BOSTON -- Reinforcing its renewed emphasis on consumer Voice over IP, AT&T today announced softphone capabilities for its CallVantage VoIP service, developed in conjunction with CounterPath Solutions. As part of the new service, customers can also do peer-to-peer videoconferencing.

Softphone capabilities enable customers to use VoIP directly on a PC or laptop without using an analog terminal adapter. The new capability can be added to an existing CallVantage customer or serve as a standalone offering for new customers, said Chris Albano, product marketing director for CallVantage.

“We think this will broaden the market appeal of VoIP by releasing this new way to get CallVantage,” Albano said. “It extends the ability to use CallVantage on your PC to make and receive phone calls to anyone anywhere in the world, plus do peer-to-peer videoconferencing. This is a more convenient way of using VoIP with your PC, especially for someone who is traveling with a laptop.”

The service has been designed to be fully compliant with nomadic E911 requirements and to provide easy built-in access to CallVantage features such as find-me, follow-me and a host of standard calling options such as
Caller ID, Call Waiting, Voice Mail, Call Logs, and Do Not Disturb.

Working with CounterPath, AT&T tried to design an interface that is “very AT&T-centric” and also easy to use, both in initial set-up and ongoing access to features, Albano said.

Donovan Jones, president and COO of CounterPath said he expects broader adoption of the service based on high quality sound and video that the AT&T softphone can deliver.

“When you start moving into sound and video quality from using a fairly powerful work station or laptop, you will see greater adoption,” he said. “We are at the beginning. The more that brands like AT&T get involved in pushing and spending a lot of time on VoIP, the more usage you’ll see.”

AT&T launched CallVantage in 2004, but it has languished as other services, such as Vonage and Skype, vaulted ahead in the consumer market. Albano said the company is once again energizing the effort to sell VoIP to consumers.

The new softphone service can be added to an existing CallVantage account or serve as a standalone offer. Packages include a 300-minute plan for $10.99 a month or an unlimited plan for $19.99 a month. Existing CallVantage users get a $5 discount when they add the service. New customers who sign up now won’t have to pay an activation fee.

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