Edison, N.J.-based VoIP provider Vonage says it will fight Minnesota regulators in their decision to treat the company’s offering as a telephone service. The ruling handed down in August means Vonage must contribute to the cost of 9-1-1 service and provide wiretapping for state authorities. A company rep said the decision would not affect the firm’s bottom line, however, Vonage plans to appeal the ruling, and argue that the it should be considered a data service provider. Vonage aims to ramp up service in Canada by the end of the year.
Nortel explores TD-SCDMA
Brampton, Ont.-based gear maker Nortel Networks is teaming up with Datang Mobile in China to explore Time Division – Synchronous Code Division Multiple Access (TD-SCDMA) technology. This 3G protocol combines asynchronous time division and synchronous CDMA to address wireless data and voice connectivity. The companies are opening a laboratory in Beijing to test interoperability and network performance on TD-SCDMA, according a Nortel press release. The firm says the lab will boost its profile as a 3G solutions provider in China. For more info, visit the TD-SCDMA forum at www.tdscdma-forum.org.
IP shines in telecom darkness
Although the market for voice communications systems remains flat, IP PBXs are proving popular, according to Dell’Oro Group. The Redwood City, Calif. research firm in August said worldwide line shipments of IP PBXs in Q2 2003 increased 17 per cent. IP PBXs for large companies increased 28 per cent. IP PBXs for small and medium-sized firms increased six per cent. Dell’Oro says Alcatel is the number-1 IP PBX vendor. Cisco Systems Inc., Avaya Inc., Nortel Networks and Mitel Networks Corp. follow. For more information, visit www.delloro.com.