[plug] Telstra and Microsoft in VoIP trial

[Gavin Rogers]

Forwarded press release below:

Looks like Telstra and Microosft are joining forces for a VoIP trial.

Does anyone else find it odd that aside from the fact that you need to use
the latest Microsoft MSN messenger to use this thing (there are plenty
of free voice over IP applications that are also multiplatform) - but you
also nee to have a 'Telstra pre-paid account' - is this pre-paid as in
calling card or BigPond internet access?

To use the Microsoft/Telstra VoIP system _it seems_ you have to have an
account with the Telstra ISP - BigPond (at least the trial is being aimed
at BigPond broadband customers only). It isn't clear and 'telstra.com' has
no information at all - If I needed some sort of an account with Telstra
for billing, I'd understand.

That doesn't appear to be the way it works - to use the VoIP from Telstra
you a) need to use a Microsoft operating system and b) need an ISP account
with BigPond. All teamed up into a nice package which is unhindered from
competition in either the telephony or computer side.

It also isn't clear if the VoIP parts of Microsoft MSN messenger only work
with Windows XP (since the Microsoft rep talks about the wonderfulness of
XP), but it says later that MSN messenger is available for all the
flavours of Windows. I don't use MSN messenger - is anyone able to tell me
if the 'make a phone call' is avaialble under messenger on older
Windowses?

These are only a few of the things that I find terribly wrong with this
idea...

Oh, I guess I'll get some replies that say 'What Telstra does is
Telstra's business' - don't forget that they are still majority _taxpayer_
owned and have an obligation of universal service. If Optus or AAPT or
whoever had released the same press release I wouldn't have cared - it
is their business as independant companies. If it's a bad idea, then you
buy shares in the company and complain :-)

If Telstra are going to make a computer-based telephony system, it had
better work on any modern PC, regardless of operating system and with any
ISP (Telstra's or not)

This also means that the Australia government is (in a round-about way)
investing against open source software when Telstra makes a commercial
relationship with Microsoft.

I think I'll formalise my comments and write to the ACCC. The last thing
Australia needs is a monopolised VoIP system by a dominate Telco.


Comments?

Regards,
Gavin Rogers

---
Amateur radio station VK6HGR
http:/vk6hgr.ampr.org/

Email : grogers at vk6hgr.echidna.id.au
Ampr  : grogers at vk6hgr.ampr.org
Packet: vk6hgr at vk6hgr.#per.#wa.aus.oc



---------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Telstra and Microsoft join forces to trial phone calls over the internet

17 April, 2002

Microsoft Australia and Telstra today announced the introduction of a
trial that will enable users in Australia of certain Microsoft software
(MSN Messenger and Windows Messenger) to make voice calls on their PCs to
virtually any telephone in the world.

  Customers on the trial will be able to make telephone calls from their
PC over their internet connection. In the future, Telstra and Microsoft
will look to include other features such as interactive services and
unified messaging.   Executive Director Voice and Commercial, Telstra
Retail, Stuart Lee said: "This partnership is a further demonstration of
Telstras leadership in harnessing the capability of world leading
technology for the future benefit of Telstra customers."

Initially, Telstra and Microsoft will conduct a four-month capped trial
targeted to 3,000 of Telstras broadband consumers.

"Internet calling is not the same as ordinary voice telephony.  It is an
internet application that interfaces with our telephone network and this
creates new challenges, both in terms of technical delivery and customer
requirements. However, IP telephony through MSN and Windows Messenger has
the potential to offer many new services for our customers," Mr Lee said.

Microsoft Australia Enterprise Director, Gerhard Rumpff, also expressed
Microsofts enthusiasm for the pilots potential.

"The impact of having the combined resources and knowledge of Telstra and
Microsoft takes users a step closer to realising the digital age. We
believe IP telephony will become an everyday consumer service and set a
new standard for communication with friends, family and co-workers
anywhere in the world," he said.

"The easy-to-use PC-to-Phone client in Windows XP is one of the many
reasons why Windows XP is the best, easiest, most exciting computing
experience for consumers ever. This VOIP initiative is the initial step in
exploring the range of communications options we can offer to Australian
consumers."

To use the Telstra Internet Calling Trial service, users will need to have
MSN or Windows Messenger installed on their PC and open a pre-paid credit
card account with Telstra.  (The latest version of MSN Messenger is
downloadable from ninemsn* for use with Windows 95, 98, ME,  2000 and NT 4
operating systems.)

To utilise VOIP, the user will then simply need to log on, open up
Windows/MSN messenger, choose the option "make a phone call" and then
enter a phone number online and be connected to the other party anywhere
in the world.

The service will provide the highest quality sound for those with a
high-speed internet connection, as the performance relies in part on the
speed of the customers ISP.  Prices will be competitive with current
standard mobile, long-distance and international calling rates.

The Telstra Internet Calling trial will finish in August 2002.  The trial
is limited to outbound calls only.  To participate in the trial customers
will be required to open a pre-paid account with Telstra.

Downloads are available from: http://messenger.ninemsn.com.au/default.asp.

The trial can also be accessed from www.telstra.com.

For online information, visit the Microsoft Web site at
http://www.microsoft.com/ or the Telstra website at www.telstra.com.

* MSN services such as MSN Instant Messenger, MSN Hotmail and MSN Search
are available in Australia through ninemsn, a joint venture between
Microsoft and PBLs online investment arm, eCorp. There are currently
nearly 3 million customers in Australia using the MSN Messenger service
from ninemsn.






For further information, please contact:

Stuart Gray
Telstra
Tel: 03 9632 7358
stuart.gray at team.telstra.com
E-mail: newsroom at team.telstra.com

Selena Adams
Microsoft Australia
Tel: 02 9870 2316
selenad at microsoft.com
E-mail:


Nathan Williams
AUGUST.ONE COMMUNICATIONS
Tel: 02 9955 1866
nathan.williams at augustone.com.au
E-mail: