Comments on: Vonage ready to rumble

By: Jesse Kopelman

Jesse Kopelman — Tue, 27 Mar 2007 20:18:24 +0000

Carl, that is exactly why it makes sense for Qwest to be the buyer. The Vonage brand has no value to AT&T, Verizon, Time Warner, or Comcast, but it does to Qwest, which is largely unknown on the East Coast and poorly regarded elsewhere.

By: Carl in LA

Carl in LA — Tue, 27 Mar 2007 04:44:55 +0000

As far as who buys Vonage… Anyone except Qwest. I’ve have Vonage and HAD Qwest. Hands down Vonage has been a step up.

By: Steve Morsa

Steve Morsa — Tue, 27 Mar 2007 04:15:28 +0000

Well, we’re probably all lucky that we can’t (yet) smell things through our computers, phones, etc…’cause if we could, that would be the smell of death ticklin’ our nostrils right about now…

…as for who might buy this cash-bleeding animal; given the 2,000 VoIP patents Om says are out there; only one of the well-capitalized players who already hold a large share of such IP assets (to fight and negotiate with the other VoIP IP leaders) should dare do so…unless, that is, they don’t mind finding themselves the proud owner of…another SueTube.

By: GigaOM » VoIP patent mess to get messier

GigaOM » VoIP patent mess to get messier — Tue, 27 Mar 2007 02:32:32 +0000

[...] 3/26/2007: Vonage ready to rumble 3/23/2007: Vonage has 2 weeks to stop using Verizon patents, says Judge 3/16/2007: Vonage - rocky road, not road kill 3/8/2007: Vonage owes $58 million in patent case 2/15/2007: Vonage growth slows in Q4 1/22/2007: Vonage’s tough road ahead. Share/E-mail | Sphere | Print | Topic: Voice | Tags: none [...]

By: Dexter M

Dexter M — Mon, 26 Mar 2007 21:27:39 +0000

As a long time VOIP person and on and off vonage customer. I would be glad to see vonage go. Vonage (like all large corps) is fine untill you have a problem. THem the resolution of it is horrible. IF there is one less vendor of voip in the world, so be it. VOIP should have stayed a tech wonder for those who understand it, rather then trying to become something grandma can use.

Oddly enough, Vonage is probebly the best there is, cept that their licencing agreements have locked up all the good voip hardware. So if they go, oh well. They should have played nice with customers in the beginning - they would get some sympathy.

By: Jesse Kopelman

Jesse Kopelman — Mon, 26 Mar 2007 19:51:10 +0000

If someone’s going to buy Vonage, my vote, as it has been, is Qwest.

By: Greg

Greg — Mon, 26 Mar 2007 18:55:39 +0000

Cablecos are certainly not in any better position if the Verizon patent claims hold up under appeal. The claims are so broad and general, they essentially apply to anyone doing VoIP. Heck, there are even claims for a cordless/wireless VoIP phone. Verizon has basically taken common telephony/computing artifacts, attached VoIP to them, and called them something new.

As much as we love to hate Vonage because of their arrogance, stupidity, poor customer service, etc., it's undeniable that they helped in a major way to usher in a new communications era that has resulted in expanded consumer choice for phone service. If Verizon has their way and goes after all VoIP providers, there could be a reversal of all that with the power going right back to the big players.

By: Stan Miller

Stan Miller — Mon, 26 Mar 2007 18:08:50 +0000

I hope Vonage makes it. More competition in voice is a good thing.

I’m a Packet8 user at home. Their QOS service is iffy at times, but it still works good enough and it’s saving our family a bundle.

By: Stephen

Stephen — Mon, 26 Mar 2007 17:44:56 +0000

I think the biggest threst for Vonage is software applications for PC and Mobile like (link) - these applications also work on IP Phones so why the need to get a subscription.

By: Fisch

Fisch — Mon, 26 Mar 2007 17:24:02 +0000

Maybe there is also the possibility of some fair use. Take unfair competition, the necessity of standards, some pints of unjust enrichment et voila: option 1 above. Vonage did take only an element of Verizons technology, property right or not, lets imagine Vonage did at least that, and did create something new, a completely new product, thing. IP in a networked environement where everything depends on the other is special.

Sort of an analogy would be to use a short Michael Jackson sample in a new summer hit. This new summer hit, Kiss me baby or whatever, would be something new. Allthough it would have its special fun from the Michael Jackson sample, he would not be able to destroy it, but they would have to pay, maybe one cent pro sale.

By: Nick Hawkins

Nick Hawkins — Mon, 26 Mar 2007 16:54:47 +0000

I’ve always thought that Vonage was just hanging around long enough to be bought out by someone larger.

By: Moshe Maeir

Moshe Maeir — Mon, 26 Mar 2007 16:37:05 +0000

Om, look at the numbers, they are currently at a market cap of about $250- $300 a sub. Definitely a fair price!
Methinks that buyers are waiting in the wings to scoop them up after they fall a couple of more times.
A smart buyer would stop the crazy advertising expense of $1m a day and he then have a very profitable company, I calculated Vonage profits per customer a year are Gross Profit = $203.85!
If you want to see my calculations go to (link)

By: Daniel Gibbons

Daniel Gibbons — Mon, 26 Mar 2007 16:10:52 +0000

Strikes me that Vonage has done everything wrong when it comes to building the public support it now needs. Everyone loves an underdog fighting against the incumbent “man”, but with its dreadful customer service and denial of QoS issues Vonage has managed to become the underdog everyone loves to hate.

By: Om Malik

Om Malik — Mon, 26 Mar 2007 15:57:18 +0000

Moshe,

those are long odds, though I am sure they might find some other buyer - who knows. but this is going to be one nasty fight.

By: Daniel Berninger

Daniel Berninger — Mon, 26 Mar 2007 15:56:55 +0000

Om, What makes you think Cableco’s in any better position than vonage regarding VoIP patents? Vonage uses the same off-the-shelf equipment and open standards as everyone else - Cable, other independents. Patents will prove a quagmire for everyone.

By: km4

km4 — Mon, 26 Mar 2007 15:34:14 +0000

Vonage should already have had a contingency plan solution for option 3.

Just shows the stupidity + lame arrogance of the Vonage executive management.