Don't be a POTS! Innovate!

By Carl Ford

If free is dead, how can VoIP compete?

Next week in Chicago, I am going to present on the "Apps Gap."  The point of the presentation is that VoIP does not deserve its current fate.  Service providers are providing traditional phone options that makes it as if they're competing with one arm tied behind their back -- how do you show presence on a POTS line?

Or they try to gain space on a $1000 computer that was not bought to replace a $10 handset. Worse yet, soft phones put a handset look and feel on the PC to really eliminate any hope the user sees innovation beyond having one less set of buttons to punch.

Innovation is out there, but you have to go looking for it. The VON Coalition has found over 600 apps listed that they categorize as "Cool Tools" (the list is not yet public, but will be soon).  And the range of applications is extremely diverse, from apps where presence rules, to Instant Messaging that includes voice, video and instant communication, as well as multi-modal to PSTN connectors that connect your phone to the web - inbound and outbound.

Cool tools include apps like the ability to:

• Voice enable your email or text your voice mail, or you can voice enable your blogs.
• Social network voice applications and tools for political activism.
• Virtual assistants to reach you anywhere around the world.
• Language translation applications to help you reach others or learn their language.
• Voice enabled widgets that let you abstract your communication or avatars that abstract you.
• Voice enabled games and animations and services that enable accessibility.
• Mobile applications for your cell phone and communications for your cameras.
• Productivity tools for conferencing and collaboration and (of course)
• Convergence for business on the PBX.

So talk up VoIP apps.

Use them to get people involved and thinking. Don't let your family, your neighbor and especially your congressmen think that VoIP is just POTS over the Internet. Adopt an App today and tell me about it - carl@fiercemarkets.com.

The truth is, we are in a dangerous period of regulatory concern. With economies in trouble, more taxes look like salvation to states with deficits, and VoIP that looks like POTS with a POTS tax may spoil it for enhanced services everywhere.

Regulators are looking to impose taxes regardless of company revenues and may also require for VoIP services to be connected to emergency services or supplement the cost of emergency services - even if the application is not a primary service. And these issues are not just in the US, they are worldwide.

Why is a VoIP tax this important? To gain market awareness, many applications developers have given their product away.  Some intend to stay free, others are being offered as free for a limited time. If the current regulatory mindset continues, it will cost too much to offer free apps.

Thursdays, I moderate a call on the Calliflower conferencing site with Jim Kohlenberger, Executive Director of the VON Coalition.  Please stop by and join us as we try to keep the Internet a voice-enabled environment.

Carl Ford is Strategic Advisor and Community Developer for FierceMarkets. His words of wisdom can be found at www.carlford.net