Communications Briefs

By Staff On Aug 21 2006 - 6:00am

RTX Intros Wireless Phone Jack

San Jose, Calif. — RTX announced a wireless phone jack to allow consumers to bypass new installations when they pick up a TiVo or new landline. The DUALjack features a base station and an extension unit. The base station connects to a phone jack and an AC outlet. The extension unit only needs to be connected to power. Using 2.4GHz digital technology, phones, faxes or TiVos plugged into the extension unit can wirelessly reach the base station and the phone network. The DUALjack supports up to four extension units and works with answering machines, fax machines, PC modems, digital video recorders and VoIP adapters. The unit ships now for a suggested $89.99.

8x8 Announces Softphone Software

Santa Clara, Calif.— VoIP provider 8x8 announced a new PC-based VoIP solution, the Packet8 Softalk program, in an effort to broaden demand for its Packet8 videophone product. Using the Softtalk PC program, users with a Web cam can dial a Packet8 videophone user and vice versa, eliminating the need for two people to own a video phone. 8x8's softphone supports FCC-mandated E911 nomadic calling, call recording, echo cancellation, caller ID, call forwarding, speed dial, speakerphone, 6-way audio and video conferencing and call timer.

VoIP Growth Slows Among Early Adopters

Rockville, MD. — VoIP adoption among early adopters is slowing, according to a recent survey of early adopters by ChangeWave Research. According to a July survey of its Alliance members, 13 percent of respondents planned to deploy some form of VoIP technology in their homes during the next year, a 4 percent decline from a similar survey conducted in April. ChangeWave also found some form of VoIP telephony used by 21 percent of respondents, up 1 percent since April. Of VoIP users, Skype lead the pack with 29 percent followed by Vonage at 26 percent. Vonage's hold on the market is ebbing, ChangeWave noted, as this was the third consecutive survey in which the VoIP firm lost market share ground. Among current VoIP users surveyed by ChangeWave, 40 percent said they use the technology as their primary home phone service, a 3 percent increase since April.