Encounta drives VoIP in a new direction with brandband IP services

Encounta has commenced field trials of the company's new Encounta Channel, an interactive info-tainment service that takes the pressure off toll-free numbers and IVR queues by storing audio information within a residential VOIP gateway.

Sydney, Australia October 14 2004 – Encounta, a leading developer of new services for global VOIP markets has set a new direction in broadband voice communications with the development of their brandband voip platform.

Encounta's platform enables a user to call from anywhere to anywhere via internet using a normal residential phone. With the added benefits of the Encounta Channel the company plans to use revenues from non-traditional telco sectors to subsidize the consumer.

" It's not overt advertising like sponsored telephony, but we will charge access for companies wishing to get their information to the right market segment over a 1:1 medium, claims a company spokesman. It boils down to a commercial equation, really…how much savings on central infrastructure can I make, what is my customer goodwill worth, am I seeing better information that helps me to make more informed decisions and by association a corresponding increase in sales. If the answer is yes, then there is a dollar number that I am willing to commit to get my customer's willing attention'.

In case you're wondering what effect Encounta's brandband VOIP might have in the rapidly changing VOIP markets, an Encounta director explains. " We don't see a strong long term future in a vertical voice business and we're not particularly excited about bundling broadband access. However, the Encounta Channel leverages the low cost base of a P2P VOIP platform to deliver content-rich information to consumers, a majority of whom are not overjoyed with the present wait-in-line systems of major call centers'.

Despite providing residential internet telephony services the company is already looking ahead to when any company can offer voice as an incremental service to their valued customers. " VoIP delivery via a ‘gutless' telco such as ourselves is only fulfilling a fraction of its true potential if just leveraging technology advances to reduce costs' comments the director. "We're developing a complete system that gets a virtual operator up and running for minimal capital investment.'

About Encounta:
Encounta targets new business opportunities in the convergent communications sector with particular focus on re-defining VoIP service and revenue models over next generation networks.

Encounta may be found at http://www.encounta.com
For other information please contact Encounta at info@encounta.com or telephone the Encounta CEO +61 (0) 409 435 237.
Chris N Lund ENCOUNTA http://www.encounta.com
+61 2 9908 0800