VoIP (was: Proxy websites)

[Peter]

On Fri, 7 Apr 2006, Jason Spiro wrote:

> the name of Isen wrote an excellent paper called Rise of the Stupid
> Network (available on the web) which talks about the big telcos. He
> explains that a big failing of the telcos is that they make features
> (e.g. three-way calling, call waiting) built into the telephone
> network instead of implemented in the phones. This makes the network a
> crufty and expensive one to maintain, and makes it very difficult to
> add new functionality. He predicts that the telcos will sink unless
> they adopt new technologies that work on "stupid" networks that just
> forward bits, such as the Internet. (Of course, I think Bell Canada

I think that Isen did not know about economies of scale and 
maintainabbility over 20 years. A small PX that serves 10,000 people 
fits in a single small room, can be upgraded in software to support 
3-way calls and anything you like, and all the parts that go poof when 
lightning strikes anywhere within 2-3km, are in that room. The 
equipment, once laid out, can be expected to last 20 years of continuous 
use, with some minor maintenance.

Of course none of this is good for data services, but there is *nothing* 
wrong with the way a normal telco operates (and has been for almost 100 
years now).

Peter
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