Call Out
* AT&T CallVantage
* Bellshare (Germany and USA)
* Broadvoice
* BT Group (UK trading as BT Broadband Talk)
* Cable & Wireless (Global product)
* Cbeyond
* Clearwire (only for Clearwire Wireless customers)
* Charter Communications
* Comcast Digital Voice
* Covad (ClearEdge Office, Pro and Integrated access)
* Cox Communications (Northern Virginia)(Parts of Rhode Island)
* Deltathree (Global)
* Engin (Australia)
* Gizmo Project (SIPphone)
* GRNVoIP wholesale voip termination provider
* iTalkBB
* Jajah (connects two regular telephones)
* Lingo
* Mediacom
* Modern Telegraph
* Net2Phone
* ntl:Telewest Business (part of Virgin Media)
* Packet8 (8x8)
* Parlino
* Primus Canada
* Qwest
* Sipgate (Germany, Austria, UK)
* Shaw Communications
* Skype
* Speakeasy
* Suddenlink Communications
* Teamspeak
* Tesco (UK)
* Truphone
* Time Warner
* Verizon VoiceWing
* VoicePulse
* Voipfone (mainly UK)
* VoipStunt
* Vonage
* Voxbone
* Vyke
* Wengo
* Windows Live Call
* Yahoo! Voice

AT&T, the nation's leading wireless carrier, was selected as the Best Wireless Provider in the World in the 2007 Reader's Choice Best in Business Travel Awards, conducted by Business Traveler magazine. Now in its 19th year, the annual survey gives readers the chance to voice their opinion on those companies that have made their business travels more enjoyable.

T&T boasts a larger selection of global devices than any other carrier. AT&T provides cost-effective packages, including the AT&T World Traveler plan, which offers discounted rates in more than 80 countries for $5.99 a month. It also offers a Wireless Travel Guide for customers so that they can plan ahead and see if they'll have coverage based on their device and itinerary.

Genius (www.geniusnet.com) is pleased to announce the that the 2008 International CES Innovations Design and Engineering Award was awarded to the company’s BT-03I touch Bluetooth® headset. This distinguished award was given to the BT-03I because of the headset’s unique touch design and easy-to-use features that set this headset apart from others currently on the market. It was nominated in the “Headphones” category.

The Genius BT-03I is designed to compliment Bluetooth-enabled mobile phones and PDAs. This award-winning headset supports A2DP hands free, headset profile that supports listening to music or talking on a call, while enjoying high quality sound. Other notable features include if you are listening to music and there is an incoming call, the BT-03I receives it and mutes the music automatically, so you can take the call with no interruptions.

Read full story here.

Nokia announced new software for N series devices that will allow users to stream Internet radio stations to their phones.Nokia claims it as a new way to discover music, as the station directory available with the service lets users browse music by station name, genre, country or language. In addition, you also get hourly updates of the top ten most popular internet radio stations - which you can the n add to your Favorites list for easy accessibility.

The service will also optimize the music stream depending on what sort of connection the user has. It is available today for the N82, N91, N95 and N95 8GB and will be embedded on other S60 3rd Edition phones in the coming months.

bnetTV.com, Inc. (www.bnettv.com), a subsidiary of Winmax Trading Group, Inc. (Winmax) (Other OTC:WNMX.PK - News), had the opportunity to be the Lead Internet Media sponsor for The Yankee Group's inaugural Mobile Internet World in Boston. The bnetTV.com on-the-ground reporting team conducted interviews with Google Senior Software Engineer, Sean Owen, who spoke to the team about optimizing mobile search. Yahoo!'s Director of Business Development, Michael Shim, announced to the bnetTV team two new products: Yahoo! oneSEARCH and Yahoo! GO. MTV's VP of Digital Distribution, Greg Clayman, spoke about how MTV is developing and delivering Mobile content. Steve Bratt, CEO of the W3 (World Wide Web) Consortium, discussed the convergence of standards between the Web and Mobile Web. Emily Green, President and CEO of the Yankee Group, the event host, addressed the overall focus of the conference.

View full details here.

The first Levi's mobile telephone has just been launched, recently, in Hong Kong. ModeLabs Group, the creator of the stylish phone has just announced it. In a city that is often the forerunner in fashion and technology trends in China, the product definitely is a big hit.

