2005 has been been an another exciting year for VoIP Industry. Vonage is still hanging in tough (Nextel has been eyeing it for quite an uncomfortable while). Skype founders did the expected and duly sold the company to eBay. The usual biggies like Microsoft and Yahoo made the usual ‘late-into- the-market-with-their-heavy-cash-bags’ rounds and bought some small potatoes.



Our money, whatever its worth, is on Google. It is going to gain most next year. It is smartly turning it reputation as an innovator into an integrator. Expect GoogleTalk in at least 1 new place for every month next year. Our money is also on VOIP being utilized for community enhancing purposes. Witness the recent flurry of MySpace related VOIP announcements.



FCC has recognized the growing consumer acceptance of VOIP and has started to enforce VOIP players into following the same best practices that regular telecom players follow- its 911 directive , for example. VOIP is gaining currency internationally. Did you know that Brazil has the highest acceptance of VOIP in the world, according to a study by Telegeography? We also expect Skype to move into Asia, especially the Chinese mainland (Expect compromises).



What’s next?



Interoperability between VOIP networks will gather steam. Security will matter. A ‘matrix-like’ fear: security agencies will force regulators to put enhanced tracking and tapping mechanisms, which will be kind of dumb. It will hurt innovation. Expect price wars between all players - VOIP providers, cable companies and traditional telcos. Expect newer gadgets and better software. Also expect more open source action. Expect more choices for the consumer. Expect happiness, perhaps?



VOIP: A TIMELINE FOR 2005



JANUARY 2005

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Jan. 4: Vonage partners with UTStarcom - brings portable Wi-Fi handsets, F1000 to the market. (wi-fiplanet)







FEBRUARY 2005

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Feb. 1: Skype launches versions of its software for the Mac and Linux. (Tom Keating)



Feb. 23: Canamex Interstate Highway, becomes “world’s first highway Wi-Fi mobile voice and high speed data network,” from Rio Rico to South of Green Valley, Arizona. Users are now able to make multi-party VOIP conference calls at over 80 miles per hour across the network

(eWeek)



Feb. 28: Vonage spends 1.8 billion ad impressions making it the third largest spender online. (Om Malik)







MARCH 2005

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Mar. 4: FCC Says Telco Must Allow VOIP Traffic. The new Mandate says telcos shall not block ports used for VOIP applications or otherwise prevent customers from using VOIP applications. (eWeek)





Mar. 16: FCC names Kevin Martin New Chairman. (Tom Keating)





Mar. 22: Texas Sues Vonage Over Emergency Service. Suit highlights VoIP’s shortcomings on 911 emergency calls. (InternetNews)







APRIL 2005

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Apr. 6: America Online launches their VoIP service with AOL Internet Phone Service. (Andy Abramson)



Apr. 11: Global IP Sound Unveils GIPS VoiceMail Engine to Enable Feature-Rich Voicemail Applications in VoIP Telephony Systems. (MarketWire)



Apr. 19: Skype hits 100 million downloads and launches SkypeIn and Skype Voice mail as two new premium services. (vnunet)







MAY 2005

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May 06: Vonage Raises $200M through VC funding. Expand its War Chest. (BusinessWeek)





May 19. The FCC gives Net phone carriers a late September deadline to provide the same kind of 911 services available to people who call for help from landline or cell phones. (CNET News)







JUNE 2005

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June 14: Yahoo Buys Dialpad - Yahoo bought Dialpad Communications, potentially turning the longstanding Internet portal into a communications vehicle that some say will rival Skype. (Blogs ZDNET)







JULY 2005

————



July 12: Boingo Wireless, one of the leading Wi-Fi hotspot aggregators, and Skype, announced Skype Zones - Powered by Boingo service, offering global Wi-Fi access to Skype customers. (Tom Keating)









AUGUST 2005

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Aug. 23: Google launches GoogleTalk. Shakes up a ’sleepy’ IM market. (CNET News)



Aug. 30: Microsoft purchases Internet calling start-up Teleo, to expand the capabilities of MSN Messenger.

(iMediaConnection)









SEPTEMBER 2005

——————-



Sept. 23: Asterix the open-source PBX application, releases version 1.0. (VoIP Fan)



Sept. 12: eBay Buys Skype. eBay Inc. brought Luxembourg-based Skype Technologies SA, the global Internet communications company, for approximately $2.6 billion in up-front cash and eBay stock, plus potential performance-based consideration. (Skype Press Release)



Sept. 8: China hinted banning unregulated VoIP services by blacklisting Skype Out in Shenzhen. Also threatened to fine anyone who tries to get around the new obstacles. (Forbes)







OCTOBER 2005

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Oct. 4: Sprint Nextel Sues Vonage on patents - Sprint Nextel Corp. sued the Internet-phone provider Vonage Holdings and two other firms. The patents cover technology related to the processing and delivery of voice and data packets used in Internet telephony. (InformationWeek)



Oct. 13: Japan announces to offer VoIP for cell phones by 2007. Capable of speeds 1,000 times faster than current 3G networks. (MSNBC)







NOVEMBER 2005

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Nov. 14: FCC opens Net phone E911 portal - A task force created by the Federal Communications Commission launched the site, which is aimed at providing consumers, industry and government with the latest information about Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) providers and 911 service. (voIP911.gov)



Nov. 23: Google launches Click-to-call services. Aims the lucrative PPCall market. (HelloCompany)







DECEMBER 2005

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Dec.1: Skype Launches version 2.0 with Video Capabilities. (Skype)





Dec. 8: Yahoo launches cheap VoIP - Yahoo adds Phone In and Phone Out services, letting customers to make calls to and from PCs and phones for a penny per minute with its Yahoo! Messenger. (Search Engine Journal)





DEC. 14: Vonage claims to be fully 911 compliant with federal regulations requiring phone service operators to provide enhanced 911 services to their customers. (VoIP Central)



Dec 17. Vonage raises $250 million more. An IPO prelude. It now has around $658 million in private funding so far. (VoIP Central)





So, another year has passed producing new champions, new mergers, and new innovations. Next year will undoubtedly be even more action packed than the previous one, with hopefully more events around the globe and unquestionably more radical action in all disciplines.