Vodafone blocking VOIP on 3G connections

Forums › One New Zealand (including Vodafone, WxC, Farmside) › Vodafone blocking VOIP on 3G connections

1 | 2 | 3 | 4

30853 posts

Uber Geek

Retired Mod

Trusted

Biddle Corp

Lifetime subscriber

#18028 11-Aug-2005 09:58

There are quire a few products out there at the moment like VT Phone and Radvision (which you mention on here (http://www.geekzone.co.nz/content.asp?contentid=4078), do you know if it is possible to use such software in NZ at the moment?

freitasm

BDFL - Memuneh
79250 posts

Uber Geek

Administrator

ID Verified

Trusted

Geekzone

Lifetime subscriber

#18030 11-Aug-2005 10:04

Radvision requires Microsoft LCS 2005 (Live Communication Server). If you have this then it should work. Not sure if the Radvision software itself is available in New Zealand, but MS LCS 2005 is on MSDN Universal library, plus Technet (trial) and of course you can purchase from Microsoft or partners.

It could be visible from outside the company, perhaps through a VPN?

I actually want to try it out, and did not before because we have an iMac here at home. But now the MSN Messenger 5 for Mac OS X supports MS LCS 2005, so I might install this on my server to test (although it's only me and wife here, and we work on adjacent rooms, but live IM is nice, and even better if could be over cellular networks.)...

Also, remember that Windows Mobile have some components linked to LCS according to the LCS documents somewhere. Using this over UMTS or CDMA EV-DO would be nice...

And Vodafone shouldn't block, since this is an enterprise application - perhaps they have different plans for enterprise data?

timbo

82 posts

Master Geek

#18031 11-Aug-2005 10:11

freitasm: AFAIK video calls on UMTS do not use IP for transport, only for initiation and control.

A video call uses a 64kbps end to end circuit connection. As for call set-up and signalling I would guess that uses enhanced SS7 (ISDN based) but Mauricio may be correct.

It is only in future versions of 3G (Releases 5 & 6) that all services become IP based.

How about this. Music downloads to VLive handsets are $3.50 each but Coke tunes is $1.75. now at only 15c per MB (new 3G plans) you could download a Coke tunes for an additional 30-45c on top of the $1.75 - to a suitable device. Would there be any moves to block this?

It is the classic conundrum of a vertical industry. It provides a mass service such as basic network access - but wants to add other services on top of this. But there are many other competitors in those other services.

paradoxsm

3000 posts

Uber Geek

Trusted

#18107 11-Aug-2005 20:54

Answer... Forget Vodafone 3g and all their corporate w***iness. and spend the $999 on a harrier and install skype on it with a data plan., You won't be dissapointed!

cokemaster

Exited
4927 posts

Uber Geek

Retired Mod

Trusted

Lifetime subscriber

#18113 11-Aug-2005 21:02

PARADOXSM: Answer... Forget Vodafone 3g and all their corporate w***iness. and spend the $999 on a harrier and install skype on it with a data plan., You won't be dissapointed!

Might do that in future if the plans and price are right when it comes around to purchasing a new handset.

webhosting

Loose lips may sink ships - Be smart - Don't post internal/commercially sensitive or confidential information!

paradoxsm

3000 posts

Uber Geek

Trusted

#18145 11-Aug-2005 23:34

a "suitable device" aka the new HTC Pocketpc would possibly be able to handle "coketunes". Note coketunes requires some pretty stringent criteria. WMP8.0 and IE : it won't work in firefox. why bother............ it's much much easier to type in Google
"index of" Crazy Frog.mp3 -tones -lyrics -ringtones -tonez -free -mobile -au -mid

ooooh look at that.. fourth in the list.... (I hate this song but it's number 1)

Index of /downloads/mp3`s
[DIR] Parent Directory 07-Jul-2005 18:13 - [SND] Axel f - Crazy Frog.mp3 11-Jun-2005
17:44 2.6M [SND] Body_Murat.mp3 27-Jun-2005 20:32 1.6M [VID] ...
www.xyzxyzxyzremoved.de/downloads/mp3%60s/ - 2k - Cached - Similar pages

Mahuhu

109 posts

Master Geek

#18234 12-Aug-2005 17:06

We just tried to use Skype over 3G and it worked fine.
Two Nokia 6680 connected to IBM laptops using bluetooth and connected to internet via 3G connection.

We were talking on Skype.

What is the problem with the VoIP blocking?

