Verizon Spies Daylight Via Voice Over Internet

One more Bell is getting set to ring in the Internet calling age.

Wall Street sources say Verizon (VZ Quote) has been sharing some of its plans to unveil a voice over Internet protocol, or VoIP, calling strategy between now and April. The New York phone giant will join the other Bells -- Qwest (Q Quote), BellSouth (BLS Quote) and SBC (SBC Quote) -- in offering phone service via the Net.

Verizon wouldn't disclose any details of the plan, but a company representative said the April time frame is consistent with comments President Larry Babbio made last month at an investment conference.

Verizon's latest venture, and the assorted plans of its Bell peers, comes in response to cheaper calling plans being rolled out by cable companies and so-called voice-over-Net upstarts. Big companies are paying increasing attention to this issue, as highlighted by Monday's linkup of Time Warner's (TWX Quote) cable unit with Sprint (FON Quote) and MCI in a VoIP venture. ...