VoIP provider Interlink Global Corp. will offer point-to-point video calls and multi-party videoconferencing through its VoIP network.
The point-to-point calls will be free to existing Interlink customers, while multi-party conferencing can be paid either on a per minute usage basis, or on a monthly fixed price plan.
With the multi-party service, up to 11 users can participate in a video conference call. Additionally, users may record video calls for quality and archiving purposes.
“We are now seeing that advances in compression and networking technology are quickly bringing digital voice, video and data to consumers over a single broadband IP connection,†said Anastasios Kyriakides, chairman of Interlink. “This in turn, drives our plans to deliver these services in a converged package to our customer base…. As far as we know, we are the first national VoIP company to offer this service as a part of a basic VoIP package to its clients on a nationwide basis.”
Free VoIP calling service provider Skype has been beta testing integrated video calling in its Skype 2.0 software.
Sony and GlowPoint have been offering a video calling and conferencing service, which also allows voice communication, to consumers since November 2005 under the name Sony IVE. It operates under a similar price structure to Interlink’s, where point-to-point video calls are free, and video conferences are part of a premium service with a monthly fee.