Comments for Tech Untangled - Information at the intersection of Technology and Business http://TechUntangled.com Commentary on Technology and Business Sat, 13 Mar 2010 01:25:20 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.2 Comment on 5 reasons why VoIP providers will go Bust by Tech Untangled » Blog Archive » Amp'd Mobile Shutting Down Today http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/CommentsForTechUntangled/~3/pCbY7elnrXQ/5-reasons-why-voip-providers-will-go-bust Tech Untangled » Blog Archive » Amp'd Mobile Shutting Down Today Sat, 16 May 2009 20:34:17 +0000 http://TechUntangled.com/5-reasons-why-voip-providers-will-go-bust#comment-130859 [...] 24 July). I guess it’s a nicer way to stop service, rather than hang up on callers like Sunrocket [...] […] 24 July). I guess it’s a nicer way to stop service, rather than hang up on callers like Sunrocket […]

]]> http://TechUntangled.com/5-reasons-why-voip-providers-will-go-bust#comment-130859 Comment on Concerns about Ooma by Wade http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/CommentsForTechUntangled/~3/NHZFDAHOdkA/concerns-about-ooma Wade Fri, 27 Mar 2009 14:37:10 +0000 http://TechUntangled.com/concerns-about-ooma#comment-31136 REALLY who cares if you can't have call waiting. Honestly, I don't answer my phone that much but I have it b/c I want to make calls from time to time and I don't want ppl calling me on my company phone. I just bought OOMA last week and with an ROI of 6 months I could care less if it doesn't have all the bells and whistles. I will just be glad to stop having a MONTHLY REOCCURRING BILL! REALLY who cares if you can’t have call waiting. Honestly, I don’t answer my phone that much but I have it b/c I want to make calls from time to time and I don’t want ppl calling me on my company phone. I just bought OOMA last week and with an ROI of 6 months I could care less if it doesn’t have all the bells and whistles. I will just be glad to stop having a MONTHLY REOCCURRING BILL!

]]> http://TechUntangled.com/concerns-about-ooma#comment-31136 Comment on Will Apple sell 10 million iPhones in 2008? by Eric http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/CommentsForTechUntangled/~3/KuzQS6WAIro/will-apple-sell-10-million-iphones-in-2008 Eric Mon, 14 Jan 2008 09:07:46 +0000 http://TechUntangled.com/will-apple-sell-10-million-iphones-in-2008#comment-2767 <p><strong>Eric...</strong></p> <p>Have really enjoyed your site with the marvellous posts and information. Very thought provoking....</p> Eric…

Have really enjoyed your site with the marvellous posts and information. Very thought provoking….

]]> http://TechUntangled.com/will-apple-sell-10-million-iphones-in-2008#comment-2767 Comment on Why Skype is Better than Ooma by Marty B http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/CommentsForTechUntangled/~3/wuQXozIhlfw/why-skype-is-better-than-ooma Marty B Thu, 10 Jan 2008 02:46:24 +0000 http://TechUntangled.com/why-skype-is-better-than-ooma#comment-2696 I've just ordered ooma after using Skype for the better part of a year. While I like the concept of Skype and will keep using it, I'm hoping that ooma will have better sound quality than Skype. Skype often has problem with key presses being correctly 'heard' by voice mail systems, with really spotty voice quality, and occasional system collapses. I'll test ooma out hard for the 60 day trial period and if the quality isn't SIGNIFICANTLY better than Skype, I'll send it back. I’ve just ordered ooma after using Skype for the better part of a year. While I like the concept of Skype and will keep using it, I’m hoping that ooma will have better sound quality than Skype. Skype often has problem with key presses being correctly ‘heard’ by voice mail systems, with really spotty voice quality, and occasional system collapses.

I’ll test ooma out hard for the 60 day trial period and if the quality isn’t SIGNIFICANTLY better than Skype, I’ll send it back.

