iBasis Joins i3forum To Develop International VoIP Interconnection Guidelines
iBasis (NASDAQ: IBAS), a KPN affiliate, today announced it has joined the i3forum as an Associate Member. The i3forum seeks to facilitate efficient migration of voice and multimedia services to Internet protocol (IP) by examining interconnection requirements and related business models for carriers and services, and by establishing technical and service standards for the industry at large. Starting with international interconnections, the organization will explore and promote IP-based services innovation. i3forum members account for more than 70 percent of today’s international voice traffic.
MORE ON VOIP | VoIP Phone Systems - 5 Advantages For Your Business | Improving Communication Between Remote Offices Using VoIP | Telephony World’s VoIP Buyer’s Guide
“The i3forum’s goal is to standardize best-practices and regulations for migrating thousands of existing TDM international voice bilaterals to IP interconnects – an area where iBasis has particular expertise,” said Ajay Joseph, chief technology officer of iBasis. “With over a decade of work in this realm – encompassing diverse markets, network types and standards development efforts, and as a leading carrier of international voice traffic –we’re eager to add value where we can to help ensure the continued growth and progress of global telecommunications.”
On the technical side, one of the first objectives of the i3forum is to recommend a range of network architectures, based on existing standards specified by international bodies such as the ITU-T and the IETF, in order to create secure and quality-of-service-compliant bilateral VoIP interconnections. iBasis and other members will work on the development of international service interconnection requirements for different players and services. Ultimately, the goal is for end-users to be able to enjoy, on an international basis, IP-enabled services and applications such as streaming video, high-bandwidth conferencing, and voice calls across all networks.
One of the true pioneers of VoIP, iBasis was purely a VoIP wholesale carrier for the first ten years of its existence. The company deployed its overlay network in major telecom hubs around the world and developed patented and patent-pending technologies to achieve quality of service comparable to traditional wholesale TDM service. Today, iBasis is one of the three largest carriers of international voice traffic globally, as well as a provider of retail prepaid calling services and enhanced services for mobile operators. iBasis continues to operate one of the world’s most extensive and technologically advanced international VoIP networks.
About i3forum
The i3forum was founded in 2007 by eight major International Carriers: AT&T, Deutsche Telekom, Orange, SingTel, Telecom Italia Sparkle, Telekomunikacja Polska, Telefonica International Wholesale Services, and Teliasonera International Carrier. At the time, these carriers represented over 40% of international, carrier-to-carrier voice traffic. Fifteen additional carriers have joined the initiative: Rogers, Telus, Tata Communications, Sprint, iBasis, Verizon, British Telecom, Belgacom ICS, Telkom Austria, SFR, Telkom South Africa, Etisalat, PLDT/Smart, NTT, Telecom New Zealand International. With extensive fixed and mobile expertise, the i3forum is committed to helping the telecommunications industry transition its international bilateral voice to IP by fostering a faster and more efficient migration. For more information contact the i3forum Chair, Philippe Millet, France Telecom Orange.
About iBasis
Founded in 1996, iBasis (NASDAQ: IBAS) is a leading wholesale carrier of international long distance telephone calls and a provider of retail prepaid calling services and enhanced services for mobile operators. iBasis customers include KPN, KPN Mobile, E-Plus, BASE, TDC and many other large telecommunications carriers such as Verizon, Vodafone, China Mobile, China Unicom, IDT, Qwest, Skype, Telecom Italia, Telefonica, and Yahoo. In October 2007, iBasis acquired KPN Global Carrier Services to create one of the three largest carriers of international voice traffic in the world (1), and KPN became a majority stockholder of iBasis. The company carried approximately 24 billion minutes of international voice traffic in 2008. The Company can be reached at its worldwide headquarters in Burlington, Mass., USA at +1 781-505-7500 or on the Internet at http://www.ibasis.com.