[Google] Why The Philippines Still Doesn't Have Google Voice

Image via CrunchBase

I'm a big Google fan - that much is clear. The fact that I host this blog via Blogger instead of another service like WordPress, how I remain active on Google+ and how so much of my online life involves one Google product or another, things just get crazy that way, I suppose. And can you blame me, beyond being one of the most admired companies in the world, they do come up with a lot of cool products that are highly useful.

One major point of annoyance for me is how Google users in the Philippines (obviously including myself) still do not have access to the full host of features of Google Voice. It's a pretty amazing service once you read about it and it provides a lot of different cool features and other bonuses that make it a no-brainer to want to have. But the basic requirement to have the service is to have a US phone number. Ouchies.

In fact the world outside of the United States still does not have access to the service as a whole, unless you decide to go out of your way to acquire a US phone number via some online service or VOIP device. And that seems like going a bit too much out of the way just to play with a service that works best when you have multiple phones that you want to manage.

So let's take a quick look at the main reasons why we Filipinos can't "officially" have access to Google Voice yet.

[VoiP] Vonage vulnerable to call divert hack - report

Another potential legal woe for Vonage is in the works.

Currently fighting it out with giant telcos (ehem, Verizon, ehem), the VoIP company will be in another legal trouble if it fails to address calls being diverted by hackers. Reuters reports:

Without proper security measures, Internet phone providers risk exposing their customers to such attacks from far away as hackers use the Web to access their networks, said Krishna Kurapati, founder and chief technology officer of Sipera.

"This guy could be in Russia and Vonage thinks it's John Smith. People think they're calling John Smith and instead they get this guy," he said.

Matthias Machowinski, an analyst who follows corporate networks for Infonetics, said that while Internet phone systems are vulnerable to such attacks, it is possible to prevent them.

Sipera claims that they have informed Vonage of the problem more than a month ago. Vonage has not responded to Sipera's information, and Vonage declined to comment when asked by Reuters.

If Vonage is not careful, they will have another headache-inducing case in their hands, which they don't need at this point.

[VoIP] Goodbye, SunRocket

The surprise closure of SunRocket, purported to be the #2 VoIP provider in the US after Vonage last Monday certainly has the telecommunications industry reeling from a very surprise turn of events. While everyone knew SunRocket had some financial issues over recent months, I don't think anyone could have predicted how rapid this change came to be.

If you visit their website, you'll have no clue as to the fact that they're no longer operating. I couldn't resist trying to call their 800 number just now and got the now infamous recording which states:

"SunRocket - the 'No Gotcha' phone company. We are no longer taking customer service or sales calls. Goodbye."

Now that is cold.

So what now? There are said to be over 200,000 SunRocket customers now scrambling to find alternative providers. Many are sure to jump on-board with Vonage, given they're currently wooing former SunRocket customers with two months of free service along with a supposedly smooth transition process. On the other hand, many customers may now feel 'burned' by the VoIP industry in general and may opt to return to traditional landline service or perhaps go with cabled solutions like the Digital Phone service offered by many of the cable companies in the US.

Hop on over to the SunRocket Forum on Broadband Reports to check out the on-going threads about what alternatives customers might have now. Over there everyone's money appears to be going with ViaTalk instead.

This raises a lot of questions about the VoIP industry as it stands. While they do offer much cheaper service as compared to traditional telephone companies, their advertising costs are just as big in their efforts to win new customers over from telephone and cable companies. Quality is always a mixed bag being so dependent on broadband service quality and of course there's the whole issue around reliability of their alternative 911 services.

The industry has been under fire in the legal arena as well with Vonage taking the front lines in their patent dispute with Verizon and a pending case with Sprint, should that ever push through. Clearly the big boys in telecom aren't going to sit idly by while these newer VoIP players try to eat into their customer base.

Should we stick with VoIP providers or is the demise of SunRocket merely the harbinger of darker things to come? What do you think?

[World Domination] German telco invests in VoIP company

VoIP and telcos do not see eye to eye. Telcos see VoIP as enemy and threat. From blocking VoIP calls to patent infringement cases, the battle between the two seems endless. So I am surprised by the news that German telco Deutsche Telekom is investing in Jajah, a VoIP company that offers Web calling service.

Hmmm. Embracing what is inevitable? Or hedging for world domination? DT's T-Online service now integrates Jajah Web interface. Is that a sign of things to come?

This investment is good for Jajah. If DT wants to enter the VoIP market with minimum cost, this investment is probably the most prudent way to do it.

(Crossposted from here.)