News Briefs - Wed Nov 15, 2006

UAE VoIP Ban Remains
Bad news for VoIPrs in the UAE (United Arab Emirates): the ban on IP telephony will stay. At least, there’s no decision yet to lift the ban, except for the two licensed telecom operators, du and etislalat.

Apple iPhone Coming in 2007
CNBC TV just now announced that a Taiwanese company will be producing 12 million Apple iPhones - that is, a cell phone that doubles as a music player. No financial details were disclosed, but this should put all the wondering to rest. Well, not all. Will this so-called “iPhone” have Wi-Fi capability? Recent patent documents suggest it will. There is also some evidence suggesting an upcoming iCamera - an iPod with a digital camera.

VoIP Semiconductor Market Growing
Frost & Sullivan’s new research shows that the VoIP semiconductor market is enjoying high growth in several segments. The market is expected to grow from nearly US$260M in 2005 to almost $860 in 2009.