Equinox IT

Cloud spending continues to surge globally, but most organisations haven’t made the changes necessary to maximise the value and cost-efficiency benefits of their cloud investments. Download the whitepaper From Overspend to Advantage now.

cokemaster

Exited
4927 posts

Uber Geek

Retired Mod

Trusted

Lifetime subscriber

#18236 12-Aug-2005 17:21

Mahuhu: We just tried to use Skype over 3G and it worked fine.
Two Nokia 6680 connected to IBM laptops using bluetooth and connected to internet via 3G connection.

We were talking on Skype.

What is the problem with the VoIP blocking?

Quoting Disenchanted (who quotes timbo) for a second:

Term #7 says: The use of Vodafone Mobile Connect for Voice over IP (VoIP) is excluded.

While they [vodafone] may not block VOIP applications such as Skype, their terms imply/say that you are not to use VOIP applications. How they enforce that is unknown. Do they try to block VOIP traffic? (unlikely), will they [vodafone] try and charge you data charges for VOIP?, Or will they [vodafone] end your service?

webhosting

Loose lips may sink ships - Be smart - Don't post internal/commercially sensitive or confidential information!

sbiddle

30853 posts

Uber Geek

Retired Mod

Trusted

Biddle Corp

Lifetime subscriber

#18238 12-Aug-2005 17:29

Mahuhu: We just tried to use Skype over 3G and it worked fine.
Two Nokia 6680 connected to IBM laptops using bluetooth and connected to internet via 3G connection.

We were talking on Skype.

What is the problem with the VoIP blocking?

What was the call quality like?

Mahuhu

109 posts

Master Geek

#18239 12-Aug-2005 17:34

The quality was normal I can say. Not bad, but not landline quality yet.. :)

So Voda is not blocking Skype at the moment, feel free to use it.
Until they check this topic and start blocking it.. :)

timbo

82 posts

Master Geek

#18240 12-Aug-2005 18:28

I never said anything would happen - but Vodafone are reserving the right to do something. By entering into a contract for one of those data plans with Vodafone (the VMC ones with a term) you are agreeing not to use VoIP. If you do then Vodafone could take action against you - and Vodafone may be entitled to actually start blocking because everyone was warned.

And if your service is terminated or restricted then you have another provider you can choose - that's competition.

Gremlin

83 posts

Master Geek

#18281 13-Aug-2005 11:02

I have to disagree with what seems to be the general interpretation on this one, I do not believe VoIP is prohibited, it's pretty common practice to put exclusions into pricing plans when you have the intention of creating specific additional charges for the item at some point in the future.

The only reference I could find in any of the usage policies, pricing pages etc is the one mentioned as point 7 in the 3G Pricing. The statement in my mind therefore applies specifically to the service pricing and means that VoIP traffic is "excluded" from the pricing quotas (lets just assume for a minute they can even identify the difference between VoIP traffic and other stuff which in reality they probably can't yet anyway), so it's therefore giving vodafone the right to charge additional (future proofing the service charges) for this traffic or *possibly* block it, most likely IMHO their intent is to provide at a later date either another plan or add-on plan/service specifically catering for VoIP .. who knows, possibly even shaping the traffic within the network to provide a better QoS.

If I've missed something in the terms of service then please by all means point me in the right direction and I'll stand corrected, but I think right now the old mountain out of a molehill saying applies.

timbo

82 posts

Master Geek

#18302 13-Aug-2005 21:44

Gremlin: I have to disagree with what seems to be the general interpretation on this one, I do not believe VoIP is prohibited, it's pretty common practice to put exclusions into pricing plans when you have the intention of creating specific additional charges for the item at some point in the future.

Looks like you are in perfect agreement - all anyone is saying is that they *might* do something or be reserving their rights. Otherwise why would the clause be there?

The fact that the clause is ambiguous and uncertain is probably because Vodafone is not clear when and how it will be applied.

To quote again from 3G Vodafone Mobile Connect pricing T's and C's:

"7. The use of Vodafone Mobile Connect for Voice over IP (VoIP) is excluded."

Gremlin

83 posts

Master Geek

#18311 14-Aug-2005 01:48

you are agreeing not to use VoIP.

We mostly agree but that statement I read as you saying that your agreeing not to use it when signing the contract, which I do not believe is true .. may just be my interpretation, but your wording of it there may be a little missleading/ or easy to missinterpret :)

timbo

82 posts

Master Geek

#18335 14-Aug-2005 19:07

Well at least we all seem to agree that there is uncertainty and confusion around this clause. The most we can hope is that Vodafone will be more upfront about their intentions.

1 | 2 | 3 | 4