Switching From Vonage to Skype
Swapping Vonage for Skype: One man’s search for VoIP that actually works
How one person went from:
I have long been a critic of Skype, suggesting that eBay was foolish to buy the VoIP toy and generally ridiculing it as a serious business tool.
To:
So today, I finally got a SkypeIn number. (I’ve had SkypeOut service for more than a year.) I set up my voice mail on Skype. I bought a phone (Philips VOIP841) to complement my use of a Plantronics headset (used more for comfort than anything else).
But there are a few real gems within the piece as to why he has embraced Skype that Internet businesses should understand:
Before I leave this post, it’s worth pointing out how similar the Skype model is to many open-source business models. Skype is free and, at least initially, tends to get used for tasks that are not mission-critical. Adoption starts with ease of trial and zero cost.
The challenge is clearly revenue. Something Skype has achieved to some extent but not sufficiently to meet eBay’s expectations.
and:
The sound quality is exceptional, and the reliability of the service (with one big exception) has been impeccable. When it’s not, there’s my mobile phone.
[my emphasis]
With multiple communication methods available to individuals, compared with the pre-mobile and pre-Internet era, everything changes.
More to follow in an upcoming Jupiter report.
