VocalTec

VocalTec Communications Inc. was an Israeli telecommunications technology company associated with the early development and commercialization of voice over Internet Protocol. Founded in 1985 by Alon Cohen and Lior Haramaty, the company began by creating audio hardware and speech technologies for personal computers. Its early work included the SpeechBoard sound card and text-to-speech systems in Hebrew and English, including tools intended to make computers more accessible to blind and visually impaired users. During the late 1980s and early 1990s, VocalTec developed a broad range of digital-audio products and applications. These included audio-editing tools, external and internal sound cards, automated telephone information systems, voice messaging over local networks, multimedia presentation tools, broadcasting systems, and specialized communications equipment. The company initially sold hardware, but management eventually shifted its emphasis toward software and network communications. That change produced VocalChat, a product for voice communication between computers over local and wide-area networks. The company later added Internet Protocol support and launched Internet Phone in February 1995. Internet Phone is widely recognized as one of the earliest, and often the first, commercially released VoIP applications for personal computers. Its underlying audio-transceiver technology was designed to manage the practical problems of packet-based voice communication, including jitter, packet loss, packet reordering, latency, and differences in sampling rates between endpoints. VocalTec's early Internet telephony technology helped establish the company as a significant participant in the emerging VoIP sector. It supplied technology to communications providers and worked with companies such as Deltathree. In 1997, Deutsche Telekom acquired a substantial minority stake and also agreed to purchase telecommunications products, services, and support. VocalTec also helped establish ITXC, a wholesale provider of Internet-based international calling whose network used VocalTec technology. The company completed an initial public offering on NASDAQ in February 1996. As the Internet and telecommunications markets expanded, VocalTec moved increasingly toward infrastructure for service providers rather than consumer software alone. In 2005 it completed a business combination with Tdsoft, a VoIP-gateway provider, and refocused on carrier-class multimedia and voice-over-IP systems. Its Essentra product family was presented as a modular foundation for next-generation communications networks, including trunking, peering, and residential and enterprise VoIP services. VocalTec's independent corporate history ended with a reverse takeover by magicJack on July 16, 2010. The VocalTec name is therefore principally remembered for its pioneering role in Internet telephony, its early VoIP patents and products, and its transition from PC audio tools to telecommunications infrastructure.

VocalTec was established in 1985 by Alon Cohen and Lior Haramaty, who had served together in the Israel Defense Forces. The company was formally incorporated in 1989. Its original mission was to create technologies that added speech and audio capabilities to personal computers and computer networks. Among its earliest products was SpeechBoard, a PC sound card sold primarily in Israel. VocalTec developed text-to-speech software for the product in both Hebrew and English. The work had an accessibility dimension: it enabled blind and visually impaired users to operate computers and, in some applications, communicate by telephone. Because Hebrew text-to-speech tools were not readily available at the time, the founders built the speech technology and language resources themselves, including a user-maintained pronunciation dictionary. The company experimented broadly with digital audio during the second half of the 1980s. Its projects included audio-editing software, a parallel-port audio device for laptop computers, digital playback equipment for mobile food vendors, multimedia presentation systems, voice-enabled telephone systems, radio-broadcast recording and transfer tools, automated interactive voice-response systems, and voice messaging over local networks. These projects gave VocalTec experience in both audio processing and practical communications applications. In 1990, technology entrepreneur Elon Ganor joined to lead international sales and marketing. He later became chief executive. VocalTec introduced The CAT, an audio peripheral for personal computers, to international markets in 1993, followed by CATBoard and other audio cards. Sales of those hardware products were modest, and company management concluded that future growth was more likely to come from software and network communications. VocalTec's strategic redirection accelerated in 1993. The company acquired ClassX, a development group led by Ofer Shem-Tov, and used the group as a foundation for software and network development. VocalChat was created to enable computer-to-computer voice communication over local and wide-area networks. Initially based on VocalTec's audio-transceiver work, the system was demonstrated at the Network InterOp trade show in Atlanta in May 1993. Internet Protocol support was added in 1994. In February 1995, VocalTec released Internet Phone. The application transmitted live voice over the public Internet and is commonly regarded as one of the first commercial VoIP applications. Its audio-transceiver design addressed problems that made real-time Internet voice difficult, including variable delay, jitter, packet loss, packet reordering, and mismatched transmitter and receiver sampling rates. The launch attracted substantial attention because it demonstrated that ordinary personal computers could be used for Internet calling. VocalTec went public on NASDAQ in February 1996. The company then pursued partnerships and infrastructure opportunities as Internet telephony moved from experimentation toward commercial deployment. In 1997, Deltathree launched an international low-cost calling service using VocalTec technology. VocalTec also helped establish ITXC, a wholesale Internet voice carrier led by Tom Evslin. ITXC grew into a major VoIP carrier before being acquired by Teleglobe in 2003. Deutsche Telekom became an important strategic customer and investor. In 1997 it acquired a 21.1 percent stake in VocalTec and agreed to purchase additional telephony products, services, and support. This relationship reflected VocalTec's evolution from a maker of PC software into a supplier to established telecommunications operators. In 2005, VocalTec completed a business combination with Tdsoft, a provider of VoIP gateways. The combined strategy emphasized carrier-class multimedia and voice-over-IP systems. VocalTec's Essentra suite was positioned as a set of building blocks for next-generation networks, supporting applications such as trunking, peering, residential VoIP, and enterprise communications. The company was ultimately absorbed through a reverse takeover by magicJack on July 16, 2010. VocalTec's corporate history therefore spans three phases: experimental and accessible PC audio, pioneering consumer Internet telephony, and carrier-oriented VoIP infrastructure. Its enduring historical significance comes from helping turn voice communication over packet networks into a usable commercial product.

