8x8, Inc.

Your Ad Here

8x8, Inc. (NASDAQ: EGHT) offers voice and video internet-based telephony services for business and residential customers. Marketed under the Packet8 brand name, these hosted communications solutions enhance the value and functionality of existing high speed Internet connections by delivering advanced communications features and digital quality phone service at a fraction of the cost of legacy, copper wire alternatives.

Originally introduced in November 2002 for residential subscribers, the Packet8 VoIP phone service incorporates internally developed communications technologies for which the company has received 73 U.S. patents. Soon after the Packet8 residential service was launched, 8x8 introduced the Packet8 videophone service followed by the Packet8 Virtual Office hosted business phone system for small to medium sized businesses, the Packet8 Complete Contact Center call center solution, the Packet8 MobileTalk mobile international calling service and, most recently, Packet8 Virtual Trunking and Hosted Key System business phone services.

The Packet8 Virtual Office solution, 8x8's flagship offering currently in use by over 12,000 U.S. businesses, eliminates the need for traditional business phone systems by delivering all telephony services over managed or unmanaged Internet connections. This affordable, easy-to-use alternative to traditional PBX systems or Centrex class services allows high-speed Internet users anywhere in the world to be part of a virtual PBX that includes automated attendants, conference bridges, extension-to-extension dialing and ring groups, in addition to a rich variety of other business class features normally found on dedicated PBX equipment. Packet8 Virtual Office extensions do not require dedicated communications infrastructure. The service is received through an office's existing Internet connection, thus eliminating the need for additional phone lines or digital subscriber lines for extensions, in contrast to traditional Centrex or PBX products.

Other Packet8 business phone services include the fully integrated Packet8 Complete Contact Center for businesses with call center operations consisting of less than 100 seats, Packet8 Virtual Trunking service for larger enterprises who wish to reap the cost benefits of VoIP phone service while retaining previously acquired on-premise equipment and Packet8 Hosted Key System service for companies whose size or structure dictate the sharing of multiple phone lines.

Introduced in late 2007, the Packet8 MobileTalk service seamlessly connects overseas calls from the mobile phone to the Packet8 digital VoIP network, enabling cell phone users to significantly reduce their international phone bills and maintain high digital voice quality while still enjoying the convenience and flexibility of mobile calling. Users can dial calls directly and natively from their mobile handset, contact list or speed dial directory without the additional keystrokes required by calling card and other reduced rate international calling services. Once the destination number is dialed or selected, the Packet8 MobileTalk software application identifies the international prefix being called and redirects the call to a local Packet8 network access number.

Packet8 residential Internet phone services enable consumers to add digital voice and video communications services to their high-speed Internet connections. Customers can choose a direct-dial phone number from any of the rate centers offered by the service, and then use an 8x8-supplied terminal adapter to connect any telephone to a broadband Internet connection. All Packet8 residential accounts come with voice mail, caller ID, call waiting, call waiting caller ID, call forwarding, hold, line-alternate, 3-way conferencing, web and voice-prompt access to account controls, and online billing. In addition to digital voice solutions, 8x8 offers videophones and video telephony software that connects to a customer's high-speed Internet connection to deliver all of the voice features above, as well as unlimited video calls to any other Packet8 videophone customer in the world.