Comcast network and operations VP, Tony Werner, has responded to Minnesota senator Al Franken's request to investigate the company for questionable net neutrality practices. According to Werner, Comcast is not prioritizing Xfinity traffic -- the company's IP television service -- which is the heart of the debate.

While it is clear that Xfinity traffic is being treated differently than other Internet traffic, Comcast argues that Xfinity simply isn't Internet traffic to begin with. The cable company contends that, by virtue of Xfinity being exclusively available only to Comcast television subscribers, Xfinity is an extension of its cable television service. Mr. Werner also makes the argument that Xfinity is served over a separate network. He draws a distinction between QAM (the delivery system for cable television) and Internet traffic versus the special "IP network" used for the delivery of on-demand and Xfinity video. 

Cloud-based telephony API startup Twilio has made significant inroads into VoIP and other carrier services like SMS by launching products that work on the web and in iOS apps, supporting 30,000 developers in the process. Today it’s widening that net considerably with the launch of a new Android client, the first SDK from the company to work on Google’s platform. And it hints that Windows Phone may be next in line.

Considering that Android is currently the most popular smartphone platform globally, this potentially gives Twilio a much bigger opportunity to deliver services to the wider smartphone market — with Android and iOS together accounting for 75 percent of the existing smartphone market, according to Gartner.

Twilio is kicking off its Android service with features to integrate voice features into Android apps: as with Twilio’s existing APIs for iOS apps and websites, the Android VoIP APIs effectively let developers incorporate VoIP features directly into apps, to create features like in-app calling that work without needing to launch any additional apps or services. Other features in the SDK include real-time presence, with developers able to build buddy lists to let users know who is online, and who can voice chat; and app backgrounding, which lets users receive voice calls even if the relevant app is not being used.

But what’s potentially most interesting about the launch of the Android SDK is that it could lead to some interesting bridges built between Android apps, iOS apps, web apps and traditional voice calls.

“We now support the vast majority of smartphones globally,” Thomas Schiavone, director of product management for Twilio, noted in a statement. “With this many developers and our proven success on iOS, we know we’ll see some incredible and innovative cross-platform communication apps in the months to come.”

Schiavone further said that there will be SDKs for other platforms coming soon — and hints that the next SDK to come might be for the Windows Phone platform. “We are looking at what will be next,” he told TechCrunch. “Android and iOS are the leaders, but at this time there is no clear number three. However, we are watching all the other platforms and are particularly interested in Window’s Phone.”

That would also make sense, given the strategic partnership Twilio already has with Microsoft. That partnership was announced earlier this month and means that Microsoft now offers Twilio’s APIs to tens of thousands of Microsoft Azure cloud developers.

In addition to that development, Twilio has been releasing a steady stream of other news in the last month that points to the company looking to expand quickly and make good use of its $33 million in funding to date. Its services are now available in 12 countries — 10 in Europe and the U.S. and Canada — and in April, Twilio hired a full-time executive in Europe, James Parton, poached from Telefonica. But it has also seen one significant executive departure, too: Danielle Morrill, an early employee who headed up marketing, just this week left to work on her own startup, the Y Combinator-backed Refer.ly.

The Android SDK has been running in a private beta, the company tells me, and from today it will be available to all Android developers.

Twilio offers developers a powerful API for phone services to make and receive phone calls, and send and receive text messages. Their product allows programmers to more easily integrate various communication methods into their software and programs. Twilio allows developers to use their existing web development skills, existing code, existing servers, existing databases and existing karma to solve these communication problems quickly and reliably. System is based on Asterisk.

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Talmon Marco, founder of the VoIP app Viber, was met at La Guardia airport this evening by a waiting posse of port authority cops. What did he do? Well, it's not quite as outrageous as Alec Baldwin getting in trouble for playing Words With Friends, but it's still a bit ridiculous.

Apparently, Marco had been using the GoGo in-flight wifi to make call through his VoIP (Voice-over-Internet-Protocol) and free texting app Viber. A flight attend came over to ask that he end the call, claiming an FAA rule against VoIP use will in the air, but Marco knew full well that no such rule exists and told her as much.

The rule , in point of fact, is a preference of the airline, not the agency:

While passengers are welcome to access the web, U.S. airlines offering WiFi service block the use of inflight calling using Skype or similar applications. This is not an FAA restriction; they are simply responding to the overwhelming majority of their customers, who prefer silent communications to the public nature of Voice-over-Internet-Protocol (VoIP) calls.

