VoIP Watch

Short Takes on VoIP and Mobile

Rumors have Texas based VoIP provider iCall being bought by Apple.

A new VoIP service that works with mobiles including Nokias, Windows Mobile and Blackberry is out. It's named Spokn.

The Google Phone is sounding more and more real everyday.

AT&T network is fastest.

AT&T Mobile/Wireless - In Spin Control Mode

Let's face it, AT&T made an error two years ago and miscalculated what the iPhone would mean. I don't mean that people inside AT&T didn't know what would happen. They did. Executives inside the mobile division expressed that it would take at least seven billion dollars to double the capacity of their aging mobile network. Now, AT&T has begun the spin control because their network is not keeping up with demand. This has zero to do with technology. It has to do with greed.

When the original AT&T sold it's mobile network to Cingular, those AT&T cities/markets were already well on their way to 3G and in a dead heat vs. Verizon and Sprint for a real next generation network. It was the rest of Cingular that wasn't. Who owned Cingular? Bell South and Southwestern Bell, two RBOCs that were run like old line telcos, with the occasional flash of "we're gearing up for the next ....." type of statements. Both covered large parts of the USA, but other than a few sacred cows, like Houston, Dallas, Miami and Atlanta, for the most part, the territory they covered could care less about the wireless data boom that was coming. Or so they thought. Their mockery of recognizing the digital divide is outrageous. Instead of saying, let's do what's best, and take the short term hit, by building out a real 3G network, with enough capacity to handle growth everywhere, the chose instead to pick pockets of market areas, and even there, they missed.

The revelation about San Francisco is only shocking if you never tried to get anything done in that city. Government moves like molasses. Planning takes years. AT&T could have leveraged the idea of WiFi very quickly in SF, but instead was more concerned about selling old style 1.0 era DSL. Instead if installing fiber as Verizon is doing across their footprint, AT&T developed the next generation of long range DSL, named it uVerse and are trying to fight the cable companies on one front, while doing their best to battle Verizon Wireless on another. How could the AT&T veterans from PacBell not know how long it would take to wade through all the red tape to get better locations for bigger and faster cell sites? How could the AT&T engineers not realize that backhaul was going to be an issue, when companies like Firetide have been screaming that story at them and the rest of the tech world for a few years now. How can they as a company, who buys from Cisco and other giants in the technology plumbing business, not understand that they were going to have a capacity issue? They did and they went into self denial mode.

These spin control statements at investor conferences are designed to shore up the confidence of the investors, and the analysts. But when you read between the lines you can clearly see that they royally screwed up. Misjudged the market by a country mile and are now asking their customers to pay for their mistakes.

What I don't understand is this though. Why can other nation's operators who are all offered the same equipment, software, hardware, infrastructure components, and so forth, all build a working network without the hassles and AT&T can't in the same number of years? To me, the answer is simple. As AT&T has rolled itself back into what it was before, one giant phone company, the vision of break up, divestiture and the future was erased. Instead of rabid competition, we have a limited choice of options. It's time for the FCC to step in and become the playing field leveler. Take some things away from AT&T, create a hotbed of competition, and open up the airwaves. Start by trimming their lobbying efforts. Then, hold them accountable for their intentional misdeeds. Lastly, give more power to those rising, by fostering a climate of change.

By the way. The same decision makers calling the big shots for wireless, are those same folks who stopped bringing you CallVantage.....maybe not in name, but in culture, inside the company upbringing and philosophy.

Being Quoted More and More

As many of you know, I end up being quoted quite a bit about VOIP, leading the life of a tech savvy road warrior and even sometimes about business travel in general. What you may not know is that I also get cited regularly on business and marketing related matters, and usually they are about others. Well in reflecting back it's great to see all this third party advocacy work for others hasn't gone unnoticed. A quick ego-search of Amazon for my name via their own Firefox add-on search engine shows I've been quoted or my work recognized in a few books, most of which are on the art of management and some new form of business or marketing communications:

The Power of Slow

Strategies and Tools for Corporate Blogging

Word of Mouth Advertising Online and Off

The New Influencers

These four examples are a nice medley of my life. A life that has taken many twists and turns along the way. I've gone from junior high school student to sports team executive (1974-1988) literally overnight (okay so my first job was in the mail room stuffing envelopes with tickets and press releases) then to a role as a Marketing Director and Corporate Account Executive (1988), to Integrated Marketing Agency(1989-91) Account Manager, before jumping to the dark side of corporate branded sports marketing (1991-92) and then starting my own agency (1992-present.) In that time I've also run both a charity driven sports team and their related events, staged events, served on boards of directors, ran sport leagues (amateur), been named the registrar for a region of a national sports governing body at the tender age of 20 (still an unduplicated feat nearly 30 years later) served on local governmental commissions, run national sports development camps, organized statewide athletic competitions, and oh yes, I even flashmobbed/hijacked a property for my wedding in 2007 (ahh... the things we do for love.)

