Comments on: VoIP patent mess to get messier http://gigaom.com/2007/03/26/voip-patent-mess-to-get-messier/ The Business of Technology Wed, 03 Dec 2008 06:53:37 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=MU hourly 1 By: SunRocket : Casualty of Patent War http://gigaom.com/2007/03/26/voip-patent-mess-to-get-messier/#comment-361554 SunRocket : Casualty of Patent War Wed, 18 Jul 2007 16:31:35 +0000 http://gigaom.wordpress.com/2007/03/26/voip-patent-mess-to-get-messier/#comment-361554 <p>[...] taste for VoIP companies dried up. In March/April, SunRocket, (the #2 independent VOIP company) was looking for $20-$40M series D funding, but had trouble closing the round; after the patent verdict, the whole sector had became [...]</p> [...] taste for VoIP companies dried up. In March/April, SunRocket, (the #2 independent VOIP company) was looking for $20-$40M series D funding, but had trouble closing the round; after the patent verdict, the whole sector had became [...]

]]> By: Rocket Scientist http://gigaom.com/2007/03/26/voip-patent-mess-to-get-messier/#comment-355775 Rocket Scientist Tue, 17 Jul 2007 02:14:43 +0000 http://gigaom.wordpress.com/2007/03/26/voip-patent-mess-to-get-messier/#comment-355775 <p>I have been having generally great service. Today I tried to reach customer service and "We no longer are accepting customer service calls".</p> <p>Any clues?</p> I have been having generally great service. Today I tried to reach customer service and “We no longer are accepting customer service calls”.

Any clues?

]]> By: Chetan http://gigaom.com/2007/03/26/voip-patent-mess-to-get-messier/#comment-93848 Chetan Mon, 16 Apr 2007 14:23:02 +0000 http://gigaom.wordpress.com/2007/03/26/voip-patent-mess-to-get-messier/#comment-93848 <p>Hi : I think Sun Rocket offers great service and it will be a pity if they close shop</p> Hi : I think Sun Rocket offers great service and it will be a pity if they close shop

]]> By: Peter Rad http://gigaom.com/2007/03/26/voip-patent-mess-to-get-messier/#comment-93847 Peter Rad Fri, 13 Apr 2007 18:31:56 +0000 http://gigaom.wordpress.com/2007/03/26/voip-patent-mess-to-get-messier/#comment-93847 <p>“You will see more companies exiting the business,” David McClure, president and CEO of the US Internet Industry Association recently told Business Week.</p> <p>It's always enlightening to find articles quoting Dave McClure. At least he stopped calling it an ISP association, since it is really just Verizon astroturf. Now, Dave will deny it, but every position USIIA takes is pro-RBOC and anti-independent. And VZ is still listed as a board member.</p> “You will see more companies exiting the business,” David McClure, president and CEO of the US Internet Industry Association recently told Business Week.

It’s always enlightening to find articles quoting Dave McClure. At least he stopped calling it an ISP association, since it is really just Verizon astroturf. Now, Dave will deny it, but every position USIIA takes is pro-RBOC and anti-independent. And VZ is still listed as a board member.

]]> By: Tom Christner http://gigaom.com/2007/03/26/voip-patent-mess-to-get-messier/#comment-93846 Tom Christner Mon, 09 Apr 2007 20:34:02 +0000 http://gigaom.wordpress.com/2007/03/26/voip-patent-mess-to-get-messier/#comment-93846 <p>I am happy with my Sunrocket service. The tech support team seems solid. I am going month to month until this mess shakes out.</p> I am happy with my Sunrocket service. The tech support team seems solid. I am going month to month until this mess shakes out.

]]> By: Sarah Norton http://gigaom.com/2007/03/26/voip-patent-mess-to-get-messier/#comment-93845 Sarah Norton Mon, 09 Apr 2007 14:14:15 +0000 http://gigaom.wordpress.com/2007/03/26/voip-patent-mess-to-get-messier/#comment-93845 <p>I'm with you, Patricia; SunRocket provides a great product at little cost. I would be very unhappy to have to crawl back to Verizon!</p> I’m with you, Patricia; SunRocket provides a great product at little cost. I would be very unhappy to have to crawl back to Verizon!

]]> By: Patricia Dalyander http://gigaom.com/2007/03/26/voip-patent-mess-to-get-messier/#comment-93844 Patricia Dalyander Fri, 06 Apr 2007 18:17:50 +0000 http://gigaom.wordpress.com/2007/03/26/voip-patent-mess-to-get-messier/#comment-93844 <p>If Sunrocket is close to closing, it hasn't shown any signs of it in my service. It's been rock solid for close to two years, and the couple of problems I had setting up my system were quickly handled by customer service. It's going to make me awfully sad if this patent mess means I have to go back to shelling out big $$ to the phone or cable company who only want to give you any kind of a break on any service if you buy <em>all</em> their services.</p> If Sunrocket is close to closing, it hasn’t shown any signs of it in my service. It’s been rock solid for close to two years, and the couple of problems I had setting up my system were quickly handled by customer service. It’s going to make me awfully sad if this patent mess means I have to go back to shelling out big $$ to the phone or cable company who only want to give you any kind of a break on any service if you buy all their services.

]]> By: Jim Herget http://gigaom.com/2007/03/26/voip-patent-mess-to-get-messier/#comment-93843 Jim Herget Fri, 30 Mar 2007 19:08:02 +0000 http://gigaom.wordpress.com/2007/03/26/voip-patent-mess-to-get-messier/#comment-93843 <p>Trouble at Sunrocket? You bet! After about 3 months of so-so service, I made the terrible mistake of trying to add a third line and gizmo. Their world exploded! Their techs haved me so mis-wired that it will take them up to 2 weeks to straighten it out. meantime I've NO PHONE SERVICE. What sort of a company can calmly tell you your out of phone service for 2 weeks, and then stop comunicating with you? Meanwhile, the CEO is in hiding without access by phone, email, or snail-mail. This company is inept, and I suspect close to closing...</p> Trouble at Sunrocket? You bet! After about 3 months of so-so service, I made the terrible mistake of trying to add a third line and gizmo. Their world exploded! Their techs haved me so mis-wired that it will take them up to 2 weeks to straighten it out.
meantime I’ve NO PHONE SERVICE. What sort of a company can calmly tell you your out of phone service for 2 weeks, and then stop comunicating with you? Meanwhile, the CEO is in hiding without access by phone, email, or snail-mail. This company is inept, and I suspect close to closing…

]]> By: RandomThoughts http://gigaom.com/2007/03/26/voip-patent-mess-to-get-messier/#comment-93842 RandomThoughts Tue, 27 Mar 2007 13:20:17 +0000 http://gigaom.wordpress.com/2007/03/26/voip-patent-mess-to-get-messier/#comment-93842 <p>If anyone thinks that a VoIP start-up would be a good idea, they are just nuts. It really has nothing to do with IP though. Voice is a commodity, it doesn't change the game, it just is a different way of delivering phone service. Voice is trending to zero. Who would really think its a good idea to build a company around a product that has strong competitors with big bank accounts? Why is it a good business model to set out to attain razor thin margins?</p> If anyone thinks that a VoIP start-up would be a good idea, they are just nuts. It really has nothing to do with IP though. Voice is a commodity, it doesn’t change the game, it just is a different way of delivering phone service. Voice is trending to zero. Who would really think its a good idea to build a company around a product that has strong competitors with big bank accounts? Why is it a good business model to set out to attain razor thin margins?

]]> By: Steve Morsa http://gigaom.com/2007/03/26/voip-patent-mess-to-get-messier/#comment-93841 Steve Morsa Tue, 27 Mar 2007 03:53:45 +0000 http://gigaom.wordpress.com/2007/03/26/voip-patent-mess-to-get-messier/#comment-93841 <p>...sorry; case=cash</p> …sorry; case=cash

]]> By: Steve Morsa http://gigaom.com/2007/03/26/voip-patent-mess-to-get-messier/#comment-93840 Steve Morsa Tue, 27 Mar 2007 03:51:52 +0000 http://gigaom.wordpress.com/2007/03/26/voip-patent-mess-to-get-messier/#comment-93840 <p>Wow...2,000...even more patents than I would have thought...meaning that; since Vonage was so "late" to the VoIP space; that if Verizon doesn't kill them off with their IP, it's virtually assured that one or more other patent holders will...</p> <p>...assuming of course that they get to their liquid assets before Vonage's failure-destined biz model burns all the case up in the next few years.</p> <p>Anyone even thinking of entering--or financing--VoIP startups would be advised to pay close attention to the existing IP landscape...too many landmines to make it worthwhile.</p> <p>But rather than (mis)label those smart enough to come up with valuable and worthwhile inventions as "patent trolls" should they dare attempt to assert their well-deserved rights (assuming of course their innovation really was an innovation--which is of course often not the case); wouldn't it be more fair--and appropriate--to call those who attempt to abscond with such IP assets what they really are: Innovation robbers?</p> Wow…2,000…even more patents than I would have thought…meaning that; since Vonage was so “late” to the VoIP space; that if Verizon doesn’t kill them off with their IP, it’s virtually assured that one or more other patent holders will…

…assuming of course that they get to their liquid assets before Vonage’s failure-destined biz model burns all the case up in the next few years.

Anyone even thinking of entering–or financing–VoIP startups would be advised to pay close attention to the existing IP landscape…too many landmines to make it worthwhile.

But rather than (mis)label those smart enough to come up with valuable and worthwhile inventions as “patent trolls” should they dare attempt to assert their well-deserved rights (assuming of course their innovation really was an innovation–which is of course often not the case); wouldn’t it be more fair–and appropriate–to call those who attempt to abscond with such IP assets what they really are: Innovation robbers?

]]> By: VoIP patent mess to get messier | voip.thephonedog.com http://gigaom.com/2007/03/26/voip-patent-mess-to-get-messier/#comment-93839 VoIP patent mess to get messier | voip.thephonedog.com Tue, 27 Mar 2007 03:18:37 +0000 http://gigaom.wordpress.com/2007/03/26/voip-patent-mess-to-get-messier/#comment-93839 <p>[...] post by Om Malik and software by Elliott [...]</p> [...] post by Om Malik and software by Elliott [...]

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