VOIP will forever stay for 'geeks' only.
I'd like to know what people think about this.
I've tried getting VOIP to work.
I've been struggling a great deal.
Although obviously not a VOIP expert, but competent with computers and
software.
But... I think if to get VOIP working, it's necessary to forward ports,
adjust firewall settings, turn on UPnP and a myriad of other things...
then VOIP will forever stay ONLY for us geeks.
What's needed: something that you plugin and away you go.
Nothing else to worry about AT ALL.
I can't see this EVER being so for software because of the MUST need to
have many different firewalls, both hardware and software.
As for hardware plugins, again, I think there will always be a certain
level of customisation needed.
Does Skype have any advantage for being literally plug and play?
(As I understand it, they have gone against the grain and don't follow
the SIP protocol??)
(Also, never used Skype myself yet.)
Bottom line: big telecom companies will continue to rule.
"OM" <om.newsgroup@gmail.com> wrote in message
news:1128291184.780460.102370@z14g2000cwz.googlegr oups.com
> VOIP will forever stay for 'geeks' only.
> I'd like to know what people think about this.
I think I'm the last person you'd call a geek ;-)
> I've tried getting VOIP to work.
> I've been struggling a great deal.
> Although obviously not a VOIP expert, but competent with
> computers and software.
>
> But... I think if to get VOIP working, it's necessary to
> forward ports, adjust firewall settings, turn on UPnP and
> a myriad of other things... then VOIP will forever stay
> ONLY for us geeks.
Due to the very nature of VoIP there will always be a certain level of
customisation required. Unlike a normal BT phone line, for example, where
all the equipment except the phone itself (which theoretically at least is
type approved and just plugs in) is owned or operated by the provider,
VoIP has a much larger proportion of the equipment on the customer's
premises. No two customers are alike, so the equipment is of necessity
going to be different.
This means that no two people's problems are the same; a complaint of no
dial tone, one way audio and the other usual problems can be down to
different things each time. Sometimes it will be a network problem but
more often than not it's a configuration problem on the user's equipment.
> What's needed: something that you plugin and away you go.
> Nothing else to worry about AT ALL.
>
> I can't see this EVER being so for software because of
> the MUST need to have many different firewalls, both
> hardware and software.
> As for hardware plugins, again, I think there will always
> be a certain level of customisation needed.
Indeed, although there are some devices that come close, due to the simple
fact that everybody is different, it's unlikely ever to be 100% plug and
play.
> Does Skype have any advantage for being literally plug
> and play? (As I understand it, they have gone against the
> grain and don't follow the SIP protocol??)
> (Also, never used Skype myself yet.)
I think Skype in its present form is as close as you're going to get to
true plug & play, although the requirement to have a computer on all the
time is a big negative point for many people. Skype themselves say that
their service is not intended as a replacement for a standard phone.
> Bottom line: big telecom companies will continue to rule.
>
> I'd like to hear what other think.
The one that has most of the line plant will always be the biggest, all
those copper pairs are a big advantage..!
"Tone" <tone@spamcop.net> wrote in message
news:9bl1k1llqee820mev1ae45cvnps3irmk69@4ax.com...
> On 2 Oct 2005 15:13:04 -0700, "OM" <om.newsgroup@gmail.com> wrote:
>
> >VOIP will forever stay for 'geeks' only.
> >I'd like to know what people think about this.
>
> Im afraid I have to agree with you
> Untill there is a foolproof way of simply plugging a Modem/Router into
> your BT socket and getting 100% reliable telephone calls. your average
> George & Mildred wont use it.
No good for me I have a cable connection... see the problems ?
>
> Its like back in the days of CB when certain car companies were
> spouting bollocks about their cars coming with CB built in so everyone
> could communicate.
>
>
> --
>
>
> Just livin the Vida Sofa
On 2 Oct 2005 15:13:04 -0700, "OM" <om.newsgroup@gmail.com> wrote:
>VOIP will forever stay for 'geeks' only.
>I'd like to know what people think about this.
I'm not a geek and I got it working ok without any hassle, just some
adjustment of settings.
However latter I changed my VoIP service to www.iconnecthere.com and they
supplied an ATA which came ready configured and just need plugging in and a
telephone connected to it. For those who don't wish to have any hands on this
"solution in a box" is ideal, and several VoIP companies go down that route.