So it's time to say thanks to those who made this possible in some sort of chronological order:

My parents, who brought me into this world, and left too soon.

Mrs. Friedman (my 9th grade journalism teacher and faculty sponsor of the Wilson Jr. High School newspaper) who provided me my first opportunity to publicly express my passions and gave me the opportunity to think beyond the walls of a school

Ed Tepper, John Perri, Dave Natale and Joey Primavera-all of whom helped give me my first real job in sports at the age of 14

Marcia Rossi who drove me home at the age of 14 so I could have that first job in sports (and of course my first "older woman" crush)

Sy Roseman (now deceased) who promoted me from the mail room to the PR department of the Philadelphia Wings and took over as my ride home, and then as my mentor in journalism and PR

Carm Collins, Larry Lloyd, John Grant, Jimmy Wasson, Bobby Allen, Jack Bionda, Ted Peters, John Linehan, Ron Ryan, Jimmy Hinkson and all of the Philadelphia Wings of 1974-75 who made up what we called our own "Boys of Summer."

Rob Tannenbaum, Don McKee and Bill Fleishman for being the first three reporters to ever ask me questions, and to use my answers as background. It was you three who let me learn how to get quoted the right way.

Aaron Siegel, Ken Gesner (now deceased) and Jim Shute for having the idea to promote youth hockey which led to my being hired to work for the Philadelphia Flyers-Hockey Central

To all the people who touched my life in the 13 years with the Flyers and Hockey Central including Mary Shute, Joan Schofield, Leon Friedrich and the rest from the Flyers and Spectrum/Spectacor organizations. There are too many to mention, but the late Pat Shuck, Ernie Thompson, Steve Flynn, Terry McKinney, Linda Sorens, Lindy Snider, Craig Snider, Tina Snider, Ed Snider, Pat Croce, Ivan Schlictman, Ed Rubenstein, Robert Butera, Delores McDermott, Ileen Forcine, Bobby Clarke, Mike Keenan, the late Fred Shero, Joe and Jimmy Watson, Paul Holmgren, E.J. Maguire, Ted Sator, the late Peter Zezel, Steve Coates, and all the fantastic players, trainers and colleagues who made up such a great organization and always will. It was Keenan who drilled me in the art of perfect practice makes perfect, and in so many other ways. And it was Croce who was the living example of "no pain, no gain."

Ron DeGregorio, who shared his concept of the Mini One on One and let me create something like it in Philadelphia, called the Pepsi Shootout. It was my first sponsorship and one that you helped make possible.

Scott "The Shot" Chamness (sadly deceased at too young an age) for your being the best "student" I ever had. You gave great quote and were deserving of every accolade you ever received.

Mike Richter like Scott you were an amazing student of getting quoted and working with the media as a high school athlete. Your poise on and off the ice was never duplicated. I only regret was that your dad, like mine, never got to see how nicely you grew up.

Don Anderson, Jack Hunt, Andy Richards and Jim Cunningham, four dedicated hockey volunteers who trusted me to deliver the Flyers Cup to them and for their leagues despite all their skeptical perspectives and doubts. I guess now almost 30 years later you know I was right. And to Ed Golden who first suggested the idea from your cave of an office in the soon to be departed Spectrum.

The Late Walter Yaciuk, who as Chief Coach of USA Hockey always looked for what made people tick, and taught me about the importance of transparency because he was always looking beneath what the surface for the obvious

Former Philadelphia Flyers President Jay Snider who had the confidence and vision to assign me special projects, and of course his then executive assistant, Eleanore Seeds who often times made sure Jay knew just what I was really up to.

Donn Patton, who rescued me from a life of only PR and got me involved in business management and operations while with the Flyers

John A. Gardner, Andi Poch, Armando Fitz and Carol Healy, who in 1987 heard a crazy idea to have a bunch of celebrities take the ice to play hockey against a bunch of retired heroes of hockey, and for helping me sell out the Spectrum in 1988. In those few years together Andi and John both taught me more about selling than I ever could have learned in any sales driven culture

Doug Scharfberg, Joe Mederos who were the first ad executive and copywriter I ever had the good fortune to learn from and work with.

