Taking aim at a growing field of Voice-over Internet Protocol companies, Verizon launchd its own Internet telephony service July 22, offering unlimited local and long distance in 33 states for a standard $34.95 for Verizon high-speed Net customers and $39.95 for non-Verizon customers who have broadband connections.
Called VoiceWing, the move comes in the middle of a pricing pressure trend affecting Vonage and AT&T, while smaller firms plus cable companies like Comcast are moving aggressively into Internet telephony services. Verizon's package also includes six-month introductory discounts for both Verizon subscribers wanting VoIP and non-Verizon customers alike.
"We recognize that along with cost savings, customers want the enhanced features that new technologies bring," said Verizon retail marketing president Bob Ingalls announcing VoiceWing. "Our wide range of features makes managing calls simple and convenient."
VoiceWing is getting a big boost from deltathree, Inc., which makes VoIP products and services and announced a deal with Verizon to provide VoIP consulting, management, and integration for VoiceWing, an announcement that came about three hours after Verizon announced VoiceWing formally.
"This agreement brings advanced VoIP functionality and solutions to Verizon's VoiceWing service," said deltathree chief financial officer Paul White. "This agreement is further evidence of deltathree's success in teaming with the world's premier telecommunications service providers to expand the reach of VoIP."
deltathree will provide a suite of back-office integration and management services, including account signup, billing, account management, credit processing, and fraud management, as well as VoIP features tied to the end user and the deltathree customer service interface.
