VoIP Blog - Tehrani.com

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Google Tells Domain Kiters to Fly One

Great news that Google will be doing its part to eliminate domain tasting and kiting -- techniques to avoid paying for domain names but using them as "spam" sites which trick users into clicking on Google ads they believe to be content links.

In the long run this has to be good for Google advertisers but in the short term Google will likely take a big financial hit. The shareholder in me is not happy with this move but the net citizen in me is elated.

Over time this will probably end up increasing the value of Google ads and this move could force competing networks to also come up with ways to eliminate these sites from surviving because if click quality from other networks deteriorates, Google will pick up more of the online advertising market.

TMC's Zippy Grigonis has in-depth report on the matter.

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BT Fusion Gone

GigaOm reports that BT Fusion is going away to be replaced by a new service powered by HTC devices.

Fusion is a convergence service that allows subscribers to make cheap or free calls via Wi-Fi into a BT broadband hub at home and then make calls via the Vodafone network or through BT’s Wi-Fi hotspots when outside. Three dual-mode phones, including the Motorola Razr, are Fusion-compatible. It was first marketed to home users and later to businesses.

The article details a slew of reasons regarding why the system didn't work but I think it is a bit harsh. IMHO the company tried and failed and learned. No company intentionally tries to fail and BT is an operator I wish we had in the US (I know they are here but I mean as a larger player) because they seem to always be trying new things. Sure, some of these ideas fail but in the end it is better to try and fail until you get it right.

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Bebo To Be Bought?

It is enough to make the average person sick. How does a company with a name like Yahoo! get a valuation in tens of billions of dollars. Sure, we all use Yahoo! so this is not such a stretch. But bebo? Worth north of a billion dollars? Amazing.

I want to start a company called harpo or groucho. I am sure they will fetch a hefty sum in the future. I will set my price at $2 billion. I am also aware that these names are probably taken so I didn't even bother to do a web search.

So what are my sources for this "rumored" acquisition? TechCrunch of course. The site says that either Google or MySpace is about to make a play for for the social media company and that the price could go to $1.5 billion!

Here is the most amazing part. Quantcast says bebo has 1.7 million average monthly unique visitors in the US. Alexa says the site has 11% of its traffic from the US. This means the total # of worldwide visitors each month is possibly around 15.5 million. That comes out to about $65/unique monthly visitor at a billion dollar valuation.

An impressive valuation if you ask me. Also, I am not aware of the revenue this site generates so there could be more to it than meets the eye.

If Google makes the purchase, one wonders if it will be in response to Microsoft/Yahoo! and if this will be one of a string of rapid acquisitions Google will make to try to increase its user base.

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Is AT&T a Runaway Winner?

Is AT&T going to win the IP services wars? I get the feeling they are really doing a fine job in this regard and will only do better over time. Jon Arnold agrees and in a  recent article he talks about how well AT&T is doing but also explains how in the new world of Internet Protocol communications, there will be mistakes and successes along the way.

He discusses, events that took place at ITEXPO and explores standalone versus bundled services while mentioning Verizon, Covad, XO, 8x8, Cbeyond and many others. There is good insight here and this article is worth a read.

Here is an excerpt:

Moving further along the spectrum, however, these two pieces begin to diverge, and the incumbent carrier must share the pie with competitors and over-the-top operators. This is where direct alternatives such as 8x8, Cbeyond, Covad and XO come into play, reducing the incumbent’s role to a last mile provider. Even further along are the pure play hosted offerings such as VoIP Logic and Cypress Communications. The alternatives continue to proliferate, with many focusing on a single niche within the business market.

 

Further complicating things for telcos are the cable operators, who are making their first moves into the business market, as well as the Web-based players such as Google, Yahoo and Skype, all of whom have designs on this space. On the telephony front, we must also factor in the open source movement, which continues to build momentum. Nowhere was this clearer at ITEXPO than Fonality’s announcement to integrate with Dell. This was a solid win-win move, and provides a great channel for open source telephony into the small business market.

 

Plus, let’s not forget Microsoft, with its bold Telco 2.0 vision that makes the company both friend and foe to traditional service providers. In all of these cases, the telco’s network may well be its key differentiator, and it would be unrealistic to expect that the telco can retain all its subscriber revenues in the face of these alternatives.