Pete Silverman, Pete Huver, Mike Finnochiero and Mike Rubin, all TV veterans who taught me more about sponsored broadcast properties, TV production, broadcasting and even what not to do in front of the camera

Andy Beck and his late father, Sidney Shlenker, along with Walter Richards for all teaching me more in a year about the business of entertainment than one would could learn in a lifetime.

Tony Loiacono, his wife Lori and their four great children who have been family to me since 1987 and always will be. We became more than friends at the word, "hello."

All the actors, hockey legends and Olympic greats who from 1987 to 1998 played and starred on the Celebrity All Star Hockey Team. Every game was a startup and we raised over $6 million for charity. Not a bad record for a team without a coach (unless you count "Frazier" as that)

Jim Shea, James Marra, Dr. Michael Jackson all professors and friends at Temple University for helping a 29 year old "drop in" return to school by making sure I finished my degree. Yes. I am still making up those cuts for Dr. Marra.

Jackie Lapin (and all her team at now shuttered Lapin East/West) who for me were the best agency I ever employed and how as a team we did amazing things over and over again. If I ever was to have a big sister, I'd want her to be you.

Jim Curl for being about the best event producer/creator I ever worked with and for being one of the best people I could ever drink wine with.

Doug Kaplan-for the introductions to some winemakers who have become real friends and for that dinner in 1990 at your parents house that led to meeting Jim Clendenen, which in turn led to Doug Margerum and Bob Lindquist becoming friends, whose bottles and wine now mark my 2007 wedding in a way that is very special.

Marshall Gobuty for believing me that some PR people really can do a good job for him (over and over again)

Ken Rutkowski, for taking me from pitch person to broadcast journalist and now 11 years later still being there with me.

Bob Cox-My first ever technology client

Sylvain Fadat, winemaker, wedding planner and all around extended family member. How can I every say thanks and merci enough times for letting then my wife to be and I take over your winery, vineyard, house and life for one more magical day in my life.

Rick Caras who has been like the big brother I've never had...and who has given me business wisdom that I always apply

David Abella, master chef, friend and in many ways, a living example of perfect practice makes perfect.

Ray McKewon who gave me the opportunity to make his company the IPO of the year in 2003 and for teaching me more about the concept of tuition in life.

Martin Geddes for the lead into Nokia in 2004 and to all the great folks there who trusted me to develop, guide and direct the Nokia Blogger Relations program

Om Malik, who still to this day epitomizes what a real blogging journalist should be.

To the staff of the hotel of my "wedding" hijack. Thanks for everything, and don't change any of your work habits. They're just truly perfect.

To all my former clients, current clients and past and present team (you all know who you are including those one who were never disclosed) for the time, insight and opportunity to serve and service, with some of the brightest minds around, and all of whom share the desire to be more today than they were yesterday.

And lastly, to my Wife, Helene, who gives me all the reason to want to be who I am and to continue to strive for all that I will be.

You see, lessons learned along the way, make it all possible for me to say, what I can today!

Never forget your friends, mentors and teachers. They are all what makes you who you are and why you can be so easily and regularly quoted.

The Google Phone

Let's try to clear up the rumor that a Google Phone that reportedly is coming out in January. That is if you can believe any blog that tells you its a rumor.

First of, one has to expect that the phone would not be for the traditional mobile network. Honestly if I was Google I'd build the phone for the only operating 4G network in the USA, Clearwire because from the start Clearwire (ex Xoom) executives has been saying the want a different experience in VoIP and that experience wasn't Skype.

Second Google is an investor in the Clearwire venture, which makes me think the phone won't be made by HTC, but instead will be built by partner, Motorola. But Google has more than money to put into Clearwire, something that was made clear after Google didn't put hard cash into the recent Clearwire fund raising.

The reason I think that Google would be playing first with Clearwire over the usual 3G networks has to do more with not competing with the iPhone or it's own "Android" phones with the carriers. While the Google Phone would likely carry lots of Android like qualities, when you link up Android and Chrome as Sergey Brin alluded to, you can see another reason why the Clearwire 4G network makes more sense.

One other piece of the puzzle is the combined capabilities of GoogleTalk/GoogleVoice/Gizmo5 capabilities. As you keep looking at the pieces Google has been assembling, they all have open at their core, using XMPP and SIP based protocols.

