Net2Phone Inc., a provider of voice services over IP networks has signed a contract to interconnect its VoIP network with a major telecommunications carrier’s circuit-switched network.
This agreement builds upon Net2Phone’s strategy to become the premiere next-generation communications services provider to the worldwide retail, enterprise and cable telephony markets, according to Gerald Pearce, vice-president of strategic alliances at Net2Phone. The interconnection also encompasses Net2Phone’s first production rollout of upgraded gateways on its network.
“We have laid out a detailed production release schedule from now until the end of the calendar year, and it is largely within our ability to control the amount of minutes sent over our network,” Pearce said in announcing the contract. “The economics of the deal are advantageous for both parties, and net-net, we are looking at a tremendously scalable, long-term opportunity for Net2Phone.”
Financial terms of the agreement weren’t disclosed. Additional information will be available on Net2Phone’s second quarter fiscal 2002 earnings conference call, tentatively scheduled for Feb. 28.
The service, by Net2Phone Inc., lets users inexpensively place domestic and international calls to any telephone in the world by using their computer, purportedly saving up to 95 percent of the cost of traditional long distance calls. At one point, Mac support for Net2Phone was due in 2001. But the deadlines came and went with no such service surfacing.
The Mac version of Net2Phone is supposed to Mac2Phone and Voicemail features. A Mac2Fax feature was also slated for addition later.
A beta version is still available as it has been for about two years. To use it, you’ll need a Power Mac with 604 PPC processor (or better), 8MB of RAM, a microphone, 28.8 kbps modem, and PPP Internet connection.