Source: www.voip-news.com

Complaint write-ins to newspapers always catch my eye, particularly when they involve VoIP cancellation woes.

This time, the offender is Earthlink. Apparently, a couple with home-based businesses and an ailing father have been using Earthlink’s DSL and VoIP service since last July. Well, using is a term I use loosely here: they’ve been paying for these services and using them whenever they are actually functioning . . . one is not as frequent as the other though.

Here’s a snippet:

We’ve also gone without service for days, with no dial tone whatsoever.

Internet service has also been down for hours at a time.

We have spoken to countless Earthlink customer service representatives over a six-month period, but continue to have problems.

Read more here.

Ahh, the woes of cancellation and cancellation fees.

Source: andyabramson.blogs.com

When I wrote my post on Saturday about Muni WiFi I had no idea that Earthlink was going public with their lack of desire to stay in the MuniWireless business. It was a gut level hunch that I first shared a few weeks back at the MuniWireless conference with others I consider insiders.

The writing has been on the wall. That said, the problem is that the genie is out of the bottle in cities where they have deployed and unfortunately Muni WiFi is looking more and more like the second coming of Metricom’s Ricochet. Great idea. Flawed execution and way too much money spent by high flying, fast spending executives, instead of real common sense, where’s the market reality.

Muni Wireless is not bad. It’s actually very good when done right. The problem is too much attention is being placed on the bad moves made by the likes of Earthlink and not on the firms that advised the cities on how to approach this, nor has enough time or attention been spent on where it is successful.

Source: andyabramson.blogs.com

Let’s face it, the business model that Earthlink and a few others took for Muni WiFi sucked wind in most places. San Francisco still doesn’t even have a test site. Chicago is wireless-less while other cities that pursued a different plan like Minneapolis all have seemed to at least deploy. I’ll admit in Philadelphia Earthlink is up and running, but I wouldn’t be surprised to see that network get taken over by Comcast or Verizon at some point down the road at the request of the city, once Earthlink says No Mas.For the past two years I have been both a champion for Muni-WiFi and at the same time verbally critical to those in the industry for the approach that was taken by the big players.Going into markets where broadband was available was the wrong model. Creating systems that work only two stories high, and barely penetrate walls deeper than the first window basically created a service that I have dubbed “Homeless Wireless.” Even in the city of my birth, unless I’m outside getting on the Feather by Earthlink network inside the city’s finest restaurants is such a challenge, and is so consistently inconsistent, I end up using my 3G cards from either AT&T, Verizon Wireless or Sprint.Too much money was spent seeking to make the networks end to end, city wide. Instead the cities should have been taking the approach of the creation of hot zones that really worked, and the system builders should have looked at communities where broadband wasn’t broadly available.That’s why I’m actually intrigued by the move in New York City that CBS made this week. Leveraging their already installed asset, a network of outdoor billboard, the media company has in affect created their own advertising network within a 20 block radius. That means if you want access, you watch CBS sold commercials, see CBS content, but then get access to the Net.This is a brilliant idea. With one move, CBS has bypassed the carriers, circumvented the municipality and because WiFi is in unlicensed spectrum, basically become free of the FCC for what they broadcast over the network. They have in effect made their billboards worth much more than anyone else’s.

Source: snapvoip.blogspot.com

Source: voipcentral.org

The grapevine has it that Vonage is turning into Wireless Vonage. That means Vonage would be providing wireless services like to that of T-Mobiles HotSpot@ Home service.

There is no surprise to see Vonage offering Wireless services since it has been in tie up with EarthLink. Under the deal, it has been reselling WiFi services.

Now, Vonage has geared up to become a Mobile Virtual Operator (MVNO) during the end of 2007. It seems to be an interesting proposition!

Earlier this month, Vonage declared its fourth quarter result of 2006. The report was a grim reminder of the fact that company has failed to attract a substantial number of customers towards its VoIP services. For which, it conceded heavy loss despite aggressive marketing strategy.

The company plans to strength its position in the VoIP market by offering WiFi services. However, it is not as easy as it seems. The recognized players like ESPN, Helio and Ampd have failed miserably in the past in the WiFi business.

Source: voipcentral.org

Vonage has entered into a three-year deal with EarthLink to provide its VoIP services using EarthLinks citywide WiFi infrastructure.

As per the deal, VoIP giant will purchase Internet access from EarthLink on a wholesale basis in cities where EarthLink has built a citywide WiFi network. Vonage would sell them under its own brand in any market where EarthLink has such a network.

At present, EarthLinks WiFi service is available in three markets, Anaheim, Calif., Milpitas, Calif., and New Orleans. It would extend to 12 more markets including Philadelphia later this year.

Vonage is yet to fix the price and launch dates for the service. Most probably, the company will bundle the service with its voice services that cost $25 a month for unlimited calling in America and selected European countries.

Source: snapvoip.blogspot.com

USATODAY.COM reports that Skype will offer a call rate plan that allows unlimited calls mobile and land line phones in USA/Canada for $29.95 per year. That is same as most other VOIP monthly plans! Talk about Disruption. May be Skype/Ebay is thinking we have already spent billions on this ship, lets go as fast as possible before hitting iceberg, may be the iceberg will break apart! I think they might do that.
The calls have to stay within, originate and terminate, within USA and Canada. Skype also went Gold with Skype 3.0 at the same time of this announcement.

