More than 200 customers already have signed up to participate.

The Web MarketPlace allows a user to search providers, potential customers and partners by name or by service in one or more of the Company’s 34 sites. It will then connect with the correct business contact for product information and pricing for each location. The site manages company profiles, contact information, and can add promotions via a custom field. The Marketplace also adds instant mesaging contact information to facilitate real-time interactivity.

To some extent, Sylantro VP Shirish Andhare lent indirect evidence for the latter, rather than the former view in explaining that Sylantro sees the hosted PBX business as one of but three natural businesses built around mobility and voice 2.0. "We think the business is much bigger than Centrex or we wouldn’t be in the business," says Andhare.

“Customers told us that gaining visibility into their network’s performance is more important than ever given the growth of bandwidth-hungry and latency-sensitive traffic moving over networks,” said Eric Bozich, Qwest vice president, Product Management. “Qwest is meeting customer’s needs by bundling network services to provide simplified business solutions.”  

End-to-end performance monitoring and reporting is a valuable tool that lets customers view their network performance statistics for availability, jitter, latency and packet delivery data among all the customer’s locations. The dashboard allows customers to open repair tickets, get centralized billing information and make service changes. The reporting and monitoring features also give businesses a leg up in following industry-specific compliance issues like Sarbanes-Oxley.

The new dashboard capabilities require no additional equipment. Trend analysis tools also are available now.

The Los Angeles ballot measure was cleverly worded, saying it would lower the telephone tax rate from 10 percent to nine percent, but extend it to "a wider range of telephone-like technology and allows the city to tax the routing of voice, audio, video, data or other communication information transmitted through fiber-optic coaxial cables, power lines, broadband, DSL or wireless systems."

Sometimes the way to raise taxes is to claim to be lowering rates. It worked, in this case.

The city has been taxing local access services since 1967, but further legal challenges are likely.

As such, it hopes to become a mobile Internet service and community, enabling users to talk, chat and interact with other fring users in the context of their online IM communities, from their mobile phones.

The new file transfer feature allows fring users to swap music tracks, pictures, video clips and other files between each other, from mobile to mobile and mobile to PC quickly and reliably without the need for multimedia message service, cable, Bluetooth, or infrared connections.

The connection is made using the phones’ mobile Internet capability, using the already paid for data plan, so there’s no extra cost.

Users also can conduct voice sessions over the mobile phone’s data service channel, using instant messaging in place of text messaging, for example, using fring, Skype, MSN Messenger, Google Talk, ICQ, Twitter, Yahoo! and AIM.

Mobile service providers probably are ambivalent about the new features. On one hand, fring will stimulate demand for data plan purchases. On the other hand, fring also will supplant and replace some amount of text messaging, at some point.

"We developed our nationwide agent program to enable Microsoft partners to sell Digital Voice as an easy add-on to their Response Point sale," said John Guillaume, senior vice president, product marketing at NGT. "With NGT’s Digital Voice Partner Program for Microsoft Response Point, we are making NGT’s carrier-class VoIP services available to agents for the first time."

"We selected NGT because of the company’s strong marketplace reputation for delivering reliable VoIP solutions and small business services that exceed expectations in both quality and value," said Xuedong Huang, general manager, Microsoft Response Point. "NGT’s Digital Voice Partner Program gives our VAR community a simple solution for selling Response Point paired with a cost-effective alternative to the local phone company."

"The small business market requires simple, easy-to-use and easy-to-implement phone services," said Sanjeev Aggarwal, vice president, SMB IT infrastructure solutions at Access Markets International (AMI) Partners, Inc. "The NGT solution will deliver cost-savings each month and is a great value both to the small business market, and to the Microsoft partners looking to sell more Response Point systems."

NGT’sDigital Voice Partner Program for Microsoft Response Point is a nationwide service that includes all the basic features businesses require including local number porting, directory listing, caller ID/CNAM, and 911 along with toll free services, desktop fax capabilities and on-demand audio-web conferencing.

NGT is participating in the Response Point 12-city training tour for small business specialists and value-added resellers. For more information about the tour, go to: www.msreadiness.com/CourseDetail.aspx?id=9241.