One last thing, just as Apple was all about the software/hardware experience with the iPhone due to their approach called "Radical Integration" Google's experience is all about the Network and the cloud. To operate effectively, the "cloud" needs a speedy network, one that is not bogged down by legacy voice traffic and legacy voice thinking. Of the four USA networks, the only carrier that thinks network first, in Sprint, and Sprint, like Motorola, Comcast and Google, is also a backer of Clearwire.

To me the picture of the Google Phone is really Clear.

Say Hello To The Skype Pipe

Skype for SIP is now live and in my view Skype just created a massive pipe into the corporate market.

While some may immediately want to draw unfair comparisons to SIP Trunking, I'd dubbed this the "Skype Pipe" as in all reality now Skype has the pipe into the business phone market that have for years been off limits to them.

While the pricing per channel may seem on the surface high, in the end it's going to pencil out to be on par, as more Skype for SIP gets deployed.

Other viewpoints out there include Tom Keating and ZDNet.

Whose MiFi is It?

Novatel Wireless pioneered the concept of the MiFi, introducing it for the first time at CES in January, 2009.

Huawei, the Chinese telecom giant, a year earlier had introduced a similar product idea, but it was Novatel who pushed the idea of MiFi to the limits, and pretty much built the market for PocketSpots as I like to call them.

On my last trip to London, I couldn't help but wonder who owns the trademark, as I saw the advertisements for Three's own Pocketspots, called MiFi's which are made not by Novatel, but by Huawei.

I went so far as to read the store poster in the window of the Three shop near Regent Street and saw that Three was claiming trademark for the term MiFi in the UK which Novatel Wireless has in the USA, but may not have in the UK.

FWIW, the current MiFi deal from Three is not a bad deal at all, if you are a resident or frequent visitor to the UK. Packaged up with Pay as you go data, without a dongle. That means your laptop, iPhone, Nokia E or N series device or even an Android with WiFi is ready to connect. In my case, an iPod touch and a MiFi is a great way to stay connected and make calls via client Truphone or Skype.

Here in the USA a MiFi and AT&T's new plan is also one to take a good look at if you need lightweight data access wherever you may be. While the pricing isn't as good as we see in the UK, the concept is worthwhile for the occasional user.

Sponsored WiFi Access, Sending Party Pays and The Future Of Media

We continue to see more of what I am calling the sponsored model of public WiFi. After all the municipal models failed, with city and county governments in many places buying into a very flawed model that was heavily overplayed by Earthlink and a group of advisors to cities, plus an over dependence on a previously failed approach to technology, mesh networking. Metricom had failed with that, with a service called Ricochet in the late 90's and early 2000s.

For some time I have felt that the whole concept of "MuniWireless" is wrong, and that what we really have the need for is a concept I have shared with Ms. MuniWireless, Esme Vos, some time ago. That concept is "Public Wireless" and is based upon the concept of WiFi being available, regardless of who pays for the access pipe and connectivity.

We saw Google work with Boingo, JiWire and other members of the WiFi ecosystem join hands and provide "sponsored" WiFi at airports. We have seen the subsidized model at airports, where some of the passenger facility charges are used to underwrite the services availability, and in the sky via GoGo and Google, while others have experimented (and failed) with ad supported access. Recently, CableVision launched free WiFi in MacArthur Airport in Long Island.

This is one more example of the "sponsored" model, but goes a step further, as Cablevision, being the local cable company in the market gets to leverage and take a major lead in mind share over the the local incumbent telco, Verizon, which for many years has opposed the concept of both WiFi, largely due to Verizon Wireless protectionist like thinking that killed good ideas such as turning New York City phone booths into WiFi hot spots and their own territorial mindset in prior eras. Now, Verizon and Verizon Wireless, recognizing that 3G and 4G just won't be here, there and everywhere are beginning to see the light and are very gingerly embracing WiFi, starting first with providing their high speed landline customers with roaming access via Boingo, which is one more example of "sponsored" access.

All this points to the model of "sponsored" or third party paid access, whereby the consumer or business user is granted access by a third party who pays the bill for access. This is the first step towards what pal Martin Geddes once elaborated to me over a dinner in London early in 2008, where he clearly explained the model of "sending party pays" to me. By that, the access is provided to or paid for by the receiver, but the data being sent to them is much like a letter, where the party "sending the letter" pays for the postage. This means all the content sites will eventually either need to be advertiser supported (which is why Google bought AdMob) or charge enough for the content to be delivered using the HBO premium content model where the receiver pays "extra" over their basic service costs.

