Talkster Betas Enterprise Mobile VoIP and IM
December 14th, 2006 - Posted in VoIPTalkster Inc today will launch a beta enterprise mobile VoIP network and instant messaging service that promises to give companies control over their workers disparate communications systems.
Initially, the service will consolidate the IM buddy lists for MSN, Google Talk and Gizmo onto a users web-enabled mobile phone. It claims to be the first mobile-to-voice-over-IM service, whereby users can click to call a contact using Talksters VoIP network.
The first mile of the VoIP call is over the cellular network, said Talkster COO James Wanless. We trigger the phone to dial into a local access gateway of ours or we will have our network dial you back on your phone and will then connect you to our network.
The upshot is the cost of the call will be cheaper.
Moreover, the service will eventually enable the users mobile calls and instant messages to be under the IT departments security and usage policy umbrella.
Ontario, Canada-based Talksters service is based on open-source SIP, or session initiation protocol, and SIMPLE, or SIP for instant messaging and presence leveraging extensions.
The company, which currently has about 30 employees, was able to incorporate Microsofts MSN IM service, which does not use SIMPLE, because Microsoft (NASDAQ: MSFT - news) has published its proprietary code, explained Wanless.
However, the company wont be able to add the popular Skype service to its offerings because Skype also is not open-standards based yet, unlike Microsoft, has not made public its proprietary protocol. It is not possible to bring calls into [Talkster] without reverse engineering [Skype] protocol, which were not going to do, Wanless said.
Still, Talkster plans to add more enterprise-focused IM clients to its service, potentially including Lotus Sametime, by the time it launches commercially sometime in the first half of next year.
Talksters network is built on an open standard XML and web services. Its commercial service also will include a web portal that will enable enterprises to set usage and security policies on users mobile calling, either through Talkster or by linking Talkster to back-end systems.
For examples, enterprises could ensure only some users have access to a corporate global address list, while others have limited access, Wanless said.
Two versions of the service will launch next year: a web-based service and a downloadable client for the handset, which will include additional features that the company is not yet disclosing.
Talkster will compete with a handful of niche players, including Telepo Inc of Sweden and NewStep Networks Inc of Canada.
But Wanless reckons Talksters competitive advantage includes not requiring any hardware. Also unlike Telepo and NewStep, Talksters service is fully open-sourced, he said.
Talkster is currently seeking its first round of venture capital financing for an undisclosed amount. It also has begun initial talks with communications and services integrators to integrate Talkster with their products. The company also is seeking carrier partners, given Talksters service layer can be decoupled from its network layer so that its offering can be send over any VoIP network.
Channel sales will be Talksters main distribution, Wanless said.
He also said that, at some future point, the company would be open to being acquired. Were not looking to get swallowed up early and stifle innovation, he added.