The Next Internet Revolution

Calling and talking to your friends over the Internet is a technology that has been around for several years. But it has been plagued by poor sound quality and long delays in between conversations. It also an inconvient technology to use because if you wanted to make a call you had to turn on your computer, and launch an application or goto a web site (such as Dialpad and PC2Phone )to make a call.

Then there is the hardware issues that you had to deal with, couldn't just use mike and speaker. What you needed is a headset so that it didn't sound like you were talking to someone in a tunnel. So depending on your computer setup you could be switching wires headset and speakers, everytime you wanted to make a call. It just wasn't really worth it. (Note: The hardware/software configuration would change depending which service you were using)

The biggest problem with the whole PC-to-phone or PC-to-PC technologies was they were not convinent, or easy-to-use. Consumer product designers know that in order to make a good product, it has to be easy-to-use, or it is not going to sell. They often use the telephone as good example of an easy-to-use device. Because, it is a device that we are all familiar with, and know how to use.

All of the early free PC-to-Phone services are gone, but there still are plenty of free PC-to-PC services available. Now, the PC-to-Phone services charge for their services.

Enter VOIP
Michael Robertson founder MP3.com and Lindows, just launch a new start-up company called 'SIPphone', which allows people to make with free Internet-based phone anywhere in the world.

Robertson's new company is selling phones specially designed SIP phones that allow you to make Internet-based calls without a computer for free, anywhere in the world. The catch is that this technology only works with other device that support the same technology, and requires a broadband connection.

The way the SIPPhone works is that you need purchase a pair of them for $130 form SIPPhone.com. Then you plug the phone's power cord into a local wall socket, and then plug the phone's ethernet cable into your broadband router. In about a minute, the phone is ready to work. There is a great deal more information on the SIPPhone about how it works.

NOTE: The SIPphones are based on the SIP (Session Initiation Protocol) standard, also known as Voice Over IP (VOIP). The SIP protocol governs the initiation and routing of Internet-based calls.

The Competition
Vonage is a company that provides Internet-based flat-rate calling plans using your broadband connection to provide you regular phone service. The Vonage advange over SIPphone is that it works like your regular phone, and doesn't require you to change your calling habits. Anyone with a phone can call you, and you can call anyone else. SIPphones only work when calling someone else with a SIPphone.

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