]]> http://TechUntangled.com/why-skype-is-better-than-ooma#comment-2696 Comment on Finally a patent settlement where Vonage doesn’t shell out money by Ike Elliott http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/CommentsForTechUntangled/~3/KEx4LpX9njE/finally-a-patent-settlement-where-vonage-doesnt-shell-out-money Ike Elliott Thu, 10 Jan 2008 01:08:43 +0000 http://TechUntangled.com/finally-a-patent-settlement-where-vonage-doesnt-shell-out-money#comment-2695 Senaka, I see your point, that there may be more patent suits to come. I'm not too concerned, though, that future suits might come from the vendor community, because vendors would generally prefer not to alienate potential customers by suing them. My post on Verizon's motivations for suing Vonage goes through the logic behind most patent lawsuits in this sector: http://ikeelliott.typepad.com/telecosm/2007/11/why-doesnt-veri.html And, most of the patents out there are from the vendor community, so that reduces Vonage's risk, somewhat...see my post on the VoIP patent landscape here: http://ikeelliott.typepad.com/telecosm/2007/11/the-voip-patent.html Still, Vonage's patent infringement risk is not zero. Point taken. They have, however, already taken hits from the most likely attackers. Senaka, I see your point, that there may be more patent suits to come. I’m not too concerned, though, that future suits might come from the vendor community, because vendors would generally prefer not to alienate potential customers by suing them. My post on Verizon’s motivations for suing Vonage goes through the logic behind most patent lawsuits in this sector: http://ikeelliott.typepad.com/telecosm/2007/11/why-doesnt-veri.html

And, most of the patents out there are from the vendor community, so that reduces Vonage’s risk, somewhat…see my post on the VoIP patent landscape here: http://ikeelliott.typepad.com/telecosm/2007/11/the-voip-patent.html

Still, Vonage’s patent infringement risk is not zero. Point taken. They have, however, already taken hits from the most likely attackers.

]]> http://TechUntangled.com/finally-a-patent-settlement-where-vonage-doesnt-shell-out-money#comment-2695 Comment on Finally a patent settlement where Vonage doesn’t shell out money by Senaka Balasuriya http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/CommentsForTechUntangled/~3/hPqHhJ2bktk/finally-a-patent-settlement-where-vonage-doesnt-shell-out-money Senaka Balasuriya Wed, 09 Jan 2008 23:42:11 +0000 http://TechUntangled.com/finally-a-patent-settlement-where-vonage-doesnt-shell-out-money#comment-2694 Ike - I agree that Vonage will likely run out of money without additional sources of funding. Customer acquisition costs are very high and this is what I meant by "OK marketing/advertising costs has always been an issue". In fact, this is exactly one of the reasons that many VoIP providers will go bust (see "5 reasons why VoIP providers will go Bust" at http://techuntangled.com/5-reasons-why-voip-providers-will-go-bust) The high customer acquisition costs are a huge problem, but this is a known risk and it has been known for a long time. That's why I don't consider it the biggest problem. On the other hand, the risk of intellectual property infringement has been and is currently largely unknown. It is the 'unknown' component that makes it the biggest risk (on the principle that once a risk is identified, steps can be taken to mitigate it). VoIP was a patent-rich area way before Vonage got in the game and many companies will have patents that Vonage is likely infringing upon (having been involved in patent innovation and patent infringement analysis, I know this area quite well). Vonage has been sued for patent infringment by more than 5 patent holders. It is quite possible that additional patent holders will sue vonage for patent infringment - but noone knows the number of suits and the size of the infringment claims. This is why it is an unknown and the biggest risk facing Vonage. Ike - I agree that Vonage will likely run out of money without additional sources of funding. Customer acquisition costs are very high and this is what I meant by “OK marketing/advertising costs has always been an issue”. In fact, this is exactly one of the reasons that many VoIP providers will go bust (see “5 reasons why VoIP providers will go Bust” at http://techuntangled.com/5-reasons-why-voip-providers-will-go-bust)

The high customer acquisition costs are a huge problem, but this is a known risk and it has been known for a long time. That’s why I don’t consider it the biggest problem.

