Talk Free, an international facilities-based Voice over Internet Protocol or "VoIP' carrier, announced the launch of PickRoute, an "A-to-Z VoIP termination service for small and medium-sized businesses and resellers already utilizing a VoIP switch or IP PBX (News - Alert)."

The company specializes in assisting local in-country communications providers by delivering a turnkey, plug-and-play VoIP "business in a box," company officials said. The service does not incur contractual obligations and expensive start-up costs.

Customers connect to the service by employing Session Initiation Protocol (News - Alert) or "SIP" trunking and access TalkFree's advanced intelligent network and routing technologies.

Company officials say over 60 leading telecom carriers are managed by the company's patent-pending Global Intelligent Routing or "GIR" software.

The GIR software continuously monitors network performance and makes automated route changes, ensuring quality routes and terminations at the most affordable prices 24-hours-a-day, seven days a week, the company said.

"The beauty of the GIR is that once you understand the trends of a country you can set the measurements for the route and it will change itself based on the data history," Ona Stewart, director of buying and routing at TalkFree, said.

With this feature customers always have access to the highest-quality connections, Stewart added. "It also allows TalkFree to manage a massive network with less manpower, which translates to better pricing for our customers."

The company operates primarily in the Middle East and Africa with targeted growth coming from Southeast Asia and rural areas of South America.

TalkFree's multiple access solutions ensure high-quality voice connections regardless of Internet traffic volumes. All applications are managed in real time, in local language and local currency, and are supported by customer service experts.

PickRoute offers three levels of routes. There is no changing dialing pattern to access route type. The service includes route performance statistics.