| Have you ever wondered why the large telephone | | | | company of similar tactics. That case is still ongoing. |
| service providers have not pioneered VoIP services | | | | On the meantime Fututephone has ceased trading. |
| for their customers? With all their vast profits made, | | | | We have also seen battles between VoIP company's |
| why have they not brought out the fantastic features | | | | such as that presently going on between Verizon and |
| of service that VoIP enables and given them to their | | | | Vonage. Verizon claiming Vonage is infringing on their |
| customers? Just what is it that holds them back? Why | | | | patents filed. Leading the advance initially was Vonage |
| is it that small companies have been the ones to push | | | | with their technical advances but they began to loose |
| the service out? | | | | innovation and became beset with a whole load of |
| Why has your telecom provider not pioneered VoIP | | | | problems and lawsuits. The situation increasingly looks |
| services to you? Why have they not brought out the | | | | messy. |
| fantastic features of service that VoIP enables and | | | | Whilst in the USA the large phone network companies |
| given them to their customers with all the profits they | | | | are still digging their heels in when it comes to any |
| make? Why is it that small companies have been the | | | | serious attempt to establish their own VoIP for their |
| ones to innovate and bring these VoIP services out? | | | | customer base. They are increasingly watching with |
| Just what is the situation out there? | | | | hostile eyes these thorn in the side VoIP |
| Anyone who uses VoIP services may well ask these | | | | Company's. |
| questions and many more. Just what is the situation | | | | However, recently there has been a softening of |
| and why is it turning out the way it is? Looking at | | | | attitude in Europe with Deutsche Telecom's recent |
| some of the events over the past few years will | | | | announcement that it is taking a stake in Internet phone |
| indeed answer these questions. Really we can go | | | | services. It has done a deal with Jahjah one of the |
| back to say, the year 2002, when any real VoIP | | | | new start ups as Jahjah allows people to use the |
| service began in earnest. However from the | | | | traditional landlines and cell phone net to make low |
| standpoint of the large phone companies, the challenge | | | | cost calls. So there appears to be some 'thawing of |
| they faced back then was the cable company's, cell | | | | the ice' when it comes to being friend or foe. This |
| phone company's and the like slowly eating away their | | | | significant change of attitude in Europe is welcome, but |
| customer base. | | | | the 'ice' iss a long way from thawing with such as |
| The fall in revenue from landline fees (around $20.00 | | | | AT&T and others in the USA. |
| per line every month) has been ringing alarm bells. This | | | | Another new company with patent pending VoIP is |
| has resulted in these major phone companies being | | | | Global1touch. They also are going down the right road |
| forced to spend billions on enlarging their networks to | | | | just as Jahjah. Their customers enjoy the use of both |
| give support to such as internet access as well as | | | | Internet connection as well as through the normal |
| television. All this in the hope of keeping their position | | | | landlines and cellphone connections. |
| from being whittled away even more and of course | | | | To sum up, the history of activity within the telecom |
| their profits. In this is the irony. | | | | industry clearly shows that the stance, the pressures |
| The more that people have turned to using broadband | | | | and the desire to keep a status quo by the large |
| facilities, the more the opening came for small | | | | telecom organisations clearly took their eye off the |
| companies to spring up, utilizing this new technology. | | | | potential of VoIP to them. However, we could ask |
| Patents were applied for, for the various VoIP | | | | — are they letting them have all the difficulties |
| systems being invented to utilise the high speed | | | | and problems to solve and eventually snap them up at |
| broadband internet. So all this now makes life more | | | | a price later? Who knows? |
| tedious for these large telecoms organizations as the | | | | So who needs the soap operas of the TV when we |
| small VoIP company's have patented their VoIP | | | | get drama, power struggle, yes real live action right in |
| systems. However, they are always dependent to a | | | | front of our eyes. There is plenty going on out there |
| large degree on the networks connections of the large | | | | for real to keep our attention riveted. Who knows how |
| telecoms organizations. | | | | the plot will turn out? What will be the next twist in the |
| Inevitably, from the innovation of such as Skype and | | | | saga to emerge? Who would have thought that when |
| Vonage, Verizon, Futurephone and many others there | | | | you pick up your phone to make a call all this is going |
| has been the expected skirmishes. In the USA in 2004 | | | | on — the battle between the David's and |
| SBC sued AT&T for avoiding access charges by | | | | Goliaths of the telecom world. Let's face it we are |
| routing calls over its Internet backbone. Shortly after | | | | talking of a Trillion Dollar Industry. No wonder we see all |
| SBC acquired AT&T but retained the AT&T name, | | | | this intrigue. |
| then went on to accuse Futurephone the VoIP | | | | |