Thread: Can phone users live on VOIP alone?
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krisse is offline krisse
2009-05-09 , 18:42
Posts: 1,540 | Thanked: 1,045 times | Joined on Feb 2007
#10
Originally Posted by Peet View Post
First I must admit to having no personal experience using VoIP through mobile phones. Some/many networks also ban VoIP data connections or sell separate (Skype?) usage packages.
They don't have any major restrictions here in Finland, you can use your connection for anything you want, though some networks ban P2P (but I think most people can live with that restriction on a mobile device).

I have used Skype through a 3G connection, but the problem was the person at the other end only had a 2G (GPRS) connection so the sound was very low quality indeed.

One interesting thing though, Nokia announced at the beginning of the year that they would be integrating Skype services into their phones. I assume that's only for use through wi-fi, but it would be fascinating to see what would happen if it allowed 3G use too.


Pressing a bright (unless it autosenses usage) LCD screen against your oily face (when wireless headsets are inconvenient or unavailable)?
It would definitely autosense usage, I have a Nokia 5800 and it switches the screen off whenever you're talking on it.

Using the 5800 is also ergonomically no different to any other phone. Even non-touch phones nowadays have large screens which you would also press against your face.


I'm not sure if Krisse is looking for positive or negative reinforcement to this idea, but certainly with the right accessories it could be done.
I have no hidden agenda at all, I'm just trying to start a discussion of the pros and cons of VOIP through mobile networks. :-)


Stationary VoIP users probably outnumber mobile phone VoIP users by a healthy margin. Personally I'd also think the VoIP ecosystem would be better if it was done via standard protocols (SIP?) instead of a single corporation (like eBay's Skype).
It might be better to do through SIP, but it's possibly too late to do anything about it because people will naturally flock to whichever service is easiest to use and has the most members.

At the moment Skype is by far the easiest to use and has by far the largest membership. My parents aren't exactly computer geniuses, but they know how to install and use Skype. They do not know how to install and use any other VOIP system, in fact they don't even know about any other VOIP system because no other systems advertise themselves.

(This is why I get so frustrated with certain open source project members who think the technology alone will draw users in. It won't.)


Localized 3G data plans can also be murderous for those who frequently travel abroad.
If you buy your device unlocked you can use it with local SIM cards all over the world, so you'd only ever be paying whatever the locals pay.

Even 3G phones are starting to carry multiple frequencies to allow worldwide use.


If a somewhat N8x0-sized tablet was my only mobile voice device,
It seems that future maemo devices will be smaller than the current tablets, and a lot closer to the size of mobile phones. That should make it a lot more plausible to use as a phone.