American packet solutions provider Verso Technologies has completed a trial of Voice over Internet Protocol telephony on a WiMax platform.

Atlanta-based Verso announced Thursday that the trial enabled WiFi-compatible PDAs to access a public telephone network using WiMax to backhaul the signal to Telekom South Africa.

The trial employed Verso's Class 4 and 5 softswitching and gateway technologies and was run with Telekom and South African IT firm Saab Grintek.

"This trial demonstrates Verso's ability to provide carrier grade VoIP solutions and applications and specifically demonstrates that Verso can successfully deliver voice and data over a WiMAX network," said Verso CEO Monty Bannerman.

Bannerman said WiMax was particularly attractive in Africa due to its far-flung populations and lack of the copper-wire infrastructure needed for standard broadband and VoIP service.

Copyright 2005 by United Press International