VoIP & Gadget News – XConnect Launches Video Interconnection Exchange (VIE) to Improve Video Calling Adoption

At a recent ITEXPO, XConnect announced the first carrier-based HD Federation which enables scalable, secure all-IP interconnection, using ENUM technology, to enable cross-network, end-to-end HD voice traffic between service providers. This “High-Definition (HD) Voice Peering Federation”, was voice only, but they told me video federation was in the works.

Well, today XConnect announced it has launched a global Video Interconnection Exchange (VIE) – the world’s first neutral federation for exchanging video calls across networks, operators, service providers, B2B exchanges and vendors. It supports H.323, SIP, and XMPP, as well as G.711, H.263, and H.264.

According to XConnect, “With multiple applications, services and platforms, video communications is a thriving but fragmented community. VIE (pronounced “Vee”) will resolve interoperability and interconnection challenges by enabling secure, scalable and multi-protocol interworking between disparate video communities, exchanges, networks and devices.”

The goal of VIE is to make video calling easy using any video device, whether it’s a desktop, laptop, mobile phone or tablet. By connecting video “islands,” VIE will dramatically accelerate worldwide mass-market adoption of video calling and conferencing by service providers, enterprises and consumers. No word whether Skype will join VIE, but I’m sure they’re a prime target for VIE.

VIE launches with five operators, based in the United States and EMEA. Members include telepresence providers, as well as fixed, mobile and Web 2.0 video service providers. Through one connection to VIE, video-enabled operators will gain immediate multilateral interconnection to each other, with full configurability, control and policy.

XConnect’s secure and scalable Interconnect 2.0 services enable next-generation interconnection that supports end-to-end IP sessions. The company uses its advanced ENUM registry technology and provides interworking and transcoding to assure preservation of video sessions. VIE will reduce the cost and operational overhead of interconnecting video services across networks, vendors and platforms.

“Whether users are at home, in the office or on the go with their smartphones or tablets, global demand for video calling is exploding,” said XConnect CEO Eli Katz. “However, today, video services are confined to separate islands, limiting video calling to users within an operator, vendor or platform video community.

“The lack of interconnection between video islands hinders mass adoption of video communications,” Katz added. “XConnect’s VIE is a scalable, secure and policy-based video-interconnection service from a proven, trusted and neutral interconnection partner.”

“Telio is very excited to be a member of XConnect’s Video Interconnection Exchange,” said Telio CTO Alan Duric. “Having already successfully launched video calling, back in 2007, we are now moving to the next level by joining VIE. This will enable us to offer global, cross-network video calling to our customers, by removing the technical burden and challenges of interworking with other video-enabled networks.”

“In our view, a technology-neutral platform for enabling high quality, secure cross-network communications services would go a long way toward encouraging usage of new IP services,” said Andrew Kitson, Senior ICT Research Analyst at Business Monitor International (BMI). “Removing the interconnection constraints of legacy networks will lead to greater and optimised availability and usage of value-added services, such as high-quality cross-network video calling.”

For more info head here: www.xconnect.net/vie.

Tags: enum, federation, sip, skype, video calling, video conferencing, voip, xconnect, xmpp
Related tags: video calling, video interconnection, cross network, service providers, interconnection exchange, video