Unlocked ATA

Tom Keating : VoIP & Gadgets Blog
Tom Keating
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Unlocked ATA

Just came across Johanne Torres' interesting article: DVG-1402S: The First Unlocked VoIP Router?

In case you weren't aware, SIPPhone sued Vonage for allegedly releasing misleading packaging and advertising on locked VoIP ATAs (analog telephony adaptors) from Cisco's Linksys.

In the suit, SIPphone demanded that Vonage properly label boxes and advertisements to list the mandatory fees and restrictions of their locked hardware, which I wrote about awhile back in this blog entry. I'm all for open standards, so I tended to side with SIPPhone from a moral standing, but that doesn't mean that Linksys and Vonage were doing anything illegal. Partnering is as much a part of capitalism as anything else.

Anyway, it appears that in her article, Johanne Torres mentions the D-Link DVG-1402S is now supported by SIPPhone, and the article also states that the D-Link DVG-1402S is the first "ATA firewall/router combo" from a major manufacturer - namely D-Link that is not tied to a specific VoIP service provider. (Most router/firewall ATA devices are locked to a specific VoIP service provider.)

I should mention that Zoom also has an "unlocked ATA" which I recently reviewed, but unlike most ATAs, their ATA is not only a firewall/router ATA device but it features an integrated DSL modem - but it does require DSL service to work - cable broadband users need not apply! Actually, I take that back. I just recalled that 2 out of the 3 Zoom products are DSL-based, but they do offer an "unlocked SIP-based ATA router/firewall combo" - the Zoomtel V3 Model 5567 that works with cable broadband, DSL (using your existing DSL modem), or other IP connectivity.

So I guess technically there are two manufacturers offering unlocked ATAs, but Zoom is certainly less well-known than D-Link, so maybe they don't fall under the "major manufacturer" category stated in Johanne's article.

The D-link DVG-1402S hasn't been out long, but it already has started to build a fan-base. For instance, there's an interesting 2-page thread in the VoIP Forum about the D-Link DVG-1402S titled "Need To Unlock D-Link DVG-1402S" you should go check out.

Updated: Hmmm, it appears Linksys was also offering an unlocked ATA but pulled it from the market.

Did I miss any others? Let me know...



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