Disruptive Telephony

With the recent release of Facebook's "Platform" for applications (see here for more info and links), my first thought, naturally, was... so what VoIP apps are in there?  Given that Facebook is being used as a email/IM/messaging platform by so many, the linkage into voice seems logical.  Oddly, when I went to Facebook's "Application Directory" and searched (using the "Search Apps" box) on either "voip" or "voice" I wound up with no applications!  However, there clearly are some voice applications in there.  Through some browsing, I discovered these (note that the first links on each line will only work if you are logged into Facebook):

• WalkieTalkie - private voice chat for a Facebook group.  If everyone in the group installs it, they can all participate in a group "conference call".
• Tag - from the same developer as WalkieTalkie, this is for one-to-one voice chat and leaving messages.
• Chatterbox - lets other users leave a voice message on your Facebook profile.
• VoicePlayer from Snapvine - let's users leave voice comments on your Facebook profile
• Msg-Time - same idea... you can leave voice messages
• Free World Phone from Jaxtr - call-back service that calls users on their existing phones... also includes voice messaging and ability to keep your phone number

There is also an app listed for Jangl that doesn't seem to be available if you click on the link.  But again, this is another call-back service that lets you keep your number private and use your existing phone.

All of these are interesting in various different ways, especially to me the WalkieTalkie and Tag apps as they would appear to be actual VoIP, but there does seem to be something missing here:

Where are the VoIP apps that go outside the Facebook walls?

Now, maybe I missed them (and feel free to leave me a comment telling me so), but it seems to me that it would be a logical thing to allow people to initiate voice conversations from within Facebook to various VoIP services, similar to what Xing is already doing with both Skype and also with regular phone numbers (through a conferencing service).   Skype is one obvious choice, but an app that did straight SIP (hmm... "Gizmo for Facebook") would be very interesting as well.  Or connected to one of the other IM services that include voice (Microsoft WLM, GoogleTalk, AIM, Yahoo!Voice)... or that played well with open source VoIP like Asterisk... or that connected to one of the enterprise VoIP or consumer VoIP services.

The question really is... who will be the first one to offer an app that lets you use your existing VoIP services from within the Facebook walls?  And through those services gives you PSTN connectivity?   We'll see...

(Hint: Given my next post, Skype's probably a good contender.)

Today I called Alec Saunders via Skype.  Not terribly unusual, really... except that I initiated the Skype call from my Blackberry!  Back on Monday, Jim Courtney over at Skype Journal had posted a teaser about an application for the Blackberry that allowed you to use Skype IM.  Today my curiosity got the better of me and I had to IM Jim to get the info. I downloaded the app and promptly had to try it out... I guess by virtue of Alec being at the top of my contact list, he was my victim (I also know from past experience that he's open to this kind of thing).

Tonight Jim has spilled the goods for all of us in the post rather dramatically titled "Skype on the Blackberry - A New Era in the AlwaysOn World". It turns out to be an application called "IM+ for Skype" from a company called ShapeServices, which makes a variety of software products for PDAs (and specifically Blackberries).  It turns out there was a news release about this back on May 7th, but I didn't see any coverage of this at all.  The app itself costs $25, but you can also download it and use it for a free 7-day trial.

Blackberry users can even download it directly for Over-The-Air installation from wap.shapeservices.com.

The app itself seemed like other IM programs I've tried for the Blackberry.  Very easy to create chats.  See the chats in progress.  Get a notification vibration/beep when new chats arrive.  You first naturally give it your Skype username and password and it (slowly) loads in your contact list and shows the presence of all of your contacts.  After that, it's rather like a Skype client.  You can scroll through your contact list, open up chats, initiate calls, etc.

The calls are interesting.  I was initially expecting it to be a true VoIP client and initiate the call via Skype over the data connection from the Blackberry.  I wondered how well this would work given the generally limited quality/speed of the data connection.  It turns out that it doesn't work that way.  The data connection is used by the IM+ app to initiate the call, but the actual voice connection occurs over your phone's regular mobile connection. 

So when I called Alec, my phone actually rang and I answered it.  From Alec's perspective using Skype on his PC, he was placed into a conference call with "Dan York" and then a SkypeOut call to my cell phone.  What's curious to me is that I don't quite understand where the other party was that was making the conf call happen.  It wasn't on Skype on my PC.  I can't imagine the Blackberry could actually be doing the conf call... so where was it?  A PC (virtual or otherwise) back at Shape Services?  I don't know... but I will say that it worked.