ModeLabs Group's main challenges today are the design and international marketing of products that really stand out with first-level brands.

So far, the Levi’s mobile phone has received an excellent reception in Hong Kong, and ModeLabs is working closely with Levis to benefit from their brand image, the strength of their communication, and their commercial networks.

The FCC is threatening to shut down major parts of Sprint's iDEN network as portions of the 800 MHz spectrum it operates in interferes with public safety channels. The conflict between the iDEN network and public safety agencies was addressed years ago as Sprint was given new spectrum to move its iDEN network onto. Though the carrier has already spent $1 billion to move the network, the FCC says that progress is not moving according to schedule. The carrier estimates the relevant parts of the network serve nearly 20 million subscribers. Sprint has asked the Court of Appeals to help protect it against threats of a shutdown.

Continue reading story here.

AOL Uk has today announced AOL mobile a new mobile internet portal offering the lastest in mobile technology, it offers advanced functionality and a "real" internet user experience.

The offering promises a web experience closer to that of a desktop PC than any other current mobile portal. Pulling content straight from the channels on its internet portal and offering Web Surf, Email and Search, the AOL Mobile portal keeps users connected and informed whilst on the move.

The AOL mobile portal also ensures that all web content is configured to match your phone, regardless of what handset you have. The service is able to remember user favourites and recent requests - from Premiership Club news to horoscopes to local weather information. Log in just once to your emails and you have continuous access with no need to re-sign in for 30 days. These benefits emphasise AOL's commitment to extending its leadership in easy-to-use web products into the mobile market.

Alltel Wireless, America’s largest network, is going to make customers’ wireless experience easier and more productive with the announcement that they plan to have the BlackBerry® Pearl™ 8130 smartphone from Research In Motion (RIM) (Nasdaq: RIMM - News) (TSX: RIM - News) available in time for the holidays.

This sleek smartphone is designed to give customers an exceptional mobile experience with powerful communications and multimedia capabilities. Whether it’s answering email, sending text messages, scheduling meetings, playing music, or surfing the Internet, the BlackBerry Pearl 8130 provides customers the ability to do all the things they need and want to do.

“The BlackBerry Pearl 8130 will be a great addition to our smartphone line up, allowing our customers to stay connected, productive and entertained while on the go,” said Brian Ullem, director of device strategy for Alltel Wireless. “This new BlackBerry Pearl 8130 blends multimedia functionality with the BlackBerry® email platform to create a smartphone that exceeds expectations.”

Read more about Blackberry Pearl 8130

New Edge Networks, the business communications unit of EarthLink Inc. (NASDAQ: ELNK - News), said it has completed installation of a managed private network for Integrated Power Services, a national industrial electric motor repair and consulting firm.

New Edge Networks installed, tested and activated within 60 days the 12-site fully managed, private network based on Multi-Protocol Label Switching, or MPLS, technology. Integrated Powers Services, based in Greenville, S.C., tripled its network speed at most locations and improved overall network efficiency for the equivalent cost of its previous network.

Integrated Power Services attributed its speedy and successful network deployment to the allotment of sufficient time for coordinating nationwide installations and a dedicated project manager that New Edge assigns to all multi-site network customers.

“I’ve dealt with many project managers in the past which were forced to operate with limited authority,” said Paul Way, information technology manager for Integrated Power Services. “Our project manager knew what he was doing, knew how to get the right people involved, and had enough authority to make sure the right things happened at the right time.

“New Edge was not the least expensive provider; however, they offered the best overall package that included a fully managed network,” Way said. Previously, Integrated Power Services assigned responsibility for managing its network to two IT staff members now free to focus on other responsibilities.

Integrated Powers Services uses its MPLS network to provide its service centers in 10 states throughout the country real-time access to ordering information, time management and financial systems. This functionality allows Integrated Power Services to quickly respond to customers such as utilities, refineries, and mining companies among other industrial firms.

ACI Telecom Inc., a telecommunications consulting company based in Greenville, S.C., advised Integrated Power Services on provider selection and network design.

New Edge will monitor and manage the MPLS network on behalf of Integrated Power Services under terms of a three-year contract. This agreement includes automatic trouble reporting and ticketing. Integrated Power Services also has access to an online dashboard for monitoring network performance around the clock.

