SBC (NYSE:SBC) became the latest RBOC to announce the availability of residential VoIP services.  The service provider expects to go live with VoIP in early 2005, and has already been testing technology with about 1,000 customers in Los Angeles, Dallas, Chicago, and San Antonio.

The VoIP service will rely on DSL to deliver not only voice calling but also additional enhanced features, including a web portal and advanced call- management capabilities that make it easier for customers to manage their communications. Among these features are "find me" and "do not disturb," which enable subscribers to specify which numbers can ring through, in addition to a click-to-call capability allowing customers to call friends and family with the click of a mouse.

This comes on the backdrop of SBC's announcement of Project Lightspeed, an initiative to deliver digital TV, VoIP and super high- speed broadband services to 18 million customers in two to three years (via FTTN with VDSL/ADSL 2+). After the FCC's RBOC-friendly fiber ruling, observers expected these deployments to be accelerated.

Note: SBC also announced during the week that it has chosen the new Microsoft IPTV edition software for Project Lightspeed.  The deal, worth $400 million over 10 years, calls for the deployment of IPTV software in set-tops that will be deployed as part of the Lightspeed buildout.  SBC Labs had been testing the Microsoft platform since June of this year, and trials are expected in mid-2005, with commercial availability expected in late 2005.  Features include IPGs (Interactive Program Guides), customizable channel lineups, VOD, DVR, event notifications, instant channel changing and a security system that includes subscriber digital rights management technology to protect content across devices.