Iristel first Canadian CLEC to offer global toll-free iNum phone numbers that follow you or your business anywhere in the world

TORONTO, Nov. 8, 2012 /CNW/ - Iristel today announced it has joined the growing community of communications service providers offering customers global phone numbers through the Voxbone iNum^® network.

For business, cash-strapped charities, or individuals, one global phone number is easier to promote and easier for anyone anywhere to reach you at no cost to them. In effect, iNums increase reach dramatically because a phone number turns into a local call for all of the world's 7 billion people. iNums use the international number range of +883 (5100), which the International Telecommunication Union assigned to Brussels-based Voxbone.

iNum stands for "international Number", a new kind of global phone number for a new kind of world that's not about distance or national borders. Traditional phone numbers are tied to a particular country or city so when you move you often need to get a new number. Not so with iNum numbers.

"We are delighted to continue our pioneering efforts to provide service, whether in remote or urban areas, that link next generation cloud computing to traditional telecom infrastructures," said Samer Bishay, President of Iristel, a CLEC (Competitive Local Exchange Carrier) since 2000.

Iristel's partner company in Canada's North, Ice Wireless, will also offer iNum numbers to its customers.

With Voxbone's iNums, Iristel is able to route other Canadian phone carriers' international calls cost-efficiently and also allow small and medium-size businesses and charitable organizations to create a local presence in new locations with a single, portable number reachable from anywhere in the world.

Iristel will also support the new +888 United Nations country code instituted by the ITU last year that provides free telecommunications to humanitarian relief personnel anywhere in the world.

"We know Canadians volunteer in disaster relief efforts around the world," Bishay said, "and now loved ones here in Canada can stay in touch with family and friends who are offering aid and comfort in often dangerous areas for no charge."

With iNums, Iristel becomes the latest service provider to offer its customers the opportunity to save considerably on the cost of international voice calls and text messages while the service provider gains the opportunity to support high-definition voice and video telephony.

Hugh Goldstein, Vice President of Business Development for Voxbone, said:  "We're very pleased to have Iristel in our iNum community. We look forward to working closely with Iristel to enable free IP communications services via iNum - the area code for the earth. "

About Iristel
Established in 1999, Iristel Inc. ("Iristel") was granted a carrier license by the Canadian Radio-Television and Telecommunications Commission (CRTC) in 2000 and is one of Canada's largest VoIP service providers with a coast-to-coast network. Iristel offers a complete portfolio of IP services in Canada, including hosted IP PBX, virtual faxing, virtual roaming, and global IP trunking products and services. For more information please visit www.iristel.ca

About Voxbone
Voxbone is the market leader in providing worldwide geographical, toll-free and geographically independent telephone numbers, enabling Internet communications services providers, global carriers, national operators and enterprises to extend the reach of their voice services internationally, rapidly and with minimal costs. Voxbone launched the iNum community in 2008 to provide a new kind of global phone number for a new kind of world not bound by geography. Using the international number range of +883 5100, iNums enable users, including members of VoIP communities, conferencing providers, small and medium-size businesses, and charitable organizations, to establish a local presence in new locations with a single, portable number reachable from throughout the world. For more information, visit www.voxbone.com or www.inum.net, or connect with Voxbone on LinkedIn or Twitter.

SOURCE: Iristel Inc.

Bob Brehl
Media Relations
[email protected]
T: 416-800-0010