Picotalk Blog Compilation

Link: http://www.cbc.ca/news/background/voip/

Some strange things are happening in the telecommunications industry, but fortunately the end result should be good for us all. Reading the CBC's "Background" on Voice over IP (VoIP), I found a quote very similar to my previous statements about the convergence of Voice and the Internet. "Bell Canada, the industry's largest player, intends to channel all of its phone traffic through the internet within 2 years."

This statement is huge for the telecom industry; the transition from the Internet running over voice lines to voice running over Internet (data) lines is gaining momentum. With the advancements in wireless interent technologies such as WiMax - eventually your Internet, Telephone and Mobile Phone, and Audio/Visual broadcasting will all share one common transport system.

The strange part of the transition is our CRTC, which currently sets limitations on the big monopolies like Telus. The CRTC currently forces these big companies to share their infrastructure with smaller companies, and works to ensure we all have fair and reasonably priced access to the telecommunications network. The CRTC has decided that VoIP is still subject to the same rules and limitations, which means companies like Telus will have a harder time adopting and growing a VoIP network than companies that are just getting involved.

It's funny to see a case where a government regulatory commission such as the CRTC has the effect of stimulating technology rather than hindering the development of it. The smaller companies just getting their feet when in telecom through VoIP are willing to invest a lot more time and money to gain a market share. The big companies like Telus seem to have little interest in adopting the new technologies, other than to retain market share and prevent these smaller companies from pulling the rug out from under them. It's going to be an interesting battle...

Mickael Maddison