[January 19, 2005]

DVG-1402S: The First Unlocked VoIP Router?

BY JOHANNE TORRES

SIPphone Inc., the VoIP ( define - news - alert)-based calling service from MP3.com’s founder Michael Robertson, today announced the immediate availability of the D-Link Broadband Phone Service VoIP Router DVG-1402S. The new router created by D-Link—not intentionally restricted to a particular VoIP service, can be configured for use with any SIP standards-based VoIP service, with no fees or penalties to the customer.

The San Diego, CA-based company says the DVG-1402S router works in seconds out of the box with the SIPphone's free service. According to Robertson—SIPphone’s CEO, in the VoIP industry, services like Vonage and AT&T pay manufacturers to lock otherwise standards-based hardware to their service. Robertson says that these payments come in many forms including price subsidies, rebates and development funds.

"Take a look at any of the other VoIP adapters or routers on the shelf in the store and you will see the word 'free' sprinkled across every surface of the box, but this is misleading. The DVG-1402S is, the only VoIP adapter or router from a major manufacturer you can use out of the box without paying monthly fees," added Robertson. "Can you imagine if AOL paid Dell to lock modems to their dialup service? It is unthinkable, and yet that is just what VoIP providers like Vonage are doing with voice adapters," says Robertson.

Last September, SIPphone filed suit against Vonage for allegedly releasing misleading packaging and advertising on locked VoIP adapters from Cisco’s Linksys. In the suit, SIPphone demanded that Vonage properly label boxes and advertisements to list the mandatory fees and restrictions of their locked hardware. According to SIPphone, with the availability of the DVG-1402S router, the company will enable consumers to choose a feature rich, unlocked adapter.

The D-Link DVG-1402S enables standard phones to be used for placing calls over the Internet while sharing the incoming Internet connection across up to four different PCs. Using existing broadband connection, the D-Link DVG-1402S connects directly to a cable or DSL modem in place of a traditional router using a firewall protection. When users connect up to two regular phones to the D-Link DVG-1402S, it enables them to connect to SIPphone's Internet telephone service for free.

Compatible with SIPphone's free call features such as in-network calling, caller ID, voicemail-to-email, conference calling, call hunting, SMS notification, call waiting, and call blocking, the D-Link DVG-1402S also acts like a router for a home or business network, providing room to connect up to four computers to share an Internet connection without affecting call quality.

The DVG-1402S fully supports SIPphone's leading auto-configuration standard, Plug-N-Dial. With Plug-N-Dial, consumers get a working VoIP phone just seconds after plugging in the DVG-1402S to a regular telephone and a broadband connection. The router is currently available for $99 at SIPphone's Web site.

SIPphone
www.sipphone.com