From a cost perspective, I have the Skype Unlimited calling plan, so the call to my cell phone was free from a Skype point-of-view.  I have an unlimited data plan for my BB so there was no cost there.  Obviously there was an airtime cost for the connection to my BB... but that was it.   Now obviously I could also use it to make SkypeOut calls to other numbers, at which point it is becoming much like one of the call-back services like Jajah.

Interesting app... we'll see if I actually use it much.  My past experience with IM clients on the Blackberry is that if they are left running in the background they tend to eat the battery up very quickly.  Still, I could see me using it when traveling and wanting to IM someone or find out their Skype presence.  Will I make actual Skype calls with it?  I'm not sure.

What do you think?  Would you use it?  For Skype IM?  Calls?  Or both?  Is it a "New Era in the AlwaysOn World"?  (Would you pay the $25?)

Fun stuff...

Today Skype released their initial version of Skype 3.5 Beta for Windows.  You can download it here if you are the adventuresome type. In addition to fixing a bug (that caused Skype to crash) with public chats that has been plaguing those of us who use them, the major feature rolled out in this release is the long-awaited "Call Transfer".  Don Kennedy goes into this at far greater length in "Skype Pro Does Call Transfer" where he provides some examples and also provides a sample application.   

One of his examples is the interesting one of having all calls be transferred to a "group" which could include Skype names as well as SkypeOut numbers.  In Don's example, you could have someone call you on a SkypeIn number which would then be transferred to the "group" which could include your own Skype ID and also a SkypeOut connection to your cell phone.  Now all of this capability isn't yet in the Skype GUI.  Today you need Don's Call Transfer Example application, also available through the Skype Extras manager, but it is a glimpse of what is coming.

There is one gotcha... to do the transfer from a SkypeIn number or to a SkypeOut number, you need to have the "SkypePro" monthly subscription plan.  However, the USA is not one of the "available countries"... but apparently you can, in fact, purchase Skype Pro.  But, of course, if you are in the USA or Canada and have already purchased "Skype Unlimited" for $30 for the year for unlimited calling in NA, you have to wonder why people would pay $3/month more for Skype Pro... unless perhaps to get Call Transfer?   Certainly a bit confusing.

Call Transfer isn't the only thing in the 3.5 beta - per the Windows Release Notes, the release also contains:

• feature: Auto redial
• feature: Call Transfer
• feature: Device Indicators
• feature: Edit chat messages
• feature: Message history loading granulated
• feature: Private Telephone Numbers
• feature: Send contacts inside chat
• feature: Visual indicators for Audio In / Audio Out in options
• feature: Show examples of notifications / alerts in options
• feature: Added Latvian localization - Intars Students
• feature: In-Client Hardware store button
• change: Extras Manager updated to version 1.2.0.261
• change: Options categories smoothly slide open and close when changed
• Updated language files for a variety of languages

Some of those are more obvious that others.  What are "Private Telephone Numbers"?  or "Device Indicators"?  We shall see.  In any event, Skype has now made this release available for those who want to play with it...

UPDATE #1: Raul Liive at Skype indicated that "Private Telephone Numbers" means that your phone numbers in your profile are only shown to those people in your contact list.   

 UPDATE #2: Phil Wolff demonstrated the "Send contacts inside chat" feature that you can see on the right.  You can send a contact to all members of a chat by using the Send button on the top of the screen (or apparently by dragging/dropping into the chat).

UPDATE #3: Raul and others explained that "Device Indicators" will clue you (a Skype 3.5 user) into the fact that the person you are communicating with may be using an embedded version of Skype with less capabilities (for instance, some of the new WiFi phones that have Skype and don't require a PC).

Yesterday, Bandwidth.com announced that their SIP trunking service would be powering Mitel solution centers across the US.  From the news release:

Bandwidth.com, a leading nationwide provider of complete business communications solutions, today announced that it will be powering all Mitel(R) Solution Centers across the country enabling customers and VARS to preview innovative solutions, including SIP Trunking technology in a live environment. Mitel operates solution centers in five locations; Chicago, Costa Mesa, Atlanta, New York and Herndon (Virginia), all of which will be equipped with Bandwidth.com's SIP Trunking VoIP solution by the end of June.

There's been a relationship between Bandwidth.com and Mitel since last September. This announcement yesterday is a logical evolution of that relationship.

There's a lot to write about the incredibly disruptive power of SIP trunking... I don't think we yet fully understand how the power to obtain SIP trunks from anywhere in the world is going to so severely disrupt the global telecommunications infrastructure.  With IP, geography no longer matters... and there are all sorts of local carriers - and tax authorities! - who I don't think fully understand how much this messes up their business models.  I really need to write that up........

