The recent spat of announcements and coverage about lower calling rates from just about everyone recently all reminds me of the calling card era. Sure there’s a market for that, and a need, but candidly, rates may matters to the price conscious consumer but not those who are already in the know. It’s what you have behind the rates. And that’s services.
Show me a plan with more than just minutes, and I’ll show you a business model. Show me just minutes, and I’m show you the history of calling cards and how they are pretty much wearing thin on the market today, what with Pre-Paid SIMs, no contract plans and more and more coming from the carriers. The same holds true with free conference calling. Sure there’s a market, but its not for those who want more than simply a conference bridge. As more and more IP based services get rolled out, that leverage the call, the more you’ll see the price per minute or month include the more advanced services. Years ago, Jeff Pulver called them Purple Minutes. Well, the world is turning purple when it comes to calling. Call it Purple Cloud, as that’s what’s going to be driving it.