Another flight attendent was called in, who claimed it was a rule not of the FAA but of the GoGo terms of service, and after he protested once more, he said Marco was being difficult and handed him an FAA brochure, and when Marco took a picture of it, the flight attendent said he was going to have the cops waiting for Marco at the gate.

Jeez Louise! Considering that the VoIP rule—be it at the airline's discretion or the agency's—is in place not for flight safety but cabin quiet, this all seems a bit OTT.

In the end, the cops ultimately decided it wasn't such a big deal, and Marco went merrily on his way. [TheNextWeb]

Following up on the success of OBi100 and OBi110, Obihai has introduced the next version of its analog telephone adapter (ATA) – OBi202. If you are one of the thousands of happy OBi users, you will definitely love the next generation device. The OBi202 builds on the features that users have come to expect from Obihai and adds additional functionalities that one expects from a modern VoIP device. The big question, however, is should you get one? Let us dig deeper and find out…

OBi202 Hardware and Design

The package contains everything that you need to get started – the OBi202, an ethernet cord, power adapter, and a quick start guide.

The OBi202 has received a fresh coat of paint; it sports a grey body with a navy blue exterior.

On the front, you have 5 LED status indicators – Power, Internet activity, Ethernet (LAN) activity, and two phone status indicators. The LED indicators provide a visual indication of the OBi functions. The Power and the Phone LEDs need to be solid green before you can make calls.

On the back, you have two phone ports to connect your analog phones, a USB port, LAN port, WAN port for Internet connection, and a power socket.

Getting started with OBi202

Configuring OBi202 is literally a cakewalk. Just provide an Internet connection to the blue INTERNET port, connect a phone to green PHONE 1 port, and connect the power adapter (the other connections are optional). Make sure that the Power LED is solid green, before moving forward.

Create an account on the Obitalk portal, if you do not have one already. Login to your account and follow the prompts to add the OBi202 to your account.

Once the OBi202 is added to your account, you can add up to four SIP providers or Google Voice accounts. You can also configure how the phones connected to your OBi access your SIP accounts. To configure your Google Voice account, just enter your username/password.

Settings for several other VoIP providers (Anveo, Broadvoice, Callcentric, CallWithUs, Engin, InPhonex, Sipgate, Vitelity, VoicePulse, voip.ms) are available on the Obitalk portal. To add a provider besides one of the above, select Generic SIP Provider and enter the SIP details. The screenshot describes how to add Localphone SIP settings to your OBi202.

The following video tutorial provides a brief overview of the OBi202 setup process and how to configure Google Voice or any other SIP provider on OBi202.

OBi202 Key Features

OBi202 provides some killer features that fully utilize the beefed up hardware. I list the major ones here.

Support for Google Voice

Probably the most talked about feature is the native support for Google Voice. The OBi202 natively supports Google Voice. Just enter your Google credentials on the Obitalk portal and you can start using Google Voice service without using your local mobile plan minutes or without any computer. Till Google officially starts supporting SIP on Google Voice, this is a no-brainer. From the telephones connected to the OBi202, you can make free calls in the USA and Canada at least through the end of the year. You can configure up to four Google Voice accounts on the OBi202.

Connect Two Analog Phones

You can now connect two analog phones to the OBi202 that operate independently, i.e., you can simultaneously make or receive two calls. This is perfect for home offices, if you want to have separate personal and professional lines. In addition, the two phones work together very well, providing some very nice collaborative features. For example, you can dial a “#” key to call from one phone port to the other. You can also use this feature join both the phones to a call (three-way conference) or transfer calls.

Configure up to 4 SIP providers

Unlike its predecessors (OBi100 and OBi110) that allowed only two SIP providers, you can configure up to four SIP providers on your OBi202. Read my previous review of the OBi100 or the OBi110, if you are not familiar with them.

The four VoIP accounts along with two analog phones, really make the OBi202 a very powerful solution. You can specify how the two phones access the 4 SIP providers configured on the OBi. You can define the primary lines for each phone or how incoming calls are routed using a very easy to understand matrix structure. In the picture below, I have configured PHONE 1 to use SP1 and PHONE 2 to use SP2 as a primary line to make calls (remember, you can still access the other line, e.g., to make outgoing calls using SP2 from PHONE 1, just dial **2 and the destination number) and both phones will ring on incoming calls from either of the SIP accounts.

