Linksys Expands VoIP Product Line
By Alexander Grundner |
September 28th, 2004
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Linksys is ramping up their new Voice over IP product line with the introduction of the Linksys Phone Adapter with 2 Phone Ports (PAP2), a Wireless-G Router with 2 Phone Ports (WRT54GP2) and a wired Broadband Router with 2 Phone Ports (RT31P2). We’re predicting that most routers will come standard with a VoIP phone port by mid next year.
Excerpt from Linksys’ press release:
The new Linksys VoIP hardware solutions were developed with its parent company, Cisco Systems, Inc., the worldwide leader in IP Telephony. After signing up for a Voice over IP service through a specific service provider, both families and small offices can use the Internet to make phone calls, getting substantial savings on local, long distance, and International calling while also enjoying additional features at no cost such as call waiting, voicemail, caller ID, call blocking, repeat dialing and more.“Today broadband in the home and small office is used for a variety of applications including surfing the web, sending email, sharing photos, games and music. We believe adding voice capabilities to this high speed network is the next important step and provides users with more capability,” said Charlie Giancarlo, president of Cisco-Linksys. “Our new line of consumer VoIP products allows users to do all of this with a single broadband connection, all at the same time. Over time we believe IP networking is the future for all telephone and communications services, given its significant advantages over traditional telephone systems.”
In-Stat/MDR, a leading market research firm, reports that by the end of 2008 10.3% of the 59.1 million broadband users in the US will use IP telephony, and from 2004 through 2008 over 33 million VoIP enabled broadband access devices will ship worldwide. “Linksys’ strength in consumer sales channels and its ability to offer low cost, easy to use solutions will help popularize VoIP to the mass market,” said Mike Wolf, principal analyst, consumer content and connectivity at In-Stat/MDR. “Combining VoIP hardware with basic networking hardware will help make the buying decision easier because buyers will get everything they need in one solution to set up a home network with voice capabilities.”
Filed in: Home Networking Gear