AOL Enters the VoIP market

freitasm writes "AOL is entering the VoIP market with its new service entitled 'AOL Internet Phone Service'. The service will be available in 40 cities around the US and offer integrated IM presence indicator, voice/e-mail and features like Call Waiting, CallerID. As a bonus current AOL members wil receive a wireless AP when signing-up for the service."

Comments

lol i can phone!!1

[Dougie Cool]

If I get woken up at 6am by a phone AOLer wanting to know my ASL I'm going to sue.

Re:lol i can phone!!1

[mysticwhiskey]

Scenario: 3am at recipient's residence.

(Ring, Ring)

Recipient: Hello? (rubs eyes)
Caller: Hi, did I wake you?
Recipient: Whaaa...?
Caller: I'm using VOIP, and it costs me next to nothing!
Recipient: (blinks)... you A-Hole!
Caller: Yep, AOL - how'd ya guess?

Knowing AOL

[Bazunok]

It would be really easy to use, but you can only call other AOL users on AOL's proprietory phones.

It's as easy as point-and-click

[dangitman]

So, when the phone rings, will it play "You've got telephone"?

And why isn't this thing being released in September?

Emergency services

[WeirdKid]

Notice that 911 isn't listed in the services offered. AOL's service likely suffers from the same deficiency as Vonage in this respect. Vonage's TOS says that if you cannot clearly state the nature of your emergency and your location, emergency services may not be dispatched. I'm sticking with my land line until the VoIP providers get the 911 thing figured out.

Re:Emergency services

[thing12]

At least Vonage will direct your calls to a local 911 dispatcher (based on the location you provide). Most VOIP providers don't even go that far. They're testing e911 service in Rhode Island... apparently it's working quite well.

Re:Emergency services

[Anonymous Coward]

You can have your cake and eat it to. Keep your landline only for 911, they are required to provide it whether you have telephone service or not.

meanwhile, in Canada

[WormholeFiend]

The CRTC Issues 911 Ruling for VoIP Providers

Impossible to implement!

[yotto]

This will never work, because you can't talk on the phone in ALL CAPS.

What about keywords?

[jav1231]

"If you're too drunk to drive, just say AOL Keyword "Cab" and a taxi will pick you up!

Shhhhhh!

[Anonymous Coward]

AOL users use AOL VoIP.
AOL users don't have 911.
AOL users die.
No more AOL users!

It's genius.

Free Forever?

[zoomba]

I wonder if AOL will treat its VoIP subscribers like they do normal AOL users when they want to cancel their account.

About 3 years ago I loaded up an AOL free trial CD just for shits and giggles, and to see how much it had changed since I last used it (1.0). Well, I found the experience disappointing (as I expected though) and at the end of the trial went to cancel.

What happened at that point was a 30min conversation where the sales rep practically begged me to keep the service. He offered me 6 months free and told me that if I make this same call every 5-6 months I could end up not paying for the service ever again. I think I said "No, just cancel the damn account, I DO NOT LIKE THE SERVICE" about two dozen times. Finally, defeated, the rep canceled the account. That was the most painful phone convo I've ever had.

I'm wondering if I can pull the free-forever scheme with their VoIP service. Think they'll be desperate enough for subscribers to it?