TMCnet News

Inveneo to Demo Bicycle-Powered VoIP at VoIP Developer Conference Next Week; Nonprofit Group Bringing Communications Services to Developing Communities Will Appear at 2nd Annual Conference in San Francisco
[July 29, 2005]

Inveneo to Demo Bicycle-Powered VoIP at VoIP Developer Conference Next Week; Nonprofit Group Bringing Communications Services to Developing Communities Will Appear at 2nd Annual Conference in San Francisco


NORWALK, Conn. --(Business Wire)-- July 29, 2005 -- TMC announced today that Inveneo will be demonstrating its innovative bicycle-powered, Linux-based VoIP system at next week's VoIP Developer Conference in San Francisco (www.voipdeveloper.com).



The conference runs Tuesday, August 2nd through Thursday, August 4th. Inveneo will have their demo running all day Thursday, August 4th.

Inveneo has built a Linux-based PC with a VoIP connection that's powered by either a bicycle or solar panel. This "rugged-tized" solution is designed to withstand the African climate and has no moving parts and is designed to be serviced remotely, if required.


Inveneo, working with various international relief organizations, is installing this "VoIPcycle" in remote African villages that have neither electricity nor phone access. Through a series of transmitters and receivers, the Inveneo solution hopscotches to the nearest PSTN connection thus providing telephone and Internet service.

Inveneo will set up the bicycle (on a frame especially designed by Inveneo to be easily copied by local blacksmiths) which is connected to a battery, which in turn powers the Linux box, connected to the VoIP gear, connected to an antenna!

TMC president Rich Tehrani has been impressed with the concept since he first heard about it a few months ago.

"A while back I wrote about Inveneo and their bicycle-powered VoIP solution. I really think this sort of application is how we in the VoIP market can give back to society. Many of us who have made a living in the VoIP industry should be proud that this same technology is being used in third world countries to allow people to communicate with friends and relatives more easily and inexpensively," said Tehrani.

Tehrani continued, "We take telephone calling for granted, but in remote villages, even if they have the means they have to travel many kilometers to get to a telephone. With the advent of the bicycle powered VoIP phone, these residents can now communicate with friends and relatives around the world."

The VoIP Developer Conference is the only conference in the world this year 100% dedicated to educating pioneers building the next-generation of telecom applications.

In addition to Inveneo's appearance, the show features three days of conferences, great networking opportunities, and an Exhibit Hall featuring all of the latest VoIP development tools. Keynote speakers from Aculab, AudioCodes, Avaya, Digium, Intel and Inter-Tel are also scheduled to appear at the conference.

Registration for the show is now open. Anyone interested may register by visiting http://www.voipdeveloper.com. Booth space is nearly sold out. Interested vendors should contact Dave Rodriguez: [email protected] or 203-852-6800, ext. 146.

Press inquiries regarding Rick Ringel's appearance can be directed to Mostafa Razzak at 23-31 Communications: (646) 442-3361 or e-mail [email protected].

About TMC(R)

Technology Marketing Corporation (TMC) publishes two print magazines: Customer Interaction Solutions, and Internet Telephony; five digital publications, SIP Magazine, Speech-World, WiFI Telephony Magazine, VoIP Developer, WiMAX Magazine; and the online publications TMCnet, Planet PDA Magazine, WiFi Revolution, Alternative Power and BiometriTech. TMC is also the first publisher to test new products in its own on-site laboratories, TMC Labs. TMC also produces INTERNET TELEPHONY Conference & EXPO, Speech-World Conference, IP Contact Center Summit and The Global Call Center Outsourcing Summit. TMCnet publishes more than 20 topical online newsletters. For more information about TMC, visit http://www.tmcnet.com.

About Inveneo:

Inveneo is a new non-profit/social enterprise organization whose mission is to design, integrate and deploy affordable, sustainable, open ICT (Information, Communications, Technology) solutions for NGO's (non-government organizations) and the remote communities/villages they serve around the world. Inveneo's solutions, the Village Communications System and two recent additions (NGO Remote Office and ICT School Package) are modular, flexible and open. They are designed to support most types of NGO applications including: medical, development, emergency relief, teaching, microfinancing, research and general remote office solutions in the most difficult of rural environments. We partner with NGO's who understand the local needs, culture and terrain. The NGO makes a commitment to fund the project and provide ongoing IT support for the deployment, while Inveneo provides the system and deployment expertise.

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