By Lisa Burroughes, 1 July 1998 15:19
NEWS IDT will be offering European businesses simple access to IP telephony in four to six months. If businesses choose IDT as a dedicated service provider, they will be able to make international calls over the Internet by simply pressing seven before they dial. The system incorporates voice over IP directly into a firm's PBXs (private branch exchanges), enabling toll-quality transmission over dedicated lines. IDT claims it can cut prices by up to 80 per cent. The package will be rolled out in the US tomorrow but a company spokesman said it will also be available in Europe before Christmas this year. Although there are other corporate solutions available, IDT is one of the first companies to integrate IP with existing switchboards, enabling access to voicemail and monitoring services. James Eibish, senior analyst at Input, said: "Companies will take this up because it is cheaper and they gain from it being a digital end-to-end. For example, things like video conferencing would be better quality." However, Eibish added: "IDT won't be able to get into the European market by itself. It has very little presence here, and would have to go in as a different brand. Also, it would have to negotiate the complex regulatory network in Europe that doesn't exist in the US." IDT's spokesman agreed that it would need to go into partnership with European Internet service providers, and is undergoing discussions.
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