By being the "sponsor" companies like Google, Cablevision and others use the perceived concept of "free" WiFi as their way to build market share, mind share and dress it all up at being "good for you." It speaks to reputation, but what it really is all about is the subtle takeaway from the territory the incumbent landline telcos have owned, and through their own protectionist moves over time, gave away to the cable operators what they could have easily owned and operated. What they gave away was the access to the wired grid that now connects to the WiFi world in both private and public places. This philosophy was largely spawned by their high income producing mobile subsidiaries, or sister companies, which argued against WiFi as they needed to protect their investment in 3G spectrum, a commodity that is now running out (just ask any iPhone user in New York or San Francisco) who can't do on their iPhone what someone can do in Naples, Florida, where the bandwidth is less precious. Instead, the telcos stood by in idle as the cable operators used their in ground fiber to pretty much win the connection to the home business, and are now racing to not lose the small business segment to the same sprawling giants, as just about every major market MSO (multiple system operator) in cable has begun to target the @Work market, selling data, voice and of course cable TV to them. Already in Las Vegas Cox Communications has won the bulk of the casino hotel business, and Covad is winning the business market with their WiMax like solution. Cheetah Wireless (whom I am a small shareholder in) is gaining customers at the street level using a paid model, leaving Emabrq wondering what's left, as former parent Sprint and Clearwire goes in to the market heavily with 4G Mobile WiMax coverage.

My prediction is that "Public Wireless" really takes hold, not from the telcos, or even the cable companies, but from the likes of Google, who understand how to monetize "free" better than anyone, and who also have the delivery billing system in place to bill back to a "sender" the same way they can bill back a click to an advertiser. Google, will then work with their "partners" in Clearwire, not to promote 4G WiMax as the pipe, but to use real WiMax in consort with companies like Comcast, Covad and TowerStream to deliver super fast Gigabit wireless to a series of access points around the country, where it then is distributed using WiFi. This is more than a likely scenario as Google has been a pioneer in Public Sponsored WiFi access for sometime, with their Mountain View WiFi network which has been up and running for a few years, surviving the failed Earthlink, MetroFi and other third party operator networks.

By blending the "sponsored" public access model as Google has done with "sending party pays" the end user sees little or no cost. Basic services will be Web surfing, browser based content such as Flash video, email, IM and VoIP calling such as Skype to Skype, SIP ala GoogleVoice + Gizmo, personal or business SIP based video ala Skype, SightSpeed/VID, as long as they remain on net. Once a "session" goes off net, someone will have to pay the network operator-either the sender or the receiver, or both. Premium services will be iTunes downloads (and streaming), Rhapsody, Pandora and yes, YouTube, but that will be via a revenue sharing model, as by now, Google can identify easily, just what each download/stream of a YouTube video costs to host, manage and deliver. That is why Comcast today, is so anxious to buy NBC/Universal. For the content. They know the future is not so much in only the delivery of the content, but in the ownership of it, for delivery, as it gives them licensed leverage, as the delivery pipe becomes more and more commoditized.

This then goes back to sponsored access, something NBC/Universal is already doing with Hulu. NBC/Universal, like PBS, knows how to sell "sponsored" programming. Sponsored is far broader in nature than "advertiser supported" as the model usually involves more than just running an ad spot or a commercial, as it touches on more than just an "impression" but is all about being a significant part of the carrier network's universe beyond the spot, and being more intimate with the audience. Once again, Google's insight about people, learned by where they surf and what they look for (Google.com), where they go geographically via Latitude, who they call via GoogleVoice, what kind of content they watch via YouTube. Now, add all that up, and Google will be the first of all the major media companies to be able to deliver a very geo-targeted, content relevant, personalized offer that is sponsored. Marry Comcast and Google together, toss in a variety of access options (WiFi, WiMax, Mobile WiMax, Broadband) and tie together the models of sending party pays, sponsored content, sponsored access, and low cost subscriptions to access, with high speeds, and you have the future of how media is both delivered and consumed.