Support for T.38 fax-over-IP protocol

The OBi202 now also supports the T.38 real time fax-over-IP standard protocol. You can now connect your fax machine to one of the PHONE ports and OBi can reliably send fax over IP (provided, of course, your SIP provider supports fax-over-IP).

Built in Router with QoS

The OBi202 also has a built-in one-port Fast Ethernet router with firewall and integrated quality of service (QoS) that ensures voice conversations are prioritized on the network, before all other traffic. Now you can use the OBi alongside your computer without investing in a router (if you do not have one already). While a one-port router is a welcome addition, it will not replace a full-fledged router. 

USB Port for Future Extensions

While the USB port is currently not functional (at least in an easy to use manner), it promises a lot of opportunities in the future. A wireless adapter is already in works and should be available very shortly that will allow you to use the OBi202 from anywhere within range of an 802.11b/g/n network. At some point in near future, you may also be able to connect a storage device to enable local and remote access of digital files via the Internet by authorized users.

Whether to buy an OBi202 or not?

I have been using the OBi202 for quite some time and to say that I am blown away by the device would not be an understatement. All the features work as advertised. The OBi devices (all of them) make the Google Voice account so much more useful and easy to use. Obihai continues to impress with its product line by including advanced features, yet managing to keep things simple. The OBi202 lacks a few features, for example, the USB is not functional yet, it lacks wireless router capabilities, and no HD VoIP. However, given the price point, I have no doubts that it will exceed all your expectations. OBi202 achieves a fine balance between cost, features, speed, and stability.

Now the big question – to buy or not to buy? For all the features that OBi202 offers, you also need to keep in mind that it does cost $74.99 – about $30 more than the OBi110/OBi100. Here are some pointers that should help you make a choice.

1. If you do not use multiple SIP providers or don’t see yourself using multiple phones, then save yourself some money and buy the OBi100 instead.
2. If you are a SOHO user or a small business and you value the convenience of having two separate analog phones, then you should consider the OBi202.
3. If you want to use fax-over-IP, then OBi202 is the way to go.
4. If you already have a landline connection and want to bridge it with your VoIP accounts, the OBi110 is the only way to go (since the other OBi devices do not have and FXO port).
5. Although not fully functional, if you like the idea of having your files available on your personal cloud, go for OBi202. 
6. Finally, if you want to be able to use the OBi within a wireless network, then go for OBi202.

Given the extensive features that OBi202 offers, it is impossible to detail all of them. I will have follow-up post(s) to detail the key features of the device. If you are considering buying an ATA, the OBi devices should be in your consideration set. I strongly feel that they are superior than any other ATA available in the market.

Disclaimer: Apparently, FTC requires me to disclose that I have received my OBi202 for review purposes from Obihai. However, the recommendations in this (or any other post that may follow) are not influenced by any goodies and are purely based on my objective evaluations of the device.

However, Obihai is not resting on its laurels. As detailed in the exclusive interview with Obihai’s Sherman Scholten, the company has introduced its next generation adaptor – OBi202. I will do a detailed review later, but just wanted to give you some quick updates on the latest device.

Like its predecessors, the OBi202 works extremely well with Google Voice and you can set it up in almost no time. Here are some of the highlights of the device:

1. Beefed up hardware with T.38 fax protocol support
2. Two phone ports to allow phone collaboration (for SOHO users)
3. Built in router with integrated voice call prioritization (QoS)
4. Configure up to four SIP providers or Google Voice accounts (as compared to two in OBi110/OBi100)
5. USB port for future extensions (including wireless adapter, storage)
6. Cloud based configuration using www.obitalk.com web portal

The OBi202 is available on Amazon for only $74.99 and is definitely a worthy update. For SOHO users, the update is a no-brainer. I will talk more about some of these features in upcoming posts. Meanwhile, here is the OBi202 data sheet with additional information.

UPDATE: Follow the detailed review and a step-by-step tutorial on how to get started with OBi202.

What to look in an Online Fax Provider

When choosing a Fax provider, it is critical to know what your faxing needs are and then establish a minimum requirement. Once this is established, you can now judge each provider and eliminate any provider that does not meet your standards. The main criteria when searching for a fax provider are costs, ease of use, and the fax providers hosted network. 