The idea is to reduce inbound call volume to call centers by pushing information out to customers, says Ali Giacomin, Qwest product director.

Qwest Notify offers two different application options: templates and custom applications. Template applications offer a speed-to-market solution using effective and efficient, pre-defined scripting. That includes such functions such as order status, missed appointment follow-ups or upcoming appointment notifications.

Template applications can be deployed rapidly; require minimal start up investment, and take minimal resource requirements.

Custom applications are also offered to fit particular needs, such as applications integrated with existing databases and are a good fit for businesses that rely on SMS, e-mail or faxing to keep in touch with their customers.

Notify custom apps can be developed around PeopleSoft, SAP and Oracle databases. "The plan is to develop vertical apps on a standard basis as we get more customers asking for the integration," says Giacomin.

Multiple languages or speech recognition are custom services Qwest is prepared to develop. There also is a self-serve option that is Web-based and allows users to build their own recordings, redesign routing rules and publish the changes in real time, Giacomin says.

A typical contact center handles 150,000 transactions a month, with an average transaction taking four minutes to handle, say analysts at ICMI. At an average average hourly rate of $16 including benefits, excess call center capacity costs money, ICMI says.

"Prompt response time and a strong sense of partnership with our customers begin with sharing engineering knowledge. It is essential that service providers have all resources at their disposal so that they may ensure the best possible end-user experience," said VoIP Logic Vice President, Engineering, Roberto Rojas. "VoIP Logic not only takes great pride in simplifying VoIP rollouts for carriers and service providers but we also continue to invest heavily in personnel and systems that ensure our customers have access to tools that enable prompt resolution of critical issues."

Technical service and support have clearly reached critical mass in terms of their contributions to customer retention and satisfaction. According to survey results released by the Service and Support Professionals Association, respondents say a clear focus in 2008 will be the continued proliferation of online communities and knowledge base(s).

7ticks’ presence at Telx’s 111 8th Avenue facility focuses on extending its reach to new financial markets as well as facilitating low latency connectivity to its POP at 350 E. Cermak in Chicago, which has the quickest access available to the Chicago Mercantile Exchange (CME) matching engines that execute electronic bid and ask transactions for the exchange. The company designs ultra-low latency solutions for financial transactions via CME LNET, a 40mbps redundant network connected directly to CME Globex. In addition to providing managed access solutions to the CME and other leading international exchanges, 7ticks provides direct access to the Intercontinental Exchange, a global commodity and financial products marketplace, including the world’s leading electronic energy markets and soft-commodity exchange.

"We are thrilled that 7ticks has selected Telx for their managed network implementation in New York," commented Bill Kolman, executive vice president of Sales for Telx, "Their ability to offer trading companies access to an ultra-low latency network, with the option for aggressive SLA’s for the purpose of executing financial transactions, is a testament to our success in attracting enterprise companies requiring leading-edge connectivity and access to some of the world’s most successful trading exchanges."

"Telx has made our expansion into the New York market seamless," stated Adam Florzak, Business Development Manager at 7ticks. "With increasingly limited space and power in Chicago, and the growing demand among trading firms requiring ultra-low latency access to the CME and ICE, our expansion requirements, which included access to multiple, diverse network providers offering low-latency on-net access to our core network, were fully realized at Telx’s 111 8th Avenue facility. These premier services help satisfy our need for speed, because in this business, time is money and milliseconds matter."

Telx also has a presence in the Chicago market with Meet Me Room facilities located at both 350 E. Cermak and 600 South Federal in Chicago. The next phase of 7ticks’ global expansion will be a direct, network-neutral connection from its New York POP to a proximity POP located at the Eurex Exchange presence in Frankfurt, Germany.

Zayo Bandwidth’s network spans 95 markets in 12 states by leveraging over 17,000 route miles of fiber. As part of its growing service portfolio, Zayo provides carrier-grade Ethernet wireless backhaul for emerging, packet-based 3G and 4G wireless networks. Accedian Networks EtherNIDTM packet assurance demarcation units and the functionality of the ESAP platform enable Zayo’s Ethernet backhaul services to meet the strict SLAs required by 3G, WiMAX and LTE wireless networks currently in deployment nationwide, according to the company.

