Frank,
I appreciate your concerns about the open standards as fostered by the IETF RFC process. They certainly seem to be anti-monopolistic in nature, and therein lies their charm. Regarding the detriment to LVLT, I just don't believe that there is any other realistic approach to the creation of standards if interoperability is a desired goal, as it should be. The recent adoption of the MGCP standard (see previous article) will benefit all parties in the "fray" of the telecosm of the near future.
For LVLT to succeed, I do not believe it necessary for others to be excluded from the new "club" as it is evolving, by means of proprietary standards. The world of telecommunications is large enough and growing at such a rate that several competitors are likely to be tremendously successful in this realm.
As we know, LVLT is an outgrowth of the PKS construction group. I've worked for this company, and I can assure you, that on the level playing field that is created by the RFC process, LVLT has the grit to outcompete almost any organization I can think of. So in response to your query regarding "their rival's tools", the answer is yes they are, but not at the expense of losing the technological or pricing lead. My two cents worth.
Best, Ray |