• 2010

  Reverse takeover by magicJack

  [1]VocalTecen.wikipedia.org

  magicJack completed a reverse takeover of VocalTec, ending the company's independent corporate history.

• 2005

  Combination with Tdsoft

  [1]VocalTecen.wikipedia.org

  VocalTec combined with VoIP-gateway provider Tdsoft and emphasized carrier-grade network systems.

• 2003

  ITXC acquired by Teleglobe

  [1]VocalTecen.wikipedia.org

  ITXC, the wholesale VoIP carrier associated with VocalTec's technology, was acquired by Teleglobe.

• 1997

  Deutsche Telekom investment and ITXC formation

  [1]VocalTecen.wikipedia.org

  Deutsche Telekom acquired a minority stake, while VocalTec helped establish ITXC as a wholesale Internet voice provider.

• 1996

  NASDAQ initial public offering

  [1]VocalTecen.wikipedia.org

  VocalTec completed its initial public offering on NASDAQ.

• 1995

  Internet Phone launched

  [1]VocalTecen.wikipedia.org

  VocalTec released Internet Phone, an early commercial application for real-time voice communication over the Internet.

• 1993

  VocalChat and international hardware introductions

  [1]VocalTecen.wikipedia.org

  VocalTec introduced The CAT and related audio products internationally and developed VocalChat for network voice communication.

• 1990

  Elon Ganor joins the company

  [1]VocalTecen.wikipedia.org

  Elon Ganor joined to manage international sales and marketing and later became chief executive.

• 1989

  Formal incorporation

  [1]VocalTecen.wikipedia.org

  VocalTec was formally incorporated as a company.

• 1985

  Company founded

  [1]VocalTecen.wikipedia.org

  Alon Cohen and Lior Haramaty founded VocalTec and began developing computer audio and speech technologies.

A pioneer in Internet telephony that evolved from PC audio and accessibility technologies into a supplier of carrier-grade VoIP and next-generation network systems.

• PC audio and accessibility hardware

  SpeechBoard

  SpeechBoard was an early VocalTec sound card designed to give personal computers audio and speech capabilities. It was used in educational, advertising, broadcasting, and accessibility contexts. VocalTec paired it with text-to-speech software in Hebrew and English, helping users with visual impairments interact with computers and telephone systems.

• PC audio peripheral · 1993

  The CAT

  The CAT was an external peripheral that added audio capability to personal computers. VocalTec introduced it to international markets in 1993 as part of its original hardware-oriented product portfolio, before the company shifted its main emphasis toward software and network communications.

• Full-duplex audio card · 1993

  CATBoard

  CATBoard was a full-duplex audio card introduced during VocalTec's early hardware period. Along with other internal audio cards, it provided computer audio functions and supported the company's broader work in compression and digital communications.

• Network voice software · 1993

  VocalChat

  VocalChat enabled voice communication between personal computers over local-area and wide-area networks. The product represented VocalTec's transition from standalone audio hardware to networked software and became the direct predecessor to the company's Internet telephony products.

• Network voice system · 1993

  VocalChat LAN/WAN

  VocalChat LAN/WAN combined software and hardware for real-time voice conversations over local and wide-area computer networks. Internet Protocol support was subsequently added, helping prepare the technology for public Internet voice applications.

• Voice-over-IP software · 1995

  Internet Phone

  Internet Phone was VocalTec's landmark application for real-time voice communication over the Internet. Released in February 1995, it used the company's audio-transceiver technology to cope with packet loss, jitter, reordering, variable latency, and endpoint sampling differences. It is widely identified as one of the first commercial VoIP applications.

• Carrier-grade VoIP and multimedia infrastructure

  Essentra

  Essentra was a suite of systems intended to provide core building blocks for next-generation communications networks. Its target applications included carrier trunking, network peering, residential VoIP, and enterprise voice services, reflecting VocalTec's later focus on service-provider infrastructure.

• 2010

  Reverse takeover by magicJackM&A

  Background

  VocalTec's independent public-company history had reached a later stage in the development of the Internet telephony market.

  Action taken

  magicJack completed a reverse takeover of VocalTec on July 16, 2010.

  Aftermath

  VocalTec ceased to operate as an independent corporate entity.

  Source

• 2005

  Business combination with TdsoftM&A

  Background

  VocalTec sought to strengthen its position in telecommunications infrastructure and service-provider markets.

  Action taken

  The company completed a business combination with VoIP-gateway provider Tdsoft.

  Aftermath

  VocalTec refocused on carrier-class multimedia and VoIP systems, including the Essentra suite.

  Source

• 1995

  Launch of Internet PhoneProduct launch

  Background

  VocalTec's network voice work had progressed from LAN and WAN communications to Internet Protocol support.

  Action taken

  The company released Internet Phone as a software application for live voice communication over the public Internet.

  Aftermath

  The product made VocalTec a prominent early participant in commercial VoIP and helped popularize Internet telephony.

  Source

• 1993

  Shift from audio hardware to network softwareStrategy

  Background

  Early PC audio products generated limited sales, while networked computer communications offered a larger potential market.

  Action taken

  VocalTec redirected development toward VocalChat and software for real-time voice communication over local, wide-area, and later Internet Protocol networks.

  Aftermath

  The change positioned VocalTec as an early VoIP company and led to Internet Phone.

  Source

1. 1VocalTecen.wikipedia.org