VoIPWatch

Lifeblog post

Sun 20.11.2005 01:26 Image064

Lifeblog post

Sun 20.11.2005 02:27 Image072

Taiwan Formalizes IP Based Phone Numbers

The 070 exchange in Taiwan will be used for IP based calling and receiving of calls.

VoIP Provider Cost Comparisons

While not 100 percent perfect, this ranking system and database from MyVoIPProvider.com, is a huge eye opener when it comes to seeing what's out there in the way of competition.

While also not complete, they list 516 suppliers, the listings and ranking based only on cost, but it is a starting point. I'm not in the cost savings sector when it comes to VoIP, as research by Level3 and Yankee Group is starting to show. I'm more a believer in features and applications, use of open standards and empowerment to the end user, not only enabling the service provider to be in sole control of a users telecom options.

In looking this list over it's a boon to owners of PhoneGnome and also to users of soft clients like EyeBeam from CounterPath. Now you can really find a range of service providers in one easy place.

Combine this with SIP Broker's Provider White Pages

Skype Killer App

Russell has found a literal Skype Killer that will make only the most sadistic IT manager smile.

I say sadistic because on one hand Skype is a runaway hit with everyone who uses it. It's usage saves the company money, adds efficiencies and economies of scale so the accountants have to be happy on the reduced telecom spend. But then there is the risk associated with Skype being on the network.

Om On Skype

A great piece about the current state of Skype.

Om mentions the Radio Shack deal which I caught on Friday but due to travel just missed blogging it.

Danke Skype

Somehow I missed the Skype expansion efforts to include Germany for Skype In. That type of PR blunder never happened when Kelly wasn't off on "leave" and Kat James had the ball in play out of London.

Somehow since Skype farmed their PR out to a firm in Silicon Valley, they've missed on more than they hit on. Let's only hope their technology doesn't go the same route under the new regime.

SIP Voice Traffic Blocked At Frankfurt Airport?

I tried to play with GizmoProject and my Xten EyeBeam softphone using three different networks. None of them could make a call that would terminate. That leads me to believe that there is some type of port blocking or there is a serious NAT issue here.

No one was awake that I could see who I could try a Gizmo to Gizmo call. Of course Skype found a way around the NAT.

Sky Net and VoI With A Dis-connexxion

So I'm at 38,000 feet somewhere over North America on a Lufthansa flight to Europe using the Boeing SkyNet. So what's the first thing I did? I booted up, logged on and started VoIPing.

I made a few Skype calls, talking with John Appler of Popular Telephony who is based in Silicon Valley. Then I Skyped with Bridgeport Networks Jeff Craig over in London, England, before wrapping up with Skype's PR Princess, Kelly Larabee, who is on maternity leave, but still reachable to her friends.

I also made a Gizmo call out to my associate Brooke but the really fun thing was while talking to Kelly on Skype my buddy Rich called me on a call that ended up on GizmoProject. He originally called me on my home number that I have forwarded to the Webley/Communikate Unified Messaging service. When traveling to three countries and using a SIM for each country on cell, Webley lets me determine what number I want to find me/follow me. Just before going airborne I pointed it to the Gizmo In number, and voila there was Richie calling me and asking "what part of the planet was I and would I be free for dinner."

I told him I wasn't on the planet for a few more hours and he was unfazed, but he's gotten used to calling me in strange places, but a call from him to me on a plane was rather poetic justice. You see, only a year or so a go he got his FIRST cell phone and while he's not the most techy type person he now thinks even this is commonplace.

The service had an outage, somewhere over the Northwest Territories, so I got some sleep after all.

Unfortunately the service never came on. I guess I'll have to contact them for a refund.

Bottom line..when it worked it was awesome!

UPDATE--I received a full refund. No muss, no fuss, and a very polite apology. All done via a web chat with a very professional agent named Raymond! Now that's customer service plus in my book.

Verso Playing Off Skype Hype

Verso, which has the technology that filters and manages content running over carrier's networks is playing Skype like a fiddle.

The closing line of this Light Reading account is classic.

I say that because Zennstrom has no reason to return to the USA, now or ever short of the government freezing his eBay assets. Oh, I forgot, he likely uses PayPal and has a bank account in Luxembourg.