The Tao of VoIP
By Tim McElligott
April 08, 2004
Of all the colorful commentary Jeff Pulver provided his Spring VON audience last week in Santa Clara, his question--more of a challenge, really--to those vendors and small providers who have been instrumental in early voice-over-IP development was the most profound. Well, it wasn't Gandhi-like profound, or even very Lennon-esque (one of Pulver's favorite philosophers), but it did represent the dilemma the industry faces in light of AT&T's announced entry last week into residential VoIP.
Sounding more like Milton Friedman than John Lennon, Pulver asked, "Now that big companies with deep pockets are in, how do the innovators survive?"
It is an important question, because speed and innovation are going to be key to doing more than replicating the telephony network in packet form. Maybe the AT&Ts and SBCs of the world can stay fleet-of-foot as they roll out their national VoIP networks. Maybe the reborn Global Crossing can turn on a dime. Maybe Level 3 Communications, playing the role of the mobile virtual network enabler in the land-based IP world, can enable cable companies and ISPs and other providers that are nimble enough to push the envelope in terms of innovative or niche VoIP applications. Maybe. Maybe. Maybe.
But history tells us that speed and target marketing are not the forte of Tier 1 providers. Sure, they can collectively offer VoIP across the country in a blink of an eye, but to be anything more than a cheap, commoditized blending of voice and data into a stew of packetized content, large service providers need to utilize platforms that can spit out targeted application for very specific customer needs like watermelon seeds. Either that or they leave a big chunk of their potential market to those who can--the innovators.
Granted, it's hard to be quick in a three-legged race, and the carriers are always running with regulators tied to one leg. And the danger here is that when the big boys come to play, the regulators come to stay. So it can't be said enough that in order for next-generation communications service providers to flourish, regulators need to follow the philosophy of Lennon's partner Paul McCartney and just "Let It Be."
Regardless, in order to survive, innovative vendors will have to concentrate on giving Tier 1 service providers the appearance and flexibility of small, hungry companies that will do whatever it takes. New, innovative service providers will have to make their play before the big players figure out how to do that. |