Low Costs

Every penny counts when your business is starting out and you make think it is a good idea to forgo installing a fax system to save, but you should not fall into this trap. Online fax systems remove the need for bulky, expensive fax machines. Also, you will not need the special inks or toners. Although online faxing will lower your costs just by switching to the new technology, it is very important to not choose the lowest cost provider with out research.  This provider may have lower costs because they are delivering a lower quality product.  The technology you are purchasing may be the same as the next company, but the customer service and online network may be much worse than the next cheapest company.  Also, be sure to check the difference in month-to-month plans and purchasing a year worth of faxing upfront. The one-year plan is always cheaper and many of the companies will refund and prorate the balance back to you if you are not satisfied. Using the month-to-month plan is more expensive and there is no contract holding you to this plan. The least expensive and most reliable in the industry today is Nextiva’s vFAX 500 plan.  At a low rate of $4.95 a month and an average page cost of three cents, this beats the next highest rated  service (according to Faxcritics.com) of RingCentral and the RingCentral Fax plan at $7.99 a month and six cents a page.  In terms of costs, these are the lowest cost providers with the highest reviews.

Ease Of Use

Remember having to load the document a “special way” into your fax machine…no more. Remember having to configure your fax machine using a twenty page instruction manual…no more. Remember the hassles of entering all of your contacts for use later…no more. Online faxing has evolved so much that the process could not be simpler. You simply log in to your fax account, attach the document to be faxed, and send.  When evaluating faxing providers, be sure to search for or ask for a YouTube video from the provider to show you how to use the online faxing service. Many providers will claim their service is the easiest to use, but to many novices, easy may mean it is a struggle.  MyFax’s system is as simple as sending an email with the recipients fax number as the destination. On the flip side, receiving an email is just as simple.  When setting up your fax number with MyFax, all you need to do is coordinate your old fax number with your email address.  Now your email inbox is your fax machine. 

Hosted Online

An online faxing system has many built-in safety and security features too. When you send, or receive, a fax it is stored in your own online storage account. So, if you accidentally shred that critical document, you can simply go online a reprint it. Another great feature is privacy. Fax machines of old were generally located in the most heavily trafficked areas of the office where everyone could see. So, if you were receiving a confidential document, it really was not all that confidential. Now, no one but you will see what was sent to you since it is stored in a password protected account, where only have can see what have been sent.  This in it self entices many businesses to purchase the new technology, but if a business is not careful, they could choose the wrong provider.  Some provider’s online networks have a high outage ratio, meaning their network is down for a lot of the time.  Nextiva claims their “up-time” is 99.999% and when looking at their reviews, it seems that all customers are satisfied with their network. Nextiva has the upper hand in this category because they also run a business VoIP network with three data warehouses.

Portability

Finally, if you have ever had to move, you know how expensive changing your phone lines really can be. With an online faxing system, you can move into a new office every week, and your number does not change. You do not have to move any bulky equipment, and you can receive faxes immediately (as a matter of fact, you could receive faxes even while you were moving).  It is now a standard for all fax providers to allow mobile faxing through an email client.  A smart phone has the ability to send and receive faxes as long as it is set up on the smart phone. One Provider is taking this technology to the next level with a mobile app to make the process even easier. eFax has created an app for its customers to be able to download on their smart phone. The app allows you to attach files on your phone, input the fax number and send it.  It cannot get any easier than this.

Saving costs and staying ahead of your competition should be a top priority. An online faxing system has proven to be a cost-effective business essential for any business; as technology continues to grow, so will online fax systems. Regardless, you should be aware that most businesses have migrated to these newer online fax systems, so why are you still waiting? Make the right “call” … it could be the difference between success and failure.

This post has been contributed by Adam Fox. Adam is a business VoIP and online fax blogger.  He is most interested in seeing small businesses incorporate this technology to save money and become more efficient.  He currently blogs for Nextiva and other providers to promote their technologies.

You might've laughed at that question as recent as a decade ago, but between expanding cellular coverage and affordable VoIP services, conventional landlines are increasingly redundant. I haven't had a wired phone in five years or so and I only know a handful of people who do -- at least at home anyway. I acknowledge that fixed lines still offer an advantage in reliability and quality, making them ideal for businesses. But do you still have one for personal calls? If so, do you use it regularly or is it just bundled with your cable/Internet package and worth the few bucks a month to you?

If you qualify, send an email to OBiUSA@obihai.com and provide the following four details:

1. First and Last Name
2. Branch of Military
3. Email Address (must be mil)
4. APO or FPO Address (no international address).

Please note that the supply is limited, so hurry up. There is a limit of one (1) OBi110 per person/family.