So VoIP shouldn't be for geeks only by any means.
-
Lansbury www.uk-air.net
FAQs for the alt.travel.uk.air newsgroup
In article <1128291184.780460.102370@z14g2000cwz.googlegroups .com>, om.newsgroup@gmail.com says...
> VOIP will forever stay for 'geeks' only.
> I'd like to know what people think about this.
>
I got to agree with you to a certain extent. I think VOIP will be come
more popular and now that dixons have jumped onto the band wagon, we
will see more of it. The problem is when things go wrong and they will
go wrong, who do you go to?
The setting up of VOIP is also a problem, how many people knows anything
about ports and forwarding, unless they are interested in that sort of
stuff.
All the routers I have installed for people, will never get touched
unless the person call me if there is a problem, none of these people
knows anything about a router and would not even have aclue how to get
into the web interface.
In article <1luuqx2zrgf4b$.4pl4ifwph2ri.dlg@40tude.net>, bonnie@bumble.be says...
>
> Your bottom line says it all IMHO. Whilst most people are still probably
> thinking in terms of computers, ultimately the big companies will supply a
> black box which plugs into your household data port, and into which you
> connect whatever devices, phones, TV's, computers, etc, that you want to
> use. The likes of Vonage are already half way to doing this. There will be
> no configurable options, this will be done remotely according to the
> services you subscribe to. The actual data transmissions will use IP
> protocols, voice only being one such form.
>
This will be a long time in the future, a lot of places still can't get
broadband and even if they could the speed is limited. I cna't get any
higher than 1Mbit, which is not anywhere near fast enough for T.V.
I do agree with you that eventully our phone system will be more like
the cable system, but I think it will take many years. reliability is
also still a major factor.
On 2 Oct 2005 15:13:04 -0700, "OM" <om.newsgroup@gmail.com> wrote:
>VOIP will forever stay for 'geeks' only.
>I'd like to know what people think about this.
>
I agree, there's just too much farting about with settings and so on. Even to
get X-Lite to work with Sipgate is a pain the arse, and I had to do it for each
user on XP, what a ballsache! I want flexible voicemeail originating at my PC
so the outgoing message can change according to the time of day. Somebody
suggested using Asterisk but just one look at their web page is like straying
into a nerd-fest.
As long as BT has most broadband users by the balls and insist on charging line
rental on top of the ADSL fee, VOIP is likely to remain the preserve of the
tech-heads.
Skype probably have it right - nice and simple - just the job for people with
relatives abroad etc.
On Mon, 03 Oct 2005 09:37:06 +0100, Tone <tone@spamcop.net> wrote:
>But, for your average George & Mildred it wont be worth it when they
>can get cheaper calls with people like 1899
At the moment. But the questioned used the term "forever" and I think the
technology will move on and will become cheaper than services at present
available. 1899, I read somewhere, in fact route their calls over the Internet
a fair bit of the time so in fact people are already using VoIP without
needing the equipment in the home.
-
Lansbury www.uk-air.net
FAQs for the alt.travel.uk.air newsgroup
"OM" <om.newsgroup@gmail.com> wrote in message
news:1128291184.780460.102370@z14g2000cwz.googlegr oups.com...
> VOIP will forever stay for 'geeks' only.
> I'd like to know what people think about this.
>
> I've tried getting VOIP to work.
> I've been struggling a great deal.
> Although obviously not a VOIP expert, but competent with computers and
> software.
>
> But... I think if to get VOIP working, it's necessary to forward ports,
> adjust firewall settings, turn on UPnP and a myriad of other things...
> then VOIP will forever stay ONLY for us geeks.
>
> What's needed: something that you plugin and away you go.
> Nothing else to worry about AT ALL.
>
> I can't see this EVER being so for software because of the MUST need to
> have many different firewalls, both hardware and software.
> As for hardware plugins, again, I think there will always be a certain
> level of customisation needed.
>
> Does Skype have any advantage for being literally plug and play?
> (As I understand it, they have gone against the grain and don't follow
> the SIP protocol??)
> (Also, never used Skype myself yet.)
>
> Bottom line: big telecom companies will continue to rule.
>
> I'd like to hear what other think.
