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>> Wi-Fi Planet Marketplace Be a Marketplace Partner Using Your Router as a Digital PBX By Eric Griffith June 3, 2004 Fort Lauderdale, Florida-based Voiceglo, which makes an Internet browser-based softphone product called GloPhone and offers Vonage-like VoIP service over the Internet, this week announced that it has a patent pending on a technology to turn select wireless -- and probably wired -- routers into a virtual PBX (Private Branch Exchange). The Voiceglo Internet PBX will be a firmware upgrade that can be installed on a home or small-to-medium business router to give it all the features needed for taking care of voice calls that would be routed over the Internet, on the cheap. According to Brian Fowler, the CTO at VoiceGlo, the system doesn't even need a PC if you've got the right VoIP equipment that connects to the router. However, the company will offer a Web-based softphone program so that all PCs on the network can become phone extensions. The Internet PBX will create up to 254 "phone lines" per router. Running the firmware on routers in separate branch offices would allow for an instant connection between the units, meaning free phone calls over the Internet. They can also route calls that might go into an North American office to an overseas office during off hours, to get full 24/7 coverage. Anyone wanting to make calls in or out to the plain old telephone system (POTS) would have to spring for a service plan through VoiceGlo. It costs $24.99 per month for unlimited calls in the US and Canada, or down to $39.99 per year -- if you want to pay a fee on each outbound call. Mobile users can log into the system while on the road to make calls, at any hotspot or area with Internet access, with no extra charges. Voiceglo is working with a vendor to make a 2.4GHz wireless digital phone set. It won't be 802.11 based, just a cordless phone, but one shielded to prevent interference with Wi-Fi devices. Fowler says the company's tests with this phone have connected as far away as three city blocks. The company is a few weeks away from making the Internet PBX available, but decided to get the jump on the announcement when they filed a patent on the technology. Right now, the Internet PBX is working with select routers from Netgear and Linksys, but Fowler says "We're working on others." The current version of the Internet PBX requires the system be running Linux as an underlying OS, something not all routers use. He expects the company to be able to deploy this to SOHO and SMB customers by mid-June, saying "We'll bring you to VoIP in 20 minutes." RELATED ARTICLES Aggregator Decides to GoRemote The Testing Before the Test Vonage Eyes Wi-Fi: Part I Bay Area Lands "Most Unwired" Title Talking about Securing VoWLAN Tools: News Archives | 7 day summary Add wi-fiplanet.com to your favorites Add wi-fiplanet.com to your browser search box IE 7 | Firefox 2.0 | Firefox 1.5.x Receive news via our XML/RSS feed