A million numbers for Google Voice

Google has reserved one million phone numbers for its VOIP service, signalling that the search engine giant may finally be ready to roll out its long-anticipated Google Voice service, reports PC World.

The free service lets users unify their phone numbers, allowing them to have a single number through Google Voice that rings a call through to all their phones.

There was speculation that the service would begin on 18 June, this year, but Google has yet to make an announcement.

Broadband satellite manufacturer, Hughes Network Systems, says its European operating entity has completed the roll-out of a satellite-based VOIP system to rural telecommunications services in Spain, says PR Newswire.

Christopher Britton, MD of Hughes Europe, says: "Customers living in rural and remote areas can, for the first time, have access to all the benefits of broadband communications, such as Internet access, data transmission, Fax Group III and access to emergency services.”

The rural network installation by Hughes is the latest project in a 15-year relationship working with the Spanish telecoms giant Telefonica Espana.

Intel's researchers in Oregon have shown how to reduce the amount of bandwidth consumed by VOIP calls using a WiMax network, which is a long-range version of a typical WiFi wireless network, states Venture Beat.

Intel researcher Vijay Kesavan revealed that a WiMax cell site could accommodate 216 callers using the technology, compared to just 160 without it. In effect, it cuts the bandwidth usage of the VOIP calls by 40%.

Intel claims that wireless carriers face problems as revenue from voice calls plummets and costs of delivering data are rising. The WiMax standards group has adopted the technology, and it could be built into the WiMax 802.16m protocol, the company says.