8×8 Addresses VOIP Adoption Riddle
As much as I'm an 8×8 Inc. skeptic, the company deserves major kudos for a deal with Uniden that will see the two firms offer a bundle featuring VOIP service and a 5.8Ghz corded/cordless phone with built-in VoIP technology and router functionality that is expandable to up to 10 cordless handsets. The consumer-friendly service will be sold at retailers such as Fry's, OfficeMax, Costco.com and Amazon.com next month.
This package, which ideally should include three cordless phones, solves a major adoption hurdle for many consumers living in multi-phone households. Unless you're willing to buy a new multi-phone cordless system or hire someone to connect your VOIP service so all your phone jacks continue to work, it makes little sense economically or logistically for many households to jump on the VOIP bandwagon. 8×8 and Uniden realize there is a big marketing/sales opportunity that has yet to be addressed properly. I'm guessing it should only be a matter of time before Vonage, SunRocket, et al introduce their own packages.
June 9th, 2005 at 8:47 am
Yeah. Great. Now 8×8 needs to actually deliver for ONCE (since they've gone public) and actually sell the product to make money. It's one thing to have great products, its another thing if the people there are clueless on how to sell the thing (which, historically, is the story of 8×8 and the people running the show there)
June 9th, 2005 at 10:37 am
Is it so hard to connect your VoIP adapter into your house phone wiring? It's two steps.
Step 1: Connect phone cable from phone jack to VoIP adapter.
Step 2: Go outside your house to the Bell Canada block and undo two wires (maybe four if you had two lines connected).
What's so hard about that. Granted it may be harder to do in an apartment but then you can just buy a two-handset cordless system since you have less space to cover.