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  1. #1
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    * Vonage Bites The Dust!

    http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/17982142/

    wow, this is not good!
    Last edited by Project X; 04-06-2007 at 04:54 PM.

  2. #2
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    Not good, I left their service after call quality went down the tube and their tech service turned to crap when they started their ad campaign. I use galaxyvoice and it's cheaper.
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  3. #3
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    The problem is not the way Vonage linked to Verizon's phone network (and who knows which phone company they cut into to get their calls out there?) , it is the way VOIP links to ANY phone network.
    As I see it, the only way VOIP providers can avoid any infringement on these patents is to stick to PC to PC calls, thereby losing the main attraction of VOIP.
    Vonage was simply the first domino in the line.
    Now that Verizon has knocked over that domino, any other VOIP provider who links to any phone system is susceptible to a lawsuit...
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  4. #4
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    phone lines?

    how do you figure?

  5. #5
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    Quote Originally Posted by Somerset Internet
    phone lines?

    how do you figure?
    Virtual phone lines.
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  6. #6
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    'splain

    it is the way VOIP links to ANY phone network.

  7. #7
    doesn't look dead yet.

    i'm sure they'll get bought out by someone big

  8. #8
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    They are appealing, so that allows them to still accept new sign-ups. Hopefully all works out for them, new and better technology shouldn't be thrown out like this.

  9. #9
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    Thread moved to Emerging Technologies and Markets.
    Tyler Cole
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  10. #10
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    Pfft, Vonage won't ever go out of business.
    Big things coming soon

  11. #11
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    Quote Originally Posted by Nick H
    Pfft, Vonage won't ever go out of business.
    I agree but I do think that other options such as Skype, and private labeled resellers and such are taking a bite out of their new customer gathering.

    It will be interesting to see how it all plays out.

  12. #12
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    somerset I had the same issue on call quality with them and the fact they don't have annonymous call rejection...
    ---------------------------------
    Thanks,
    Steve
    Steve.Lawrence@Lawrence-Enterprise.com

  13. #13
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    Quote Originally Posted by Nick H
    Pfft, Vonage won't ever go out of business.
    neither will worldcom or enron or any other large company

    they are restricted from signing up new business.

    i actually sell voip, although not from vonage so i definitely have an interest in what happens here

  14. #14
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    Ouch. I use sunrocket.

  15. #15
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    vonage got a temporary stay and they had to post a 66 million dollar bond with the courts

    excellent time to buy vonage stock which is trading around 3 dollars down from a high of over 17 dollars (USD)

  16. #16
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    Honestly,

    Even if they can take new customers, I am sure the new customer levels are way off due to all this, I know a few people who were considering them that have decided to use another service in stead.

    I can understand asking them to compensate for the misuse, but for the Court to have the power to stop sales is something that needs to be looked at in my opinion.
    I always did like the clouds

  17. #17
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    Quote Originally Posted by Somerset Internet
    vonage got a temporary stay and they had to post a 66 million dollar bond with the courts

    excellent time to buy vonage stock which is trading around 3 dollars down from a high of over 17 dollars (USD)
    i already shorted it once when it first was listed. i'm not playing that game again though -- way too risky IMO.

    I do however have about 300 shares of Ford. Start buying Fords!

  18. #18
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    Ford is losing money on a daily basis, I wouldn't trust them if my life depended on it.

    I am with Vonage myself, been with them for a while now, I personally don't want to go through all the hassle of getting a new provider so I hope they win out of this situation. I think Verizon is just a mean big bally 'ol bully!

  19. #19
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    Talking

    Quote Originally Posted by spulis
    Honestly,
    I can understand asking them to compensate for the misuse, but for the Court to have the power to stop sales is something that needs to be looked at in my opinion.
    stealing and profiting from another companys patent is not "misuse" it is highly unethical and against the law. go to a grocery store and "misuse" a candy bar right into your pocket and see what you get.

    if the only thing people had to do is compensate others for breaking the law and stealing their things, imagine how many people would be getting by with things.

    i am not a fan of verizon and im not a fan of vonage but to claim that verizon is a bully is silliness.

  20. #20
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    I'm uncertain if this is the exact patent in question, but the EFF is working on a VOIP related case by the sounds of it:

    http://www.boingboing.net/2007/04/06...st_a_bogu.html

    The EFF is pretty good once they set their mind on a particular goal, so theres good hands working there to say the least (eg. their latest victory over Michael Crook [Google if need be]).
    Myles Loosley-Millman - admin@prioritycolo.com
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  21. #21
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    Dec 2001
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    Quote Originally Posted by Nick H
    Pfft, Vonage won't ever go out of business.
    I don't know about that - Vonage's stock has gone down the tubes since its IPO and the company has yet to show any profit. Maybe they'll get bought out down the line but I would say the outlook isn't rosy.

    With the telcos and cable companies going after VoIP, these patent disputes, triple play packages, and the fact they control major portions of the interweb tubes (the net neutrality issues) these independent VoIP providers really have a hard uphill battle.

    Personally, I use SunRocket and have been pretty satisfied with it. I don't know the specific details to comment on whether there is patent infringement, but I hope Vonage wins out or else like someone else has said, it paves the way for Verizon to go after everyone else.

  22. #22
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    Quote Originally Posted by inogenius
    i already shorted it once when it first was listed. i'm not playing that game again though -- way too risky IMO.

    I do however have about 300 shares of Ford. Start buying Fords!
    Isn't Ford one of the companies that was begging the president to do something against competition from Japanese car makers?

    Every time there is a change in the market or a new law in effect, Ford spends money lobbying when Honda spends money building a new engine

  23. #23
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    May 2006
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    Actually Ford does need Labor laws changed. They unions are killing the American car companies. That is one reason Toyotas labor costs are so much cheaper at their US factories, yet the employees take home roughly the same amount of money.
    Patrick Kautz - Galaxy-Solutions, LLC
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  24. #24
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    Unions are indeed another measure that have gone beyond their original aim and now being detrimental to business.

    Actually associations and the like should not be allowed for field. When an association forms up, they immediately start to protect and further their own groups' interests even if they are in the expense of other groups or public in general. Little different than a medieval trading guild.

    In a free market everything must be free, regulation should just come from laws to prevent exploitation, monopoly, abuse of environment and the like. For this to happen, "lobbying" concept should be thrown out of the window, and a way must be found to prevent big buck from buying senators behind the scenes.

  25. #25
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    Quote Originally Posted by unity100 View Post
    Actually associations and the like should not be allowed for field.

    In a free market everything must be free...
    Have you had a fair share of irony today?

    As for the Vonage issue, this makes it even more clear why patent laws need serious changes, although ending patents altogether would certainly be more effective.

    A sad but clear indication of what happens when corporate protection outweighs the need for supply and demand economics to do their thing.
    A well-reasoned assumption is very close to fact.
    - Adorno

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