But Andy Abramson at VOIP Watch tell us how to do that from other countries, using hotspotvpn, which will cost you about $9.00 a month. So do your Math, before going that route. He also points out that if you subscribe now, before January 1, 2007, you can get Skype deal for $14.95 and some goodies, they’ll also get about 100 minutes of free international calls and $50 in coupons for Skype gear, such as a Motorola headset.
If you have Skype credit, you are also able to convert them.
But the Skype service in North America has been free for a while, since May of this year. So it is unlikely that you have any credit because if you did not spend it, Skype seems to have eaten it, according to Scott Wilson at Indigo Moon. Here is his own words;
"But suddenly, without notice or option, a few months ago Skype arbitrarily revoked the credit, saying it had been on their books too long. So, they removed my ability to spend the money I had given them, then kept the money without credit, and now want to charge me again. How stupid would I have to be to pay up front again for a service from a company that would do that?". Read his post by following the link provided.

Andy’s article tells you much more detail about the deal and impact on Skype, Earthlink and other VOIP providers.

Although you could have a phone number for everyone in the family, and call anywhere for almost free, remember, With Skype there is no E911 support. So you need to switch to your local voice provider to call 911, and how many people will remember that in an emergency? I think FCC or an Public Utility commission (PUC), will jump in once a firetruck or Police sent to a wrong place or Nowhere.
So if you are all about saving money and making Skype richer, time to subscribe.

Links;
USATODAY article
Andy’s "Skype 3.0 Goes Live, New Cheaper Disruptive Calling Plans Announced for USA"
Indigo Moon worries about his money

Source: voipcentral.org

US-based Internet service provider EarthLink has announced an extension of its VoIP services, under which eight more cities would get enriched VoIP services in USA.

These cities are Atlanta, Chicago, Los Angeles, Miami, New York City, Philadelphia, San Diego and Washington D.C. The customers of these cities can sign up for the home VoIP services from EarhLink.

With this announcement, EarthLink has steeped into the crowded VoIP market where it would fight against the established players like Vonage, Skype and Internet companies like AOL, Yahoo and Google.

The unique feature of EarthLink VoIP service is that it converts the analog voice signals to a digital signal after the call leaves the customers home.

In contradictory to other VoIP services, EarthLink VoIP service does not require any special box or equipment in the home to access the service.

EarthLinks VoIP package promises E911 services, call prioritization, click-to-dial, number blocking and voice mail services.

Read

Source: voipcentral.org

D&H Distributing is planning to sign a deal for selling VoIP services from Earthlink and Vonage.

D&H is talking with various VoIP companies and EarthLink and Vonage are first two companies who had rights on products and programs to tackle the SMB space. The service of EarthLink would be available with Linksys hardware, while the Vonage service with Linksys and D-Link equipment.

In the EarthLink solution Linksys WRTP54G-ER trueVoice wireless-G router is included with two phone ports, 4-port 10/100 Mbps switch and the SPA2002ER telephone adapter with two FXS ports.

While the D-Link’s DVG-1402S broadband phone service VoIP router works with the Vonage service. The adapters, complementary phones and other accessories would be available from manufacturing companies like Creative Labs, US Robotics, NetGear, Actiontec, Zoom and 8×8.

Via: CRN

Source: voipcentral.org

Daum Communications Corp, South Korea’s second-largest internet portal has announced through a statement the launch of VoIP services through Lycos. Lycos, if you forgot, is Daum’s American subsidiary. It acquired the company in 2004.

Now that makes Lycos yet another VoIP player in the bazaar that is a virtual war zone with over 11,000 players and where biggies like Skype, Yahoo, Google, EarthLink etc., etc, are fighting it out.

So what will be Lycos’ USP? Well, if Daum is to be believed, Lycos will focus on offering multimedia services involving VoIP services, including free internet calls from PC to PC, landline or mobile.

Ok, let’s see how successful this venture is going to turn out to be. Nonetheless, since Lycos has years of internet experience, I am sure it will not be a pushover. It can be a serious fighter for a bite in the pie.

Read

Source: voipcentral.org

Earthlink has partnered with Covad to extend its VoIP services to 8 more cities in America.

Under the deal, Earthlink will give Covad $50 million in debt and equity financing which will fund the extension of Covad’s line-powered voice access service enabling the alternative offering of Earthlink DSL and Home Phone Service instead of traditional or local phone companies to 8 more cities:

1) Atlanta,
2) Chicago,
3) Los Angeles,
4) Miami,
5) New York City,
6) Philadelphia,
7) San Diego and
Washington, D.C.

Currently Earthlink provides DSL and Home Phone Service in:

a) Dallas,
b) San Francisco,
c) San Jose and
d) Seattle.

Om Malik says that Earthlink needs to be more aggressive and I agree as well. I also agree that this is a great move indeed by both Earthlink and Covad as it is a win-win situation for both.

Read More in TMCNet.com

Source: voipcentral.org

EarthLink is offering a new VoIP service, which is designed to be easy-to-use without the requirement of additional hardware.

Earthlink has collaborated with broadband access wholesaler Covad Communications to offer the VoIP service in Dallas, Seattle and the San Francisco-San Jose area from this week itself.

EarthLink is bundling the new service with DSL broadband access.

Anyway, more cities in Covad’s operating territory are pegged to offer the service later this year. However, EarthLink would not specify which of these cities are in the line.

Currently VoIP services, including the one EarthLink currently sell for $20 a month, the new service wouldn’t require consumers to add hardware. This means that the customers can use their existing phones and plug them into phone jacks like those that they do with any regular telephone service.

The technology, called ‘line-powered voice’, puts all the intelligence and equipment for offering VoIP service in Covad’s central office, where all the gear to provide the DSL service is housed.

Source: CNET News.com