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Australia Trials Phone To IP Service

Posted by Zonk on from the telemarketers-only-get-access-to-my-email-spam dept.

daria42 writes "Australia is doing trial runs with a technology which could connect conventional phone numbers with Web pages, Internet fax services and other online resources. Subscribers to an ENUM service register their other contact details, then set up rules that control how and when calls to their phone are routed. For example, calls from anybody but close family could be routed straight to voicemail between 6pm and 11pm. Because it connects to any IP service, incoming callers could also use phone numbers to access Web sites, the Skype VoIP application, faxes and other applications."

2 of 76 comments (clear)

  1. VoIP will be dead in 6 months! by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Interesting

    Sure, go ahead and laugh at me. You think that VoIP is going to take over the world and put the phone company out of business, and I am some clueless nutcase. Right?

    The fact is that the popularity and ubiquity of VoIP is going to increase because of all the hype. But hype won't be able to overcome the fact that quality isn't as good as the PSTN. Hype won't be able to hide that 911 loaction can't work without seriously impairing theusefullness of VoIP. And, most important of all, hype won't be able to hide the security problems with VoIP.

    How long are you going to continue using VoIP when some script kiddie that you pissed off on IRC DDoSes your phone? Who's going to keep on using VoIP when the latest Outlook worm prevents them form making phone calls for the next two days? Who's going to keep VoIP when they realize that I, or anyone else can listen in on their calls right this minute?

    VoIP is great. I use it right now. But, I haven't cut the PSTN cord and I won't cut the PSTN cord for VoIP. It's just too dangerous and it'll only be another 6 months before disaster strikes and everyone realizes how dangerous it is.

    Think about it; 'Hello? Police? this is ...'. Script Kiddie says; 'Har har, I r0xorz!!!'

    6 Months

  2. Hypothetical SPAMMER Scenario by LegendOfLink · · Score: 4, Funny

    You: *picks up phone* Hello?

    SPAMMER: Hey Buddy, your woman wants a big one.

    You: What?! Who is this? Remove me from your... *beeping* Oh wait a sec, I've got a another call. *click* Hello?

    SPAMMER 2: Hi, this is Charles Taylor from Liberia, I need to use your bank account...

    You: WTF!? STOP..*beep beep* Hold on. *click*

    SPAMMER 3: Hi, thanks for the advice. Could you open this file immediately?

    --
    IGB: More fun than eating oatmeal!