>
>
> OM
>
I entirely agree with that. I have used skype, but only to others who have
skype installed, not to a landline. It was just install and away you go,
but I don't know if it's more difficult to telephone landlines.
"Ivor Jones" <ivor@despammed.invalid> wrote in message
news:3qb5aaFe7b1cU1@individual.net...
>
> I think Skype in its present form is as close as you're going to get to
> true plug & play, although the requirement to have a computer on all the
> time is a big negative point for many people. Skype themselves say that
> their service is not intended as a replacement for a standard phone.
>
Why can't it be a replacement? I have my computer on all the time anyway.
"Interesting Ian" <DELETETHISspam.me2@ntlworld.com> wrote
in message news:L%b0f.9262$OC3.2437@newsfe5-win.ntli.net
> "Ivor Jones" <ivor@despammed.invalid> wrote in message
> news:3qb5aaFe7b1cU1@individual.net...
>
> >
> > I think Skype in its present form is as close as you're
> > going to get to true plug & play, although the
> > requirement to have a computer on all the time is a big
> > negative point for many people. Skype themselves say
> > that their service is not intended as a replacement for
> > a standard phone.
> >
>
> Why can't it be a replacement? I have my computer on all
> the time anyway.
(a) It won't handle 999 calls, but this is common to most VoIP services
(b) It requires a PC to be on all the time, which is not acceptable for
many people
(c) It is dependent on local mains power. Again this is common to other
VoIP systems but if you do get a power failure it's not going to be much
use unless you have an uninterruptible power supply.
> VOIP will forever stay for 'geeks' only.
> I'd like to know what people think about this.
BWAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAAHA!!!
Thats POTS managers for you mouthing off their
wet dreams.
You would be wrong by at least 2 counts from
the people I know using VoIP without
a clue as to how it actually works,
because they don't actually need to.
Also with companies that are on VoIP; hardly
anyone is aware of the true nature of the
systems that are in use.
In article <O4e0f.120980$G8.65980@text.news.blueyonder.co.uk> , website_has_email@www.enemygadgets.com says...
>
> You would be wrong by at least 2 counts from
> the people I know using VoIP without
> a clue as to how it actually works,
> because they don't actually need to.
what happens if it goes wrong? would any ot these people know what to do
to get it working, without calling out someone?
>
> Also with companies that are on VoIP; hardly
> anyone is aware of the true nature of the
> systems that are in use.
>
Companies will normally have someone that looks after the network and
computers, so their job, could also be to look after the VOIP.
> In article <O4e0f.120980$G8.65980@text.news.blueyonder.co.uk> ,
> website_has_email@www.enemygadgets.com says...
>>
>> You would be wrong by at least 2 counts from
>> the people I know using VoIP without
>> a clue as to how it actually works,
>> because they don't actually need to.
>
> what happens if it goes wrong? would any ot these people know what to do
> to get it working, without calling out someone?
Same argument applies to telephone and cell phone.
>> Also with companies that are on VoIP; hardly
>> anyone is aware of the true nature of the
>> systems that are in use.
>>
>
>
> Companies will normally have someone that looks after the network and
> computers, so their job, could also be to look after the VOIP.
In article <X2A0f.121823$G8.103513@text.news.blueyonder.co.uk >, website_has_email@www.enemygadgets.com says...
> >
> > what happens if it goes wrong? would any ot these people know what to do
> > to get it working, without calling out someone?
>
> Same argument applies to telephone and cell phone.
Not really, if a Mobile phone goes wrong, you get in touch with the
supplier. If a telephone goes wrong, unless it is your phone itself, you
get in touch with BT or who ever is suppling youur service.
I wonder how many VOIP suppliers will help if things go wrong?
VOIP is not just plug and pl;ay, like a telephone, you got to set it up,
plug things in, set up forwarding addreses. If the system works straight
out of the box, you are lucky.
It depends what you mean by 'forever'. Setting aside whether there are
actually any applications to drive the churn from POTS to VoIP, the
current TDM-based exchange equipment has a limited shelf life and will
become uneconomic for the Operators to maintain and for the equipment
vendors to manufacture, e.g. because it uses silicon which Intel no
longer makes. Signs in the UK that the Operators are planning to move
to VoIP include: BT's 21CN trial in Cardiff; C&W's commitment to use
the Marconi Softswitch and Kingston's current usage of the latter for
handling trunk traffic (i.e. routing calls between network nodes).
