Google Sets the Date for the End of XMPP with Google Voice
crackers8199:
i'm curious if obi will update the 110 to be able to use the POTS line as a bridge for GV, rather than a SIP service...if that's even possible. i'd think there would be a huge demand for this, as it's my primary reason for wanting the device for my new home...i want to be able to use the POTS line i purchased with my triple play service, but have my google voice number show as the outbound caller id.
SteveInWA:
No, we absolutely, totally, completely, unconditionally, unambiguously get it. You want to use Google Voice for your home telephone service. You aren't interested in paying anyone for telephone service, or at least not in paying anyone other than Google.
There are hundreds and hundreds of civil, and not-so-civil posts over on the Google Voice forum about this; it's been discussed and debated ad nauseum. Facebook, Twitter and Google have created a fantasy that internet-based services are free, and people get mad when they discover that the services are not free, and they are not the customer. You DO know that you are paying for it today, by letting Google data-mine and sell your online behavior, right? The "customer" is the advertiser, not you. That revenue stream assumes that Google or any of their competitors actually CAN get something of value from your online behavior. They get nothing of monetary value today from OBi / GV users, other than the caller IDs and locations of the numbers, and the contents of transcribed voicemail messages.
Google isn't, and has never been, a telephone company. They aren't interested in the land line business, advertising-supported, or otherwise. There's insufficient money in it to be worth the support headaches, and its use is rapidly declining. The OBi device's use of XMPP to access GV was an unauthorized hack; Google has made a business decision to close that hole, and their stated direction is Hangouts, used within their own Google ecosystem. Having some little software-powered gizmo, into which you can plug an analog RJ-11 telephone jack, to make and receive phone calls, is a "been there, done that" product called MagicJack. MJ couldn't make it work with ads; people won't stand around watching ads while they talk on their cordless phone. It's a nice idea, but it has a low likelihood of happening.
There will be all sorts of hacks and procedures to feed calls indirectly through Google's infrastructure. If any of these appeal to you, great, enjoy, but don't hold your breath waiting for an elegant, Google-powered solution.
giqcass:
Quote from: jonsid on January 28, 2014, 05:06:36 pm
I suspect Google will come out with a piece of hardware to sit on your kitchen counter to replace the phones of today - pre-loaded with Hangouts and able to talk, video and text for no charge and pay for it by streaming ads to the screen when you're not using it so every time you walk by it you'll see a different ad. All you'll need is a connection to the Internet.
That device is called a smartphone.
jonsid:
Quote from: giqcass on January 29, 2014, 01:35:19 am
Quote from: jonsid on January 28, 2014, 05:06:36 pm
I suspect Google will come out with a piece of hardware to sit on your kitchen counter to replace the phones of today - pre-loaded with Hangouts and able to talk, video and text for no charge and pay for it by streaming ads to the screen when you're not using it so every time you walk by it you'll see a different ad. All you'll need is a connection to the Internet.
That device is called a smartphone.
I think they'll call it the Toodlephone. And when you finish talking you won't say Goodbye, you'll say "Toodle-ooh".
mo832:
Quote from: simpleAnswers on January 28, 2014, 06:08:29 pm
Totally Agree with you. For some reason, some just don't get it. The Obihai is not the main reason why most users buy Obi devices, most users bought it for ease of use of GV. Plug in a telephone and off you go.
Most users will simply stop using the Obi/GV bridge once XMPP goes away as they wouldnt bother with any paid mix of this or that.
hopefully it is likely that within 6 months of the XMPP shut off, there will be a new piece of hardware or hack that gets things working again.
I am of a similar mind to the above. MOST people (emphasis important) didn't want the Obi per se. MOST people wanted [device that makes phone work over internet]. They didn't care what it was called. The advantage of Obi was that it was a one time hardware purchase and the monthly service was free. Now that you need the hardware AND a service plan, for MOST people, who cares which device you use? The Obi is much more versatile, but that is not what MOST people care about. Now your choices are more similar to different cell phone plans: special vs. standard hardware, cost of hardware, price of plans vs. usage, coverage, customer service, reliability, etc. The Obi was [standard device, one time purch, free ongoing service] and the others like MJ, NetTalk, Ooma, Vonage, etc. were [special device, one time purch, paid monthly service] and those competed based on price, ease of use, cust service, features, etc. With the Obi changes coming soon, they just become another paid service to add to the mix, with a slight incumbent's advantage since the users already own the device. But that is no different than someone who owns a CDMA phone and is looking to switch to GSM for better or cheaper or faster service, but they must switch phones to do it.
I remember when AT&T/Cingular turned off their TDMA system, and since everyone had to buy a new phone anyway, there was no compelling reason to re-sign with ATT based on cost. It had to be other factors like keeping the phone number or who had service in your area.
Navigation
[0] Message Index
[#] Next page
[*] Previous page