| View this article at: http://www.electronista.com/articles/08/04/29/aol.intros.open.voice.apis/ |
Tuesday, Apr 29, 2008 12:15pm
AOL announces Open Voice APIs |
On Tuesday, AOL introduced Open Voice Application Programming Interfaces (APIs) that could bring mainstream VoIP a step closer to cell phone use. The APIs would endow third-party developers and VoIP device makers with open standards that would in turn allow them to integrate AOL Instant Messenger's Call Out service into softphones, SIP-enabled hardware and even Wi-Fi enabled cell phones. This would allow cell phone users to make low-cost voice calls via AIM's Call Out service, which would relay them via the Internet instead of the traditional phone network.The AOL Developer Network is responsible for the undertaking, which would drastically reduce costs of long-distance calls thanks to AIM's Call Out service. Call Out can either be used on a pay-as-you-go basis or on a monthly term and allows users to call landlines or cell phones in over 200 countries. Credits for Aim Call Out can be purchased in minimum increments of $5, with per-minute rates to various countries ranging from fractions of a cent per minute to less than 20 cents per minute. |