Talk:Internet Telephony

From iA wiki

Why hasn't VoIP taken off? Why dont we use our net connections for p2p voice communication more than the average computer user currently does? Why does distance still matter when making a telephone call, while it is totallly irrelevant on the net? I wish the net would shake up the telecoms market more. There are too many monopolies and too much collusion that is fleecing consumers. - ABliss

I read something about this the other day. I think the Internet has a halo effect on telecoms because of improving networks but everything hasn't switched over ot the Internet because there are a variety of laws and regulations concerning telephone use that aren't quite up to snuff with the Internet age. This is one of those areas where regulation might be the only barrier. Webfork

Could it also have something to do with privacy or security issues. What about the proprietary nature of internet telephony software, is that a hinderance? It would be good to see that article about regulation you mentioned. Are telcos reluctant to release VoIP services because they can't interoperate effectively? Is it simply a matter of not wanting to reduce revenue from existing telephone services. Maybe we need an open-source VoIP platform to take off first. Instead of an standalone application its becoming a feaure of IM, for example. I should use more internet telephony software instead of clogging my bandwidth with downloads. I think my vision of net telephony is different to that which is developing.

- ABliss

IBM is supposed to be switching over to an entirely VoIP network in the next few years. That combined with an initiative to use an entirely Linux desktop could add up to a example open-source telephony system. I hope they do and then sell implementation and support services to government and education. More government contracts should be for open-source'd software. Webfork