Qwest Launches VoIP Trial

prostoalex writes "Qwest Communications International, a local phone operator covering 14 Northern and Western United States, launched its first Voice-over-IP trial in Minneapolis/St.Paul area. 'The future of voice communications will be based on the Internet', Qwest's CEO was quoted as saying." Also in the news: some vague plans by AT&T to use VoIP as well.

Comments

Dialup over VoIP?

[talexb]

How soon till be start hearing about people using dial modems over VoIP phone lines for Internet access?

Telemarketers

[haystor]

Am I the only one that doesn't want VOIP to lower costs so that telemarketing can be outsourced to less expensive countries? At least now there are costs keeping the telemarketing volume below the spam volume. That, and they can usually speak English.

I don't want everyone that can hook a phone into the internet to be able to call me.

So,

[w.p.richardson]

Can the telephone company-like regulation and tax of the internet be far behind?

I don't think so.

So, let me get this straight

[Anonymous Coward]

I need a phone line from the telephone company so I can get DSL so I can use VOIP to talk to people over the phone?

Still has issues...

[dakkon1024]

Cable vision has done something similar, which worked out well, but there are some interesting problems. When the power goes out, you're out of luck. Even with a UPS if the power is out for a few hours, not much you can do about it unless everybody buys a home generator. Also, they where denied 911. Meaning that there is no 911 service because it wasn't deemed reliable enough to host one. Small problems, but you still seem to need another phone just in case.

It's not really a VoIP service

[andrews]

It's not a VoIP service despite what the marketing droids call it. It's a POTS (Plain Old Telephone Service) gateway service which is a very different animal. VoIP doesn't require a phone company, just an IP network connection.

What Qwest and the other bells (and Vonage) are doing is allowing VoIP call termination to the existing POTS network.

Everyone's seen the writing on the wall and it says "POTS is dead, long live the packet!"

At some point a network effect will kick in when there is a critical mass of VoIP users who discover everyone they call is on VoIP and realize they don't need the bells for anything.

VOIP For residential users

[John Murray]

Why VOIP is a good thing:

• POTS phones are too inexpensive.
  
• POTS phones are too simple. With VOIP I need a lot expensive equipment in a complex setup.
  
• Who needs line powered phones. I like having to have my own battery bank, and generator to keep IP network up. I'm not longer at the phone companies mercy for powering my phones!
  
• My Broadband provider is much more reliable then the phone company.
  
• Having stop using my broadband connection to make a phone call reminds me of my old dial-up days.
  
• High voice quality is overrated, with VOIP I get compressed sound, and dropouts just like I was talking on a cell phone!
  
• Who needs E911 serivce, I can get out my phone book an look up the number when I have an emergency, and I can tell them where I am. No more big brother tracking where I'm calling from.
  
• What better way to route local calls then all around the country on the internet backbone, then back to my town.
  
• I no longer have to pay those damn universal service fees, if those poor people want phone service they can full price , or suffer with out it. They can use a pay phone(these still exist?).
  

POTS = Plain Old Telephone Serivce, the basci analog serivce you get from the phone company.