Cablevision Grows VoIP Biz

Cablevision, one of the USA's leading cable companies reports they are adding about 3200 new VoIP customers per week and now have over 70,000 customers on the network.

While alot of the attention is towards upstarts like VONAGE, with over 100,000 customers, one has to realize that the cable operators continue to pose the biggest threat to the telcos in the near term.

First they already have the network in place to handle voice traffic that reaches the home. Second, they have the billing process in place. Lastly, they have the ability to market at almost no cost. Each system can stuff the cable bill and run spots on their network for free. Without the major marketing expense involved in launching the service, and an already established network of storefronts where customers can go in and learn more, most communities provide them some place to work from, or they rent a storefront where they have franchises provide them all the benefits of the telcos when it comes to customer interaction, with much less cost. Their people are for the most part, not members of the CWA, the union representing the telcos crews.