Smith On VoIP

Would You Consider VoIP A Success?

Luca Filigeddhu has written a post on the 10 reasons why VoIP has succeeded. He outlines the following factors that have lead to the success of VoIP:

1. Broadband
2. Skype
3. Jeff Pulver and VON
4. Asterisk
5. Dream of Free Calling
6. VocalTec
7. Competition
8. G723, G729
9. SIP
10. The Internet

I believe that all of the factors listed above have contributed to the growth of the VoIP industry, but I do not think that they have made VoIP a success, because I am not yet sure VoIP can be considered a success.

Why is VoIP Still Not a Success?

I do not consider VoIP to be a success because as an industry we have yet to effectively deliver on the promises of this technology to the common user. It has been spoken to by many, such as Andy Abramson, Jeff Pulver, and I, but the fact remains that VoIP companies are missing the mark when it comes to marketing and delivering what the consumers need out of a communications vehicle.

For the common user VoIP is not easily understood, it is not always easy to use, it is not always reliable, and plain old VoIP service delivers nothing in terms of motivational innovation that makes it a realistic alternative for most common users. If this was how someone could describe an MP3 player, a VCR, a DVD, your lawyer, your dentist, or even a car, not only would no one being buying (or using), it wouldn’t be considered a success, it would be considered a miserable failure.

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