There’s a new VoIP provider on the scene: America Online.
Company Chairman and CEO Jonathan Miller announced at VON Spring 2005 Tuesday that AOL will offer a VoIP service that use broadband connections to the Internet.
Slated to begin rolling out within a month, the service is called AOL Internet Phone Service and will be offered only to AOL customers in select cities progressively until it is offered nationwide. It will only be offered bundled with AOL Internet access, a company spokeswoman says.
The service will be based on Level 3’s wholesale VoIP offering, but customized for AOL, according to Level 3. AOL will use Sonus softswitches to direct the calls.
Internet Phone Service will make use of presence technology, the same technology that lets AOL users know whether people on their instant messaging buddy lists are online.
The company would not say exactly what form the service would take but might include a screen display when an online member gets a VoIP call. They would be able to see who is calling, and either take the call or have it directed to another phone, a spokeswoman said.
AOL’s sister company Time Warner already offers VoIP service and co-markets AOL Internet access and the presence features may be offered as an add-on a spokeswoman said.
The service might also include voice mail sent as e-mail attachments.
Pricing has not been announced.