“Highly sophisticated networks that enable businesses to converge numerous applications require special processes and systems for ensuring successful network installation and ongoing maintenance,” said Greg Griffiths, vice president of marketing for New Edge. “We understand that networks are the lifeblood of businesses so everything we do is critical for the success of our customers and our own company.”

Once a network is operational, New Edge also provides ongoing dedicated account management and support for ensuring network stability and reliability.

At any point in time, New Edge is installing as many as 100 different networks of varying sizes for businesses in various industries.

BenQ has just released the M7 mobile phone that has some features which regular handsets don't usually include. It is a tough phone, capable of resisting any forces but at the same time it is stylish and has an appealing design. BenQ M7 is covered in a protective case that protects it from water, sand or any other natural element.

That's pretty tough and the phone has a smooth, slightly curved shape and a pretty compact size to grab your looks. This phone is 3G enabled for superfast speed and also has GPS support to guide you. It also comes equipped with a 2 megapixel camera, a secondary VGA camera, for placing video calls through the 3G technology and media player for all the entertainment you want.

SAN ANTONIO (AP) -- AT&T Inc. said late Thursday it completed its acquisition of Dobson Communications Corp., a provider of wireless communications services under the Cellular One brand.

"AT&T's customers will enjoy deeper coverage in rural and suburban areas," Randall Stephenson, AT&T's chairman and chief executive, said in a statement. "Dobson's customers will have access to AT&T's full portfolio of innovative products and services."

The acquisition extends AT&T's coverage area in rural and suburban areas in 17 states.

Dobson shareholders will receive $13 per share in cash from AT&T as part of the deal.

AT&T will begin to rebrand Dobson immediately, with virtually all of AT&T products and services being made available to Dobson customers by Dec. 9.

AT&T expects the deal to reduce earnings between 3 cents and 4 cents per share during the first year, and then add to earnings beginning in the second year.

The company has announced that its line of USB devices are now compatible with Mac OS X v10.4 or later.

IPEVO’s offerings include the FREE.1 USB phone, a $29.99 plug-in handset with a slim, compact design, the $44.99 FREE.2 USB; which adds a backlit LCD display so you can view Skype caller ID and contact lists, and built-in recording capabilities; and the $79.99 TRIO, a three-in-one device that acts as a personal speakerphone, group conference phone or handset.

IPEVO also offers other devices, such as the Xing USB conference phone and the SOLO, which operates without a computer.

HORSHAM, Pa., Nov. 14 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Americans are gearing up for Thanksgiving -- turkey, getting together with family and friends ... and football. But a recent Motorola survey found that more people would rather watch the big game on a high-definition TV than in person.

Motorola Inc. (NYSE: MOT - News), maker of equipment and services that enable customers to receive high-definition programming, recently commissioned a survey among more than 1,000 adults nationwide and found that 45 percent would rather watch college or professional football on a high-definition TV than watch the game in person.

Only one in three respondents (or 32 percent) indicated they would rather watch a college or professional football game in person.

"The survey results really speak to the popularity of high-definition programming," said Doug Means, Motorola corporate vice president and general manager, Home and Networks Mobility. "The color, the clarity and the crispness of a sporting event delivered in high definition is almost like being there -- but from the comfort of your own home."

Continue reading Motorola Survey: Nearly Half of Americans Would Rather Watch College or Professional Football on a High Definition TV Than in Person

AUSTIN, Texas--(BUSINESS WIRE)--A new world of communications and entertainment is now available to residents in the Austin area. AT&T Inc. (NYSE:T) has announced the launch of AT&T U-verseSM in parts of local communities, including Austin, Pflugerville, and Round Rock. AT&T is now taking orders for the service and will begin installing services for new customers on Nov. 19.

AT&T U-verse uses AT&T’s new fiber-rich network to offer cutting-edge television and high speed Internet services. AT&T is the only national provider to offer a 100 percent Internet Protocol (IP)-based television service, making U-verse TV “cooler than cable” and one of the most robust and feature-rich services available today.

AT&T U-verse offers customers a combination of next-generation digital television — including access to more than 30 High Definition (HD) channels — and high speed Internet access. The award-winning AT&T U-verse TV includes cutting-edge features that are unmatched in the market, and the new U-verse enabled AT&T Yahoo! High Speed Internet builds on AT&T’s position as the nation’s leading provider of broadband DSL.

