I've been monitoring Worldgate Communications, makers of the cool looking Ojo videophone for the past several days. I received word that their service was down for a few days and I attempted to reach them, but got a general mailbox. I didn't leave a message, but instead waited to see how this would pan out.Well, today, I learned that Worldgate is currently in a dispute with its largest customer over the payment of significant monies which the company believes are owed to it.
A Form 8-K was filed by Worldgate Communications claiming that its largest company has refused to pay. The 8-K states that the customer's refusal to pay such monies has contributed to a shortfall in the operating cash available to the Company to continue operations.
Accordingly, on January 30, 2008, the Company shut down its operations as a first step to winding down its business, which will occur if the Company is not able to secure payment of the monies believed to be owed and/or new financing. The Company continues to explore potential financing opportunities and is also pursuing legal recourse against the customer. Thus, bankruptcy may be coming shortly, which would be another black eye for the VoIP industry after Sunrocket ceased operations.
Worldgate would intend to resume operations if it can obtain financing or payment of the monies believed to be owed in a timely manner. Without such financing or the payment of monies believed to be owed, however, the Company will continue its plan to wind down the business.
It's too bad if Worldgate ceases, since this is one of the coolest looking video phones I've seen. Be a shame if these ended up in a landfill. I actually have a couple Ojos in the labs I've been meaning to test. I hooked up one and if I recall it has SIP settings, so in theory, someone like Packet8 could take over and provide service to existing Ojo customers. Packet8 is probably best suited for this, since they offer their own cool videophone.
Thanks to Sal Costello for the tip
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I have two of these and would appreciate anyone posting help in making them useable with other networks.
Me too. I spent several hundred dollars on the OJO hardware, and have been a very happy user of the service... until now, of course
Would it be possible to "hack" to OJO software to get these to work without the now defunct OJO service? If anyone has any ideas or can point me in the right direction, I may have a go.
So.. umm.. 5 people are going to loose service?
OJO Hack.
I'm with the other posts. I'd pay for information to allow me to use my OJO on another service, or to convert it to a simple webcam.
To Ben:
There are thousands of OJO subscribers as well as thousands of hearing-handicapped subscribers who have been given OJOs by SNAP, a well know service.
There's always somebody like you with nothing to contribute - I hope your Village can find you, soon.
I have set up a forum website specifically to try and get Ojo users together to help solve the current situation. I hope it helps!
If you have any ideas, or want to find out the current status, please feel free to view/post here:
http://www.theojocollective.com/
I have a couple of ojo's myself and this does suck. At the same time I work for Packet8 Voip and they are aware of the situation. Packet8 will not be your savior on this matter, but we do provide Video phone services. If anyone would like to contact me I have some options for you in restoring your way to communicate. My name is Larry and my number is 408-717-4141.
Try your Ojo's... they're working again!
My brother plugged his in when he saw the cable was loose and he Ojo'd me tonight.
Great news. Don't know what ahppened, but right now they're back on!
There's a larger question here: why is the videophone market taking so long to take off? There are obviously some good products available, and have been for a few years yet the whole notion of using videophones seems to progress at a snail's pace. Not to mention issues such as Ojo's. Why/how has a company with a product as good as this gotten into its current predicament?