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Details Of Android 3.0 Gingerbread – SIP Support, Gtalk Video Chat and More

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21–30 of 37 posts

Re: Details Of Android 3.0 Gingerbread – SIP Support, Gtalk Video Chat and More

#21
post #13

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Do you think Google would implement it if carriers wouldn't agree? Maybe. But I think the carriers will support that feature. Why? It's simple. Verizon, for example, could say "Yes, we sell this Android 3.0 phone and you can make VOIP calls on it - you only have to buy this expensive LTE data plan from us". Carriers can easily embrace this and make even more money from it than from minutes.

People aren't that dumb; they're only interested in VoIP to save money. As soon as it costs more, people will be back to circuit-switched voice calls (which are higher quality anyway).

There are other advantages to VoIP. Namely, portability. If your office has a VoIP phone system, you could take calls at your desk or on the go without a person trying to track you down, forward the call, etc.

Re: Details Of Android 3.0 Gingerbread – SIP Support, Gtalk Video Chat and More

#22
post #4

Whether the rumors are true or not, I'm really hoping for and looking forward to a version of Google Voice that works entirely over the phone's data connection. With Skype caller-id now supporting Google Voice numbers and Skype on Android, we're close, but not entirely there yet.

Not to be a buzz kill, but I think that's the first thing that will be carrier disabled. The downside to Android's openness is that carriers are open to disable features that they don't like. And they certainly have been pushing against "dumb pipe" since there's still plenty of money in selling "minutes".

Thats not really that bad though - you can still buy phones that can be rooted.

Or just not live in America :)

Re: Details Of Android 3.0 Gingerbread – SIP Support, Gtalk Video Chat and More

#23
post #13

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Do you think Google would implement it if carriers wouldn't agree? Maybe. But I think the carriers will support that feature. Why? It's simple. Verizon, for example, could say "Yes, we sell this Android 3.0 phone and you can make VOIP calls on it - you only have to buy this expensive LTE data plan from us". Carriers can easily embrace this and make even more money from it than from minutes.

People aren't that dumb; they're only interested in VoIP to save money. As soon as it costs more, people will be back to circuit-switched voice calls (which are higher quality anyway).

  > As soon as it costs more, people will be back to circuit-
  > switched voice calls (which are higher quality anyway).
In my experience the quality of Skype to Skype calls (Android to desktop) can be way better than POTS.

Re: Details Of Android 3.0 Gingerbread – SIP Support, Gtalk Video Chat and More

#24

Earlier quoted context omitted.

You can buy data only plans through VZW. They offer them for deaf/mute people but they're legally obligated to sell them to everyone. It's not even hard to find. There is so much fearmongering on here from fanboys on both sides (carriers will block it, carriers won't support it, fragmentation every other word...). It's worse than other places. And that's saying something.

Yes, you can buy a data-only plan from them, but that same data-only plan explicitly prohibits the use of VoIP technologies, just like every other carrier in the US.

And see my other comment for my remarks in that regard. My University tells me that my internet connection is not to be used for accessing "obscene materials".

Guess how much that's stopped me.

Re: Details Of Android 3.0 Gingerbread – SIP Support, Gtalk Video Chat and More

#25
post #20

Earlier quoted context omitted.

That's not something the carrier can disable. The Google Voice APK is a side loadable app. The only way VZW/ATT could kill it is if they sniffed the traffic from EVERY SINGLE PHONE and tried to block access to the SIP endpoint. ... which isn't feasible or possible on the scale you'd be talking about.

There are plenty of vendors who would kill for the chance to sell a box to Verizon that blocked all traffic on the ports that this would use.

Which would certainly reignite the whole net neutrality debate.

Re: Details Of Android 3.0 Gingerbread – SIP Support, Gtalk Video Chat and More

#26
post #19

Earlier quoted context omitted.

What leads you to believe that Verizon or any other carrier wants to become a dumb pipe?? A decade of contrary statements to the press suggests otherwise.

I doubt they want to, but the device openness on that spectrum is mandated by regulations.

Just because any ODI-approved device will be allowed on their network doesn't mean that they have to sell/subsidize devices that are free to use the data connection for calls.

Re: Details Of Android 3.0 Gingerbread – SIP Support, Gtalk Video Chat and More

#27
post #4

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Not to be a buzz kill, but I think that's the first thing that will be carrier disabled. The downside to Android's openness is that carriers are open to disable features that they don't like. And they certainly have been pushing against "dumb pipe" since there's still plenty of money in selling "minutes".

That's not something the carrier can disable. The Google Voice APK is a side loadable app. The only way VZW/ATT could kill it is if they sniffed the traffic from EVERY SINGLE PHONE and tried to block access to the SIP endpoint. ... which isn't feasible or possible on the scale you'd be talking about.

Several phones don't allow non-market apps.

Re: Details Of Android 3.0 Gingerbread – SIP Support, Gtalk Video Chat and More

#28
post #22
post #4

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Not to be a buzz kill, but I think that's the first thing that will be carrier disabled. The downside to Android's openness is that carriers are open to disable features that they don't like. And they certainly have been pushing against "dumb pipe" since there's still plenty of money in selling "minutes".

Thats not really that bad though - you can still buy phones that can be rooted. Or just not live in America :)

Or get a Nexus One, which you don't need to root. Still the best phone in my opinion.

Re: Details Of Android 3.0 Gingerbread – SIP Support, Gtalk Video Chat and More

#29
post #27

Earlier quoted context omitted.

That's not something the carrier can disable. The Google Voice APK is a side loadable app. The only way VZW/ATT could kill it is if they sniffed the traffic from EVERY SINGLE PHONE and tried to block access to the SIP endpoint. ... which isn't feasible or possible on the scale you'd be talking about.

Several phones don't allow non-market apps.

By several do you mean 2 from AT&T? And that can easily accept sideloaded apps regardless of AT&T's desires? yeah...

Re: Details Of Android 3.0 Gingerbread – SIP Support, Gtalk Video Chat and More

#30
post #4

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Not to be a buzz kill, but I think that's the first thing that will be carrier disabled. The downside to Android's openness is that carriers are open to disable features that they don't like. And they certainly have been pushing against "dumb pipe" since there's still plenty of money in selling "minutes".

That's not something the carrier can disable. The Google Voice APK is a side loadable app. The only way VZW/ATT could kill it is if they sniffed the traffic from EVERY SINGLE PHONE and tried to block access to the SIP endpoint. ... which isn't feasible or possible on the scale you'd be talking about.

Or the carriers can simply choose not to preinstall Gingerbread on the new phones.
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