engin revs up VoIP

Telecommunications vendor engin has today released what it claims to be the first "broadly available"in major retailers voice over Internet protocol product.

The company - a subsidiary of Mobile Innovations Ltd -- said the Voice Box device can "assist households and SOHOs to reduce their phone bills by up to 40 percent".

The engin Voice Box is touted as allowing users to make and receive calls from any landline or mobile phone over a broadband Internet connection. The company adds that the device "does not require software to operate" and also "bypasses the need to even turn a computer on".

Mobile Innovations said customers will be issued with a ten digit number, and can make calls using a "normal phone...to anyone at anytime".

The chief executive officer of Mobile Innovations, Ilkka Tales, said the device gives customers the opportunity to "get more" from their broadband connections, as well as helping to reduce their phone bills.

"The competitive call rates now available through engin are likely to be the key driver for further take-up of broadband," she said.

The company said local and "intercapital city calls" will be charged at an untimed rate of AU10 cents per call, adding that engin to engin calls will not be charged.

International rates will begin at AU5 cents per minute, according to the company, for call going to the USA, UK, Canada and New Zealand. Mobile Innovations also claims that engin customers will not be forced to sign contracts and call connection fees are will not be charged.

The company states that customer bills will be available online, with "real time" updates, with other features such a voice mail and v-mail - e-mailed voice files -- also available.

Talkback 9 comments

    That is false advertising we a ...Anonymous -- 22/09/04

    That is false advertising we already do this in australia. www.tsn.cc.

    Guess I will be going to department of fair trading in the morning. I suggest zdnet.com.au removes this story. Or removes the non factual information

    Only OZtell can claim to be th ...Anonymous -- 22/09/04

    Only OZtell can claim to be the FIRST VoIP services provider in Australia.

    OZtell has been offering VoIP services since 1st July 1997.

    BTW, the quoted 5c Internation rates are more than double that of OZtell's UK 1.9c, USA 2.1c ...

    Well done Mobile Innovations! ...Anonymous -- 23/09/04

    Well done Mobile Innovations!
    The previous comments made about this article are true, but at least this is a good step in the campaign to educate the public about the virtues of VoIP for consumers.

    Mobile Innovations is the firs ...Anonymous -- 23/09/04

    Mobile Innovations is the first telecommunications carrier to offer a voice over internet service, called engin, to Australian consumers through major retail outlets including Dick Smith Electronics, Powerhouse, Tandy and selected dealers. Please refer to our website www.engin.com.au for details

    Mobile Innovations is the firs ...Anonymous -- 23/09/04

    Mobile Innovations is the first telecommunications carrier to offer a voice over internet service, called engin, to Australian consumers through major retail outlets including Dick Smith Electronics, Powerhouse, Tandy and selected dealers. Please refer to our website www.engin.com.au for details

    5 cents a minute is $3 per hou ...Anonymous -- 23/09/04

    5 cents a minute is $3 per hour. My landline provider already offers me similar prices to the UK Canada and the USA, so why would I wish to invest in more hardware.

    I have been looking at engin's ...Anonymous -- 25/09/04

    I have been looking at engin's pricing and while there are some very attractive aspects to its rates I was disappointed to see that it does not do well regarding the two most expensive types of calls that people often make. They are calls to mobiles and calls to regional areas. For example does engin intend to at least match their VoIP competitors OZtell and Freshtel on calls to mobiles? While engin, Oztell and Freshtel all charge 30 cents per minute, engin charges a minimum of one minute per call, while the other two only charge per second with one second minimum charges. On the engin website the following appears "A minimum of 1 minute is charged per timed call, thereafter calls will be charged per second.". So that minimum charge would apparently also apply for calls to regional areas and to overseas. That is not the norm with other Aussie VoIP suppliers, some of whom do not have monthly fees as engin does.

    engin only offer services that will work with software and hardware that they (and their reseller Dick Smith) supply, and furthermore the hardware they supply will only work with their system, also unlike their Aussie competitors. The issue of only supplying hardware that will only work with their system is unique in the Aussie consumer phone market as far as I have been able to establish. This is innovative and courageous marketing - imagine the outcry if access to Telstra's or Optus' services could only be made with equipment sold by them and it could not be used with any other telco, should one wish to switch providers!

    I've was looking at Engin for ...Anonymous -- 21/10/04

    I've was looking at Engin for a while before I signed up. The rates seem to be fine, but it really does depend on what you do need to use the service for. For some people this will benefit them, others it may not. For me it is absolutely fantastic - Keep up the good work everyone at Engin

    I am glad someone is taking Te ...Anonymous -- 21/12/04

    I am glad someone is taking Telstra and Telecom to account for their overcharging. Existing Telephone companies charge like a wounded bull elephant.

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