New Phone Has Wi-Fi, VoIP CoveredNew Phone Has Wi-Fi, VoIP Covered

Net2Phone launched the VoiceLine XJ100 Wi-Fi Handset, which lets users connect via Wi-Fi to Net2Phone's session initiation protocol (SIP)-based VoiceLine VoIP service. The handset connects to Net2Phone over the public Internet. David Span, Net2Phone's Senior Vice President of Product Management and Marketing, says "the service works well in any home environment, business, airport, or hotel that has a WiFi network."

The new handset supports a range of telephony features, including voice mail, caller ID, and call forwarding. The handset's suggested retail price is $160.

VoiceLine service provides both inbound and outbound calling and allows users to choose from a U.S. local, U.S. toll-free, or U.K. toll-free telephone number. Net2Phone terminates the calls to the public switched telephone network (PSTN). Net2Phone markets VoiceLine both as a private-label service through service provider partners and directly to businesses and individuals.

"By removing the tether from wireline services, we have extended the availability of VoIP to customers who have access to wireless broadband," said Stephen Greenberg, CEO of Net2Phone. "By enabling service providers with a Wi-Fi VoIP solution that builds upon our existing broadband telephony solutions, we have created one more method to enhance their service offering to their customers."

The company says that its future plans include a softphone client that will connect users of PDAs and desktop and laptop computers to the VoiceLine service.