Rise Of the Minute Stealers

If we have seen the rise of the alternative voice services in 2005 and the first half of 2006, I'm fairly confident that the balance of 2006 and into 2007 will be the rise of the category I affectionately have tabbed, the minute stealers. Geek.com highlights the roll out of iSkoot and Skype, something I hear EQO was hot for.

These short term plays are called minute stealers because they take money away from the traditional telcos, and operate from a position of being different, and are companies like Mint Telecom, EQO, iSkoot as well as others that will rise. They operate almost the same way that the cheap minute calling card operators such as IDT have for years. Some may even try to mask themselves by being a wolf in sheep's clothing as they spin a tale of stealthy misdirection until they are ready to bare their teeth and tell the world what they are really up to.

Once the carriers start to understand how to work with companies that approach them from a carrier friendly position, these minute stealers will be relegated to the end of the check out displays, and not really be prime time plays in the voice services world.