>I think the message for the rest of the VoIP industry is: >" You're next "
Maybe true, but I have a different opinion. The ruling included an explicit list of the algorithms that infringed on Verizon (shout out thanks go to Peter for these). It's clear that you can build VoIP service without infringement ... but Vonage didn't ... not because it had to intentionally use the Verizon algorithms, but because it didn't know any better (because they didn't know enough to check for IPR). Vonage will be infringement free as soon as they re-engineer their service (and open for new business) ... and you know they'll be re-engineering at full-steam. Depending on how quickly they got started (presumably they've already been working full-steam since the initial infringement lawsuit was filed) it could be up and running within months (or less). Small fish will never be gone after by Verizon, and hopefully the open-source project VoIP solutions are IPR infringement free (or will soon be ... having been awakened to the implications of IPR by this ruling). I think the real message for the rest of the VoIP industry is that the big players (both manufacturers and operators) religiously protect their IPR, and if you want to compete (meaning: grow large) you better pay attention. Vonage's crime was complete total ignorance of the law of IPR (which we all know is always a very poor legal defense for breaking the law). Rich p.s. On re-reading before hitting SEND I note that I use the IPR acronym without definition ... hopefully the readers here know that IPR means Intellectual Property Rights (meaning patents & copyrights). ----- Original Message ----- From: Jack Unger To: WISPA General List Sent: Friday, April 06, 2007 2:01 PM Subject: Re: [WISPA] NO new customers for VONAGE I think the message for the rest of the VoIP industry is: " You're next " George Rogato wrote: > Yipes! this is going to really hurt. > > http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20070406/ap_on_hi_te/vonage_verizon_suit > > I wonder what this means for the rest of the voip industry... -- Jack Unger ([EMAIL PROTECTED]) - President, Ask-Wi.Com, Inc. FCC License # PG-12-25133 Serving the Broadband Wireless Industry Since 1993 Author of the WISP Handbook - "Deploying License-Free Wireless WANs" True Vendor-Neutral Wireless Consulting-Training-Troubleshooting Phone (VoIP Over Broadband Wireless) 818-227-4220 www.ask-wi.com -- WISPA Wireless List: wireless@wispa.org Subscribe/Unsubscribe: http://lists.wispa.org/mailman/listinfo/wireless Archives: http://lists.wispa.org/pipermail/wireless/ -- WISPA Wireless List: wireless@wispa.org Subscribe/Unsubscribe: http://lists.wispa.org/mailman/listinfo/wireless Archives: http://lists.wispa.org/pipermail/wireless/