The Jeff Pulver Blog: FWD invites beta testers for network tunneling service

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August 05, 2007

FWD invites beta testers for network tunneling service

The FWD relaunch effort needs beta users for testing a new option in free international calling - network tunneling. Network tunneling allows FWD users to receive calls from traditional telephone numbers. It combines the ubiquity of the traditional telephone network and the fact few ISP's impose usage or distance sensitive costs. For example, a long distance relationship between Toledo, Ohio and Dublin, Ireland would prove expensive to maintain via traditional telephone service. Network tunneling provides a way for a FWD user in Ireland to obtain a telephone number in Ohio that automatically completes incoming calls to the FWD user in Ireland.

There already exist ways to point inbound numbers (DID - Direct Inward Dial) to VoIP software (e.g. SkypeIn for US$60/year), but FWD proposes to offer network tunneling at no cost through partners Super Technologies (http://www.supertec.com) and IPKall (http://www.ipkall.com). FWD also makes it easy to receive calls on IP phones or regular phones (via an ATA) rather cope with a headset and PC software client. Future versions of the service will offer non-US DID's. Super Technologies already offers a range of DID options for anyone willing to pay a nominal fee.

The beta test of network tunneling seeks to identify technical glitches, but we also want to learn more about how people might utilize the service. Avoiding costly international calls represents an obvious application, but maybe network tunneling enables services not otherwise possible. For example, FWD plans to implement a support line using network tunneling. The support line will be a regular telephone number, but network tunneling allows us to distribute the calls to FWD volunteers distributed around the world.

The broadband version of FWD launched in November 2002 at a time when IP Phones and ATA's cost almost US$500 and broadband penetration remained below 10% in the US. Five years later, there exists a wide selection of IP Phones and ATA's starting below US$50 and even 15th ranked US reports more than 50% broadband penetration. However, the 10x reduction in price and 10x expansion in availablity did not free us from dependence on the telephone network. VoIP implementations by Vonage and the cable co's still depend on the telephone network to complete 95% their calls. FWD hopes network tunneling motivates more people to buy unlocked ATA's and IP phones to accelerate the day when the network effect no longer represents an enemy of progress.

Please contact Daniel Berninger (dan@danielberninger.com) if you are interested in participating.

Tags: Free World Dialup, Daniel Berninger, VoIP, Jeff Pulver