VOIP - What’s Hindering Innovations

VOIP is not advancing as fast as some of the industry insiders would like. Almost since its conception, the experts and technologically savvy users have complained that there is not enough innovation in the service.

It’s easy to point the problems of VOIP squarely at the big telcos. Some even say that these are the companies hindering the expansion of VOIP for their own benefit (profit). The problem is that the easy way is not always the right way.

VOIP will not see vast improvements in features until the consumer demands it. Right now, that is just not the case. If the providers truly want innovation then they must find away to develop the demand by promoting the platform more efficiently.

It is also important that the VOIP industry not just listen to what the market is saying. To understand consumers, the market must be watched. Focus groups and other ways of monitoring consumers are not as valuable as evaluating what the consumers are already doing.

The best way to sell VOIP to the general public is to put together a platform that is cheap, quick, and easy for innovators to refine and test with real consumers. Then make the VOIP service a friendly place for the consumer.

If the industry will build a reliable VOIP – the consumers will come.