<p>I missed the announcement about Packet8 raising consumer rates, which Ted Wallingford caught while I was at DEMO earlier this week.
I don’t think it is any kind of surprise that 8×8 is moving in this direction. They want to target the more lucrative business market, which they’ll have to play major catch-up to go after. The only small advantage they have is none of the other consumer VoIP companies are chasing it in a big way, YET.
Vonage pulled the plug on their play, though I suspect they will revitalize. EarthLink only targets consumers. CallVantage is the best kept secret in telecom and the rest of the gang, companies like BroadVoice have a great product for the single line crowd, and even the two line folks, but get past two and your in trouble.
The cable folks are also looming as they already have a business offering for data and have the pipe to deliver more than enough for small business. But the real smart money goes to companies like Covad and CallTower for business VoIP or if they are technically inclined to an Asterisk solution either from Digium or Fonality. Those are two companies I’m starting to appreciate more for innovation and thought leadership in the self service VoIP space. Fonality is a company on a roll for sales, and so too is CBeyond out of Atlanta.
Beyond those options the small office PBX or Centrex replacement has slim pickings. The Linksys 9000 offers a lot to replace the traditional PBX, if you can bring your own pipe and then there’s the offering from a new client, CallButler tha attacks the market and between the two may have the least costly and best value solution around.
All of this makes Packet8’s business play a day late and a few dollars short, which explains why they have to raise rates next month to their loyal, but not rapidly growing user base.