[VoIP] (no subject)

[Ben Jackson]

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Kirt Stanfield wrote:
> Personally I found the report I read about this in the Washington Post a 
> bit alarming. A jury has agreed with Verizon, and so has a judge. I see 
> it as something I have been fearing, the re-emergence of Ma Bell and her 
> monopoly. If this ruling stands,  then I imagine it won't be long before 
> they cook up a way to stop all VOIP that isn't run by a Bell - and then 
> it is bye-bye CNET, and of course competition in the phone industry.

While yes, there is reason to be concerned, a lot of people are seeing
this as "End of VoIP as we know it" type thing. Here's what has happened
so far:

VZ: "Judge, we have patents on X, Y, and Z. Vonage is infringing"
Vonage: "No we're not. o/~ Woo hoo, woo hoo hoo o/~"
Judge: "Yes Vonage, you are"
Jury: "Yup, we agree"
Vonage: "Oh Sh*t..."

That's it. The /validity/ of these patents have not been discussed at
all. Sadly, AFAIK there is no legal recourse for that, just a
quasi-appeal system at the US Patent Office. Unfortunately, the patent
office has a "approve first, ask questions later" and their appeals
process is slow as molasses going uphill on a cold day. Hooray government!

Vonage is screwed, IMHO, however, I wouldn't be surprised to see AT&T
leading the charge to get the patent overturned.

- --
Ben Jackson - N1WBV - New Bedford, MA
bbj <at> innismir.net - http://www.innismir.net/
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