Two notes for Bandwidth.com:

1. On the positive side, they have to get credit for one of the coolest graphics I've yet seen for SIP trunking!  I'm talking about the image above that is also on their bandwidth.com/mitel page.  I'm going to have to see about getting permission to use that graphic in some presentations... I just really like it from the design side!

2. On the less positive side, it continues to astound me the number of companies that do not immediately post their news releases on their web site "news" area!  This news release went out yesterday (June 11) but yet it's still not on Bandwidth.com's news page!  It's too bad, because they are missing out on a good potential for inbound links to their site.  Instead, we're left to link to either TMCNet or PR Newswire, both of whom I'm sure don't mind the traffic.  Our (Mitel) PR team have moved to getting the news releases posted on the site right away... I don't know the stats on what kind of traffic we get, but I do know that it lets bloggers like me link directly to the site if we want to.

(See also Ken Camp's commentary about the rising importance of SIP trunking in SMB.)

Per Russell Shaw, ShoreTel has filed it's paperwork for an IPO.  Reuters also has the story.[1] Ken Camp also provides his opinion.  I'm sure that more will be written in the time ahead.  ShoreTel is one of the many newer entrants into the enterprise VoIP market and have been doing some interesting things (and yes, in the spirit of full disclosure, they do potentially compete in some areas with my employer, Mitel).  Kudos to them for getting things together to go for the IPO.  It will be interesting to see how that moves forward - best wishes to them all. 

[1] Side note: It's interesting to me to see that the Reuters story about ShoreTel IPO filing in the US was actually filed by a reporter in Bangalore, India at 6:54am.  At that time most North American reporters were probably only getting going. 

In my queue of things to write about, I'd be meaning to comment on the fact that this year's Fall VON on October 29 - November 1 in Boston will also be the site of Digium / Asterisk World.   Jeff Pulver's team announced this back in March and it will have Mark Spencer and others from Digium involved.  I wasn't particularly surprised to hear this, given that Jeff Pulver has always had an interest in open source and that Digium has always had a large presence at VON exhibit halls.  (You would have to be blind to miss the giant orange booth with its many pods!)  Kudos to Digium and Pulvermedia for organizing a way to spotlight all the great stuff happening in open source telephony.  I'll look forward to seeing what goes on there.

Over on his blog, Jeff Pulver asks "Do you prefer softphones or IP phones?", which is a great question to ask.  What do you think?

I left a comment there and then started writing a longer blog entry - but I just don't have the time to complete that particular entry, so I'll have to stick it in the queue for a future article.  In the meantime... do head on over to Jeff's site and leave any comments you have.  It's definitely an interesting question. 

A colleague pointed me to this Engadget story (which, in turn, points to this BBC article) about the fact that BT will soon be allowing UK owners of Sony PSP game consoles to use their PSP to make voice and video calls to other PSP users and eventually to any other phone number.  Per the BBC article (which also includes a nice little video showing this in action)

The software has been developed by BT and will eventually allow PSP users to call PCs, fixed lines and mobiles.

Initially the service will only be available in the UK and will only work on home or BT wireless hotspots.

Currently, there are around 2,000 of these situated in airports, railway stations, hotels and fast food restaurants.

Interesting move by BT.  The cameras were apparently to be available from Sony May 25th but this service from BT will not be available until more details are announced at a conference in August.  Certainly there's a strong potential user base there:

More than 24 million PSPs have been sold around the world, with more than eight million of those sold in Europe.

And the article states that BT says that this software will be distributed to telecom companies in 100 other countries (for, one would imagine, some type of licensing fee), so it will be interesting to see how many of those PSPs actually do turn into VoIP endpoints.

Yesterday, Skype announced a new "Small Business Pack" available in 12 European countries - and also indicated that you could become a Skype reseller to sell this pack.

Phil Wolff over at Skype Journal has more coverage and raises some good points that are unknown about the reseller program.  (And FYI, in the interesting way all this happens, my "tip" to him was in the Skype public group chat that Phil has hosted for months when I asked him if he'd heard of this new pack.)

To me, this represents another new method for Skype to look to get into the business market.  It's not entirely clear to me how many resellers will really pick it up, since the pack really only represents a 50-euro savings, but I suppose on one level it's something they can at least sell.  It's also not clear to me exactly why a reseller would be needed since you can also order the pack directly from Skype's online web site, so even with volume discounts, there would not seem to really be a whole lot of margin in it for a reseller. Maybe there are, as Phil writes, enough "Skype-crazy consultants" out there seeking to sell Skype.  We shall see.

As Jeff Pulver notes today, he'll be once again hosting a big party at his VON Europe Spring 2007 in June in Stockholm.  Jeff's events are definitely always interesting... and I'm looking forward to being at this one.  If you're going to Stockholm, I'll see you there!