Accedian Networks’ solution provides service assurance for point-to-point, multi-point and mesh network configurations, allowing wireless backhaul providers to guarantee service performance between each base station and the Mobile Switching Center (MSC). Unique in-service test functionality provides continuous monitoring of all critical SLA parameters, including one-way latency, jitter, committed throughput and service availability without affecting critical, real-time applications such as VoIP and mobile video.

"Accedian Networks’ platform helps us to deliver SLA-backed wireless backhaul services by providing Ethernet performance monitoring and management visibility directly to each cell-site." commented Troy Kau, Vice President of Engineering at Zayo Bandwidth. "The EtherNIDs versatility as a both an in-line measurement probe and intelligent demarcation device allows us to fully instrument our network, establish end-to-end Ethernet OAM, and, in relevant applications, provide fiber extension to cell sites in a cost-effective manner."

"Our solutions are optimized for the SLA assurance demands of high-performance 3G and 4G wireless backhaul networks." explained Patrick Ostiguy, founding President & CEO of Accedian Networks. "Our unique, carrier-grade, silicon-based design allows our units to process all packets passing through them at full wire-speed, enabling a wide array of service creation and assurance functionality including service mapping, bandwidth policing, traffic filtering, and in-service RFC-2544 throughput testing – all without affecting the service itself."

Some observers expressed disappointment that the auction failed to attract any significant new competitors to challenge dominant cellular carriers. In fact, one AP report misread Google's strategy, asserting that it won't be getting into the wireless business.

Indeed, Google was not among the winners, but it already had won regulatory concessions because its participation instigated the opening of wireless networks (see Editor-In-Chief Gary Kim's blog post today).

One new entrant, Frontier Wireless, owned by direct broadcast satellite television company EchoStar, bid $712 million and won nearly enough licenses to create a nationwide footprint, according to FCC data.

This relationship allows Sprint to extend its existing capabilities and footprint in China by giving Sprint customers access to the full range of capabilities inherent in China Telecom's Next Convergence Network (CN2) with coverage in more than 200 cities and 600 routers across the country.

"This collaboration enables businesses to simplify network operations worldwide by allowing them to converge data, voice and video on a single, secure network platform, and experience ubiquitous connectivity across Sprint and partner networks," said Dan Dooley, vice president of international and wholesale markets, Sprint. "Collaborating with China Telecom allows Sprint to extend the reach of robust MPLS capabilities as more and more businesses look to expand operations to and within China."

Sprint's Global MPLS capabilities reach 137 countries worldwide. Sprint continues to grow IP business domestically and internationally, helping customers plan for the future by enhancing the capabilities available and enabling connectivity to wherever customers conduct business. As part of this growth, Sprint has established NNI relationships with multiple partners in Canada, Europe and the Asia-Pacific region. Sprint also provides significant wholesale IP/MPLS services to United States and global ISPs interested in expanding their footprint into the U.S. and around the world.

The entire line of Digium's solutions is now available through Westcon's CollaborationPoint Open Source program, including the Switchvox(TM) IP PBX, Asterisk Appliance(TM), Asterisk Business Edition(TM) software and appliances, and Digium's complete line of analog, digital and voice processing telephony cards for Asterisk servers and appliances. By offering Digium solutions, Westcon resellers are now able to compete more effectively on price, performance and features, bringing greater value to the end-user community, according to the companies.

"Digium is the undisputed leader of open source innovation and is breaking new ground in providing SMBs with the means to integrate reliable and affordable IP communications platforms that meet the needs of evolving business," said Dan Pirro, group commercial sales manager of Westcon Group, Inc. "This partnership delivers greater competitive advantage to Westcon resellers as they look to provide businesses with customized and affordable, open source-based communications options where none previously existed."

Through Westcon's CollaborationPoint Open Source program, resellers will be able to access sales support, pre-sales engineering and post-sales support, advanced selling and configuration tools, authoritative market analysis and up-to-date product information designed to increase reseller profitability. In addition, all Digium products are backed by its Exceptional Satisfaction Program (ESP) money-back guarantee.

