VoIP: the service Optus does not want you to know about

Stuart Corner
Tuesday, 06 March 2007 17:15

Business IT - Technology

Optus has issued a press release announcing the launch of a VoIP service, sub-headed "The VoIP product other telcos don’t want you to know about." But Optus does not seem very keen to tell you much about it either.

Optus boasted that the service was "a new and groundbreaking VoIP product to small and medium business (SMB) customers," which it said would be launched during the second quarter of this calendar year. And it claimed that "this is the first large scale rollout of this product in Australia."

Optus also said that there were two versions of the product ipPhone Premier which is "a way for SMB customers to cut fixed line costs with VoIP without compromising on voice quality," and ipPhone Express "delivering a simple, low cost solution tailored for businesses needing additional phone lines." But it did not explain how these products differed or were delivered.

Optus also said that it had "partnered with two leading IP phone and router manufacturers LG-Nortel and Linksys, a division of Cisco Systems to offer customers the latest high powered devices to ensure they get the most out of their VoIP service." What devices, and what roles did they fulfil in the service? The Optus press release did not say.

After questioning Optus I can now offer the following information to throw some light on the subject.