Continue reading AT&T U-Verse in Austin

Sony Ericsson today announced the launch of the K660, an HSDPA (‘mobile broadband’) enabled phone with clever features like illuminated shortcut keys that only become active when surfing the Net, and desktop tickers that provide regular updates from your favourite websites; all designed to make Web browsing on the move as simple and convenient as at your computer.

The K660 makes browsing the mobile Web straightforward. The phone’s navigation key serves as a “magnetic mouse pointer” when in Web mode, letting you find your way around the page just as you would on a PC.

The K660 is engineered to ensure that you’re not kept waiting for the news or content that matters to you. Music, video or email – HSDPA technology lets you download it all at speeds that are up to four times faster than regular 3G.

The K660 squeezes a 2.0 megapixel camera into its compact frame, making it easy to capture the moment. And since the Web is at your fingertips, it’s just a few clicks to upload your picture to your blogsite and share it instantly with friends and family.

source: mobilewhack.com

NEW YORK (Reuters) - Sprint Nextel (NYSE:S - News) said on Friday that it was reviewing its WiMax business plans as it ended a partnership with Clearwire (NasdaqGS:CLWR - News) on the emerging high-speed wireless technology.

Sprint, which has been criticized by investors for its commitment to spend $5 billion by the end of 2010 on building a WiMax network, said it could not resolve "complexities" associated with the Clearwire partnership and failed to agree on the terms of the transaction.

Sprint Nextel Corp. is joining forces with Google Inc. and a consortium of dozens of other companies to develop a new technology for mobile phones.

The Open Handset Alliance is developing a system named Android that is intended to make it easier to offer new services to the nation's cell phone consumers.

'Sprint realizes that to grow the mobile marketplace and fully exploit the amazing potential of mobile communications, we have to empower rather than restrict wireless users,' John Garcia, Sprint's senior vice president of product development, said in a release. 'And the best way to do this is to create an environment that encourages the development of innovative products and services that customers can't live without. Android will be just such an environment, and Sprint is yet again at the forefront in mobile innovation.'

Other companies involved in the initiative include Deutsche Telekom, the parent company of T-Mobile, HTC Corp., Qualcomm and Motorola, Inc.

The alliance will make available a software developer kit that will allow technology specialists to create new mobile phone services. New phones and services using the Android system are expected to be available during the second half of next year.

At midday, Sprint shares were trading at $17.04, down 11 cents. Google was at $724.60, up $13.35.

Copyright © 2007 Kansas City Star, All Rights Reserved.

Who says wonders ended with the era of Gods, elves and angels? Verizon is one such company where there is no limit on wonders. Verizon Wireless announced the Launch of the Wold’s First CDMA-Enabled BlackBerry Pearl 8130 Smartphone. The latest model is engineered to offer Multimedia, Voice, Data, Navigation and EV-DO Speed in a distinct way. The cell phone is ideal for the customers who like to lead a balanced personal and official life.

With BlackBerry Pearl’s Verizon Wireless broadband connectivity users can stay connected with family, friends and colleagues. The company announced immediate availability of this feature-rich Berry phone for $249.99 after a $50 mail-in rebate with a new two-year customer agreement. The Pearl will be available online and in Verizon Wireless Communications Stores.

Verizon’s wonder doesn’t end here. Along with the launch of the BlackBerry Pearl, the company has also announced new Nationwide E- mail and Web for BlackBerry customers giving them unlimited data for an extra cost of $29.99 per month on top of a voice plan. Those who want only data plan will have to pay $34.99 per month. Get an access up to 10 POP3 and IMAP e-mail accounts via BlackBerry(R) Internet Service in both plans.

Make no mistake, Google dropped a bombshell all over the mobile industry today with today's Android announcement. Since the dawn of the handset we've seen little more than one proprietary device, system, and application environment after the next; when we're lucky, maybe some of those systems deigned 3rd parties worthy of developing something more than Java code for 'em. Even despite the endless promise of Linux and years of tilting towards open source cellphones has resulted in effectively nothing for mainstream wireless customers -- but all that changes today with the announcement of the first free, open, standard (and standards-based) mobile OS.

