Rupert Goodwins' Diary

Wednesday 2/08/2008

Vonage is also investing heavily in marketing — and also getting it in the neck from the market — although as far as I know the company has no stance on teh ghey pr0n. In this case, though, it's not clear how the company will turn the corner and establish itself as a permanent, profitable service provider.

The same's true of all public VoIP telephone companies. I use Skype, and darn useful it is too — but although I've used most of the services from time to time I doubt the company's had 20 euros out of me per year. The major reason they don't get more is that I'm unconvinced of the long-term financial viability of the service and I'm not going to rely on a proprietary system that doesn't give me the freedom to move number and service provider. It might seem contradictory, but I won't stay put unless I can move. There's no reason why my telephone service shouldn't be like a Web site — able to move hosts or even be self-hosted — with a single unique identifier that moves with it.

Such standards exist, but even open source VoIP systems such as Project Gizmo are built around the idea that for incoming calls you buy a number from them that's more theirs than yours. You can look through the FAQs as long as you like, but the one Q you might expect to be FA'd — "If I have to change providers, do I keep my number?" — is never addressed. I've used Project Gizmo. I've used Google Talk. I've used Yahoo IM voice calling: none wants to admit I might not be theirs exclusively and forever. That's not a healthy way to run a relationship, outside marriage.

It's true that telcos still tend towards such ideas, preferring to think of you as their property. You still can't move your home BT number when you change location — even if you're sticking with BT. It's not convenient for them. And while you can move your mobile number between providers in the UK it's amazing the resistance you can encounter when trying to exercise what is now a legal right.

The Internet way is a much better way. The first VoIP provider who'll deliver a package of services which includes an unambiguous, documented method for leaving them while keeping my number, will get my business. Of course, that means they'll have to keep working to stay ahead of the pack, so any such company will have to be innovative, smart and agile — but what else should I expect?

VoIP, ENUM and number portability. When that's fixed, we'll talk — and when we talk, VoIP providers will make money.