Atlanta-based Cox Business launched the VoiceManager service this month in Rhode Island and Connecticut, making the company the first traditional cable television provider in country to offer the business market a fully-owned and managed IP telephony service, Scott said...

...VoiceManager...offers a voice-over-IP telephone system with an expandable suite of features that integrates desktop telephones, PCs, cell phones and other wireless devices through Cox’s own IP network...

...Cox plans to roll out the service in two more markets before the end of the year and will aggressively expand to additional markets in 2008, and is especially targeting the product at small to medium-sized businesses, he said.

“This is an ideal feature set for small and medium-size businesses,” Scott said. “You tailor it to the needs of your own business. Ninety eight percent of the businesses in Rhode Island are small businesses.”...

...In July, Cox Communications entered the wireless telephone market, partnering with Sprint Nextel to launch its cell phone service.

At the same time, New York-based Verizon began competing earlier this year for Cox’s cable television customers in several Rhode Island communities when it launched FiOS, its fiber-optic TV service.