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VoIP And Local Telephone Companies |
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With VoIP technology entering the mainstream, it brings the
possibilities or huge profits for the companies that provide
the service. The current promise of cost savings is driving
more and more residential and business users to investigate
this technology. But the local telephone companies are not
going to give up customers without a fight.
There is a current mandate by the US federal government that
all VoIP providers offer E911 service. The initial blocking
of this information was with the public switched telephone
network maintained by the major telephone companies
The next stumbling block is ‘naked DSL’ or DSL
access without local phone service. This service is rare,
but without it a residence would not be able to use VoIP as
their primary phone service mechanism. You see, DSL is running
over your existing phone line provided by your local telephone
company. Drop your local phone service and you’ll probably
drop your broadband DSL access as well. (Cable broadband access
is a viable solution here and the increased cost in cable
access should be offset by the reduction on your monthly phone
bill)
These are just two fronts in the battle over VoIP. Should
companies be compensated for the infrastructures they build?
Should E911 service be ‘free’ and offered as a public
service? What about the existing phone service run into our
homes? Who pays for those lines to be laid and hooked into
the public switched telephone network?
There really are no easy answers to the questions above.
The phone companies are not about to give up customers without
a fight. They have years and billions of dollars spent in
building one of the most reliable communications networks
‘currently’ known to us.
Is VoIP the next step in the evolving communications industry?
How will this play out with phone companies offering internet
and TV services and cable providers offering phone and internet
service? The line is being blurred and yet the technology
pushes forward.
I don’t have the answers, only questions. I know how
I’d like to see it all play out, but alas, there is no
Nirvana and no, it would seem we all cannot get along. Not
when there’s literally billions of dollars at stake.
There will be winners and losers as this war rages on, but
it is my hope that we, the end users, will, in the end, be
better for it. After all, we’ve been down this path many
times before and it’s turned out ok.
Remember the advent of the PC and where we’ve gone since
then? Remember the first bulky cellular phones vs. what’s
available today? Yes, TV’s, radios, computers, phones
the list goes on. Technology advances will continue to push
us into new directions. I’m sure that in the end, VoIP
will be as commonplace as the home computer.
We can leverage this technology today in a cost effective
manner. Like any technology how you implement VoIP will make
the difference. Whether you’re a residential or business
user, there can be an immediate benefit. Check with your communications
broker to find out if your existing phone needs can be met
cost effectively with VoIP.
About the Author:
FullService Broadband Provider offers free, unbiased information
on broadband and communications technology. Our free service
is made possible through Try Right Technology, Inc. Article
by Michael Weaver.
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