In an interesting article on msnbc.com, Rana Foroohar of Newsweek International goes almost so far as to predict the end of traditional telephones due to the re-emergence of a technology called voice over Internet protocol, or VoIP. Having been around for a number of years, the technology took a hit with the dotcom crash, but appears to back and in full force. Vonage, an Internet phone call provider started by tech expert Jeff Pulver boasts over 400,000 subscribers to its USD 24.95 a month program with unlimited access anywhere with an internet connection, potentially making expensive long-distance phone calls obsolete. And a study by AT&T showed that within the next two years, 43% of multinational corporations will have switched to the technology. The spread of VoIP is expected to seriously affect telephone companies, will present many new possibilities to businesses ranging from Internet companies to WalMart and could bring about the long-awaited convergence of digital media.  Besides convergence, what is interesting for editors is the effect VoIP is expected to have on the mobile market and the already mediocre results of 3G technology. A report by Westhall Capital showed that by 2007, VoIP could very well cause a 70% drop in mobile phone revenue. Before modifying their business strategies to send news feeds via mobile technology, newspapers may want to consider this information.  Read the complete story at msnbc.com. Here are some excerpts.

Source: msnbc.com and Newsweek International ,