[LINK] Why AT&T Killed Google Voice

Kim Holburn kim at holburn.net
Sat Aug 22 03:48:58 AEST 2009


Interesting article.

http://online.wsj.com/article/SB20001424052970204683204574358552882901262.html

Some nice quotes:

> Data is toxic to old communications and media pipes.

> We need a national data policy, and here are four suggestions:
>
> • End phone exclusivity. Any device should work on any network.  
> Data flows freely.
>
> • Transition away from "owning" airwaves. As we've seen with  
> license-free bandwidth via Wi-Fi networking, we can share the  
> airwaves without interfering with each other. Let new carriers  
> emerge based on quality of service rather than spectrum owned.  
> Cellphone coverage from huge cell towers will naturally migrate  
> seamlessly into offices and even homes via Wi-Fi networking. No more  
> dropped calls in the bathroom.
>
> • End municipal exclusivity deals for cable companies. TV  
> channels are like voice pipes, part of an era that is about to pass.  
> A little competition for cable will help the transition to paying  
> for shows instead of overpaying for little-watched networks.  
> Competition brings de facto network neutrality and open access (if  
> you don't like one service blocking apps, use another), thus one  
> less set of artificial rules to be gamed.
>
> • Encourage faster and faster data connections to our homes and  
> phones. It should more than double every two years. To homes, five  
> megabits today should be 10 megabits in 2011, 25 megabits in 2013  
> and 100 megabits in 2017. These data-connection speeds are  
> technically doable today, with obsolete voice and video policy  
> holding it back.
>
> Technology doesn't wait around, so it's all going to happen anyway,  
> but it will take longer under today's rules. A weak economy is not  
> the time to stifle change.


-- 
Kim Holburn
IT Network & Security Consultant
Ph: +39 06 855 4294  M: +39 3494957443
mailto:kim at holburn.net  aim://kimholburn
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