On the other hand, the risk of intellectual property infringement has been and is currently largely unknown. It is the ‘unknown’ component that makes it the biggest risk (on the principle that once a risk is identified, steps can be taken to mitigate it). VoIP was a patent-rich area way before Vonage got in the game and many companies will have patents that Vonage is likely infringing upon (having been involved in patent innovation and patent infringement analysis, I know this area quite well).

Vonage has been sued for patent infringment by more than 5 patent holders. It is quite possible that additional patent holders will sue vonage for patent infringment - but noone knows the number of suits and the size of the infringment claims. This is why it is an unknown and the biggest risk facing Vonage.

]]> http://TechUntangled.com/finally-a-patent-settlement-where-vonage-doesnt-shell-out-money#comment-2694 Comment on Ooma to Raise Prices by ooma | Info news site http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/CommentsForTechUntangled/~3/5qnyTjAbCsM/ooma-to-raise-prices ooma | Info news site Wed, 09 Jan 2008 07:33:31 +0000 http://TechUntangled.com/ooma-to-raise-prices#comment-2683 [...] Ooma to Raise Prices [...] […] Ooma to Raise Prices […]

]]> http://TechUntangled.com/ooma-to-raise-prices#comment-2683 Comment on Finally a patent settlement where Vonage doesn’t shell out money by Ike Elliott http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/CommentsForTechUntangled/~3/-M23oKTH9lY/finally-a-patent-settlement-where-vonage-doesnt-shell-out-money Ike Elliott Mon, 07 Jan 2008 15:34:45 +0000 http://TechUntangled.com/finally-a-patent-settlement-where-vonage-doesnt-shell-out-money#comment-2658 No, actually, Om had it right. Vonage's biggest risk is its business model, which will have them run out of money this summer unless they raise more cash. If the patent suits hadn't happened, Vonage would have run out of money two quarters later, but it would just have delayed the same result. More on my blog at http://ikeelliott.typepad.com/telecosm/2008/01/vonages-biggest.html No, actually, Om had it right. Vonage’s biggest risk is its business model, which will have them run out of money this summer unless they raise more cash. If the patent suits hadn’t happened, Vonage would have run out of money two quarters later, but it would just have delayed the same result. More on my blog at http://ikeelliott.typepad.com/telecosm/2008/01/vonages-biggest.html

]]> http://TechUntangled.com/finally-a-patent-settlement-where-vonage-doesnt-shell-out-money#comment-2658 Comment on Soon you may be able to access an ATM from your cellular phone by Steven http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/CommentsForTechUntangled/~3/SIzAR6oHVR0/soon-you-may-be-able-to-access-an-atm-from-your-cellular-phone Steven Wed, 02 Jan 2008 14:12:51 +0000 http://TechUntangled.com/soon-you-may-be-able-to-access-an-atm-from-your-cellular-phone#comment-2581 If I'm not mistaken, that technology has already taken off in Tokyo. I was there last spring and observed a friend using her cell phone to access information on her ATM. If I’m not mistaken, that technology has already taken off in Tokyo. I was there last spring and observed a friend using her cell phone to access information on her ATM.

]]> http://TechUntangled.com/soon-you-may-be-able-to-access-an-atm-from-your-cellular-phone#comment-2581 Comment on Why U.S. MVNOs will find it hard to survive by Sherri http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/CommentsForTechUntangled/~3/n4Kqi1qK4e0/why-us-mvnos-will-find-it-hard-to-survive Sherri Wed, 19 Dec 2007 16:26:29 +0000 http://TechUntangled.com/why-us-mvnos-will-find-it-hard-to-survive#comment-2374 Helio will not survive because of their abysmal customer service and their horrible tendency to tell you one thing, then the next CSR tells you another..if you are lucky..usually, their response is "I don't know." I dumped them after six months and have no regrets. Helio will not survive because of their abysmal customer service and their horrible tendency to tell you one thing, then the next CSR tells you another..if you are lucky..usually, their response is “I don’t know.”

I dumped them after six months and have no regrets.

]]> http://TechUntangled.com/why-us-mvnos-will-find-it-hard-to-survive#comment-2374