Photos: Vonage's V-Phone

Aiming for big and medium-size businesses, Vonage unveils the V-Phone, a device designed to turn a PC into an Internet phone.

By Bill Detwiler, Contributor July 19, 2006 at 4:46 a.m. PT

1 of 4 Bill Detwiler/ZDNET

press event

Vonage, the Internet phone company that stumbled out of the gates in its initial public offering last month, hosted a press event at the top of Rockefeller Center in New York City to kick off its new "phone on a stick" VoIP product, the V-Phone.

2 of 4 Bill Detwiler/ZDNET

V-Phone

The Vonage V-Phone, seen here plugged into the right side of this laptop, is equipped with a USB 256MB flash drive and carries Vonage software. When it's plugged into a laptop or PC, it turns the computer into a phone. The call history and phone book are stored right on the device.

The V-Phone comes with a 2.5mm stereo earpiece microphone, which is also compatible with many cell phone headsets. It costs $40 and will be sold in more than 11,000 retail locations, Vonage said. Customers must also pay a $9 activation fee, plus the cost of one of Vonage's monthly service packages. Residential customers can pay $14.99 for 500 minutes or $24.99 for unlimited U.S. calling. And business customers can pay $35 per month for unlimited calls.

3 of 4 Bill Detwiler/ZDNET

CEO Mike Snyder

Vonage CEO Mike Snyder was on hand at the launch of the V-phone, a USB flash drive loaded with IP calling software. Snyder, who presided over the company's recent IPO, said the new product, designed for use by medium-to-large businesses, helps Vonage fill out its product portfolio.

4 of 4 Bill Detwiler/ZDNET

Citron

Vonage chairman, founder and former CEO Jeffrey Citron unveiled the V-Phone during the New York City press event Wednesday.

Citron said that the V-phone will be marketed as a business phone replacement. He also said the V-phone will allow large companies to bring cost-effective mobility and IP voice capability to their work force.

Show Comments