VZW explores group calling with Kodiak platform

Verizon Wireless (NYSE:VZ, NYSE:VOD) may have gone with Qualcomm (NASDAQ:QCOM) for its push-to-talk technology, but it’s found other uses for P2T vendor Kodiak Network’s Real-Time Exchange platform. The operator announced today it would launch group and collaborative communications services using Kodiak technology.

Called Group Communication, the service establishes a single number for a designated group of contacts, allowing a customer to call, text or leave a voice message for all of the members of the group simultaneously. The service comes in two flavors. The first, for those on family of small business plans, establishes a single number for all of phones on the same account plus a bonus wireless or wireline number not associated on the account. The service will support up 20 lines and costs $5 a month.

The second service allows individual customers to customize their contact lists. A customer can create up to seven groups — each for $7 a month — which can include up to 20 different wireless, wireline and even international lines. The service allows for an application called Quick Contact, which will disconnect all other numbers dialed once the first line picks up, making it ideal for a contact group containing multiple numbers for the same person.

Kodiak first launched the Group Communications features five years ago and has added features to its RTX P2T platform, but Kodiak officials said the company has been evolving the platform over the years, making it the common architecture for a variety of collaborative communications it offers to carriers.