More Reflection on AOL and Open AIM VoIP

AOL has been behind SIP for over three years or more. They are not jumping on board now. They are simply using what little they have left to SPIN this. Alec pretty much nailed it here as did Ken Camp.

What's really here?...and more importantly, is anyone going to use a platform which is:

1) Pricier?

2) One way calling?

3) May not be there in six months?

Over the past 18 months the entire Voice team at AOL has been cut layer by layer and dismantled. Their mobile group also.

What's more, before that AOL made a big deal about the Vonage/CallVantage Competitor (whatever it was called) then canned that, leavingcustomers hanging. Why? Could it have been Time Warner Cable. Rumor has it they didn't want AOL to have a major voice play and guess what? TWC looks like they have won that battle as the triple play only helped inflate their revenues.

So now at a time when TWC is being spun out someone says "oh, now we can launch voice again because they are no longer our big brother."

Caring about SIP and developers? I don't think so. If there isn't an advertisement in the window, AOL/TimeWarner can care less. It's that simple.

AOL had the opportunity, the platform and the people. Now all they have is a bunch of code, some infrastructure and a team that's hanging on to keep their jobs or have something to put on their resume.

Alec and Bill Volk have both heard the promises,,,,what has been delivered? ????