VoIP in '04

Voxilla has A user's guide to the VoIP revolution, if it isn't being Slash'ed at the moment.

And I would agree that 2004 is the year where VOIP enters mainstream awareness and practical use for business and the public. (and 2005 will be the year of VOW [Voice Over Wireless, trademark pending]).

The tipping point for me was this Globe and Mail article :: BCE wants to use VoIP to compete with itself and this one :: Bell, Microsoft team on broadband TV mentioning IPTV. BCE (Ma' Bell ) has to get serious about VOIP because it will allow Rogers to compete for LOCAL telephone service. BCE has to do this or find Rogers providing new services based on VOIP (like : each teenager with separate phones), plus figure out how to do IPTV to compete with Rogers on their field.

It will be interesting to see if all this can be done on the current infrastructure or will this lead to (finally) upgrading of the "Last Mile" and fiber (at least) to the curb if not into the house. In this case the "Last Mile" is for both the Telecoms POTs (Plain Old Telephone System) and the Cable system's Cable cable. At last local competition at the local level! The only worry would be regulators getting in and unduly ly slowing the process.

Add this to the tends afoot for wide screen HDTV (see This) :: ie 50' TV's <700USD by the end of 2005 and trends in PRV like Tivo, the converging of computers and home entertainment is well under way to changing the Home.

followup here and here