I'm trying to wrap my head around this one. As I'm writing this, all I've got is a press release from Jajah announcing this partnership with CallWave. What is really being exchanged in this partnership? Let's start with what they say:

The two companies will jointly develop and market Internet telephony applications and services that will make global communications easier for people and businesses to communicate and collaborate. Initially, the services will enable both global outbound and inbound call capability as well as message management from one place - serving as the unified communications solution for the mobile professional.

You know, I hear this term "Unified Communications" all the time. The theory of having all your communication come through one inbox is appealing, no doubt. Until it includes SMS on my mobile phone, which none of the solutions I've seen even attempt to deal with, it's not truly unified. Until it includes Skype-a tool I am using more frequently-it's not unified. Unless it includes a SIP URL that anyone with an open SIP client can reach, it's not truly unified.

What's really be changed here? Jajah has a lot of experience dealing with the International telecom markets, whereas CallWave owns a competitive local exchange carrier (CLEC) in the US. Also, CallWave has some great applications that integrate the various ways people communicate (e.g. Visual Voicemail, Virtual Fax). It will be interesting to see what apps come from this, but I really wish they wouldn't use the term unified communications.