Refreshing New Voice

To recap, at issue was Minnesota's move to try to inflict local regulation on VoIP services offered by Vonage, which in turn asked the FCC to classify those VoIP services as interstate (and, thus, not subject to local regulation). The FCC ruled in Vonage's favor on Nov. 9, scattering the black clouds that have loomed on the horizon for carriers and services companies pioneering the VoIP movement. Although there is still legislation looming, the FCC's decision implies a bright outlook for the converged communications world in 2005, which must be a relief for intrepid solution providers that have spent years evangelizing VoIP.

HEATHER CLANCY

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Can be reached via e-mail at [email protected].

There is a truly revolutionary channel program emerging on the carrier side from Level 3 Communications that could provide an even bigger boost for VoIP loyalists in the channel. Level 3's program is unlike any on which I've been briefed. Simply put, it allows VARs that have invested in certifying for and evangelizing VoIP hardware solutions to resell the communications bandwidth to go with it—even allowing them to private-label it. What's more, unlike the RBOCs, Level 3 shuns the practice of selling its own handsets and edge routers. Instead, it has certified that equipment from the likes of Cisco Systems, Avaya and NEC will be good citizens on its network and leaves that part of the equation to its partners. One might expect that alliances with these and other equipment makers are in the offing. And for solution providers that don't have the infrastructure to handle recurring billing or implementations spanning multiple states, Level 3 is studying other relationships that might make things easier.

The trio of Level 3 executives who visited me earlier this month boast experience not only with hardware reseller programs, but also on the solution provider side. Since launching its program roughly 10 months ago, Level 3 has hand-picked about 100 partners. Based on what I've heard, I wouldn't be surprised to see that number double by this time next year.

If VoIP is in your 2005 strategy, Level 3 is worth talking to.

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Talk to me about VoIP. HEATHER CLANCY, Editor at CRN, welcomes your comments and letters at [email protected].