I have to admit that I have been hanging back from the VoIP banquet table because of my misplaced concern about voice quality. Well this week I set up phone numbers for myself through VoicePulse in both New Haven and in New York City... and they work great!! I am now a Believer and am jumping in with both feet.
One other lurking concern was about the possibility of government regulation. I was heartened by these comments by FCC head Michael Powell:
"It is not a telephone service; it is a voice application, completely indistinguishable from any other kind of application that can run on an IP network. If you're going to say to me that voice over IP is something that needs regulation, then you're going to have to explain to me why e-mail isn't also, or streaming video or instant messaging is not also..."
Remarkably intelligent comments coming from a government official!
The full article is available on News.com
All this euphoria makes me want to become a VoIP long distance telephone company. Heck, I think we should ALL become long distance telephone companies! I was tired of doing business with SBC anyway...