Pacific Internet launches Asia-wide hosted IP telephony service

Stuart Corner
Wednesday, 31 January 2007 00:14

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Singapore-based regional ISP, Pacific Internet, has launched PacNet Vocal, a hosted IP PBX service for regional SMEs offering 'virtual dial-in' numbers in 400 cities in eight countries.

The regional roll-out has been kicked off with a launch in India. Launches are scheduled for Thailand, Singapore and the Philippines in the coming weeks. The company also has operations in Australia, Malaysia and Hong Kong but has not said when the service will be launched in these countries.

Phey Teck-Moh, president and CEO of Pacific Internet said that services would be rolled out through the company's regional footprint over the next few weeks. "When complete, Pacific Internet will have a highly competitive IP voice network spanning Asia Pacific, bringing new levels of functionality and reliability to SMBs."

However, Pacific Internet Australia already has a VoIP offering, launched in May 2006. This is provided by NEC Australia subsidiary, Nextep on an NEC IP telephony platform which is resold by Pacific Internet. The managing director of Pacific Internet Australia, Dennis Muscat, told iTWire when it was launched that the service could be a model for other countries. "We have a desire to do VoIP on a regional basis and it would be important in the long term to do it on a common platform," he said. At this time iTWire has been unable to confirm whether this is the case.