FWIW I would guess that the Operators will be rolling out VoIP in plug
& pray mode within 2-3 years and for new POTS provision to have ended
by about 2010. For businesses, the churn on their PBXs is about 5
years, so we'll see them evolving their existing platforms for about
the next 5 years and then swapping them out for VoIP equivalents, when
they become available.
The VoIP world today is much like what must of been when Alexander Bell
and his first supports began "deploying" what we came to know as
the Bell System in the US and Canada. Naysayer must have said,
you'll never connect every house and it will be impossible to connect
multiple cities let alone countries.
VoIP like all other technology is evolving at exponential rate, as the
consumer (to include; governments, carriers, businesses, residential,
et al) continue to embrace the technology, innovators and or existing
companies will drive technological developments that will overcome the
"issues" with VoIP as we know it today with solutions most have not
yet dreamed of today.
This is evidenced by the number of VoIP users in 2004 which was
approximately 4.8 million which is expected to reach an estimated 197.2
million users by 2010. VoIP today is a $13 Billion (yes that is a B) a
year industry which grew by 40% from 2004 to 2005 alone. With those
amounts of money involved, who does not think the seen and unforeseen
obstacles will not be overcome?
In article <1128526005.712434.212250@z14g2000cwz.googlegroups .com>, phonemanusa@gmail.com says...
> The VoIP world today is much like what must of been when Alexander Bell
> and his first supports began "deploying" what we came to know as
> the Bell System in the US and Canada. Naysayer must have said,
> you'll never connect every house and it will be impossible to connect
> multiple cities let alone countries.
>
> VoIP like all other technology is evolving at exponential rate, as the
> consumer (to include; governments, carriers, businesses, residential,
> et al) continue to embrace the technology, innovators and or existing
> companies will drive technological developments that will overcome the
> "issues" with VoIP as we know it today with solutions most have not
> yet dreamed of today.
>
> This is evidenced by the number of VoIP users in 2004 which was
> approximately 4.8 million which is expected to reach an estimated 197.2
> million users by 2010. VoIP today is a $13 Billion (yes that is a B) a
> year industry which grew by 40% from 2004 to 2005 alone. With those
> amounts of money involved, who does not think the seen and unforeseen
> obstacles will not be overcome?
>
>
Digital T.v is going to be our T.v system, but no one is not trying to
overcome the obstacles for that.
What makes VOIP so different?
VOIP is fine for people who already got broadband, but people who have
not got a computer and do not access the net will stay with the normal
phone system.
I reckon it will be a minority that will use VOIP.
In article <1luuqx2zrgf4b$.4pl4ifwph2ri.dlg@40tude.net>,
Bonnie Bumble <bonnie@bumble.be> writes:
> On 2 Oct 2005 15:13:04 -0700, OM wrote:
>
>> VOIP will forever stay for 'geeks' only.
>> I'd like to know what people think about this.
>
>> competent with computers and software.
>
>> But... I think if to get VOIP working, it's necessary to forward ports,
>> adjust firewall settings, turn on UPnP and a myriad of other things...
>> then VOIP will forever stay ONLY for us geeks.
>
>> Bottom line: big telecom companies will continue to rule.
>
>> I'd like to hear what other think.
>
> Your bottom line says it all IMHO. Whilst most people are still probably
> thinking in terms of computers, ultimately the big companies will supply a
> black box which plugs into your household data port, and into which you
> connect whatever devices, phones, TV's, computers, etc, that you want to
> use. The likes of Vonage are already half way to doing this. There will be
> no configurable options, this will be done remotely according to the
> services you subscribe to. The actual data transmissions will use IP
> protocols, voice only being one such form.
>
I agree with your basic idea, but suspect there _will_ be configuration
options, just like a mobile phone has them in abundance. Though, as with
mobile phones, most users wont bother with them - they'll just pick them
up and use them. Those that do wish to go further and get the box to
operate how they want will find the facilities poorly documented, have
an arcane user interface, and be full of bugs. The box will be capable
of chosing from 1001 different ring tones, automatically selected
according to its user's daily horoscope, but will be incapable of being
programmed to do the most basic things which users would actually find
useful and geeks could easily get their older systems to do.
