We need a data network that can easily carry voice, instead of what we have today, a voice network struggling to carry data.
Sentiment: NEGATIVE
Seriously, we are in the midst of the convergence of voice and data and that is challenging the infrastructure of the telephone companies. There are huge commercial interests in the basic technology, but even more so in content delivery and control of content.
It is very clear that voice communications is moving on to the Internet. In the end, the price that anyone can provide for voice transmission on the Net will trend toward zero.
They also can combine voice with instant messaging and online file sharing.
The long-term value proposition for cellphone companies isn't just voice conversation - it's transfer of data.
There are 4 billion cell phones in use today. Many of them are in the hands of market vendors, rickshaw drivers, and others who've historically lacked access to education and opportunity. Information networks have become a great leveler, and we should use them together to help lift people out of poverty and give them a freedom from want.
Simply put, broadband voice is an interstate matter that must be dealt with through clear national standards.
We initially targeted pager networks, which have been suffering for the last decade due to cell phone sales.
When you have a few billion people connected with screens, not voice... screens are important. You can transmit a thousand times more information.
Automated call centers are only the most obvious way speech recognition will be used. The software is now becoming sophisticated enough to identify speakers through 'voiceprints,' akin to fingerprints, eventually reducing the need for personal identification numbers.
What we are doing is taking advantage of the broadband Internet to provide basically unlimited free calls to anyone at a higher voice quality than they can with the phone lines.