Linksys Plans Routers For AT&T VoIP

By Greg Scoblete On Oct 25 2004 - 6:00am

Network equipment vendor Linksys will provide two routers to AT&T for use in the company's CallVantage VoIP package.

The routers let consumers network multiple computers in the home as well as place VoIP calls over AT&T's network through ordinary home phones connected to the router. Both routers support SIP, incorporate quality of service (QoS) to prioritize voice packets over other types of data packets, and have a three-port switch for connecting three Ethernet devices to the network.

Both routers feature an integrated analog telephone adapter to convert analog voice signals to data for transmission across the Internet. They are also certified by AT&T's VoIP Innovation and Interoperability Program (VIIP), which means they have been tested and approved for compatibility with AT&T's VoIP network.

Linksys will ship a cobranded wired router with two phone ports and a wireless-G router with two phone ports by the end of October for $89 and $129, respectively. Users sign up for the AT&T service online. The routers will be available to dealers currently offering CallVantage service, including Best Buy, Circuit City, Amazon.com and, most recently, TigerDirect.com.

AT&T also offers a telephone adapter provided by D-Link through retail stores for non-networked consumers.

In other CallVantage news, AT&T added a new service plan to court local dialers. Called AT&T CallVantage Local Plan, the new service will give users unlimited local calling and the entire CallVantage feature-set for $19.99 a month. All local toll and long distance calling in the United States and to Canada will be billed at $0.04 a minute.

AT&T offers unlimited local and long-distance calling for $29.99 a month.