A reader of my “Predicting the future” series asked me if I can write about how Skype is the future. I replied to him that I believe in VoIP but I don’t the future is in Skype.
Unfortunately, I didn’t go into details with him then. So I was quite please to see a very elaborated explaination written by David Beckemeyer.
Other so-called VoIP services, such as Skype and Voiceglo, DO NOT allow calling to anyone outside their service over the Internet. For example, a Skype or Voiceglo user cannot call a SIPPhone, IPTEL.ORG, or FWD user, but IPTEL.ORG, SIPPHONE, and FWD users can call everyone except a Skype or Voiceglo user. Skype and other non-standards-based services are essentially VoIP islands, excluded from the open SIP VoIP community.
When will people learn that Internet trives on interoperability and openness; that a network market obeys Metcalfe’s Law; and that any wall-garden system effectively destory potential market by putting Metcalfe’s Law in Reverse.
