SIP trunking’s popular, but still not for everyone

One pervasive theme in the VoIP industry over the last 12 months has been the emergence of SIP trunking. While I never have and still don’t like the name, I can’t argue with the fact that SIP trunking has grown in stature of late.

But, is SIP trunking really driving service providers of all shapes and sizes to get into VoIP?

A lot of experts, pundits, bloggers and vendors would like you to believe that – unfortunately it isn’t true.

Take your regional ISP. You’d think that they’d be foaming at the mouth to offer SIP trunking services to their existing business customers. After all, it’s another revenue source for them – possibly even a way to steal customers from a larger player.

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Apple Should Buy Skype

I know. Enough already with the all of the predictions over the fate of Skype and who might acquire them, right?

But give me just five minutes of your time. I want to explain to you why I think Apple should buy Skype.

Let’s take a look:

• Apple has the cash. Apple is sitting on $18 billion in cash. Spending $1 or $2 billion on Skype (eBay’s reported asking price) is a drop-in-the-bucket for them.
• Apple owns distribution channels. Apple has all of the necessary sales and marketing channels to GROW Skype’s usage and bottom line. They don’t have to find or create – all they need to do is leverage!
• Apple has the hardware, but understands software. Apple has an entire line of products that could run all or portions of the Skype technology. They can GROW Skype’s usage and bottom line by shipping Skype pre-installed on their desktops, laptops, cellphones and the iPod Touch. Oh and they have one of the best marketing department’s ever, so they can reach “mainstream” customers to drive adoption. Don’t forget about their retail outlets either, where Apple can take the time to explain Skype’s value to consumers and prosumers.
• Apple loves tying their hardware to their software. The iPod is tied to iTunes. The iPhone is also tied to iTunes, but why is a cell phone tied to media software? Would it not make more sense to tie a cell phone to a communications software? I think so. Plus…
• Apple’s got clout. And has shown it with cellular carriers (look what they got out of AT&T). They also have enough money and marketing might to ship an iPhone or iPod Touch with Skype as the native communications software – allowing iPhone and Skype users to have native VoWiFi and Vo3G capabilities, in addition to all of the other things that can be done with Skype.  If any company could push the hand of cellular carriers and change user habits, it is Apple.
• All signs point mobile as the future of communications. When it’s all said and done, the future of communications is mobile and that is where Skype’s true promise lies. Who want’s to be tied to their computer or desktop phone? I don’t. Skype going to a fixed line telephony (or VoIP) company, a software company or a gorilla of a hardware player would be a waste.

Well, my five minutes are up. What do you think? Skype to Apple, or to someone else?

Those Who Can Do, Those Who Can’t Complain

Some people – really smart people – just don’t get it.

Thanks to the economy there are lot’s of people – some of whom are really smart – pointing out the compensation that many of the nation’s top executives are raking in this year.

Me? I could really care less how much some CEO or VP at “insert company here” makes. This is a FOR-PROFIT world that we live in.

Some people – really smart people – just don’t get it.

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FMC and UC: Optimistic, Pessimistic or Realistic?

I recently started reading the blog of Carl Weinschenk over at ITBusinessEdge after working with him on a story about Mobile VoIP. One post that caught my attention had to do with Fixed Mobile Convergence (FMC), Unified Communications (UC) and whether supporters of the technology should be optimistic or pessimistic about the prospects of both technology.

It’s a valid question, but I would say that optimistic and pessimistic are both incorrect stances – proponents need to be realistic.

User habits take time to change – regardless of how advance or fast a technology is coming to market. Users don’t care a lick about half the crap that comes out in these spaces – because it asks them to radically change their habits.

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A Bright Future for New Telecom

I haven’t written much commentary of late, due to the Near Future of VoIP series, but this morning I caught Om Malik’s piece on the bleak future of telecom via Techmeme. The story reminded me that – contrary to Om’s statements – telecom does have a bright future.

It’s not, however, in the way we once knew it. If we have learned anything this past week from the Near Future of VoIP interview series is that telecom is thriving – but new telecom has a different look and feel from the one that Om described.

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The Problem With Video Phone Calling

Video phone calling technology has been around for quite some time. It holds a very promising future. Despite this, it has never seemed to gain the sort of prominence many folks would have thought.

I now know why.

The problem with video phone calling (not Skype), is that the experience is not plug-n-play. And it needs to be.

Over the last few days I have been playing with Video phone calling and I can say that I was hoping for a bit more of a plug-n-play scenario. Unfortunately, the experiences I have been having are less then ideal and akin to what I have experienced in the past with video phone calling. Read the rest of this entry »

Microsoft is Coming! Windows is Coming!

Okay. I am no Paul Revere and thankfully the sheer magnitude of this “ride” will undoubtedly be far less impact on history then his. However, this big new competitor, one who for so long has been looking in on the VoIP industry from a far, is now quickly coming down the hills, up the road and walking into the doors of your customers. Windows based telephony platforms are coming on strong folks – and they are ready to invade the small medium business telephony marketplace in a big way.

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