[December 6, 2004]

Zoom�s VoIP Speaks Spanish

BY JOHANNE TORRES

Retailers in Spain, including Boulanger, Carrefour, Media Markt and Yellownet, have now started to sell Zoom Technologies’ (news - alert) X5v ADSL modem/router with built-in VoIP ( define - news - alert). Zoom made sure it arranged for support its Spanish-speaking customers with the X5v's multi-lingual documentation and user interface as well as a new Spanish user interface for the Global Village Voice-over-the-Internet (VoIP) phone service.

Having lived in Madrid during the 90s, I should know how extremely expensive it is to use the telephone in Spain. Phone calls in the country are almost prohibitive even for local calling. It would make a lot of sense if VoIP spreads throughout the country at a rapid speed, alleviating Spaniards’ nearly empty pockets and bringing some much-needed competition into the market. People there use calling-card-like telephone currency for public telephone booths. If people actually have phones at home, most use it to receive calls instead of calling out. To place calls, they usually utilize public phone booths, which seem to be less expensive, by using their pre-paid calling cards.

Even back then in the 90s, cell phone usage was extremely popular in Spain, even more than here in the U.S, thanks to carriers like Spain-based Movistar. If Spaniards back then found the way to beat Telefónica and other telecoms’ fees by using cell phones, I am sure they will rapidly embrace a countrywide adoption of VoIP, as it will allow for even cheaper calling.

"Customers outside of the U.S. typically pay more for phone calls, so they save more money with VoIP," said Frank Manning, President of Zoom Technologies. "Zoom's international sales and support network and our multi-lingual product approach make us well-suited to delivering VoIP to Spain and many other countries."

Spanish Boulanger specializes in technology equipment for home and personal comfort with stores throughout Europe, including 12 locations in Spain. Carrefour (CARR PA) is one of the largest merchandise retailers in Europe and second largest in the world. Carrefour has more than 120 hypermarkets in Spain with an average size of 7,000 square meters per store. The X5v is currently available in 80 Carrefour stores. Media Markt is one of the largest consumer electronics retailers in Europe with a total of 179 stores, including 18 in Spain. Media Markt is a division of the METRO Group.

Yellownet is a buying group of 200 independent shops authorized to sell Telefónica and Lanmovil phones and telecom services, as well as selected products from other vendors. The Zoom X5v is available in fifty Yellownet shops.

As one of a family of products in the ZoomTel line, the X5v provides ADSL users with easy-to-use VoIP. The X5v's TelePort lets customers use standard phones, including multi-phone cordless systems, to make VoIP calls and conventional calls, including 9-1-1 or 1-1-2 emergency calls and directory assistance calls. The TelePort's fail-safe feature automatically routes calls over the dial-up phone network if power is lost. The X5v incorporates an ADSL modem, router, firewall, four-port 10/100 Ethernet switch, USB port and VoIP phone port.

Zoom Technologies Inc.
www.zoom.com