GOtalk and NetComm announce VoIP alliance

Stan Beer
Monday, 03 October 2005 10:00

Business IT - Technology

GOTalk Broadband Voice, a division of phone card company Telecorp, has teamed up with communications hardware developer NetComm (ASX:NTC) to provide a packaged VoIP solution for consumers.

The GOtalk/NetComm agreement calls for a range of seven co-branded broadband products, ranging in price from $99 to be released progressively.

In the arrangement, NetComm will be responsible for warehousing and distribution of stock and both companies will combine to educate customers and retail staff about the technology in the months leading up to Christmas.

"GOtalk and NetComm have, perhaps uniquely, the right combination of product quality, marketing and distribution to service a national consumer retail market," said Steve Picton, CEO of GOtalk Broadband Voice. "GOtalk's Broadband and Broadband Voice services will be bundled and co-branded with NetComm's hardware."

"The combination of broadband and VoIP is fast emerging as the new way that Australians will communicate with one another over the telephone," NetComm managing director David Stewart said. "With the cost savings that are possible with VoIP more and more consumers are installing the technology into their homes, and the combination of NetComm hardware and GOtalk's service makes it an easy plug and play solution."

Recent statistics from the ACCC show that broadband adoption now totals 2,183,200 - up 108.3% from June 2004 and along with this has been a dramatic rise in the consumer adoption of VoIP.

"With broadband connections smashing through the two million mark, we believe that VoIP is about to become a mass market consumer product," said Picton.