Level 3 Communications will launch residential voice-over-IP services in 300 U.S. markets by the end of the year, the carrier announced at VON 2004 in Santa Clara, Calif.

Starting by mid-year, the company will roll out (3)VoIP Enhanced Local Service and HomeTone that will be wholesaled to ISPs, competitive local carriers and long-haul carriers, which in turn will sell it to their customers.

The services require customers to have a DSL or cable modem connection to the Internet. Level 3 says that 8x8 Networks is a customer of the services and will be reselling them to their customers.

(3)VoIP Enhanced Local service is designed for service providers that want to control the switching for the service. Level 3 provides services such as interconnection to the traditional public phone network, local number portability, and 911 emergency services. The service provider supplies the local switching of calls via softswitches.

Level 3 is letting these service provider customers piggyback on its status as a competitive local exchange carrier in 48 states, lifting a long and costly registration process.

The service also includes operator assistance, supplies of phone numbers and directory listings and directory assistance. Customers can also manage their account via a Web portal.

HomeTone adds features to (3)VoIP, such as voicemail, call waiting, three-way conferencing, unified messaging and forwarding to multiple phone numbers.