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Qwest & Cablevision Launch VoIP Service

securitas writes "Qwest announced that it will be the first RBOC to offer VoIP service to its customers, starting with Minnesota. Not to be outdone, Cablevision launched VoIP service for its '1 million high-speed Internet customers in the lucrative New York market.' Cablevision's Tom Rutledge said the company plans to take advantage of last Monday's FCC local-number portability ruling that lets customers keep their phone numbers when switching service providers. Qwest plans to challenge the local-number portability ruling. It looks like the disruptive technology hype that surrounded VoIP in the late-1990s is about to see its first real litmus test."

7 of 109 comments (clear)

  1. Adaptation by Etherwalk · · Score: 3, Insightful

    Adaptation is the best way to deal with new technology. Lawsuits are just a way for companies to try to cover their behind until they either understand or are ready for the need to adapt.

  2. 911 by Davak · · Score: 3, Insightful

    Anybody know how VoIP 911 access works?

    Does it link your number (ip?) with your address?

    I think 911-protection is keeping a lot of us from switching...

    Maybe now that we can transfer our phone number... we'll soon be able to transfer our 911 protection as well.

    Davak

    1. Re:911 by gl4ss · · Score: 3, Insightful

      well.. i wouldn't trust it for 911 access.

      but any old cellphone(with working battery) will do for that(at least here, any gsm phone from the last 10y can be used for for emergency numbers, no need to have a sim card either).

      .

      --
      world was created 5 seconds before this post as it is.
  3. Corporate logic by WegianWarrior · · Score: 5, Insightful

    If you can't beat them, sue them!

    Seriously thought, VoIP isn't a new thing. I myself use it frequently to talk to my fiancee in the US - as I've have broadband I don't pay any extra to call her, and as she don't pay for local calls* she don't have to pay anything either. The option - picking up my phone and dial her number - would cost me a staggering 9 cents a minute, as well as gobbling up her 'long distance minutes'** (I would have to use her mobile phone; as much as I like my motehr in law, I don't want her to be able to listen in, and as the phone is in the kitchen...). I'm happy to see that the US is taking up numberportability thought - somethign we've enjoyed for years now. The next step they are introdusing here seems to be the ability to take your number along even if you move from one end of the nation to the other.

    _*) This is the one issue which I think the US telecomsystem is better than the norwegian one.
    **) What kind of idiot decided that _you_ should pay when someone calls you? As long as y'all accepts that, you'll be getting screwed bigtime by your telcos.

    --
    Everything in the world is controlled by a small, evil group to which, unfortunately, no one you know belongs.
  4. Re:The apparent trend in the industry by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 3, Insightful

    Your research is WRONG. pop up ads don't work on the web, the certainly will not work on a voice call. Maybe I should patent 'voice pop unders' so x10 can't use them.....

    I would rather pay $0.02/minute for my LD voice instead of listening to a 30 second ad everytime I wanted to make a call. My time is worth MUCH more that $0.02/minute

    If your business plan is truly based on advertising, I recommend you learn how to say 'Would you like fries with that?'

  5. At leas the RBOC's..... by cruc · · Score: 3, Insightful

    ...are required by law to open/sell/lease thier networks to foster competition and choice. In theory, the Mom and Pop's could purchase access to this technology and resell it ala DSL.

    The cable companies however don't have to open anything on thier networks, and locally, they have just as much a monopoly as your RBOC's. They get to sell cable, data and now telecom without ever having to allow competition onto thier networks-what a bargain.

  6. VOIP and ADT ??? by dloolb · · Score: 3, Insightful

    Does anyone know if VOIP will allow ADT and other home security systems to still function properly, ie., calling out in an emergency and calling out for routine system checks?

    Anyone have Vonage and ADT together?

    --
    The electric yellow has got me by the brain banana