Networking & VoIP

Cisco buying WebEx for $3.2 billion

Cisco announced plans to acquire online collaboration service WebEx for US$3.2 billion, giving the network equipment giant a foothold in the software-as-a-service market.

IEEE approves next draft of 802.11n

The IEEE 802.11n Working Group this week approved draft 2.0 of the standard, paving the way for 100+Mbps wireless LAN products as early as the middle of this year.

Microsoft to buy Tellme to enhance voice services

Microsoft plans to purchase Tellme Networks in an effort to bolster its voice services portfolio and add speech recognition to a broad range of its software and online services, the company said Wednesday.

CEBIT - Siemens teams with Nokia on Wi-Fi-GSM hand-over

Siemens Enterprise Communications is working with Nokia to polish the hand-over of voice calls between corporate wireless LANs and public mobile phone networks, a Siemens executive said Wednesday.

Microsoft, IBM see apps as key to IP voice

As part of what is shaping up to be another hotly contested land-rush between the two, Microsoft and IBM used last week's VoiceCon conference to mark their territory in a race to provide unified communications technology to corporate users.

Optus readies VoIP for SMBs

Optus has stepped forward as the first major telco to offer VoIP to the SMB sector with its announcement of two new VoIP services set to launch later this year.

Network management, security make for happy bedfellows

With the walls between IT domains crumbling, companies increasingly are putting in place policies, processes and technologies that serve the twofold purpose of managing and securing networks.

FBI busts two Cisco parts scams

Two men have been arrested in the U.S. for allegedly defrauding Cisco of millions of dollars by obtaining valuable replacement parts on false pretenses.

Public beta due soon for new Microsoft VOIP server

Microsoft will release a public beta of new VOIP (voice over Internet Protocol) server software by the end of this month.The software smoothly integrates with legacy phone networks and its Office application suite, the company said.

Feds chip in $162m for broadband blackspots

Remote areas across Australia still without broadband Internet access are set to benefit from $162.5 million in additional funds in the form a federal government Broadband Guarantee announced today.