I say this because it is exactly how the media that is being eliminated first and second by the Internet was built also, and since we know history always repeats, all one needs to do is look at print media, magazines and newspapers, the first media to be basically put to rest by the online world. There advertisers plus subscription or pay as you go models underwrote your readership. Readers paid a subscription fee (which was supposed to cover postage or delivery) and the advertisers or a sponsor underwrote the publishing costs. The second media which is seeing erosion, is radio, which is losing audience to streamed content and personalized portable content that is streamed or downloaded. Radio required the purchase of a receiver but the delivery was ad supported, so in essence we had "sending party pays" with the receiver paying for access to both print and broadcast. The same applied to over the air television, and even to cable - pay for basic, get local TV stations. Pay for more, get the cable channels. Pay even more get the premium content. Pay even more, get the on demand content. Pay even more, have a PVR (personal video recorder) and so forth. That all leads to what Cablevision is doing, and why their move is so smart.

Cablevision is insuring connection to their customers, and only their customers first, in the metro New York area. Basically, if you're a Cablevision subscriber you can get your content anywhere their footprint is. Compare that to AT&T's uVerse which only goes to your house (and eventually to their WiFi hotspots) but not everywhere they have local loop. I fully expect that to change one day, but AT&T is so far behind and their Mobile group at odds with their WiFI group and wholesale teams that the battles there are much like what Verizon and Verizon Wireless waged earlier in the decade.

Toss in gap fillers like FON and Meraki, both of which are shared access for "community members" and all of a sudden you have access for everyone, everywhere, without the need for muniwireless. Esme Vos once shared a simple idea to make the city of San Francisco wireless. Her idea was simple. Make it a tax base item. Have the cafes, restaurants and beauty shops all offer WiFi-on one city wide network, and pretty much you would have coverage once you add in schools, libraries and business towers and office parks. The cable and telcos would sell the access, and for the most part, we would have a democratized network, where bandwidth on demand solutions would insure a steady high quality connection. Now, layer in the sponsored, paid or subscription access model and you have everyone making money, something that is far different from the failed concept of what was called Municipal Wireless which Earthlink undertook.

So, at the end of the day, when I look at the sponsored access model, I see history repeating itself once again. Only this time, the players aren't the incumbents in either telecom or media. This time its a whole new group of players.

Localphone Looks Like Gizmo and Others to Me

A company out of the UK, called LocalPhone.com has put together a cheap calling service, plus some very nifty features, largely around SMS and call forwarding, plus of course inexpensive VoIP minutes.

In reading their blog, they are offering inexpensive VoIP minutes, local numbers in many countries, with the claim of "Call Global, Pay Local."

One of the pieces of their service is a dedicated pairing service of numbers you want to call, where you assign a local number in your home country. This used to exist with a now defunct Orange County, CA company called Mint Telecom, which enabled over the border calling at really low prices. This is the kind of service that appeals to the mobile expat crowd as it enables them to make local calls to reach friends and family Internationally.

But there's another great use for this today, and it ties in to why I say, this looks like Gizmo to me.

Prior to the acquisition by Google of Gizmo, I purchased a bunch of local, in country numbers from both Gizmo and a very reliable ITSP, CallCentric.com. Using a combination of SIP DIDs from both, and my second Gizmo account, I forwarded Gizmo to Google Voice. This meant I can make a call to a local number in each of the countries I am visiting, and be connected for the price of a local call, to my GV voice mail box and return calls very easily, and inexpensively. On the other side if I wanted to, I have had my primary Gizmo number as one of my GV destinations, allowing calls to be received on the laptop softphone client or forwarded to any number. What I do however on the outbound is forward to Truphone, which handles the international calling and changes which phone number I'm using as I currently change SIMs from country to country.

Another reason they remind me of Gizmo, is they are offering a softphone of their very own. But that's where the comparison's stop as they are offering a "calling card" program as well, which provides a local number to call, and which you can then dial out to other number from.

There are lots of good features to LocalPhone.com, and if they can control fraud, they may have a nice play in the cheaper minutes game that still remains an active part of VoIP, especially via the wholesale side of the equation.

Video Conferencing On The Go

An Irish company has unveiled a very interesting multiparty video conferencing solution.

Dubbed Eplixo, the demo video clearly shows that as processors in mobile devices become more powerful, that the Dick Tracy era of the video communicator is quickly coming upon us.

IVR-Far From Dead

A few weeks ago, Voxeo announced the raising of $9 million dollars. This is a company that doesn't need money, as they are rapidly becoming the go to company in the Voice XML space and a few others.

Shortly after, Voice consultant Larry Lisser who has successfully maneuvered Mobivox to their recent sale to SABSE/Bolo, posted his thoughts on the subject of IVR highlighting its promise and future. That post was quickly followed up by a story in NoJitter promulgating the death of IVR.

Pick a side, but read both. Then decide.