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John Patrick: ENUM is a Really Big Deal

Posted by michael on from the more-ways-to-get-crank-calls dept.

penciling_in writes "John Patrick, former vice president of Internet technology at IBM, says 'ENUM is a really big deal'. Here is what he has to say on CircleID about this: 'Basically, ENUM is a protocol that will make it possible to converge the Public Switched Telephone Network (PSTN) and the Internet. In other words, a telephone number can get you to a Web service -- telephone number in, URL out. The idea can be extremely useful when you consider that most telephones are limited to twelve keys on a keypad. Every try to enter your alphanumeric login ID and password to a web site on a cell phone or Personal Digital Assistant? It is next to impossible! The biggest impact of ENUM will probably be for Voice Over IP (VoIP). In fact, it could be the tipping point.'"

4 of 126 comments (clear)

  1. This message... by AccUser · · Score: 3, Funny

    This message brought to you by 1-800-SLASHDOT

    --

    Any fool can talk, but it takes a wise man to listen.

  2. Outstanding by stanmann · · Score: 4, Funny

    Next stop IPv6 and having a number for everything...

    "Hello this is the refrigerator, the Answering machine is broken, so speak slowly and I will put on a sticky note... with your message"

    --
    Food not Bombs is a nice platitude but it breaks down when you notice that the Bombees are usually well fed
  3. If you think about it, the phone system is a cow by Dancin_Santa · · Score: 4, Funny

    The whole idea behind having to dial a *number* to get in touch with someone is so antiquated that it's hard to believe that in this year 2003 we are still using it as our primary means of communication. It's like a giant cow just standing there eating and sleeping and sucking up valuable resources and farting toxic methane gas which is warming our atmosphere making this world unlivable.

    If we can get VoIP, we can finally tip over this flatulent bovine and bring ourselves into the 21st century. I shouldn't have to dial a number to connect to someone. No one ought to be reduced to a simple number! I should be able to call an acquaintance using their name or ideally some truly identifying tag like a URL. ENUM is essentially the only system that would allow this kind of connection.

    The phone companies are sleeping on their laurels now. It's time to bring the next tech to bear and knock these soon-to-be hamburgers over.

  4. Tipping point by swb · · Score: 4, Insightful

    The tipping point for VoIP will be going to the local discount store and being able to buy a standards-compliant phone with ethernet and/or POTS (depending on the desire to bridge to POTS) for less than $50. Add slightly more money for greater features (more POTS lines, 802.11, cordless, voicemail, etc).

    In other words, the standards for VoIP need to crystalize to the point where interoperability with gatekeepers and other switch-like devices is a given, and not some game of vendor lock-in. I should be able to buy a Samsung/Apex/Sampo/$cheap_asian_brand VoIP phone, plug it into my ethernet network and have it just plain work with other VoIP phones, bridges, etc.

    How or what the various numbering protocols work isn't the tipping point. The PSTN is too big and complex and the legacy devices too numerous to think that a new, acronym-loaded, buzzword-compliant numbering scheme will make a difference. For VoIP to matter it must initially be transparent to the POTS world, and that means telephone numbers and bridging.

    Vonage is on the right track here as a bridging service. Their POTS bridge device is on the right track at least conceptually, although I can't comment on its protocol neutrality.