| Internet Telephone Here's what Walt, Jackie, and Stephen (best audience submission so far) said... Remember to tell us what you think. The best audience response wins a FREE Spike Webb t-shirt.
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Walter Dodson SWP: Walt, Internet long distance telephone calls. Talk all you want on your $19.95 a month Internet connection to anywhere in the world. What do you think? WD: Oh right, everything is just humming along on the Internet so lets get as many people as possible to start using it for voice connections. I cant seem to get Web pages up on my screen without taking a short nap in between them! Why would we encourage voice traffic. In my opinion, Internet telephone products should be as popular as Spam. The sound quality stinks, you cant call people unless theyre already online, and its using bandwidth we need for other purposes. Hopefully the whole thing will just blow over and go away. SWP: But dont you think the technology is bringing in a new opportunity for communication and advancement? WD: You might get me to agree with that if it were an opportunity for lower income families. But as we all know, the price of admission to the Internet is hardware and software that they cant afford. No this is just a cute techno-trick that people will try once or twice before going back to e-mail. And thats what its supplanting you know? E-mail, not regular telephone calls. SWP: So you dont think the phone companies are losing any business? WD: Ill bet people who play with Internet phones see their long distance bills go up not down. The Internet calls probably increase the need for regular calls as conversations and relationships heat up. The phone companies will do just fine. You may see a little grandstanding on this issue as they battle out the regulatory issues between long distance carriers and regional phone companies, but I dont think theyre worried about everybody moving over to the Net for long distance. By the way, whose circuits do you think carry the Internet traffic, anyway? | ||
Stephen J. Fahey says...Internet Phone Calls are just the beginning. I, too, believed that the Telephone will soon be history, as well as the Television, VCR, etc. If there is any way to 'packet' information over electrical wires, who knows? Electrical wiring may be the only wiring required in our homes some day. The Electric Companies may be the only companies to survive. It scares me to think of the actual potential of the web. If the software that provides communication over the web ever gets to the point where it will dial up your computer if you get a 'voice' call, then the telecommunications companies will no longer be needed. If we can start watching videos and network programming over the web, then cable companies, and video rental stores will all go away. If we can listen to music over the web, then Tower Records, Virgin Records, radio stations, etc., will cease to exist. Many of us would like to watch any video we want, any time we want. And considering what a music fanatic I am, it would be terrific to listen to any song ever recorded, any time that I want to. But look at the consequences: An increasing population, and a decreasing job market. It's very possible that we are in trouble with our technological growth. As a systems consultant, I'm feeling guilty that I'm taking away jobs. I'm currently involved in a project that puts PCs in our attorney's homes. But if I quit my job, I lose my home. Got to survive, right? Objective: A World Wide Web that can transfer video, music, voice, data, (and electricity?) to every household at the same time. Results: No more stereo equipment, televisions, vcrs, radios, record companies, cable companies, telecommunications companies, fewer movie theaters, fewer office buildings, gas stations, and automobiles (increased telecommuting), fewer administrative staff (internet banking and billing), fewer stores (internet shopping), less travel (internet conferencing), etc. Where are we going to work in 10 years? Did I miss anything? | ||