Thomson has added to its range of networking products with a wireless Voice over IP (VoIP) router. As well as being able to connect multiple computers, games consoles and standard telephony devices to a single broadband service, the SpeedTouch 716g also enables you to hook up two traditional analogue handsets to the device and take advantage of free calls to other VoIP phone users. In addition to it's broadband uplink connection, the SpeedTouch 716g also provides call routing to the standard telephone line giving you choice of a VoIP or regular telephone service for each call (acts as a fallback in case of disruption to the broadband service). Other features include a four-port 10/100Mbit/s Ethernet switch, 802.11b/g wireless LAN, two VoIP telephone ports and support for the ADSL, ADSL2 and ADSL2+ standards.

Pros: Regular router with VoIP functionality; WEP and WPA security
Cons: Gigabit Ethernet and 802.11a not supported


Edited Release: Thomson is launching its new SpeedTouch 716g wireless Voice over IP (VoIP) router across Europe with product available in the UK at the beginning of March. Designed for both small business and residential use the SpeedTouch 716g can be used to connect multiple computers, games consoles and standard telephony devices to a single broadband service.

It features a four-port 10/100Mbit/s Ethernet switch, 802.11b/g wireless LAN, two VoIP telephone ports and support for the ADSL, ADSL2 and ADSL2+ standards. The 716g will retail for £116 (inc. VAT) and is available via www.speedtouch.co.uk and other retailers.

Specifically designed to address the growing market for Voice over IP services, the SpeedTouch 716g enables the user to hook up two traditional analogue handsets to the device and take advantage of free calls to other VoIP phone users across the globe. In addition to it's broadband uplink connection, the SpeedTouch 716g also provides call routing to the standard telephone line giving users the choice of a VoIP or regular telephone service for each call. This connection also acts as a fallback in case of disruption to the broadband service and can be configured to automatically divert certain calls to the regular phone service, e.g. for emergency calls.

The SpeedTouch 716g offers a number of VoIP features including a call waiting service, three-way conferencing ability, call transfer and caller ID. It also offers an integrated quality of service feature that guarantees that VoIP calls are given priority over other Internet traffic, ensuring a good quality connection.

The SpeedTouch 716g is ideal for making free calls to contacts with VoIP phones or between similarly equipped branch offices. Users can also make reduced-price calls to regular, non-VoIP, telephones by subscribing to a VoIP exchange, such as Skype, Vonage or VoIPTalk, which provides access to the regular telephone networks. The SpeedTouch 716g contains detailed instructions for connecting to VoIPTalk, including a free 0870 number allocation and a £2 talk voucher.

In addition to VoIP functionality, the SpeedTouch 716g is a fully-fledged wired and wireless broadband router. Installation is achieved in three simple steps and requires nothing more then an ISP username and password. It also comes equipped with an array of powerful network security applications. As well as supporting Wired Equivalent Protection (WEP) encryption of wireless communications, the SpeedTouch 716g also features Wi-Fi Protected Access (WPA), which provides important data encryption enhancements to WEP, to further increase security.

BIOS, Mar 07, 05 | Print | Send | Comments (0) | Posted In Networking