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September 10, 2004

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It's not easy being a monopolist

The advent of workable internet telephony like Skype has got the local monoplist PCCW running scared. They've sent a letter to all broadband customers telling them why Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) services will lead to the end of civilisation as we know it, or at least cutting into the lucrative franchise PCCW has. The arguements boil down to this:

1. It's tricky to install (not true)
2. It hasn't been tested
3. It may slow down your broadband speed
4. You cannot make emergency calls
5. Callers cannot be traced

Given the high costs of international telephony that still exists, PCCW are right to be scared. But stupid scare tactics like this only demonstrates how scared they are about this disruption to their business model. They'd be better off figuring out how to deal and embrace VoIP than preaching doom and gloom about it.

Phil has more on Skype.

 posted by Simon on 09.10.04 at 12:22 PM in the




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Excerpt: Warning: even by my low standards, this is fairly boring stuff. Like most people, I guess, I get annoyed when telemarketing people call me. Not so much because they are trying to sell me something, but rather because what they
Weblog: OrdinaryGweilo.com
Tracked: September 10, 2004 07:14 PM


Comments:

Actually, none of those are true, except number 5, which is true. It has been tested and running in many countries (including here in the UK). It may slow down broadband, but only if you add more than one voice call over VoIP. You can make emergency calls, only it's related to the problem of number 5-if you can't speak to the operator, they may not know where you are.

I think they too should embrace VoIP like a lot of other operators. Sure technology is scary and evolution terrifying. It's what the Neanderthals thought, and look what happened to them.

(ooooh...I get an archaeology AND a telecom bit in one comment! It IS going to be an interesting day!)

 posted by: Helen on 09.10.04 at 03:18 PM [permalink]

I just mentioned this before I read your rant (at the bottom after some boring stuff).

Actually, it's not Skype they're worried about, but rather City Telecom's new service (which I think gives you a phone rather than using your computer).

 posted by: Chris on 09.10.04 at 07:12 PM [permalink]

To be fair to PCCW, point 4 is that you can't make calls if the power fails. Which is true, because your broadband connection would drop. However, there is a small possibility that you might have a mobile phone that you could use, so it's not really a big worry.

 posted by: Chris on 09.11.04 at 09:44 PM [permalink]




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