The debate continues over whether or not in-flight VoIP calls should be allowed.
It seems that discussions have erupted amoungst U.S. travelers, airlines and regulators regarding the use of in-flight cellphone usage via voice over internet protocol.
Travellers have been able to use their mobile phones to make calls over wireless internet access on airliners. The objection comes as mobiles use normal wireless spectrums that are banned because of the potential disruption to an aircraft’s equipement.
A total ban has been urged by some in Congress and a poll has learned that 45% of fliers believe that mobiles should be completely banned. 40% want to know if mobiles pose any threat, and then if there is none, they would like to be able to use the VoIP service.
The other issue will be in-cabin noise levels that will no doubt increase as a direct result of the use of phones onboard.
The debate goes on.
According to a study by Dimension Data, businesses and companies can improve their customer services by using mobile VoIP.
Howard Spink who is the Director for Customer Services and Interactive Solutions at Dimension Data, said that VoIP will push the boudaries of customer services beyond current expectations.
A company using VoIP solutions will also have an integrated customer services department, instead of a separate, margainally isolated department.
Voice over Internet Telephony technology would be combined with other technologies to ensure that the needs of customers would be easily met.
According to research by In-Stat, who analyse the industry, by 2013, there will be 278 million registered VoIP users worldwide. This works out at annual revenues of £19.5 billion.
We already know that VoIP saves money, so how long will it benuntil everyone knows this?
Many companies are pulling the purse strings in on spending, but it seems that despite this, VoIP and the growth of Unified Communications continues to rise.
500 call centres were contacted across 36 countries by network provider Dimension Data. Of the firms contacted most were still keen to have value-added services.
Spending may have dipped and the call for customer relationship management software fallen, but VoIP continues to prove popular for many businesses.
It is worth noting that the survey found that 60% of call centres in the UK now use VoIP software.
Howard Spink, of Dimension Data, says that the findings are a clear indication of the recession creating a ‘contact centre evolution’. With the intervention of VoIP, call centre communications will now be revolutionised and will enable companies to keep costs down.
VoIP is going to help companies to continue to communicate throughout the recession and keep a lid on costs.
US Communications giants AT&T admits to blocking 3G VoIP across the company’s network.
AT&T had to admit to the Federal Communications Commission in the States that it struck a deal to prevent VoIP calls being made across the 3G network.
VoIP calls cost mobile phone providers money, as it cuts the cost of calls for the user – calls that would usually be made with mobile minutes.
Customer voice plans would not generate the predicted revenues if VoIP calls were available.
It seems that despite this rather unfair move on the part of AT&T, it seems that without removing the ability to make VoIP calls, they will all lose money. In fact, without the revenues created by voice call plans, there would be a slow on mobile phone advancements overall.
AT&T has said that VoIP can be used on any VoIP apps that use Wi-Fi to operate, but that they would be blocked from the iPhone.
