One of the more interesting uses of VoIP for us has been dial tone only
service. This is essentially a phone line that can make local calls, but
can't receive phone calls since there is no number assigned to it. We've
used this service to allow property managers to replace POTS lines used
for access control devices that call residents to allow entry to a
property. A recent example is a property, which had 34 of these devices
and was therefore paying for 34 POTS lines.
-Matt
Peter R. wrote:
VoIP Is About More Than Replacing The Phone
http://techdirt.com/articles/20060530/0032231.shtml
For way too long, most of the attention on VoIP has focused on how
it's a cheaper telephone replacement option -- which a few people have
pointed out is the wrong lesson to take from VoIP. Yes, it can provide
cheaper calling, but the real value of VoIP is that it opens up the
ability to add new and useful applications to voice communications.
When looking for game-changing ideas, simply doing something cheaper
tends not to be nearly as revolutionary as enabling something that
couldn't have been done before. That's why it's been disappointing to
see so many VoIP providers focus on price wars rather than offering
something different. The good news is that we're starting to see some
companies offer something different using VoIP. The disposable phone
numbers idea seems more like a gimmick (though one that some folks
might find useful). However, what's more interesting are the features
the service is looking to add on top of the disposable numbers, such
as the ability to offer specific content to callers. Who knows if this
particular solution will catch on, but it's nice to see companies
trying to provide something more than just a telephone replacement
service when it comes to VoIP.
--
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