UPDATED: Verizon, Columbia U. in major packet and presence research project

Internet News gives us the scoop on a VoIP functionality research project between Verizon Laboratories and Columbia University. Verizon Labs is funding the effort to the tune of $120,000.

This collaboration will concentrates on protecting voice packets from being compromised while traveling over converged networks, and boosting presence features that inform callers about the availability of their contacts.

The effort is helmed by Columbia Univ. Department of Computer Science chair Prof. Henning Schulzrinne, a recognized researcher in VoIP technology.

UPDATE: Prof. Schulzrinne is interviewed in depth by IP Telephony pioneer Jeff Pulver in the July issue of Von Magazine. (In the interest of full disclosure, I am Features Editor of Von Magazine- but did not work on this article).

When the research is completed in spring of 2006, Verizon Labs will take ownership of its findings. And guess what VoIP services provider will gain most directly from this research? Well, Verizon VoiceWing, but of course!