"By partnering with Westcon, we will be able to bring more affordable Asterisk-based VoIP solutions to the mass market and expand our mainstream channel coverage," said Steve Harvey, Digium's vice president of worldwide sales. "The Digium line of telephony products, along with Westcon's Asterisk-friendly ecosystem, will help Westcon resellers more confidently address new market opportunities by offering complete, open source-based communications solutions that compete with proprietary solutions on features, performance and price."

"We are pleased to recognize Telarus' outstanding success this past year," said Patrick Bennett, general manager for Covad branded services. "We look forward to growing and expanding our relationship with this innovative and vital member of our Master Agent program."

Telarus gives its nationwide Agent network a competitive advantage in the marketplace by providing real-time quotes for Covad business-class DSL, T1, bonded-T1, integrated T1, and fixed broadband wireless services, according to the company.

"We are very excited and honored to be named Covad's top Agent for 2007," commented Adam Edwards, president of Telarus, Inc. "At the beginning of last year, I made the bold prediction that Telarus was going to be Covad's number one Agent - and with the hard work of our valued team, the innovation of our IT staff, and the great partner that is Covad, my prediction came true."

Telarus offers its customers Covad's portfolio of VoIP, Business DSL, Standard DSL, ADSL2+, T1, bonded T1, and fixed broadband wireless services.

The consolidation of assets will extend Lightower Fiber’s network availability to over 3,600 route miles connecting Boston, Albany, Manhattan and Providence. Customers will benefit from DataNet’s 1,600 route miles throughout New York State’s Hudson Valley region including service to communities in New Jersey and Connecticut and KeySpan Comm’s 1,000 route miles throughout New York City and Long Island, where the network covers both Suffolk and Nassau Counties. This extensive fiber network footprint now reaches key routes in Orange, Westchester and Rockland Counties in NY, Bergen County, NJ and Fairfield County, CT.

Lightower Fiber will also receive the rights to capacity in KeySpan Comm’s three Trans-Atlantic cable systems from New York to Paris and London. With the addition of KeySpan Comm’s network, Lightower Fiber will offer unique fiber optic links between the Trans-Atlantic landing stations and points outside of New York City using routes diverse from Manhattan.

"The acquisitions of DataNet and KeySpan Communications build on our already well-established fiber network and solidify our footprint in the Northeast," said Rob Shanahan, CEO of Lightower Fiber. " By connecting the three networks, Lightower Fiber is able to provide quicker, more flexible, comprehensive dark fiber and Ethernet backhaul services across a larger multi-state territory to wireless and telecommunications carriers, as well as our enterprise customers across the Northeast."

"We are excited to join forces with Lightower Fiber," said John Pinto, COO of DataNet Communications. "We share a common business philosophy that makes us well-suited to become a substantial force in this industry, enabling us to better support the comprehensive needs of enterprise, telecommunications and wireless customers in the communities we serve."

Lightower Fiber has completed the acquisition of DataNet Communications and expects to complete regulatory approval for KeySpan Comm in Q2 2008.

Call Attempt Notifier provides automatic notification to a user‐defined distribution list based on certain inbound and outbound calls. For example, emergency calls can trigger real‐time notification messages to family, friends, and neighbors in order to enable the community to respond more immediately to others in distress. The carrier‐grade Velleros AlertSlinger platform enables this capability in VoIP, wireline or wireless networks by delivering the notifications via voice call, short message, instant message, or email, according to the company.

"This is a great way for i3 to provide potentially lifesaving services to our communities," says Chris Reese, CEO of i3 Networks. "We are constantly looking for new applications as a hosted provider. The fact that these Velleros services can save lives and provide incremental revenue for our clients is a fantastic combination."

The AlertSlinger platform enables carrier customers to deliver feature-rich services and content such as the All-Hazards Gateway, Campus Alerting (CAMLOC™), State/Local Government Notification (STALO™), Call Attempt Notifier, and Messaging Portal.