I totally agree, and have the same fear of bait & switch tactics. One thought I had to prevent this is to let providers know that a condition for being placed/displayed on the site will be "static" rates where once submitted rates will have to be valid for at least a month. And any provider caught bait & switching will be permanently banned with a public mention of the reason for the ban.
We'll have some sort of complaint mailbox where users can vent if the rates displayed don't match the actual rate. And since I don't like the idea of babysitting rate lists, this will be another bannable offense - i.e. if you accidentally submitted a rate list that doesn't match actual rates we'll take it down until you submit a corrected one. If it looks like you did it on purpose to deceive potential customers, ban. Another thing I think would be good is a requirement to have a history in business. Doesn't have to be years, but a few months at least and some publically available reviews to make sure it's not a fly-by-night operation. Will think of more later on. :) --- On Sun, 1/4/09, Alex Balashov <[email protected]> wrote: > From: Alex Balashov <[email protected]> > Subject: Re: [asterisk-biz] Experimental/new VoIP rate search engine. > To: "[email protected]" <[email protected]>, "Commercial and Business-Oriented > Asterisk Discussion" <[email protected]> > Cc: "Commercial and Business-Oriented Asterisk Discussion" > <[email protected]> > Date: Sunday, January 4, 2009, 3:24 PM > I think if this gets traction you will see a lot of > providers doing > ultra-low bait-and-switch rates. Most cannot afford to be > in a price > race to the bottom. > > On Jan 4, 2009, at 3:16 PM, Nitzan Kon > <[email protected]> wrote: > > > Well, how to put it.. exposure is exposure. As a > provider you'd > > want to get your name out there even if your rates are > not as > > competitive as others. > > > > Not to mention that if a provider does have such > agreements > > in place that allow them to achieve low rates to a > certain > > destination - having those rates searchable and > displayed > > as #1 lowest is sure to bring them customers > interested in > > those routes/rates. > > > > But at the end of the day it's up to each provider > to decide > > if they'd like to be on there or not. You > don't have to like > > the idea to get customers from it, nor would we force > anyone > > to be on there if they'd like their rates removed. > The idea > > is to find the lowest rates, so providers that do not > compete > > on price aren't really critical to have in there. > > > > There will also be other comparisons in the future > too. > > Calling plan rates, quality (will have to figure out > > how to measure "quality"), length in > business, etc. > > > > -- Nitzan > > > > --- On Sun, 1/4/09, Alex Balashov > <[email protected]> wrote: > > > >> From: Alex Balashov > <[email protected]> > >> Subject: Re: [asterisk-biz] Experimental/new VoIP > rate search engine. > >> To: "[email protected]" > <[email protected]>, "Commercial and Business- > >> Oriented Asterisk Discussion" > <[email protected]> > >> Cc: "Commercial and Business-Oriented > Asterisk Discussion" <[email protected] > >> > > >> Date: Sunday, January 4, 2009, 2:43 PM > >> Nitzan, > >> > >> Interesting idea. I wonder, though, what incentive > exists > >> for providers to list their rates in a context > where they > >> are explicitly bidding against others. > >> > >> Seems like the best rates come from negotiating > discounts > >> off the public termination rate deck (something > far from all > >> providers think is good to have) through volume > commitments > >> privately. > >> > >> In other words, I think folks doing arbitrage are > trying to > >> avoid commodification of trunking as much as > possible, even > >> though that seems inevitable and kind of obvious. > >> > >> On Jan 4, 2009, at 2:22 PM, Nitzan Kon > >> <[email protected]> wrote: > >> > >>> Hello providers! (those of you that are) > >>> > >>> Due to the lack of one being available (that I > know > >> of), > >>> I decided to start a VoIP rate search engine. > The idea > >> is > >>> to throw in as many providers into the > database as we > >> can, > >>> and let the search functionality find the > cheapest > >> routes > >>> for any given destination. > >>> > >>> To check it out, please visit: > >>> http://www.comparevoipproviderrates.com/ > >>> > >>> If you are a provider and would like your > rates > >> displayed, > >>> please email your rates in CSV format to rates > >> NOSPAMat comparevoipproviderrates.com - format is: > >>> dialprefix,destinate name,rate in US dollars > >>> example: 1214,USA,0.01 > >>> > >>> destination name,dialprefix,rate is also > acceptable. > >>> > >>> Please feel free to discuss and let me know if > you > >> have > >>> any comments or suggestions - or if you find > any bugs. > >>> This is brand new and will be a > work-in-progress for a > >>> while. > >>> > >>> -- Nitzan > >>> > >>> > _______________________________________________ > >>> --Bandwidth and Colocation Provided by > >> http://www.api-digital.com-- > >>> > >>> asterisk-biz mailing list > >>> To UNSUBSCRIBE or update options visit: > >>> > >> > http://lists.digium.com/mailman/listinfo/asterisk-biz > > > > _______________________________________________ > > --Bandwidth and Colocation Provided by > http://www.api-digital.com-- > > > > asterisk-biz mailing list > > To UNSUBSCRIBE or update options visit: > > > http://lists.digium.com/mailman/listinfo/asterisk-biz _______________________________________________ --Bandwidth and Colocation Provided by http://www.api-digital.com-- asterisk-biz mailing list To UNSUBSCRIBE or update options visit: http://lists.digium.com/mailman/listinfo/asterisk-biz
