Carriers need features that either get you to switch or keep you from switching. Here’s a perfect example: I’m moving my wireless service over to Rogers specifically to get the SpinVox feature.

Here’s how it works. You go to the web site and sign up for a FREE 30-day trial. You activate the link in your email and you use SKYPE as the end-point on your desktop. We use 8-12khz codecs and all callers on Skype are wide-band. If you use a regular telephone, you can only get narrowband codecs.

I urge you to try it for yourself and HEAR the difference. One cool thing to do is for you to call in on Skype, have one friend call in on Skype and a 3rd friend call in on the PSTN.

You can hear the difference between Wideband/High Definition and regular PSTN.

I agree the various calls for innovation do not substitute for the real thing. The column offers a diagnosis of the problem in the dependence of VoIP on the 20th century telephone network. Even Skype found innovation grind to a halt after tying their revenue model to the telephone network.

A diagnosis represents a necessary step enroute to a cure.

Dan

I think as a member of the VoIP industry you shouldn’t only start discussions but also give answers. Jeff Pulver, with whom you travelled recently to Tel Aviv, made his “Call for More Innovation in Voice Services” yet 5 months ago. The comments’ section to his blog post is now full with Viagra spam.

Om Malik said 3 months ago that VoIP got boring because the companies deal with “Nothing But The V-Thang”.

I already read so many posts stating “cheap calls are not enough, VoIP needs to be more”. But then these experts keep me waiting for this “more”. I really hope that FWD comes up with new ideas soon, as promised.

I for instance would like to see a “Hosted Fring with Grandcentral’s filter rules and international mobile callforward over GSM”:

http://www.goebel.net/technews/2007/07/my-answer-to-jeff-pulvers-call-for-more.html

BTW: Free or super cheap calls are already a quite great VoIP application to me.

I really like this post. I found it to be thought provoking, and really hopeful too. I know sites like Grand Central want to do to phones, but in my opinion, they have yet to come out with the “killer app.” The hope comes in when I try to imagine what a killer app for phones would look like.

Alex