User Vs. Networks: VoIP Battleground

by jordan | April 18, 2007 at 06:12 am | 299 views | add comment | 0 recommendations

More and more users are recognizing the benefits of true WiFi-enabled handsets, though service providers continue to drag their feet in bringing such devices to market. in the UK, two major carriers introduced the hot-hot-hot Nokia N95, but with crippled network capability. Are their actions even legal?

Truphone boss James Tagg says his fledgling company will ask Ofcom to intervene if mobile networks continue to cripple VoIP-capable handsets.

Another VoIP provider told us today that Orange has been crippling its E61 handsets for SIP telephony "for several weeks".

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As we reported earlier today, Vodafone and Orange have released a version of the hot new Nokia N95 handset with the native VoIP capability disabled. See Truphone's video here.

Tagg said he'd be making a representation to the UK telecoms regulator in a week if questions hadn't been answered satisfactorily by Vodafone and Orange. "We will formally complain within a week if we haven't got some sort of answer out of them by other routes," he told us.

The two giants are clearly flouting EU law, he said. "We're being blocked at the network level and at the device level."

Adam Beaumont, managing director of rival SIP service AQL said his company wouldn't be making its own representation to Ofcom, but gave his full backing to Truphone's complaint.

Beaumont also revealed that Orange has been crippling its Nokia E61 handsets.

"The N95 doesn't surprise me," he told us. AQL had noticed that Orange-branded E61 phones were unable to make SIP calls for several weeks.

New start-ups such as Truphone and AQL allow users to use a WLAN-aware handset with built-in SIP support - such as the E61 and the new E65 - bypassing the network. Nokia has integrated SIP calling deeply into the phone, which makes for a seamless experience for the user and better power management. The launch of Nokia's E65 and N95 handsets, combined with the growing maturity of services such as AQL and Truphone, is taking VoIP from the enthusiast market into the mainstream.

When consumers are paying the equivalent of $1000 and up for latest smart phone, they don't want it to be lobotomized right out of the box.

UPDATE: Vodafone offers its excuse for crippling such a gorgeous technotoy:

[q
url="http://www.theregister.co.uk/2007/04/19/vodafone_explains/"]A
Vodafone statement says the mobile operator doesn't offer its own VoIP
service because it doesn't believe it's a mature technology, and would
require "in-depth testing, a solid end-to-end customer experience,
billing integration and customer service support which is not currently
available".

You can bet that it's the lack of billing integration which is key here.
[...]
Stand-alone applications such as Fring continue to work fine on the
N95 from Orange or Vodafone, but they don't offer near as compelling a
user experience as the integrated solutions from the likes of Truphone.

Truphone said it is working on a stand-alone application for those
unfortunate souls who bought their handsets from Orange or Vodafone,
but until then the best option is still to get an unrestricted handset
and enjoy the option of easy-to-use VoIP calls.

[/q]