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LG Viewty Crosses Threshold

We are really at the threshold of a new era of mobile communications as today's cell phones are monsters in terms of capability... Processor speeds are getting faster and memory is getting cheaper.

If you want an example of where things are headed consider the LG Viewty Touchscreen Cell Phone which allows you to record video at 640x480 at 120 FPS. Best of all the device records in DivX format meaning you can watch your movies on a range of devices without converting them.

This is truly incredible.

See also:

Korea Gets Awaited Viewty from LG
LG to Expand Promotion of Viewty Phone
Zoran's 'Approach 5C' Powers LG's New Viewty 5 Megapixel Camera Phone

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ooVoo Gives Free Calls

Recently I discussed Packet8 and their MobileTalk service allowing inexpensive calls from cell phones to international numbers. Now I want to share that you can make free phone calls from a computer to a  cell phone (or land line if you like.)

How you ask?

Well courtesy, of ooVo, an Israeli company offering this service till the end of the month. The best part is according to TechCrunch there are no credit card numbers to give or ads to see.

Who is ooVoo you ask? Why a video conferencing company of course. Tom Keating explains more about the company.

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A Cut Cable a Day

Apparently a cut cable a day makes the Internet go away. We are at five and counting. Any theories on what is going on? Maybe its the bees?

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Big Things, Small Packages

Check out my Publisher's Outlook from the next issue of Internet Telephony Magazine. I didn't post it here because some of the content has been discussed here before and some is new. I focus on mobile VoIP, mobile access points, visual voicemail, mobile unified communications and the Microsoft/Yahoo! acquisition.

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Voce Signals Failed MVNO Experiment

Is it safe to say that if Sprint itself can barely make it as a mobile carrier, then companies that have to pay Sprint and others for their network to resell their services will have an even harder time?

This seems to be the case as recently, Beverly Hills based Voce closed up shop with no warning to subscribers. All of a sudden it seems people's diamond-encrusted telephones became instant fashion accessories with no other function.

In addition to this problem it seems just before closing down the company tried to charge subscribers twice in a month for service. Well, at least we know most Voce users could probably afford to pay twice.

It seems that except for rare instances, the MVNO market makes no sense. There are just too many high-profile companies that tried and died in this game.

Like I opened with, if Sprint can't make it (or at least you might say they are barely holding on), how will these MVNOs stand a chance if they aren't either master marketers or in a niche the majors don't want to or can't touch?

Of course I would eat every one of these electronic words if Steve Jobs decided Apple was getting into the MVNO biz.

See this LA Times story for more.

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Blodget on Yahoo/Microsoft!

Henry Blodget details why the Microsoft/Yahoo! deal will get more tricky over time. He describes an infinite loop of angry Microsoft shareholders who drive down the price and subsequently require Microsoft to increase share dilution as it adds more shares to get the deal done at the prearranged amount.

Blodget assumes of course that Yahoo! has a choice -- either that it can not take the deal and turn itself around or find another bidder. I think either case is unlikely and they will have take whatever Redmond gives them and like it.

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Mediabistro Gives me a Nod

It is nice to be recognized by your peers -- even if you are called a "number crunching nerd." Mediabistro -- the site dedicated to the business of media mentioned a recent blog post of mine where I compared Quantcast ranks of the candidates on Super Tuesday.

Here is an excerpt:

Our favorite Super Tuesday song: Called, appropriately enough "Super Tuesday" by Hearts of Palm ("McCain is really old, so this is his last chance.")

Our favorite voters guide: http://www.votehelp.org/ (It's like a CosmoGirl! Quiz if CosmoGirl! quizzed you about civil liberties.)

Our favorite Super Tuesday T-shirts: Is it legal to wear these to the polls?

Our favorite Super Tuesday Number-Crunching Nerd: It's a tough fight between the candidates, but Rich Tehrani calls the winner... of the most Web traffic.

I should go on the record and mention that I didn't actually "crunch" any numbers for this blog post... I merely reported. But there is a nice ring to the moniker so I will take it.

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