Yahoo & BT Join Forces: VoIP and IM

Yahoo and BT announced a new service in the UK that integrates Yahoo Instant Messenger with BT's voice services. From Reuters "The BT Communicator with Yahoo service is designed to make it easy for users to switch from an instant messenger conversation to a telephone conversation." The service will further integrate billing with the BT customers existing bill (for calls to the PSTN). This is the type of integration we have been discussing in prior ramblings (See Voice as a Feature below).

So, in a world where the application and the network are separated, who do you think will succeed in developing value add apps: the phone companies or the software (Internet media) companies? MSFT phone anyone?

Now, one of these days an innovative wireless carrier will come to the conclusion that they should integrate with VoIP and deliver an bundled offering. The wireless carriers have the customers, the billing infrastructure and importantly for E-911, they have the intelligent endpoint that can detect the callers location. Can you hear me now.....Good!

Comments

[JC Francois]

Hi,

I discovered your blog while searching on bloglines for a reference on Yahoo! Messenger and VoIP. I found your thoughts close to mine.

I linked to this post here:
http://www.noirextreme.com/node/80

But I was struck recently by the incredibly opportunity that VoIP represents for wireless operators and I see that you mention that on this post too. Mine is here:
http://www.noirextreme.com/node/84