> In article <X2A0f.121823$G8.103513@text.news.blueyonder.co.uk >,
> website_has_email@www.enemygadgets.com says...
>> >
>> > what happens if it goes wrong? would any ot these people know what to
>> > do to get it working, without calling out someone?
>>
>> Same argument applies to telephone and cell phone.
>
> Not really, if a Mobile phone goes wrong, you get in touch with the
> supplier. If a telephone goes wrong, unless it is your phone itself, you
> get in touch with BT or who ever is suppling youur service.
>
>
> I wonder how many VOIP suppliers will help if things go wrong?
>
> VOIP is not just plug and pl;ay, like a telephone, you got to set it up,
> plug things in, set up forwarding addreses. If the system works straight
> out of the box, you are lucky.
> >
> > VOIP is not just plug and pl;ay, like a telephone, you got to set it up,
> > plug things in, set up forwarding addreses. If the system works straight
> > out of the box, you are lucky.
>
>
> You can get in touch with me.
>
>
For what reason? How many people would be able to get in touch with you?
Like it is a nice offer, but if I decided to go VOIP, I think after
building a load of computers and sorting out networks, wireless and
wired, I expect I can work out a VOIP system
> In article <Fmf1f.123441$G8.14073@text.news.blueyonder.co.uk> ,
> website_has_email@www.enemygadgets.com says...
>
>> >
>> > VOIP is not just plug and pl;ay, like a telephone, you got to set it
>> > up, plug things in, set up forwarding addreses. If the system works
>> > straight out of the box, you are lucky.
>>
>>
>> You can get in touch with me.
>>
>>
>
> For what reason? How many people would be able to get in touch with you?
> Like it is a nice offer, but if I decided to go VOIP, I think after
> building a load of computers and sorting out networks, wireless and
> wired, I expect I can work out a VOIP system
What you need is a new job as a politician.
VOIP is not your thing.
In article <8Vy1f.124150$G8.112785@text.news.blueyonder.co.uk >, website_has_email@www.enemygadgets.com says...
> >>
> >
> > For what reason? How many people would be able to get in touch with you?
> > Like it is a nice offer, but if I decided to go VOIP, I think after
> > building a load of computers and sorting out networks, wireless and
> > wired, I expect I can work out a VOIP system
>
>
> What you need is a new job as a politician.
> VOIP is not your thing.
>
>
You don't make sense. What is a politician got to do with VOIP and why
the hell do I need a new job anyway?
How do you know VOIP is not my thing? You see I look on things at both
sides, not just one. There are so many people who say this is good, that
is good and they only see the positive. I try and see the negatives as
well.
Some people get so involved in things they do not see the problems, VOIP
have got problems and they have to be sorted out.
Anyway, you still did not answer my question, why would I want to get in
touch with you?
In article <74smx75lqyxt$.1noy55oxhzz91.dlg@40tude.net>, bonnie@bumble.be says...
> On Wed, 05 Oct 2005 20:11:55 GMT, Tim Clark wrote:
>
> > I agree with your basic idea, but suspect there _will_ be configuration
> > options, just like a mobile phone has them in abundance.
>
> But you miss the overall point and seem to be thinking only in terms of
> phones. I suspect voice comms will virtually cease to exist as a separate
> product line, and will be included by default with other (data) packages.
> You are probably right that there will be a myriad of options, but they
> will most likely be available via a web option on your household
> monitor(s). As eveything would be IP based, devices would be able to
> communicate with each other.
>
>
That is a very scary thought.
In article <i4s2rez1q460$.2q3tq1j2uw1c$.dlg@40tude.net>, bonnie@bumble.be says...
> On Sun, 9 Oct 2005 17:39:38 +0100, Ad C wrote:
>
> > That is a very scary thought.
>
> Perhaps, but if you went back say 25 years, and looked forward to what we
> have today, you might think the same thing.
>
>
This is nothing like what have happened in the last 25 years.
At the moment most things we have got are under our own control, you buy
them from different compnaies, you services from different compnies. It
seems like in the future that eveything will be on I.P, which means
people will be able to see what you are doing, and know almost
everything about you.
It will be the world that Microsoft wants. T^hat do not sound fun to me.
VOIP will forever stay for 'geeks' only. 
Linear Mode
