Voxbone, a leading provider of international VoIP origination services to carriers, ITSPs , calling card operators, call centers and other businesses around the world, today announced that The Thomas Howe Company has become the third member of Voxbone’s Certified Developer Program, which certifies firms that developmashups through Voxbone’s API (called VoxAPI).

VoxAPI is a free SOAP-based Web Service that allows developers to transparently resell Voxbone direct inbound dial numbers ( DIDs) in real time. Using VoxAPI, developers can integrate Voxbone’s coverage into their website or application, manage DIDs, etc.

The purpose of Voxbone’s Certified Developer Program is to certify key companies to answer the need from customers to implement Voxbone’s VoxAPI into their service or application. Certification is given on a case-by-case basis, following several API implementations and positive customer feedback regarding the developer. Thomas Howe joins existing developer program members VDE Projects and Communicatii Libere.

Interest in Voxbone’s API has been soaring. Third-party orders through Voxbone’s VoxAPI rocketed last year, increasing some 500% in December 2007 vs. the same period in 2006.

The Thomas Howe Company’s Mashup Project With Poverty-Action.org

Thomas Howe was invited to join Voxbone’s developer program following several successful mashup projects, including the latest one with Poverty-Action.org. Micro-lending institutions and rural banks located in many of the world’s developing countries are in need of inexpensive, reliable ways to communicate with their highly mobile, mostly rural based staff and customers. The ability to send and receive voice or text messages to provide instantaneous updates on interest rates, credit policy updates, or new customer programs needed to be done inexpensively and in a highly scaleable manner. Using Voxbone’s API, Thomas Howe was able to build an innovative communications application for international use.

According to Patrick Murphy, COO of The Thomas Howe Company, “For voice to become a service, it needs to be easily integrated into applications. Voxbone’s worldwide virtual numbers allowed us to quickly build a powerful communications mashup with global requirements for Povery-Action.org. We are excited about joining Voxbone’s program and look forward to working with other clients using VoxAPI.”

“Thomas Howe has gained a leadership position in designing and implementing mashups,” said Rodrigue Ullens, co-founder of Voxbone. “We are excited to have this organization join our development program. The development program enables us to remain focused on our core business, while providing numerous opportunities for top-notch developers like Thomas Howe to undertake these innovative mashup implementations.”

Voxbone leases international VoIP virtual phone numbers and worldwide origination services via VoIP to organizations in North and South America, Europe and Asia/Pacific regions. It delivers high-quality call origination and provides the global infrastructure that enables its customers to expand to international markets quickly and efficiently. Using DIDs (also called virtual numbers) from Voxbone, customers may receive inexpensive, locally dialed phone calls. Using standard VoIP hardware, customers utilize the Voxbone API or web portal for the configuration of the acquired DIDs and to choose to which IP appliance the calls are diverted.