It's no surprise that Apple, Microsoft, Nokia, and RIM were absent participating in Android and the OHA; each of those power-players has built its mobile business around its own separate mobile platform: OS X, Windows Mobile, Symbian, and BlackBerry, respectively. But the cellphone company we expected to be first in line for Android and the Open Handset Alliance, the one manufacturer that is truly desperate for a powerful, pre-developed, open Linux mobile OS, is nowhere to be found. We are, of course, talking about Palm.

Let's break this down: in 2005 Google acquires startup Android (founded by Andy Rubin of Danger / Sidekick fame), and decides to spearhead a consortium of wireless companies -- handset manufacturers, carriers, chipset makers, developers, etc. -- to rally around a completely free, open, customizable mobile OS based on Linux. Why? Well, besides being possibly the biggest corporate user of Linux and open source software that we know of, the mobile space obviously holds incredible value for Google.

Read the full report here

Fulcrum Microsystems today announced six new members of its industry-leading FocalPoint family of 10-Gigabit Ethernet switch chips – adding high-performance routing with its FM4000-series devices. With the industry’s highest port density and lowest latency, as well as a full suite of Datacenter Ethernet functions, FocalPoint is the first switch that can enable datacenter networks to scale into the thousands of nodes.

The FM4000 chips are designed for datacenter switching platforms for high-performance computing, server and storage host interconnect, and datacenter aggregation applications. They are complete layer 2/3/4 IP switch/routers with full line-rate performance on all ports with a total throughput of 360 million packets per second. Fulcrum’s unique design technology means that the FocalPoint FM4000 chips boast the lowest latency in the industry – 300 nanoseconds as a full layer 3/4 router. This provides a highly responsive network fabric that exceeds the performance of specialty fabrics such as InfiniBand and Fibre Channel, and is well suited for the millions of messages per second performance needed for high-performance clustered-computing applications.

The 24-port density of the chip – also an industry best – enables it to be the interconnect foundation for extremely large clustered systems. When used in fat tree (or Clos) network architectures, the density and low latency mean the network can scale to 3,456 non-blocking nodes in three tiers of switching – well beyond that when additional tiers or managed under-provisioning are introduced.

“Centralized computing, networked applications and broadband mobility are driving an explosion in the build-out of highly-efficient, highly-scalable data centers, and Ethernet is the most bandwidth-efficient interconnect solution available,” said Mike Zeile, Fulcrum Microsystems vice president of marketing. “The FocalPoint FM4000 series enables switch makers to build scalable 10-Gigabit switch fabrics; we see this becoming a multi-billion dollar market opportunity in just a few years.”

FocalPoint is also the first to deliver on the promise of convergence and server and storage virtualization, with a complete set of advanced congestion management and traffic pruning capabilities, such as class-based pause, and fully-configurable access control lists (ACLs) – all of which can operate at full line rate with no performance degradation.

The first company that is announcing a product based on the FM4000 switch silicon is Arastra, a networking company founded and backed by well-known Silicon Valley veterans including Sun co-founder Andy Bechtolsheim. “The next generation of servers will have 10 Gigabit Ethernet interfaces standard on the motherboard, creating a need for cost-effective low-latency 10G Ethernet switches in the datacenter,” said Mansour Karam, director of marketing for Arastra. “Our new Arastra 7100 datacenter switch family uses the Fulcrum FM4000 chip to deliver a high-performance scalable 10G network solution that enables 10 Gigabit Ethernet to each server, improving server efficiency and utilization.”

The FocalPoint FM4000 product family consists of the FM4224, which offers 24 ports of 10-Gigabit Ethernet; the FM4212, which offers 12 10-Gigabit Ethernet ports; the FM4208, which offers eight 10-Gigabit Ethernet ports; the FM4112, which offers eight 10-Gigabit Ethernet ports, and 16 Gigabit Ethernet ports; the FM4104, which offers two 10-Gigabit Ethernet ports and eight Gigabit Ethernet ports; and the FM4103, which features two 10-Gigabit Ethernet ports and four Gigabit Ethernet ports. All of the 10-Gigabit Ethernet ports are XAUI SerDes interfaces, and can operate at 10Gbps or 10/100/1000/2500 SGMII modes. Similarly, all Gigabit Ethernet ports can operate in 10/100/1000/2500 SGMII modes.

