Those businesses that VoIP is disrupting
-
-
Internet telephony lowers phone bills. VoIP technologies are disturbing telecommunications companies, before disrupting them. Wireless VoIP and mobile phones show big signs of convergence. Mainstream media are all saying it. But besides telecommunications, there are also other businesses that will change because of VoIP technologies. So here are three of them, those that shows gradually signs of evolution.
E-learning
Learning centers stands among the early adopters of the e-learning business. In China for instance, foreign language institutes are turning into traditional call centers, with professors instead of operators. All of the learning process is made online, through Skype mostly, as the voice client enables voice calling at a good quality. The video features could be used, but seems to be secondary feature for the learning activity.
For the learning center, using softphone is very profitable. There isn’t no classroom to provide, and no overcrowded places to deal with. Students could even take the class whenever they want, at their cozy home, something that not all Chinese institutes could afford. Of course, online language class replace a real experience inside the country, but it’s worth trying one before taking off.
As foreign language institutes, e-learning centers will catch this trend soon. Many of them currently use instant messengers as a fast and reliable way to communicate with their students. But Skype ranks far behind other instant messengers, only 14% worldwide for the February time period according to comScore, against 70% for MSN Messenger. But it doesn’t really matter after all. VoIP has already started blooming in MSN Messenger, Y! Messenger or AIM. So everyone should soon be able to speak to his or her teacher online.
Low-cost call center
This business has always been fond of globalization strategies. Ireland call centers used to attract investments. But gradually they have to face higher wages. So now, investors seek into Bangalore, the India tech Mecca, close to New Delhi, where there are plenty of tech-savvy employees working efficiently at a low cost.
That trend is however going to slow down with the emergence of VoIP. Several companies already started commercializing their solutions. Their names, in disorder: Five9, Contactual, Sky-Click.
By using their service, call center administrators would be able to track call length and waiting times, automatically distribute dozen phone calls, or immediately check call availability. Sky-Click distinguishes itself from its competitors by taking advantages of already available call softwares, such as Skype and Google Talk.
Switching to VoIP could chop the phone bills up to 15%. Comfortable, isn’t it. But it could even beyond this level, indicates consulting agency Yankee Group, up to 85% if call centers outsource their own VoIP infrastructure. At least, if this forecast number could make call center owners think twice before off-shoring their company, VoIP would really show its social benefits.
Relationship, social networks
Social networks warmly welcome Internet telephony, as this business always embraces top-notch technologies to supply newer and trendy services. They early adopt email, early incorporate instant messaging, and now run for online voice chatting.
Last year, Friendster pioneered in this direction by integrating a VoIP service. Since then, two social networks popped in the map: VerbDate and Bebo. The former is glued a bit in its beta state, whereas the later is already running the feature. Both of them requires users to download and install a softphone by themselves ― in this cas, “softphone” simply means Skype.
Those social networks wouldn’t induce a trend in the social network business. Even if there are three others jumping in the bandwagon. But this could change within one month or two. MySpace, the unmissable social network garnering over one million members, is expected to roll out some online telephony features. The voice toolkit will probably allow PC-to-phone and PC-to-mobile paid calls and make the network even more present to its members’ eyes.
Agree, disagree with all that? Want to add something to this? Drop a line or two in the comments.
Apr 15, 2006 | By Nuno
- comments
-
-
-
- Stay in sync'
- Full content
- Content tagged VoIP
-
-
-