Not all VoIP is Made the Same

VoIP Magazine writer Bryan Richard has a lot to say about Skype. I happen to think Skype is a good thing for VoIP in general as it increases awareness and brings more attention to the softphone. I also firmly beleive that Skype will either adopt SIP [by partnership or other] or be a smaller VoIP player in the near future. Proprietary protocols will never make it long term when there are good open standard alternatives out there. To say that Skype is a SIP killer is pure garbage. Om referenced a report saying softphones mean nothing, Om - Skype IS a softphone. Om also comments that VoIP is all about cheap calls. Om, I think you will find in fairly short order that price will not be the determining factor for most consumers, instead consumers will want better quality, more features, and the flexability required to take their IP comunications with them wherever they go. Skype actually creates more interest in softphones and SIP, which is where I beleive the future lies. No provider wants to be under the thumb of any other operator. Skype is not unlike the telcos of old and we are now seeing history repeating itself, revolt has already begun. Yahoo! [now including Dialpad] could have partnered with Skype but didn't and instead went with SIP. If you did a trace on AOL's new VoIP service or Verizon, SBC, Net2Phone, iConnect Here [Deltathree] Microsoft, Vonage and just about every other VoIP provider or VoIP device manufacturer I can think of, including Cisco, Linksys and Intel you will see they all use SIP, not Skype. SIP is paving the way for better communications today and in the future. I would much rather be working with a coalition of great minds on open standards as opposed to following a single company using proprietary technology, and have no voice.