FocalPoint FM4000 Technical Details

Other technical details of the FocalPoint FM4000 product family include:

Performance

• Up to 360Mpps performance as a switch or IPv4 or IPv6 router
• 300ns latency with IP routing and L3/L4 ACLs enabled

Layer 3

• IPv4 and IPv6 line-rate routing (up to 16k IPv4 and 4k IPv6 addresses)
• Fully-provisioned multicast routing (IGMP, PIM-SM, PIM-DM, DVMRP, bidir-PIM)
• Full VLAN replication with multicast routing

Layer 2

• 16k MAC addresses
• Multiple and Rapid Spanning Tree (802.1D, s, w)
• Independent and shared VLAN learning

Switch Virtualization and Scaling

• Stacking, fat trees, meshes, and rings
• Single point of management
• Multi-chip mirroring and link aggregation

Convergence Capabilities

• L2/L3/L4 traffic classification, metering, and policing
• Per-priority pause
• Shared memory partitions ensures traffic separation
• Flexible, multi-level scheduling

Security

• Port-based security (802.1X)
• MAC address security
• DOS prevention

Pricing and Availability

All FM4000 chips are pin-compatible with Fulcrum’s FocalPoint FM2000 200ns layer-two switches. The chips are currently sampling, with production shipments in Q1 2008. The flagship FM4224 device is priced at less than $25 per 10G port, in quantities of 1,000 pieces.

Google Inc is in active talks with number-two U.S. mobile carrier Verizon Wireless about putting Google applications on phones it offers, people familiar with the matter told Reuters on Tuesday.

"There are good useful talks going on and they could result in a deal," one of the sources said.

So far talks between the Web search leader and Verizon Wireless, owned by Verizon Communications and Vodafone Group Plc, revolve around technology and potential business models such as advertising-sponsored services, one of the people said.

Verizon Communications Chief Operating Officer Denny Strigl said during an investor call on Monday that the operator talks to a lot of companies including Google, but did not elaborate.

Original story from Reuters.com

AT&T Inc. has joined with Dallas-based Samsung Telecommunications America to launch a new ultrathin sliding phone with accelerated multimedia and entertainment features.

The Samsung SGH-a737 will have many of the same features as its predecessors -- the Samsung SGH-a717 and a727 phones -- while also giving customers 3G connectivity to AT&T's broadband network. Some of the features of the phone include Video Share capabilities, AT&T Mobile Music, stereo Bluetooth 2.0 technology, a 1.3-megapixel camera with video record, external memory cards with up to four gigabytes of memory and advanced messaging options.

Continue reading AT&T supports new Samsung phone

Verizon Wireless announced today that it has expanded the national rollout of its high-speed wireless network across an expanded area of Southwest Indiana, which includes:

* Interstate 64 through Spencer and Perry counties

* Tell City

* The eastern part of Dubois County, including the Patoka Lake area

* U.S. Highway 50 through Martin County, including Shoals

* The northern part of Knox and Dubois counties

* Greene County, including Bloomfield and Linton

* Union and Webster counties in Kentucky, including Morganfield

``These Indiana counties include a vital market with dynamic, tech-savvy business people, consumers, students and faculty who want to stay connected,'' said Greg Haller, president-Indiana/Kentucky/Michigan Region, Verizon Wireless. ``The expansion of our broadband network here provides our customers with access to the very latest wireless technology in more places.''

The multi-million dollar expansion includes the installation of high-tech wireless hardware and software in wireless transmission sites throughout the region. Verizon Wireless has invested more than $40 billion since it was formed -- more than $5 billion on average every year -- to increase the coverage and capacity of its national network and to add new services. More than $816 million of this investment was spent in Indiana.

Continue reading Verizon Wireless Expands Wireless Broadband Network Across Six Southwest Indiana Counties

Telecommunications, also called telecommunication, is the exchange of information over significant distances by electronic means. A complete, single telecommunications circuit consists of two stations, each equipped with a transmitter and a receiver. The transmitter and receiver at any station may be combined into a single device called a transceiver. The medium of signal transmission can be electrical wire or cable (also known as "copper"), optical fiber or electromagnetic fields. The free-space transmission and reception of data by means of electromagntetic fields is called wireless. The simplest form of telecommunications takes place between two stations. However, it is common for multiple transmitting and receiving stations to exchange data among themselves. Such an arrangement is called a telecommunications network. The Internet is the largest example.